PRESIDENTS LINKED TO GOD AND SATAN
"President Mahmud Ahmadinejad is trying to shore up his conservative base by portraying himself as a man with a direct link to God... "I have a connection to God - if we stay faithful, God will show us his miracle," Ahmadinejad said at a mosque in Tehran. He also lashed out at President George W Bush, saying the US president "also receives inspiration but from Satan".
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HJ28Ak03.html
Saturday, October 28, 2006
U.S. NAVY ON ALERT IN PERSIAN GULF
Q: Do you have anything on the heightened state of alert in the Persian Gulf with U.S. Naval forces?
MR. SNOW: Let me put it this way, there have been -- there have been some reports that maybe there's some Saudi facilities that are under watch. As you know, we don't talk about specific operations, but let me put it this way: We have vigorous and ongoing counter-terrorism operations with the Saudis, and if they seek our help and request our help, we'll be certainly happy to provide it.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061027-1.html
Q: Do you have anything on the heightened state of alert in the Persian Gulf with U.S. Naval forces?
MR. SNOW: Let me put it this way, there have been -- there have been some reports that maybe there's some Saudi facilities that are under watch. As you know, we don't talk about specific operations, but let me put it this way: We have vigorous and ongoing counter-terrorism operations with the Saudis, and if they seek our help and request our help, we'll be certainly happy to provide it.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061027-1.html
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
IRAN CONDEMNS U.S. GULF EXERCISES
"... the US is to hold naval exercises at the end of October... (to) practise intercepting and searching ships carrying weapons of mass destruction and missiles... Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted an unnamed foreign ministry official as describing the military manoeuvres as "dangerous and suspicious... aimed at fomenting crises"... The manoeuvres come as America is pushing for tough UN sanctions on Iran... it is not yet clear whether the UN would authorise the searching of ships heading to Iran."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6080204.stm
"... the US is to hold naval exercises at the end of October... (to) practise intercepting and searching ships carrying weapons of mass destruction and missiles... Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted an unnamed foreign ministry official as describing the military manoeuvres as "dangerous and suspicious... aimed at fomenting crises"... The manoeuvres come as America is pushing for tough UN sanctions on Iran... it is not yet clear whether the UN would authorise the searching of ships heading to Iran."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6080204.stm
PUBLIC UNAWARE OF IRAN WAR PLANS
"... government insiders are aware of serious plans for war with Iran, but Congress and the public remain largely in the dark..."
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1025-20.htm
"... government insiders are aware of serious plans for war with Iran, but Congress and the public remain largely in the dark..."
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1025-20.htm
Monday, October 23, 2006
BLUFF CAN LEAD TO WAR
"... No doubt the three US carrier groups stand off the Iranian coast in the hope of frightening Iran into nuclear compliance, not with orders to attack. Intentions are not always the best predictor of outcomes, however. Daggers drawn tend to draw blood..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HJ24Ak01.html
"... No doubt the three US carrier groups stand off the Iranian coast in the hope of frightening Iran into nuclear compliance, not with orders to attack. Intentions are not always the best predictor of outcomes, however. Daggers drawn tend to draw blood..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HJ24Ak01.html
Monday, October 16, 2006
UNECCESSARY FUSS ABOUT STRIKE GROUPS
"Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad... dismissed talk about possible war breaking out over the nuclear issue as nonsense, saying some people were making an unnecessary fuss about US naval ships reportedly sailing towards the region.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6055834.stm
"Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad... dismissed talk about possible war breaking out over the nuclear issue as nonsense, saying some people were making an unnecessary fuss about US naval ships reportedly sailing towards the region.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6055834.stm
Sunday, October 15, 2006
THREE U.S. STRIKE GROUPS DEPLOYING TO IRAN
USS ENTERPRISE STRIKE GROUP
"... The U.S.S. Enterprise a U.S. Navy flagship is under deployment to the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. This includes all the warships and vessels that compose Carrier Strike Group 12 (CSG 12) Destroyer Squadron 2 (DESRON 2), and Carrier Air Wing 1 (CVW 1). The stated objective for the deployment of the U.S.S. Enterprise, a nuclear powered aircraft carrier, and other U.S. Navy vessels is to conduct naval security operations and aerial missions in the region. The deployment does not mention Iran, it is said to be part of the U.S.-led “War on Terror” under “Operation Enduring Freedom.” Other warships in the Enterprise Strike Group include the destroyer U.S.S. McFaul, the war frigate U.S.S. Nicholas, the battle cruiser U.S.S. Leyte Gulf, the attack submarine U.S.S. Alexandria, and the “fast combat support ship” U.S.N.S. Supply.The U.S.S. Enterprise carries with it a host of infiltration, aerial attack, and rapid deployment units. This includes Marine Strike Fighter Squadron 251, Electronic Attack Squadron 137, and Airborne Early Warning Squadron 123. Squadron 123 will be vital in the event of a war with Iran in detecting Iranian missiles and sending warnings of danger to the U.S. fleet. Special mention should be made of the helicopter squadron specialized for combating submarines traveling with the strike group. “Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 11” will be on board the U.S.S. Enterprise. The Persian Gulf is known to be the home of the Iranian submarine fleet, the only indigenous submarine fleet in the region..."
