Arab Times: US military strike on Iran seen by April ’07-Sea-launched attack to hit oil, N-sites

[kpete]

US military strike on Iran seen by April ’07

Sea-launched attack to hit oil, N-sites

By Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times

01/14/07 "Arab Times" -- - KUWAIT CITY: Washington will launch a military strike on Iran before April 2007, say sources. The attack will be launched from the sea and Patriot missiles will guard all oil-producing countries in the region, they add. Recent statements emanating from the United States indicate the Bush administration’s new strategy for Iraq doesn’t include any proposal to make a compromise or negotiate with Syria or Iran. A reliable source said President Bush recently held a meeting with Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Dr Condoleezza Rice and other assistants in the White House where they discussed the plan to attack Iran in minute detail.

According to the source, Vice President Dick Cheney highlighted the threat posed by Iran to not only Saudi Arabia but the whole region. “Tehran is not playing politics. Iranian leaders are using their country’s religious influence to support the aggressive regime’s ambition to expand,” the source quoted Dick Cheney as saying. Indicating participants of the meeting agreed to impose restrictions on the ambitions of Iranian regime before April 2007 without exposing other countries in the region to any danger, the source said “they have chosen April as British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said it will be the last month in office for him. The United States has to take action against Iran and Syria before April 2007.”

Claiming the attack will be launched from the sea and not from any country in the region, he said “the US and its allies will target the oil installations and nuclear facilities of Iran ensuring there is no environmental catastrophe or after effects.” “Already the US has started sending its warships to the Gulf and the build-up will continue until Washington has the required number by the end of this month,” the source said. “US forces in Iraq and other countries in the region will be protected against any Iranian missile attack by an advanced Patriot missile system.”

He went on to say “although US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Dr Condoleezza Rice suggested postponing the attack, President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney insisted on attacking Tehran without any negotiations based on the lesson they learnt in Iraq recently.” The Bush administration believes attacking Iran will create a new power balance in the region, calm down the situation in Iraq and pave the way for their democratic project, which had to be suspended due to the interference of Tehran and Damascus in Iraq, he continued. The attack on Iran will weaken the Syrian regime, which will eventually fade away, the source said.

more at:
http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/linkframe.php?linkpg=http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article16169.htm&linkid=29229

[GreenZoneLT]

1. A Kuwaiti newspaper, citing anonymous sources

This is slightly more reliable than Weekly World News. Slightly. Part of my job over here is monitoring the Arabic press, and the Kuwaitis are by far the least responsible and fact-friendly. If this were Al Hayat or Azzaman, you might think there was something to it, but not these guys.

All that does sound straight out of the neocon playbook, but the attack on Iran, if indeed it was in the works, had to have been contingent on a pacified Iraq to use as a forward staging area.

[bridgit]

2. thanks...

:)

[ConsAreLiars]

3. How about KindaSleazy as quoted in the Jerusalem Post?

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1167467731444&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull :

Talk of a military strike against Iran shows how serious it would be for the Iranians to continue down the path of nuclear development, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in an interview with Channel 10 Sunday evening.

"I still think there is room for diplomacy, but even talk of such action shows how serious it would be for Iran to continue their actions unabated," Rice said.

[bananas]

4. What if it's just airstrikes?

The attack might just be the reactor at Bushehr and a few other sites.
That wouldn't require staging from Iraq.
Thanks for your posts, they are informative and appreciated.

[GreenZoneLT]

5. It's always possible

It's the dumbest thing imaginable for us to do, but when has that ever slowed down the Bush administration?

They've got an interesting military strategy, not unlike the Germans in 1941. When you're fighting a tough opponent and come to a stalemate, go find somebody else to fight that's easier, even if ultimate victory against Opponent No. 2 seems virtually impossible, especially if they're allied with Opponent No. 1.

Not to compare Bush to Hitler except as a military strategist, but look at the parallels. The Germans were trying to knock the British out of the war in 1940 and 1941, and couldn't do it quickly, so they declare war on Russia first, and then the United States, all in a span of six months (not everyone knows that after Pearl Harbor, Germany declared war on us first). Guy was freakin' nuts.

We're involved in a tough slog to take out the last mountain fastnesses of Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2002, and it looks intractable because of Pakistan's refusal to pull their weight. So what do we do? Invade Iraq. That's not going too well now, so why not give Iran a whirl?

Worst. Commander in Chief. Ever.

[bananarepublican]

6. "Worst Commander in Chief. Ever." Past, present, and future! n/t