From The London Telegraph (via Froomkin):
Senior American intelligence and defence officials believe that President George W Bush and his inner circle are taking steps to place America on the path to war with Iran, The Sunday Telegraph has learnt.
Pentagon planners have developed a list of up to 2,000 bombing targets in Iran, amid growing fears among serving officers that diplomatic efforts to slow Iran’s nuclear weapons programme are doomed to fail.
Pentagon and CIA officers say they believe that the White House has begun a carefully calibrated programme of escalation that could lead to a military showdown with Iran.
Now it has emerged that Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, who has been pushing for a diplomatic solution, is prepared to settle her differences with Vice-President Dick Cheney and sanction military action….
A State Department source familiar with White House discussions said that Miss Rice, under pressure from senior counter-proliferation officials to acknowledge that military action may be necessary, is now working with Mr Cheney to find a way to reconcile their positions and present a united front to the President.
The source said: “When you go down there and see the body language, you can see that Cheney is still The Man. Condi pushed for diplomacy but she is no dove. If it becomes necessary she will be on board….
Miss Rice’s bottom line is that if the administration is to go to war again it must build the case over a period of months and win sufficient support on Capitol Hill.
The Sunday Telegraph has been told that Mr Bush has privately promised her that he would consult “meaningfully” with Congressional leaders of both parties before any military action against Iran on the understanding that Miss Rice would resign if this did not happen.
Well, golly, I feel sooooooo much safer knowing that Condi has put her foot down and required consultation “meaningfully” with Congress. I’d feel more at ease, though, if I knew the size of the heel on her Ferragamos when she did so, wouldn’t you? (Hope they were worth the cost…)
Steve Clemons has an interesting dinner party story in Salon today about what some foreign policy experts think is the likelihood of Bush Administration action toward Iran (hint: likely), although Steve takes the opposite view. All I know is that with Democratic “leadership” listening to Joe Lieberman rather than to their own common sense, I just need to say this out loud this morning: N-O. NO.
A reminder: Former Sen. Gary Hart will be here for a live chat at noon eastern/9 am PT today. Hope you can join us!
(White sling-back from Salvatore Ferragamo photographed by bbanauch.)
Related posts:
Spotlight
Support this site!
Subscribe to the newsletter
Advertise on Firedoglake
Send
us your tips
Make us your homepage
About Firedoglake
Advanced search
I WANT THOSE SLING BACKS!
Oh, how rude of me…Hi Christy!
Christy!
Make em filibuster. No vote, no money.
Me? a zed? Can’t be.
A morning cuppa birth pangs to one and all.
High Heels on the wrong woman is…bad.
Morning, Christy…
Good morning Christy!
Shoes…mmmmm
I feel like I’m living in Bizzaro World…
‘morning, all… off to work.
Wow…didn’t see the “no comments” when I pulled this up!
Coulda hadda zed!
Nice article, Christy. I feel so … secure … between Rice and Lieberman. Agh!
Condi’s not one to give ultimatums to Shrub. I just don’t believe it went down like that.
As an aside, I didn’t know those were Ferragamos until I read the your post, CHS.
No wonder I love them!
kdh22 @ 1
whoosh! Makes my feet hurt to look at ‘em.
(((((((Christy!)))))))
I didn’t know this was a sports blog! Doh!
raven — Dude. What’s up with the sports blog references?
Good Morning Christy
we need to bring Cheney to heel.
.
I suggest impeachment to start
Adie @ 11
Ditto!
demi @ 5
True, but I’m the woman for those heels.
raven @ 13
You funny guy.
Glad I smiled early today. Thanks.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 14
Sling backs, raven, not half backs or full backs. :)
Christy Hardin Smith @ 14
At Late Night. Last Night.
A slight kerfuffle.
Started around #300.
Sports comments discussed later…
kdh22 @ 17
Take ‘em, please!
This is from Tuesday so it may not be news to you, but I hadn’t seen it before this morning:
Adm. Fallon Presses Case Against Iran
Christy Hardin Smith @ 14
I’m delurking to mention that we have red sox and yankee fans in our midst and we, (me included) some time get carried away on posts that are not sports related. Sorry.
as for shoes, I prefer bare feet.
but if shoes it must be, I love the peep toe.
kdh22 @ 10
Me either. I think this part of the leaked narrative is part of the Condoleeza Rice Makeover Project. (If you haven’t seen that on Slate, especially the slide show, check it out… very interesting with some snarkity-snark comments!)
Christy Hardin Smith @ 14
I was joshin around! We’ve had some pretty heated protests to side conversations about sports and I thought the high heel thing was sorta a fashion thing that could be poked fun at. Twisted sense of humor. . .again!
Christy, I’m positive that we are all West Virginia fans, though.
Madness madness madness!
Breaking News! The Weenie of the Beltway, David Broder has gone insane, or has fallen in love with Newt Gingrich. Recall Broder thinks that Bill Clinton trashed Broder’s town when it was not his town to trash. But it is Newt’s town to trash. He had to resign from Speaker of the House for cheating on his wife. Gingrich of course also released the “Starr Report” to trash Clinton and impeach him. This is a serious infatuation. Would you believe Newt is a “visionary”? Or, would you believe, extreme right-wing , corrupt adulterer?
