Journalist Seymour Hersh argues in this New Yorker article that the Bush administration is secretly preparing to wage war on Iran – with covert operations already taking place inside the country. The US even considers using tactical nuclear weapons, so called “bunker busters,” to reach facilities located deep beneath the surface. Beyond the destruction of Tehran’s nuclear program, Washington seems to be particularly keen on imposing a regime change to oust the Iranian leadership. Some people inside the administration and the Pentagon criticize these plans, believing an attack on Iran would cause grave repercussions in the Middle East and internationally.
Been There, Done That
Former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski argues in this Los Angeles Times article that a military attack on Iran would be “damaging to long-term US national interests” and cites reasons why. There is no legal backing for such a unilateral attack. Reactions by Tehran would seriously complicate the US occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq. The price of crude would rise dramatically. Finally, the US would become an even more likely target for terrorists. Zbigniew concludes that “a sense of a religiously inspired mission” should not guide the US.
Iran: Don't Do It
This TomDispatch article gives very cogent reasons why attacking Iran would be “insane.” Military airstrikes would only lead to an acceleration of Iran’s nuclear program and a full-blown invasion is just unthinkable, regarding how stretched already the US forces are in Iraq. Iran has so far not violated international law - the Non-Proliferation Treaty - which makes finding a pretext for war hard for Washington. Finally, the often-cited danger that Tehran will launch a nuclear strike on Israel seems highly unrealistic, because it would amount to committing “national suicide.”
Britain Took Part in Mock Iran Invasion
Despite rhetoric by both Washington and London, the two long-standing allies seem to prepare attacking Iran. Two years ago, the US and the UK jointly conducted a war game codenamed “Hotspur 2004.” The planners said the scenario was a fictitious Middle East country called “Korona,” however the border corresponded exactly with Iran's and the characteristics of the enemy were Iranian. This is one article in a recent stream of articles showing how the US and the UK get ready to invade Iran. (Guardian)
To Battle Stations! To Battle Stations!
This Inter Press Service article gives a good overview of the intensified efforts by neo-conservative authors, publications and think-tanks to promote military strikes against Iran. The Project for the New American Century, the American Enterprise Institute, and their affiliated authors such as William Kristol and Michael Ledeen openly call for an invasion of Iran to force a regime change in Tehran.
Analysts Say a Nuclear Iran Is Years Away
Despite Iran’s announcement that it had enriched Uranium to levels that could fuel a nuclear reactor, experts claim it will take Tehran many more years to actually construct an atomic bomb. Nevertheless, various countries, including China and Russia, have criticized Tehran for escalating the tensions that already exist between Iran and the US. Such provocative actions might in fact play into the hands of some members of the Bush administration, who seek confrontation. (New York Times)
An Iranian Missile Crisis?
This Washington Post Op-Ed compares the current confrontation between the US and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear activities with the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. Washington will not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran and Tehran believes that only by acquiring nuclear capabilities can it deter a US intervention. The Op-Ed quotes Former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski saying that if the US attacks Iran “we will lose our position in the world.”
Government in Secret Talks about Strike Against Iran
The British Government is secretly discussing US-led air strikes against Iran. According to this Telegraph article, some members of the government believe that “an attack [by the US and/or Israel] is now all but inevitable,” if Tehran continues to pursue its enrichment program. Such attacks would have grave repercussions in the whole Middle East and beyond.
"Cabal" Blocked 2003 Nuclear Talks with Iran
This Inter Press Service argues that in 2003 the Bush administration has deliberately avoided negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. Tehran sought consultations and even offered to provide the names of the al-Qaeda operatives it had detained. Washington refused this offer, because a “secret cabal of neoconservatives” wanted to push for regime change in Tehran.
Washington Seeks to Bully UN Security Council over Iran
The Security Council is under intense pressure from the US to adopt a statement that will allow aggressive action against Iran. In language that recalls the period before the US invasion of Iraq, US Ambassador John Bolton warned that Washington’s patience was running out and that the “negotiating process was not indefinite.” Bolton also questioned the legitimacy and authority of the world body, declaring that “if the Security Council cannot deal with the greatest threat we have with a country like Iran, you have a real question of what it can deal with.” (World Socialist)
Iran: Where Do We Go From Here?
