hopefully, he will speak loudly and clearly.

You have to ask for permission to quit?

why quit now?

Obviously, we’ll see if Gates has the necessary courage. To tell it like it is.

yup. one’s ass is owned by the military.

Poppy Bush has Gates nuts in a mason jar of saltwater on the back deck at the Kennebunk compound.

Don’t look to him for wisdom or guidance, he’s corrupt.

-G

At flag rank, I believe you do

Should read Fallon, not Gates.

Fallon was a good PACcom commander before taking over CENTcom… It’s a shame he’s being shown the door like Shinseki was…!

courtesy

Darth now has a large stick packed for his ME trip…

bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb-bomb Eye-Ran…bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb-bomb Eye-Ran…bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb-bomb Eye-Ran…bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb-bomb Eye-Ran…bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb-bomb Eye-Ran…bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb-bomb Eye-Ran…bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb-bomb Eye-Ran…bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb-bomb Eye-Ran…

If the generals and admirals keep resigning, we are going to have sgt. running the military which might be a good thing since they know what is actually going on.

Jane,

Let’s hope your right about his retiring so he can speak out, and that he coordinated this thing with Gates, who as the Senior Bush’s man in the WH is also against expanding the war. Your intuition gives a faint ray of hope in an otherwise dark prospect. When the news came down, I recalled the fear I felt at that November morning at 5:00 am in my Antioch College dorm as flights of B52s swarmed overhead at 500 feet. It was deafening and unforgettable. Like being in a car accident when you know it’s too late to avoid it.

My army major efirend, who works in the Pentagon, has not heard anything different on the inside than is in the public statements. He’ll let me know if he does.

Fallon was the subject of an article published last week in Esquire magazine that portrayed him as opposed to President Bush’s Iran policy. It described Fallon as a lone voice against taking military action to stop the Iranian nuclear program.

Has Fallon contributed to the Bush fiasco in the Middle East?

Well the Non-Com’s are the backbone of the service… They do have a lot more spine than the Commissioned Officers! 8-)

Although I don’t recall specific freaking out here, Raven rightly pointed out down-stairs that there was much hand wringing over Bush’s pick of a Navy Admiral to head Cent-com… …because it must mean we are gonna bomb Iran.

So it is possible that this means nothing…

Maybe…

My Jane, you are the optimist! Fallon requested retirement and Gates, ever the gentleman acceded to his request? Someone handed Fallon his head & told him to get the hell out of Dodge.

As the great bard said, “This is like deja vu all over again”. When is the last time we heard from General Shinseki?

This regime wants lap dogs at the DoD, not Pit Bulls.

From ABC

ABC News’ Martha Raddatz spoke to Fallon Tuesday as he was waiting to go in and see General David Petraeus, the U.S. Commander in Iraq.

Fallon is the CO and he has to wait to see his subordinate. . .fishy!

Did Fallon serve under Rumsfeld?

Yes, let’s hope he does.
Now, what are the odds that Rove and his minions aren’t cooking up a lot of bullshit to spew across the airwaves right now — things like the Spitzer story, and heaven only knows who else.

When Fallon speaks, there needs to be a ‘public space’ and a ‘broadcast space’ long enough to hear him out in detail.

The WH and GOPers must have their plans well laid to create a lot of Noise in hopes of drowning out Fallon’s Signal.

Not surprising at all. The people who do the actual work always know more about it. The suits just get in the way.

This is scary….. attended a speaking event with Scott Ritter and he said that Fallon was our firewall for a war with Iran. That the military know how stupid and dangerous a war with Iran would be.

Hmmm ….. need to ask Jeff from our progressive radio station to have him back on to get his take….

Senator Reid’s statement:

I am concerned that the resignation of Admiral William J. Fallon, commander of all U.S. forces in the Middle East and a military leader with more than three decades of command experience, is yet another example that independence and the frank, open airing of experts’ views are not welcomed in this Administration.

Morning all :)
Re; Fallon’s retirement, the timing worries me because of Darth’s trip this/next week to Middle east. Do we know when the ‘retirement’ is happening?

