What's all this Iran crap I hear?

[GreenZoneLT]

I don't watch Fox, or follow the western TV news, so I'm not sure why everyone's nattering on about Iran. I think if an attack was imminent it would a) be talked about in the military press (it's not) b) create some rumor and buzz among the military in Iraq (it's not). Trust, me, they're bringing in new bosses to Iraq and Centcom, some high-ranking people are still on leave from here, and the Bushies are working full time on selling this new Iraq surge plan. There's nobody left TO plan and implement an attack on Iran, assuming they even wanted to (they don't).

You can become about 50 percent better-informed about world events by just never watching Fox or listening to people that do. Read the NY Times, LA Times, Washpost and AP/Reuters, and leave TV to cover what they do well (Britney's divorce).

[bananas]

1. Ray McGovern, Sy Hersch, etc

that's what's freaking us out, man.
People who have good fucking reputations are saying this shit.

[seemslikeadream]

17. Scott Ritter Paul Roberts

[oblivious]

2. I'm not sure they're going to, but I'm damn sure they want to.

Become better informed about world events from NYT, WP, AP, Reuters?

Huh?

America's propaganda network.

[bananas]

3. Speaking of Britney Spears and infotainment...

are you guys getting decent entertainment?
Live concerts/performances?
Or do you have to download mp3's like the rest of us?

[EST]

5. I really love that picture

It reminds me of auction school. One of the things offered for sale by one of the ancient founders and instructors at the school was a unique auctioneer's hammer.
Similar to the mallet being held up by ms. Pelosi, its handle was made from a dessicated bull cock. It held quite a fascination and I barely resisted buying one.

[GreenZoneLT]

6. I dunno what the kids get

I'm an old staff fart, working in the Green Zone in downtown Baghdad; I think most of the live entertainment goes out to where the actual combat troops are, or to the big base at Camp Victory (a few miles west of here, over by the airport). I mostly rely on CDs and DVDs my friends mail me, or mail order them from Amazon. The bandwidth is too narrow to download much. You can also buy any number of bootleg movies in the Hajji shops for $2 apiece. The biggest problem is having any time to watch it; most of us spend 80 hours a week at work, or more.

At the Embassy, we get first-run movies, 30 channels of cable (including a half-dozen Arabic ones like Al Jazeera). The occasional live act, but not the best stuff, which rightly goes to where the kids are.

[bananas]

11. There is something about live performance

it isn't always technically the best, but there is (usually) interaction on some level between the performers and the audience, that can't be replaced with CD's or DVD's or MP3's.

[EST]

4. Israel is doing its damnedest to squeeze the US into attacking

Iran and their influence with the US government is phenomenal. I am not an anti-semite but I am against the obvious leading around by the nose that Israeli interests are doing to America.

[Norquist Nemesis]

14. At first, I took the 'news' with a grain of salt

because countries draw up 'plans' for war scenarios and threats all of the time. No doubt, the Pentagon has 'plans' to invade Canada, France, Italy, and Mexico but it doesn't necessarily ensure the plans will be implemented. However, after watching the play it was getting yesterday, I tend to agree that Israel is once again trying to push/goad us into it.

My fear is that they already have an agreement and are setting the stage the the American psyche to make sure it happens. Another "OMG! They're going to wipe Israel off the map with a nuclear bomb! We have to do something about that!" moment.

It's also noteworthy how no one is talking about the types of munitions that Israel is proposing from the 'alleged' plans. Small nuclear bunker busters? Aren't those the same type of weapons that Rummy got everyone in an uproar about a few years ago when he tried to get approval to do research and testing? hmmmm....gotta wonder just exactly what the extent of that cargo was we shipped to Israel during the Israel/Lebanon engagement of a few months ago.

Not to mention that Israel has transitioned into a confirmed nuclear state without any non-proliferation treaty agreements.

[ellisonz]

7. As someone who's studied this a good deal...

You're right. Welcome to DU La-la Land!

Stay safe. :headbang:

:dem: :hide: :popcorn:

[wakeme2008]

8. I guess you missed the second Carrier Group going to the gulf

Saturday, January 6, 2007

WASHINGTON - The Associated Press

The aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis is scheduled to leave the United States this month for the Gulf region in a Naval buildup aimed partly as a warning to Iran. Officials decided to send the Stennis strike group on top of a carrier group already in the region on a request late last year from the U.S. Central Command, the military unit in charge of activities there as well as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a senior Pentagon official said Thursday

Maybe your Green Zone PR releases forgot to tell you about the 5,000-6000 Navy types and ships being added to the gulf :rofl:

[GreenZoneLT]

10. They do that all the time

They might be worried (or clued) that the Israelis are up to something.

The carriers have to be somewhere, and they send them to the likeliest trouble spot. 99 percent of the time, nothing happens. It's also one of the cheapest, lowest-risk ways to saber-rattle.

[Marrah_G]

13. Well something is up.

No one can tell me that something bigisn't going to happen soon. The Navy doesn't order an officer that has been retired for ten years, back to active duty for a full years deployment to the middle east unless something big is about to happen. I am not an alarmist but have a really really bad feeling about this.

Note: that officer is my brother who landed in the middle east yesterday.

[acmavm]

9. I admit I don't know whether these idiots will try a run at Iran or not. I do

think that it's possible that Israel will, at least while the figure they have the chance.

But as for it being possible, take a good look at your neighborhood. Did you ever figure to be in such a hellhole for no good reason except for the greed and insanity of a few select people? That should tell you not to put anything past these nutbags.

[leesa]

12. Thanks for the advice about Faux and western teevee. We weren't aware.

Guess what? Bush isn't telling you guys everything he's planning to do.

[Junkdrawer]

15. There's a full court press going on right now...and what's eerie...

is that it's being done just under the surface. And that's scary because it means that the plan is to bring the US public along at a later date.

So I ask myself "After what?"..

[catmandu57]

16. I think it's a colossal distraction

Confusing and hiding the very obvious fact that the whitehouse is at war with the rest of the republican party. Being there on the ground you would know the situation better than us, I'm really trying to ignore this talk, thanks for your perspective.