We have all been watching the rhetoric build, beginning in earnest again this May when President Bush authorized new covert actions against Iran “to destabilize the Iranian government.” LINK On July 16th, Dick Cheney warned Iran publicly from the deck of a United States Aircraft Carrier stationed close to Iran that:

“With two carrier strike groups in the Gulf, we’re sending clear messages to friends and adversaries alike,” he said, according to remarks given to reporters. “We’ll keep the sea lanes open. We’ll stand with our friends in opposing extremism and strategic threats. We’ll disrupt attacks on our own forces. We’ll continue bringing relief to those who suffer, and delivering justice to the enemies of freedom. And we’ll stand with others to prevent Iran from gaining nuclear weapons and dominating this region.” MORE

So far this year, President Bush has leveled several charges against Iran, most of them centered around allegations that Iran is providing Iraqis training in special QUDS Force training camps in Iranian territory, and stating they would “face the consequences” for “providing EFPs, highly sophisticated IEDs, that kill Americans in Iraq.” So far, none of us are aware of what those “consequences” are - but with the MSM now actively ratcheting-up the visibility and rhetoric of a potential attack on Iran, the situation seems eerily similar to those days right before we attacked Iraq.

Fears of US attacks on Iran grow as media campaign heats up

Muriel Kane
Published: Friday August 10, 2007

Cheney continues to urge Iran strike

At a press conference on Thursday, President Bush delivered an apparent threat against Iran, stating, “One of the main reasons that I asked Ambassador Crocker to meet with Iranians inside Iraq was to send the message that there will be consequences for people transporting, delivering EFPs, highly sophisticated IEDs, that kill Americans in Iraq.”

Neither Bush nor the State Department would elaborate on the meaning of “consequences.” However, McClatchy Newspapers reports that “the president’s top aides have been engaged in an intensive internal debate over how to respond to Iran’s support for Shiite Muslim groups in Iraq and its nuclear program. Vice President Dick Cheney several weeks ago proposed launching airstrikes at suspected training camps in Iraq run by the Quds force, a special unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to two U.S. officials who are involved in Iran policy.”

The Guardian reported in July that Cheney has been continuing to press for military action against Iran. When Larry King asked Cheney in an interview on July 31, “”Would you make an overt move on Iran?” Cheney said with a grin, “For what reason?” He then added, “I’m not going to speculate about prospective operations.”

Media campaign against Iran accelerates

For example, in Wednesday’s New York Times, Michael Gordon reported that “attacks on American-led forces using a lethal type of roadside bomb said to be supplied by Iran reached a new high in July, according to the American military. … Such bombs, which fire a semi-molten copper slug that can penetrate the armor on a Humvee and are among the deadliest weapons used against American forces, are used almost exclusively by Shiite militants. American intelligence officials have presented evidence that the weapons come from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran, although Tehran has repeatedly denied providing lethal assistance to Iraqi groups.” MORE

Most of the Progressive and Liberal pundits have joined-in these last few weeks condemning Bush’s Iranian War Plans - and the belief that he will use the subsequent terror attacks against the continental United States in retaliation to an attack on Iran to declare Marital Law and “temporarily” disband Congress and the 2008 Presidential elections. All of his recent “Executive Orders,” some so secret that a Democratic member of the House Homeland Security Committee was denied access to Bush’s “Disaster Plan” LINK which supposedly was formed as a plan of action in case of a serious terrorist attack or a natural disaster of a magnitude that equals or is greater than that of New Orleans and Katrina. When a “Disaster Plan” is so secretive that Bush won’t even allow Democratic Member(s) of Congress and The Homeland Security Committee to view its contents - I’m quite comfortable speculating that it’s something that will have to be forced upon the people - and my gut tells me those FEMA ordered/Halliburton built “Internment Camps” won’t remain empty for too much longer…

What the White House is planning still evades most of us as far as the intricate details and when it will happen, but there are “signs” that must be addressed and melded into the larger view - as all of the smaller and seemingly insignificant details add-up to the whole, and it’s important to understand the possible significance of other seemingly unrelated incidents and why they contribute to - and may even hasten an attack against Iran.

