From VillageVoice: Clark reveals Bush war plans...

[wyldwolf]

In his new book, Winning Modern Wars, retired general Wesley Clark, a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, offered a window into the Bush serial-war planning. He writes that serious planning for the Iraq war had already begun only two months after the 9-11 attack, and adds:

"As I went back through the Pentagon in November 2001, one of the senior military staff officers had time for a chat. Yes, we were still on track for going against Iraq, he said. But there was more. This was being discussed as part of a five-year campaign plan, he said, and there were a total of seven countries, beginning with Iraq, then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia and Sudan. . . . I left the Pentagon that afternoon deeply concerned."

A five-year military campaign. Seven countries. How far has the White House taken this plan? And how long can the president keep the nation in the dark, emerging from his White House cocoon only to speak to us in slogans and the sterile language of pep rallies?

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0342/schanberg.php

[Homer12]

1. Syria is next or maybe Cuba.

[RandomUser]

18. Bush made noises about Syria immediately after Iraq

wouldn't surprise me if Syria is on the hitlist.

[radfringe]

20. Why do you think Israel dropped a few bombs on Syria?

I suspect that the Whistleass knows that we wouldn't fall for some cockamammy story about WMD's in Syria

but if Syria 'attacked'...say ummmm....Israel - then we would have to go to their "defense"

Wouldn't be surprised if Sharon dropped the bombs in hopes of provoking Syria into some sort of retailiation that would quickly escalate.

The other thing to consider is "location-location-location". Syria is next door to Israel and iraq. There is a pipeline from Iraq into Syria -wouldn't take much more money to extend that pipeline into Israel thereby supplying Israel with cheaper oil, and easy access for the whistleass's oil buddies to load the oil tankers

My prediction: The excuse for invading Syria will be to defend Israel and the Whistleass will do it in September-October 2004

[Terwilliger]

2. OK...I'll give Clark credit for talking about this

If Bush tries to invade ANYBODY before Summer 2004, Dems could be toast, and they'd attack another country. :grr:

[maha]

6. The world is grateful. n/t

[Terwilliger]

17. it was nothing

:*

[RandomUser]

11. Good point

If Bush tries to invade ANYBODY before Summer 2004, Dems could be toast, and they'd attack another country.

Maybe I'm having a tinfoil moment, but this sounds almost possible in a paranoid logic sort of way. If Bush is losing in Summer 2004, he might start a war just for the heck of it. With a new war, he might be able to rally the "support the president in times of war" bit. And if worse comes to worse and his ratings fall even more -- well, he'll have lost nothing since he was losing the race anyway. And the winning Dem will have a bigger mess to clean up, especially if he's weak on foreign affairs. :scared:

[Terwilliger]

16. The heck of it? They're already talking about Iran and Syria in the news

oh, it's coming

[RandomUser]

21. Scary

Very. We can't let him have 4 more years.

[NoPasaran]

25. Not so sure

If Bush wants to invade another country, he needs to free up the troops already bogged down in Iraq.

When I'm having a tinfoil moment I worry that there will be another big terrorist attack in the late summer of 2004. Bush will put us under martial law. Elections will be cancelled or postponed since what sort of traitor would dare run against the Dear Leader during wartime. The other 1% of the time however I'm fine.

[GainesT1958]

3. Josh Marshall again called it right:

(Saying about Gen Clark) "He has the Neo-Cons' number, and they know it."

Sounds as though Grumpy Rummy was all set to let Wolfowitz and Perle roll out the "Domino Plans" portion of the PNAC Blueprint as soon as he, and they, found a good "excuse" to implement them. Gen Clark got wind of this early--and, apparently--fully.

It's also clear he sees it all for what it is--comprehensive, frightening, and evil. :scared:

B-)

[knowledgeispower]

8. This is why I like Clark

(John Marshall, saying about Gen Clark) "He has the Neo-Cons' number, and they know it."

He has their number. That is what I like to hear. But will Wesley use his powers for good? That is my concern.

