6 Signs the U.S. May Be Headed for War in Iran
Is the United States moving toward military action with Iran?
The resignation of the top U.S. military commander for the Middle East is setting off alarms that the Bush administration is intent on using military force to stop Iran's moves toward gaining nuclear weapons. In announcing his sudden resignation today following a report on his views in Esquire, Adm. William Fallon didn't directly deny that he differs with President Bush over at least some aspects of the president's policy on Iran. For his part, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said it is "ridiculous" to think that the departure of Fallon—whose Central Command has been working on contingency plans for strikes on Iran as well as overseeing Iraq—signals that the United States is planning to go to war with Iran.
Fallon's resignation, ending a 41-year Navy career, has reignited the buzz of speculation over what the Bush administration intends to do given that its troubled, sluggish diplomatic effort has failed to slow Iran's nuclear advances. Those activities include the advancing process of uranium enrichment, a key step to producing the material necessary to fuel a bomb, though the Iranians assert the work is to produce nuclear fuel for civilian power reactors, not weapons.
Here are six developments that may have Iran as a common thread. And, if it comes to war, they may be seen as clues as to what was planned. None of them is conclusive, and each has a credible non-Iran related explanation:
1. Fallon's resignation: With the Army fully engaged in Iraq, much of the contingency planning for possible military action has fallen to the Navy, which has looked at the use of carrier-based warplanes and sea-launched missiles as the weapons to destroy Iran's air defenses and nuclear infrastructure. Centcom commands the U.S. naval forces in and near the Persian Gulf. In the aftermath of the problems with the Iraq war, there has been much discussion within the military that senior military officers should have resigned at the time when they disagreed with the White House.
2. Vice President Cheney's peace trip: Cheney, who is seen as a leading hawk on Iran, is going on what is described as a Mideast trip to try to give a boost to stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. But he has also scheduled two other stops: One, Oman, is a key military ally and logistics hub for military operations in the Persian Gulf. It also faces Iran across the narrow, vital Strait of Hormuz, the vulnerable oil transit chokepoint into and out of the Persian Gulf that Iran has threatened to blockade in the event of war. Cheney is also going to Saudi Arabia, whose support would be sought before any military action given its ability to increase oil supplies if Iran's oil is cut off. Back in March 2002, Cheney made a high-profile Mideast trip to Saudi Arabia and other nations that officials said at the time was about diplomacy toward Iraq and not war, which began a year later.
3. Israeli airstrike on Syria: Israel's airstrike deep in Syria last October was reported to have targeted a nuclear-related facility, but details have remained sketchy and some experts have been skeptical that Syria had a covert nuclear program. An alternative scenario floating in Israel and Lebanon is that the real purpose of the strike was to force Syria to switch on the targeting electronics for newly received Russian anti-aircraft defenses. The location of the strike is seen as on a likely flight path to Iran (also crossing the friendly Kurdish-controlled Northern Iraq), and knowing the electronic signatures of the defensive systems is necessary to reduce the risks for warplanes heading to targets in Iran.
4. Warships off Lebanon: Two U.S. warships took up positions off Lebanon earlier this month, replacing the USS Cole. The deployment was said to signal U.S. concern over the political stalemate in Lebanon and the influence of Syria in that country. But the United States also would want its warships in the eastern Mediterranean in the event of military action against Iran to keep Iranian ally Syria in check and to help provide air cover to Israel against Iranian missile reprisals. One of the newly deployed ships, the USS Ross, is an Aegis guided missile destroyer, a top system for defense against air attacks.
5. Israeli comments: Israeli President Shimon Peres said earlier this month that Israel will not consider unilateral action to stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. In the past, though, Israeli officials have quite consistently said they were prepared to act alone -- if that becomes necessary -- to ensure that Iran does not cross a nuclear weapons threshold. Was Peres speaking for himself, or has President Bush given the Israelis an assurance that they won't have to act alone?
