Gates sees Iran rift, says strike would unite country

[DFab420]

Source: Reuters/ThinkProgress

(Reuters) - Sanctions against Iran are biting hard and triggering divisions among its leadership, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday, as he argued against a military strike over Tehran's nuclear program.

Iran has agreed to meet with a representative of the six big powers for the first time in more than a year over its uranium enrichment drive, but diplomats and analysts see little chance of a breakthrough in the long-running dispute.

-snip-

"A military solution, as far as I'm concerned ... it will bring together a divided nation. It will make them absolutely committed to obtaining nuclear weapons. And they will just go deeper and more covert," Gates said.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AF3G720101116

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More insight at ThinkProgress.org about this here: http://thinkprogress.org/2010/11/16/gates-iran-military-strike/

but I for one must say that this amount of foresight by Sec. Gates is a welcome change of pace on the Iran rhetoric.

As much as he was *'s man, Gates does seems to have a grasp on the near over boiling pot of political stew that is the country of Iran right now.

[dipsydoodle]

1. Probably would

Divided they might be but overall they have neither forgotten the USA's puppet The Shah nor the CIA trained death squad SAVAK.

[DFab420]

2. Agreed

But I think there are those in the country who are willing to forgive political meddling.

Military action would add on a whole new spectrum of hate...

[denverbill]

3. Completely agree about the change in rhetoric. And I agree with Gates, for once.n/t

[PufPuf23]

4. Gates is wise in the case of Iran so as to not PO the Russians. nt

[RZM]

5. One of many reasons it won't happen

Though I stick by my theory that the Pentagon and White House are encouraging the Republican threats as a means of pressuring the Iranians to come to the table now rather than risk having to deal with a more trigger-happy Republican administration in the future.

[defendandprotect]

6. Why have we had a year or more of VP Biden pushing for this attack on Iran ...???

And not very subtly!

[DFab420]

7. Do you have quotes?

Cause I have quotes..

“We continue to seek a peaceful resolution but, let me be very clear about this, we are absolutely committed to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons,” Biden said. From Nov. 8th @ http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-08/israel-s-netanyahu-asks-biden-to-pressure-iran-harder-over-nuclear-program.html

That doesn't sound like a push for an attack to me.

"'Everyone from the Israeli prime minister straight through to the British prime minister to the president of Russia – everyone agrees the next step we should take is the UN sanction route,' Biden said on ABC’s The View." Nor does this...

[defendandprotect]

8. Recall at least 3X Biden made comments pushing for an attack ... by ISRAEL on Iran-!

The last one was only last week or so -- and Netanyhu basically replied to it!

The comments were brief -- one that I recall was simply something like ...

"Israel would be justified in attacking Iran" --

Basically Biden has been pushing not only for an attack on Iran -- but for Israel to do it!!

I'll take a little look around the internet but basically I can't believe that anyone missed it!


PS: Here you go --

Biden: Israel has 'sovereign right' to attack Iran


In interview with ABC, VP Biden suggests Washington won't stand in Israel's way should it choose to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, but White House says 'allies know Obama believes now is the time to explore diplomatic options'


WASHINGTON – Israel is free to do whatever it deems necessary to remove the Iranian nuclear threat, US Vice President Joe Biden said Sunday.

In an interview with ABC's 'This Week with George Stephanopoulos,' Biden said "Israel can determine for itself - it's a sovereign nation - what's in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and Attack Route?

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3741697,00.html


And I've heard him making comments like that as I've mentioned at least 3X and presumably

I may have missed some of them.

I wouldn't trust Biden ... well you know how the saying goes!



AND HERE'S ANOTHER ONE FROM July 2009 ....

Post details: U.S. VP Biden gives Israel green light to attack Iran: Biden: Israel 'has right to rein in Iran'

U.S. VP Biden gives Israel green light to attack Iran: Biden: Israel 'has right to rein in Iran'
July 6th, 2009 by admin

http://www.thecornerreport.com/index.php?title=u_s_vp_biden_gives_israel_green_light_to&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1



There's also a Common Dreams article on Biden and his contradicting the Joint Chiefs, etal.

www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/​2009/me_israel... - Cached
Israel Has Right to Hit Iran: Biden | CommonDreams.org
Israeli officials have welcomed comments by US Vice-President Joe Biden ... office as saying that "the fact that Biden is talking about Israel's right to attack Iran, and at ...
www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/07/​06-4 - Cached

[social_critic]

10. It's Israel Lobby pandering

Biden panders to the Israel lobby. They have been buttering his bread for a long time. And the main push behind a conflict with Iran is Israel. Therefore the Israel lobby does its thing.

[defendandprotect]

12. Agree re Biden ... HOWEVER, the right wing Israel which we are arming and whose

military actions we are financing can also be seen as doing our bidding --

After all, moving against Iran is certainly something US Hawks have long been

look for -- Doesn't McCain still sing "Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran!" .... ????


Every nation -- and let's be clear, even ISRAEL -- has a right wing -- it's own hawks.

Warmongers and warmakers. When Nixon armed right wing Israel he helped bury peace-loving

Israel and gave America a foothold in ME to use Israel as a BEARD to create mischief and mayhem --

and with W winking at Sharon, there has been plenty of that since.

Further, the assassination of PM Rabin was one more sign of orchestrated right wing violence

in Israel to keep hawks in power and to keep the peace movement there buried.

We need to defeat both US/CIA aggression -- especially in the ME to control oil -- but also

Israel's aggression -- whether it is a leader or a partner with US/CIA in this warmaking!



PS: Btw, they say that US/Israel weapons production is so intertwined that you almost can't

tell the difference between them. At times, we have even stored nuclear weapons in Israel!

[defendandprotect]

9. HERE are quotes and news reports and Biden's comments ..

From my reply above ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4616860&mesg_id=4617628

[defendandprotect]

11. Crickets .... ??

[daleo]

13. We heard the same crap before the Iraq invasion

It was a lie then, it's a lie now.

I mean the idea that the country would rally round the invaders is a lie. That's what we were told before the Iraq war.