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Americans manufacture another nuclear crisis

Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by poncho, Oct 5, 2009.

  1. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    NEW YORK -- The U.S., Britain and France staged a bravura performance of political theatre last week by claiming to have just "discovered" a secret Iran uranium enrichment plant near Qum. On cue, a carefully orchestrated media blitz trumpeted warnings of the alleged Iranian nuclear threat and "long-ranged missiles."

    In reality, the Qum plant was detected by U.S. spy satellites over two years ago, and was known to the intelligence community. Iran claimed the plant will not begin enriching uranium for peaceful power for another 540 days. UN nuclear rules, to which Iran adheres, calls for 180 days notice.

    UN nuclear watchdogs say Iran should have revealed the plant earlier. Iran alerted the UN last week and said it would invite inspectors.

    The reluctance of Iran to reveal its nuclear sites is magnified by constant threats of attack against them by Israel and the U.S. Iran also recalls Iraq, where many of the UN "nuclear inspectors" were likely spies for CIA or Israel's Mossad. This may explain some of Iran's secretive behaviour. The U.S., Britain, France and Israel have been even less forthcoming about their nuclear secrets.

    Iran's test of some useless short ranged missiles, and an inaccurate 2,000-km medium ranged Shahab-3, provoked more hysteria. In a choice example of media scaremongering, the Globe and Mail printed a picture of a 1960s vintage SAM-2 anti-aircraft missile being launched, with a caption of Prime Minister Stephen Harper warning of the "grave threat" Iran posed to "international peace and security."

    Welcome to Iraq deja vu, and another phony crisis. U.S. intelligence and UN inspectors say Iran has no nuclear weapons and certainly no nuclear warheads and is only enriching uranium to 5%. Nuclear weapons require 95%. Iran's nuclear facilities are under constant UN inspection and U.S. surveillance.

    SOURCE

    I think I've seen this movie before.
     
    #1 poncho, Oct 5, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 5, 2009
  2. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    Hey, Poncho. You should probably put up the caveat that this is a commentary, not a news story. There are, sadly, a few folks who don't know the difference.
     
  3. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    You figured it out alright didn't you? Now tell us in your opinion is this commentary more or less accurate than what has been passing as "news stories" on Iran lately?
     
    #3 poncho, Oct 5, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 5, 2009
  4. KenH

    KenH Well-Known Member

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    Yep. Back in 2002-2003.
     
  5. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    My question at this point is . . . why must we sit through another rerun?

    Maybe it isn't about fighting terrorism or protecting the American people from Iranian nukes after all. Maybe it's about maintaining the empire.


    [FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]In an earlier day, Rudyard Kipling advised "The Young British Soldier" who served in Britain's imperial army:[/FONT]
    [FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,[/FONT]
    [FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]And the women come out to cut up what remains,[/FONT]
    [FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains[/FONT]
    [FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]An' go to your Gawd like a soldier.[/FONT]
    [FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]It's probably still good advice. Alternatively, you can get yourself killed by your own comrades and instantly become a Great American Hero, thanks to the Great American Military B(deleted) Information Team (GAMBIT).[/FONT]

    [FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Continuing his parade of politicking platitudes, Fallon declares that "Iran's most destabilizing activity has been the pursuit of nuclear weapons technology in defiance of the international community." Of course, if the Iranians have undertaken any such pursuit at all, which remains in doubt, it has been not in defiance of the mythical "international community," but in defiance of the United States and Israel, as everybody who reads the newspapers knows. It is nothing short of astonishing that U.S. officials speak in almost hysterical tones of the threat posed by nonexistent Iranian nuclear weapons, yet never breathe a word about the hundreds of such weapons already in the Israeli arsenal, not to mention the thousands that remain at the disposal of U.S. forces. Of course, members of Congress, who live in mortal fear of the American Israel Political Affairs Committee (AIPAC), want to be seen listening to this phony-baloney message, so military politicians such as Admiral Fallon dare not disappoint them.[/FONT]

    [FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Fallon arranged the bulk of his testimony around a description of how CENTCOM's "initiatives are organized into five focus areas: setting conditions for stability in Iraq; expanding governance and security in Afghanistan; degrading violent extremist networks and operations; strengthening relationships and influencing states to contribute to regional stability; and posturing the force to build and sustain joint and combined war fighting capabilities and readiness." Notice that except possibly for the third item listed ("degrading violent extremist networks and operations"), none of this has more than a very remote connection with defending the people of the United States against foreign enemies.[/FONT]

    [FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Instead, it has everything to do with maintenance of the U.S. empire in the Middle East and Central Asia. The U.S. government maintains a lavishly financed Department of Defense, ostensibly to protect Americans in their own country from foreign attackers. In reality, however, this department acts as an overfed foreign legion, operating around the world as an offensive or potentially offensive force to bully other countries into submission to the U.S. government's wishes.[/FONT]

    [FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]To read Fallon's testimony is to take a refresher course in U.S. nation building. He speaks about "infrastructure development," "provision of basic services to Iraq's citizens," and improving "local government performance and capacity." In Afghanistan, he perceives that the "priorities are roads and electricity, followed by agricultural development, microcredit, job skills, and education." The occupation force, he testified, "is actively pursuing initiatives in these areas, from building schools and providing them with supplies to encouraging and stimulating the growth of small businesses." Should we laugh or cry?[/FONT]

    The above is taken from an article entitled, CENTCOM's Master Plan and U.S. Global Hegemony.

    I dunno Johnv, just seems like today's "news stories" leave so much to be desired in the actual facts department. They're awful heavy on feamongering and political propaganda but whoafully short on background facts and reality. There are, sadly those who (still) believe the government and media will tell them the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. But, in truth . . . nothing could be further from the truth. :(
     
    #5 poncho, Oct 5, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 5, 2009
  6. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

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    Yep, just another piece of evidence that there is no difference between Republicans and Democrats, and those that spread the myth are politically challenged. (ignorant)
     
  7. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    I tend to be a "logic and objectivity" kinda guy. Commentaries are simply opinions, and opinions aren't objective. So I usually don't comment on them.
     
  8. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    Glad to see that, you like the rest of us, do not need such unnecessary caveats.
     
  9. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    Working hard on that are ya?
     
  10. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    That's amusing, consiering that you are the poster child for the pot calling the kettle black.
     
  11. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    listen if you really don't understand a comment you shouldn't comment on it.
     
  12. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    Yet another example of the pot calling the kettle black.
     
  13. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    I have, you may have noticed a some what different opinion Johnv. Imo an opinion based on solid evidence and facts is going to be quite a bit more accurate and informative than any news story that is based on government/corporate propaganda and fearmongering.

    You should know this to true by now seeing as how you already sat through this very same scary movie during the Bush administration. Remember how it turned out? Very little that the administration or media claimed was true. The "contrarian opinionists" turned out to be right after all. Remember that?
     
    #13 poncho, Oct 6, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 6, 2009
  14. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    I'm not taking a particular side on this one, but every thread of war needs to be dealth with according to its own merits, or lack thereof. History invariably repeats itself, but our reaction to it doesn't necessarily follow suit.
     
  15. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    Uh huh. Well, so far you're doing a pretty good job at avoiding any discussion of merits or the lack thereof.

    Looks to me as if you're trying to find an exit. :smilewinkgrin:
     
    #15 poncho, Oct 6, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 6, 2009
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