Pentagon chief calls planning for Iran strike "routine"

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

OVER THE NORTH SEA (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday characterized U.S. military planning for a strike on Iran as "routine."

"I would characterize it as routine," Gates told reporters on a flight en route to Washington, when asked about any U.S. planning for military action against Iran.

The Pentagon plans for hundreds of potential scenarios that could involve military force in a variety of roles ranging from offensive operations to disaster response.

Tensions between Washington and Iran have climbed this year. The United States and others accuse Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons under cover of a peaceful nuclear energy program.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071025/pl_nm/usa_iran_military_dc

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Boeing bomb in Bush war-fund request
By Bloomberg News and The Washington Post

The Defense Department's new Iraq war funding request proposes upgrading the B-2 stealth bomber to carry the military's largest satellite-guided bomb capable of penetrating deeply buried bunkers.

The Pentagon's proposal is one sentence in the measure seeking $45.9 billion more for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that President Bush gave to Congress Monday. The extra money would be on top of $150.5 billion in previously requested war spending.

The new 30,000-pound bomb is six times bigger than the Air Force's current 5,000-pound bunker-buster. Chicago-based Boeing is developing the bomb for the Pentagon agency that researches technology to counter weapons of mass destruction. The bomb was first successfully detonated in March.

The B-2 is the only U.S. bomber capable of penetrating an adversary's most dangerous air defenses such as those believed in use by North Korea and Iran. The B-2 bombed targets in the early days of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

more:http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003968501_iraqcost23.html?syndication=rss

[Magleetis]

1. Liar n/t

[saigon68]

2. Pants on fire

[damntexdem]

3. Routine for the Bushistas.

They always plan wars that they can't win anyway and are too incompetent to win even were the war winnable.

[rcsl1998]

4. If the Military is Supposed To Plan for ALL Contingencies...

...why are there NO contingency plans for withdrawing from Iraq? :sarcasm: I'm referencing Hilary's questioning in committee a while ago in which she (and we) were informed that the military/Pentagon had NO such plans drawn up.

[Andy Canuck]

5. Oh for fucksakes, on behalf of (almost- 92%) all Canadians

could you tell the angry old man and the man-boy to stop fucking around and put their big boom boom toys away. This isn't funny anymore.

[bhikkhu]

7. a "routine" plan was drawn up for the invasion of canada as well...

back in the early 20th century, I believe. So I can believe the article, and hope (hope, hope, hope) that reality sets in with those in power. I have read that there is zero support in the military for a war with Iran...

[Earth_First]

6. Routine in that last week Gates, Snow, et. al claimed that any talk of attack on Iran was "paranoia"

...that type of routine?

[UpInArms]

8. kicking this up

:kick: