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Sunday, January 16, 2005

America Looks To Iran?

Hmmm"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has been conducting secret reconnaissance missions inside Iran to help identify potential nuclear, chemical and missile targets, The New Yorker magazine reported Sunday.

The article, by award-winning reporter Seymour Hersh, said the secret missions have been going on at least since last summer with the goal of identifying target information for three dozen or more suspected sites.

Hersh quotes one government consultant with close ties to the Pentagon as saying, "The civilians in the Pentagon want to go into Iran and destroy as much of the military infrastructure as possible."

One former high-level intelligence official told The New Yorker, "This is a war against terrorism, and Iraq is just one campaign. The Bush administration is looking at this as a huge war zone. Next, we're going to have the Iranian campaign."

The White House said Iran is a concern and a threat that needs to be taken seriously. But it disputed the report by Hersh, who last year exposed the extent of prisoner abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

"We obviously have a concern about Iran. The whole world has a concern about Iran," Dan Bartlett, a top aide to President Bush, told CNN's "Late Edition."


Regime change in Iran is something that needs to happen. All the necessary components for invasion are there:



  1. They are actively pursuing a nuclear program.

  2. They mullaharchy in that country is guilty of egregious human rights violations.

  3. Iran clearly supports terrorism. We've seen Iranian-backed terrorist attack our troops in Iraq. A side-effect of invading Iran will likely be a drastic decrease of terrorist activity in Iraq.

  4. There is an active uprising against the government going on in Iran right now. The people want regime change.



I do think we need to get Iraq past its elections and on the way to self-rule before we look to Iran. Clearly, we cannot over-extend ourselves. Many say that we are already over-extended with troops in Iraq. While I don't agree with that statement, should we invade Iran before we have the situation in Iraq in-hand we will be over-extended.

And that being said, why are American journalists reporting on secret American missions into Iran? Isn't this something we should be keeping a lid on? Isn't it absolutely necessary that we alert our enemies before we attack them?

Update:

David Limbaugh agrees:

So far, it appears that the White House is denying the factual accuracy of Hersh's report. They should, regardless of whether it's true or not, if our national security interests are to mean anything. Can you imagine the kind of journalistic ethic we are operating under that would celebrate, rather than condemn, the type of report that Hersh has just belched forth? If in fact the United States is engaged in covert operations to determine the nature, extent, and location of WMD and WMD delivery systems in Iran, what possible constructive purpose can be served by the publication of such information -- unless you consider helping our enemies in the War on Terror, such as Iran, a constructive purpose?

Comments

Avatar for Mark

Forgive me Rob, but I think you should rethink your list.

“1. They are actively pursuing a nuclear program.”

That’s simply not a reason for invading. Either remove that ‘component’, or qualify it.

Mark on January 17, 2005 at 02:01 pm
Rob
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Mark,

I didn’t qualify the statement because I felt that Iran’s record as a terror state was common knowledge.  They are the enemy.  They support terrorism.  They hate America and the “westernized” way of life.  I have no doubt in my mind that, given the chance, Iran would not hesitate to launch a nuclear attack on the United States.

So, to me, their development of a nuclear weapons program is more than enough reason for invasion and, when added with my other arguments, presents a case for invasion that shouldn’t need to be argued.


When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

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Rob on January 17, 2005 at 02:01 pm
Avatar for likwidshoe

Mark says, “Forgive me Rob, but I think you should rethink your list.

‘1. They are actively pursuing a nuclear program.’

That’s simply not a reason for invading. Either remove that ‘component’, or qualify it.”

Very cogent point Mark.  How about this, “1. They are a terrorist state that is pursuing a nuclear program.”

Now you could argue who gets to determine what country is a “terrorist state” or not.

likwidshoe on January 17, 2005 at 02:01 pm
Avatar for Mark

Thanks likwidshoe.

‘Terrorist’ is a word that is pretty difficult to define, so I would like to steer clear of it, if it all possible!

How about ‘violation of UN resolutions on the development of certain nuclear programmes’ as a possible reason for invasion?

Mark on January 17, 2005 at 02:02 pm
Avatar for Mark

Oh… And (like Seth) I should express my gratitude for your new preview function.

Mark on January 18, 2005 at 08:02 am
Avatar for Mark

Fair enough.

But it’s still not a reason for an invasion.

Mark on January 18, 2005 at 08:02 am
Avatar for Seth Yantiss

The decision to invade another country is NEVER a light decision.  It takes a great deal of conviction to hold to a decision like this, and the president is going to have to prove a LOT to get the population to buy into it.  This is both good and bad… Good in that there is going to be more scrutiny and it’s less likely that he’s going to be seen as a dictator/war monger.  Bad, because we tip our hand… If action is required of the president, I want him to act first, answer later… but that might not be possible in the political area of today…

I worry for us all that we might not be able to act because of the “PC” mandate.

Seth Yantiss on January 18, 2005 at 09:02 am
Rob
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I’m glad you like the preview function.  I didn’t realize so many people used it when I got rid of it after the move.  When you spoke up I figured it would be something I’d bring back when I could.

As for it not being a reason for invasion...I take it your comfortable with Iran’s terror regime taking possession of a nuclear warhead?  Because I certainly am not.


When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

robport.gif border=0

Rob on January 18, 2005 at 09:02 am
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