Why did the US take the case of Iran’s nuclear program to the Security Council if Washington knew that the five veto-holding powers would not reach consensus on sanctions against Tehran? According to this Uruknet article, the Bush administration’s intention was to increase suspicion about Iran’s nuclear program and mobilize public support for a war. The author warns that if the Security Council issues a presidential statement accusing Iran of developing a nuclear weapons program – even though there is “no evidence” of such program according to the IAEA – it will only strengthen Washington’s plans to attack Iran. Instead, the Council should take positive steps to diffuse the crisis, starting by supporting Iran’s rights under the Non Proliferation Treaty to enrich uranium under the strict supervision of the IAEA.
US Envoy Hints at Strike to Stop Iran
This Guardian article reports that US Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton has openly voiced the possibility of a military strike against Iran. Bolton was quoted as having said to British members of Parliament that “you only have to take out one part of their (Iran’s) nuclear operation to take the whole thing down." Most other observers, including the CIA, remain skeptical about a military solution.
US Marines Probe Tensions Among Iran’s Minorities
The US marines’ intelligence wing contracted the Science Applications International Corporation to investigate Iran’s ethnic minorities, says the Financial Times. They studied whether Iran would be prone to a violent fragmentation along the same kind of fault lines that are splitting Iraq. This could mean that the US plans to actively destabilize the regime in Tehran.
How Neo-Cons Sabotaged Iran's Help on al Qaeda
The US and Iran were on a course to cooperate in the fight against al Qaeda and its Taliban sponsors in Afghanistan in late 2001 and early 2002. However, neocon members of the Bush administration disrupted that cooperation, because they wanted to include Iran in the Axis of Evil. This Inter Press Service article draws on sources from the State Department and the National Security Council.
Funding Regime Change
This Asia Times article claims that the Bush Administration’s US$ 75 million plan to undermine the regime in Tehran will only have limited effects. The US has antagonized the target of this initiative – the Iranian civil society – with its aggressive foreign policy. Iranians still remember that the US tried several times before to topple the Iranian leadership with covert operations.
WWIII or Bust: Implications of a US Attack on Iran
This article argues that the US actively seeks confrontation with Iran, using the alleged Iranian nuclear threat as a pretext. The real reasons are economic - the US wants to secure the vast fossil energy reserves. The US also seeks to safeguard the dollar as Iran plans to allow oil trading in euros in March 2006. (Common Dreams)
Rice Seeks $75 Million to Spur Democracy Drive in Iran
On top of US$10million already allocated in Iran for 2006, the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice requested US$75 million extra to expand Washington’s media influence in the country. Allocating these funds to broadcast US radio and TV programs, Rice argues that the media campaign will inspire Iranian citizens to pursue “freedom and democracy.” Although Rice’s request attracted criticism from the Democratic and Republican party, she stated that the US will “actively confront the aggressive policies” of Tehran. (Daily Star-Lebanon)
US Instigated Iran's Nuclear Policy in the '70s
The Bush administration opposes Iran’s nuclear enrichment program even though Washington started Tehran’s nuclear development in the 1970s. After the oil crisis in 1972, Washington pursued investment opportunities in Iran, including selling Tehran nuclear plants and offering a “full nuclear cycle.” This Providence Journal article questions US motives behind a possible military action against Iran 30 years after having developed its nuclear facilities with “great enthusiasm.”
Juggernaut Gathering Momentum, Headed for Iran
This truthout article shows how Washington tries to prepare the US public for a war with Iran by constantly repeating how dangerous the country is. In support for this claim, the US is even manipulating pieces of intelligence or only using the intelligence deemed supportive. In addition, the article exposes how key figures from the Bush administration offered Iran a deal for nuclear facilities in the 1970s, jumpstarting Iran’s nuclear research.
US Tries to Pressure Iran with Attack Stories
This Washington Post article argues that while “all options [against Iran] are on the table,” the Bush administration focuses on covert commando operations to sabotage Iranian nuclear facilities. In addition, Washington sends high-level officials from the Central Intelligence Agency to Turkey and arranges “sensational” reports in the Turkish and German press to increase pressure on Tehran. Such leaks about a possible military action against Iran aim at forcing the country to make concessions over its nuclear enrichment program.
And Now Iran
Neoconservative William Kristol argues in this Weekly Standard article that the US should be willing to use military force to “halt the nuclear program of the Iranian regime.” Kristol criticizes European countries for being “generally hesitant and wishful” in dealing with Iran.
Who's Afraid of Big, Bad Iran?
