Gosh what a surprise! An American media outlet sucking up to the discredited Neocons to promote another incredibly bad idea for attacking an oil rich country in the Middle East. Can the NY Times be far behind?
On March 4, 2012, Obama told the AIPAC crowd, “I will not hesitate to use force when it is necessary to defend the United States and its interests.” In his interview with Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic, he said, “As President of the United States, I don’t bluff.”
One year later, Iran has yet to call it. Even as Obama has committed to using military force to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, he has worked hard to avoid war. Attacking Iran’s nuclear sites could cost American military and civilian lives, set off a wave of terrorist attacks, spike oil prices and sour the U.S.’s relations with Muslims worldwide. So Obama has tried to slow or derail the Iranian program through a combination of diplomacy, sanctions and covert action. He has succeeded in pushing the timeline for war back at least 12 months.
But eventually time will run out. As talks among Iran, the U.S. and other international powers ended inconclusively on Feb. 27, even optimists said Obama’s promise will be put to the test in his second term. The Pentagon has launched the largest buildup of forces in the Gulf since the run-up to the 2003 Iraq war, and Iran has boosted security around its nuclear sites and is reportedly handing out shoulder-launched missiles capable of downing civilian airliners to loosely allied terrorist groups in the region. Senior congressional Republicans say they are expecting to be briefed soon on the options and consequences of a U.S. strike.
Anyone ready to buy what TIME (and its sources) are selling? You know, because time is running out! And has been since 2005! Senior Republicans (Hi, John McCain) demand answers!
TIME for NYT to re-hire Judith Miller?
Naaaahhhh…they media have fresh CIA assets that have not yet been identified. They’ll run one or two of them at the hustle instead. And then if they do get busted after having successfully done their dirty media work, why…life after the bust is always good for assets of that type.
Check it out.
A golden parachute into the PermaGov’s right wing
stink…errr, ahhh…think tanks.Paid in full.
Watch.
They’re gonna run the scam again, and Obama will not oppose it.
Watch.
AG
Arthur, I was being facetious.
I know, ask. Me too, in a way. I was pointing out the plain fact that “judith Miller” is just one of many intelligence moles/assets hidden in the mediaworks. The job pays well…there are benefits of all kinds, including a certain sort of job security, I’m sure…and after they have done their job(s) if they are somehow outed there’s s whole career’s worth of easy, highly remunerative work on the horizon in the various intelligence-owned, operated and/or otherwise dominated think tanks and universities.
Spy work at home is so much less dangerous than spy work in hostile countries!!! It’s a wonder anybody risks their ass anymore.
It’s like drone war. Drone warriors are safe too.
Media drones, droning on in the service of their secret country…
What a world!!!
AG
The media seem to enjoy being used as instruments of diplomatic pressure on other countries. No matter that it compromises their self-identified role as the Fourth Estate.
Or political pressure on the White House.
As long as they are still talking, we are in good shape.
The neo-cons’ worst nightmare: resolution of the nuclear crisis with Iran and re-establishment of normal diplomatic relations with Iran after 34 years. Of course, normal diplomatic relations produces better intelligence than when agents are essentially shut out of a country and dependent on intelligence from other intelligence services.
It’s a pattern with Massimo Calabresi. Best to keep a very close eye on this guy.
“Attacking Iran’s nuclear sites could cost American military and civilian lives, set off a wave of terrorist attacks, spike oil prices and sour the U.S.’s relations with Muslims worldwide.”
Can US relations with the Muslim nations get any worse? All the nations liberated by the Arab Uprising have distanced themselves from the US and Western influence. The oppressed groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafists have succesfully grabbed power in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. Europe and Israel have shunned Turkey, so Erdogan can commit the nation to connect to their Arab brothers by leading the overthrow of Assad, a Nusairi.
One root problem that needs to be solved is the independent state of Palestine. In my analysis, the point of no return has already passed and “mad” King Abdullah will do it in his own way. Israel soon will face a united hostile front on all its borders and the peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan wiil be shredded.
As the UK, France and the USA are thrilled by the large military orders coming from GCC states, the Gulf States are also buying influence through their sovereign wealth investments in Airbus, Boeing, Siemens, Daimler and banks. Just watch the number of commercials on cable TV from the likes as Qatar Foundation, Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Similar to Gaddafi’s attempt to peddle influence via his son Al-Saadi which did manage to have Libya removed from list of terror or rogue nations. Soon Berlusconi, Sarkozy and Blair came calling to the leader’s tent for those compelling oil exploration contracts. Blair even set the Lockerbie bomber free.
I predicted Susan Rice will be “promoted ” soon. The US needs a diplomat in the role of UN Ambassador to get a compromise delivered.
The oppressed groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafists have succesfully grabbed power in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.
False. The religious-right parties got their asses handed to them in the Libyan elections. The pro-western nationalists and liberals won.
Yes, the corporate media’s endless prepping of the populace for war is revolting. We have no legitimate media and few professional journalists.
But I have to fall in with this conventional wisdom to some degree. Obama seems to be slowly painting himself into a corner with Iran. He has essentially adopted the bellicose talking points and “logic” of our worthless ally Israel on Iran. That Iran is some enormous “threat” is a given (to whom is not stated). That its nuclear program is ineluctably driving toward bombs is a given (despite our own contrary intelligence). This sort of language leads down only one path.
Obama has erected an extremely strong sanctions regime against a permissible nuclear program. Iran’s leaders are not likely to be susceptible to difficulties arising from sanctions, and use them as a weapon against reform arguments within Iran. The Ayatollahs exist on threats and hostile actions by the US, it’s their bread and butter. Iran’s people appear to support the idea of their country having a nuclear capacity. So I question whether any of this tough talk is going to make Iran budge on enriching uranium.
Ultimately, by parroting Netanyahu’s hostile rhetoric and “threat” logic, and faced with the unlikelihood that the Ayatollahs will cave on anything, Obama will find himself with nowhere to go except down the path of the military “option” so beloved of the Prussia of the 21st Century. But our tiny and weak ground forces won’t be able to change Iran’s regime through bombing missions, and Obama won’t even be able to destroy the “program” sites. Of course the Ayatollahs know this.
So our heroic military option (with or without Israel’s “help”) will ultimately be strategically fruitless, although it will certainly cause mindless havoc and pointless destruction and generate another generation of Iranian rage against the Great Satan—all exactly what the Ayatollahs want.
But playing into the hands of Iran’s Ayatollahs appears to be the goal of all American Middle East strategery, no matter who the prez may be. We always get presented with the same crappy single item menu. Another great benefit of the Divine Military Industrial Complex—our Ayatollah.
same bunch of clowns pedding the same old shyt.
all they want is war
And they always get it.
Watch.
It’s just a matter of time.
AG
It’s just a matter of time.
Sure it is.
We’ve been six months from bombing Iraq since George Bush’s first term, and we always will be.
Meh… how long have we been rattling the sabres, threatening Iran now? Since they kicked out the puppet Shah and brought back the Ayatollah in exile. That’s right, the Carter administration.
This whole FUBAR mess is a classic example of blowback.
I think you’ll find it’s not time that’s running out but TIME, being cut off by Warner and set loose to wander with Newsweek in the spirit world. The war with Iran is not going to happen while Obama is president (FWIW–we should be talking about building down the sanctions).