Iran war fever rising in Washington

WAYNE MADSEN REPORT

June 24, 2008 -- UPDATE 1X. Iran war fever rising in Washington
publication date: Jun 24, 2008
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June 24, 2008 - UPDATE 1X- Iran war fever rising in Washington

Talk of war with Iran and unmistakable perception management campaigns to prepare for such a war are rising in Washington, DC.

Although it is being reported that the U.S. State Department may soon open an Interests Sections in Tehran, staffed by U.S. diplomatic personnel -- Iran maintains such a section at the Pakistani embassy in Washington -- the other Bush administration chain of command, the one operating out of Vice President Dick Cheney's office, appears intent on war with Iran.

John McCain's chief strategist, Charlie Black, told Fortune magazine that another terrorist attack on the United States prior to the November election would benefit the McCain campaign. He cited the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto as helping McCain in the New Hampshire primary. McCain, who is backed by the some of the same neocon elements that pushed the US into war with Iraq, denounced Black's comments but McCain also proffered the menace of another 9/11-type attack in stating: "Well, I would think that the absolute gravest threat is the struggle that we're in against radical Islamic extremism, which can affect, if they prevail, our very existence. Another successful attack on the United States of America could have devastating consequences."

GOP neocon and former unconfirmed US ambassador to the UN John Bolton recently said that an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear sites at Natanz and Isfahan was likely soon.

WMR has learned that the intelligence and defense firm SAIC completed a security survey of the Houston Ship Channel from Galveston to Houston two weeks ago and found the situation a "disaster waiting to happen." The report cited the coordination between multiple jurisdictions.

WMR has also learned that the FBI has upgraded its initial investigation of the Houston Police Department shooting of former CIA Houston station chief Roland "Tony" Carnaby on April 29 from a possible "civil rights violation" to a "national security investigation." As WMR previously reported, Carnaby was contracted to the CIA and specifically assigned to liaise with other federal law enforcement agencies and the Port of Houston and area airports on security for the port and airports. Yesterday, the Houston Police Department continued its evasive tactics when it was discovered they omitted from an evidence preservation list Carnaby's CIA credentials and his cell phone communications subsequent to his first stop by the police and his shooting.

Super liquified natural gas (LNG) tankers like the Al Gharrafa (above) are now pulling into Texas ports. The above report incorrectly states the Al Gharrafa is the first Q-Flex tanker to visit an American port. It is the second Arab-flagged tanker to pull into a Texas port. Security officials worry that another 9/11 will involve the blowing up of one of these ships, with disastrous consequences. Below are two Coast Guard boats keeping other vessels away from the Al Gharrafa.

House Resolution 362, introduced by Reps. Gary Ackerman (D-NY) and Mike Pence (R-IN), calls for the United States to "initiate an international effort to immediately and dramatically increase the economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on Iran to verifiably suspend its nuclear enrichment activities by, inter alia, prohibiting the export to Iran of all refined petroleum products; imposing stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran; and prohibiting the international movement of all Iranian officials not involved in negotiating the suspension of Iran's nuclear program." This sense of the Congress resolution, complemented by Senate Resolution 580, introduced by Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN) and John Thune (R-SD), would impose a naval, land, and air blockade against Iran and be tantamount to an act of war. The resolution is the brainchild of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which decided on the course of action two weeks ago during its annual meeting in Washington, DC.

AIPAC has marshaled its "amen corner" of Democrats in Congress in co-sponsorship support of the blockade resolution, including: Brad Sherman (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Jane Harman (D-CA), Robert Wexler (D-FL), Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL), Ron Klein (D-FL), Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Steve Rothman (D-NJ), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Dan Boren (D-OK), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), Joe Sestak (D-PA), Stephen Cohen (D-TN), and Steve Kagen (D-WI) in the House and Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Bob Casey (D-PA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).

