Seymour Hersch reveals a major US air attack, including nuclear weaponry, is being planned for Iran.

dublin | anti-war / imperialism | other press

Monday April 10, 2006 02:08

by Margaret Evans

"What are they smoking?"

One of the world's best known investigative reporters, Seymour Hersch, is revealing in the next issue of The New Yorker magazine that Bush & co are actively planning a major air attack on Iran and that; one of the military’s initial option plans, as presented to the White House by the Pentagon this winter, calls for the use of a bunker-buster tactical nuclear weapon, such as the B61-11, against underground nuclear sites. One target is Iran’s main centrifuge plant, at Natanz, nearly two hundred miles south of Tehran.

BELOW ARE FURTHER EXTRACTS FROM THIS DISTURBING AND LENGHTY REPORT, READ THE FULL McCOY AT "RELATED LINK".

The Bush Administration, while publicly advocating diplomacy has increased clandestine activities inside Iran and intensified planning for a possible major air attack. Current and former American military and intelligence officials said that Air Force planning groups are drawing up lists of targets, and teams of American combat troops have been ordered into Iran, under cover, to collect targeting data and to establish contact with anti-government ethnic-minority groups.

One former defense official, who still deals with sensitive issues for the Bush Administration, told me that the military planning was premised on a belief that “a sustained bombing campaign in Iran will humiliate the religious leadership and lead the public to rise up and overthrow the government.” He added, “I was shocked when I heard it, and asked myself, ‘What are they smoking?’ ”

A senior Pentagon adviser on the war on terror expressed a similar view. “This White House believes that the only way to solve the problem is to change the power structure in Iran, and that means war,” he said.

Some operations, apparently aimed in part at intimidating Iran, are already under way. American Naval tactical aircraft, operating from carriers in the Arabian Sea, have been flying simulated nuclear-weapons delivery missions—rapid ascending maneuvers known as “over the shoulder” bombing—since last summer, the former official said, within range of Iranian coastal radars.

The attention given to the nuclear option has created serious misgivings inside the offices of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he added, and some officers have talked about resigning. Late this winter, the Joint Chiefs of Staff sought to remove the nuclear option from the evolving war plans for Iran—without success, the former intelligence official said. “The White House said, ‘Why are you challenging this? The option came from you.’ ”

The Europeans are rattled, however, by their growing perception that President Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney believe a bombing campaign will be needed, and that their real goal is regime change. “Everyone is on the same page about the Iranian bomb, but the United States wants regime change,” a European diplomatic adviser told me.
Michel Samaha, a veteran Lebanese Christian politician and former cabinet minister in Beirut, told me that the Iranian retaliation might be focussed on exposed oil and gas fields in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. “They would be at risk,” he said, “and this could begin the real jihad of Iran versus the West. You will have a messy world.”

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Comments (6 of 6)

Brzezinski speaks out against the Iran attack plan

by Terence

Sat Apr 29, 2006 02:22

The former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski has spoken out strongly against the current lunatic plan to attack Iran. Brzezinski, who served under Carter and has been part of the establishment higher echelons for a long time is no dove for he is credited with drawing the Soviets into Afghanistan to give what Brzezinski famously said -'the Soviets their own Vietnam'.

Brzezinski is very much part of big Capital. His concern about the attack would not be about the humane side of it, but more about his strategic concerns and how it would make things even more difficult as evidenced by his comments quoted here:

2. Likely Iranian reactions would significantly compound ongoing U.S. difficulties in Iraq and in Afghanistan, perhaps precipitate new violence by Hezbollah in Lebanon, and in all probability cause the United States to become bogged down in regional violence for a decade or more to come. Iran is a country of some 70 million people and a conflict with it would make the misadventure in Iraq look trivial.

3. Oil prices would climb steeply, especially if the Iranians cut their production and seek to disrupt the flow of oil from the nearby Saudi oil fields. The world economy would be severely impacted, with America blamed for it. Note that oil prices have already shot above $70 per barrel, in part because of fears of a U.S./Iran clash.

