Bush Authorized Anti-Iran Raids
I was a little skeptical, when some blog-buddies started worrying that the President had "declare[d] 'secret war' against Syria and Iran" in his speech this week. But events may be proving them right, after all.
"A recent series of American raids against Iranians in Iraq was authorized under an order that President Bush decided to issue several months ago to undertake a broad military offensive against Iranian operatives in the country, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told the New York Times
“There has been a decision to go after these networks,†Ms. Rice said...
Ms. Rice said Mr. Bush had acted “after a period of time in which we saw increasing activity†among Iranians in Iraq, “and increasing lethality in what they were producing.†She was referring to what American military officials say is evidence that many of the most sophisticated improvised explosive devices, or I.E.D.’s, being used against American troops were made in Iran.
Sometimes I wonder if I was born on another planet. I'm tired of the same old BS coming out DC (from both parties). This is not WW2, WW3, Armageddon, Vietnam, nor the Cold War. These analogies drive me nuts.
Does anyone even know what the Iranian Gov (Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-Khamenei) even wants in Iraq? NO! Who needs accurate information to make decisions anyway? They're evil, we're good, that's all we need. So what if people are pouring over the borders into Iraq (w/ or w/o the consent of the Gov's), it happen every night in the US. We have a problem with Iran and others, I guess we have no option except to do what we do best, and that's.....wait, I'm thinking....oh yeah; bomb the hell out of some buildings, I feel safer already.
There are so many potential targets; I don't know where to start. Let's overthrow the Syrians, Iranians, NK, and throw in Mexico and the biggest "danger", China, for the hell of it. Maybe the US or Israel will drop a few nuclear bombs, just because we can. Our "enemies" are so stupid they will fight us straight up, military vs. military. The Iraq occupation was so successful; we can use that template for the rest of the world. After all, with our help, Jeffersonian democracies spring up over night. (Just add water and love).
Apparently, creativity is not allowed in the US Gov. Just send in a carrier battle group, say something idiotic ("either with us or the terrorists"), then drop a few bombs, and that will show them. Then either leave right away, or muck up the occupation. Their populations will love us for it and send the "terrorists"on the run. There is Iraq, Syria, NK, Iran, and transnational terrorism. These five problems require five different strategies within the context of an over-arching global strategy. The US military, politicians, and public have already proven incapable of that level of thought.
On a more substantive note, starting wars and killing people and blowing stuff up are easy, but if you don't get the political result you want, it was a waste of resources. The simple war days of Dresden and Tokyo, are over, and never coming back. The US is the most powerful nation on the Earth, but sadly has the most fragile psyche. Unless the US gets the backing of BRIC, EU, and Japan, (scary, might have to use diplomacy) and masters 4GW, we should not undertake overt campaigns into NK, Syria, or Iran. Try soft power (not appeasement) instead. I am not an isolationist, not a pacifist, not a Realist, nor a Neo-Con. No more myopia and stupidity. Unfortunately, all the Presidential candidates from both political parties show no sign of life upstairs. Flatline.
BTW- Iran and the Shia are the big winners in our experiment called Iraq. The Sunni Arabs, Israel, and the US need to get over it. The balance of power in the Middle East has shifted to the East. Can't ignore it, can't demonize it. Use it.
Posted by: BT at January 14, 2007 4:44 PM