6.Israel's war with Hezbollah: While this seems a bit old, Israel's July 2006 war in Lebanon against Iranian-backed Hezbollah forces was seen at the time as a step that Israel would want to take if it anticipated a clash with Iran. The radical Shiite group is seen not only as a threat on it own but also as a possible Iranian surrogate force in the event of war with Iran. So it was important for Israel to push Hezbollah forces back from their positions on Lebanon's border with Israel and to do enough damage to Hezbollah's Iranian-supplied arsenals to reduce its capabilities. Since then, Hezbollah has been able to rearm, though a United Nations force polices a border area buffer zone in southern Lebanon.
Defense Secretary Gates said that Fallon, 63, asked for permission to retire. Gates said that the decision, effective March 31, was entirely Fallon's and that Gates believed it was "the right thing to do." In Esquire, an article on Fallon portrayed him as opposed to President Bush's Iran policy and said he was a lone voice against taking military action to stop the Iranian nuclear program. In his statement, Fallon said he agreed with the president's "policy objectives" but was silent on whether he opposed aspects of the president's plans. "Recent press reports suggesting a disconnect between my views and the president's policy objectives have become a distraction at a critical time and hamper efforts in the Centcom region," Fallon, said in the statement issued by Centcom headquarters in Tampa, Fla. "And although I don't believe there have ever been any differences about the objectives of our policy in the Central Command area of responsibility, the simple perception that there is makes it difficult for me to effectively serve America's interests there," he said. Gates announced that Fallon's top deputy, Army Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey, will take over temporarily when Fallon leaves. A permanent successor, requiring nomination by the president and confirmation by the Senate, might not be designated in the near term.
—Terry Atlas
Tags: Iran | Middle East | Saudi Arabia | Robert Gates | William Fallon
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Reader Comments
for me?
this world is not what we have thought for the past few years, peace talks or what so ever!!! to make things settled , but now those peace talks means nothing!!! it only takes a several years or days rather!!! it will come back to war again.. i prefer to a war what i ever the cause, i know what are the consequences of the war, this is the only thing to stop violence!!! KILL THOSE, who help the terrorist
the previous post is retarded
"for me?":
what peace talks? go shoot yourself in the face. that'll end violence.
ogga bogga
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MARVIN REYNOLDS comment is retarded
dont feed me that bible pish posh... none of it is true, wasn't the world sopposed 2 end on 6/6/06?????? huh? well im certainly not dead... i'm alive and well. all the stuff that is stated in the bible that is happening on the earth today is just a coincidence. ITS CALLED A NATURAL DISASTER!!!!!
iran war
add two carriers to the Persian gulf to the equation and it looks like war is near, next week, something is supposed to happen at the UN, I wonder if a 3rd carier is in the Arabian Sea. I predict may 15th the start of a war
Iran War
Iran has been stirring up trouble for too long already - starting with their seizure of the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979 - and Jimmy Carter's limp-wristed response.
The time is long overdue for a very heavy-handed smackdown including nuclear weapons to teach these Islamonazi thugs a lesson they will never forget. The US has the capacity to incinerate the Iranian armed forces and it's budding nuclear capability - enough time has been wasted.
Make sure to lob a few missiles at Hezbollah HQ in Tehran too.
Iran War
I agree - Iran recently no longer is accepting US Dollar for Oil. They are now using
the Euro & Yen.
They are not listening to anything that the US is saying.
Peace talks aren't working ...
Mahmūd Ahmadinejād wants us to pull the "Lions Tail".
We currently have 2 Carriers just off the cost in the Persian Gulf, most of our
military supply is in Iraq & Afghan.
It's time to bring about what we have all been waiting for.
If a Draft is needed, do it - those who oppose the Draft - I say move to Switzerland
who just signed a Energy Contract with Iran.
While much of our Manufacturing is in China/India/Israel -
Things we really could live without - Toys, etc.
We can produce Military Weapons....Engines....Technology, etc.
So time for GW to unload on Iran while he is still in Office.
No point in worrying - just as Truman did with Hiroshima.
Just let it go.....and sip on Scotch to help you sleep.
Semper Fi.
To of
US will prevail....Land of the Free, Home of the Brave.
If it weren't for our innovations - most of the world would be in the dark.
Just keep a look out once our planes rip & roar
Semper Fi.