USS EISENHOWER STRIKE GROUP
"... The Eisenhower Strike Group, based in Norfolk, Virginia, has also received orders to deploy to the Middle East. The strike group is led by the U.S.S. Eisenhower, another nuclear battleship. It includes a cruiser, a destroyer, a war frigate, a submarine escort, and U.S. Navy supply ships. One of these two naval strike groups (Enterprise or Eisenhower) will position itself in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea while the other naval strike group will position itself in the Persian Gulf, both off the Iranian coast..."
USS BOXER STRIKE GROUP
"... Another assault or strike group of U.S. warships, “Expeditionary Strike Group 5,” are setting off to sea too. This strike group is setting sail from Naval Station San Diego with the Persian Gulf in the Middle East as their final destination. Over 6,000 U.S. Marines and Navy personnel will be deployed to the Persian Gulf and Anglo-American occupied Iraq from San Diego.4 Approximately 4,000 U.S. sailors and 2,200 U.S. Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Pendleton will make the bulk of the force.... Expeditionary Strike Group 5 (ESG 5) is being led by the assault ship the U.S.S. Boxer as the flagship. Expeditionary Strike Group 5 (ESG 5) will also consist of the U.S.S. Dubuque, a “dock landing vessel,” the naval transport ship the U.S.S. Comstock, the battle cruiser the U.S.S. Bunker Hill, the guided-missile hauling destroyer the U.S.S. Benfold, and the guided-missile hauling destroyer the U.S.S. Howard. Once again, these vessels will all be deployed in the Persian Gulf, in nearby proximity to the Iranian coast..."
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=NAZ20061001&articleId=3361
USS ENTERPRISE STRIKE GROUP
"... The U.S.S. Enterprise a U.S. Navy flagship is under deployment to the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. This includes all the warships and vessels that compose Carrier Strike Group 12 (CSG 12) Destroyer Squadron 2 (DESRON 2), and Carrier Air Wing 1 (CVW 1). The stated objective for the deployment of the U.S.S. Enterprise, a nuclear powered aircraft carrier, and other U.S. Navy vessels is to conduct naval security operations and aerial missions in the region. The deployment does not mention Iran, it is said to be part of the U.S.-led “War on Terror” under “Operation Enduring Freedom.” Other warships in the Enterprise Strike Group include the destroyer U.S.S. McFaul, the war frigate U.S.S. Nicholas, the battle cruiser U.S.S. Leyte Gulf, the attack submarine U.S.S. Alexandria, and the “fast combat support ship” U.S.N.S. Supply.The U.S.S. Enterprise carries with it a host of infiltration, aerial attack, and rapid deployment units. This includes Marine Strike Fighter Squadron 251, Electronic Attack Squadron 137, and Airborne Early Warning Squadron 123. Squadron 123 will be vital in the event of a war with Iran in detecting Iranian missiles and sending warnings of danger to the U.S. fleet. Special mention should be made of the helicopter squadron specialized for combating submarines traveling with the strike group. “Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 11” will be on board the U.S.S. Enterprise. The Persian Gulf is known to be the home of the Iranian submarine fleet, the only indigenous submarine fleet in the region..."
USS EISENHOWER STRIKE GROUP
"... The Eisenhower Strike Group, based in Norfolk, Virginia, has also received orders to deploy to the Middle East. The strike group is led by the U.S.S. Eisenhower, another nuclear battleship. It includes a cruiser, a destroyer, a war frigate, a submarine escort, and U.S. Navy supply ships. One of these two naval strike groups (Enterprise or Eisenhower) will position itself in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea while the other naval strike group will position itself in the Persian Gulf, both off the Iranian coast..."
