The drums of war get a new beat, and Judy Miller hands John Burns the drumsticks:
Agents of Iran helped plan a January raid in Shiite holy city of Karbala in Iraq in which five American soldiers were killed by Islamic militants, an American military spokesman said Monday. The charge was the most specific allegation of Iranian involvement in an attack that killed American troops, at a time of rising tensions with Iran over its role in Iraq and its nuclear program.
Brig. Gen. Kevin J. Bergner, the military spokesman here, said an elite unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, a force under the control of Iran’s most powerful religious leaders, had used veterans of the Lebanese Islamic militia group Hezbollah as a “proxy” to train, arm and plan attacks by an array of Shiite militant cells in Iraq.
One high-ranking Hezbollah commander from Lebanon was captured in Basra in March, and after weeks of pretending that he could not hear or speak, he gave American interrogators details of the Iranian role, the general said.
The usual suspects are excited. I am digging a bunker in my backyard and stocking up on Hola Fruta.
Zifnab
So, what they’re saying is that the US Government has ways of making people talk? Comforting.
I am, however, perpetually amused by the administrations tortured logic. In order to protect/avenge(?) the deaths of US troops in Iraq at the hands of Shiite militiamen who were armed and trained by Lebonese rebels who were themselves armed and trained by an elite black-ops band of the Iranian military who may or may not be operating along any one of Iraq’s multiple borders, we need to bomb the nuclear facilities and major cities centered around Tehran.
I mean… I guess? Sure. Why not?
Cryptic Ned
John Burns is a great reporter and not in thrall to the powers that be. I trust him.
Nicholas Weaver
But I don’t trust any words that come out of the powers that be…
And I don’t understand the drumbeat for war anyway? Isn’t getting our ass handed to us once bad enough, why go for two-inna-row?
srv
Call it tortured logic. Literally and figuratively.
I don’t see how we get through a year of these lies w/o them bombing Iran. They’re going to do it, even if it has no way of achieving their imagined ends. There’s no accountability, only the JCS could derail this, and we know what a bunch of heroes they are.
I guess if we get stuck with Guiliani or Hillary, we might as well be stuck with a clusterfuck in Iran. I can’t think of anything more fitting for them than to spend 4 miserable years wiping up GW’s shitpile.
jg
Tonkin, Gulf Of.
jg
This would all be much more credible if
1. we weren’t told years ago that the administration will start to build a case for war with Iran
2. the people in charge didn’t get rich off war.
Chad N. Freude
Well, war with Iran would certainly help solve the problem of what to do with all of our excess military capacity and the overwhelming budget surplus.
Tony J
“Al Qaida, Iran. Al Qaida, Iran. Al Qaida, Iran. I can say it all day people, C’mon. Drums of War! Drums of War!”
Can’t you hear the drums?
Punchy
Mr. Cole’s surefire way to keep his IRR ass out of the theater of war. After all, no gays in the military.
Rudi
One picture from the Monday press conference showed the “Iranian munitions” they trotted out before. I believe that Persian/Farsi is the second language in southern Iraq/Basra. The Iranians flooded in years ago, so what we let them in with our under manned “shock and awe” force.
George B.
9/11 changed everything.
HyperIon
i saw him interviewed on CSPAN about a year ago and he seemed very hawkish. and michael gordon is in the byline also. he is NOT a journo i feel comfortable believing, given his previous history with Judith Miller and WMD “reportage”.
Jake
I wonder if the P-Gon/WH really is trying to make a case for launching an attack on Iran and the only reason I wonder that is because I know that if every man, woman and sasquatch in the US except Cheney & Bush said “NO, DON’T DO IT!!!” they’d go ahead and do it.
Oh right, I forgot about LegacyQuest (TM).
Dave
1) That might be one way to get Tunch to eat new food. Lock him in your new bunker for a week with only hiss new cat food. In case that doesn’t work (and knowing cats, it probably won’t). I’d add science diet to your stock there.
2) There is no way the American public and Congress will let this happen. I really don’t think the warmongers have a chance at starting yet another war before they leave office.
les
If I thought they would ask first, that might give me some comfort. I think they’re building a “hot pursuit” case, if that applies in the case of cruise missiles.
Jackmormon
John Burns is reporting what Brig. Gen. Kevin J. Bergner said. Is Brig. Gen. Kevin J. Bergner telling the truth? In some sense, probably.
Buck
In other words he finally said what they wanted to hear.
Wilfred
Personally, I longer believe a single god damned word out of the collective mouth of any of them – press, military or government. Their joint effort has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of people, the exile of millions and enough misery and despair to last for generations.
Does it matter anymore what they say about anything?
The Other Steve
Time to play Wag the Dog!
Tsulagi
And those two entities matter to the caped Commander Guy and Darth Dick in what way? It’s legacy time, bitch. God has told him so. Jesus smiled his agreement. Got bitchslapped on immigration, so maybe he’s thinking it’s time to bring his magic to Iran.
BTW, one of the blogs listed following your “usual suspects are excited” link is Intel Dump. Written by an ex-Army officer now evildoer attorney who did a tour in Iraq with the 101st. His blog is pretty good. Usually has an intelligent take.
As he did on this NYT article while also questioning the desperate wisdom of training and arming Sunni insurgents. Using guys who yesterday were planting IEDs to fight AQ and Shiite militants today who tomorrow could use that training and arms to bite you in the ass worse than they were yesterday. Nothing like turning corners.
mrmobi
I’m told (by the US Govt., no less) that all you need is a shovel, a couple of doors and a tarp.