Quick OT.

‘EnergySolutions (often called EnergyPollutions) runs 2 commercial nuclear waste dumps in the US (in South Carolina and Utah) and incinerators, a metal melter and other “processing” facilities in Memphis and Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

EnergySolutions is applying for a federal license to import 20,000 tons, one million cubic feet and over 600,000,000,000,000 becquerels (radioactive emissions per second) of radioactive waste (mainly from Italian nuclear power and related industries) into the US for processing including incineration, transport and disposal. ‘

http://www.nirs.org/alerts/03-02-2008/1

Oh, if you are not freaking out you are not paying attention! Especially when the other side is paying the fear card. I’m dyin over here!

Well, I’m really excited at Reid being concerned. That’s what DiFi always tells me in her e-mails and look how well that’s turned out.

Everyone in the military serves under the Secretary of Defense. it’s the Chain of Command. They make you memorize it in boot camp.

Fallon speaking out. Is that like Ari coming out and saying ‘I lied’?

I other words, shit rolls down hill.

I understand that.

Ok after this continuing drain of the officer corp, if Bush decides that he wants to extend his unitary occupancy of the White House in a more permanent manner, who’s gonna stop him? Is there a mechanism to prevent Bush from declaring a national emergency that keeps him in power?

They fired him into resigning.

I suppose a little war with Iran might, in theory, help McOld with his campaign.

Fallon speaking out

Not gonna happen.

Relax everyone.

Frank Gaffney says the Iranians are a paper tiger.

I mean, really, what could they do to the most powerful nation in the world?

-G

I believe that Mr. Fallon could have resigned, say five years ago, and spoken out.

I really am more concerned about what we can do to them - not to mention what would happen in the rest of the ME.

They could do to us, in defense, the same as the Iraqi’s did. That is to say… next to nothing.

Thanks.

And will it make a difference, in any cse?

Drive-by: Do not leave the Senate without baby-sitters. We don’t want a recess appointment for the admiral’s position.

Fallon will be not much more than a burp.

OK, Raven -

Help me get this straight….you *are* or *aren’t* freakin’ out? Can’t tell from downstairs vs. here.

And give the furry children a smooch from me.

When I was in the AF, I once had a First Sergeant tell me that he was non-political and didn’t vote because “it is a soldier’s duty to serve with equal devotion no matter who is the President.”
This ethic is very old and deep, and goes a long way toward explaining why most old soldiers don’t speak out, IMHO.

Now that’s a news flash. Thanks Harry Reid.

W’s lyrics in his hilarious disrespectful song latest “rendition” were so despicable and sung croaked in the same sarcastic, patronizing tone as when he was looking for the WMD’s “under his desk” that have cost the lives of over a million people…

Scooter no longer pursued by the prosecutor.
Being hassled about Brownie.
etc.

Bush lied and people died. He is one deranged #&^$#%&$*.

Spit.

I hope Fallon lays his insanity out on the table. That would be patriotic.

Does this appointment go through Congress or does the Chimporer have full control?

It doesn’t work that way for the military, the only role the Senate plays, besides ‘oversight’, is the awarding of stars…! ;-)

Combine Fallon’s departure with DeadEye’s trip to the MidEast where yesterday he disparaged IsR@el’s East Jeruselam (illegal) housing expansion.

don’t like the sound of things, fellow dogs.

No coinkydinky.

Which is why it has been so totally amazing when the retired stars HAVE spoken out in the last few months. That ethos goes very deep and is difficult for most of then to overcome.

Abizaid and Batiste have sure made a difference. Now haven’t they?

they could do to us, in defense, the same as the Iraqi’s did. That is to say… next to nothing.

This is not accurate. Iran is far larger, with developed infrastructure, and state-of-the-art Russian air-defense assets. Iraq had been bombed for 13 years before the invasion, Iran-not. There may be dissent in Iran, but if we attack they will instantly be unified.
This would be a very different war.

Admiral Fallon to offer his support and advice to the Obama campaign.
O.K I’m making it up but wouldn’t it be something if he did.

