Iran and Its Democracy?

For anyone who saw the movie Persepolis knows that the Americans stopped the Iranian democracy in 1953 and the problems that country has today is mainly due to this time and the many events that happened afterwards.

Iran and the U.S. Almost Clash at Sea?

As my friend just wrote me this smells like the Gulf of Tonkin. Iranian boats harassed and provoked three American Navy ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, threatening to explode the vessels, U.S. officials said Monday, calling it the most serious such incident in years.

U.S. forces were taking steps toward firing on the Iranians to defend themselves, said the U.S. naval commander in the region. But the boats _ believed to be from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's navy _ turned and moved away, officials said.

Cosgriff said the incident occurred at about 8 a.m. local time Sunday as Navy cruiser USS Port Royal, destroyer USS Hopper and frigate USS Ingraham were on their way into the Persian Gulf and passing through the strait _ a major oil shipping route.

Five small boats began charging the U.S. ships, dropping box-like objects in the water in front of one of the ships and forcing the U.S. ships to take evasive maneuvers, said Cosgriff, commander of the 5th Fleet and of naval forces in the U.S. Central Command region.

The Iranian boats came to less than 500 yards from the U.S. formation and at one point broke into two groups, one group going to one side and the other to the others side of the Americans. Officials said there were no injuries.

Here are some blogger reactions to the mess and skepticism as we should all be skeptical at this point. Here is another.

Fact Based Intelligence on Iran

Here is the pdf of the Intelligence Estimate on Iran and its nuclear weapons program. By now, we all know what the estimate says, but here are some excerpts from Ray McGovern's column on Common Dreams.

“We judge that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program…”

“We assess with moderate confidence Tehran has not restarted its nuclear weapons program as of mid-2007.”

“We do not have sufficient intelligence to judge confidently whether Tehran is willing to maintain the halt of its nuclear weapons program indefinitely…”

“We judge with moderate confidence Iran probably would be technically capable of producing enough highly enriched uranium sometime during the 2010-2015 time frame.”

“We judge with high confidence that Iran will not be technically capable of producing and reprocessing enough plutonium for a weapon before about 2015.”

What did Bush say about this?

"I view this report as a warning signal that they had the program, they halted the program," Bush said. "The reason why it's a warning signal is they could restart it."

If anyone ever trusts this administration to scare us into anything again, please see a psychiatrist - for the sake of our country.

Yet, another offense against our nation and not a consequence. Hopefully, this is the end of the Iran hyper scare because it does not seem possible that Cheney can argue that “fairly robust new nuclear program” in Iran, and President Bush’s inaccurate assertion that Iranian leaders have even admitted they are developing nuclear weapons.

How long until November, 2008?

Valerie Plame: This Administration Committed Treason

While we rev up the wheels of a new war, ahem Iran let us not forget what these criminals did to a CIA agent who worked on not allowing Iran to have Nuclear weapons. Say what you want about the CIA (and there is a lot to say that is bad), but she was doing the work that the Bush administration now tells us can send us to a new war, yet they outed her because they (being Joe Wilson and anyone with any integrity at the CIA) exposed the lies of the first war. And the Washington Post is still buying the administration lies - this time of course - Iran.

Though Chuck Hagel, the independent Senator from Nebraska says the new unilateral sanctions escalate the danger of military confrontation.
If this happens the Democratic party will have no where to look, but in the mirror or of course in the eyes of Hillary Clinton.

March for Peace Tomorrow

This is being dubbed as a big peace march. It is time to stand up for sure. october 27.org

Beyond Irony: Valerie Plame Worked at the CIA to Stop Iran from Obtaining Nuclear Weapons

Raw Story reports: CBS News has confirmed, in advance of a 60 Minutes interview with outed CIA agent Valerie Plame to be run this Sunday, that Plame "was involved in operations to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons." "

Our mission was to make sure that the bad guys, basically, did not get nuclear weapons," Plame told 60 Minutes. Plame also indicated that her outing in 2003 had caused grave damage to CIA operations, saying, "All the intelligence services in the world were running my name through their databases" to see where she had gone and who she had met with.

