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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran | |
| Hersh: US Planned Israeli Attack As Prelude To Iran Strike | |
| 2006-08-13 | |
The kidnapping triggered a month-long Israeli operation in South Lebanon that is expected to come to an end on Monday. But Pulitzer Prize-winning US journalist Seymour Hersh writes that President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were convinced that a successful Israeli bombing campaign against Hezbollah could ease Israel's security concerns and also serve as a prelude to a potential US preemptive attack to destroy Iran's nuclear installations. Citing an unnamed Middle East expert with knowledge of the current thinking of the Israeli and US governments, Israel had devised a plan for attacking Hezbollah -- and shared it with Bush administration officials -- well before the July 12 kidnappings. The expert added that the White House had several reasons for supporting a bombing campaign, the report said. If there was to be a military option against Iran, it had to get rid of the weapons Hezbollah could use in a potential retaliation against Israel, Hersh writes. Citing a US government consultant with close ties to Israel, Hersh also reports that earlier this summer, before the Hezbollah kidnappings, several Israeli officials visited Washington "to get a green light" for a bombing operation following a Hezbollah provocation, and "to find out how much the United States would bear." "The Israelis told us it would be a cheap war with many benefits," the magazine quotes the consultant as saying. "Why oppose it? We'll be able to hunt down and bomb missiles, tunnels, and bunkers from the air. It would be a demo for Iran." US government officials have denied the charges. Nonetheless, Hersh writes, a former senior intelligence official says some officers serving with the Joint Chiefs of Staff remain deeply concerned that the administration will have a far more positive assessment of the air campaign than they should. "There is no way that (Defense Secretary Donald) Rumsfeld and Cheney will draw the right conclusion about this," the report quotes the former official as saying. "When the smoke clears, they'll say it was a success, and they'll draw reinforcement for their plan to attack Iran." Actually, if this is the case, then Cheney and Rumsfeld will be very correct in that Hezbollah has been "reduced"; and with the willing UN fools there to slow the Hezbollah re-occupation, all Israel will have to be concerned about in the short term are their longest range missiles. Which, of course, would give the US a lot of time to reduce Iran. | |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #10 FNC's HEARTLAND wid JOHN GIBSON has a lady expert on whom claimed that, according to her sources within Iran, Iran is likely planning to "hit Israel", "attack Israel, or "nuke Israel" come August 22nd [or shortly after], and that despite the new ceasefire between Israel-Hezbollah Iran is in the process of constructing bomb shelters + various types of mil exercises. Gibson's panel were in rough agreement that Iran should not be underestimated to launch Nuke/WMD attacks regardless of how few or the quantity they actually have, and that Iran is using the Lebanon fighting, etal. as a cover/diversion for its nuclear programs.. i.e. to delay any Western or International effort to stop its progs. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-08-13 23:05 |
| #9 I must confess to feeling somewhat conflicted. Where I work, the access of (now) T5 nation citizens is severely restricted - yet I have met several Iranians who spoke virtually perfect English, understood the situation when I told them I had to deny them access - and seemed to hold no grudge as they left. These were nice, normal people - not at all like the idiots we see on TV or hear about in the news protesting against the US - yet they are paying the penalty for their cuntry's misdeeds. Yet, I can't help thinking that as they left they were thinking about what assholes we are here in the US (and what an asshole I was for denying them access to the Hill). I'm doing my job, but at times it just doesn't seem right to deny these people the same access that we give to citizens of the PRC and a dozen other questionable countries. I'd deny access to any MM or anyone who even looked like a mad mullah, but... And at the same time...these are college students by and large...and what do we know about Islamic college students from recent news? This job gets more difficult by the day sometimes... |
| Posted by: FOTSGreg 2006-08-13 22:13 |
| #8 You won't get that from THAT Wallace, unfortunately. |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-08-13 21:13 |
| #7 A dirty regime like Iran's, that somewhat allows foreign travel, would be riddled with CIA walk-in "assets." Accurate Iran intelligence would get to the White House; it would not get to Seymour Hersch. Iran has millions of Kurds, Azeris, Khurasanis, Balochis and Arabs who want out. The bulk of Iranian oil is in areas where Kurds and Arabs are original peoples. We could make deals with them and boot the Persians back to Persia. They don't recognize Israel's sovereignty; why should we respect theirs? Last I heard, Iran only exists because the US chased the Red Army out of its north. Mike Wallace should be making that point in tonight's interview. |
| Posted by: Snease Shaiting3550 2006-08-13 21:10 |
| #6 #5 - I sure hope we're going to hit Iran. Soon. Even a stopped idiot is right once in a while. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-08-13 20:17 |
| #5 It feels weird hoping that Sy is at least right about the US hitting Iran part... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2006-08-13 14:33 |
| #4 Hersh: US Planned Israeli Attack As Prelude To Iran Strike Cool! When do we get started? |
| Posted by: badanov 2006-08-13 11:51 |
| #3 Unnamed ME expert is probably Juan Cole. |
| Posted by: Danking70 2006-08-13 11:35 |
| #2 If your sources include the following excerpts: Citing an unnamed Middle East expert Citing a US government consultant with close ties to Israel a former senior intelligence official says ...then you just might be a Seymour Hersh article. |
| Posted by: Raj 2006-08-13 11:30 |
| #1 Wow. Geee, hmmmm I wonder if the other guys have plans ? Wddaya think ? |
| Posted by: j. D. Lux 2006-08-13 11:29 |