USS BOXER STRIKE GROUP
"... Another assault or strike group of U.S. warships, “Expeditionary Strike Group 5,” are setting off to sea too. This strike group is setting sail from Naval Station San Diego with the Persian Gulf in the Middle East as their final destination. Over 6,000 U.S. Marines and Navy personnel will be deployed to the Persian Gulf and Anglo-American occupied Iraq from San Diego.4 Approximately 4,000 U.S. sailors and 2,200 U.S. Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Pendleton will make the bulk of the force.... Expeditionary Strike Group 5 (ESG 5) is being led by the assault ship the U.S.S. Boxer as the flagship. Expeditionary Strike Group 5 (ESG 5) will also consist of the U.S.S. Dubuque, a “dock landing vessel,” the naval transport ship the U.S.S. Comstock, the battle cruiser the U.S.S. Bunker Hill, the guided-missile hauling destroyer the U.S.S. Benfold, and the guided-missile hauling destroyer the U.S.S. Howard. Once again, these vessels will all be deployed in the Persian Gulf, in nearby proximity to the Iranian coast..."
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=NAZ20061001&articleId=3361
Friday, October 13, 2006
TASK GROUPS TO BE FOR IRAN INTERDICTION EXERCISES
"... the US Navy is about to commence interdiction exercises in waters close to Iran. For all practical purposes, Iran considers this maneuver a sign of US bullying, and in case there is an actual exchange with Iranian cargo ships in the (near) future, this is sure to escalate tensions in the oil-rich region..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HJ14Ak02.html
"... the US Navy is about to commence interdiction exercises in waters close to Iran. For all practical purposes, Iran considers this maneuver a sign of US bullying, and in case there is an actual exchange with Iranian cargo ships in the (near) future, this is sure to escalate tensions in the oil-rich region..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HJ14Ak02.html
Monday, October 09, 2006
IRANIAN PRE-EMPTIVE ATTACK VIA SYRIA PREDICTED
"... Tehran is not prepared to wait passively for the Americans to build up their assault force in the Gulf and strike its nuclear facilities. A pre-emptive attack would suit them better.... Tehran and Damascus are gearing up for a pre-emptive Syrian attack on Israel to ward off a US strike on Iran’s nuclear sites.. Both are seriously looking at a Syrian attack on the Golan which would escalate into a full-blown Syrian-Israeli war and a second Hizballah assault from Lebanon... (This) would serve the purpose of forcing the Americans to divide their military assets between a strike against Iran and the defense of their allies in the Persia Gulf, Israel and US forces in Iraq..."
--DEBKAfile (Israel), Monday, October 9, 2006
http://www.debka.com/index.php
"... Tehran is not prepared to wait passively for the Americans to build up their assault force in the Gulf and strike its nuclear facilities. A pre-emptive attack would suit them better.... Tehran and Damascus are gearing up for a pre-emptive Syrian attack on Israel to ward off a US strike on Iran’s nuclear sites.. Both are seriously looking at a Syrian attack on the Golan which would escalate into a full-blown Syrian-Israeli war and a second Hizballah assault from Lebanon... (This) would serve the purpose of forcing the Americans to divide their military assets between a strike against Iran and the defense of their allies in the Persia Gulf, Israel and US forces in Iraq..."
--DEBKAfile (Israel), Monday, October 9, 2006
http://www.debka.com/index.php
PURPOSE OF THE STRIKE GROUPS
"Q: So, this means we're probably going to war?
A: Not necessarily.
Q: Really? What else could it be?
A: Oh, I don't know, preparations to enforce sanctions against Iran should they be passed?
Q: Sanctions?
A: Yeah, you know, the UN has been talking about imposing santions against Iran if they don't stop enriching uranium. And apparently there seems to be some momentum building to actually do something.
Q: Oh yeah. But why would you send a carrier battle group?
A: To impose the sanctions by denying ingress and egress to Iranian ports. Let's face it, if they can't ship oil through the Straits of Hormuz, they're out of business.
Q: So a carrier battle group could stop them from doing that?
A: Oh yeah.
Q: But I'd bet the Iranians wouldn't take it lying down, would they?
