War With Iran? This Summer or Early Fall? Robert Gates Tinkering With the Air Force Troubles Me.

[David Zephyr]

George Bush's illegal and catastrophic war in Iraq began with a slow drumbeat almost immediately after the events of 9/11. The beats were dispersed and few in the beginning, but began to grow in frequency and in volume until the White House had America on a "war-footing". I hear those drum beats again, this time about Iran...and the drumbeats seem more frequent, louder and God knows, they sure have a familiar ring to them.

If you are concerned about Bush taking us to war again against Iran, if you have noticed a news article here or their that troubled you, if you have heard comments from the administration or other Republicans or even Joe Lieberman that hinted toward making war with Iran, could you, could we pull them together?

I think there are a lot of pieces to a puzzle that are beginning to fit together from the Kyle/Lieberman Resolution about Iran's Republican Guard and the somewhat suspicious "skirmishes" in the Persian Gulf between our Navy and Iranian vessels, to the continued suggestion that Iran is hell bent to develop nuclear weapons and the false propoganda that Iran is killing our troops in Iraq, there's just too much "there" there to ignore.

Now we have learned that Dianne Feinstein and Dick Lugar know something that they will only hint about regarding possible attacks inside Iran this summer by the U.S. Armed Forces.

In fact, I draw another conclusion about the new shocking announcement by Defense Secretary Robert Gates of a complete wholesale replacement of the highest leadership in the U.S. Air Force: George Bush, Dick Cheney and Robert Gates are filling the command with pliable newcomers that will marshall the Air Force to make those strikes within Iran. This is EXACTLY what happened before Bush's war with Iraq. Doubting or questioning generals and commanders within the Armed Forces were replaced with those that would salute without dissent or discussion.

Gates certainly has good "rationale" for making his replacement, but the timing now, just before summer --- when the Air Force will be needed more than any other branch of our military to make those air strikes --- certainly looks more than coincidental.

Are we moving toward yet another war in the Middle East?

Would it have an impact on the American Election as Bush's other wars did?

We need to be be discussing this.



We need to be be discussing this.

[LSK]

1. I thought Gates was against attacking Iran

:shrug:

[David Zephyr]

6. I had the same feeling, but can't find anything to substantiate it.

Nothing.

[smoogatz]

2. I think it's actually a good sign.

the guys he got rid of may have been rogue officers, working outside the normal chain of command (how else do six nukes get loaded onto a B-52 in a total systemic breach of protocol/regs?). I think Gates may be the only thing preventing strikes on Iran right now.

[David Zephyr]

9. Gates has excellent rationale for firing them...

but why now, after all this time?

The Chinese say that you can always look at something from at least two diferent ways. Yes, this looks great, but then again, it certainly allows them to stack the command at a very convenient time when the Air Force will be the branch of the Armed Forces needed to make those strikes.

And what makes you think that Gates is preventing us from striking Iran? That's a curious popular opinion, but there's nothing I can find to substantiate that "feeling".

I believe there will be a military strike against Iran before October. George Bush's approval ratings can not go lower, his reputation is already ruined, he is already leaving a clusterfuck of a military mess for the next President, so he really has nothing to lose.

Oh, and George W. Bush is a pyschopath.

[KoKo]

19. Should we "Trust Gates" ...what would lead us to believe we should do that?

I remember back in the '80's when Ted Koppel was "pushing Gates" as the greatist thing since "sliced bread." He took time out for College Head...but he's BACK.

Should we "trust him?" :shrug:

[David Zephyr]

20. There's this sort of delusional hope among many liberals that Gates is anti-war.

You can see it in some of the posts in this thread.

They believe it to be so and yet can not substantiate their belief.

He is the Secretary of War.

[Captain Angry]

12. They were let go for incompetence.

The nuclear weapons issue was the fault of the command at Minot. The handling after the fact moved up the problem up the chain.

The subsequent failure of a policy audit at Minot was the last straw.

When the firings that were necessary didn't occur, as they say in the movies: "Those responsible for sacking those who were just sacked, have been sacked."

[femmedem]

3. And today an Israeli deputy said an attack on Iran looks unavoidable.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x214645

[David Zephyr]

10. Thank you femmedem for posting this here. This is why I started this thread.

I had not seen this article or the statement: "unavoidable".

[anigbrowl]

13. He's trying to look tough in case Olmert falls and there's an election

Olmert may lose power depending on the outcome of corruption investigations, so all the big Israeli politicians are talking about Iran as they circle each other with daggers in hand.

[femmedem]

16. Thanks. I'm not as informed as I ought to be on Israeli politis right now. n/t

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

4. Gates fired those guys

for gross negligence of their duties, not because they were having second thoughts about the Commander-in-Chief's dumbass plays. Neither of them actually had their hands on the nuke issues of the past year (flying armed nuke missiles over American soil without the pilots even knowing about them; sending nuclear fuses to a third world nation and then taking almost a year to get them back).

No, we are NOT going to war with Iran.

[99th_Monkey]

5. I share your concern, esp. in light of a recent report about Bush's "November surprise"

if Obama's elected, of attacking Iran before Jan 2009 to insure that WWIII gets started first.

[applegrove]

7. I read today that there was another reason for the firing. I think they had

an efficiency expert go through the department or some such thing. I wish I paid attention. Was in the Globe & Mail.

[David Zephyr]

14. Wish I could read it.

Thanks.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

8. Well, these profiteering effers are holding 43b, too. I'm sure they're threatening expanding war,..

,...as a means to assert THEIR DICTATORSHIP!!!

You do know there was an earlier post about the Bush regime HOLDING Iraq's money if the Parliament fails to agree to absolute military authority in Iraq: dozens of bases, launching war AT WILL, etc.

Iraq was never intended to be an independent democracy,...under the Bush/CHENEY regime.

There will NEVER BE PEACE,...no political solution is available,...when blackmail is being imposed.

[Captain Hilts]

11. Gates is against attacking Iran and it's not his decision anyway. nt

[David Zephyr]

15. Everyone says "Gates is against attacking Iran". But no one can substantiate it.

Why is there a common myth that Gates opposes attacking Iran?

Where does this come from?

[Captain Hilts]

17. He opposes the Iraq War, for starters, and has appointed admirals,

rather than generals to the main leadership posts.

[Captain Hilts]

21. Media Matters is debunking this story.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200806050010?f=h_latest

[KoKo]

18. Aside from Israeli's in league with NeoCons Pumping up OIL to help Bush in Drilling in ANWAR

you are wondering if "war is imminent." From both Obama and Hillary's speeches to AIPAC..I'd say that "Taking out Kuds Forces along the border is Imminent...whether it's August or October...the Bushies are going to DO A STRIKE and both Hillary and Obama's "posturing" to AIPAC seemed to signal that both SENATORS know the intelligence and Bush/Cheney's "mind set" and so they are positioning themselves accordingly...in case they are left with what they've done..and have to do a "clean up operation."

Just saying...that's what "I" think for whatever....:shrug:

[AndyTiedye]

22. Kicked onto the "Greatest" Page

It's time to call in the men with the white coats

[bananas]

23. Last night, Ray Taliaferro said he has some secret information

that Bush has decided to bomb Iran before he leaves office.
He said he received the information in the past 24 hours.
He started talking about it at 1:17am Friday morning.
The show is archived here for about a week: http://bayradio.com/kgo_archives/?d=5
Click on the Friday 1-2am link, and scroll forward about 17 minutes.

[KoKo]

24. Dupe

[bdamomma]

25. we should be talking about this

also Condi with her comment of it's pointless to talk to Iran. this cannot happen again.