Only someone who is nuts would suggest that Gingrich should run for President, “because it raises the bar for everyone else”. Broder invents a new word “semi-eccentric” to describe Ron Paul, although Ron Paul is brilliant compared to Gingrich. Actually, Ron Paul has “raised the bar”, among the dysfunctional gaggle of Repiglicans. Broder feels that Newt has suffered from his successful effort to corrupt Congress and impeach Bill Clinton. It gave Newtie “the scars he bears from leading the 1994 revolution”. That has to be sad. But every day Iraq veterans are also getting some real scars. Technically speaking it was a counter-revolution. But this is a long term relationship.
Finally, Newt does have big ideas, not smart but big. He helped make it possible for the Bush Crime Family to steal our Democracy. Of course, Broder also helped.
demi at 20 — Okay, I just skimmed through the thread, and I’d say there is a substantial emphasis on the “slight” part of that. I’m not even sure that’s a kerfuffle, to be honest. *g*
Would it be too much to ask that Nancy Pelosi go on the record with a statement to the effect that – “If this president directs an attack on Iran, without first meeting his duty of consultation with Congress, as specified in the War Powers Act, he should know that articles of Impeachment will be initiated, that very day, against both the president and vice-president of the United States”.
Christy Thanks for writing about Iran. That article by Steve Clemons was insightful. Let’s hope and pray that General Scowcroft is right that there is still time to stop the war train from hitting Iran
My favorite person to read about the history of our relationship with Iran is Flynt Leverett over at New America Foundation. Flynt (a middle east expert_ quit the Bush administration just before the illegal invasion of Iraq because he disagreed with the invasion.
A bit about Flyntt and a few of Flynt’s articles
http://www.newamerica.net/people/flynt_leverett
Leverett: Bush Administration ‘Not Serious’ About Dealing With Iran
http://www.cfr.org/publication/10326/
Amy Goodmans interview with Flynnt
http://www.democracynow.org/ar…..02/1516227
Unfortunately it’s going to be difficult to stop Bush IMO. What’s CNN going to name the new push, I think March to Iran won’t work.
So, I just read this:
Isreali Attack on Nonexistant Syrian Uranium Thing
and then I come here, and CHS is telling me about how we’re moving closer to attacking Iran – and that CondiLiar is getting on board.
We need to pass Webb’s thing about explicitly NOT attacking Iran. Now.
And impeachment is the only way to stop this madness. More calls to Pelosi – and John Conyers.
JPL at 23 — Hell, I talk about Mountaineer football and pretty much love all things sports. I was just trying to figure out why the “sports blog” thing keeps coming up. I actually sleep in the evenings, so I missed the whole Late Night thing. (It happens when your child gets up at 6 am…)
jayt @ 31
No, as a matter of fact, it’s just what we should ask of her.
So I guess this time we’re just taking that whole “evidence they’re actually doing anything that’s not allowed” as read, huh? I guess they can’t even be bothered to pretend, like they did in Iraq.
But an Iranian AF general saying that if they’re bombed by Israel, they’ll bomb them back is “unhelpful and provocative.” Riiiight…
Christy Hardin Smith @ 30
It got way more kerfuffly Saturday night. If we could just ban baseball talk and stick to football we could all live in harmony!
Now, Gates doesn’t know if the Iraq war was worth it. In the future, Gates will say that he doesn’t know if the Iran war was worth it. Must be comforting to those who have lost loved ones.
Sorry – I’m still trying to find shoes that my orthotics will even FIT into. Slingbacks are a no go.
Jeremy Scahill ripping on Blackwater / C-Span
Anyway, to the topic at hand. I cannot believe they are determined to strike at Iran. I see absolutely no benefits whatsoever and not a few dangers…
In particular, a hit on Iran seems to me to have the unavoidable effect of spiking the price of oil, and therefore affecting the price of everything derived from oil…not just gas, but plastics, transportation and so on. I’m not generally much of one for conspiracy type theories, but I’m beginning to think Klein’s The Shock Doctrine is on to something here.
I want this stopped. Can we stop it? I can’t believe that the Blue Dog Dems are lily livered enough to go along with this crazy scheme. Dammit.
jayt @ 31
Yes, that would be too much to ask. Sadly.
Ah, MSNBC reporting that AlQaeda has released a new video from Osama Been Hidin, saying OBL is “declaring war” on Musharraf. Hmmm. Of course, the video has not been translated yet. Hmmm. Perhaps this is why Bush has a presser in 15 minutes?
(Oh yeah, does he want to remind the public that he still hasn’t even come close to finding OBL because, um, he hasn’t had our military looking for him?)
Besides “reconciling” with Cheney, Condi is currently on her latest junket to the Middle East, working diligently (and perhaps fruitlessly) to leave her own legacy, the same one that eluded the Big Dawg:
peanutbutter @ 42
High oil prices benefit those who own the Bush family, like the Saudis.
peanutbutter @ 42
PB, I’m not convinced they are going to be given an *opportunity* to go along. I think they (and the rest of us) are going to be presented with a fait accomplis – Israel will be our proxy, something horrible will happen to troops in Iraq, and then it will be on, and Congress will have been a spectator.
