Tensions with Iran: A Calculated Campaign

The news broke today that Iran tested several missiles capable of reaching Tel Aviv and has threatened to retaliate on both Israel and US warships in case it is attacked by either the US or Israel over its nuclear program. While there is no doubt that Ahmeninajad's regime is a dangerous one, it is equally clear that the Bush administration has done everything in its power to antagonize the regime even further and make any diplomatic solution almost impossible.

If anyone doubts Bush's hostile intentions towards Iran, they should read Seymour Hersh's new piece in the New Yorker on the activities of the US Special Forces in Iran that have been going on since September 11, 2001. According to Hersh's anonymous sources (and we all know that the man's credibility is impeccable when it comes to his sources), the Bush administration--and particularly, Vice President's office--has been overseeing a massive effort of sending Special Ops and CIA operatives into Iran to kidnap and often murder members of the Revolutionary Guard and even commit attacks on the infrastructure. The Iranian news have been reporting an increase in incidents in the southern part of the country. While it is difficult to confirm the extent to which the Special Ops have been involved, it is hard not to draw the link between the Special Op activities in the same area and the increase in the number of violent attacks. Moreover, according to the author's sources within the Pentagon, the President himself has authorized the use of these forces through one of the most highly classified documents known as Presidential Finding, which is shared with only 8 members of Congress known as the Gang of 8, but who don't really have the power of oversight over the operations due to the extremely sensitive nature of Presidential Finding. The authorization also includes massive funding of Sunni extremist elements within Iran, such as the Baluchi Sunni fundamentalists who have engaged in violent attacks against the Iranian state, including beheadings, in their goal of setting up an Islamic Sunni state. To illustrate just how radical and anti-West these elements are, Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, one of the architects of September 11 attacks, is a Baluchi fundamentalist. And what does the Bush administration do? Of course, funds them.

The Special Ops and CIA campaign inside of Iran has apparently gotten so out of control that even some high-level military people are speaking out. One of them is Admiral Fullon, a former head of the CENTCOM and currently the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff who was recently removed from CENTCOM due to his supposed criticism of Cheney's policies. Apparently, Cheney is intent on stirring things up before an Obama administration can take things on a more conciliatory course. Bush and Cheney have removed these operations out of the usual chain of command within the military causing considerable friction between the Vice President's Office and the uniformed military with the latter being furious over the influence of the civilians within the administration (read: Cheney's office) over military operations.

Given the disturbing nature of this administration, I really would not be surprised if there was a war with Iran before the election. If you are worried about this administration think of what a McCain administration would do in this situation. Led by the man who got physical with a diplomat in Nicaragua, called for anti-Vietnam protesters to be shot, and who has on more than one occasion joked about bombing Iran (singing, "bomb bomb, bomb, bomb Iran..."), a McCain administration would potentially be worse than Bush's. Just today McCain smirked in his usual awkward manner when asked about Obama's proposal to have direct diplomacy with Iran.

Yeah, what is Obama thinking wanting to avert a major war with nuclear ramifications? Is it me, or have the Republicans totally lost their collective mind?