UPI: U.S. planning for Israeli strike at Iran

[RPankn]

Washington, DC, May. 7 (UPI) -- U.S. authorities have extensively considered the possibility -- or likelihood -- that Israel will attack Iran's nuclear facilities, perhaps this year.

U.S. analysts and government sources said the Bush administration has discussed the prospect of an Israeli air strike in terms of the diplomatic, military and security implications for the United States, particularly its military presence in Iraq and the Persian Gulf region, the Middle East Newsline reported Friday.

President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon discussed the issue of Iran's nuclear weapons program during the latter's visit to the White House on April 14.

The sources said the two men were alone during the brief discussion in an effort by the president to gauge a likely Israeli response to the completion of an Iranian nuclear bomb.

"It would be intolerable for the Middle East if they [Iran] get a nuclear weapon," Bush said after meeting Sharon.


Link: washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040507-085525-6139r.htm

[Ropegun]

Why is it tolerable then that Israel are the only ones to have nukes in that region?

At the same time, why is it tolerable that we demand everyone else disarm, yet we continue to hold onto thousands of nukes, and work towards producing more?

This hypocrisy is getting more rank by the day.


Peace

[POA]

Ropegun said:

Why is it tolerable then that Israel are the only ones to have nukes in that region?

At the same time, why is it tolerable that we demand everyone else disarm, yet we continue to hold onto thousands of nukes, and work towards producing more?

This hypocrisy is getting more rank by the day.


Peace

Syria proposed that the Middle East become a nuclear-free region. Not surprisingly, nobody else was listening.

I've noticed the hypocrisy as well. So has everyone else in the world.

[karpomrx]

I recieve regular bulletins from the UN nuclear regulatory commission www.un.org sorry I can't dredge up the exact site my cyber skills are in the learner's stage.
Last year there was another bs flap about Iran's nukes and every reputable report I saw made light of the ability of Iran's industrial base to refine weapons grade material and it was next to impossible for this production to be hidden.
Iran has been trying out the mad scheme of nuclear energy production and they do have reactors on line.
It is a big jump from nuclear energy to nuclear weapons of any sophistication. My take, of course , is that this is another WMD scare to stir up the brown shirt faithful and create another Reichstag to burn before the chumps go through the ritual of a national erection

[Moses]

Note that the monied interests in this country appear to have no problem w/ Israel's beligerance and it is clear that this war was fought so they could dominate the region. That's one reason there was no planning for any aftermath in Iraq. They just wanted our troops on the ground -- they were focused on Israeli interests.

[RPankn]

HOUSE CALLS FOR STOPPING IRAN'S NUKES BY ALL MEANS


WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The House of Representatives has called on the United States and the rest of the international community to stop Iran's nuclear weapons programs by any means.

House members said the resolution was meant to pave the way for a more aggressive U.S. stance toward Iran's secret development of nuclear weapons. They said this could include additional sanctions on nuclear suppliers to Iran as well as military options.

The nonbinding House resolution, passed 376-3, was said to have endorsed the Bush administration's doctrine of preventive war in the case of Iran's nuclear weapons. The resolution called on the United States and other members of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to "use all appropriate means to deter, dissuade and prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons."

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, an Ohio Democrat, said similar wording was used by the Bush administration to justify its decision to launch war against the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. Kucinich voted against the resolution.


Link: www.menewsline.com/stories/2004/may/05_10_2.html

[RPankn]

It's only a resolution, but check out the sponsor and list of co-sponsors.

H.CON.RES.398

Title: Expressing the concern of Congress over Iran's development of the means to produce nuclear weapons.

Sponsor: Rep Hyde, Henry J. [IL-6] (introduced 3/25/2004) Cosponsors: 51

Latest Major Action: 5/6/2004 Referred to Senate committee.

Status: Received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COSPONSORS(51), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]: (Sort: by date)
Rep Ackerman, Gary L. - 3/25/2004 [NY-5]

Rep Baird, Brian - 5/6/2004 [WA-3]

Rep Bereuter, Doug - 5/4/2004 [NE-1]

Rep Berkley, Shelley - 5/4/2004 [NV-1]

Rep Berman, Howard L. - 3/25/2004 [CA-28]

Rep Biggert, Judy - 5/4/2004 [IL-13]

Rep Blackburn, Marsha - 5/4/2004 [TN-7]

Rep Blunt, Roy - 3/25/2004 [MO-7]

Rep Boozman, John - 5/4/2004 [AR-3]

Rep Burton, Dan - 5/4/2004 [IN-5]

Rep Carson, Brad - 5/4/2004 [OK-2]

Rep Carter, John R. - 5/4/2004 [TX-31]

Rep Chabot, Steve - 3/25/2004 [OH-1]