And can I just say that I miss Steve Gilliard?
kdh22 @ 1
Actually, they are sling back peeps :)) (as in open toe)
Anyone for “going to the phones” this morning to Pelosi and Reid? Honestly – after what happened in the Senate yesterday, I’m chewing nails and spitting tacks.
landofthefree @ 44
Being a Bush crony has its benefits, even if you’re responsible for the deaths of thousands in the US.
Frank33: Sounds like a Giuliani/Gingrich ticket is a match made in heaven. Just think of how female voters would respond to that combination of musky moral manliness!
ack.
wonder if Senator Webb would come visit Firedoglake to talk about the Webb amendment (soldiers time off) and S.759 which would require the Bush administration come back through congress before they start another war.
S. 759
http://www.govtrack.us/congres…..l=s110-759
The nonsense about Condi putting her heel down tells me that Iran will strike first.
Kathleen @ 41
Jeremy Scahill ripping on Blackwater / C-Span
Scahill says he’s testifying later today in D.C. in front of a Committee led by Dorgan, looking into Sunday’s Blackwater incident. (also says that there a several “whistle-blowers testifying along with him)
landofthefree @ 51
I just threw up in my mouth a little.
Biodun at 45 — Oh yeah. That’s some confidence inspiring leadership there.
O.o
ccmask @ 48
Oh, O.K. Condi. Thanks for the correction. ;)
ccmask @ 53
…tells me that “Iran” will strike first.
Fixed it for you. I think it’ll be a false flag operation. Too bad they didn’t get their nukes in time.
Good morning, Christy
and to the rest of you as well!
The drum beats along the Potomac,
how reassuring, how consonant with
the needs of our time.
Ah, beating the drums, ‘fixing’ the
‘intelligence’ to ‘fit’ the plan …
Oh! Gosh! Wrong ‘run-up.’
Bush, Cheney, Rice, indeed the whole
simpering crowd ( no doubt fashion
mavens all) remind me:
Few things in life are perfect.
We have simply had the misfortune
lately, of encountering more than
a few.
Elliot @ 22:
I hope Fallon perseveres,
He has ‘Betrayus’ absolutely pegged!
Kathleen @ 52
Yea, and then I could ask him how he justifies his stance that Vietnam was “noble cause” and this war isn’t?
Biodun @ 45
This would be where the Pope Ratzi refused to see her, yes?
The image makes me chuckle…
It’s hard to believe that anyone who is not a raving lunatic megalomaniac (as in: Big Dick) would think it a good idea for us to enter into yet another war. Not like the wars we’re already waging are going so great.
Christy -
O/t and my apologies but this is the third thread on which I’ve asked the following question with no responses:
Anybody have a physical mailing address for MoveOn? There’s a form for checks on their site but cannot find where one is supposed to send them. :-(
Kathleen @ 41
Good job he did…….and intersting not many callers seemed to support these mercernaries…….maybe wishful thinking on my part.
Badwater @ 46
Which is basically the Shock Doctrine’s point. A few people profit unbelievably from the sorts of “start clean” attacks on the economies.
It’s beyond infuriating.
jayt @ 31
Here HERE!
And if we use tactical nukes, war crimes tribunal will follow the impeachment proceedings. (okay, with so many obstructionist Republicans and Joe Lie, we’ll be lucky to get impeachment, but that’s what SHOULD happen.)
The Washington Post had a sinister editorial on the bombing of Syria this morning.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..01965.html
Its mix of menace, smugness and authoritative certainty reminded me of the Post’s editorials and op-eds the day after Powell’s U.N. performance.
Speaking of Iran, MSNBC is also goign on a lot about how Ahmadinemichaelmorinejad wants to lay a wreath at the 9/11 site. The NYPD says they have security reasons to prohibit this from occurring. They won’t even let him visit the site, based on “security reasons”.
Ahmadinejad will, however be speaking at Columbia on Monday.
Oops, it’s been five minutes – it’s time for them to get back to OJ. (I’m sure the Britney partying story is scheduled for 10:10. Gotta have your celebrity reporting every 5 minutes.)
And the modular buildup:
(The Quds Force is an elite unit of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.)
We win another round in the War Against Terror!
LA Times
Morning Christy.
OT – Today’s edition of the Akron Beacon Journal has NOTHING on yesterday’s Habeas vote in the Senate. Z.E.R.O.
Coverage of Webb Amendment vote is on A9.
On page one (but almost impossible to find on their website without prior knowledge & a magnifying glass):
A brand new research program will study “how soldiers’ brains work when healthy, giving doctors baseline data to help diagnose and treat the soldiers if they suffer a traumatic brain injury.” The writer helpfully adds, [traumatic brain injury] “- the signature injury of the Iraq war.”
Link: http://www.ohio.com/news/nation/9890202.html
Too little. WAY too late. We don’t have shovels big enough to clean up after this war.
leinie @ 55
Let me help. Imagine Gingrich, Giuliani and Broder in the same room together. Then add Kookie Roberts just for sexual tension.
