THE COMING WARS by Seymour Hersh

[Itascapark]

"George W. Bush’s reëlection was not his only victory last fall. The President and his national-security advisers have consolidated control over the military and intelligence communities’ strategic analyses and covert operations to a degree unmatched since the rise of the post-Second World War national-security state. Bush has an aggressive and ambitious agenda for using that control—against the mullahs in Iran and against targets in the ongoing war on terrorism—during his second term. The C.I.A. will continue to be downgraded, and the agency will increasingly serve, as one government consultant with close ties to the Pentagon put it, as “facilitators” of policy emanating from President Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney. This process is well under way."



http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?050124fa_fact

[franksumatra]

1. Yeah now they're gonna git medieval on our ass

As if the first 4 years weren't dark ages enough. Whatever president Cheney wants, president Cheney gets.

[Itascapark]

5. Iran is quite a different kettle of fish

Attacking there would make the invasion of Iraq look like a parade down 5th Ave.

[clem_c_rock]

12. And the fact that China just signed a 70 b oil deal w/ Iran

I don't think they would just sit by w/out saying anything about a US invasion.

Also, Russia, seems to be in great cahoots w/ Iran too and is arming them to the teeth.

Do a google search on Sunburn missles to get real nerveous.

[Quakerfriend]

2. Just saw Mr. Hersh in an interview on CNN say

With ref. to the fact that this administration can't be told anything they don't want to here- "As one of my inside sources said to me, You have to drink the Koolaid before you go to a meeting" with these people.

Gotta love this man!

[SmokingJacket]

3. Hersh rocks.

I doubt Bush is going to be content with looting and destroying this country domestically. He's going to have to take on the whole world.

[punpirate]

4. Last April...

... there was a story about how Musharref had made a deal with the US--Pakistan could prevent A.Q. Khan from being pressured by outside agencies to detail the extent of his dealing, and the US would be permitted to bring US troops into Pakistan to roam at will in the search for bin Laden.

It's apparent now that the story was planted, to hide the existence of an intelligence-gathering program centered in Iran.

So, even the hunt for bin Laden may have been co-opted by the neo-cons in service to their larger aims of destabilizing the entire Middle East and South Asia.

When something seems odd, as did the introduction of US troops into Pakistan (something the populace of Pakistan surely would resent), it probably is odd--but not for the reason given....

The strategic domestic propaganda program, which Rumsfeld declared dead, is alive and well.

[ItsThePeopleStupid]

6. amazing article

"Under Rumsfeld’s new approach, I was told, U.S. military operatives would be permitted to pose abroad as corrupt foreign businessmen seeking to buy contraband items that could be used in nuclear-weapons systems. In some cases, according to the Pentagon advisers, local citizens could be recruited and asked to join up with guerrillas or terrorists. This could potentially involve organizing and carrying out combat operations, or even terrorist activities."

What is the difference between us and the terrorists? Was it Al Qaeda or the US military that was responsible for terrorists attacks in Saudi Arabia? Do I have to wonder, every time I read about a terrorist attack, whether WE did this one?

[femme.democratique]

7. I think you should assume that the US govt. behind any and all attacks

until you see sensible evidence to the contrary.

[shrike]

8. How f*cked we are

I'm speechless.

[clem_c_rock]

9. MoveOn/MMoore/"undying faith in Wa politics" folks will deny draft coming

w/ their stupid "Reinstating the draft would be Political suicide".

[Itascapark]

10. Hardly matters if it would be "political suicide"

at this point...

[clem_c_rock]

11. Exactly - starting WWIII would hardly matter at this point either

These shape-shifting freaks can just jump in their space ships and find another planet to mess up w/ more PNAC crap.

[durablend]

13. Why do you think they're pushing to explore Mars?

Gotta have a way out when they screw this planet beyond repair.

[nostamj]

14. THE must-read article of the week (so far, sigh)

The Administration has been conducting secret reconnaissance missions inside Iran at least since last summer. Much of the focus is on the accumulation of intelligence and targeting information on Iranian nuclear, chemical, and missile sites, both declared and suspected. The goal is to identify and isolate three dozen, and perhaps more, such targets that could be destroyed by precision strikes and short-term commando raids. “The civilians in the Pentagon want to go into Iran and destroy as much of the military infrastructure as possible,” the government consultant with close ties to the Pentagon told me.

unless you were planning on sleeping well....