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Iran Nuclear Watch: White House Dampens Talk of Iran Military Strike
Seymour Hersh appeared on CNN with Wolf Blitzer today.
ASSociated Press: U.S. Seeks to Dampen Talk of Iran Strike
The White House on Sunday sought to dampen the idea of a U.S. military strike on
Iran, saying the United States is conducting “normal defense and intelligence planning” as President Bush seeks a diplomatic solution to Tehran’s suspected nuclear weapons program.Administration officials — from President Bush on down — have left open the possibility of a military response if Iran does not end its nuclear ambitions. Several reports published Sunday said the administration was studying options for military strikes; one account raised the possibility of using nuclear bombs against Iran’s underground nuclear sites.
Britain’s foreign secretary called the idea of a nuclear strike “completely nuts.”
Dan Bartlett, counselor to Bush, cautioned against reading too much into administration planning.
“The president’s priority is to find a diplomatic solution to a problem the entire world recognizes,” Bartlett told The Associated Press on Sunday. “And those who are drawing broad, definitive conclusions based on normal defense and intelligence planning, are ill-informed and are not knowledgeable of the administration’s thinking on Iran.”
So, is Seymour Hersh’s piece in the New Yorker well sourced and accurate?
Michelle Malkin has SY HERSH: BLOWING U.S. COVER
Seymour Hersh appeared on CNN with Wolf Blitzer today to share such pearls of wisdom as this: “Instead of talking about bombing, let’s talk about talking.” Hat tip to Allah Pundit, who writes: “Here’s the man of the hour, defending his willingness to publicize info about clandestine ops and then preaching the virtues of empty diplomacy.”
Download and watch the video (.wmv file).
Blogosphere:
Regime Change Iran
Joe GandelmanBlogs for Bush’s Mark Noonan
Flap agrees that Hersch’s sources are anonymous and greasy. But, if the United States wanted to send a message to Iran, it has been delivered.
The Armed Liberal puts it all in perspective:A Man, A Plan, Iran
Just as a side note, it’s interesting that the people who are having strokes over the claim that the Administration is developing a plan or series of plans for military action in Iran are the same people who had strokes over the lack of planning in the war in Iraq.
I tend not to get very exercised about this, since I’m sure that there are plans being updated every day for – among other things – the invasion of Canada. All those midlevel officers in the Pentagon have to do something every day, and having detailed contingency plans for just about everything is probably a pretty good thing for them to be doing.
The disclosure of these plans is a part of the dance in which the Administration tries to manage perceptions within Iran while the press tries to manage perceptions of the Administration within the United States.
Well stated…….
Stay tuned……Previous:
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – “United States Engaged in Psychological Warâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Nuclear Attack on Iran – “Not on the Agendaâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Considers Use of Nuclear Weapons Against Iran – Redux
Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Considers Use of Nuclear Weapons Against Iran
Iran Nuclear Watch: IAEA Chief Mohamed ElBaradei Will Meet With Iran Leaders
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Successfully Test-Fires a “Top Secret†Missile
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – “Defenses Can Withstand Any Invasionâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Blix – “Iran is at Least Five Years Away from Developing a Nuclear Bombâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Tests More Weapons in “War Gamesâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – “Successfully Fires a High-Speed Underwater Missileâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Brits in Secret Talks About Iran Military Strikes
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Tests New Stealth Missle
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Plans “War Gamesâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – “Enrichment Matter NOT Reversibleâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: United Nations Security Council Permanent Members Agree on a Statement
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – Military Strikes Would NOT Stop Uranium enrichment
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Gearing Up for Uranium Enrichment
Iran Nuclear Watch: United Nations Security Council Stalled But Diplomats Express Urgency
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – The West Should Apologize to Iran
Iran Nuclear Watch: Big 6 Meeting Yields Nothing
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Wants IAEA Supervision and Inspections
Condoleezza Rice Watch: Iran is the “Central Bank of Terrorismâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – “Iran’s Nuclear Fuel Program IRREVERSIBLEâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: United Nations Security Council Divided Over Response to Iran Nuclear FLAP
Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia – “Iran Still Considering Uranium Enrichment DEALâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia Rebukes Iran Over Withdrawl from Uranium Enrichment Negotiations
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Builds a Secret Underground Command Center
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Threatens “OIL†Weapon
Iran Nuclear Watch: Israel – “America Needs to Get Its Act Together.â€
The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.