The US is selective when it comes to condemning countries for violating the nuclear non-proliferation policy, Philip Bowring argues in this International Herald Tribune commentary. On the one hand, Washington aligns with nuclear countries such as Israel, Pakistan and India. On the other hand, the US condemns Iran’s resumption of nuclear activities, calling it a grand threat to the Middle East and the world. By bullying Iran, the US may shoot itself in the foot and give Tehran the incentive to develop nuclear technology.
US and Iran: Is Washington Planning a Military Strike?
Journalist and intelligence expert Udo Ulfkotte argues that Washington is preparing for a military strike against Iran’s suspected nuclear sites early in 2006. Ulfkotte interprets CIA Director Porter Goss’s visit to Turkey as an attempt to win support from Ankara for Washington’s possible attack against Iran. While Washington discusses the use of force to bring Tehran “into line,” critics argue that an attack could instead increase support for Ahmadinejad’s regime in the region. (Spiegel)
A Possible Israel-Iran War
If the Security Council fails to put the Iranian nuclear issue on the agenda by the end of March 2006, Israel, backed by the US, declared it will attack secret uranium enrichment sites in Iran. Israel fears that by April 2006, Iran will have the technical expertise to enrich uranium in sufficient quantities to build a nuclear warhead. (Sunday Times)
Iran and the United States: A Clash of Perceptions
According to this openDemocracy article, Washington has viewed Tehran as the “real problem” in the Middle East since the downfall of the Shah. When Iran insisted on enriching its nuclear program, the Bush administration's view hardened still further. This article argues that following the intervention in Iraq, Washington has established permanent bases in the region to achieve greater control of the Middle East’s energy resources. This move can only lead to an increased tension between Washington and Tehran.
Are We Going to War with Iran?
Is the US threat to go to war with Iran real or is it just a scare tactic to get Iran to halt its nuclear program? Dan Plesch writes in the Guardian that Washington regards Iran as enough of a critical threat to warrant an attack. Indeed, US intelligence considers that while Iran is years from a nuclear weapons capability, “the technological point of no return is now imminent.” US Ambassador John Bolton warned that if the Security Council failed to deal with Iran’s alleged breach of its commitments on nuclear proliferation, “the US would solve the problem on its own.”
Experts Predict US Attack on Iran
Dan Plesch, Scott Ritter and Fred Halliday discuss the possibility of a US military operation against Iran. Focusing on the causes and consequences of a confrontation with Iran, these experts base their arguments on the Iraq experience, the Cold War era, and the history of US-Iran relations. Although the feasibility of military action or overthrow of the regime by Iranians may seem like a “fantasy,” Ritter asserts that “fantasy is reality in the neo-con’s Washington.” (Democrat's Diary)
Iran's Nukes: Jack's Straw Man
During his speech at the UN World Summit 2005, Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad defended Iran’s right to develop nuclear technology in accordance with international treaties and regulations. The US and EU officials claimed that the speech was “very aggressive,” “disappointing and unhelpful.” His speech, however, emphasized “the double standards” over nuclear weaponry “that [allow] powerful states to access materials...while denying access to less powerful states.” (spiked)
US Deploys Slide Show to Press Case against Iran
During an August 2005 briefing in Vienna, US officials tried to convince their allies that Iran’s energy program aims at producing nuclear weapons. Although UN inspectors did not find “proof of a weapons program,” Washington wants to increase pressure on the Iranian government, and insists that the UN should impose sanctions against it. This article compares the briefing to the “the flawed presentation on Iraq’s weapons program” in the Security Council, and warns that the Iraq experience is still “fresh in the minds of international decision-makers.” (Washington Post)
Don't Make Hollow Theats
This Newsweek article argues that the Bush administration uses “hollow threats” against Iran to make it stop its nuclear development. US President George Bush stated that “all options are on the table,” in his response to Iran’s decision to resume its nuclear program. However, because Iran has well-hidden and scattered facilities and good economic relations with China and Russia, neither a military intervention nor comprehensive economic sanctions would likely produce a desired outcome for the US. Therefore, these threats, rather than influencing Iran’s nuclear development, help “cheapen [the US] credibility around the world.”
