Morning all. I see that Homeland Security just rounded up 1300 gang members. Is this an issue for DHS? I thought they were concentrating on terrorists? I’m telling you, it is their intention to incarcerate a huge number of minority members (or at least make them felons who can’t vote) before the next election.

More “caging.”

Hi, going off topic here because I wasn’t around for the attacking Iran thread. I looked thru the comments there (backwards from 200 til I quit at #100…just wanna show I did due diligence), and found noone treating on a certain aspect. Lots of very relevant remarks on how it’s a disaster for the ME and for us in the long run, but no comment on the following.

No original thinker here, I remember reading this at Billmon’s blog. You guys at fdl are so good at your thread-intro graphics, I wonder if you could work this up: a simplified map of the area, that includes of course Iraq & Iran, but that also dips down to include all our ‘back-country’ troop- and supply-staging areas in Qatar, Kuwait, SA, the Gulf, etc.

The purpose: to demonstrate the NUMBER-ONE reason an attack on Iran is madness: our horribly vulnerable supply line, with emphasis on the fact that the Shia in southern Iraq would close off our troops’ escape route like a vise.

In other words, never mind the consequences on the ME: If we attack Iran, good luck extricating our fucking army. Stalingrad ring a bell much?

And there will hell to pay for the Gulf Coast Monarchies where the US also has several military bases.

Every Southern Gulf State is a Sunni monarchy with substantial Shiite populations. According to the US State Department Bahrains Shiite MAJORITY has “often resented minority Sunni Muslim rule.” Kuwait’s Shiite minority is 30%; the United Arab Emirates’ numbers 15%; and Qatar’s is 10%. Oman, has “a small but significant population of Shiite Muslims concentrated in the capital area and along the country’s Batinah coast.” IOW’s an attack on Iran would likely send these States into chaos, with “behind the line” attacks on US troops and institutions based in them. Not only would the Gulf oil shipment routes risk blockage…but the production in these States, as well as the regimes, endangered.

The destruction of the US Army and Marines in Iraq, long-term blockage of the Persian Gulf oil resources and an energy crisis that will make the one in the 1970’s look like a hiccup. The escalating prices on fuel would likely spur a new Depression. And there is no guarantee that any of the regimes would be at all sympathetic to the US…in fact there is reason to think that it would consolidate the powers of the Ayatollahs.

It’s muggy and warm here in central Jersey. Forecast calls for temps in the high 70s today, which is better than the 90° we hit yesterday, while I was getting some of my fall planting done [birthday gifts from my mother and sister went to astilbes, a new peony, and lots of bulbs: crocus, grape hyacinths, and daffodils]. I need to wait for much cooler weather to plant the bulbs, but I did get the astilbes planted, and will get the peony planted on Sunday.

I’m so discouraged reading about the Dems cave-in on tougher FISA legislation [see this article in the NY Times]. Is it possible to do mass spine transplants?

I’m having iced coffee this morning, and a big bowl of fresh fruit. Help yourselves.

Work for peace, every day.

This is becoming a scary country for foreigners.

yes, even for legal immigrants.

i note how health care for legal immigrant children is removed from schip and there is barely a peep (did only kucinich complain?) from the dems in congress or the blogosphere or anywhere that i know of.

seems like immigrants are either invisible or targets… not good.