A great leap backward29 Mar 2008Summary: RamadaniOnce again, the occupiers have miscalculated the depth of resentment in Iraq. And once again, the occupation is seen by many Iraqis as a divisive force, the root of the bulk of the violence. For most Iraqis, it is the occupation which threatens to ignite civil war. Only an end to the occupation and complete withdrawal can put Iraq on the long and tortuous path of rebuilding its tormented lands. source: The Guardianread more
Iran denies Bush’s charge of meddling in Iraq29 Mar 2008Summary: TEHRAN (Reuters) – Iran has said the United States is trying to shirk its own responsibility by blaming Tehran for problems in Iraq, where U.S. forces are supporting an Iraqi government crackdown on Shi’ite militants. source: Reutersread more
Police refuse to support Iraqi PM’s attacks on Mehdi Army29 Mar 2008Summary: The Iraqi army has either met stubborn resistance from Mehdi Army fighters or soldiers and police have refused to fight or changed sides. “We did not expect the fight to be this intense,” said the officer from a 300-strong commando unit source: The Independentread more
Hillary Clinton’s Iraq Lies29 Mar 2008Summary: Back in October 2002, Obama publicly acknowledged that “Saddam poses no imminent and direct threat to the United States, or to his neighbors” and that “even a successful war against Iraq will require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences.” He also recognized that “an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, source: AntiWar.com read more
Tenet’s War29 Mar 2008Summary: PratherAccording to Risen, back in 2000, under President Clinton, the CIA sent a “Russian defector” to IAEA headquarters in Vienna with slightly modified “technical designs for a TBA 480 high-voltage block,” a semi-critical component of certain “Russian-designed” nuclear weapons, with instructions to give them to the Iranian delegate to the IAEA. source: AntiWar.com read more
Die Strategie des bsen Spiels28 Mar 2008Summary: Am 10. Dezember 2007 hat das ARD-Fernsehen in seiner vom Sdwest-Rundfunk (SWR) produzierten Sendung ‘Report Mainz’ einen Beitrag ausgestrahlt, dessen Funktion darin besteht, den iranischen Prsidenten Mahmud Ahmadinedschad mit der deutschen ‘rechten’ Szene in Verbindung zu bringen und damit ein weiteres Mal am Bau des Iran-Feindbildes mitzuwirken. source: Arbeiterfotografieread more
Fear lame duck Bush may attack Iran persists28 Mar 2008Summary: Rep. Jim McDermottRep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) suggested that the president may choose to back such an attack in part to ensure a Republican victory in the election this November. source: final call.com newsread more
McCain and Cheney target Iran28 Mar 2008Summary: McCain & Cheney“I don’t see that much difference between what’s going on right here and what went on with Iraq. It’s these little words that kind of creep into these speeches.” source: The Real Newsread more
5 Ex-Chief US Diplomats: Open a dialogue with Iran28 Mar 2008Summary: James BakerATHENS, Ga. (AP) ? Five former U.S. secretaries of state on Thursday urged the next presidential administration to close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp and open a dialogue with Iran. source: APread more
“If you thought George Bush was bad when it comes to the use of military force, wait till you see John McCain.”28 Mar 2008Summary: If McCain does not win, the financial and political interests and backers who made Bush president and handled him through his presidency might have enough patience to sit through a Democratic presidency with less aggressive (but not halted) implementation of their plans. However, I fear that they might not have that patience and that we will see an expansion of the Iraq war into Iran or Syria before the Bush presidency is over should McCain not emerge as his successor. source: opednews.comread more
A Less than Grand Strategy: NATO’s New Vision, The Preemptive Use of Nuclear Weapons27 Mar 2008Summary: A few months ago, a report was published entitled “Towards a Grand Strategy for an Uncertain World: Renewing Transatlantic Partnership”. It was written by five generals and it proposes a new vision for the NATO alliance and a strengthening of ties between the United States and the European Union. On the whole, the report contains an unabashed support for increased militarism and an arrogant endorsement of continuing Western hegemony throughout the world. The “Western way of life” must be preserved at all costs and those source: Global Researchread more
Iraq implodes as Shia fights Shia27 Mar 2008Summary: A new civil war is threatening to explode in Iraq as American-backed Iraqi government forces fight Shia militiamen for control of Basra and parts of Baghdad. source: The Independentread more
Freedom Rider: Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran27 Mar 2008Summary: It took a force of rebellious generals and senior intelligence officers to thwart the Bush regime?s plans to attack Iran, just a few months ago. But the Bush/Cheney war criminals are intent on an armed assault on Iran before the clock runs out on their terms in office. House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers is once again making noises about possible impeachment, but only after Bush?s planes and missiles hit Iran. source: Black Agenda Reportread more
US moves towards engaging Iran27 Mar 2008Summary: The coming few weeks are going to be critical in the standoff between the United States and Iran as the upheaval in the Middle East reaches a turning point. And all options do remain on the table, as the George W Bush administration likes to say, from military conflict to a de facto acceptance of Iran’s standing as the region’s dominant power. source: Asia Times Onlineread more
Averting war with Iran: A matter of trust27 Mar 2008Summary: With approximately 10 months remaining of US President George W. Bush’s second and final term of office, a nervous world wonders whether Bush will authorize a military strike on Iran to neutralize what he believes to be a nuclear weapons program camouflaged behind the 1968 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. source: Online Journal read more
Iran threatens legal action over U.N. sanctions27 Mar 2008Summary: Ban Ki-moonUNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Iran has threatened legal action against Western states to seek compensation for losses it said it had suffered from U.N. Security Council sanctions over its nuclear program. source: Reutersread more
Bush Closer to Bombing Iran26 Mar 2008Summary: FallonWas Cemtcom Commander Fallon pushed out for opposing a new war of aggression against Iran? source: Alternet.orgread more
Op-ed: U.S.-Iran relations26 Mar 2008Summary: Ongoing isolation and diplomatic sanctions does not help the Iran-US atmosphere. We should demand a workable solution, or at least a dialogue, to promote the peaceful co-existence of our two countries. source: Middle East Timesread more
McQaeda26 Mar 2008Summary: Commander Jeff HuberDespite the best efforts of Dick Cheney?s Iranian Directorate, the most compelling proof that Iran has backed and financed and armed any Iraqi extremists the administration has come up with so far is that handful of photographs in a PowerPoint presentation that for all any of us know could have been taken in Lindsey Graham?s closet. source: Pen and Swordread more
Engage Iran, scholar says25 Mar 2008Summary: Haleh EsfandiariHaleh Esfandiari still favors American engagement with Tehran. Three decades of attempting to isolate Iran with sanctions and other punitive measures have failed, she said. source: Las Vegas Sun read more
Dick Cheney tour sparks Iran war rumors25 Mar 2008Summary: Dick CheneyDick Cheney, the US vice-president, has triggered speculation that he has been using a tour of the Middle East to prepare Iran?s neighbours for a possible war with Tehran. source: APread more
What National Intelligence Estimate?25 Mar 2008Summary: ...an administration official who accompanied Bush on the trip said Bush ?told the Israelis that he can?t control what the intelligence community says, but that [the NIE?s] conclusions don?t reflect his own views.? A source close to Olmert seemed to confirm the account, saying Bush told the prime minister ?he was uncomfortable with the findings?; he ?seemed almost apologetic,? the sources said. As Newsweek reasonably concluded, Bush ?may be trying to tell his allies something more: that he thinks the document is a dead letter.? source: FAIRread more
Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran (CASMII)