[Peace-discuss] Iran: Yes, War Really Does Loom

[C. G. Estabrook]

Six weeks ago, President Bush signed a secret finding authorizing a covert
offensive against the Iranian regime that was, according to those familiar with
its contents, "unprecedented in its scope." Bush’s secret directive covers
actions across a huge geographic area – from Lebanon to Afghanistan – but is
also far more sweeping in the type of actions permitted under its guidelines –
up to and including the assassination of targeted officials.

The new expanded secret war required a special appropriation which leading
Democrats secretly approved, after listening to the request in secret session.
They voted $300 million for the covert operations, which are a major escalation
towards open war on Iran. You can find the whole sequence in histories of the
escalation of the war in Vietnam.

Previously Admiral Fallon, head of Centcom, managed to head off White House
efforts to spark a direct confrontation. That posture cost him his job and now
Petraeus, Bush’s favorite general, has the job.

Though Petraeus is not due to take formal command at Centcom until late 
summer, there are abundant signs that something may happen before then.  A 
Marine amphibious force, originally due to leave San Diego for the Persian Gulf 
in mid-June, has had its sailing date abruptly moved up to May 4.  A scheduled 
meeting in Europe between French diplomats acting as intermediaries for the 
U.S. and Iranian representatives has been abruptly cancelled in the last two 
weeks.

Petraeus is said to be at work on a master briefing for congress to demonstrate
conclusively that the Iranians are the source of our current troubles in Iraq,
thanks to their support for the Shia militia currently under attack by U.S.
forces in Baghdad.

The intelligence briefings that preceded the secret “finding”  and accompanied
the ensuing briefings to congressional leaders clearly exaggerated Iran’s role
in Iraq and also the capabilities of those anti-Iranian groups which will now be
drenched in US money and supplies.  But  Petraeus is no fool in timing. He has
left the failing “surge” behind him now, and his flunkeys in the press will
blame the failure on his successor as head of coalition forces, Army General Ray
Odierno, “who lacks Gen Petraeus’s skill...” etc.  Petraeus’ long term game plan
is presumably to run for the Presidency in 2012, either challenging a 
Democratic incumbent or perhaps seizing the baton from the senile President 
McCain...

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