Hi CT!

FWIW, I fear that Fallon’s departure is precisely because he’s been a good commander and - like Shinseki - honors his oath and speaks truth to Power when the welfare of those under his command is at stake.

As Fallon has been the plug holding Iran War in the bottle, I believe his resignation was about as spontaneous as the Bushies’ resignations to spend more time with family. Civilian authority (Sec Def under Bush/Cheney) was apparently required to allow him to leave - and I don’t think Gates ignored the chain of command.

I believe Fallon is out ’cause the Bushies want him out - and the Iran War Bush/Cheney want is precisely what Fallon had the power to block. Until today.

Hmm - I wonder who benefits from oil going to $400/bbl? And I wonder who benefits from a “splendid little war” in the run-up to November?

I so want to be wrong on this.

And I so want to have dual citizenship. Are any readers in the EU/Canada/NZ/Australia adopting? Five adorable felines and one slightly used psychiatrist would love to know.

Not to mention blocking the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices to $200 or more.

Would this wacky admin trade progess in the Isr/Pal peace process for 100 cruise missiles??

Thing of it is, Bush is out in eight months.

Thing of it is, Bush is out in eight months.

I swear he thinks not.

And I so want to have dual citizenship. Are any readers in the EU/Canada/NZ/Australia adopting? Five adorable felines and one slightly used psychiatrist would love to know.

Heh, get while the getting is good, eh Doc? ;-)

Which is why I can’t understand why they would want to start another war. I simply can’t see any purpose in this whole thing.

Come next January it’s McCain’s, Obama’s or Clinton’s prob.

Combine Fallon’s departure with DeadEye’s trip to the MidEast where yesterday he disparaged IsR@el’s East Jeruselam (illegal) housing expansion.

I’m assuming Cheney’s trip has something to do with Bandar Bush’s threat of terrorism to the Brits. Cheney wouldn’t want some information like that leaking out about the US, given all those Saudi hijackers on 9/11.

And then we have General (ret.) Colin Powell.

We have been told the answer to that one: because if W doesn’t stop Iran, no one else will. I’ve been thinking he’ll do it round about Xmas, out of spite to the next D prez.

I swear, I think W thinks he’s Cuban Pete:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related

blocking the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices to $200 or more.

Yes. The economic counterattack….also, the F-117 Stealth has been solved, as demonstrated when the Serbs shot one down using radar based on cell-phone technology. The Russians have been developing that technology and selling it. The F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter are not available in sufficient numbers. The F-15, -16, and -18 would be very questionable against a state-of-the-art air defense network, as they are 30-year-old designs.
A seriously different war.

Freakin out may in fact be called for. I’m worried as hell, but I’m trying to keep a little optimism…

Maybe, as Jane had hinted, Fallon could be preparing to speak out — it would be hard to go to war with Fallon publicly calling the administration out over it.

It is now a CERTAINTY that the Cheney Admin will attack Iran before November.

I’ve been reading about this Fallon thing for weeks around certain sites on the intertubes. I was hoping that it wouldn’t pan out, that it wouldn’t be true that the Bushistas would actually can Fallon before the end of the Bush Debacle so that they could insert a sock puppet. But the rumors have turned out to be true. There is only ONE reason to dump Fallon: to attack. Fallon stood steadfastly opposed to an attack on Iran (besides his opposition to the splurge and Gen Betrayus).

This is where Bush Cheney tells Congress in the most blatant manner possible that a President Emperor can do anything he damn well wants to do regardless of the law, regardless of the Constitution.

Congress will do nothing but sit on their hands and puff.

W is what ever he imagines himself to be. I think. This is a ‘problem’ prez. Perhaps his diapers need to be changed. I don’t know. ;0)

Not to mention all F-117’s will be retired soon (before the end of this year).

I don’t know that congress will do nothing!

They might pass a law giving retroactive immunity to people who start wars without going to congress!

Yep. They’re obsolete.

Hey lookout. I’m Kuban kiddo.