Here’s how it works. You dig a hole. Doesn’t have to be huge, but remember, you’re going to be shitting in there, so make some room.
Then, you put the two doors over most of the hole.
Then, you pile 8-10 feet of dirt on top of the doors and cover with a tarp.
Crawl in an enjoy yourself, you are part of the great struggle against the Demislamunofascists.
Keep away from the shit if you can.
mrmobi
This is the most frightening thing about the Libby commutation. They completely do not give a shit about what anyone thinks of them anymore. The public doesn’t matter, at least not the ones who aren’t rich. Congress and the courts are dickless wonders. The law is “quaint.” The press can’t suck enough administration cock.
It’s good to be king.
I predict an aerial bombardment or Iran well before the end of this benighted administration, along with a suspension of the 2008 election because of terrorism.
Don’t buy popcorn, they won’t let you take it to the detention camps.
Dave
Given Congress has to authorize any new military action, I think we’re ok, unless we see the mother of all cave ins by the Dems.
mrmobi
I don’t know, Dave. You’re talking about laws here, ya know? The kind that these guys consider “quaint.” The kind that Mr. McFlightsuit writes “signing statements” to guide his administration in how to ignore them. How hard do you think it would be to provoke some kind of “incident” with Iran and take “emergency” action for these criminals?
No authorization needed for caped Commander Guy and Darth Dick.
Jake
Would sending large numbers of Blackwater’s
mercenariesemployees into Iran count as a military action? If not, can such expenses be filed under Misc. on a supplemental bill?Not snarkin’, I really do wonder.
Dennis-SGMM
McFlightsuit will launch the strike against Iran and then explain that he “had” to do it for whatever bullshit justification they dream up at the time. Remember that the first justification doesn’t count anyway. As the initial justification is proven to be a lie, new justifications will be presented.
In the ensuing carnage Bush will state that future historians will vindicate him. Democrats will be outraged and they will make harsh speeches. Bush will finish out his term and retire.
Zifnab
They’re saving the Blackwater mercenaries for the homegrown terror cells. You know, like the Quakers and the Sierra Club and Moveon.org.
Jake
Zounds! Quakoenvirolibrofascists!
Tsulagi
Not really, Bush could claim he has authorization under the Iraq AUMF to tag Iran. Or under the broader GWOT. Could already be siphoning money to pay for preparations. Maybe not. But it wouldn’t be the first time.
Woodward’s book Plan of Attack mentioned the admin diverted $700M from funds appropriated for OEF to pay for secret preparations to do Iraq. In previous years, diverting money appropriated specifically for one purpose to use for something not authorized would be a crime. But no problem when you have the paper hanging Gonzo. He simply wrote a finding that money appropriated for the AF operations could be used in any way by The Decider in the broader GWOT.
That’s why I would like to see the Dems at least push to modify the Iraq AUMF to specifically rule out major action against Iran without first seeking prior approval from Congress. Pelosi had said that was on the agenda, but later came to the opinion that the Iraq AUMF didn’t give Bush constitutional authority to invade Iran so no action there need be taken. Dick and Bush might have another interpretation and opinion.
You could just see this happening. Dipshit starts shock and awe on Iran. Dems scream WTF. Bush shrugs his shoulders and says “What? You didn’t say I couldn’t. Gonzo says the AUMF says I can. So there.”
srv
Wolfie joins the AEI.
Who woulda thunk?
Beej
Anybody read Glenn Greenwald’s post at Salon.com yesterday regarding this story? In the comments following the story of in a link within the story, I can’t remember which, there is a short bio of General Bergner. His career up to now does not inspire a lot of confidence in his analysis of all this.
Beej
Did anyone read Glenn Greenwald’s post about this story at Salon.com? Either Glenn or one of his commentors, I can’t remember which, Googled General Bergner. His background does not inspire a great deal of confidence in his analysis of all this.
Beej
Rats!! Sorry for the double post. Thought I caught the first one before it went through, but obviously I didn’t.
Redhand
So, a comfortable berth for a despicable egghead who caused thousands of American deaths “testing” a strategic pipe dream conceived in a “think tank.” Who says there isn’t justice in the world?
Seriously, with this a**hole’s track record, who in their right mind would pay him to “think” at all? Better to pay him not to think, much like we’ve helped subsidize Colombian and Afghan farmers not to grow coca or poppy.
Zifnab
Perhaps not your best analogy. Colombia and Afghanistan produce a whole crapload of coca and poppy.
That said, I can’t help but agree. With Wolfowitz out of any sort of political position, exactly why do they keep him around? Are they really going to put his face up on TV as a spokesman? I’d sooner use Joseph Mendela as my drug company mascott than put Paul Wolfowitz on TV with my organization’s name underneath. This “I don’t care what 70% of America thinks about me” mentality really has gone over the deep end inside the Republican Party.
Redhand
Oh, I know that. It was a rhetorical point. I am simply amazed and disgusted that anyone would pay this clown for his opinions after all the damage he’s done.
Wolfie’s continued employment illustrates a depressing fact about the political system in this country. No matter how badly one screws up, if you’re one of “the elite” there’s always somebody who will take care of you. It’s sorta like corporate life: a CEO convicted of crimes is still likely to get a golden parachute rather than the bum’s rush out of the executive suite.
jake
Ollie North has (had?) a regular gig with the Washington Times. But a check of the company Wolfie will be keeping reveals he won’t be the only hack in the house.