April 12, 2006 3:33 PM
From Sy Hersh's article on the Iran plans:
The Pentagon adviser on the war on terror confirmed that some in the Administration were looking seriously at this option, which he linked to a resurgence of interest in tactical nuclear weapons among Pentagon civilians and in policy circles. He called it “a juggernaut that has to be stopped.” He also confirmed that some senior officers and officials were considering resigning over the issue. “There are very strong sentiments within the military against brandishing nuclear weapons against other countries,” the adviser told me. “This goes to high levels.”
There's a movie in there. UNCOVERED ARMAGEDDON.The Nukuhlar Option
The Nukuhlar Option (04.12.2006)
Next Entry: So why isn't Rumsfeld being fired? (04.15.2006)
Previous Entry: Iranageddon (04.10.2006)
Right Wing Robby:
I spoke to a high level advisor yesterday whose name I cant mention. He said any talk of using nuclear weapons was "completely false."
Prove me wrong.
Thu Apr 13 2006 9:59 AM
Tom from Madison:
RWR:
you aren't a journalist with a proven track record. You're a blogger with a track record of denying the facts.
Hersh has impeccable journalistic credentials. He's extremely credible. He has a track record of telling the truth. History has repeatedly verified what he has said.
Your problem is you're not receptive to the facts. There's help for those in your position--medical help.
Thu Apr 13 2006 4:37 PM
Right Wing Robby:
Yep. Just like Dan Rather.
Fri Apr 14 2006 8:35 AM
Dave E.:
Something like seven retired generals are now calling for Rumsfeld to quit because of incompetence. Quite evidently, the Bush administration is imploding under the weight of its own dishonest hubris.
And Tom, anybody that hasn't come around yet - the "30 percenters" as you called them (I like that phrase; sounds ironically like a Bushism) - is being willfully ignorant. Only believing what they want to be true, and reflexively attempting to discredit virtually anything that does not conform to Dear Leader's standards. Good candidates for cults in fact, because they are naturally predisposed to fear diversity of opinion or dissent. End result: no ability to reason, even in the face of overwhelming evidence.
I reiterate. They are only embarrassing themselves at this point.
Jim's post was a good pithy summary. I believe that Ahmadinejad and Bush are both capable of using nuclear weapons, based upon prior history and objective evidence. The groundswell of disgruntled generals, according to some historians as virtually unprecedented, indicates that Sy Hersh's article is sadly just a peephole glimpse into how terribly the Bush crew have mismanaged this nation.
So Tom, I remember you saying that you didn't mind engaging wingnuts because you just liked the practice it gave you, but just so you know...seeing responses like the one above really makes me embarrassed for the poor little buggars. Just so you know.
Fri Apr 14 2006 2:13 PM
Right Wing Robby:
There are 1000's of admirals and generals. If the governement changed everytime there as a difference of opinion, how well would that work out?
Sat Apr 15 2006 6:42 AM
Right Wing Robby:
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/04/14/D8GVSUC0H.html
The leader of Iran says that. The liberals? Attacking America and making sure we dont talk to tough.
Sat Apr 15 2006 7:07 AM
(Sorry if this is hard to read. The preview is not showing paragraph breaks on my browser.)
You wrote:
"The Pentagon adviser on the war on terror confirmed that some in the Administration were looking seriously at this [nuclear] option....There's a movie in there."But there's no time for a movie, is there? However, why not a tv spot? An article by Iran's Ambassador to the UN on the NYTimes op-ed page April 6 says that Iran is ready to negotiate regarding its nuclear program, and to adhere to international norms. The story is developed further in an article in the Financial Times. (at http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8874568/ ) The ambassador's offer renews a long-standing Iranian offer: (http://www.brookings.edu/views/op-ed/fleverett/20060124.htm )
"In the spring of 2003, shortly before I left government, the Iranian Foreign Ministry sent Washington a detailed proposal for comprehensive negotiations to resolve bilateral differences. The document acknowledged that Iran would have to address concerns about its weapons programs and support for anti-Israeli terrorist organizations. It was presented as having support from all major players in Iran's power structure, including the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. A conversation I had shortly after leaving the government with a senior conservative Iranian official strongly suggested that this was the case. Unfortunately, the administration's response was to complain that the Swiss diplomats who passed the document from Tehran to Washington were out of line."
Flynt L. Leverett, in The New York Times, January 24, 2006--- As far as I can tell coverage in the U.S. media has been near zero. (Attention right wing readers: Maybe the Iranians are not to be believed, but Iran is years away from a nuclear weapon, so there is time to try for a diplomatic solution.)What could be more important than bringing this to the attention of America?
Jim, if you're interested and you think there is a chance that MOVEON or somebody might pick this up, I'll send you a storyboard or a script or at least some ideas for a spot tv ad.
Sat Apr 15 2006 7:12 PM
Tom from Madison:
The best way to deal with fanatics is to be the voice of reason. Beyond that, uniting the rest of the world behind the US would be a great place to begin. I'm not sure if Bush CAN do either. I'm pretty sure he WON'T even try. Like a lot of dried out drunks and substance abusers, he lacks the capacity to recognize his own failures.
It's not just the "liberals" who are calling for a rational policy in Iraq and Iran. It's the American people. Bush, Rumsfeld, and company have no credibility. They have a track record that can't be blamed on liberals, bad luck, or anyone but THEMSELVES.
It will be very telling to see how many idiot neo-cons go down clinging to the Bush shipwreck in the 2006 elections. Corruption and policy failure make for a tough campaign.
Sun Apr 16 2006 11:31 PM
Tom from Madison:
Dave,
I do find the reality-denying neocons of the world interesting case studies. I've noted several threads of motivation energizing their ranks over the Bush era:
1) Pure greed -- i.e. gimme my tax cut, other country's oil + my interest in corrupt "defense" contracts.