A: Probably not which is why we have tomahawk missiles. Should they attack our naval vessels, we could take out all their missile and naval sites with them.
Q: But what about the mine layers?
A: Mines are area denial weapons. Again, a good way to control ingress and egress. We can also completely bottle up their ports if necessary. It's also a good way to canalize their surface vessels and make them attack along known corridors we control. Iran has many fast attack missile boats. Ensuring we controlled the only avenues of approach would go a long way toward defeating any attacks they might mount.
Q: So this deployment probably doesn't signal an attack on Iran?
A: Nope. A single carrier group, no matter how many tomahawks it has or how hurriedly it is deployed does not mean war with anyone."
http://www.qando.net/details.aspx?Entry=4630
“... The ships will be in place to strike Iran by the end of the month. It may be a bluff. It may be a feint. It may be a simple show of American power. But I doubt it...”
-- Chris Hedges, former Middle East bureau chief for The New York Times
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/200601009_bushs_nuclear_apocalypse/
"Q: So, this means we're probably going to war?
A: Not necessarily.
Q: Really? What else could it be?
A: Oh, I don't know, preparations to enforce sanctions against Iran should they be passed?
Q: Sanctions?
A: Yeah, you know, the UN has been talking about imposing santions against Iran if they don't stop enriching uranium. And apparently there seems to be some momentum building to actually do something.
Q: Oh yeah. But why would you send a carrier battle group?
A: To impose the sanctions by denying ingress and egress to Iranian ports. Let's face it, if they can't ship oil through the Straits of Hormuz, they're out of business.
Q: So a carrier battle group could stop them from doing that?
A: Oh yeah.
Q: But I'd bet the Iranians wouldn't take it lying down, would they?
A: Probably not which is why we have tomahawk missiles. Should they attack our naval vessels, we could take out all their missile and naval sites with them.
Q: But what about the mine layers?
A: Mines are area denial weapons. Again, a good way to control ingress and egress. We can also completely bottle up their ports if necessary. It's also a good way to canalize their surface vessels and make them attack along known corridors we control. Iran has many fast attack missile boats. Ensuring we controlled the only avenues of approach would go a long way toward defeating any attacks they might mount.
Q: So this deployment probably doesn't signal an attack on Iran?
A: Nope. A single carrier group, no matter how many tomahawks it has or how hurriedly it is deployed does not mean war with anyone."
http://www.qando.net/details.aspx?Entry=4630
“... The ships will be in place to strike Iran by the end of the month. It may be a bluff. It may be a feint. It may be a simple show of American power. But I doubt it...”
-- Chris Hedges, former Middle East bureau chief for The New York Times
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/200601009_bushs_nuclear_apocalypse/
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
A SECOND STRIKE GROUP DUE OFF IRAN OCTOBER 21
(Departing fron Norfolk, with flagship USS Eisenhower, a jet carrier)
"... Bush Administration and the Pentagon have moved up the deployment of a major "strike group" of ships, including the nuclear aircraft carrier Eisenhower as well as a cruiser, destroyer, frigate, submarine escort and supply ship, to head for the Persian Gulf, just off Iran's western coast... According to Lieut. Mike Kafka, a spokesman at the headquarters of the Second Fleet, based in Norfolk, Virginia, the Eisenhower Strike Group, bristling with Tomahawk cruise missiles, has received orders to depart the United States in a little over a week. Other official sources in the public affairs office of the Navy Department at the Pentagon confirm that this powerful armada is scheduled to arrive off the coast of Iran on or around October 21...."
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061009/lindorff
(Departing fron Norfolk, with flagship USS Eisenhower, a jet carrier)
"... Bush Administration and the Pentagon have moved up the deployment of a major "strike group" of ships, including the nuclear aircraft carrier Eisenhower as well as a cruiser, destroyer, frigate, submarine escort and supply ship, to head for the Persian Gulf, just off Iran's western coast... According to Lieut. Mike Kafka, a spokesman at the headquarters of the Second Fleet, based in Norfolk, Virginia, the Eisenhower Strike Group, bristling with Tomahawk cruise missiles, has received orders to depart the United States in a little over a week. Other official sources in the public affairs office of the Navy Department at the Pentagon confirm that this powerful armada is scheduled to arrive off the coast of Iran on or around October 21...."