My army major efriend told me awhile ago that guidance systems for smart bombs (and everything else) can be knocked akilter by devices you can buy in Radio Shack. Maybe that’s what you’re talking about (IANAG: I am not a geek), or maybe it’s possible to wreak even more widespread chaos than you said. And I’d be surprised if the Iranians haven’t been preparing, unlike Saddam Hussein who thought we were bluffing, and was afraid to empower his military for fear they might turn on him.

Congress…this is your 100th frikkin’ 3:00 A.M wake-up call. Wake up!!

So much excitement. Spitzer and Fallon. It’s to the point where I almost can’t stand it.

This is rank (heh) speculation, but it’s well known that Fallon dislikes Petraeus, Washington’s fair-haired boy. This could be the fallout from a larger turf battle, not just about Iran.

TPM Headline: Fallon on His Sword. Did punaise go over to the competition?

Me? I want to bomb everyone.

Attacking Iran would occur during the ‘08 campaign to aid Repukes and McBush using “Wag the Dog” to distract our fickle populace.

jackie at 27

thanks

Betrayus has said that he would like to be prezdinent. Perfect running mate for McCain.

well, i don’t know if it means anything or not (on iran, on turf battles or whatever).

but i’m gonna be paying more attention to the location of our carriers again:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/...../where.htm

Anybody watching the Repugs’ shenanigans in the House on FISA, right now?

I can’t find the linkies (f’n dialup) fast enough, but I recall:

(1) War games showing Iranian irregulars sending USN to bottom of Persian Gulf (”enemy” commanded by stalwart USMC General - he withdrew when DOD flunkies blocked his commands in order to swing wargame outcome to favor Bushies’ desired outcome)

(2) Supersonic anti-ship missles againnst which USN is reportedly defenseless: provided to Iran by China (hey, wasn’t America’s offshoring - via legal/illegal export - of military technology to China a grand idea? Thanks, War Contractors - care for a smoke before the treason executions?)

(3) Oh yeah - that little problem of Iraq’s Shia (inconviently located athwart US withdrawal route to Kuwait) response to US attack on Shia Iran.

Lets see now. The election is in eight months. Who do you want as the next president? Obama, Clinton or McCain?

we are going to have sgt. running the military which might be a good thing since they know what is actually going on.

too bad there aren’t many left

utter destruction of Institutional Intelligence in their great war

Well, I try not to be a geek either, but the hardware does interest me…I was talking about the planes. A satellite-guided bomb, ( JDAM) is guided by GPS, which can certainly be jammed. Laser-guided, no. The satellite-guided bombs are 1/10 the price of the laser guided.

All last fall, people were saying that Iran would be attacked during the spring. This spring. Now. Soon.

Lahoma and I have decided to send another $500.00 to the Obama campaign.

Hoo Hah! This is it, Elizabeth, the big one. Here we go off to start the
next war for the neocons and israel… so long constitution, been good to
know ya’.

crikey - Twain and others - you can change the filter on that page to
“by rank”

801 Sgts to date = 20.1% of all casualties
442 St Sgts = 11%

Gillard would weep at the gunny’s and Sgt Majors

I actually think that the public won’t rally to the country if W launches yet another war. But that doesn’t mean that the Rs won’t think that they will. They are radical risk takers and, in any event, it might look like their only chance by then.

War games showing Iranian irregulars sending USN to bottom of Persian Gulf (”enemy” commanded by stalwart USMC General - he withdrew when DOD flunkies blocked his commands in order to swing wargame outcome to favor Bushies’ desired outcome)

The Challenge of Paul Van Riper

I should have indicated snarkiness in posing that question.

Sorry one and all.

-G

Yes, you’re right, I now remember, its the GPS that he told me can be jammed. Do you know what the % usage of GPS-guided vs. laser-guided bombs? When they say “paint the target” wrt bombing, they’re talking about lasers, no?

Sanrk recieved on this terminal (and snark). Tahnks for the smile amidst grim news.

And RonD - thanks for the Van Riper linky (love that name for a general)

Lahoma and I say: Go Obama in Mississippi! My woman and I have the courage to speak out on who we support.