Yesterday, Rostam Pouraz of the Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran (CASMII), accused Saudi Arabia of secretly working behind the scenes with the AIPAC and war hawks community in Washington to push for a war against Iran. Saudi Arabia fears the growing influence of Iran among Shias in Iraq and in Saudi Arabia's restless Eastern Province. The de facto Saudi-Israel alliance of opportunity and their collusion on lobbying the Bush administration for an attack on Iran is played down by AIPAC and the Saudis as non-existent.

WMR has also learned that the so-called Syrian Al Kibar "nuclear weapons facility," said to be manned by Syrian, North Korean, and Iranian technicians and attacked by the Israeli Air Force last September, was a decoy attack to mask Israel's probing of Syria's Russian-supplied radar system. The Israelis successfully penetrated the Russian radar system during its attack on Al Kibar. However, Russia is installing an upgraded radar system in Iran to protect Iranian nuclear sites. It is expected the upgrade to the Tin Shield (NATO code name) mobile Russian radar in Iran will foil the stealth capabilities of Israeli attack aircraft and missiles and, therefore, some experts see an Israeli attack on Iran before such an advanced radar system becomes fully operational.

It is also being reported that Meir Dagan, the head of Israel's Mossad, has had his term extended by a year to 2009 by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. The extension of Dagan's term is to ensure continuity in Mossad in the event of an Israeli strike on Iran.

These developments follow a simulated Israeli Air Force strike on Iran using 100 F-15s and F-16s flying over the Eastern Mediterranean and Greece in an exercise conducted earlier this month.







Related Articles:

* June 16, 2008 -- SPECIAL REPORT. Another 9/11 waiting to happen
* June 18, 2008 -- Houston airport rocket incident was a diversionary tactic

Comments

JM (Pine Ridge)
Wayne, 2 months on and the FBI is finally categorizing Carnaby's death a "national security investigation" seems like quite a long delay. How come it is taking so long for these guys to make a case out of his death? Either you are really nimble in getting the relevant details of a case or the FBI is still entrenched in layers of bureaucracy that make it impossible for them to anticipate any movements of real enemies of the Empire. I guess no lessons were learned from the poor communication in the FBI and CIA that led to the incredible gaps of intelligence that allowed 9/11 to happen so easily.

And, how anyone can believe that such an attack helps McCain is full of shit. This would be another one on Bush's watch! McCain believes in Bush, Bush has been allowed every inconceivable, illegitimate policy to forward his paramilitary arsenal, and these fuckers can still lead us into the gutter with their rhetoric and ineffective policies. Whoa, watch out USA! If we let these jackasses get away with it again, and our blindly loyal military follows the Jackass-In-Chief, aka The Decider, then the USA deserves to be fucked!

Maybe then we'd learn we've been bamboozled. But I doubt it. Americans don't seem to be the same people that took down Hitler and the Axis.

JM (Pine Ridge)
We didn't win Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, or Afghanistan either! And we sure as Hell won't win in Iran!!!

But to those fortunate companies that made a killing (off our brothers and sisters that lost their lives or humanity), they seemed to make it worth it. Why don't they go fight in the war. Or better yet, let's just put Bush and Ahmidinijad in a steel cage match. Let them fight their own fucking wars.

And I'm pissed off that george carlin is dead of a heart attack but Cheney is still alive to plan more god damned wars! FUCK YOU, CHENEY!!! Maybe fate has something even worse in store for your evil ass!

Styve (Portland, OR)
What hold time should we observe before disseminating this? Thanks Wayne!!

Wayne Madsen
No hold time

liberty antigone (?)
Bush is, as Eddie Izzard would say, the Mass Murdering Fuckhead.

liberty antigone (?)
AIPAC has marshaled its "amen corner" of Democrats in Congress in co-sponsorship support of the blockade resolution, including: Brad Sherman (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Jane Harman (D-CA), Robert Wexler (D-FL), Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL), Ron Klein (D-FL), Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Steve Rothman (D-NJ), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Dan Boren (D-OK), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), Joe Sestak (D-PA), Stephen Cohen (D-TN), and Steve Kagen (D-WI) in the House and Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Bob Casey (D-PA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).


I must keep this list for future reference to those who helped the continued genocide in the Middle East by Israel-Neocons.