The Iran War Buildup
Michael Klare warns that there are striking similarities between the Bush administration’s activities before the invasion of Iraq, and its current attitude towards Iran. Citing evidence that the Defense Department has begun serious planning for military action against Iran, he urges the US government to halt such moves before it has built up an unstoppable momentum towards war. (The Nation)
Anatomy of a Neocon Smear
The US Neocons attempted to demonize Iran’s new president before he even took office, says TomPaine. From dismissals of the elections as “fixed” to claims that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was one of the 1979 hostage takers at the US embassy, in the face of strong evidence to the contrary, the neocon establishment is trying to portray Iran’s leader as a hard-line fanatic the US cannot negotiate with.
The US War with Iran Has Already Begun
Former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter compares the process which led to war in Iraq with current US-Iran relations to reach the frightening conclusion that the Bush administration’s policy of forcible regime change is well underway. "From its “liberation/democracy rhetoric” and the conditioning of public opinion, to covert operations and advanced logistical planning, he argues that the US march to war has begun. (al-Jazeera)
Bush and Hawks Try Pre-Emptive Strike Vs. Iran Vote
US President George W. Bush and a group of hard-line US “hawks” tried to discredit the Iranian elections before they took place, “the better to justify some kind of attack leading to regime change,” according to experts interviewed by Inter Press Service. Iran specialists say “some hardliners are trying to fit the facts into their preferred policy.” The hawks’ “orchestrated public-relations campaign” depicting the election as a sham is “simplistic at best, a deliberate distortion at worst.”
Letter from Tehran: In Washington's Cross-Hairs
The US “has not waited for the first ballot to be cast before dismissing Iran’s presidential election as rigged.” Truthout argues that this is “wishful thinking” stemming from the Washington neocons' “delusion that they can overthrow the Iranian regime with plenty of missiles.” In fact, American “bombast” is undermining genuine grassroot democratic change underway in Iran, strengthening the hand of hardliners for whom “a missile strike against Iran would be a godsend.”
Trade Group to Start Talks to Admit Iran
The United States has dropped a long-standing veto, allowing Iran to begin membership negotiations with the World Trade Organization (WTO). The US change of heart comes as an apparent reward for Iran’s agreement to halt its nuclear program. The US holds significant clout over WTO decisions, and although politics is not supposed to play a role in issues relating to WTO membership, membership negotiations with Iran are clearly conditional on the status of its nuclear program. (New York Times)
Iran: Tehran Opposes US Pro-Democracy Initiatives
The US has appropriated millions of dollars for Iran’s pro-democracy movement under the Iran Freedom Support Act, which ominously calls for holding the Iranian government accountable and supporting a “transition to democracy.” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports that the initiatives have fostered “hatred against America” and that Iranian officials object to US meddling. However, the article fails to consider these enterprises as a cover-up for more aggressive US-sponsored regime change.
Cheney’s Other Trick NIE ?
Former CIA officer Ray McGovern refutes the Bush administration’s claims about dangers in Iran, likening the rising threats to the fabricated weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in 2002 and warning that the real US reasons for intervention include “oil, Israel and a strategic presence in the region.” McGovern calls for an “honest” national intelligence estimate on Iran and hopes government officials will not “take the course of least resistance” in arguing about foreign policy. (TomPaine)
US May Aid Iran Activists
In another effort to spur regime change in Iran, the Bush administration may earmark $3 million for Iranian activists. But the administration’s inclination for “more creative solutions” to further “spread freedom” could backfire; several Iranians have harbored strong anti-US sentiments since the CIA-sponsored coup in 1953, and any US-sponsored activity could incite violence. As US-Iranian relations in the past make it clear, the administration “can’t buy political action.” (Los Angeles Times)
Doomed to Fail
Former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter writes in the Baltimore Sun that the Bush administration must separate nonproliferation policies from those of regime change. Using Iraq as an example, Ritter warns that weapons of mass destruction do not serve as a good excuse for military intervention. Iran and North Korea have begun to develop nuclear weapons because of US aggression, he says, and the world could see a “nuclear apocalypse” if the US does not back down.
Iran Vows to Down US Spy Planes: Blast Near Dam Sparks Panic
Following media and civilian reports of unmanned drones spying on Iran’s nuclear sites, Tehran officials ordered the military not to engage but then authorized shooting down US spy planes. The announcement came after an unrelated explosion stirred tensions that the US was planning an attack, though US officials deny the allegation and instead claim the intelligence searches revolve around suspicions that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. (DAWN)
Iran's Choice
The Wall Street Journal has "substantial reservations and doubts about Iran's good faith" with respect to the country's pledge to cease its uranium enrichment program. This article argues that Iran avoided Security Council referral by "negotiating a departure from the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) normal safeguards standards" and warns that this may set a precedent for further IAEA inspections. Conservative criticism aimed at the IAEA echoes US justification to invade Iraq and could serve as propaganda to legitimize US action against Iran.
