The hour is much, much later than we think

[kpete]

March 21, 2008
Thus You Lose the World: What the Fuck Is Wrong With You?


A very important, very disturbing -- and almost entirely overlooked -- piece appeared on Juan Cole's Informed Comment site this week. It was a guest column by William R. Polk, laying out, in copious and convincing detail, the evidence indicating that the United States will indeed launch a military strike against Iran, most probably before George W. Bush leaves office.


From the Polk article:

http://www.juancole.com/2008/03/iran-danger-and-opportunity-polk-guest.html

The article (a piece in US News and World Report outlining "six signs that the U.S. may be headed for war in Iran") curiously passes over in silence the much more impressive build-up of naval power in the Persian Gulf. As of the last report I have seen, a major part of the U.S. Navy is deployed in and around the Persian Gulf. The numbers are stunning and include not only a vast array of weapons, including nuclear weapons, cruise and other missiles and hundreds of aircraft but also "insertion" (invasion) forces and equipment. Even then, these already deployed forces amount to only a fraction of the total that could be brought to bear on Iran because aircraft, both bombers and troop and equipment transports, stationed far away in Central Asia, the Indian Ocean, Europe and even in America can be quickly employed.

Of course, deploying forces along Iran’s frontier does not necessarily mean using them. At least that is what the Administration says. However, as a historian and former participant in government, I believe that having troops and weapons on the spot makes their use more likely than not. Why is that?

It is because a massive build-up of forces inevitably creates the "climate" of war. Troops and the public, on both sides, come to accept its inevitability. Standing down is difficult and can entail loss of "face." Consequently, political leaders usually are carried forward by the flow of events. Having taken steps 1, 2 and 3, they find taking step number 4 logical, even necessary. In short, momentum rather than policy begins to control action. As Barbara Tuchman showed in her study of the origins of the First World War, The Guns of August, even though none of the parties really wanted to go to war, none could stop the process. It was the fact that President Kennedy had been reading Tuchman’s book just before the Cuban Missile Crisis, I believe, that made him so intent on not being "hijacked by events." His restraint was unusual. More common is a surrender to "sequence" as was shown by the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It would have taken a major reversal of policy – and considerable political bravery -- to halt either invasion once the massive build-up was in place. No such effort was made then. Will it be now? I think the odds are against it.

Chris Floyd's concluding paragraph:

Again, the complex and detailed case Polk puts together should be read in full. But its overall message about a catastrophic and murderous war with Iran is unmistakable: the hour is much, much later than we think.

more at:
http://www.chris-floyd.com/content/view/1461/135/
http://powerofnarrative.blogspot.com/2008/03/thus-you-lose-world-what-fuck-is-wrong.html

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Read the article, and saved it, and it left me cold

I expect this attack to happen and have stated such many a times

Those who think that we don't have the forces to do this (though correct in their analysis) ignore that these folks are all but rational... or worst

the need that crisis to bring forth the full force of disaster capitalism to this country

[spanone]

2. and you can bet the timing will have every political benefit possible

and it will solely benefit john mccain

[Richard D]

3. The scary thing about this to me is . . .

. . . that they'll most likely need a triggering event to rationalize attacking Iran.
Wonder what American city will be sacrificed this time. :tinfoilhat:

[earth mom]

14. I've been wondering that myself for MONTHS. What U.S. city is next for another MIHOP/LIHOP?!

:scared:

[Echo In Light]

23. Many have been fearful waiting for the other shoe to drop

[cherokeeprogressive]

34. It's NOT gonna happen in the US. It's gonna happen in Europe with the hope that Europeans

will blame us. They won't. They'll blame the radical muslims they've welcomed into their midst and things will get really crazy after that.

Go ahead and call me racist, religiousist, whateverist that you want, but that's my prediction.

It's not all about the United States. To think we're the only target of radical islam is arrogant and shortsighted.

Look for the ugly tower in Paris to fall, or some other age-old symbol of Western Civilization to be attacked.

GWB ain't gonna attempt to pull off a false flag incident in a foolish attempt to stay in power. Not going to happen. He's going to walk out of the White House with his tail between his legs.

Mark these words.

[earth mom]

36. Sorry, but I don't believe in * & Cos terra-ists. I believe 911 was LIHOP or MIHOP.

I believe that Muslims just want to be left alone to live their lives the way they choose just like we do.

Trying to fight imagined terra-ists is impossible.

Don't buy into the fear that * & Co has sold you. It's a LIE.

However, they will do whatever it takes to get what they want. It's their M.O.


p.s. * & Cheney deserve to be marched out of the White House on the way to the Hague.

[femrap]

46. Probably a Democratic

and/or Union city would be my guess....Detroit? Many Muslims there that they can blame...plus the auto industry is dying....so wtf?

Mother Nature will get all of the greedy fucks. All their $ will be good for is wiping their dirty assholes.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

4. K&R n/t

[wuushew]

5. There would be advance signs that the shit was about to hit the fan

The Navy attacked Iraq with five carriers. It takes time to steam from the Atlantic or the Pacific theater to presumably the Persian Gulf/Arabian sea area.

