Now for the disclaimer, I am not a politician, I am not a member of a "think tank", I am not an expert on foreign affairs, but I am wise enough to see and understand the danger Iran poses, not tomorrow, not next year, but NOW.
The link above is to all my posts on Iran, the dangers of Iran and that little thug that runs the country, the comparisons between Ahmadinejad and Hitler as well as a host of other information that has come out of Iran, from a video of what that madman shows the Iranians on television, to Ahmadinejad's public words about Israel and "Death to America".
I am going to start with what we know.
We know that as of August of 2005 a consignment was intercepted at the border between the two countries, Iran and Iraq.
Disclosure of the smuggling came hours after four American soldiers were killed and six were wounded as a patrol was attacked near Baiji, 112 miles north of Baghdad, late on Tuesday. A bomb wrecked two Humvees and a bigger armoured vehicle.
Iran has repeatedly denied any involvement in the insurgency or party politics in Iraq.
A senior British official disclosed yesterday details of the incident two weeks ago when a group crossing from Iran was intercepted near Maysan, which is in the British controlled sector of Iraq. Iraqi security forces opened fire and the smugglers fled back to Iran leaving their cache of timers, detonators and other bomb-making equipment.
We know that in March of 2006, weapons made in Iran, manufacturer dates of 2006 were found IN Iraq, weapons being used to kill our American soldiers.
U.S. military and intelligence officials tell ABC News that they have caught shipments of deadly new bombs at the Iran-Iraq border.
They are a very nasty piece of business, capable of penetrating U.S. troops' strongest armor.
What the United States says links them to Iran are tell-tale manufacturing signatures — certain types of machine-shop welds and material indicating they are built by the same bomb factory.
"The signature is the same because they are exactly the same in production," says explosives expert Kevin Barry. "So it's the same make and model."
U.S. officials say roadside bomb attacks against American forces in Iraq have become much more deadly as more and more of the Iran-designed and Iran-produced bombs have been smuggled in from the country since last October.
We know that Iran has interests other than just political in Iraq and seeing it fail to become a stable democracy.
Iran's interests in Iraq are not limited to politics. Tehran also has a commercial stake in Iraq's future. In addition to building a $25 million airport in Basra, Iranian businessmen are buying up property in southern Iraq.
Even more recently we now know that Iran is covering all bases by supporting both Sunni and Shiite terrorists according to secret documents that were captured by Americans in Iraq.
The news that American forces had captured Iranians in Iraq was widely reported last month, but less well known is that the Iranians were carrying documents that offered Americans insight into Iranian activities in Iraq.
An American intelligence official said the new material, which has been authenticated within the intelligence community, confirms "that Iran is working closely with both the Shiite militias and Sunni Jihadist groups." The source was careful to stress that the Iranian plans do not extend to cooperation with Baathist groups fighting the government in Baghdad, and said the documents rather show how the Quds Force — the arm of Iran's revolutionary guard that supports Shiite Hezbollah, Sunni Hamas, and Shiite death squads — is working with individuals affiliated with Al Qaeda in Iraq and Ansar al-Sunna.
Another American official who has seen the summaries of the reporting affiliated with the arrests said it comprised a "smoking gun." "We found plans for attacks, phone numbers affiliated with Sunni bad guys, a lot of things that filled in the blanks on what these guys are up to," the official said.
Read the rest...
We know Iran continues to be defiant of the international community about enriching uranium and threatens, yet again, to "humiliate America".
We know that Russia is completing a shipment of anti aircraft missles to Iran and Syria.
Controversial Russian contracts to sell anti-aircraft weapons to Syria and Iran are being fulfilled on schedule, Russian news agencies cited defense and industry officials as saying Tuesday. At least half of the 29 Tor-M1 missile systems bought by Iran for $1.4 billion dollars had been delivered, state-run ITAR-TASS quoted an unnamed source at the Defense Ministry as saying.
"We are actively carrying out deliveries of the system to Iran. At least 50 percent of the contract has been delivered," the official was quoted as saying.
The air defense systems are being stationed around Iran's civilian nuclear sites, according to ITAR-TASS.
We actually know quite a bit about Iran and from all indications, we are safe in assuming that Iran is not only instigating chaos in Iraq and Lebanon, but is flagrantly trying to create conditions for a regional war, believing that Iran's influence can only be made stronger in the whole of the Middle East if he can create conditions that will bring the US away from the Middle East.