Technorati Tags: Iran, Russia, China, SergeiLavrov, UnitedNations, UnitedNationsSecurityCouncil, ZhouWenzhong, NicholasBurns, EuropeanUnion, MahmoudAhmadinejad, ManouchehrMottaki, JacquesChirac, Chirac, France, Iran, Nuclearweapons, nuclear, AbdulQadeerKhan, AliLarijani, CondoleezzaRice, JohnBolton, RezaVaidi, GholamHosseinMohseniEjehei, SergeiKiriyenko
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Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: “I am NOT a Normal Member of Congress”
Powerline:NUTS!
Cynthia McKinney: “I am not a normal member of Congress.” Ian Schwartz has the video.
Expose The Left: McKinney On Maher: Capitol Incident, 9/11, A New Hair-Do (VIDEO)
Cynthia McKinney (D – GA) appeared on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher Friday night to discuss her attack on a Capitol police officer. She also reiterated her claim that the Bush administration knew about 9/11 before it happened.
When McKinney was asked about the incident, she would give long answers and went off on unrelated tangents.
Watch and listen……
Flap knows she deserves a Democrat Party primary challenge.
The folks in her Georgia congressional district should be embarassed.
Stay tuned…..arrest this week.
Previous:
Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: McKinney Apologizes to the House
Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: Federal Grand Jury to Hear McKinney Case
Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: Georgia GOP Seizes on McKinney
Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: Thyroid Problem?
Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: Admits to Misusing Taxpayer Funds
Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: Capitol Police Ask for ARREST WARRANT
Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: News Conference Today – “NOTHING New!â€
Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: News Conference Today – “Something New?â€
Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: McKinney a Victim of a Racist Capitol Hill Police Officer
Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: Going to Jail?
Technorati Tags: CynthiaMcKinney, DannyGlover, HarryBelafonte, CapitolPolice, NancyPelosi
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Which Star Trek: the Next Generation character are you?
Which Star Trek: the Next Generation character are you?
Flap’s Result:
You scored as Data. You are logical, highly intellegent and unemotional. You wish you understood other people more, but you find computers easier to work with. Data 80% Geordi LaForge 60% Worf 53% Beverly Crusher 53% Jean Luc Picard 47% William T. Riker 40% Deanna Troi 27% Which Star Trek: the Next Generation character are you?
created with QuizFarm.comH/T: RaDragon
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Iraq War Watch: Iraq Liberation Day – A Remembrance
Washington Times: Families seek remembrance of Iraq liberation day
Families of American troops are asking national newspapers and television news networks not to ignore the three-year anniversary Sunday of the day Saddam Hussein fled Baghdad and his statue was toppled.
“We are keenly aware that the national media is drawn towards covering milestones and we respectfully request that you not ignore this historic date,” Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission wrote to four news network presidents, National Public Radio and four national newspapers.
Chuck Larson, the founder of the group and an Iraq war veteran as a member of the U.S. Army Reserves, said April 9, 2003, was a critical day in the development of democracy in the Middle East.
From the blogosphere a remembrance (via Michelle Malkin):
The blogosphere is marking the third anniversary of Iraq Liberation Day with guest posts from Gold Star Mothers and other military family members fed up with MSM-bashing of the war. (Thanks to Bob Southard and Pat Hynes.) Read these:
Ankle Biting Pundits
Iowa Voice
Sister Toldjah
Gay Patriot
Uncooperative Blogger
Hyscience
Sunnyeside
Sixth Column
Little Green Footballs
Captain’s Quarters
Polipundit
Lake Minnetonka Liberty
SA Blogs
Murdoc
RedState
Right Wing News
Winds of ChangeAnd from an Iraqi, why the United States must stand firm.
