[Silver]

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

I'd take Hersh with a big grain of salt though. He was way off the target on the "frat pranks" that we were pulling in Iraq.

 

[Changleen]

But he did get Abu Ghirab...

 

[Changleen]

And the Pentagon are being careful to not outright deny it either...

The Pentagon has issued an angry response to The New Yorker article, saying Mr Hersh cannot keep track of his own wanderings and that the article is so riddled with fundamental errors of fact that the credibility of his entire piece is destroyed.

But nowhere in the statement does the Pentagon actually say Mr Hersh is wrong in his central assertion, that the US has been planning possible strikes on Iran since the middle of last year."

 

[Echo]

And the Pentagon are being careful to not outright deny it either...

I've made all kinds of plans on what I would do if I won the lottery. Right down to dollar amounts for family and friends. All kinds of plans. How to invest it to avoid as many taxes as possible. How I would manage to transport my ticket to the claim center without getting noticed. How I would word my resignation from work :devil:

That doesn't mean I'm going to win the lotto. Hell I never even get around to buying a ticket.

 

[Changleen]

The really interesting thing about all this - neatly wrapped up by the BBC:

The problem is that in the world of intelligence, things are not always as they appear.

Given that the Central Intelligence Agency has largely been sidelined by the Pentagon, there may be many disgruntled CIA specialists who are more than happy to drop a word in Hersh's ear.

Equally, the complexity of any military operation against Iran's widely dispersed nuclear installations should not be underestimated.

This would not be like the single attack carried out by Israel against Iraq's Osirak reactor in 1981. Much of Iran's air defence system might have to be destroyed first.

And experts, cited in the article, note that far from precipitating the collapse of the Iranian regime, such an attack might rally support around it.

The most worrying part of Hersh's article is the fact that according to him, administration officials are discounting such warnings.

This might be a good moment for Hersh to be wrong - but it should be remembered that his track-record is an impressive one.

Well there are 2 interesting topics here really:

1) The sidelining of the CIA in favour of the Pentagon (or: the Penis ruling over the Brain)

2) "And experts, cited in the article, note that far from precipitating the collapse of the Iranian regime, such an attack might rally support around it. The most worrying part of Hersh's article is the fact that according to him, administration officials are discounting such warnings." Ohhh! Shocker! Bush Administration prefering, and acting on, their blinkered version of reality to disasterous effect...

 

[Changleen]

I've made all kinds of plans on what I would do if I won the lottery. Right down to dollar amounts for family and friends. All kinds of plans. How to invest it to avoid as many taxes as possible. How I would manage to transport my ticket to the claim center without getting noticed. How I would word my resignation from work :devil:

That doesn't mean I'm going to win the lotto. Hell I never even get around to buying a ticket.

Yeah but the chances of you winning the lottery are 1 in 14 million - the same as being hit by lightning twice.

The odds that the US has special forces in Iran? I'd say they were a little lower than that...

 

[Echo]

Yeah but the chances of you winning the lottery are 1 in 14 million - the same as being hit by lightning twice.

The odds that the US has special forces in Iran? I'd say they were a little lower than that...

True. Bad parallel.

Of course we collect intelligence on what would be good military targets if certain possible scenarios play out. It would be stupid not to.

But I seriously doubt we are going to attack Iran.

If it does turn out Bush is that stupid, I will apologize.

 

[Changleen]

True. Bad parallel.

Of course we collect intelligence on what would be good military targets if certain possible scenarios play out. It would be stupid not to.

Agreed. This isn't really the issue though - it's 'Is Bush stupid enough to attack Iran?'

But I seriously doubt we are going to attack Iran.

If it does turn out Bush is that stupid, I will apologize.

Hmm, I suspect it may be more likely that Israel may act for you based on evidence the US has gathered? They've been much more vocal about the whole thing anyway.

...Israel cannot and will not live with a Nuclear Iran...

and so on.

 

[MikeD]

But who gets to play Cambodia? Korea can't come over, because he lives in another neighborhood and can't get a ride.

 

[lonewolfe]

I was in Monterey, CA a couple of years ago for business and met several military officers over that weekend who were assigned to the linquistics institute located there for the U.S. Military. It was interesting that all of these guys were there studying Farsi and being trained to be interigators. They said that 90% of the officers attending the school were also being fast tracked into learning Farsi. Now, there are only a couple of places in the world where Farsi is spoken. Farsi is the language spoken in Iran and there is a very small region of Afghanistan that borders on Iran that the tribesmen also speak Farsi. I asked more than one of them if this was writing on the wall for the near future and could not get a straight answer. It was more like, well, what does your gut feeling tell you? So, I would say Iran is deffinitely a place the U.S. intends to get involved in some sort of military action.