[janekat]

4. Holy Cow! Hope our "little Wes" doesn't end up dead somewhere...

or, at the very least, they'll hang the "Wesley Clark is a looney-toon" label on him.

[charlie]

9. Probably too late to paint him as a loon

Not when what he's written can be corroborated by documents and websites the arrogant fools openly published on the internet.

[DemCam]

12. Dunno

Ny Republican husband just read Drudge's announcement of Clark's "militia" and immediately labeled him a "nutcase".

So...that must be one of the RNC 'talking points....and its gonna be said over and over and over.

[RandomUser]

19. I'm guessing

that Rove will try the loony smear no matter who the Dem candidate is. The degree to which it works will depend on the candidate's teflon armor and ability to disagree and attack Bush without appearing to be a raving angry lunatic.

[Wickerman]

5. Good on Wes - proof of LIHOP or MIHOP

Glad to see someone confirming this AND talking about it. That they thought they could coherce the American public into going along is PROOF that they knew something was big was going happen that would change the perception to that of acceptance of pre-emptive war. Arrogant bastards.

One question - how the fuck did they ever think they could pay for this?

[maha]

7. how the fuck did they ever think they could pay for this?

You're looking at a pack of people who, for their entire lives, have had money handed to them in buckets just because they got up in the morning. It is beyond their comprehension that there might be a finite amount of money.

[knowledgeispower]

10. Deficit spending

It accomplishes two goals. First of all, they can pay for war without really having to pay for it. Secondly, too much deficit spending can and will eventually bankrupt the government. Can you think of a better way to attain smaller government? We know that is always what the conservatives want, they have just gotten sneaky about how they are going to do it.

[DemCam]

13. Why Wes is the bes......

Even if he doesn't get the nomination...surely he has outed them all in this new book...he has named the plan.

Now, the idea...surely...will be implanted in the little brains...this was all a plan.

In fact, this has got to be the reason the word has gone down that there are to be no wars before 2004.

And why we can't let the batards win.

[RandomUser]

14. Agreed

Even if he doesn't win, he'll have added a much needed voice to the discussion. And he continues to do so even now. He offers a new vision of America, a positive one in direct contrast to PNAC and Bush. He's also allow us to take back the label of patriotism and he's making that a centerpiece of his campaign. "New American Patriotism" -- let's see Bush attack someone campaigning on that platform. Where Bush's patriotism means wars, PNAC, and occupation. Clark's New America Patriotism means civil service, volunteer corps, the right to dissent, and local civic duty.

I like how he's tying his Civilian Reserve concept into 9/11. Bush isn't the only one who can tap into 9/11. Bush tapped into all the anger and despair that came with 9/11. The Civilian Reserve taps into all the self-sacrifice and goodwill and volunteer civic aid that came with 9/11. Go Civilian Reserve!

[ElementaryPenguin]

15. At least we know that Clark is on the BFEE!! Anyone doubt LIHOP/MIHOP?

It's merely the foundation for EVERYTHING ChimpCo does! I remember being taken aback when the Chimp announced after 9-11 that this was now going to be the main focus of his ENTIRE Chimp administration!! Before that it was just tank the environment, put in right wing judges, and get a $300 tax (loan)!! Funny how completely ready they were to transform into a military war machine!!

Edit: Subject line was meant to read "Clark is on to the BFEE!!!" Sorry!

[RandomUser]

24. lol

Edit: Subject line was meant to read "Clark is on to the BFEE!!!" Sorry!

With DU, you can never be too sure :)

[killbotfactory]

22. Neocon's are complete fucking morons.

That's all I can say. They truly believed their own hype about how easy it would be to transform Iraq into a "shining middle east democracy" pipedream. A bunch of dangerous fucking idiots.

[RandomUser]

23. Yep, they really messed up

And whoever beats Bush will have to pick up the pieces and sweep up the mess amongs our allies and our uniformed military. They're right on the verge of breaking the Army, the idiots. We've got the best army in the world, and just because they wanted to play toy soldiers, they're going to break the army and it'll take a decade to fix.