Comments on: If There Was Any Doubt about Where the Pentagon Stands on Iran http://www.lobelog.com/if-there-was-any-doubt-about-where-the-pentagon-stands-on-iran/ Personality Blogs Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:25:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: TutuG http://www.lobelog.com/if-there-was-any-doubt-about-where-the-pentagon-stands-on-iran/comment-page-1/#comment-18679 TutuG Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:44:05 +0000 http://www.ips.org/blog/jimlobe/?p=165#comment-18679 I tend to agree with Robert. It does not matter what the Pentagon thinks. The Bush, Cheney, Neo-con and Israel lobby knows very well that it is the invasion that is the most important move. Once the US troupes are committed, no matter what ever the American, budget, trade, manpower and moral deficit, no future administration would dare to pull out of Iran. Can you not see Barak Obama already changing his tune over the US troop withdrawal from Iraq? Do not just start celebrating over what Pentagon or CIA say. They have learnt from Iraq and are no longer willing to carry the can when things go belly up again. I tend to agree with Robert. It does not matter what the Pentagon thinks. The Bush, Cheney, Neo-con and Israel lobby knows very well that it is the invasion that is the most important move. Once the US troupes are committed, no matter what ever the American, budget, trade, manpower and moral deficit, no future administration would dare to pull out of Iran. Can you not see Barak Obama already changing his tune over the US troop withdrawal from Iraq? Do not just start celebrating over what Pentagon or CIA say. They have learnt from Iraq and are no longer willing to carry the can when things go belly up again.

]]> By: Robert http://www.lobelog.com/if-there-was-any-doubt-about-where-the-pentagon-stands-on-iran/comment-page-1/#comment-18678 Robert Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:09:02 +0000 http://www.ips.org/blog/jimlobe/?p=165#comment-18678 Good to hear from Admiral Mullen that war is currently not on the Pentagon's agenda, but his speech is full of the official U.S. view of Iran, about which I never cease to be amazed. It's as if rational thought is suspended when they look at the Middle East. So many times they appear suprised by developments, which, with the application of a modicum of common sense at the outset should have been fairly obvious. They pushed for elections in Gaza and the West Bank, where Hamas was always going to do well( Palestinians knew them as the party who helped with social programmes at a local level, and were not seen as corrupt). But their victory came as a surprise to the U.S. and they had no plan to deal with it, except threats. Iran is not a destabilising influence on the region, it's not in their interests to be. It would be like wanting to live in a street where every house around you is full of dysfunctional families. They have been trying to engage in dialogue for years and rejoin the international community but are continually rebuffed at the behest of the U.S. Hezbollah and Hamas are the products of aggression (both actual and perceived) by Israel on Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories. Both parties enjoy widespread support within their own communities. Also they do not look to export their activities away from their area of grievance - Israel. So although it's good to hear Admiral Mullen's words, things are unlikely to move forward until there is a fundimental shift in U.S. thinking. Good to hear from Admiral Mullen that war is currently not on the Pentagon’s agenda, but his speech is full of the official U.S. view of Iran, about which I never cease to be amazed.
It’s as if rational thought is suspended when they look at the Middle East. So many times they appear suprised by developments, which, with the application of a modicum of common sense at the outset should have been fairly obvious. They pushed for elections in Gaza and the West Bank, where Hamas was always going to do well( Palestinians knew them as the party who helped with social programmes at a local level, and were not seen as corrupt). But their victory came as a surprise to the U.S. and they had no plan to deal with it, except threats.
Iran is not a destabilising influence on the region, it’s not in their interests to be. It would be like wanting to live in a street where every house around you is full of dysfunctional families.
They have been trying to engage in dialogue for years and rejoin the international community but are continually rebuffed at the behest of the U.S.
Hezbollah and Hamas are the products of aggression (both actual and perceived) by Israel on Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories. Both parties enjoy widespread support within their own communities. Also they do not look to export their activities away from their area of grievance – Israel.
So although it’s good to hear Admiral Mullen’s words, things are unlikely to move forward until there is a fundimental shift in U.S. thinking.

]]> By: JHSibal http://www.lobelog.com/if-there-was-any-doubt-about-where-the-pentagon-stands-on-iran/comment-page-1/#comment-18463 JHSibal Sat, 05 Jul 2008 18:29:53 +0000 http://www.ips.org/blog/jimlobe/?p=165#comment-18463 Although it should never been assumed that those in a position of responsibility, act responsibly, General Mullen has. However, he is not "the decision maker" and we are not safe yet. Given the irrationality and suspicious incidents of the last seven years, anything remains possible. Messianic fantasies are still quite possible. Few seem aware or interested in history. The Israelis are crazy and have forged something of state for only sixty years and only with enormous outside help. They have managed to transform the greatest moral commitment of the 20th century into puerile atavistic national sophistry managing Bantustans. The Iranian civilization has existed for six millennia and has done very well managing its own world. Equally crazy, but in quite a different way, they have embarked on their own fantasy but one which for all purposes, is internal. One is based on paranoia, external control and expansion. The other is based on and lost in the abyss of idealistic catharism. The only rational course for the US is to leave both alone as much as possible. Although it should never been assumed that those in a position of responsibility, act responsibly, General Mullen has. However, he is not “the decision maker” and we are not safe yet.

Given the irrationality and suspicious incidents of the last seven years, anything remains possible. Messianic fantasies are still quite possible.

Few seem aware or interested in history. The Israelis are crazy and have forged something of state for only sixty years and only with enormous outside help. They have managed to transform the greatest moral commitment of the 20th century into puerile atavistic national sophistry managing Bantustans.

The Iranian civilization has existed for six millennia and has done very well managing its own world. Equally crazy, but in quite a different way, they have embarked on their own fantasy but one which for all purposes, is internal.

One is based on paranoia, external control and expansion. The other is based on and lost in the abyss of idealistic catharism.

The only rational course for the US is to leave both alone as much as possible.

]]> By: BRUCE TYLER WICK http://www.lobelog.com/if-there-was-any-doubt-about-where-the-pentagon-stands-on-iran/comment-page-1/#comment-18347 BRUCE TYLER WICK Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:26:27 +0000 http://www.ips.org/blog/jimlobe/?p=165#comment-18347 I’m hopeful that when last year, Bush/Cheney gained and then lost control of a few nukes of their own; they lost as well their ability to start another WAR unilaterally. I’m hopeful that when last year, Bush/Cheney gained and then lost control of a few nukes of their own; they lost as well their ability to start another WAR unilaterally.

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