Technorati Tags: Iraq, IraqWar, IraqLiberationDay
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Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – “United States Engaged in Psychological War”
Iranian protesters chant anti-U.S. slogans as they hold pictures of Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (L) and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a protest against negotiation with the U.S. in front of the Iran Supreme National Security Council’s building in Tehran, Iran April 8, 2006.
Reuters: Iran accuses US of “psychological war”Iran on Sunday brushed aside what it called a U.S. “psychological war” against its nuclear programme after a published report described Pentagon planning for possible military strikes against Iranian atomic facilities.
A report by influential investigative journalist Seymour Hersh in The New Yorker magazine, citing unnamed current and former officials, said Washington has stepped up plans for possible attacks on Iranian facilities to curb its atomic work.
The article said the United States was considering using tactical nuclear weapons to destroy Iran’s underground uranium enrichment facilities at Natanz, south of Tehran.
“This is a psychological war launched by Americans because they feel angry and desperate regarding Iran’s nuclear dossier,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told a weekly news conference.
“We will stand by our right to nuclear technology. It is our red line. We are ready to deal with any possible scenario. Iran is not afraid of threatening language,” he added.
A weak response from Iran.
Last week they were all bluster now they are whining…….
IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei will visit Iran this week.
Stay tuned……
Previous:
Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Nuclear Attack on Iran – “Not on the Agendaâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Considers Use of Nuclear Weapons Against Iran – Redux
Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Considers Use of Nuclear Weapons Against Iran
Iran Nuclear Watch: IAEA Chief Mohamed ElBaradei Will Meet With Iran Leaders
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Successfully Test-Fires a “Top Secret†Missile
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – “Defenses Can Withstand Any Invasionâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Blix – “Iran is at Least Five Years Away from Developing a Nuclear Bombâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Tests More Weapons in “War Gamesâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – “Successfully Fires a High-Speed Underwater Missileâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Brits in Secret Talks About Iran Military Strikes
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Tests New Stealth Missle
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Plans “War Gamesâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – “Enrichment Matter NOT Reversibleâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: United Nations Security Council Permanent Members Agree on a Statement
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – Military Strikes Would NOT Stop Uranium enrichment
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Gearing Up for Uranium Enrichment
Iran Nuclear Watch: United Nations Security Council Stalled But Diplomats Express Urgency
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – The West Should Apologize to Iran
Iran Nuclear Watch: Big 6 Meeting Yields Nothing
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Wants IAEA Supervision and Inspections
Condoleezza Rice Watch: Iran is the “Central Bank of Terrorismâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – “Iran’s Nuclear Fuel Program IRREVERSIBLEâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: United Nations Security Council Divided Over Response to Iran Nuclear FLAP
Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia – “Iran Still Considering Uranium Enrichment DEALâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia Rebukes Iran Over Withdrawl from Uranium Enrichment Negotiations
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Builds a Secret Underground Command Center
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Threatens “OIL†Weapon
Iran Nuclear Watch: Israel – “America Needs to Get Its Act Together.â€
The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.
Technorati Tags: Iran, Russia, China, SergeiLavrov, UnitedNations, UnitedNationsSecurityCouncil, ZhouWenzhong, NicholasBurns, EuropeanUnion, MahmoudAhmadinejad, ManouchehrMottaki, JacquesChirac, Chirac, France, Iran, Nuclearweapons, nuclear, AbdulQadeerKhan, AliLarijani, CondoleezzaRice, JohnBolton, RezaVaidi, GholamHosseinMohseniEjehei, SergeiKiriyenko
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Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Nuclear Attack on Iran – “Not on the Agenda”
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw gestures as he answers journalists’ questions during a news conference in Salzburg in this March 10, 2006 file photo. Straw said April 9 that a military strike against Iran is not on the agenda and the United States is committed to a negotiated solution to the dispute over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Reuters: Military strike on Iran “not on agenda”: UK’s Straw
A military strike against Iran is not on the agenda and the United States is committed to a negotiated solution to the dispute over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said on Sunday.
The idea that Washington could launch a nuclear strike against Iran was “completely nuts,” Straw said in an interview on BBC television.