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061009/lindorff
Monday, October 02, 2006
OCTOBER SURPRISE? U.S. NAVAL STRIKE FORCE ENROUTE TO IRAN?
(Departing from San Deigo, with flagship USS Boxer, a helicopter carrier)
"... Another assault or strike group of U.S. warships, “Expeditionary Strike Group 5,” are setting off to sea too. This strike group is setting sail from Naval Station San Diego with the Persian Gulf in the Middle East as their final destination... The Marine contingent of the force is not destined for deployment in Iraq. It must be noted that the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit is, however, able to “rapidly deploy” on “order” using large landing craft stowed aboard the strike group’s warships. If ordered this rapid deployment unit has the strong potential of being used as part of an invasion force against Iran from the Persian Gulf. The Marine unit would be ideal in being part of an operation with the objective(s) of securing Iranian ports to create beachheads for an invasion...
"Expeditionary Strike Group 5 (ESG 5) is being led by the assault ship the U.S.S. Boxer as the flagship. Expeditionary Strike Group 5 (ESG 5) will also consist of the U.S.S. Dubuque, a “dock landing vessel,” the naval transport ship the U.S.S. Comstock, the battle cruiser the U.S.S. Bunker Hill, the guided-missile hauling destroyer the U.S.S. Benfold, and the guided-missile hauling destroyer the U.S.S. Howard. Once again, these vessels will all be deployed in the Persian Gulf, in nearby proximity to the Iranian coast...
"It is noteworthy to mention that the command and control structure of the group will be separated from the vessels for maximum flexibility. Also before the U.S. Naval strike group reaches the Persian Gulf it will be performing “anti-submarine drills and operations.” The anti-submarine exercises will take place off the coast of Hawaii, in the Pacific Ocean. This can be training and preparation intended for combating the Iranian submarine fleet in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. The warships will also be joined in Hawaii by Seattle-based U.S. Coast Guard and by a Canadian navy frigate, the H.M.C.S. Ottawa....... to participate in anti-submarine exercises off the coast of Hawaii.."
"For what purpose are these exercises being conducted? How many countries in the Middle East or Persian Gulf have submarines? Iran is the only country in the Persian Gulf, which is not an ally of the U.S., which possesses an indigenous submarine fleet....
"The U.S. Coast Guard is... (also) being prepared for operations in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. Although this is not an unusual event by itself, it can be significant in relationship to other events and military movements unfolding and taking place. The U.S. Coast Guard will be of great value in the event of a conflict with Iran. U.S. Coast Guard can “enter ports that other warships can not. This would be useful in securing bridgeheads of entry for an invasion force into Iran. The U.S. Coast Guard is also specialized in maritime search and rescue operations, unlike the U.S. Navy or the Marines. This is significant since it is predicted by military analysts that there will definitely be U.S. vessels that will be destroyed and heavily damaged in the Persian Gulf by the Iranian Armed Forces in the event of a conflict between the United States and Iran. U.S. Coast Guard will be crucial in rescue operations, besides speedy operations, protecting U.S. Navy ships, and the entry of ports or shores which other warships can not enter...."
--Article in Al Arab Online, an Arabic news site in London
http://english.alarabonline.org/display.asp?fname=2006%5C10%5C10-02%5Czopinionz%5C963.htm&dismode=x&ts=01/10/2006%2011:05:41%20ã
(Departing from San Deigo, with flagship USS Boxer, a helicopter carrier)
"... Another assault or strike group of U.S. warships, “Expeditionary Strike Group 5,” are setting off to sea too. This strike group is setting sail from Naval Station San Diego with the Persian Gulf in the Middle East as their final destination... The Marine contingent of the force is not destined for deployment in Iraq. It must be noted that the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit is, however, able to “rapidly deploy” on “order” using large landing craft stowed aboard the strike group’s warships. If ordered this rapid deployment unit has the strong potential of being used as part of an invasion force against Iran from the Persian Gulf. The Marine unit would be ideal in being part of an operation with the objective(s) of securing Iranian ports to create beachheads for an invasion...
"Expeditionary Strike Group 5 (ESG 5) is being led by the assault ship the U.S.S. Boxer as the flagship. Expeditionary Strike Group 5 (ESG 5) will also consist of the U.S.S. Dubuque, a “dock landing vessel,” the naval transport ship the U.S.S. Comstock, the battle cruiser the U.S.S. Bunker Hill, the guided-missile hauling destroyer the U.S.S. Benfold, and the guided-missile hauling destroyer the U.S.S. Howard. Once again, these vessels will all be deployed in the Persian Gulf, in nearby proximity to the Iranian coast...
