Tuesday, February 27, 2007

War Watch

Seymour Hersh reports on planning to bomb Iran

Reuters (2/25/07) reports that “Despite the Bush administration's insistence it has no plans to go to war with Iran, a Pentagon panel has been created to plan a bombing attack that could be implemented within 24 hours of getting the go-ahead from President George W. Bush, The New Yorker magazine reported in its latest issue.”

Click here to read Hersh’s article.


Dissension in the (Highest) Ranks?

The Sunday Times of London (2/25/07) reports that “Some of America’s most senior military commanders are prepared to resign if the White House orders a military strike against Iran, according to highly placed defence and intelligence sources.

“Tension in the Gulf region has raised fears that an attack on Iran is becoming increasingly likely before President George Bush leaves office. The Sunday Times has learnt that up to five generals and admirals are willing to resign rather than approve what they consider would be a reckless attack.”

Click here to read the full story.


How Good Is US Intelligence on Iran? Not Very.

The San Francisco Chronicle (2/25/07) reports from Vienna that “Despite growing international concern about Iran's nuclear program and its regional ambitions, most U.S. intelligence shared with the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency has proved inaccurate, and none has led to significant discoveries inside Iran, diplomats here said.

“The officials said the CIA and other Western spy services have provided sensitive information to the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency at least since 2002, when Iran's long-secret nuclear program was exposed. But none of the tips about supposed secret weapons sites provided clear evidence that the Islamic republic is developing illicit weapons.”

Read the Chronicle’s full report here.


Hans Blix: Will the US Attack Iraq?

“In the case of North Korea the US seems able to sit down for talks without demanding that the production of plutonium be stopped prior to the talks and even to indicate that an agreement could comprise the opening of diplomatic relations and guarantees against attacks in return for denuclearization … Why not in Iran, too?”

Hans Blix is the former Foreign Minister of Sweden and former head of the UN’s weapons inspection team in Iraq. Click here to read his essay of Feb. 19 at MaximNews.com.

-- Posted by Barnett Axelrad

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