Frank33 @ 71
Dude. That’s beyond brain bleach.
landofthefree @ 67
They’re (msm) so pathetic and infuriating, and apparently extremely accomplished when it comes to propping up Bush/Cheney bullsh*t.
Does anyone find it strange that NYC is refusing to permit Ahmadinejad (sp?) to lay a wreath at the ground zero memorial? It’s seems to me that he is offering to make a conciliatory gesture. Are we just losing our collective minds here? Is the general public jumping on board for war?
My uncle once has just finished pruning the rose bushes and watered the grass. As he was heading into the garage, he slipped and landed on top of one of the rose bushes. Sat right down on it, he did. He couldn’t get up. My aunt came home and saw him sitting atop one of her prize bushes and called the ambulance. As you can imagine there were plenty of chuckles from the emergency crews. It took quite awhile to get him off and into the hospital.
I went to visit him there and I said, “I’m so sorry this happened to you”. He showed me his colostamy bag, saying “the worst part will be finding shoes to match.” I swear this happened.
Anyone tuning in to the Jena 6 march?
Biodun @ 68
Why Kurdistan?
When are the Blue Dogs and the few sane Republicans going to realize we need to stop this insanity ourselves before the international community needs to pull together and do it for us?
raven @ 76
Anyone tuning in to the Jena 6 march?
Where ya watching that, please?
carolyn urban @ 74
I find it unsufferably rude of them to refuse him. He’s offering a bit of kindness and getting snubbed. I think we’ve reached a horrible kind of madness indeed.
jayt @ 79
Where ya watching that, please?
CNN’s site has a direct video feed
http://www.cnn.com/
AZ Matt @ 69
Why? Bush did.
AZ Matt @ 69
ludicrous!
In the Land of the Free, the head of Iran — a country who had nothingwhatsoevertodowiththeattackon9-11, cannot place a wreath of respect there for those who died that day!?
I can still the pictures of the spontaneous heartfelt candlelight vigils in Tehran after 9-11.
carolyn urban @ 74
Remember they forbade Arafat from coming? New York City exults in this pro-Israeli demagoguery.
Absolute insanity!!!
I can’t believe this is still happening. I’ve been saying this for years now: Drastic times call for drastic measures. Is this not a drastic time?!?
Yet, when a passionate kid that obviously cares and does his homework about the issues, asks questions that I’ve wanted asked for years, half of the Liberal base chastises him for being “rude.”
(cover the kids’ ears now)
Fuck that! That whole Florida auditorium should have become a riot! Our “leaders” are allowing an Iran invasion to happen. Anywhere a member of Congress speaks, there should be people demanding answers without whitewash and spin. DEMANDING! There are things, yes drastic things, that anyone of them can do to stop this, or wake the public up about it. Mike Gravel did a 5-month filibuster to help end the Vietnam occupation. What’s stoppping a Senator from staging their own protest on the floor or outside the Capitol?!? Have they watched Jimmy Stewart in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”?!? I guess they just don’t care enough to do anything drastic. I mean it might be called rude, and the press will mock that person. Oh well, 10s of thousands of more can die instead, all in OUR name with OUR tax dollars.
They are talking about invading another country militarily. Do you out there that said, “Well, that kid in Florida went over the 1-minute time (he talked for 1.5 minutes..I checked),” and “he was just trying to get attention,” do you realize what’s happening here?!? The kid gets it. He actually asked about doing something drastic like impeachment to stop an Iran invasion.
Goddamn, fuck politeness anymore. I’ve polite for the last few years waiting and trusting “those who know more,” and now here we are talking about an Iranian build-up still, even after we have precedent now of how they do this.
If you don’t understand this and are more concerned how the press might portray us, please (there, that’s polite…happy?) stop clutching your pearls when you feel uncomfortable, and expending energy on critcizing people who are doing their part to stop the madness, even though it’s different than how you might do it.
We’re on the same team. Everyone brings different personalities and skills to the table. Celebrate this diversity and let’s stop these Death-lovers running our government.
Again, drastic times call for drastic measures. We are RIGHT NOW in drastic times. Anyone disagree with this?
As for the shoes: I love a good shoe but I don’t believe in feet (or hands) as art objects. Workhorses more like it.
brendan @ 77
There may well be an Israeli connection. I’ll dig for details.
I just emailed Pelosi and Reid and asked for a joint statement supporting immediate articles of impeachment of Bush and Cheney if they don’t follow the War Powers Act on Iran.
raven @ 38
raven. you’re great. and everything’s usually a bit more calm around here. yesterday and the week preceding this were wrenching, & the tension continues, not caused by you or the other denizens of the Lake but, well, you can “source” it as well or better than the rest of us. Has a lot to do with idgits in power, and their enablers.
Coping with/combating same: a work in progress.
Biodun:
Do you find it strange it’s in Kurdistan (remember the Irbil raid)? Why would the Iranians be smuggling there? I seem to recall an attempted raid in a more plausible area, i.e. the Shiite south, that went awry. Can you refresh my memory on that?
I find it unsufferably rude of them to refuse him. He’s offering a bit of kindness and getting snubbed. I think we’ve reached a horrible kind of madness indeed.