As he points out, Iran has only enriched a minute amount of Uranium, just a few grams. To make a bomb they would need 10 or 20 kilos which would take a long time and even then there would still be much to do. Here is how he opens his Op Ed piece:

Iran's announcement that it has enriched a minute amount of uranium has unleashed urgent calls for a preventive U.S. air strike by the same sources that earlier urged war on Iraq.

If there is another terrorist attack in the United States, you can bet your bottom dollar that there will be also immediate charges that Iran was responsible in order to generate public hysteria in favor of military action.

But there are four compelling reasons against a preventive air attack on Iranian nuclear facilities....

You can find the full editorial opinion piece at the URL below. It's worth acquainting yourself with this guy.

The Great Satan

by Barry - 32csm

Sun Apr 30, 2006 05:24

The US empire is being led by crazy people . And like every empire before it it will crash and burn in flames . Maybe good advic for workers , oppressed people and the like would be stock up with guns and stuff and be ready to rise from the ashes of its defeat . Because it surely will be defeated and tear itself apart . Nothing surer . Nero was an arrogant powerful and cowardly man riven with personal neuroses and full of hate - just like Americas rulers today . It will fall and bring the parasite regimes which clin to it crashimg down too .
Fair play to Iran for standin up to it . They have the right attitude completely .

Fuck Iran

by Mr. T.

Mon May 01, 2006 00:38

Fair play to Iran? For what - for threatening to deply nukes? Fuck that - standing up to the US shouldn't put the very existance of the planet in jeapardy. Trusting Iran with nukes is as intelligent as trusting a blind drunk to drive a car.

It's sickening to read so many so called leftists and progressives applaud Iran - a belligerent, backwards theocracy that would be extinct were it not for their oil reserves. Reminds one of the so called leftists and anarchists who supported Hitler before he invaded Poland.

it's none of their business....

by blaise

Tue May 02, 2006 04:04

Iran has as much right to a nuclear arsenal as the United States or Israel or the United States of Israel has to such weaponry. The branding of the leaders of Iran as crazy - as crazy as who - as Bush - as Sharon or Netanyahua? I am tired of this branding of Islamic leaders as crazy. The best thing the United States could do is ignore the soap box rhethoric of the Iranian leader, but Ahmadinejad can ill afford to ignore the wild grandstanding of the American president, because as we all know, Bush, as he did with Iraq, is more than capable of making a terrible mistake. The deposing of Sadam Hussain was actually a large mistake which has tumbled that country into chaos. A secular country, which it was, is now highly sectarian, its infrastructure destroyed, open sewers everywhere, and no sign of a remedy on the horizon. Rumsfield will go down in history along with Tommy Franks as two of the worst battle leaders ever. Cheney has deceipt and greed written all over him with his contractual arrangments to rebuild a country which he assisted in destroying. The Americans are intent on erasing ancient history because theirs is so young and I believe it's plain jealousy which fires their destructive engine. Have you ever heard the typical American soldier in the streets of Iraq. They generally have no sense of history, of where they are, or who Iraquis are. Do they realize that the sector they are propping us are in league with the Iranian leaders who they are told are crazy.

Not news not info

by Noel

Tue May 02, 2006 17:00

Have you ever heard the typical American soldier in the streets of Iraq. They generally have no sense of history, of where they are, or who Iraquis are.

Got a link for that?

Mr T

by pat c

Tue May 02, 2006 19:30

You shouldnt take wikipedia seriously for either historical or political research. so mussolini was a former socialist, thats not news. many fascisti were former conservatives or recruited from lumpen elements the same is true for germany. you will find very few on indymedia that support stalin or his pact with hitler. a few do but they have no support or credibility.

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Seymour Hersch reveals a major US air attack, including nuclear weaponry, is being planned for Iran.

Comments (6 of 6)