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Thread: Stoking the Coals?

  1. #1

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    Default Stoking the Coals?

    Stratfor says much the same thing. Although lamestream media isn't talking about it much, this bears watching.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...271269390.html


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  3. #2

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    Default Re: Stoking the Coals?

    Here here, it's about time we "didn't" do anything in the middle east.
    Retired, 55G/15C/15S/15I (Paper Trading)_ BLOG: Stats for March, Stats for Q1, 2024 Stats

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  5. #3

    Default Re: Stoking the Coals?

    Quote Originally Posted by JTH View Post
    Here here, it's about time we "didn't" do anything in the middle east.
    But according to the article below..we are doing something..by proxy
    A wise man speaks when he has something to say...A FOOL speaks when he just has to say something

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    Default Re: Stoking the Coals?

    Quote Originally Posted by JTH View Post
    Here here, it's about time we "didn't" do anything in the middle east.
    I can understand that sentiment. But we may not like the after effects in a worse case scenario.

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    Default Re: Stoking the Coals?

    I'm getting intel from stratfor that says the Iranian nuclear issue is more volatile than mainstream media is reporting. This situation has not gone away. The leaks of the past few days send a message that things may be moving much faster than previously thought, putting our administration in a tough spot between Iran, Israel, and Russia.

    In essence:

    The New York Times reported that the IAEA had a secret report claiming that the Iranians had accumulated all of the data needed to build an atomic bomb. The report also stated that U.S. intelligence is now re-examining the National Intelligence Estimate that deemed Iran was not actively working on a nuclear weapon.

    It appear the leak to the New York Times did not come from the White House, which means that a battle is starting over the intelligence analysis of Iran’s nuclear capability. Whoever wins that battle defines the parameters of U.S. policy toward Iran.

    If these leaks are confirmed, it would deepen the crisis.

    The London Times also reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s not-particularly-secret visit to Moscow was undertaken to deliver a list of Russian scientists and engineers who were working with Iran on a nuclear weapons program. If true, this would move that collaboration to a pretty extreme point.

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  11. #6

    Default Re: Stoking the Coals?

    The question might also be: "'What makes the Iranians feel so threatened that they would feel it necessary to need nuclear weapons?" The answer isn't really that complex. They have troops on both their borders. Truly, we are gradually leaving Iraq, but let's not forget that the Iranians had fought a long and bitter war with the Iraqis for many years.

    I think that the best answer is to pursue diplomatic means at this stage. The current administration has a tough row to hoe on this one, as they've inherited the almost unilateral attack on a neighboring foreign country, plus 8 years of failure in Afghanistan and Iraq. It's cost us tremendously on the diplomatic arena.

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    Default Re: Stoking the Coals?

    Quote Originally Posted by phil View Post
    The question might also be: "'What makes the Iranians feel so threatened that they would feel it necessary to need nuclear weapons?" The answer isn't really that complex. They have troops on both their borders. Truly, we are gradually leaving Iraq, but let's not forget that the Iranians had fought a long and bitter war with the Iraqis for many years.

    I think that the best answer is to pursue diplomatic means at this stage. The current administration has a tough row to hoe on this one, as they've inherited the almost unilateral attack on a neighboring foreign country, plus 8 years of failure in Afghanistan and Iraq. It's cost us tremendously on the diplomatic arena.
    phil, I'm only calling attention to events that are out of our control. The Iranians would seek these weapons anyway based on religious zealotry against Israel. Diplomacy at this point is probably not going to appease either Iran or Israel. Sometimes the end result is something history tells us is all too common in situations like this.

    This situation has been long in making, decades before the events of the past 8 years.

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    Default Re: Stoking the Coals?

    Quote Originally Posted by phil View Post
    ... I think that the best answer is to pursue diplomatic means at this stage. Afghanistan and Iraq... cost us tremendously on the diplomatic arena.
    We have no other choice but diplomacy at this exact moment. Our armed forces are a might stretched already, don't cha think?


    Govexec.com ran an article last week that pretty much lays it out- everything we've got, is either already deployed, on it's way to being deployed, or just got back from being deployed, and needs time to recover.
    http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1009/100109kp1.htm

    There once was a time when we had the Armed Forces to fight on two major fronts at once. Then we downsized-- it was on major front, and one "holding action". Then we downsized again and it was two minor conflicts both at once, but not both at full strength (can you say Iraq and Afghanistan simultaniously).

    Anybody who thinks we can do anything other than a quick lightning-style airstrike to deal with Iran is kidding themselves, and that wouldn't go over very well in the rest of the world. If we were to do that, just about everybody would be up in arms, including pulling their support in our other missions, leaving us twisting out there.

    It simply isn't a pretty picture.

    Now, if only we can get China and Russia to help with Iranian pressure, we might be able to make some progress......


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    Default Re: Stoking the Coals?


    Thank goodness neither Saxby Chambliss nor Phil Graham have their fingers on the button.

    If we were to light up Iran right now, it would not be a pretty picture.

    http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/...-dont-remember

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    Default Re: Stoking the Coals?

    Quote Originally Posted by James48843 View Post
    We have no other choice but diplomacy at this exact moment. Our armed forces are a might stretched already, don't cha think?


    Govexec.com ran an article last week that pretty much lays it out- everything we've got, is either already deployed, on it's way to being deployed, or just got back from being deployed, and needs time to recover.
    http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1009/100109kp1.htm

    There once was a time when we had the Armed Forces to fight on two major fronts at once. Then we downsized-- it was on major front, and one "holding action". Then we downsized again and it was two minor conflicts both at once, but not both at full strength (can you say Iraq and Afghanistan simultaniously).

    Anybody who thinks we can do anything other than a quick lightning-style airstrike to deal with Iran is kidding themselves, and that wouldn't go over very well in the rest of the world. If we were to do that, just about everybody would be up in arms, including pulling their support in our other missions, leaving us twisting out there.

    It simply isn't a pretty picture.

    Now, if only we can get China and Russia to help with Iranian pressure, we might be able to make some progress......
    The wild card is Israel. They are the ones who feel threatened and can force our hand whether we are ready or not. You are correct. It is not a pretty picture. Russia will not help us unless we give up a lot of concessions with respect to their geopolitical periphery. This is a chess game on a grand scale. This situation is beyond delicate.

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  23. #12

    Default Re: Stoking the Coals?

    Whoa. I'm not on the attack. I'm also just stating the obvious. We can't think to act unilaterally in this situation. We can't even think to attack at all, though I note that it hasn't been discounted.


    An Iran with a nuclear arsenal bothers a lot of people in the region. However, their reasons for having these weapons stem from their own paranoia......which they have in spades.

    An interesting story is what happened when we changed their government, meddled in their internal affairs. The one thing that I remembered was the real fear people felt in the intelligence establishment. Someone said....."it scared me, it was just too easy to do".

    The Iranians have a real axe to grind with us.

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