U.S.-Iran tensions could trigger accidental war

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16911972/

Citing Iranian involvement with Iraqi militias and Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, the Bush administration has shifted to offense in its confrontation with Iran — building up the U.S. military in the Persian Gulf and promising more aggressive moves against Iranian operatives in Iraq and Lebanon.

The behind-the-scenes struggle between the two nations could explode into open warfare over a single misstep, analysts and U.S. military officials warn.

Iraq has become a proxy battleground between Washington and Tehran, which is challenging — at least rhetorically — America’s dominance of the gulf. That has worried even Iraq’s U.S.-backed Shiite prime minister, who — in a reflection of Iraq’s complexity — also has close ties to Iran.

Iran and the United States are already sparring on the ground.

[illinoisprogressive]

1. this is what the administration is hoping for.

[keopeli]

2. KOOL-AID ALERT!

Sometimes it's obvious when you sip the kool-aid and sometimes it's not. The best kool-aid sneaks up on you. People don't know they've drunk it until you're heaving it up.

Propaganda can come from very unlikely sources in our society. While MSNBC has shown temperance in recent coverage, a healthy dose of skepticism is required.

Peace.

[everythingsxen]

5. I don't think it's Kool-Aid drinking...

I don't see this as MSNBC cheerleading for war, I think they are right.

When you have two militaries in close proximity and both spoiling for a fight with each other, I think it is entirely fair to say that a single misstep could lead to open war.

[keopeli]

6. Precisely. And the conditions that have merited your caution are being

bolstered by this message, reinforcing the idea of inevitability in the mind of the public. This is the perfect propaganda because it does not read as a lie. We know it's propaganda because we see the tell-tale signs: Evocative headline, pro-US slant, anonymous sources, etc. In an environment of total secrecy, it's not so hard to dupe the press, just as they did 4 years ago.

The risk they are taking is that there is no will to fight another war. If that is the case, this propaganda will work against them.

Peace.

[PSPS]

3. "Accidental" my ass!

[BadGimp]

4. my thoughts exactly PSPS

Wars are never accidental.



We'd bettter

before it's too late!

[Vidar]

7. Accidental--right.

[TheWatcher]

8. Do We The People even matter any more?

It seems as if we are going to do this despite the overwhelming wishes of the Citizenry, much of Congress, and the rest of the World.

To Quote what Sir Sean would probably Say at this moment:

"You Call This Democracy?"

[bdamomma]

9. Diplomacy is a word this disgusting regime we have knows nothing

about. We have to do something, we have a threat in the WH that has to be stopped.

[blues90]

12. Bush and cheney will get their war

They have been planning this for years along with their PNAC crowd .

They certianly could care less about the peoples voice or the houses voice .

I really don;t think there is enough time to stop them now .

[niceypoo]

10. They dont want to leave office come 2008

I can just see that coming

[Javaman]

11. There will be nothing accidental about this one. nt

[angstlessk]

13. There is no fucking such thing as an 'accidental' war..only STUPID MF'ers

I do not buy this garbage crap...oops boosh fell into another war, only this time it was an accident...fuck that shit!

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

14. It's possible,

While Bush is lusting after this, it could still start accidently.

A patrol accidently crosses the border and is captured or killed on either side, a jet accidently crosses the border and is shot down. A cruise missile goes off course.

When your on a hair trigger - shit happens.

Of course, the big question is if Bush goes after Iran how will the Iranian collaborators he installed in government react?

[ohio2007]

15. PA security forces arrest 7 Iranians in Gaza Strip raid

A round about way to hit Iran without putting boots on the ground?


Palestinian security forces arrested seven Iranian citizens during a raid Thursday night at the Islamic University, a Hamas stronghold in Gaza City, a security official said.

According to reports, another Iranian citizen committed suicide during the raid.

<snip>
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1167467868941&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

I wonder what Iranian citizens in Iran think of this story ? Unless the story is false so they won't even hear of it.

[struggle4progress]

16. U.S. Says Iran Meddles in Iraq but Is Delaying Release of Data (NYT)

By DAVID E. SANGER and MARK MAZZETTI
Published: February 2, 2007

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 — President Bush’s national security advisers have ordered a delay in publication of evidence intended to support Washington’s contention that Iran supplies lethal technology and other aid to militias in Iraq, senior administration officials said Thursday.

The decision was described by officials who were struggling to explain why American officials in Baghdad have twice canceled plans to present the evidence, delays that have raised questions about the quality of the intelligence ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/02/washington/02policy.html

[struggle4progress]

17. Lawmakers Move to Restrain Bush on Iran

Jim Lobe

WASHINGTON, Feb 1 (IPS) - Increasingly concerned about the escalating rhetoric against Iran by senior U.S. officials, including President George W. Bush, members of Congress are trying to put limits on his ability to attack the Islamic Republic.

Their efforts so far have primarily taken the form of what one lobbyist refers to as "Resoliferation" -- that is, the proliferation of a number of mostly non-binding resolutions -- in both the House of Representatives and Senate asserting that Bush must seek Congress's approval before any attack on Iran or any of Iraq's other neighbours.

The latest resolution, introduced Wednesday by a group of five House Democrats, declares that it is the policy of the United States not to enter into a pre-emptive war with Iran and bans the expenditure of Congressionally appropriated funds for covert actions designed to achieve regime change or to carry out any military actions against Tehran in the absence of an imminent threat.

Several influential senators have also posed pointed questions to the administration about whether it believes it has the constitutional authority to carry out military action against Iran without Congress's approval ...

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=36409

[struggle4progress]

18. Make no mistake on Iran (Herald Tribune / FL)

Congress needs to guard against a broadening of war

The United States has made so many mistakes in Iraq that an "accidental" war with Iran should be out of the question. Yet the Bush administration -- in particular Vice President Dick Cheney -- has been ratcheting up the rhetoric against Iran, and the military is taking steps that, accidentally or intentionally, could broaden war in the Middle East.

Even some Republicans in Congress see the administration's words and deeds as furthering the potential for confrontation.

At a Foreign Relations Committee hearing Tuesday, Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., asked John Negroponte, the nominee to become the No. 2 person at the State Department, whether the United States might be edging toward a military conflict with Iran ...

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070201/OPINION/702010581/1030

[struggle4progress]

19. Yet another war? (Toledo Blade)

IT SEEMS incredible to have to say so, but Americans have reason to be concerned that the Bush Administration is going to take the country to war again, on shaky grounds, with no international support, and with little if any congressional backing.

This time it is Iran, another country in President Bush's "axis of evil," along with Iraq and North Korea. The increasing rhetoric is of concern in light of the significant build-up of U.S. forces in the region, not only aimed at Iran but specifically stated by Vice President Dick Cheney to send a warning.

The claim is that Iran is meddling in Iraq, interfering with U.S. efforts to keep the current mayhem from spiraling even further out of U.S. and Iraqi government control. Thus, U.S. acts against Iranians in Iraq - and potentially in Iran itself - become, in the view of the Bush Administration, a justifiable part of the war effort in Iraq.

Putting aside the arguments of those who don't think the United States should still be in Iraq, the other critical flaw in the administration position is that the United States can hardly expect Iran not to seek to play a role in Iraq ...

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070201/OPINION02/702010313