Iran War: Resource Info

by Sarah Meyer Index Research

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Imam Mosque, Esfahan, Iran

Updated 23.04.07

It is impossible to assess what is truthfully happening between the USA, Iran - and Israel. There is zero media discussion. There are no comparative assessments of international news. How many people know exactly what war preparations are now in place, and what future plans are being made? Following is an (incomplete) collection of international news articles concerning a potential World War III. I have taken most earlier articles relating to Iran from PNAC: Rebuilding America's Defenses - A Biopsy on Imperialism; Part II: "Special Interests" - The Persian Gulf and collated them with more recent articles.

1. Imperial Hypocrisy
2. Petro-Dollar Warfare with Iran
3. Iran and Gas
4. Iran / Iraq
5. Iran / Israel
6. Russia
7. Warnings, Blaming and Scolding - Bribery?
8. Sanctions in Iran
9. UK Weapons to Israel
10. US: $s and weapons to Israel
11. Nuclear War for Oil in Iran? |The Buildup to War
12 Deaths
13. Now What?
14. Footnotes
15. Updates

IMPERIAL HYPOCRISY

If one compares the engineering of the crisis which led to the war of aggression against Iraq with the current engineering of crisis to justify aggression against Iran, one is not likely to identify differences. The lies and the language are the same. The path to peaceful resolution is deliberately replaced by the path to war of aggression. The motive is to manipulate public opinion and justify war of aggression against another Muslim nation. Ghali Hassan.

The American hypocrisy, presently focused mainly on Iran, is grounded in the US endorsement of the Iran Nuclear Program which was initiated during President Ford's administration, reports Ed Haas. Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfovitz held key positions at this time. Read this story here.

Terence Gatt, in November '05, wrote in The Enduring Threat, A Brief History. "The American harsh stand reflects a longstanding mutual suspicion that has characterized relations between Washington and Tehran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution ...The controversial issue of Iranian ambitions for a civilian nuclear energy project ironically began with the assistance of the United States during the reign of Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlevi ... Iran purchased a research nuclear reactor from the United States that was put into operation in 1967."

In January '06, Paul Rogers wrote in Open Democracy: "The United States and its British ally are planning to modernise their nuclear-weapons arsenal while castigating Iran for its nuclear-power programme." More

Enver Masud said that Israel was not a signatory to the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty. "... it is no secret that (Israel) has been threatening strikes on Iran's Bushehr nuclear electric power plant - just as it launched an unprovoked and illegal attack on Iraq's Osirak nuclear electric power plant in 1981." AFP announced that Israel Will Not Allow Iran To Obtain WMDs. According to a Times article, Israel's special forces are trying to find Iran's secret enrichment sites. These forces are based inside Iraq, with the approval of Americans. In this same article is a discussion of NATO's possible involvement in a military strike against Iran.

On 24 January, Julian Borger wrote in the Guardian: "George Bush yesterday committed the US to the defence of Israel against threats from Iran, saying he would not allow the world to be 'blackmailed' by an Iranian nuclear weapon."

Bush said, "We're committed to the safety of Israel." So much so that the US is financing Israel's armament industry. Last year, the United States delivered 500 "bunker-busting" bombs to Israel. The conservative total for U.S. aid to Israel is $91b. The world owes Israel $23b, says YnetNews.¹

M La Rosa noted: "At present, there is only one country in the Middle East with "secret" and ambiguous stockpiles of nuclear weapons" in an article entitled The Most Dangerous Double Standard in the Middle East.

In January '06, the US tried to blackmail India: "The Americans have warned India that its nuclear deal signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's last trip to Washington will die in Congress if it doesn't back the US on Iran." The US is said to now have a new nuclear agreement with India, which would enable New Delhi to "expand atomic weapons production."² WorldWatch, in its report, 'China and India', says that renewable energy sources "would be more practical energy solutions." The report also says: "It's going to be tough to argue that Iran and North Korea should be denied nuclear technology while India--which has failed to even join the Non-Proliferation Treaty--is given the same technology on a silver platter."

The US has nothing against nuclear power. With a new plan called the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership announced with the Fiscal Year 2007 budget earlier this month, Bush said, "Under this partnership, America will work with nations that have advanced civilian nuclear energy programs, such as France, Japan, and Russia."

Nor has Bush criticized China. The commercial satellite photos from 2000 - 2004 provide a new look at China's nuclear forces and bases."

The worst hypocrisy of all was committed on February 23, when the US and the UK conducted a joint subcritical nuclear test at the US test site in Nevada.