Military Rumblings on Iran
This New York Times editorial likens the hints of US military intervention in Iran to the build-up of the Iraq war, and warns that the US has neither the troops nor the support to make such a move. Given the potential consequences of Iran gaining nuclear capabilities, the author urges the US government and European diplomats to present a firm line to the Iranian leadership: dismantle the nuclear program or “suffer severe economic penalties.”
The Coming Wars
Seymour Hersh uncovers a covert US military and intelligence campaign directed at Iran. The Pentagon, under Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, has used the guise of “intelligence reform” to take over some of the CIA’s intelligence gathering and secret operations and place them even further outside of Congressional oversight. Pentagon operations may signal a growing commitment in Washington to topple Iran’s government. (New Yorker)
Cheney Warns of Iran as A Nuclear Threat
Denying Seymour Hersh’s article on covert US military operations in Iran, Vice President Dick Cheney said the Bush administration plans to “pursue diplomacy first” and propose UN Security Council sanctions if diplomacy fails. But Cheney warned that “all options are on the table,” and that Israel “might well decide to act first and let the rest of the world worry about cleaning up the diplomatic mess.” (Washington Post)
Persian Dilemmas
This Slate article debates the uncanny similarities between “Operation Iraqi Freedom” and the current Iran situation, where the US refuses to follow Europe’s advice for a “diplomatic solution.” Instead of a military intervention, it suggests a “serious US strategy of regime change” focusing on constructive bilateral relations with Iran.
There Are Worse Things Than a Nuclear Iran
This International Herald Tribune article challenges the US and EU assumption that they cannot tolerate a nuclear Iran, saying "if the price for a democratic Iran is Tehran's being allowed to develop limited nuclear capabilities, then so be it." The author argues against military action, citing the proven inefficiency of a top-down approach to democracy, and claiming that military strikes would only enrage Islamists and isolate reformists. He also rules out the possibility of sanctions, saying that the world economy needs Iran's oil, and, as with military action, veto-wielding Security Council members would be unlikely to authorize them.
Pentagon Turns Heat Up on Iran
Following suspicions of uranium enrichment in Iran, the US government considers taking military action in the country, warning of “possible strikes on leadership, political and security targets.” (Observer)
Today Iraq, Tomorrow Iran
This article lists 21 mistaken predictions of the US administration in its invasion of Iraq. The author suggests that the US government may consider a “pre-emptive” attack on Iran to “distract the American people from their catastrophic and incompetent record.” (Salon.com)
Shifting the War to Iran
Columnist Charles Krauthammer supports a US war against Iran, but former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski recommends “selective political engagement” with the Iranian regime. This Znet commentary presents their arguments, concluding that Krauthammer and Brzezinski share the long-term goal of US control over the Middle East’s energy reserves. Furthermore, the author suggests that Brzezinski’s The Grand Chessboard is the blueprint for US foreign policy, and not the Project for a New American Century as many people believe.
Iran in Bush's Sights
The 9/11 commission’s attempt to show links between Iran and al-Qaeda is part of a campaign to justify a US war against Iran, writes Middle East scholar Juan Cole. Arguing that the alleged relationship between Iran’s regime and Sunni militants is extremely unlikely, Cole asks who benefits from these claims and the war that they could help to bring about. (Informed Comment)
Regime Change in Iran Now in Bush's Sights
According to a government official, if US President George W. Bush wins the November election “there will be much more intervention in the internal affairs of Iran.” The US will act to provoke revolts against the current Iranian regime, rather than using overt military action to overthrow it. (Sunday Herald)
The Next War
In “An End to Evil: How to Win the War on Terror,” Washington’s hawks Richard Perle and David Frum present an agenda for how to proceed in the “War on Terror.” The authors propose a US sponsored regime change in Iran, a military blockade of North Korea, and "economic quarantine" for Syria, and state that France should be treated as an “enemy.” (TomPaine)

plz pray,
Sardarzada

__________________
God is dead! God remains dead! And we have killed him! How shall we console ourselves, the most murderous of all murderers? The holiest and the mightiest that the world has hitherto possessed, has bled to death under our knife....