Senator Reid’s statement:

I am concerned that the resignation of Admiral William J. Fallon, commander of all U.S. forces in the Middle East and a military leader with more than three decades of command experience, is yet another example that independence and the frank, open airing of experts’ views are not welcomed in this Administration.

Senator Reid’s signing statement:

I will now resume doing the bidding of this Administration.

also RonD - thanks for your great summation re Van Riper and the war games.

FWIW, Fallons’ resignation has not been mentioned on CNBC, so it seems like it’s implications for war are not on the market’s radar yet. (I was watching CNN during the actual presser, so don’t know if it was covered then, but flipped back to CNBC about 10 minutes later & it hasn’t been mentioned since.) We’ll see what happens to oil prices tonight.

and it cost Van Riper his fourth star -

well, i don’t know if it means anything or not (on iran, on turf battles or whatever).

but i’m gonna be paying more attention to the location of our carriers again:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/…../where.htm

Janes is a pretty good source too

http://www.janes.com/news/defe....._1_n.shtml

You bad, Badwater.

Frankly, I don’t care what Fallon does.

kemo at 52

link didn’t work

Well, they’ve been buying a lot of the sat-guidance rigs, because they can be retrofitted onto normal dumb bombs, they are accurate, and they’re 1/10 the cost of laser-guided. Laser guided is more accurate-a laser “paints the target”, and the bomb homes in on the laser dot.
Very accurate, and very difficult to stop. Bang for the buck favors the JDAM (sat) bombs. Of course we still use plenty f old-fashioned gravity (dumb) bombs.
Probably 60% (wild-ass guess) are gravity bombs.

Van Riper was already retired when he commanded Red during MC02.

On an ironically lighter note, via Dan Froomkin’s column today:

And Leno again: “Here is a . . . wonderful story. Last week, Frank Buckles, the oldest living American World War I veteran, 107 years old,” visited “the White House and met with President Bush. Yeah. The sad part: After the meeting, Bush sent him to Iraq.”

I recall many saying that when Rumsfeld left things would change. I remember some indicating that when Gonzales left situations would be different.

Thought I hit reply :(

Wanted to give credit, that was a reply to selise

Here is the link to the Esquire article:

http://www.esquire.com/features/fox-fallon

I hear the new CentCom CINC is General Jack D. Ripper.

It’s all too tedious. I have to fix supper.

Thanks. Maybe I’ll remember it a bit better now.

If you need a chuckle near the end of the hour, Cafferty’s question:

Is cheenee the one to send to the ME to bring down gas prices?

That one should be good for a few slings and arrows. *g*

Bring back the A-7E Corsair and Walleye!

OY, Dershowitz now on CNN. BTW, Heidi Fleiss (Hollywood Madam) sez Spitzer did it “because he wanted to have sex.” Glad we got that cleared up.

thank you

rond at 92—good/bad good/bad ——don’t the laser guided ones-that can’t be ’jammed’-have to have a person on the ground, ’marking’ the target? and the satellite ones-that can be ’jammed’-don’t?

The voice of experience

Curiously Iran stopped trading in the dollar late last year and I believe their oil bourse opened in February.

-G

Dare I say, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar?

-G

Isn’t it part of the MEK’s job to paint the targets in Iran? Bwahahahahaha.

Quite possibly. Cheney wants everyone else in his political harem to be a eunuch, including the president. But the timing is werrry suthpishiiious.

Bananas.

No. The laser, which the guided “object” follows, just has to be focused on the target. But, yes, it’s often done via a ground team so that it can confirm they’ve identified the correct target.

Thing of it is, Bush is out in eight months.

I swear he thinks not.

I’m with you.

sorry, no link intended. I used an at-sign (to avoid the dreaded filters) and it was misinterpreted as an email addy.

That is, whatever combination of resources surreptitiously lights up the target for an object fired from a considerable distance.

