Is Iran Next?

The U.S. and Israel accuse Iran of covertly trying to develop a nuclear weapons program, claims Iran has repeatedly rejected as false, affirming that its nuclear program is solely used for peaceful purposes. Vice President “Dick” has said that Iran is a top threat to world peace and Middle East stability, accused Tehran of sponsoring terrorism against Americans and building a “fairly robust new nuclear program.” He’s even suggested that “the Israelis might well decide to act first, and let the rest of the world worry about cleaning up the diplomatic mess afterwards.”

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is in staunch denial of the specifics discussed in this Seymour Hersh piece in the New Yorker, yet when asked about specifics, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, Lawrence T. DiRita, failed to prove that anything Hersh wrote was not, in fact, the truth. Denouncing a writer’s assertions, which were based on interviews of current and former officials within the government, without offering proof to the contrary to back up what you’re saying, shouldn’t be taken seriously by anyone.

In the meantime, Our Employee has signed a pile of authorizations, allowing Rumsfeld to run covert military and intelligence operations without anyone having to inform the intelligence committees in either the House or the Senate. Congress will not be told what is being done in the name of the U.S. government. In short, there will be no oversight nor any opportunity to voice dissenting opinions. In light of the intelligence and strategic planning efforts in the current war in Iraq, this can only spell disaster for existing clandestine operations. And let’s not even get started with Abu Ghraib.