 

[punkassean]

My dad was stationed at Fort Ord and worked at DLI (Defense Language Institute) when I was a wee li'l one back in the very early 80's.

thanks for the flashback

Oh yeah, Bush is a dickhead....

 

[Silver]

But who gets to play Cambodia? Korea can't come over, because he lives in another neighborhood and can't get a ride.

Syria will do fine, I think.

"Holiday in Syria" just doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?

 

[lonewolfe]

Hey Punkassean!

You are talking about our Commander In Chief and you should show some respect!

That's President Dickhead to you sir!!!

 

[Zark]

Gathering intelligence and planning scenarios on an unstable, unpredictable country like Iran seems more than reasonable. No one knows what global events may transpire which would pitch us into that pit (god forbid) The fact that this has been put in the public eye might cool down the war mongers (Bush/Cheney) ire. Iran does worry me; Islamic fundamentalists with nukes, freakin scary.

 

[qualude]

Gathering intelligence and planning scenarios on an unstable, unpredictable country like Iran seems more than reasonable. No one knows what global events may transpire which would pitch us into that pit (god forbid) The fact that this has been put in the public eye might cool down the war mongers (Bush/Cheney) ire. Iran does worry me; Islamic fundamentalists with nukes, freakin scary.

hey guys...
I got this great idea...lets piss off any and every country that has seperatist groups that are willing to die for thier ideology, because the belief system promises vast rewards. Then, lets continue to blindside minorities into joining the "reserves", and send them into the sandy hell known as the middle east. Sounds like good times, hunh? Won't it just be a riot 3 generations down the road?

 

[Zark]

hey guys...
I got this great idea...lets piss off any and every country that has seperatist groups that are willing to die for thier ideology, because the belief system promises vast rewards. Then, lets continue to blindside minorities into joining the "reserves", and send them into the sandy hell known as the middle east. Sounds like good times, hunh? Won't it just be a riot 3 generations down the road?

Wow, is that what I was saying?

I've got another idea....lets jump to huge conclusions without having more than innuendo and rumor

 

[MikeD]

Wow, is that what I was saying?

I've got another idea....lets jump to huge conclusions without having more than innuendo and rumor

"non-sequitur" would be a great custom title, don't you think?

 

[Zark]

"non-sequitur" would be a great custom title, don't you think?

Very fitting I'd say

 

[MikeD]

Very fitting I'd say

I'll give him credit for not using the terms "neo-conservative" or "imperialist," however.

 

[qualude]

Wow, is that what I was saying?

I've got another idea....lets jump to huge conclusions without having more than innuendo and rumor

I wasn't trying to put words in your mouth Zark, that was just MY feeling on what might be going on in the Presidents head, with a heavy dose of sarcasm...I certainly wasn't trying to start anything with you....

 

[Silver]

Islamic fundamentalists with nukes, freakin scary.

Pakistan.

BOO!

 

[MikeD]

Pakistan.

BOO!

"Holiday in Islamabad" actually has a ring to it...

 

[Zark]

Pakistan.

BOO!

Well Pakistan is far less extreme than Iran you'd have to admit. Plus they'll launch 'em at India first

 

[MikeD]

Well Pakistan is far less extreme than Iran you'd have to admit. Plus they'll launch 'em at India first

Ummm, the gov't might be more compliant with the US, but the populace...? Yow. I'd probably take Iran's populace to be houseguests, given the choice.

 

[Zark]

I wasn't trying to put words in your mouth Zark, that was just MY feeling on what might be going on in the Presidents head, with a heavy dose of sarcasm...I certainly wasn't trying to start anything with you....

Its all good man
I just didn't see where you were getting that from, it certainly wasn't the tone I was looking to express

 

[Zark]

Ummm, the gov't might be more compliant with the US, but the populace...? Yow. I'd probably take Iran's populace to be houseguests, given the choice.

I meant to say gov't, yeah the populace is another matter.

 

[ohio]

I like Iranians. I dated one. Well, half Iranian, half Irish-Catholic. She was ****ing crazy. Big surprise.

 

[qualude]

Its all good man
I just didn't see where you were getting that from, it certainly wasn't the tone I was looking to express

It all coming from inside my head...should I be worried??

 

[N8 v2.0]

It would be pretty stupid of us to be in the area and not checking out Iran doncha think?

 

[Changleen]

Threadjack alert....

 

[valve bouncer]

Ummm, the gov't might be more compliant with the US, but the populace...? Yow. I'd probably take Iran's populace to be houseguests, given the choice.

Nothin' wrong with the Paks Mike D, good people from that part of the world, they just go googly eyed when you say india