Sure, Bush has been jonesing to attack Iran, since about the time he got away with the illegal war against Iraq without any dire consequences (to himself, that is--$275 Million U.S. per day to fund the illegal war is dire enough; more than 80,000 Iraqi casualties is dire enough; almost 4,000 American casualties is dire enough too). Bush got away with it. He got away with 9/11, whatever his role in that was, and certainly, he put up with the planning of it, at the very least. Drunk on this string of successes, his own hubris ("I talk to God" and the downfall of the "It's just another goddamned piece of paper" U.S. Constitution), and his then ample poll numbers, buoyed by support or lack of spine on the part of Congress, well, his wildest Neo-Con dreams could come true. "Total hegemony in the Middle East?!? Golly Gee, Laura, we might could pull that one off too!"
Now, Adm. William J. Fallon, a good military chief of the Middle East with a true sense of honor— who SWORE the U.S. would not attack Iran as long as he, "Not on my watch," had a say—now, he no longer has a say. Officially, he resigned, but a man like that, with a 41-year solid military record, would not have resigned if he hadn't, at hem, been fired. The current administration must have hated not to have had another patsy in him like they conveniently have set up with General Betray-us, er, Petraeus. The fall of Fallon—who was one of the few remaining obstacles to the U.S.-led, entirely unprovoked, attack against Iran—foretells doom and destruction, even more so the louder Defense Secretary Robert Gates shakes his beefy Kansan fists and shouts, "Ain't no way that means we're fixin' to attack Iran."
Next stop, a new Admiral, pliable as Silly Putty and aiming to please. Quick, gotta attack Iran before the last grain of sand falls in the hour glass, on January 20, 2009. Until then, Neo-Cons have the opportunity to create havoc, declare a "national emergency," and assume utter power, via National Security Presidential Directive (NSPD-51, the acronym for, "You'll wonder where your freedom went/When martial law's declared by the government.")
Tumerica is a freelance nonfiction writer whose essays on social injustice have appeared in area newspapers. She regularly blogs on progressive political issues, food, and beauty. She writes book reviews of non-fiction books, as well as writing articles on writing for other writers. Tumerica is a published poet, with her works appearing in literary magazines and anthologies. Tumerica is also a fanatic foodie who is currently working on a cookbook.
Martial Law is the final and last-ditch option that they hope they won't need to use.
Martial Law would be dangerous and tricky. These folks may be arrogant and cocksure, but they also remember how badly they screwed up the post-invasion Iraq, Katrina, etc. In the back of their minds, a lot of the lower-level people have read history and remember the French Revolution and know that if they go for Martial Law and don't pull it off, they WILL suffer the same fate as the French Aristocracy -- they and their whole families will be slaughtered in a bloodfest that will make the Killing Fields look like a peaceful counter-revolution. The streets will literally run red with rivers of blood of Rethuglicans, neo-cons and their supporters.
And, bottom line, that's not good for multniational corporate profits and/or PR, so it is really a VERY LAST option, only if the others don't work out.
Better options that are still available:
1. Keep the "election" close enough to steal and put McCain and a Cheney-like neo-con V.P. in power. The corporate media will cooperate almost 95% in this little game, while the progressive media will ignore the clear signs of an impending election theft. Then, Hillary will roll over and play dead on the Wednesday after election day and the progressive media will mostly do the same, just like in 2004.
2. Let Hillary and a neo-con V.P. have the WH for 4 years while all hell breaks loose in the economy and try to blame it on the Democrats.
Of course, attacking Iran is utter madness. It will get China pissed at us, implode our economy, cause a world-wide depression, and probably result in the death of a million people before the dust is settled, as well as create a million Jihadist terrorists who will spend the rest of their lives attempting to attack and kill Americans around the world and here in the USA. Oh, and when it's all over, it won't even stop Iran from getting nukes, as they will still have oil money and will simply go and buy their weapons on the black market with cash.
Given how utterl mad and insane such an idea is, we can defiitely expect it to happen before New Year's Day. Unless Obama manages to wrest the Dem nomination from Clinton and is ahead by more than 17% on October 15th -- then you can expect it before Election Day, with the hope that the chaos will "require" a delay in our Constitutionally required elections. The corporate media will fall in line ("Just tell me where to line up") and support the necessary "delay."
These people THINK they are so frigging smart, but they really don't play chess, they play checkers, and they play it badly.
For the rest of us, we are cursed to live in "interesting times."
by
Charlie L (2 articles, 3 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 676 comments)
on Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 11:41:45 AM
Charlie--that was brilliant--and fascinating. I must read your comments over again. Thank you for writing. I agree with attacking Iran being a bloodbath. So why all the saber-rattling? Maybe the plan is that Iran will fall for it and oust Ahmedinejhad? Is total Middle East hegemony the goal? Hard to see through their checker playing, but all the scenarios I run through my head end badly. Even if Obama can pull off a decent majority of delegates, what about his safety and his future? I worry for him too if he does make it. Arrrggghhh!
by
Tumerica (12 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 30 comments)
on Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 5:21:08 PM
Re:U.S. Still Waltzing with Idea of Attacking Iran
Well said Tumerica and Charlie.
They're preparing us for something, that is for dam sure. Admiral Fallon left with dignity and for a reason. He's seen the writing on this fissured wall of hubis. A wall which will come crumbling down if and when they attempt to attack at Iran. A wall that will come crashing down upon America and it's people. And to think Impeachment is off the table?
Several months back I spoke with my neighbor's brother- n- law from Iran and who's family still resides there. He stated to me that the Iranian's are a peaceful people, and that if Bush attacks their country they will unite and unleash a hell upon the invaders like none they've ever seen. And this guy and his Iranian family at one time use to luv George Bush. They believed Bush and Co. would free them from their oppression. Sadly, it is not about oppression, but the oil and hegemony. These good people thought wrong.
by
Munich (0 articles, 67 quicklinks, 12 diaries, 831 comments)
on Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 1:06:54 PM
Munich--I loved that--fissured wall of hubris. Honestly, I feel so sorry for the people of Iraq and now here we are threatening Iran--when Iran is so overwhelmingly and completely on a different order. I am deeply sorry for what the U.S. has done and I hope world citizens can understand that it is our horrible, monstrous current administration and not the will of the American people.
by
Tumerica (12 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 30 comments)
on Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 5:26:54 PM
4 comments
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