The significance of the state of crisis in Pakistan has been woefully underplayed in the MSM; President Gen. Pervez Musharraf is desperately attempting to retain his hold on power and was close to declaring a “State of Emergency” - and missed an important meeting with President Karzai to attempt to iron-out a chilly alliance and discuss ways to stop the cross-border attacks of the Taliban and Al Queda against NATO and Afghanistan forces. LINK To miss a meeting this important speaks of intense pressures and an extremely fluid situation within Pakistan - and somehow Condi Rice was able to help in convincing President Musharraf hold-off on declaring a “State of Emergency.” Who knows exactly what was said, but it had to be significant - especially when you consider this latest breaking tidbit that add even more mystery as to why Musharraf held-off on declaring a State of Emergency - which would have given him some much needed time to attempt a reorganization or other means to re-solidify his power:

Sources: U.S. assessing Pakistan nukes if Musharraf falls

From Barbara Starr
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) — U.S. military intelligence officials are urgently assessing how secure Pakistan’s nuclear weapons would be in the event President Gen. Pervez Musharraf were replaced as the nation’s leader, CNN has learned.

Key questions in the assessment include who would control Pakistan’s nuclear weapons after a shift in power. The United States is pressuring Musharraf, who took control in a 1999 coup, not to declare a state of emergency as he faces growing political opposition.

Three U.S. sources have independently confirmed details of the intelligence review to CNN but would not allow their names to be used because of the sensitivity of the matter. MORE

The above story from CNN indicates the United States is gravely worried about the stability of the Pakistan government - even though the President himself and other are still making reckless remarks in regard Pakistan - and are fanning the flames rather than attempting to deescalate the situation. For more on how President Bush, presidential hopefuls, and a GOP Senator(s) have added to Mr. Musharraf’s troubles, read Pakistan is in Crisis – And the Dems Aren’t Helping! - and don’t forget to wonder why our diplomatic skills seem to have disappeared along with our civil rights, national wealth, and an economy and populace that falls deeper in despair every day! Wall Street’s getting a little nervous, as now it isn’t just the Middle-class that’s losing, but some of our most prized funds and portfolios are taking a dive as well - and that impacts even the wealthy of America!

I am one of the few Progressive/Liberal Bloggers that believes Iran is truly a danger to national security, which I’ll write about later - however, even though I’m more hawkish on Iran than most of those I choose to associate myself with - I’d rather see Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse plan and execute an attack on Iran and the subsequent can-of-worms that will immediately open once the first bomb drops… This administration hasn’t accomplished one damn thing of a positive nature, and when it comes to escalating tensions and fumbling through foreign policy as if though it were a Frat House joke, Bush and Cheney have brought the world closer to nuclear confrontation than ever before - and it gets progressively worse!

The White House is voicing alarm that China has been aggressively building-up their armed forces, land, air, nuclear, and sea - and now are beginning to challenge America’s role in the Far-east. Bush’s folly was to allow America’s corporations to outsource most of our manufacturing capability to China and other third-world countries - including but not limited to some of our essential military weapons and hardware. Greed has caused the Bush White House to brush away signs of an aggressive China emerging, too servile to corporate America, who are making a fortune while the Average American falls deeper into a financial pit with no end in sight, much the same as our mounting national debt. As always, profit and power have been the guiding force of this administration rather than the security and well-being of the people.

Wasn’t it just two days ago that Russia buzzed Guam with two Tupolev-95 warplanes? These are the nuclear workhorses of the Russian military - comparable to our Strategic Air Command. Russian bombers buzz US base in Guam Russia has also restarted and increased flying training sorties, obviously enhancing their military training and sending a message that once again - Russia is a force we dare not ignore!

As Bush and Cheney are greedily eying Iran and hoping for an excuse to begin their war, how much thought has been placed on Russia and China’s reaction - especially in consideration of the long-term energy contracts they’ve signed with Iran, and in Russia’s case - the added significance and construction of a Nuclear Power Plant in Iran by Russian workers?

Think about it, because as usual, the Bush/Cheney team of incompetent’s obviously haven’t, and their ineptitude and penchant for screwing-up everything they touch couldn’t be more visible or important as it pertains to the future of our country than it is today! Don’t forget wild card Israel - sitting in the background and preparing for a war with Syria, which would be almost a sure thing if the US attacks Iran. Olmert: Prepare for war with Syria Who knows, it may be Israel that makes the first strike against Iran, but more likely is that America knows that Israel is preparing for a strike - and might be readying their own, figuring a unilateral strike by Israel would pull the entire Middle-East into the conflict.

These are the factors that Bush and Cheney are attempting to deal with. We have all seen what they’ve done with a situation that was far less apt to escalate into a major international confrontation, and we’re still burying our dead from that war. If you let them start another war based on their current level of success - I’d suggest stocking-up on all of the essentials and preparing your family for the worst. Iran isn’t Iraq - and the world is angry with America, compliments of the Bush administration. Don’t you think it’s time to get these idiots out of office while we still can?

Call your Congressmen, and do anything else you can to raise heck. The life you save could be your own, or that of your family.

William Cormier