They’re scared shitless that he will, once again, offer an olive branch, and plead for normalized relations with the U.S.
And since that would put a crimp into the idea of bombing him back to the Stone Age, it must not be allowed to happen.
bonkers @ 85
’smazin’ innit?
Toby Wollin @ 88
good idea. *g*
Frank33 @ 71: that did not help the pangs of nausea!
Just after I read that, I popped back into my email to notice the “word of the day”:
Roue-dy and his love shack WTC office came to mind. Ewwww.
Adie @ 89
Aw shucks.
jayt @ 90
Too true!
bushco has snapped!! after fucking up iraq they intend to go into iran??? WTF!! tho i am not surprised.. i’ve seen this coming a while ago…NOW lets see if dems get their spine stiffened and call this shit off….somehow i dont think so… to paraphrase the queen… we are NOT amused!
landofthefree @ 94
I’m headin down the Atlanta highway, lookin for that love getaway.
bonkers @ 85
Sure, I’ll take the bait. The 21 year old “kid” is a punk. Deserved to get tasered? Maybe not but he’s a punk either way.
Biodun:
It doesn’t have to be an “Israeli connection” per se, but that’s the place where we seem to operate freely at the genuine invitation of the local government. Maybe there’s some plausible reason Iranians would bo through there.
peanutbutter @ 72
odearodear. u’ve triggered somethin! aaaarrrrrgggghhh…..
sloppy, slimey, dopey, & wallnut brittle
phtooooeeyy! ah. sorry. hairball.
Waccamaw @ 63
According to the info on their site, once you fill in the information they are asking for (whether it is for MoveOn political action or civic action either one), they will send you an address for the check to be sent.
landofthefree:
But “roue” has an accent on the “e” and is pronounced “roo-ay”. Otherwise it means “wheel”.
Why is it okay for Israel, India, and Pakistan to have nukes, but not Iran.
I hear the argument that Iran is providing arms and training to Shiite militias, who are killing our soldiers and Sunni Iraqis. But Petraeus is providing arms and training to Sunni forces, who are killing Shiites and also our soldiers. ******* Also, if terrorism is the use of violence against civilians for political purposes, then it is not Iran who supplies weapons to the mideast’s most prolific perpetrator of terrorism.
[Mod: Edited to remove talk of violence against a public official. This will not be tolerated here.]
brendan @ 91
There have been a few incidents. Are talking about this one?
raven @ 99
You are moderating your view.
Good on you!
Condi is letting it be known that while she supports the Unitary Executive who at least informs the Congress, she’s drawing the line at an Unannounced Sneak Attack on Iran to start WWIII.
She’s saying that’s a War Crime too far for her.
jayt @ 90
Plus, he’s “A leader of the Axis of Evil”, as the MSNBC banner was proud to point out.
(h/t to kdh22 for mentioning the how the revolting MSM stenographers are diligent with the WH talking points)
carolyn urban, aliasofwestgate, elliot – I’m with you. The Bush administration excels in provoking, insulting, and manipulating. Their actions show how they have no interest in being “uniters”, no interest in promoting peace. 2009 can’t come soon enough.
juslin @ 97
What can we do to stop this? We tried so much leading up to the invasion of Iraq to no avail. Dems “control” congress now, but I really don’t see much chance of the outcome being any different this time.
The media is still controlled by the same oligarchs. Even if we can get massive demonstrations, will it do any good? And how much harder will it be to get people out into the streets when everyone realizes it probably won’t do any good anyway.
I’m feeling kind of hopeless right now.
Cheney and crew as always will MIHOP and the Dems as always will LIHOP.
Our only hope is that the military says no. Abuzaid is against military action in Iran for example.
If Cheney gets Israel to attack, that is the end of Israel.
Speaking of sexual tension, I am watching Fox Noise. The cute, leggy blond has her skirt at least 3 and 1/2 inches above her knee. I think she is wearing high heels. Oh No! Novak is on, and the cute blond is gone.
raven @ 99
Yawn. Question 1: Presidential election stolen again. Has backing material-Greg Palast’s book.
#2: Why not pursue impeachment to stop Iran invasion. Impeached Clinton over bl*wjob.
#3: What’s up with Skull and Bones thing?
Hands mic over after it’s cut. Looks like he’s going to find seat. Get’s attacked. He stands up to them.
W need more “punks” then.
[Mod: edited to clear filters]
I could swear that heel was one of Giuliani’s.
David W. Bartoo @ 106
Well, when I went to youtube and saw that tasering is a big fad at campus parties I was even less inclined in Meyer’s direction. Then the stuff with the cops afterward. . .give me a break.
brendan @ 103
Oh, so you’re saying Newt is a third wheel? (I’m thinking more like third rail for the GOP – if he got into the race, all pretenses of the GOP being “moral” would have to officially be dropped. Permanently.)
Raven: Judith’s got her a purse, and it’s as big as a whale!
wigwam @ 104
You are making too much sense!
This will probably go on your record.
David W. Bartoo @ 115
Jeeze, I thought you were talking to me for a second!