Rep Chandler, Ben - 5/4/2004 [KY-6]

Rep Cramer, Robert E. (Bud), Jr. - 5/4/2004 [AL-5]

Rep Engel, Eliot L. - 5/4/2004 [NY-17]

Rep Etheridge, Bob - 5/4/2004 [NC-2]

Rep Feeney, Tom - 5/4/2004 [FL-24] [Jeb's neocon ex-lieutenant governor]

Rep Frank, Barney - 5/4/2004 [MA-4]

Rep Harman, Jane - 5/4/2004 [CA-36]

Rep Harris, Katherine - 5/4/2004 [FL-13]

Rep Hoeffel, Joseph M. - 5/4/2004 [PA-13]

Rep Hooley, Darlene - 5/4/2004 [OR-5]

Rep Hoyer, Steny H. - 5/5/2004 [MD-5]

Rep Kelly, Sue W. - 5/4/2004 [NY-19]

Rep King, Peter T. - 5/4/2004 [NY-3]

Rep Lampson, Nick - 5/4/2004 [TX-9]

Rep Lantos, Tom - 3/25/2004 [CA-12]

Rep Markey, Edward J. - 5/4/2004 [MA-7]

Rep McCarthy, Carolyn - 5/5/2004 [NY-4]

Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. - 5/4/2004 [MI-11]

Rep Nunes, Devin - 5/4/2004 [CA-21]

Rep Pence, Mike - 5/4/2004 [IN-6]

Rep Pickering, Charles W. (Chip) - 5/5/2004 [MS-3]

Rep Pitts, Joseph R. - 5/4/2004 [PA-16]

Rep Porter, Jon C. - 5/4/2004 [NV-3]

Rep Price, David E. - 5/4/2004 [NC-4]

Rep Ramstad, Jim - 5/4/2004 [MN-3]

Rep Renzi, Rick - 5/5/2004 [AZ-1]

Rep Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana - 3/25/2004 [FL-18]

Rep Schiff, Adam B. - 5/4/2004 [CA-29]

Rep Sherman, Brad - 3/25/2004 [CA-27]

Rep Smith, Christopher H. - 5/4/2004 [NJ-4]

Rep Souder, Mark E. - 5/4/2004 [IN-3]

Rep Strickland, Ted - 5/4/2004 [OH-6]

Rep Sullivan, John - 5/4/2004 [OK-1]

Rep Tauscher, Ellen O. - 5/4/2004 [CA-10]

Rep Terry, Lee - 5/4/2004 [NE-2]

Rep Weiner, Anthony D. - 5/4/2004 [NY-9]

Rep Weller, Jerry - 5/4/2004 [IL-11]

Rep Wexler, Robert - 5/4/2004 [FL-19]


Link: thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:HC00398:@@@p

[Moses]

Good list of those representing Israel's interests first and foremost.

[karpomrx]

"all appropriate means"

This sure covers a lot of ground. These guys are insane. A land war in Asia has been the nightmare warned against by the military leadership of this country for more than a century.
I suspect these fools believe that nuclear and biochemical weapons have made it possible to achieve victory in Asia, no matter which country is the target.
This scenario adds to my despair about any possible peace being brokered by any group, this bunch of psychopaths does not have any interest in peaceful settlements, unless it is the peace of the grave.

[POA]

RPankn said:

HOUSE CALLS FOR STOPPING IRAN'S NUKES BY ALL MEANS


WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The House of Representatives has called on the United States and the rest of the international community to stop Iran's nuclear weapons programs by any means.

House members said the resolution was meant to pave the way for a more aggressive U.S. stance toward Iran's secret development of nuclear weapons. They said this could include additional sanctions on nuclear suppliers to Iran as well as military options.

The nonbinding House resolution, passed 376-3, was said to have endorsed the Bush administration's doctrine of preventive war in the case of Iran's nuclear weapons. The resolution called on the United States and other members of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to "use all appropriate means to deter, dissuade and prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons."

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, an Ohio Democrat, said similar wording was used by the Bush administration to justify its decision to launch war against the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. Kucinich voted against the resolution.


Link: www.menewsline.com/stories/2004/may/05_10_2.html

That's horrible. Who were the other two who had some sanity?

[stonefruit]

POA said:

That's horrible. Who were the other two who had some sanity?

Paul and Conyers.

[POA]

stonefruit said:

Paul and Conyers.

Thanks. I almost said in my previous post that I suspected that Paul would be one of them.

For that matter, I think I'll find his speech about the neocons and post it here. IIRC, it was a good primer.

[Moses]

Its all too clear that our Representatives are not representing us, but are representing the Israeli lobby, and are quite willing to get us all killed, ruin our country's reputation and traditions, and spend our treasury for these bastards.