"It is noteworthy to mention that the command and control structure of the group will be separated from the vessels for maximum flexibility. Also before the U.S. Naval strike group reaches the Persian Gulf it will be performing “anti-submarine drills and operations.” The anti-submarine exercises will take place off the coast of Hawaii, in the Pacific Ocean. This can be training and preparation intended for combating the Iranian submarine fleet in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. The warships will also be joined in Hawaii by Seattle-based U.S. Coast Guard and by a Canadian navy frigate, the H.M.C.S. Ottawa....... to participate in anti-submarine exercises off the coast of Hawaii.."
"For what purpose are these exercises being conducted? How many countries in the Middle East or Persian Gulf have submarines? Iran is the only country in the Persian Gulf, which is not an ally of the U.S., which possesses an indigenous submarine fleet....
"The U.S. Coast Guard is... (also) being prepared for operations in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. Although this is not an unusual event by itself, it can be significant in relationship to other events and military movements unfolding and taking place. The U.S. Coast Guard will be of great value in the event of a conflict with Iran. U.S. Coast Guard can “enter ports that other warships can not. This would be useful in securing bridgeheads of entry for an invasion force into Iran. The U.S. Coast Guard is also specialized in maritime search and rescue operations, unlike the U.S. Navy or the Marines. This is significant since it is predicted by military analysts that there will definitely be U.S. vessels that will be destroyed and heavily damaged in the Persian Gulf by the Iranian Armed Forces in the event of a conflict between the United States and Iran. U.S. Coast Guard will be crucial in rescue operations, besides speedy operations, protecting U.S. Navy ships, and the entry of ports or shores which other warships can not enter...."
--Article in Al Arab Online, an Arabic news site in London
http://english.alarabonline.org/display.asp?fname=2006%5C10%5C10-02%5Czopinionz%5C963.htm&dismode=x&ts=01/10/2006%2011:05:41%20ã
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEACE WITH IRAN
"... In the wake of the 11 September 2001 attacks... In Iran, vast crowds turned out on the streets and held candlelit vigils for the victims. Sixty-thousand spectators respected a minute's silence at Tehran's football stadium... After the Afghan war, US negotiators worked closely with Iranian counterparts to form a new Afghan government... (but) just a few weeks after Iran and the US had worked so closely over Afghanistan, Iran was described by President George W Bush as part of an "axis of evil" in his 2002 State of the Union address..."
"... in May 2003... Tehran made a dramatic... approach to the Americans... a letter... (that) appeared willing to put everything on the table - including being completely open about its nuclear programme, helping to stabilise Iraq, ending its support for Palestinian militant groups and help in disarming Hezbollah... (Iran asked for) a halt in US hostile behaviour and a statement that "Iran did not belong to 'the axis of evil'"... But in Washington, the letter was ignored..."
"... the effect of America's rejection of talks was far reaching. It would tilt the balance of power within Tehran towards the hardliners... And the balance of power between Iran and the US began to shift.... Iran's influence both in Iraq and across the Middle East grew..."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5377914.stm
"... In the wake of the 11 September 2001 attacks... In Iran, vast crowds turned out on the streets and held candlelit vigils for the victims. Sixty-thousand spectators respected a minute's silence at Tehran's football stadium... After the Afghan war, US negotiators worked closely with Iranian counterparts to form a new Afghan government... (but) just a few weeks after Iran and the US had worked so closely over Afghanistan, Iran was described by President George W Bush as part of an "axis of evil" in his 2002 State of the Union address..."
"... in May 2003... Tehran made a dramatic... approach to the Americans... a letter... (that) appeared willing to put everything on the table - including being completely open about its nuclear programme, helping to stabilise Iraq, ending its support for Palestinian militant groups and help in disarming Hezbollah... (Iran asked for) a halt in US hostile behaviour and a statement that "Iran did not belong to 'the axis of evil'"... But in Washington, the letter was ignored..."