Frank33 @ 111
Talk about juxtaposition! Yikes, Novakula!
radiofreewill @ 107
Naw, if push comes to shove, she’ll stay in line. She’s just trying to pretend to have some small measure of independence for her future political aspirations.
In reality I don’t think there is such thing as a War Crime too far for her. But that’s just MHO.
The idjit moron on the Joe show on MSNBC, filling in for Joe, actually stated flat out that Iran has nukes! He slipped it in just as they were going for commercial break.
ccmask @ 53
ccmask is indulging in some serious punditry here…
What is left at this point but to “punk” them??
raven @ 95
just call me insufferable. *g*
stay tough. it’s good. fits the times.
LS @ 110
I agree with sentences one and two, but not three. This is what Israel, its government at least, wants. Whether they’re right or not in viewing it in their national interest is not for me to say, and is, in any case, of much less importance to me as to whether it’s in ours — which it’s obviously not.
radiofreewill @ 107
I call BS on Condi. There’s no war crime too far out for her.
landofthefree @ 114
I always liked “Deadbeat Club” better cuz Allen’s was just two blocks aways (they tore it down).
This isn’t exactly on topic, but it does outline the more global changes in American attitudes toward social and foreign policy. This is from a Pew Research report back in March.
Political Landscape more Favorable to Democrats
raven @ 113
I meant that sincerely.
My respect for you is undiminished, believe me.
I appreciate your courage in speaking your mind, even if I sometimes, not often, disagree
with your conclusions.
Not sure if y’all saw this, but earlier this week Dodd sent a letter to President Bush on Iran which included the following:
Disclosure: I proudly work for Chris Dodd’s Presidential campaign.
brendan:
Or this one that happened late August:
Looks like big lines at the porta cans in Jena!
“You can be Secretary of the Offense, you’ll be Secretary of the Inferior, and I’ll be Toastmaster General…Nyuk nyuk!“
;>)
i’ve made calls…attended vigils… even took my arthritic knees to demo in dc…i am sick of this shit going on in america!! being polite has NOT gotten us any closer to ending this war and restoring our rights – hell they even refused to return habeas corpus or however you say that term…i swear if i could afford it i’d move to canada i am so P’Oed…
I’ll throw a few thoughts in…I think they fit in. “Pretend” you’re the Iranian leadership. You have before you the proverbial “win-win” options.
1. your forces ARE supplying/training people to go kill Americans in Iraq. You like this. You DISlike Americans, and so this is a good thing.
2. America responds militarily:
a) you know USA cannot invade. USA can only do airstrikes.
b) you also know USA airstrikes WILL be devastating….but your country WILL survive.It will take 4-5 years to rebuild….but it’s “do-able”.
c) you also know, in event of airstrikes, the citizens WILL rally around you, the leadership. This allows you, the Iranian leadership to further consolidate domestic power….always a good thing.
Thus, as an Iranian leader, you now have the classic win-win. You may continue helping to kill US soldiers. And your only punishment will be an economic set-back of 4-5 years; but with vastly increased power and support from your citizens.
If I’m anywhere near right on this….then the Iranians have boxed us. And we have the “great thinker” Condi & Bush in charge?? I will now slightly throw up in my mouth.
Ghostman
David W. Bartoo @ 127
Unfortunately, not “speaking my mind” has never been too much of a problem!
darkblack @ 132
hehe
brendan @ 124
What I mean by my 3rd point (I should clarify..) is that all of Hezbollah and every other sympathetic group in the M.E. will attack Israel (except the Saudis..because they are in cahoots with Cheney). They should not under any circumstance initiate an attack on anyone.
Christy has a new post ready — can you spell Betrayal?
Meanwhile, a another useless Chimpy presser coming up:
Waccamaw at 63 — I think they have a federal reporting form that you have to fill out. Have you e-mailed MoveOn to ask them what you should do? They are pretty good at getting back to people promptly.
jayt @ 54
did you hear which committee it was? the only committee i know of that dorgan chairs is indian affairs (but the number i don’t know are greater than the number i know).
dakineo01 -
Thanks! I just found that on their site……after slogging thru’ four times.
I understand perfectly why they don’t want to post it on the site but I do. not. give. out my e-mail address to *any* group to which I donate. Yeah, they can find it if they want but, call me a luddite, I’m just weird that way. Too bad b/c it is a substantial check that I am going to have to shred. By same token, I do not buy anything on line; if they can’t provide a phone number at which I can reach a human being, I simply don’t buy the product.
Had the same problem with physical address for the Lake initially when I wanted to donate but, thankfully, that has been resolved. *g*
Biodun:
I think that, rightly or not, we’ve drawn the same conclusion: Kurdistan would be more hospitable to an operation requiring a high degree of fakery.
Ghostman @ 134
Ghost-
I soooooo agree with you! But Bush/Cheney will kill off every one of our ground troops (after the airstrikes) to try and take down Iran. They will show no restraint. Yesterday was a perfect example (pushing down the Webb amendment) of the lengths to which they will go. They want as many troops as possible in the region. And, once they get them there, they will not let them leave.
Next stop: Iran.
