Friday, September 12, 2008

U.S. CLOSER TO BLOCKADING IRAN

"The United States government has imposed new sanctions on Iran, this time targeting its shipping industry, by blacklisting the main shipping line and 18 subsidiaries, accusing the maritime carrier of being engaged in contraband nuclear material... (Sanctions could be) a prelude for more serious and dangerous actions in the near future... the interdiction of Iranian ships on the high seas and even incremental steps toward imposing a regime of "smart blockade" aimed at denying Iran access to badly needed imported fuel... the US might seek to seize Russian nuclear goods bound for Iran, thus raising the ire of Moscow and using this as a payback for Russia's offensive in pro-West Georgia..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JI13Ak01.html

Thursday, September 11, 2008

U.S. STRIKE FORCES GATHER IN MID EAST, IRAN PRACTICES DEFENSE

"... the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier headed out to the Mediterranean for missions “in support of maritime security.” Its arrival will bring the number of US aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean, Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea to four... .The Roosevelt will be followed by its strike force, which includes the guided missile cruiser Monterey , the guided missile destroyers Mason and Nitze , with 7,300 sailors and marines aboard, and the attack submarine Springfield... the USS Ronald Reagan carrier and its strike group began engaging in assault and support missions for US and NATO forces in Afghanistan... The Iwo Jima carrier group, whose decks carry 6,000 sailors, air crews and marines, supports the US Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean and Fifth Fleet in the Gulf with a massive amphibious capability.The USS San Antonio amphibious transport dock ship is the first vessel of its class to be deployed in the region as a platform for supporting Marine movements and operations ashore. The USS Peleliu carrier patrols the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. It is escorted by vessels carrying a large Marine contingent... (Meanwhile) Iran launched a three-day naval-air-missile exercise to practice defense tactics for its nuclear sites."
--DEBKAfile (Israel), September 10, 200
http://www.debka.com/index1.php
AL-QAEDA AND McCAIN AGAINST IRAN

"... Seven years after 9/11... al-Qaeda remains the golden motive that justifies the Bush administration threatening, invading, bombing or occupying Muslim countries. But, in fact, al-Qaeda's top strategic enemy nowadays, in a battle to seduce Muslim hearts and minds, are Shi'ites - be it Tehran or Hezbollah - and not the US. Similarities are eerie. Iran is part of Bush's "axis of evil" as well as al-Qaeda's "axis of evil". The US tries very hard to pit Sunnis against Shi'ites all over the Middle East while al-Qaeda also incites a war between Sunnis and Shi'ites.... al-Qaeda - fundamentalist Saudi Wahhabis - want a "long war" as much as the Bush administration and its extension, Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JI12Ak02.html
IRAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM STILL STOPPED

"... The NIE of November 2007 stated that, contrary to what President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney had been saying throughout 2007, the nuclear weapons-related portion of Iran's nuclear program had been stopped in the fall of 2003, and as of mid-2007 had probably not been restarted... The relevant NIE key judgment reads: "We assess with moderate confidence Tehran has not restarted its nuclear weapons program as of mid-2007"... Thomas Fingar, the U.S. government's top intelligence analyst, in a public speech on Sept. 4, repeated the intelligence community's key judgment that Iran's work on the "weaponization portion" of its nuclear development program "was suspended" in 2003."
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/09/11-4

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

DUTCH: U.S. ATTACK ON IRAN IMMINENT

"... the Dutch intelligence agency recently recalled operatives from Iran in response to information that a United States attack on the Islamic Republic is "imminent"... targets of the impending American bombing campaign include facilities infiltrated by one of the Dutch agents... Iranian nuclear plants, military installations, missile supply lines and the like are expected to be targeted by unmanned bombers... American naval vessels are making their way towards the Persian Gulf in... preparation for a maritime blockade of Iranian fuel supplies..."
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/127444