"... the effect of America's rejection of talks was far reaching. It would tilt the balance of power within Tehran towards the hardliners... And the balance of power between Iran and the US began to shift.... Iran's influence both in Iraq and across the Middle East grew..."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5377914.stm
Sunday, September 10, 2006
IRAN WAS ON U.S. SIDE AFTER 9/11
"... after 9/11, Iranian president Mohammad Khatami condemned the terrorist attack and reached out to the West to fight terrorism together... Khatami was a moderate reformer, a popular democratically elected president who had been struggling to limit the power of Iran's reactionary religious leaders, and to open up a dialogue between the West and the Muslim world..."
"But the Bush administration was determined to treat 9/11 as a battle in the "clash of civilizations" — a clash that Khatami was trying to steer the world away from. So, despite an outpouring of sympathy from Iranians over 9/11... Washington declared Iran part of the "axis of evil" and dragged the West into a "war on terror" that involved invading Muslim countries..."
"Meanwhile, the moderate Khatami has been replaced by Iran's new hard-line president as the "clash of civilizations" heats up."
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1157838637025
"... after 9/11, Iranian president Mohammad Khatami condemned the terrorist attack and reached out to the West to fight terrorism together... Khatami was a moderate reformer, a popular democratically elected president who had been struggling to limit the power of Iran's reactionary religious leaders, and to open up a dialogue between the West and the Muslim world..."
"But the Bush administration was determined to treat 9/11 as a battle in the "clash of civilizations" — a clash that Khatami was trying to steer the world away from. So, despite an outpouring of sympathy from Iranians over 9/11... Washington declared Iran part of the "axis of evil" and dragged the West into a "war on terror" that involved invading Muslim countries..."
"Meanwhile, the moderate Khatami has been replaced by Iran's new hard-line president as the "clash of civilizations" heats up."
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1157838637025
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
BUSH ENSURES IRAN OFFER IS REJECTED, MOVES CLOSER TO GENERAL MID-EAST WAR
"Bush Ensured Iran Offer Would Be Rejected... Even before Iran gave its formal counter-offer... (the) Bush administration had already begun the process of organising sanctions against Iran... Thus ends what appeared on the surface to be a genuine multilateral initiative for negotiations with Iran on the terms under which it would give up its nuclear programme..."
"Britain, France and Germany... had concluded... that Iran's security concerns would have to be central to any agreement.... (but) tried in vain to get the Bush administration to support their diplomatic efforts with Tehran by authorising the inclusion of security guarantees..."
"... "There must consequences if people thumb their noses at the United Nations Security Council," Bush said ... If the European three, Russia and China, allow Bush to get away with that highly distorted version of what happened, the world will have taken another step closer to general war in the Middle East."
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=34425
"Bush Ensured Iran Offer Would Be Rejected... Even before Iran gave its formal counter-offer... (the) Bush administration had already begun the process of organising sanctions against Iran... Thus ends what appeared on the surface to be a genuine multilateral initiative for negotiations with Iran on the terms under which it would give up its nuclear programme..."
"Britain, France and Germany... had concluded... that Iran's security concerns would have to be central to any agreement.... (but) tried in vain to get the Bush administration to support their diplomatic efforts with Tehran by authorising the inclusion of security guarantees..."
"... "There must consequences if people thumb their noses at the United Nations Security Council," Bush said ... If the European three, Russia and China, allow Bush to get away with that highly distorted version of what happened, the world will have taken another step closer to general war in the Middle East."
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=34425
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
IRAN DISSIDENT DECLINES WHITE HOUSE INVITATION, SAYS IRAQ WAR HAS HAMPERED DEMOCRACY
(but accepts Russian invitation for Freedom award)
"Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji declined to meet White House officials during a visit to the US... Mr Ganji said he had been invited to discuss the current situation in Iran... he rejected the offer because he believed current US policies could not help promote democracy in Iran. In a speech last week in Washington DC, he also criticised US policy in Iraq, saying: "You cannot bring democracy to a country by attacking it". He added that the war in Iraq had helped Islamic fundamentalism and hampered the democracy movement in the region."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5211840.stm
"Iran has allowed a leading dissident journalist to leave the country to receive a journalism award in Moscow. Akbar Ganji, who was freed from jail in March... was given permission to go at the last minute. On Monday, he will collect the World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom award in Russia's capital."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5047034.stm
(but accepts Russian invitation for Freedom award)
"Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji declined to meet White House officials during a visit to the US... Mr Ganji said he had been invited to discuss the current situation in Iran... he rejected the offer because he believed current US policies could not help promote democracy in Iran. In a speech last week in Washington DC, he also criticised US policy in Iraq, saying: "You cannot bring democracy to a country by attacking it". He added that the war in Iraq had helped Islamic fundamentalism and hampered the democracy movement in the region."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5211840.stm
"Iran has allowed a leading dissident journalist to leave the country to receive a journalism award in Moscow. Akbar Ganji, who was freed from jail in March... was given permission to go at the last minute. On Monday, he will collect the World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom award in Russia's capital."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5047034.stm
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
NO EVIDENCE OF SECRET ENRICHMENT BY IRAN
"... officials have been saying for years that Iran is using its publicly declared nuclear programme as a cover for a clandestine nuclear weapons programme, but has never produced concrete evidence to support that argument... the specter of a clandestine P-2 enrichment programme paralleling the declared P-1 progress at Natanz is not supported by leading independent specialists or by what is known about the history of Iran's nuclear programme..."