2) Religious fervor -- God must on our side.
3) Patriotic fervor -- anyone who diasagrees with invasion/occupation must hate America.
4) Mind-numbed propaganda consumers -- If it's on Fox, Hannity, Rush, or Drudge it must be true [or if liberals hate it must be true].
5) Real cowards -- we're in REAL danger, but not enough to have a draft or raise taxes!Obviously there are combinations/variations of the above. Fortunately the facts coming out are like oxygen hitting Bush's hemorrhoidal lies. There aren't many cling-ons left believing the lies and wanting to go to the dark place we're being led. These are the true dead-enders. Yes, they are wilfully ignorant and they are a sorry lot.
Sun Apr 16 2006 11:49 PM
NJGuardsman:
I find that Liberals/Progressives/Democrats what ever you call yourselves now have THESE reoccurring themes (in no particular order):
-We can’t afford tax cuts (Yeah, so they can spend more of YOUR money not theirs, many Republicans are guilty of this also).
- The people of America made the wrong choice in 2004 they didn’t know any better, they were ignorant as to the issues.
- (illegal)Immigrants do the jobs Americans wont do (CORRECTION: Americans wont do those jobs for the money being paid to the illegals – Hay McCain I’ll take you up on that $50.00 per hr offer, where do I sign up!!!).
- Mind-numbed propagandists, If its on/in: CNN, NY Times, NBC, ABC, CBS or spouted by Pelosi, Streisand, Alec Baldwin, Kennedy, Murtha and so on it’s got to be true.
- Mr. Bush went to war for: oil, Revenge. Mr. Bush Lied. Mr. Bush knew of the 9/11 attacks before they were going to happen and did nothing.
- This administration is the most corrupt ever [culture of corruption] (http://www.prorev.com/legacy.htm)!Obviously there are combinations/variations of the above. Fortunately the facts coming out like turning on the light and watching roaches scramble. Yes, they are wilfully ignorant and they are a sorry lot.
Tue Apr 18 2006 11:35 AM
Tom from Madison:
Bush's poll numbers are extremely low - by historical standards. They are WAY below Clinton's. I'd like to hear Bushites explain why. NJ? RWR? Anyone?
Specific issue polling indicates broad disapproval of Bush and the Congress. Again, why?
Could Bush's repeated lies have anything to do with it?
Attempting to defend taxcuts in a time of war is truly a monumental undertaking--like designing a perpetual motion machine. Today's deficit is being financed by borrowing from China and other foreign governments. Progressives are united in opposing this. It's our children and grandchildren who will have to pay the consequences--Yet another reason why W will go down as our worst President.
Tue Apr 18 2006 3:44 PM
Tom from Madison:
In addition to what Bush talks [or babbles] about, we all need to pay attention to what he isn't talking about. How about that HUGE US Embassy being built in Baghdad?
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0708-11.htm
This sure looks like a colonial palace. Why are we spending billions building such a place in Iraq when New Orleans is still in ruins?
Tue Apr 18 2006 4:21 PM
Anonymous:
"This sure looks like a colonial palace. Why are we spending billions building such a place in Iraq when New Orleans is still in ruins?" - I've already answered this in posts about New Orleans
Wed Apr 19 2006 11:03 PM
NJGuardsman:
Above is mine
Wed Apr 19 2006 11:03 PM
NJGuardsman:
"Bush's poll numbers are extremely low..." - Please inform me when Bush announces for 2008.
1) Polls can be spun in any number of ways.
2) Democrats/Progressives/what have you are the best at using the mainstream media to their advantage.
3) The media is/are a more then willing to badmouth conservatives/Republicans at the slightest provocation (example: does anyone remember false/fabricated national guard paperwork).
Wed Apr 19 2006 11:18 PM
Tom from Madison:
Republicans keep blaming the media and liberals for their own poor record. Failure to accept responsibility for anything is Bush's achilles heal. It has now become the achilles heal of almost all Republicans.
There is very broad dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs:
1) very high and rising gas prices
2) secretive government
3) a leader promising rising deficits and continued war
4) rewards for an elite few, even as the above situations worsen.Bush and Cronies have figured out a way to benefit from whatever happens, even war and rising oil prices. The Iraq war has caused the price of oil to rise-- a lot. This will continue until Iraq is controlled by a US puppet regime in which case US oil interests will get first dibs on the oil contracts. It is very hard to sell Iraqis or anyone else that this is about Democracy when this is the case.
... In the mean time, corrupt contractors are making big $ while military families are losing loved ones and the US treasury is being emptied. Remember, we're borrowing from China to pay for all this. Sound strategy, eh! What if Hilary had proposed such a scheme? Would any Republican have gone along with it?
Face it, things were much better before Republican rule. Russ Feingold would be the perfect maverick candidate to offer a brigher future.
Imagine an open government where peace and international respect were part of the national discourse. It can happen, but not under Bush or anyone walking in his footsteps.
Thu Apr 20 2006 11:52 AM
Dave E.:
"in which case US oil interests will get first dibs on the oil contracts."
This was done long ago. Executive Order 13303, signed May 22, 2003.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_13303
Say hello to the corporate slush fund of zero accontability.
Nobody really knows about it. Must be that vast liberal media at work. But essentially, 13303 was a central reason for the Iraq invasion, and that's why it's worded like a legal dictionary exploded. Spreading freedom and democracy was and is a ruse. It's bullshit, but people feast on it like soylent green.
Thu Apr 20 2006 1:08 PM
Tom from Madison:
A related and equally disasterous position has been the US opposition to recognize the authority of the International Criminal Court. Its clear to me that this administration would rather be the bully than protect other countries from bullying.
Fri Apr 21 2006 2:48 PM
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