This post on the DailyKos blog is a collection of inferences from a variety of Washington sources about the game plan being readied for the next couple of weeks to prepare the public for and to get it to accept the war with Iran which is about to start. Might be crap, but given what you read elsewhere and given Bush & Co, it does seem plausible.
Like a big screen blockbuster, the tagline isn’t hard to guess: This time it will be different — we both have nukes! Or will!
They [the source’s institution] have “instructions” (yes, that was the word used) from the Office of the Vice-President to roll out a campaign for war with Iran in the week after Labor Day; it will be coordinated with the American Enterprise Institute, the Wall Street Journal, the Weekly Standard, Commentary, Fox, and the usual suspects. It will be heavy sustained assault on the airwaves, designed to knock public sentiment into a position from which a war can be maintained. Evidently they don’t think they’ll ever get majority support for this–they want something like 35-40 percent support, which in their book is “plenty.”
Tactical:
1. Do not use “we” or “us.” The USA, us/we, are not going to attack Iran, Bush is. This approach aggravates the right’s increasing isolation AND protects you from “blame America first” distractions. They’re all alone and everyone hates them. Make them feel it.
[…]
4. The pro-war fringe. America has left them behind. They’re doing this partially out of spite, somewhere between scorched earth and sour grapes. […] Bombing Iraq helped them feel better about 9/11. Bombing Iran is supposed to help them feel better about Bush’s failure in Iraq.
We’ll finish the job of destroying the US!
If this is true it only proves how stoopid the US is (stupid with two oo’s add as many as needed.)
That’s going to fix everything! LOL!
Cheers
Oh, come on, give me a break!
Aren’t there more important, REAL issues to be tacked than a holiday weekend-long echo fest discussing the hypothetical and imagined realization of their worst fears?
Amazingly, I read very few voices of calm and reasonableness in the comments to that Kos article. Someone’s imagination has seemed to touch nerves and stir the wasp nest of fear in Kos-land.
It’s all a bit silly, IMHO. Relax America, and enjoy the long weekend! I know I will.
This is a done deal.
Saddest of all for those of us who have personal and fond memories of Iran – and a good deal of the Middle east – this will be the kicker for Islamist fundies to become a truly significant portion of the political landscape.
Media agitprop scares the bejebus out of ignorant Americans, now; but, the most reactionary elements in Muslim society generally don’t win elections. Now, neocon eunuchs will guarantee even democratic accession, sharia throughout, the whole nine yards.
For what? Their 19th Century conviction that the “greatness” of the American Way must be preserved at all costs. They will achieve the exact opposite.
Do you guys remember back during the attempted coup when Yeltsin was standing there with the troops while they shelled the russian white house.
Does anybody think we will see Nancy Pelosi do that when it is our turn for the same?
Why do ‘they’ hate the US so much?
What did the US ever do?
Cheers
Lies … zzzzzzzzz.
Anyone up for bet some cash money on this one? I’m up for a quick buck.
#7
Yeah… really, other than take down a democratically elected secular government to reinforce a friendly monarchy…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Mossadegh
#8,
Are we talking limited bombing campaign or full scale invasion? Because I can definately see a bombing campaign… sooner or later in Iran, if not a full scale invasion.
I am will to bet you $500 that Bush bombs Iran before he leaves office, but that kinda bet would be in extremely poor taste. So what is your charity? I’d kinda like to give to the Red Cross right now.
What a coincidence that the two countries that the US are currently invading just happen to be on both sides of Iran…..
Here’s a thought: Russia has a strategic interest in Iran, has substantial investment interests (such as selling nuclear power technology) and has nuclear weapons.
The U.S. should worry less about Iranians who might have nukes, and more about Russians who definitely have nukes.
Hey, #14, while I’m all for people expressing their opinions, I generally assume that it will be an at least MINIMALLY informed opinion. In other words, you are ignorant and should read something about the whole situation before saying something stupid. This isn’t a Dirty Harry movie, this is real life here…beyond the fact that ‘shoot first and ask questions later’ types of strategies are wrong and rarely work, there is the teensy little matter of going to ANOTHER war with an army that is already ill equipped to fight the TWO that they are already in.
The success of all war is based on resources and the allocation of same, not who has the more ‘rah-rah’ sayings and epithets (you mention the beginning of WW2, but seem to have forgotten that Germany’s failure was ultimately due to overextending their forces).
Oh, and by your ridiculous reasoning, we should probably execute you for being a terrorist…you aren’t one yet, but you MIGHT become one, so we should eliminate you now, just to be sure. [edit: comments guide] you ignoramus.
#14 – pretty good description of the neocon agenda.
#6, pedro,
You’ll excuse me, but there are true reason to go against Iran. Iraq sounded fishy, Iran doesn’t.
I’m trying to think of a polite way to tell you to shove your penis up your ass. Iran is not threatening anyone. The US is.
I’ve been telling you guys about this for two years. Way to catch up.
Just because the left can’t stop the conservative agenda is no reason to get pissy.
Obviously Bush has decided to be the man that starts Armmegeddon and Chaney is more than happy feeding this sick meglomania for the sake of getting richer.
WWJD? THis sure sure is not it!
#14 – Iran’s nuclear program is many years & $Ms away from having anything you could build an atomic weapon with. All the preparations (especially the giga-watt power plants needed) can easily be watched from a distance. This is not something you can do in secret cells underground.
Pre-WWII Germany was building up their military right in front of us, we chose to ignore them. Different situation entirely.