Speaking of which:

“The Showboat Branson Belle was constructed right here at White River Landing, and on August 12, 1994, was launched into the waters of Table Rock Lake as part of the nationally publicized Great Banana Launch Watch Party. Two tons of bananas packed the launching rails to provide a biodegradable, natural lubricant in place of substances such as grease or oil. Thus, while preserving the water quality of Table Rock Lake , the 2300 ton ship was able to glide into the water in only 9 seconds - at a speed of 14 knots.”

-G

Hey everyone, come see my zed on Christy’s new post upstairs.

Aircraft carry their own laser illuminators.
snip>

Fire control laser systems are laser rangefinders (LRFs) and laser designators (LDs). These laser systems can be far more harmful to the eye than laser training devices such as MILES and Air-to-Ground Engagement System/Air Defense (AGES/AD) laser simulators. Consequently, fire control lasers require control measures to prevent permanent blindness to an unprotected individual viewing the laser system from within the laser beam.

PAVE PENNY (AN/AAS-35): Laser tracker pod used on the A-10 and A-7 aircraft. Does not contain a laser.
PAVE SPECTRE (AN/AVQ-19): Laser tracking and designator used on C-130 gunships.
PAVE SPIKE (AN/AVQ-12): Laser tracking and designator pod fitted on F-4 and F-111 aircraft.
PAVE TACK (AN/AVQ-26): Advanced optronics pod containing stabilized turret with FLIR, laser designator and tracker used on the F-4, RF-4, and F-111F aircraft.

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/smart/lgb.htm

Not necessarily-the target can be painted from the ground, another plane, or the attacking plane.

Gee, and I thought I had an odd collection of facts. Very interesting they should think of bananas being a lubricant. *g*

It beats Spitzer.

:)>

Sometimes a banana is just a banana, Anna. –Belushi.

Something I found - doesn’t mean it’s true, but it’s plausible [scroll down]

… It might start with a minor incident, possibly involving an American Marine patrol operating out of the new base at Badrah near the Iranian border. The Marines are surrounded by superior Iranian forces claiming that the Americans have strayed inside Iranian territory. The Marines refuse to surrender their weapons and instead open fire. The Iranians respond. Helicopter gunships are called in to support the Marines, and artillery fire is directed against Iranian military targets close to the border. President Bush calls the incident an act of war and, in an emotional speech to the nation, orders U.S. forces to attack. A hastily called meeting of the UN Security Council results in a 17-1 vote urging the United States to exercise restraint, with only Washington voting “no.” In the UN General Assembly, only the U.S., Israel, Micronesia, and Costa Rica support the military action. The U.S. is effectively alone.

In the first few days, overwhelming American air and naval superiority destroy Iran’s principal air, naval, and army bases. Iranian Revolutionary Guard facilities are particularly targeted and are obliterated, as are the known Iranian nuclear research and development sites. Population centers are avoided, though smart weapons destroy communications centers and command and control facilities. There are nevertheless large numbers of civilian casualties and widespread radioactive contamination as many of the targeted sites are in or near cities. Infrastructure is also hit, particularly bridges, roads, and power generation stations close to known nuclear research centers and military sites. The U.S. media, which had supported the administration’s plans to engage Iran, rallies around the flag, praising the surgical attacks designed to cripple Tehran’s nuclear weapons program. Congress supports the bombing, with leaders from both parties praising the president and commenting that Iran had it coming.