We know that the Institute for National Strategic Studies has issued their determination that Iran will possess nuclear weapons unless military action is taken against it, and Israel would be capable of carrying out such an attack.
We also know that despite the anti-semitic attitudes that have prevailed in the UN, they have gone to none other than Israel to test, for the UN, an underground facility in the Negev desert designed to monitor any attempt by Iran to test nuclear devices, the Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot reported.
We know that the US and Britain are increasing our presence in the Persian Gulf.
The United States and Britain will begin moving additional warships and strike aircraft into the Persian Gulf region in a display of military resolve toward Iran that will come as the United Nations continues to debate possible sanctions against the country, Pentagon and military officials said Wednesday.
The officials said that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates was expected this week to approve a request by commanders for a second aircraft carrier and its supporting ships to be stationed within quick sailing distance of Iran by early next year.
Senior American officers said the increase in naval power should not be viewed as preparations for any offensive strike against Iran. But they acknowledged that the ability to hit Iran would be increased and that Iranian leaders might well call the growing presence provocative. One purpose of the deployment, they said, is to make clear that the focus on ground troops in Iraq has not made it impossible for the United States and its allies to maintain a military watch on Iran. That would also reassure Washington’s allies in the region who are concerned about Iran’s intentions.
The officials said the planned growth in naval power in the gulf and surrounding waters would be useful in enforcing any sanctions that the United Nations might impose as part of Washington’s strategy to punish Iran for what it sees as ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons. And the buildup would address another concern: that Iran could try to block oil shipments from the gulf in retaliation for United Nations sanctions or other American-led pressure.
Steps are already being taken to increase the number of minesweeping vessels and magnetic “sleds” carried by helicopters to improve the ability to counter Iranian mines that could block oil-shipping lanes, Pentagon and military officials said.
As part of future deployments after the first of the year, the British Navy plans to add two mine-hunting vessels to its ships that already are part of the international coalition patrolling waters in the Persian Gulf.
A Royal Navy news release said the ship movements were aimed at “maintaining familiarity with the challenges of warm water mine-hunting conditions.” But a senior British official said: “We are increasing our presence. That is only prudent.” Military officers said doubling the aircraft carrier presence in the region could be accomplished quickly by a shift in sailing schedules.
[...]
Doubling the number of carriers in the region offers commanders the flexibility of either keeping both strike groups in the gulf or keeping one near Iran while placing a second carrier group outside the gulf, where it would be in position to fly combat patrols over Afghanistan or cope with growing violence in the Horn of Africa.
With all we know, stepping back and looking at it objectively, the stage is set to handle Iran, which in turn will take one aspect of the conflict in Iraq, right out of the picture.... the Iranian influence.
Am I saying that once Iran is stopped from interfering in Iraq, everything will be rosy? NO.
What I am saying, is once Iran is stopped from playing both sides against each other and instigating attacks that is ONE aspect in Iraq, ONE set of conditions that all of a sudden changes, for the better.
Israel has the capabilities to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, WE have the naval power in the Persian Gulf to aid them. Iran can be neutralized with pinpoint strikes against their nuclear structures.
With all this in place... what is holding Israel and the US back? What are we all waiting for?
Robert Tracinski has an article today calling for a fourth option to the Go big, Go long or Go home and that is "Go Wide", suggesting that to help quell the violence in Iraq, one must deal with the major factor of Iran's interference.
Going wide means recognizing that the conflict in Iraq is fueled and magnified by the intervention of Iran and Syria. One of the reasons the Iraq Study Group report flopped was that its key recommendation--its one unique idea--was for America to negotiate with Iran and Syria in order to convince these countries to aid in the "stabilization" of Iraq. This proposal wasn't so much argued to death as it was laughed to death, because it is clear that Iran and Syria have done everything they can to de-stabilize Iraq, supporting both sides of the sectarian conflict there.
It is obvious that both regimes have a profound interest in an American failure and retreat in Iraq. After all, if America can successfully use force to replace a hostile dictatorship with a free society, then the Iranian and Syrian regimes are doomed. So as a matter of elementary self-preservation, they have done everything they can to plunge Iraq into chaos, supporting guerrillas and militias on all sides of the sectarian conflict. Just today, a US official confirmed new evidence "that Iran is working closely with both the Shiite militias and Sunni Jihadist groups." Most ominously, Iran has brazenly provided training and weapons to the Shiite militias--who carry rifles straight off the assembly lines of Iranian weapons factories--and these militias have emerged in the last year as the greatest threat to US troops and to the Iraqi government.