Not gonna happen because:
a) phase 1: The US strikes Iran.
b) phase 2: Iran declares war on the US. Iran starts moving troops towards Iraq, and really starts arming their Iraqi supporters. The Shiite community in Iraq sides with Iran and REALLY starts fighting the US forces.
c) phase 3: Iran starts invading Iraq from the East, backed by internal Shiite support. The US is forced to fight an unconventional (city) war within the territory that it already occupies, opposed by the local population.
d) phase 4: The US is forced to withdraw to the west, into Sunni territory, which includes the people that hate the US the most. Local unrest in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia keep them from providing significant military assistance.
e) phase 5: Iran occupies the Eastern territories of Iraq, effectively partitioning the country. The US sets up an informal DMZ, protecting the Kurds to the North and the Sunni to the East.
f) Phase 6. Stalemate.
In the mean time, oil prices have reached $200+ per barrel, the military draft has been re instituted because of lack of manpower, the economy crashes because foreign lenders refuse to provide further credit to a vastly overextended US.
>>Just because the left can’t stop the conservative agenda is
>>no reason to get pissy.
The “conservative agenda” seems to be to lose an increasing number of wars, while simultaneously bankrupting the Treasury and killing off every young American of fighting age (except the ones who are children of the chickenhawk warmongers who start these things).
With the monumental (and monumentally expensive) fuck-up that Dumbya produced in Iraq, do you really think that even Dick Cheney’s insatiable need for money is going to make Congress give Dumbya a plugged nickle to go fuck up something else against a truly dangerous opponent? I wouldn’t trust Little King Georgie as the “commander” in “chief” of a war against Tickle Me Elmo.
The neocon chickenhawks are swirling the bowl for the last time….
#24,
Could have fooled me, I thought the conservative agenda had become buggering underage congressional pages, buggering man whores while high on crack, and buggering strangers in the bathroom.
Guess I was wrong, who knew there was this whole other dynamic going on.
#23,
Well, yeah, its being pushed by those folks… And of course the theory is being pushed by Bush himself…
From his speech on the 28th
“Iran’s leaders…cannot escape responsibility for aiding attacks against coalition forces…The Iranian regime must halt these actions. And until it does, I will take actions necessary to protect our troops. I have authorized our military commanders in Iraq to confront Tehran’s murderous activities.”
and
“Recently, coalition forces seized 240-millimeter rockets that had been manufactured in Iran this year and that had been provided to Iraqi extremist groups by Iranian agents. The attacks on our bases and our troops by Iranian-supplied munitions have increased in the last few months…”
And of course…
“Iran’s active pursuit of technology that could lead to nuclear weapons threatens to put a region already known for instability and violence under the shadow of a nuclear holocaust.”
So really, all Kos is doing is repeating what Bush said. Or am I missing something?
Which basically sounds like confirmation of impending war against Iran…
#10 GregA –
“I am will to bet you $500 that Bush bombs Iran before he leaves office”
Maybe. I’d say the odds are 50-50 of some sort of incident. I don’t think it would involve bombing, personally. I think it would more likely involve the use of naval power against Iranian ships.
Iran is a passive-aggressive nation and from what I understand, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is on somewhat shaky ground in terms of support by the elders (high council, hehe, whatever those guys are).
I really have difficulty imagining anything very interesting going on due to the above except for something caused by a mistake. Both the US and Iran are doing more talk/posturing than anything else.
G might leave this mess to the dems. On the other hand though Like the prev posts said we are now camped around this country. And the bear is getting strong again.
#27,
Oh so you don’t want to be actual money… How about a gentlemens internet bet. Bush Bombs, and you shave your balls and post a picture of the hair here on the website, and Bush leaves office whithout bombing Iran, and I do the same?
Deal?
>>I thought the conservative agenda had become buggering
>>underage congressional pages, buggering man whores while
>>high on crack, and buggering strangers in the bathroom.
Oh, the neocons are multi-taskers, if nothing else. They have any number of agendas.
The one you refer to is their “Family Values” agenda. I was only talking about their “US is a Nation of Peace” agenda. They also have a “Financial Fairness” agenda, a “Citizens’ Rights” agenda, and more other agendas than you can shake a stick at.
Where ever there is a good and noble goal to be achieved, you can be sure the neocons have an agenda, made up of the diametric opposite of what it would take to achieve that goal.
Cool! I think Iran sux…
Right again Ralph! “Iran is not threatening anyone. The US is.”
And has done so for years! Bush and his Axis of Evil? The Shaw?
Q/ Why was the US embassy taken hostage in Iran after the revolution? Somebody explain that one.
A/ Because the US has already backed the overthrow of the elected government and got the Shaw going. I think the Iranians were quite pissed off about that! Americans would have done the same.
See?
Cheers
#31 And no doubt Iran thinks you suck as well…
Thanks for your take on this. Be sure to vote next year! 😀
Cheers
#27 I agree.
One thing for certain is that what ever anyone thinks of Iran it is not what is really going on. Think Iraq.
Hell, most Americans don’t have a clue of what China is like today! I wonder if you asked people in the street about how they think Chairman Mao is running China today I believe the answers would surprise you.
Cheers
From what I’ve read, the Iranian middle class is none too happy with the ruling party in Iran so they might be able to sway things towards a resolution.
I can’t believe that Bush wants to pass Pol Pot in murders (Bush – 1,000,000 and Pol Pot 2,000,000) because then he’d feel really bad. As it is now he doesn’t care a whit about civilians (and neither does the media) but if it gets past a couple of million, there might be some nasty emails sent to his administration and he’d have to address it.