Straw was responding to a report by investigative journalist Seymour Hersh in the New Yorker magazine that the U.S. administration was stepping up plans for a possible air strike on Iran. The White House, without denying the report, reiterated that it was pursuing a diplomatic solution to the nuclear row.
The report said the U.S. administration was seriously considering using “bunker buster” tactical nuclear weapons against Iran to destroy its main centrifuge plant.
Military action against Iran was “not on the agenda,” Straw said.
The Pentagon is always making contingent war plans. But, this release of information sends a definite message to Iran.
Remember, it was just last seek that Iran was boasting about their “new” military hardware and war making capability in the “Great Prophet” war games off the Strait of Hormuz.
“They (the Americans) are very committed indeed to resolving this issue … by negotiation and by diplomatic pressure. And what the Iranians have to do is recognize they have overplayed their hand at each stage …,” he said.
Straw said Britain, Washington’s closest European ally, would not accept a pre-emptive strike against Iran, adding: “I am as certain as I can be sitting here that neither would the United States.”
Agreed. But, will Iran stand still with the imposition of measured sanctions to force them to forego their uranium enrichment program?
Doubtful……
Circumstantial evidence added up to a “high suspicion” that Iran was developing a civil nuclear capability that could be used for nuclear weapons, he said.
“But let’s be clear: There is no smoking gun … We can’t be certain about Iran’s intentions and that is therefore not a basis on which anybody would gain authority for military action,” he said.
But if Iran were to attack Israel or to attack or threaten its neighbors, “that’s a very different circumstance,” Straw said, adding that Israel would have a right to self-defence if attacked.
A negotiated settlement is best.
But, Iran MUST STAND DOWN their uranium enrichment program and allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to fully inspect their nuclear facilities.
There will be NO compromise. Iran WILL NOT possess a nuclear weapon.
Stay tuned…….Previous:
Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Considers Use of Nuclear Weapons Against Iran – Redux
Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Considers Use of Nuclear Weapons Against Iran
Iran Nuclear Watch: IAEA Chief Mohamed ElBaradei Will Meet With Iran Leaders
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Successfully Test-Fires a “Top Secret†Missile
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – “Defenses Can Withstand Any Invasionâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Blix – “Iran is at Least Five Years Away from Developing a Nuclear Bombâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Tests More Weapons in “War Gamesâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – “Successfully Fires a High-Speed Underwater Missileâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Brits in Secret Talks About Iran Military Strikes
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Tests New Stealth Missle
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Plans “War Gamesâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – “Enrichment Matter NOT Reversibleâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: United Nations Security Council Permanent Members Agree on a Statement
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – Military Strikes Would NOT Stop Uranium enrichment
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Gearing Up for Uranium Enrichment
Iran Nuclear Watch: United Nations Security Council Stalled But Diplomats Express Urgency
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – The West Should Apologize to Iran
Iran Nuclear Watch: Big 6 Meeting Yields Nothing
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Wants IAEA Supervision and Inspections
Condoleezza Rice Watch: Iran is the “Central Bank of Terrorismâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – “Iran’s Nuclear Fuel Program IRREVERSIBLEâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: United Nations Security Council Divided Over Response to Iran Nuclear FLAP
Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia – “Iran Still Considering Uranium Enrichment DEALâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia Rebukes Iran Over Withdrawl from Uranium Enrichment Negotiations
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Builds a Secret Underground Command Center
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Threatens “OIL†Weapon
Iran Nuclear Watch: Israel – “America Needs to Get Its Act Together.â€
The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.
Technorati Tags: Iran, Russia, China, SergeiLavrov, UnitedNations, UnitedNationsSecurityCouncil, ZhouWenzhong, NicholasBurns, EuropeanUnion, MahmoudAhmadinejad, ManouchehrMottaki, JacquesChirac, Chirac, France, Iran, Nuclearweapons, nuclear, AbdulQadeerKhan, AliLarijani, CondoleezzaRice, JohnBolton, RezaVaidi, GholamHosseinMohseniEjehei, SergeiKiriyenko
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Day By Day by Chris Muir