How can we quell the conflict in Iraq, further suppress the Sunni insurgents, and begin to dismantle the Shiite militias--if we don't to anything to stop those who are funding, training, and supporting these enemies? Just as we can't eliminate terrorism without confronting the states who sponsor terrorism, so we can't suppress the Sunni and Shiite insurgencies in Iraq without confronting the outside powers who support these insurgents.
He is right, but it does not have to be the US that attacks the nuclear facilities in Iran, Israel can and we can back them up as can the Brits.
Are you now wondering if the President can do this without approval from congress, which is now being led by the anti-war, anti-military Democrats?
Well, according to the War Powers Resolution, written November 7, 1973, he can.
Section 2-c: The constitutional powers of the President as Commander-in-Chief to introduce United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, are exercised only pursuant to (1) a declaration of war, (2) specific statutory authorization, or (3) a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.
Section 5-b: Within sixty calendar days after a report is submitted or is required to be submitted pursuant to section 4(a)(1), whichever is earlier, the President shall terminate any use of United States Armed Forces with respect to which such report was submitted (or required to be submitted), unless the Congress (1) has declared war or has enacted a specific authorization for such use of United States Armed Forces, (2) has extended by law such sixty-day period, or (3) is physically unable to meet as a result of an armed attack upon the United States. Such sixty-day period shall be extended for not more than an additional thirty days if the President determines and certifies to the Congress in writing that unavoidable military necessity respecting the safety of United States Armed Forces requires the continued use of such armed forces in the course of bringing about a prompt removal of such forces.
If the secret documents, do indeed show that Iran is involved with the deaths of even ONE of our armed service personnel or one of the weapons, manufactured in Iran in 2006, killed even one of our armed servicemen, then the president can, without consulting congress, engage or aid Israel in engaging in a strike against Iran.
Then, if I read the War Resolutions right, the president MUST submit a report to congress, where congress can insist that we withdraw within 60 days, and if the president determines and certifies to the Congress in writing that unavoidable military necessity respecting the safety of United States Armed Forces requires the continued use of such armed forces in the course of bringing about a prompt removal of such forces, then the sixty-day period shall be extended for not more than an additional thirty days.
That gives Israel and the US, 90 days, unhindered by Pelosi and crew to accomplish a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, which is all that needs to be done in Iran, and be out of there.
No one wants to invade the country, the goal is simply to hinder Ahmadinejad's nuclear capabilities. If that cannot be done within 60-90 days, then there would be no use in having longer than 3 months anyway.
The stage is set and we can basically kill two birds with one stone if we chose to do so, and the President being aware of those secret documents, if they do indeed state what the The New York Sun has stated they represent, can indeed aid Israel initiating a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities for at least 60 and possibly up to 90 days.
I am waiting for the Presidents unveiling of the new way forward in Iraq and can only hope that Iran is dealt with in that same speech.
The President is not up for re-election so he does not need the "popularity" of doing the politically correct thing, (leave that to the politicians that vote one way until the polls tell them to vote another...re: Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, etc....) he has the obligation and the responsibility to protect our country and Iran is one of the biggest threats to the US, Israel and to Iraq and the whole of the Middle East.
We can and must deal with Iran if we hope to limit its influence in Iraq AND stop their goal of obtaining and manufacturing nuclear weapon.
Right Truth is posting on Iran and bringing up some of these very issues.
Others discussing this:
Dr. Sanity, Counterterrorism Blog, Daily Pundit, Captain's Quarters.
Trackposted to Rightwing Guy, Perri Nelson's Website, Don Surber, stikNstein... has no mercy, Blue Star Chronicles, Pirate's Cove, Renaissance Blogger, Stuck On Stupid, Conservative Cat, High Desert Wanderer, Pursuing Holiness, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
Tracked back by:
Someday We’ll Laugh About This, Part Deux from The Random Yak...
The Democratic Base Has Gone Insane! from Rightwing Guy...
We Need more Sau-dis? from Woman Honor Thyself...
Islam's war with itself from Planck's Constant...
Open Topic of the Week: The Democrat Congress from Diary of the Mad Pigeon...
President Bush reaches out to the new Congress from Mark My Words...
An attack on our southern border from Mark My Words...
View The Blogger’s Halo Award Nominees from Faultline USA...
Open Trackback Weekend from The Amboy Times...
History Lesson for Keith Ellison from The Amboy Times...
The Concourse of Hypocricy from The Amboy Times...
Personal Attacks? *pfui* from third world county...
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