Iran War
The U.S Govertment, needs to get off their asses and get this war in gear. Iran has been waiting since 1979 for us to do something. Iran thinks we are all talk and we have been. Enough with all the polictial B.S. Bush and Congress, its time to push the spear into Iran. We have pay back that needs to be taken care of. Most of the deaths in Iraq are caused by Iran's ammunition and we have not killed one of them. Now is the time! Bush send a clear message that we mean business. Let the Eagle soar and drop the bomb. Down with Iran!!!!!!!!!!!
War with Iran
If you think IRan is IRaq plaese do attack IRan.
iran war
actually to attack on iran is not so easy for america & israel and they also know it well that they had imposed war on iran through saddam hussain in the past at a time when iran was supposed to be not enough strong materially to continue such a U.S backed destructive war. but iran did, sustained and now more stronger than that of one's imagination because they're both spritually & materially strong . they dont know to bow before any opperessor & forces of Evil since they have learned it from the Event of KARBALA where IMAM HUSSAIN the grand son of prophet MUHAMMAD(peace be upon him) was assasinated. Imam HUSSAIN prefered death over surrender to opperesser for the sake of His opperessed huminity and for this noble cause He sacrificed all His copanions and children and the same true for all other prophets like MUSES(peace be upon him),JESUS(peace be upon him). That's why the followers of God's sacred message and prophets have their place in the hearts of huminity and cannot be defeated even the whole world go agaist them they dont fear for a while and one day there will be the rule of God's word. israel and america had been & are terrorising the innocent people through out the world they deprive them from their resources even their lives. they came in afganistan after Usama and alQaeda but they killed innocent people not usama and alqaeda, usama is still alive and alqaeda is still working backed by saudia and saudia backed by america itself. get it?
they came in iraq after saddam hussain and they killed him (though he was much stronger than usama) and there is no legal reason to stay in iraq. get it?
america voices on iran's neuclear policy which for peaceful purposes, iran has declared the world (russia,china and other countries, even china within this year is to claim itself to be the supper power) whereas america has proved itself being irresponsible dropping atom bomb on two cities of japan. the world is not with america in coming days.
israel and america are boastful because america experienced atom bomb when other world was unaware of it, now many countries have it. america is very weak and poor noadays, veitnam defeated her and still she could not find usama nor control alqaeda nor taliban in afganistan but increased hate against its citizens who literally may not be involved in so called' war on terror' . likewise israel literally embraced defeat in the hands of hizbullah, a resistant group neighboring israel , full of spirituality, knows no parralel in the world.which had to be removed or destroyed according to bush and olmert during 2006 confrontation.but unfortunately it didnt happen.
it is only ignorance to think that iran is still in office . firstly, iran need not to make atom bomb as the supreme leader of iran has often declared it. they can make it at any time if they needed. secondly, iran is every where in the world even in america, of which president bush has once said that more than 7 hundared hizbullah gurrillas present in USA. the reason for not manifesting their selves is that they do not harm any body they are defenders it is a resistance force they never tell a lie like israel and america they do more what they say. on the contrary israel and america propagate ten times over, to destroy hizbullah but they couldnt got free two israeli soldiers whom hizbullah arrested. they bombarded civillian areas and killed women and children in lebnon but hizbullah avoid to kill civillians on israeli side and only targeted military bases from where strike are being made on their people. -due to media every one through out the world knows it-witnessing the situation during the israel-hizbullah confrontation, israeli people were of the opinion that they blieve & trust more on what hizbullah chief hasan nasrallah says than what their own leaders say.
SSSSooooo, Americans must save america preventing Bush & his party to come again in power if they really love huminity and america, and if dont so and only love petrole then they must sink in the GULF , because to fulfil their this love and desire Iran has manage and is waiting..
Let's Poison the earth
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IRAN AND WAR
YES WE ARE HEADED FOR WAR BUT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN TILL THE CHURCH IS TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY. THE BIBLE STATES THAT THIS CAN NOT HAPPEN TILL HE THAT RETAINS IS OUT OF THE WAY AND IT IS THE CHURCH DOMINATED NATIONS THAT PROTECT ISRAEL AND HAVE FOR CENTURIES. THE REMOVAL OF THE CHURCH IS KNOW TO ALL BUT THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE ONLY WAY WAR CAN BREAK OUT IS NOT KNOW.
Apr 22, 2008 19:11:09 PM [permalink] [report comment]