The Pentagon and White House call the attacks a complete success, but Iran strikes back. With five years to prepare, Iran has successfully hidden and hardened many of its military and nuclear facilities, a large percentage of which are undamaged. The aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower operating in the Persian Gulf is hit by a Chinese Silkworm cruise missile and grounds itself in shallow water to avoid sinking. Three other support vessels are also hit and severely damaged when they are attacked by small craft manned by suicide bombers. Pro-Iranian riots break out in Beirut, where the government is forced to call in soldiers to shoot at the crowds. In the south of Lebanon, Hezbollah fires salvoes of rockets into Israel. Israel responds by bombing Lebanon and Syria, which it blames for the attacks. Iranian Shahab-3 missiles also strike Israel, killing a number of civilians. The Israeli Defense Forces are mobilized, and troops are sent to the northern border. Syria and Lebanon also mobilize their forces. Rioters in Baghdad attack US. .troops and the American embassy and are driven back only after the soldiers open fire and call in helicopter gunships. Snipers attack American soldiers all over Iraq. Shi’ites sympathetic to Iran sabotage Saudi Arabia’s eastern oil fields. The Saudi fields suffer some damage, and hundreds of alleged saboteurs are shot dead by Saudi security forces. An oil tanker out of Kuwait is hit by a Silkworm close to the Straits of Hormuz and runs aground. Another hits a mine planted by Iran. Insurers in London refuse to cover any tankers transiting the Persian Gulf. Oil shipments from the region, one quarter of the world supply, stop completely, and oil goes up to $200 a barrel. Wall Street suffers its biggest loss in 20 years, with the Dow Jones index plummeting by more than 800 points. …

ecahn at 128

you crack me up

everyone thanks for the laser answers…….a few years ago, we tested a laser from outer space, guess who the buyer is? israel. guess they have it by now………popular mechanics magazine.

kemo, i thought it was new info about the settlement apartment construction in west bank, oh well.

thanks for the link. bookmarked.

“Be all you can be…….. Read.“

And then there is Iran. No sooner had the supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei signaled a willingness to deal with any American but George W. Bush, and no sooner had Fallon signaled America’s willingness to refrain from bombing Tehran, than a little international incident occurred.

Just the kind of incident that doughy neocons dream sweetly about. Right after the new year, three American ships were passing through the Strait of Hormuz, exchanging normal greetings with Gulf State navies, checking them out as they passed. The same with the Iranian navy. And then, suddenly, small Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps boats started speeding toward the American ships, showing, the admiral says, “very stupid behavior, showboating, and provocative taunts. Given that it was a small boat that did in the USS Cole, this was very dangerous behavior.”

The Iranians dropped boxes in the water, simulating mines.

“Remember,” he says, “my first day on this job, I was greeted by the IRGC snatching the British sailors, and so it was a sense of here we go again. You wonder, Are they really acting on their own, because the pattern seems clear.”

Fallon’s eyes narrow and his voice becomes that whisper: “This is not how a country that wants to be a big boy in the neighborhood behaves. How are we supposed to take these guys seriously as players in the region? You’d like to deal with them as big-league players, but when they do this, it’s very tough.”

As before, there is the text and the subtext. Admiral William Fallon shakes his head slowly, and his eyes say, These guys have no idea how much worse it could get for them. I am the reasonable one.

And time will tell whether being reasonable will cost Admiral William Fallon his command.

I expect he [was] ‘retired’ [to avoid certain death and] to be able to spend more time with his family.

My question is, who will BushitCo pick to head CENTCOM? Petraeus? He’s the most likely candidate but there are numerous flag rank officers who agree with Bush’s plan to attack Iran. That in itself should say something about the makeup of the general staff of the US military.

I think we can assume that Shrub is gonna do something like fire cruise missiles into Tehran and other targets. To actually put boots on the ground they’d probably have to legislate a draft. I also think that if this nutcase starts a war with Iran the entire Middle East will explode. I doubt very seriously that Israel would any misgivings about using tactical nukes “in self defense.” These people are certifiable.

Kiddo @ 2: all officers serve “at the pleasure of the President.” Once an officer has completed his/her military obligation, which varies according to whether the officer went to a military academy or knife-and-fork school (Officer Candidate School [OCS]). For officers of flag rank (one or more stars) it’s more of a formality than anything else. For officers below flag rank there’s a process to go through, letter of resignation of commission, etc., which has to go through the chain of command to the Secretary of Defense, who approves or disapproves the resignation “by direction of the President.”

Seven generations.

Crazy Horse! We hear what you say.

Mullen on Iran:

“Get serious,” the admiral says. “These guys are ants. When the time comes, you crush them.”

