Top story on Fox this morning

[proud2BlibKansan]

Is it Obabma's announcement? NO

Is it the Libby trial and whether Cheney will testify? NO

Is it the WH cooking intell in the lead up to invading Iraq? NO

Iran is sending weapons to Iraq.

Be afraid, be very afraid!!!

[Ron Green]

1. The Plan is moving forward nicely.

[smoogatz]

2. To whom in Iraq are they alleged to be sending weapons?

Somebody please tell me.

[Botany]

3. Well the I.S.G. report said 80% of the attacks on our troops ...

.... were from Sunnis so Iran is sending weapons to their blood enemies?


Also a must read.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/09/AR2007020901917.html?nav=rss_opinions

2) We must continue the war to prevent Iran's influence from growing in Iraq. This is another absurd notion.
One of the president's initial war aims, the creation of a democracy in Iraq, ensured increased Iranian influence,
both in Iraq and the region. Electoral democracy, predictably, would put Shiite groups in power -- groups
supported by Iran since Saddam Hussein repressed them in 1991.

[Roland99]

5. But Al Qaeda started the Sunni/Shiite division & Al Qaeda is linked to Iran like it was to Iraq and

ugh.



BTW, that WaPo link is truncated.

[Botany]

10. Link fixed

[Roland99]

11. No, thank *you*!

1) We must continue the war to prevent the terrible aftermath that will occur if our forces are withdrawn soon. Reflect on the double-think of this formulation. We are now fighting to prevent what our invasion made inevitable! Undoubtedly we will leave a mess -- the mess we created, which has become worse each year we have remained. Lawmakers gravely proclaim their opposition to the war, but in the next breath express fear that quitting it will leave a blood bath, a civil war, a terrorist haven, a "failed state," or some other horror. But this "aftermath" is already upon us; a prolonged U.S. occupation cannot prevent what already exists.

2) We must continue the war to prevent Iran's influence from growing in Iraq. This is another absurd notion. One of the president's initial war aims, the creation of a democracy in Iraq, ensured increased Iranian influence, both in Iraq and the region. Electoral democracy, predictably, would put Shiite groups in power -- groups supported by Iran since Saddam Hussein repressed them in 1991. Why are so many members of Congress swallowing the claim that prolonging the war is now supposed to prevent precisely what starting the war inexorably and predictably caused? Fear that Congress will confront this contradiction helps explain the administration and neocon drumbeat we now hear for expanding the war to Iran.

[Botany]

14. Odom what a liberal

William E. Odom, a retired Army lieutenant general, was
head of Army intelligence and director of the National
Security Agency under Ronald Reagan. He served on the
National Security Council staff under Jimmy Carter. A West
Point graduate with a PhD from Columbia, Odom teaches at Yale
and is a fellow of the Hudson Institute.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Major_General_William_Odom,_official_military_photo,_1983.JPEG/180px-Major_General_William_Odom,_official_military_photo,_1983.JPEG

[Roland99]

16. Terrorist sympathizer.

:P

[smoogatz]

8. Exactly.

Now here's the follow-up: where are the Sunni insurgents getting their money and logistical support?

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-12-08-saudis-sunnis_x.htm

[Botany]

13. let me guess our buddies the Saudis?

pg. 29

From your link .... I now know about ZAQAT ..... :puke:

Two high-ranking Iraqi officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the issue's
sensitivity, told the AP most of the Saudi money comes from private donations, called zaqat,
collected for Islamic causes and charities.

[mmonk]

4. We could end all the BS with a simple impeachment inquiry

into any number of impeachable offenses.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Amen!

[Roland99]

6. Oh geez. Sonofamitch McConnell is up next. I cringe every time I see/hear him.

Damn, wtf is wrong with my state?!

[Strelnikov_]

7. Juan Cole: Blame these US deaths on Iran . . . a black psy-ops operation

Informed Comment
Sunday, February 11, 2007
http://www.juancole.com

It is far more likely that corrupt arms merchants are selling and smuggling these things than that there is direct government- to- militia transfer. It is possible that small Badr Corps stockpiles were shared or sold. That wouldn't have been Iran's fault.

Some large proportion of US troops being killed in Iraq are being killed with bullets and weapons supplied by Washington to the Iraqi army, which are then sold by desperate or greedy Iraqi soldiers on the black market. This problem of US/Iraqi government arms getting into the hands of the Sunni Arab guerrillas is far more significant and pressing than whatever arms smugglers bring in from Iran.

. . .


The attempt to blame these US deaths on Iran is in my view a black psy-ops operation. The claim is framed as though this was a matter of direct Iranian government transfer to the deadliest guerrillas. In fact, the most fractious Shiites are the ones who hate Iran the most. If 25 percent of US troops are being killed and wounded by explosively formed projectiles, then someone should look into who is giving those EFPs to Sunni Arab guerrillas. It isn't Iran.

Finally, it is obvious that if Iran did not exist, US troops would still be being blown up in large numbers. Sunni guerrillas in al-Anbar and West Baghdad are responsible for most of the deaths. The Bush administration's talent for blaming everyone but itself for its own screw-ups is on clear display here.

[Booster]

9. Are they saying WE are the only ones who can send weapons

to Iraq. Do they show Bush stamping his feet saying "this is MY war and you're not invited".

[UTUSN]

12. Yes, we are officially in the pimp phase of the run-up to the Iran Attack

I was about to start a thread on this, but apparently I'm not the only one who noticed. This A.M., in the snooze mode, I heard (C-SPAN? Book TV?) featuring something about Iran destroying Israel. I switched to (CNN?) and a breathless reporter was saying those bombs were manufactured blah blah.

This must been the SECOND stage of pimping because it has been going on on Faux and others for months before this. But it looked like the hype for Jurassic Park this A.M.

[Katherine Brengle]

15. Jesus H - if giving weapons to a country is grounds for war, we need to go to war with ourselves.

Fuck this bullshit.

It's only when the so-called "bad guys" do it that we take action. When our guys are over there getting shot with guns we sold/gave to terrorists, we don't give a shit. When Iran does it, they better watch the fuck out, right?

Ugh.