Just heard SecState Rice on NPR. She’s in Ramalah, trying to get “both parties” to engage in her “peace plan.” Meanwhile, the Israeli government has declared the entire Gaza Strip an “enemy entity.” which gives the civilians there, whether they support the Hamas apparatus there or not, about the same legal footing and wartime status another army 66 years ago gave the citizens of another siege – Leningrad.
I’ve long predicted that when we go to war with Iran, the situation in the Occupied Territories will change markedly to the worse. I believe that this setup of Rice speaking from Ramalah at the sime time the IDF has declared war on the Strip is another sign that the Iran operation is imminent.
SufiLizard says
September 20th, 2007 at 7:25 am
What can we do to stop this?
Short answer – nothing.
Technically, the prez is supposed to consult w/Congress before any such move. Armed Forces are not to be introduced into any hostilities absent a declaration of war, specific statutory authority, or an attack upon the U.S….or its armed forces.
Watch out for that last one.
It also provides that in the absence of a declaration of war, if U.S. armed forces are introduced into hostilities where they are “clearly indicated by the circumstances”, the prez’s only obligation is to report, within 48 hours, that he has already done so.
Congress has remedies after that, but if you’re talking Iran, you’re talking airstrikes – and the whole thing would be over before Congress could act to stop it.
President Carter skipped the consultation requirement when he sent troops to Iran in the attempt to rescue hostages, using the reasoning that surprise was a necessary element of the operation. Look for that to be used in this situation as well, should it in fact happen.
And to top off my pessimistic take, I don’t think Dick Cheney would care in the least about being impeached, so long as he got his war. Bush, otoh, is obviously tired of being prez, but is very concerned about his “legacy”.
I’m pinning my hopes on Bush’s vanity – his concern for his legacy.
shit.
SufiLizard @ 109
Millions of Americans (left, right and center) marched against the invasion. The MSM barely covered these marches and when they did they did it inaccurately. The same thing took place this past weekend at the march in D.C. The new MSM strategy is to give as much coverage to the 1000 Pro-war protesters as the tens of thousands of Anti-war protestors (the organizers said 100 thousand, the Capitol police do not count any more)
The only thing we can do is keep trying, we are in the belly of the beast, many around the world are watching, wondering and waiting for the Americans to wake up.
Call, e-mail, lobby your reps tell them you want to see Senator Webbs S. 759 passed.
http://www.govtrack.us/congres…..l=s110-759
Sign General Wesley Clarks Petition pushing for Diplomacy and No War with Iran
http://www.stopiranwar.com/
Come to the next march…hopefully it will be somewhat focused on the Iran issue. These marches will be held in many cities
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/
Spread the word about this National effort
Feel good for honoring your conscience and trying so hard.
brendan @ 103
Hi guys!
how ’bout “roux”? Pastey mix of flour & water, Bring it to a boil to use. It becomes gooey glop, which will thicken and cloud pretty much anything you add it to. Oh. It burns easily if you overcook, & ya gotta stir it vigorously or it won’t mix well with anything.
hm-m-m… a cooking blog? guilty as charged.
will that be vizuh or masstrscurge? nah. hairford/shorthorn cross
Rouxdee Rouxdee Rouxdee… nuts.
selise says:
September 20th, 2007 at 7:38 am
did you hear which committee it was?
No, he didn’t specify unfortunately. I’d really like to see it too.
Condi Rice’s official title; Secretary of Shoes.
Remember this?
http://www.talkleft.com/story/2005/09/01/615/28014
It’s not surprising that Bush is a Madman on the run from Accountability for his Crimes – everyone in the World knows that – it is surprising, however, that Bush appears to have so many morally bankrupt sycophant enablers in key positions.
Bush is a crazy Ideologue And he has a mindless fan club, too – BushCo is a Cult.
Ed*ard Teller @ 145
Yes. Very perceptive. See also my link @66.
Here’s an essay on the “peace process”, by the way (published where else? — the London Review of Books): http://www.lrb.co.uk/v29/n16/sieg01_.html
jayt @ 149
thanks. i’m going to go hunting for it… would like to record it as well as watch it.
Waccamaw @ 141
* FDL being the one exception……..which shows you the respect I hold for the people who run this place. *g*
Steven Clemons makes a rational argument in an article (Why Bush won’t attack Iran) in Salon that Bush will not attack Iran. He sees much of the saber rattling currently going on as a game of “good cop, bad cop). FWIW.
radiofreewill @ 151
Well, he has a compound (ranch?) in TX doesn’t he? What else did you excpect??
Crawford’s just another town in TX, like Waco.
So Condi might resign if…. The way I see it, the Preznit has to choose between nukes and nookie. Or, if the Preznit doesn’t want to get screwed, *we* will be. I think I’ll move to Myanmar.
Doesn’t the term ‘menace’ have a legal meaning?
Is Bush ‘menacing’ Iran with all this bluster and attack talk?
January 21, 2008 – U.S. commences war against Iran
February 3, 2008 – two U.S. airliners shot down
February 14, 2008 — O.J. and Britney announce wedding plans
February 15, 2008 — CNN commences 24/7 coverage of O.J.-Britney
March 23, 2008 — 1 million people march on Washington, nary a mention in MSM
March 25, 2008 — shrub declares a national emergency, assumes plenary powers
March 29, 2008 — in an interview, Britney asks, “What’s plenary? Is that like a party?”
April 1, 2008 — Nancy affirms that impeachment is off the table, not enough votes
The US may be making alot of noise about attacking Iran, but it ain’t gonna happen. Two significant reasons:
1. The ties that bind China, Russia and Iran
“The most significant of these changes is the formation of a new triangle comprised of China, Iran and Russia..Beijing and Moscow warm to Tehran.
In March 2004, China’s state-owned oil trading company, Zhuhai Zhenrong Corporation, signed a 25-year deal to import 110 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Iran. This was followed by a much larger deal between another of China’s state-owned oil companies, Sinopec, and Iran, signed in October 2004. This deal, worth about $100 billion, allows China to import a further 250 million tons of LNG from Iran’s Yadavaran oilfield over a 25-year period. In addition to LNG, the Yadavaran deal provides China with 150,000 barrels per day of crude oil over the same period.
This huge deal also enlists substantial Chinese investment in Iranian energy exploration, drilling and production as well as in petrochemical and natural gas infrastructure. Total Chinese investment targeted toward Iran’s energy sector could exceed a further $100 billion over 25 years. At the end of 2004, China became Iran’s top oil export market. Apart from the oil and natural gas delivery contracts, the massive investment being undertaken by China’s state-owned oil companies in Iran’s energy sector contravenes the US Iran-Libya Sanctions Act. This law penalizes foreign companies for investing more than $20 million in either Libya or Iran.
2. The Chinese threat to the US. China to dump billions of dollars of US Treasury Bills
“A shift in China’s investment strategy could change its purchases of Treasuries, affecting a market that Washington relies on to help finance multibillion-dollar budget deficits, and perhaps eventually push up U.S. interest rates..”
http://www.globalresearch.ca/i…..cleId=5039
China’s #2 in MAJOR FOREIGN HOLDERS OF TREASURY SECURITIES
http://www.treasury.gov/tic/mfh.txt
If the US bombs Iran, China’s retaliation in dumping US Treasury securities will be the equivalent of catastrophic US financial nuclear disaster. China can take us out financially.
selise @ 153
the hearing is tomorrow at 10:30 am. the committee is the democratic policy committee. i confirmed with the committee (oversight) that scahill would be testifiying.
they don’t currently have webcasting – BUT they are madly trying to get it for tomorrow’s hearing, and i was told that even if they couldn’t do it live, they would put up a video archive.
probably wouldn’t hurt to ask c-span to cover it
will add this to my hearings list for the week, even though it is not, strictly speaking, a congressional committee.
p.s. i called dorgan’s office first, and they told me that they didn’t know what committee it was, but that they were getting lots of calls….
CHS
but if and when they go Y-E-S there is unfortunately no OR ELSE from the Left Blogoshpere, is there?
Amidst the thunder of bombs falling, rending the lives of many many thousands more victims, we will hear only the feeble refrain “we need more and better Democrats…”
And the reason the US is making noise about Iran has nothing to do with Nuclear. It’s about the oil and Iraq leaving the USA, aka Haliburton out.
Iraq, Iran Sign Oil-Pipeline Deal
August 11, 2007 — Iran’s state-controlled media report that Iran and Iraq have signed an agreement on building an oil pipeline between the two countries…
http://www.rferl.org/featuresa…..20411.html
Missed a link @160
The ties that bind China, Russia and Iran
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/GF04Ad07.html
The new geostrategic alliance
Along with energy trade, investment and economic development, the China-Iran-Russia alliance has cultivated compatible foreign policies. China, Iran and Russia have identical foreign policy positions regarding Taiwan and Chechnya. China and Iran fully support the Putin government’s war against the Chechen separatists (Iran’s self-described status as an “Islamic republic” notwithstanding). Russia and Iran support Beijing’s one-China policy.
The most compelling aspect of this alliance is revealed in China’s and Russia’s support for Iran’s much-maligned nuclear energy program…
The endorsement of Tehran’s nuclear energy program by Moscow and Beijing reveals the primary impetus behind the China-Iran-Russia axis – to counter US unilateralism and global hegemonic intentions. For Beijing and Moscow, this means minimizing US influence in Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. For the regime in Tehran, keeping the US at bay is a matter of survival
If we do Iran it will wind up a Custerf**k
RockPaperScizzors @ 160
What you have spelled out are the ‘entangling alliances’ which may well leave the continental U.S. radioactive.
Elliott @ 15
That plus taking away his desserts. He need to take some weight off.
Badwater @ 39
‘it was a small price to pay’ — Boehner (R-Assville)
landofthefree @ 44
That’s what you get from someone who doesn’t believe that ‘government is the answer’.
‘Let teh Free Market find ObL!’ — Bush (F-Assville)
This might be so but the fact that we’ve drawn up a target list isn’t evidence for it. We have target lists and plans for every possible enemy. We might be updating these more frequently for Iran than for, say, Belarus, or for that matter Belgium, but that’s to be expected as well. The military is paid to be prepared for these possibilities.