Raw story first reported on the story back in 2006. The article said in relevant part: "According to current and former intelligence officials, Plame Wilson, who worked on the clandestine side of the CIA in the Directorate of Operations as a non-official cover (NOC) officer, was part of an operation tracking distribution and acquisition of weapons of mass destruction technology to and from Iran."

This has now been confirmed by CBS who is conducted an interview with Plame on 60 Minutes. Unbelievable. We are going to go an attack Iran right? This seems to be the policy of the United States and the reasons are to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Remember King George's WW III comments. We have agents (Valerie Plame) working to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, yet it was so important to cover up the Iraq war lies that these enemies of democracy (I am referring to Bush and co. here in case I am vague) outed her -sabotaging their own policy that in theory is a much bigger threat than Iraq.

This reveals this administration's hypocrisy, lies and criminal misdeeds more than anything else. I don't believe Iran is a threat just as I don't believe Iraq was a threat to the United States. These wars have nothing to do with terrorism or security, but energy. You can take that to the bank.

This President Should Be Impeached Now. Go to Raw Story to see a clip of the interview with Plame.
I found the video on youtube. See here:

Will Hillary Clinton Attack Iran?

I have tried very much to get used to the fact that Hillary Clinton will be the democratic nominee. I respect her intelligence which is obvious, I understand the historical importance of a woman being President, truly. But, as an old Yiddish proverb enlightens us: "Just because it's in a cookie jar doesn't mean it's a cookie."

A new article in the Guardian opens with the sentence: Hillary Clinton today moved to secure her position as the most hawkish Democrat in the 2008 presidential race, saying she would consider the use of force to compel Iran to abandon its nuclear programme. Ummm, what? Iran is a soveriegn nation with hearts and minds. Using force against another sovereign nation is the last step and should not even be discussed at this point. The untold civilian casualties will be surreal. Yet, we have our democratic nominee discussing such action.

Clinton argues in an article for Foreign Affairs magazine Iran poses a long term strategic challenge to American and its allies, and that it must not be permitted to build or acquire nuclear weapons. If Iran does not comply with its own commitments and the will of the international community, all options must remain on the table," Ms Clinton said.

She deviates from the Bush administration as she has in the past stating we must not isolate our enemies and we must deploy diplomacy and insinuates a program of incentives for Iran. However, the article states Clinton sets out a series of positions that are virtually identical to the White House position. This is on top of her vote on the Kyl-Lieberman amendment that she has been severely criticized for by the democratic candidates.

This is troubling to say the least in light of what has happened in Iraq and in light of the Kyl - Lieberman amendment. The resolution is certainly an authorization to attack Iran if only a "Gulf of Tonkin type event happens. What makes Clinton think Bush will not attack Iran on some trumped up charges the same way he attacked Iraq. He now has that authority. We also now know by this foreign policy paper that Mrs. Clinton thinks exactly as the administration does outside of talking to Iran. We do not need Republican lite anymore. We need the people's party to represent us this year and into this violent century.

I will not be supporting Hillary Clinton, that I know. If she wins the nod, I may even be suggesting a third party. This cannot happen again. If we continue to make excuses to not support a progressive candidate for President we will NEVER get the world we want. I am tired of negotiating that position away.

...graphic novel persepolis hits the big screen...

i loved persepolis, marjane satrapi's autobiographical memoir of her childhood in iran. now i can enjoy it on the big screen... today's nyt discusses her emotional step from book to screen.

check out the trailer! (it's in french. marjane moved to paris 12 years ago, in a sort of self-imposed exile.)

The Drum Beat for War with Iran Continues

Seymour Hersch has written another article for the New Yorker regarding Iran: Shifting Targets. Hersch has been writing about the Bush administration's hope to bomb Iran since early 2006. He says now, however the Bush plan has shifted from a broad boming attack against Iran’s nuclear facilities to “surgical” strikes again Revolutionary Guard Corps facilities in Tehran and elsewhere.