Suez and Panama can't handle super carriers so just take the known distance and divide it by 30 knots.




Norfolk to the Gulf via the Cape of Good Hope is at least 11,000 miles. Two weeks notice minimum.

[Thothmes]

26. Lantfleet Carriers do transit the Suez canal

[Blue_In_AK]

6. My husband swears

that BUSHCO will find a way to cancel the election. I don't want to believe it, but with George, anything is possible.

[Xenotime]

12. It's already happening. People need to wake the fuck up and see it.

[liberalla]

22. Cancel election? I've worried about that for a long time...

Cancel or postpone the election due to some catastrophe or horrific event, then martial law. The military and private contractors will be doing their thing in America on US citizens (think NOLA). All those detention camps that were built, all those powers they have given themselves and the protections they have removed from individuals...

It's not popular to post this but I do feel it's a possibility with this crew. They have too much to lose, and so they won't. They will make sure they don't. They will do whatever is necessary to retain power, protect themselves and finish stealing the treasury.

I just hope and pray that SOMETHING will happen to interfere with their plan.

[defendandprotect]

44. REMEMBER .. . Nixon's "Huston Plan" . . . to do kind of an Operation Northwoods . . .

cancel the elections ---
killings at the convention, as I recall it ---
You can google it ---

I think the guy who did the plan for him was "David Huston" . . . ???
They call it the Huston Plan --- came out during Watergate --- !!!!

And, they call Watergate a third rate burgulary!!!!

[tavalon]

27. Not cancel, rather, fix

They have nothing to gain by taking away the dog and pony show. If the natives wake up to the scam, they are risking revolt. Keep em' sedated and watching Survivor or whatever piece of crap is on the Teevee these days. Sleight of hand, my friend.

[cliffordu]

7. IIRC, the Russians have already said that an attack against

Iran is an attack on them?? Was it one step back from that??

[kineneb]

8. Iran's neighbors will not sit by passively

Somewhere along the line, the NeoCons failed Diplomacy 101.

Iran's neighbors are rather large and powerful, both militarily and as business partners. Russia and China will not sit by and twiddle their thumbs while Iran gets devastated.

Awaking the Dragon and the Bear is such a bad idea...

[cliffordu]

11. Fortunately,

I live close enough to the submarine base here in the PNW that the first tactical nuke that goes off to get the subs in drydock will vaporize me, or at least flash cook me to death.

:hi:

[defendandprotect]

40. Just what Cheney + Rumsfeld have been trying to do - restart the Cold War --- !!!

[seemslikeadream]

9. the hour is much, much later than we think.

[havocmom]

10. yep

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3051350

[bluesmail]

13. I've been expecting this

yeah, cancel, suspended elections because we are going to war with the world. Edit to KICK THIS

[mojowork_n]

15. What planet are these people from? What are they thinking?

I was surprised to find out they're based in Nebraska, for the most part:

http://www.counterpunch.org/rinne03142008.html

Excerpt:

"...In October 2002, when the U.S. Space Command was shifted to StratCom, nobody could have imagined that in six months the “shock and awe” bombing campaign on Iraq would originate from Omaha. But with 70 per cent of the missiles and smart bombs used in that pre-emptive attack guided from space, StratCom directed what Air Force Secretary James Roche termed the “the first true space war.”

Then, in August 2003, the “Stockpile Stewardship Committee” overseeing StratCom’s nuclear arsenal held a classified meeting at StratCom to plot the development of a new generation of crossover nuclear weapons — so-called “bunker busters” — that could be used in conventional military conflicts. The “firewall” between nuclear and conventional war-fighting was being smashed down, and StratCom was swinging the hammer.

And who could have guessed in December 2005, when revelations about the warrantless wiretapping program became public, that this National Security Agency operation had StratCom fingerprints? But the NSA, under StratCom’s new mission of “Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance,” had been made a StratCom “component command,” and the NSA director, Gen. Michael Hayden (who now heads the CIA), was carrying out this constitutionally suspect activity.

It’s been nearly three years since the story broke that Vice President Dick Cheney ordered StratCom to draw up plans for an air- and sea-based attack on Iran. Under its “Prompt Global Strike” and “Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction” missions, the Omaha headquarters is now charged with attacking any place on earth — within one hour — on the mere perception of a threat to America’s national security. The war on terror is being waged from StratCom, and the next war the White House gets us into (whether with Iran or a geopolitical rival like China) will start in Nebraska...

<snip>

...Gone are the days when Strategic Command simply controlled America’s nuclear deterrent, and its doomsday weapons were only to be used as a last resort. Since 9/11, StratCom has gone from “never supposed to be used” to “being used for everything.” Likening the changes that have occurred at the command to a tsunami, former astronaut and current StratCom Commander Kevin Chilton brags that StratCom today is “the most responsive combatant command in the U.S. arsenal.”

It’s now also the most dangerous place on the face of the earth.

And hardly anybody knows it..."