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=33930
"... officials have been saying for years that Iran is using its publicly declared nuclear programme as a cover for a clandestine nuclear weapons programme, but has never produced concrete evidence to support that argument... the specter of a clandestine P-2 enrichment programme paralleling the declared P-1 progress at Natanz is not supported by leading independent specialists or by what is known about the history of Iran's nuclear programme..."
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=33930
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
BUSH WILL NOT ATTACK IRAN
"... a little-noticed section of the administration's official national security strategy indicates that Bush has already decided that he will not use military force to try to prevent Iran from going nuclear... This carefully worded statement... explicitly makes regime change -- not stopping Iran's progress toward a nuclear capability -- the goal of U.S. policy toward Iran.
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=33692
"... a little-noticed section of the administration's official national security strategy indicates that Bush has already decided that he will not use military force to try to prevent Iran from going nuclear... This carefully worded statement... explicitly makes regime change -- not stopping Iran's progress toward a nuclear capability -- the goal of U.S. policy toward Iran.
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=33692
Thursday, June 15, 2006
ZARQAWI TRYING TO START U.S. WAR ON IRAN
"... a pocket hard-drive, a laptop and documents were found in the debris after the strike... One of the documents showed that Zarqawi was planning to try to start a war between the US and Iran by carrying out attacks - falsely attributed to Iran - on US interests, the prime minister's office said..."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5084324.stm
"... a pocket hard-drive, a laptop and documents were found in the debris after the strike... One of the documents showed that Zarqawi was planning to try to start a war between the US and Iran by carrying out attacks - falsely attributed to Iran - on US interests, the prime minister's office said..."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5084324.stm
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
U.S. WILL STRIKE IRAN
"... there will be war, and Washington will strike Iranian nuclear installations, probably before the end of 2006... Western analysts think President Mahmud Ahmadinejad a madman... But madness is an occupational hazard of becoming the leader of desperate men fighting against inevitable ruin...
"The tragedy will proceed more or less as follows:... Iran has failed as a society in the face of the modern world. It embodies a fatal combination of modern demographics, that is, a rapidly aging population, without having assimilated modern productivity. The forces that have rallied to the banner of the Islamic Revolution both at home and abroad have no more hope... Away from their jihad, they can look forward only to a relentless pulverization of the traditional society whence they came. Such is the stuff of strategic mysticism. When there is no retreat, nothing to which to return, Destiny beckons from the enemy's lines and the army leaves its trenches and flies forward into the cannons..."
herhttp://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HF06Ak03.htmle
"... there will be war, and Washington will strike Iranian nuclear installations, probably before the end of 2006... Western analysts think President Mahmud Ahmadinejad a madman... But madness is an occupational hazard of becoming the leader of desperate men fighting against inevitable ruin...
"The tragedy will proceed more or less as follows:... Iran has failed as a society in the face of the modern world. It embodies a fatal combination of modern demographics, that is, a rapidly aging population, without having assimilated modern productivity. The forces that have rallied to the banner of the Islamic Revolution both at home and abroad have no more hope... Away from their jihad, they can look forward only to a relentless pulverization of the traditional society whence they came. Such is the stuff of strategic mysticism. When there is no retreat, nothing to which to return, Destiny beckons from the enemy's lines and the army leaves its trenches and flies forward into the cannons..."
herhttp://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HF06Ak03.htmle
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