Hersch talks about how the administration is now beating the drums for war with Iran, but differently. John Bolton talked about a pre-emptive strike this weekend. In "Shifting Targets" Hersch reveals In his article“This summer, the White House, pushed by the office of Vice-President Dick Cheney, requested that the Joint Chiefs of Staff redraw long-standing plans for a possible attack on Iran,” emphasizing the shift in rationale. The “shifting emphasis” is “gathering support among generals and admirals in the Pentagon.”

Hersch talks here about the change in rhetoric. The selling of the Iran strike is not working and a new public relations tactic is needed. He also tells us the adminstration will use the Bill Clinton did it first approach. Watch it:

It looks more and more like this WILL happen, it is no longer if, but when.

Hillary Thinks War With Iran is Funny

Assclowns of the week: Joe Lieberman and Hillary Clinton

Seventy-six Senators voted yesterday for the Kyl-Lieberman Amendment which gives Bush the ability to go into Iran. Hillary Clinton voted for it, Barack Obama sat the vote out for some reason. Dodd and Biden voted against it. Here in pertinent part is what the Senate voted for:

it should be the policy of the United States to combat, contain, and roll back the violent activities and destabilizing influence inside Iraq of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, its foreign facilitators such as Lebanese Hezbollah, and its indigenous Iraqi proxies;

(4) to support the prudent and calibrated use of all instruments of United States national power in Iraq, including diplomatic, economic, intelligence, and military instruments, in support of the policy described in paragraph (3) with respect to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies

The full roll call is here. This amendment was pushed by the administration through Senator Kyl and Senator Lieberman. Senator Webb called the amendment "Cheney's fondest pipe dream."

Senator Webb continued:

Those who regret their vote five years ago to authorize military action in Iraq should think hard before supporting this approach. Because, in my view, it has the same potential to do harm where many are seeking to do good.

Here is a statement that sounds eerily close to the run up to the Iraq war by defense Secretary Gates.

“Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated on September 16, 2007 that “I think that the administration believes at this point that continuing to try and deal with the Iranian threat, the Iranian challenge, through diplomatic and economic means is by the preferable approach. That the one we are using. We always say all options are on the table, but clearly, the diplomatic and economic approach is the one that we are pursuing.”

Why is Hillary Clinton the darling of the Democrats? Why? Because we long for the Clinton years? Read Barrister boy's poem about clinging to the past. If we long for the Clinton years we only are clinging to a past that no longer exists, a past that was not all that good anyway. It is a large mistake we are making by supporting Clinton's candidacy when there are two maybe three candidates that would be much better without the negatives (putting aside Gravel and Kucinich for the moment), Dodd, Edwards and possibly Obama (with huge reservations). Do we want a change in leadership or a change in politics? Because Hillary Clinton will only give us more of the same. There is no difference between this vote and the 2002 vote to authorize military action against Iraq. It does virtually the same thing.

The Propaganda Regarding Iran Continues

Does this rhetoric from Bush sound familiar? Remember comments about Iraq that the "smoking gun could be a mushroom cloud?" Bush is now warning of a nuclear (or as Bush puts it nucular) holocaust in the middle east. Bush branded the Iran republic the "world's leading sponsor of terrorism citing its backing of Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and of course Shiite fighters killing U.S. Troops in Iraq.

Also, a new study warns the U.S. is preparing a "massive military attack" against Iran.

Iran: the New Iraq

It is now clear the administration is gearing up to bomb Iran. See this piece at the Huffington Post. Seymour Hersch was the first to report that this far right administration was planning to bomb the ancient Persian country.

Lately, it seems Cheney with the help of the far right democrat, Joe (I wish I were Republican) Lieberman is leaning on President Bush to go forward with an attack. As recently as this week the administration sought to label the Iran Revolutionary Guard, a terrorist organization. This is the same (should I say Shame) propaganda that led us to where we are today.

Cheney is now advocating to strike Iran if "hard evidence" comes to light that Iran is aiding Iraq in killing Americans. This "hard evidence" will include a truck with soldiers heading over the border, something of that nature or weapons, whatever, if you will. Cheney recently proposed such a strike, but as of now Condoleeza Rice and Secretary Gates are opposing him.

The story goes on to say the strikes in Iran will have only one purpose, to provoke Iran into retaliation that will make it virtually impossible to refute and a full-fledged air strike on Iran will take place with the political obstacles that currently exist out of the way. This is part of the Iran policy, to provoke them.

This is all part of a military strategy (and political one) to tie Iran to Iraq and show Iran's complicity. Lieberman recently appeared on Face the Nation and said: "I think we've got to be prepared to take aggressive military action against the Iranians to stop them from killing Americans in Iraq. And to me that would include a strike over the border into Iran, where we have good evidence that they have a base at which they are training these people coming back into Iraq to kill our soldiers."

If you have not figured it out these people work on Talking Points and Lieberman, now in the camp after winning reelection on Rove/Bush dollars is part of the team and the message.

Then on July 2, the new spokesman for the U.S. command in Baghdad, Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner, presented a briefing for the press that dovetailed perfectly with Cheney's strategy. One of his main themes was the suggestion of an Iranian role in planning a January Shiite militia attack in Karbala in which five Americans were killed. The other major point that Bergner pushed was that Iran was using what he called "Special Groups" of "rogue" Shiite militiamen to destabilize Iraq, in part by training them in camps in Iran.

Here is an analysis by Gareth Porter that says the U.S. tags Iran for its own casualties. There is nothing new in any attacks in Iraq, but the way they are spun is new and should worry us. After the briefing by the Commander, Lieberman was waiting with a press release urging the U.S. to confront Iran. These are not accidents and it seems Cheney is certainly pushing for an attack on Iran (thus my vote for Cheney as the Most Scary). One wonders, however has this become official U.S. policy and is the writing on the wall and the attack is imminent or can we stop it?

Time will certainly tell.

Former Reagan Official Warns of Coming Bush Police State and Keith's Special Comment

See Keith's scathing "special comment" last night regarding the Bush administration trying to place the blame on Hillary Clinton. One of the many political smear tactics these slimy people engage in...Keith rails against this kind of propaganda and tells him to fight his own war. Also see at Rawstory a new executive order that allows the government to seize the assets of anyone who interferes with Iraq policy. And the article further asserts a former Reagan official is warning of the upcoming "Bush police state" and an imminent attack upon Iran.

The Gods, Drums, Echoes (take your pick) of War

This morning two suicide bombers struck northern Kirkuk killing 73 people and wounding 178 more. "The death toll is expected to rise as rescuers frantically dig through concrete and rubble in hopes of finding survivors." The NY Times said: "One bomb severely damaged a headquarters building of one of the main Kurdish political parties, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, but early reports did not indicate how many of those injured were affiliated with the party." The attacks come amid increasing ethnic tensions in Kirkuk, an oil-rich city 150 miles north of Baghdad and 60 miles west of Sulaymaniyah, the largest city in the P.U.K.-controlled region of Kurdistan.

This bombings come as the war debate is heating up. And the drums of war are calling for an attack on Iran. On Wednesday the Senate passed a resolution 97-0 calling for a censure of Iran because of complicity in the killing of U.S. soldiers. Senator Brownback of Kansas declared "I am ready to Strike Iran." Then there is this: Cheney is Winning the Debate on Iraq.

The balance in the internal White House debate over Iran has shifted back in favour of military action before President George Bush leaves office in 18 months, the Guardian has learned. The shift follows an internal review involving the White House, the Pentagon and the state department over the last month. Although the Bush administration is in deep trouble over Iraq, it remains focused on Iran. A well-placed source in Washington said: "Bush is not going to leave office with Iran still in limbo.

It is clear these ass clowns will not let Iran go. They have Lieberman doing their dirty work after funding his reelection in Connecticut, clearly as an independent neocon. Congress has to get tougher to stop these assclowns. If that means impeachment so be it. The Republicans think they have the votes and the power to stop the Democrats in any capacity to defund or pull the troops.

This is a dictatorship, there is no way around it.