The only things I've ever learned about "Strategic Command" is what I saw in the movie, Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, but that was what, 40 years ago? It doesn't look like the civilians have as much input into deciding things, as they used to. Dubya is certainly no "Merkin Muffley" when it comes to being the very model of a modern Commander-in-Chief. When he switches to a pilot's flight suit, full time, for all his public appearances, or starts wearing a gaudy, comic opera "emperor's" or "generalissimo's" uniform, it will already be too late.

If it's not, now.

[bluesmail]

18. Omaha is about the safest place in the country

if we were nuclearided/bombed. I read a while ago that somebody predicted that that was where The White House would be, in a nuclear war with the world. I've always wondered about it.

[newfie11]

37. Nebraska! OH SHIT!!

:nuke:

[defendandprotect]

43. From the TYRANNY planet --- we're in the same gene pool which gave us genocide . ..

of native Americans, enslavement of Africans in America --- and all the other violence they've inflicted on the planet!

Think about Truman dropping the atomic bomb on Japanese civilians --- !!!!

Our killing 60,000+ Vietnamese civilians -- torturing them --- repeated use of electroshock
on them --- throwing them out of helicopters alive --- !!!

Now -- 2 million Iraqi civilians dead --- !!!

The other day we were told that the TORTURES included putting prisoners into ash cans filled with
ice/water --- and leaving them there!

THAT's who these people are ---

[Blue_In_AK]

16. Some people here are paying attention...

Now, what do we do about it?

[Telly Savalas]

17. Even more signs of an imminent attack on Iran

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3053756

[lonestarnot]

19. bushitler is "gona git his amigid deon or bust!"

[Johnny Harpo]

20. IT IS TIME MILITARY LEADERS TO...

just say no (which they can)to un-lawful orders that run contrary to the best interests of the country. The current 'commander-in-chief' (what a joke) is not now and never has been, even remotely qualified to make these decisions and commitments.

[Octafish]

21. THEN can we impeach?

We got to stop a runaway military industrial complex run by the crazy monkey outta 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

And while we're on the subject of treasonous nutjobs, we need to indict, impeach, convict and sentence to life in prison the sneering traitor at the United States Naval Observatory.

[Ganja Ninja]

24. I fully expect Bush to launch an air attack probably right after the

election.

[Occulus]

32. Place the results of the election "on hold until the end of the current crisis"

You know, I really just do not like to think like that.

[OwnedByFerrets]

25. After a cat plays with a mouse....

they almost always kill it. When monkeyboy and shooter are finished toying with amerika, they will ultimately kill it.

[blues90]

28. Does anyone really think for a second that this criminal crew

Is just going to walk out of power that they destroyed this entire country to get and then risk ( admitedly a small risk ) of prison ?

They have every intent of going all the way with this . They have proven death means nothing and numbers are just numbers .

Does anyone think Ken Lay died of a heart attack or is having fun in the sun somewhere with a new face ?

[L0oniX]

29. Hopefully Russia will speak up and make a counter threat. We need another cold war ...sorry to say.

[scarletwoman]

30. Russia won't do shit. They will profit handsomely with Iranian oil off the market. (nt)

[dana_b]

42. yeah, they're too busy helping Egypt with their new nuclear power plants

http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=222125

[paparush]

31. What are WE THE PEOPLE going to do to stop these insane, evil, bastards?

(no, not the Iranians..Cheney/Bush)

We have the power to stop this.
Massive general strikes.
Civil Disobedience.
Pulling down the walls of the power.

[dana_b]

45. yes, we HAVE to. I don't know if it will do any good - they didn't seem to listen with Iraq

but evidently i read on hear that John Conyers said that impeachment will be on the table again IF we attack Iran. Come on John! Why AFTER we bomb?! we need to start on him so that he can join forces with Kucinich and the others who are for impeachment before this damn thing hits.

[happygoluckytoyou]

33. COPY AND FORWARD THIS TO----->

IT IS TIME AGAIN TO REMIND OUR SENATORS AT SENATE.GOV
THAT THEY RUN THE SHOW....

[Amonester]

35. nOt anymore. they Gave the bu$h junta "carte blanche" by a score

of 97 to ZERO.

complicit? to the bone.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

38. Jun 10, 2007 'Military plan against Iran is ready' | Jerusalem Post

Predictions within the US military are that Bush will do what is needed to stop Teheran before he leaves office in 2009, including possibly launching a military strike against its nuclear facilities.



http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1181228588702&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[Jackpine Radical]

39. I think it is wrong to apply a Tuchmanesque "hijacked by events" analysis

to either the Gulf or Iraq wars, and to the current situation in with respect to Iran. In fact, the situation is much worse than that. Where Tuchman describes reluctant participants who are dragged along against their will by evolving circumstances, I believe that BushII (or Cheney, to be more precise) was anything but an unwilling victim of an inexorable sequence. He wanted the wr from the beginning--from before the stole the office. There is strong evidence (e.g. the April Glaspie story) that BushI wanted his war as well. And I would argue that the Cheney Administration's march to war in Iran is a deliberately planned action. They want it. They can taste it. They will have it.

[defendandprotect]

41. REMEMBER . .. THE DEMOCRATS TOOK A WARNING ABOUT IRAN OUT OF FUNDING BILLS . . . !!!!!