Secret Bush "Finding" Widens War on Iran

[Truth2Tell]

Source: CounterPunch

Democrats Okay Funds for Covert Ops
Secret Bush "Finding" Widens War on Iran

By ANDREW COCKBURN

Six weeks ago, President Bush signed a secret finding authorizing a covert offensive against the Iranian regime that, according to those familiar with its contents, "unprecedented in its scope."

Bush’s secret directive covers actions across a huge geographic area – from Lebanon to Afghanistan – but is also far more sweeping in the type of actions permitted under its guidelines – up to and including the assassination of targeted officials. This widened scope clears the way, for example, for full support for the military arm of Mujahedin-e Khalq, the cultish Iranian opposition group, despite its enduring position on the State Department's list of terrorist groups.

Similarly, covert funds can now flow without restriction to Jundullah, or "army of god," the militant Sunni group in Iranian Baluchistan – just across the Afghan border -- whose leader was featured not long ago on Dan Rather Reports cutting his brother in law's throat.

-snip

All this costs money, which in turn must be authorized by Congress, or at least a by few witting members of the intelligence committees. That has not proved a problem. An initial outlay of $300 million to finance implementation of the finding has been swiftly approved with bipartisan support, apparently regardless of the unpopularity of the current war and the perilous condition of the U.S. economy.

Read more: http://www.counterpunch.org/andrew05022008.html

[SpiralHawk]

1. The anti-democracy Imperial Republicon Homelander pResident, Commander AWOL Bush

Lying once again to America, and keeping his evil-doing OCCULTLY hidden.

Why are republicon homelanders so into the Occult?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

2. Cockburn has done some excellent reporting since the start of this clusterfuck. n/t

[Bozita]

3. ummm, ... I thought covert ops would be working the Afghan-Paki border looking for Osama.

How stupid of me.

[indepat]

4. Interesting the timing of Admiral Fallon's hasty departure: surely to God terrorist acts are not to

included in this little neat "covert offensive" against another sovereign nation so obviously on the neocon's hit list, damn world order, damn the economy, damn the flow of oil, damn international law, damn the torpedoes. :D

[damntexdem]

5. It basically declares war.

And of course, Congressional spineless Dems authorize funding for it.

[kimmerspixelated]

7. If this is indeed true,

do you suppose that somehow the fine print will trap Bush, and somehow the war criminal X2 will be caught red-handed upon pushing the red button( or just as he is about ready to? )Wouldn't that be the greatest? Fallon and others know too much, they would know all about the secrecy and the lies and ways to let congress or Conyers know to get the handcuffs ready?? Or am I being hopelessly naive?

[crimsonblue]

6. What happened to the EO forbidding assassinations?

I can only assume that Bush secretly revoked it.. Otherwise, he is personally liable for any assasination attempt made by an American operative (or an American surrogate). Not that Congress will do anything about it... sigh.