-G

Folks - here’s a link to the Armed Services Committee

http://www.house.gov/hasc/

And my letter to my Representative

Reading about the resignation of Admiral Fallon scares the cr*p out of me. It’s standard for senior military officers to resign rather than execute an order the officer disagrees with. On that basis, and the drumbeat about “doing something about Iran’s nuclear ambitions,” I see an administration getting itself ready for a bombing campaign. Whether it’s because one more roll of the dice won’t cost Dick Cheney anything more (he’s already the Administration’s most reviled man in most circles, and they’ve all got places to hide in Paraguay) or because the Administration wants John McCain to have a war to enjoy, it’ll really screw up things for the country, and not materially aid the Democrats.

I believe a lot of the reluctance to fight the Administration on their unpopular war and FISA tactics is because some Democrats (cough Pelosi cough) believe it’ll hurt the Administration, but I don’t see this Iran war as anything but terminally messing things up for the county (whether it’s $200 per barrel oil or creating a permanent enemy in the Middle East) and painting the new Democratic president into a corner.

Which gets to the heart of the question - can Ms. Castor effect anything by organizing Armed Services Committee hearings with Admiral Fallon? If he’s willing to trash his career, he may be willing to prevent this disaster.

There’s an inconsistency here. The Esquire article purportedly has Fallon as the lone military person against bombing Iran. If that’s the case, with his departure, the military supports an attack on Iran. I suspect if Iran gets bombed by us, they will attack our army in Iraq. That may be more than we can handle. We can barely handle the insurgents. With our army’s back against the wall, we most likely will go nuclear which I think is what Bush had in mind all along. Get ready for the rapture or if you miss that boat, I’ll see you wherever the non-raptured go.

Much of that is plausible, thanks. But I think it needs more pepping up in terms of what could happen in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the rest of the Moslem world, the non-Moslem world, and what it would do to our and the world’s economy.

ekunin, upon assuming CentCom one of Fallon’s first questions was “how can we help the army?” (unless I confused him with the chief of JCS re this).

somehow i don’t think share that priority….

oh, poo:

“somehow I don’t think Gates, Bush and Cheyney share this priority”

The Esquire article purportedly has Fallon as the lone military person against bombing Iran.

I don’t know about Mullen but the Joint Chiefs in general want a drastic reduction in Iraq because they see the Army as broken. A war with Iran at this point would likely do to the other services what has already happened to the Army and tie us down into a series of no win endless dispersed low level conflicts from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Philippines.

I think it needs more pepping up in terms of what could happen in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the rest of the Moslem world, the non-Moslem world, and what it would do to our and the world’s economy.

The Nightmare Scenario, Part 3

From EW’s place next door– Check this out:

THE PENTAGON’S NEW MAP

Watch Thomas P.M. Barnett interviewed by Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL)
on “After Words”

IT EXPLAINS WHY WE’RE GOING TO WAR,
AND WHY WE’LL KEEP GOING TO WAR.

Follow this link, folks, especially in the context of ditching Fallon and Cheney’s trip to the Middle East.

I think we may have in Cheney and Bush the archetypes of “war mongers.” I can’t remember any other presidency that has been so obsessed with war, war, and more war. Having started two wars already, and with our military forces stretched to the limit, that is not enough. They want MORE WAR!

Is this insanity, or what?

Bob in HI

So, the way things are trending, what are the odds that Bush will use the Lieberman Resolution that Hillary Clinton voted for as justification for war with Iran, even though she claims that the resolution does not justify that?

Will that then throw the nomination into Obama’s lap?

And will McCain then beat up Obama for not having the background and training to lead a nation at war?

I think our Naomis (Klein and Wolf) called it already.

Bob in HI

We’ll still be here and there might be peace in the world. Plus we get all their stuff and the banks go bust cuz all of a sudden they’re stuck with an even bigger shitpile than they’ve got now. All that consumer credit, doncha know. It’ll be rapturous.

I’m sure he thinks so. It will be interesting to see whether the unchanged economic realities, in which the U.S. is a bit of net supplicant over there, have a bigger effect.

Wow, getting on-line late —channelled EW by accident.