On 4 March '06, Walter Pincus reported in the Washington Post: "The Bush administration is developing plans to design and deploy refurbished or replacement warheads for the nuclear stockpile, and by 2030 to modernize the production complex so that, if required, it could produce new generations of weapons with different or modified capabilities."

In August '06, S. O'Neill wrote in an article entitled The Hypocrisy of Corporate Wars in Axis of Logic: "Wars of conquest over the past centuries, or even millennia, have been fought not to add to the comfort of the people who were represented in the invading armies or their families at home, but for the increased feeling of power of the emperors, kings or presidents."

Video: How the US Learned to Love the Bomb (Again)

"Audacious in its shameless and extreme hypocrisy. The man who has led the world in violence during the first years of the 21st century could pay homage to the world's leading practitioner of nonviolence during the first half of the 20th century". Normon Solomon, Mahatma Bush.

Lying Like It's 2003
21.01.07. Frank Rich, NYTimes / Truth Out. The latest lies are custom-made to prop up the new "way forward" that is anything but. Among the emerging examples is a rewriting of the history of Iraq's sectarian violence. The fictional version was initially laid out by Mr. Bush in his Jan. 10 prime-time speech and has since been repeated on television by both Mr. Cheney and the national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, last Sunday and by Mr. Bush again on PBS's "NewsHour" on Tuesday. It goes like this: sectarian violence didn't start spiraling out of control until the summer of 2006, after Sunni terrorists bombed the Golden Mosque in Samarra and forced the Shiites to take revenge. But as Mark Seibel of McClatchy Newspapers noted last week, "the president's account understates by at least 15 months when Shiite death squads began targeting Sunni politicians and clerics." They were visible in embryo long before that; The Times, among others, reported as far back as September 2003 that Shiite militias were becoming more radical, dangerous and anti-American. … In reality we're learning piece by piece that it is the White House that has no plan.

PETRO-DOLLAR WARFARE WITH IRAN

Discussion about the Iranian Bourse has never been Top of The Pops for either the US government or Mainstream Media. Instead, Iran's nuclear energy development leading to future (10 years?) theoretical (only) nuclear bombs in Iran is the Pentagon's propaganda rotating shovel, mirroring Saddam's non-existent WMD fables. Once again, no questions are being asked. Is MSM as guilty of deception as the governments they parrot?

In October '04, William Clarke wrote an article, The Real Reasons Why Iran is the Next Target. "The Iranians are about to commit an "offense" far greater than Saddam Hussein's conversion to the euro of Iraq's oil exports in the fall of 2000" (see above). "Numerous articles have revealed Pentagon planning for operations against Iran as early as 2005. While the publicly stated reasons will be over Iran's nuclear ambitions, there are unspoken macroeconomic drivers explaining the Real Reasons regarding the 2nd stage of petrodollar warfare - Iran's upcoming euro-based oil Bourse."

Clarke wrote a further article in August '05, Petrodollar Warfare: Dollars, Euros and the Upcoming Iranian Oil Bourse Media Monitors. One can hear Mr. Clark's 28 January '06 talk on the petrodollar here

Krassimir Petrov also wrote an outstanding article, The Proposed Iranian Oil Bourse, in January '06. The key Petrov points can be read here.

Mike Whitney also says that 'Iran's Oil-exchange threatens the Greenback.' "This is why Bush and Co. are planning to lead the nation to war against Iran. It is straightforward defense of the current global system and the continuing dominance of the reserve currency, the dollar."

Other articles on Iran's Bourse are: E. Rutledge, alJazeera (03.11.05) : Iran - a threat to the petrodollar? and Linda Heard (25.01.06) : Iran's new bourse may threaten the dollar

The Iran Oil Bourse is scheduled to open on March 20th, using euro as a trading currency.

The Dollar vs. the Euro

US controls price of crude oil
18.09.06. English People.

Euro Faces Huge Change If Others Follow Iran, Says UBS's Baweja
06.12.06. Bloomberg.

Iran to replace dollar with euro
18.12.06. jazeeranet.

Iran turns from dollar to euro in oil sales
22.12.06. Times on Line.

U.N. votes for trade sanctions on Iran's “nuclear” work
23.12.06. Reuters. Nuclear - or Iran euro for oil’ revenge?

Euro Displaces Dollar in Bond Markets
14.01.07. Oakley / Tett, Financial Times.

Is Energo-Fascism In Your Future?
17.01.07. M. Klare, Tom Paine.

Euro May Rise 12 Percent Against Dollar, HSBC Says
22.01.07. Bloomberg.

The Plan for Economic Strangulation of Iran
12.01.07. Dr. Abbas Bakhtiar, ICH. “While people are concerned with Iraq and the gathering armada in the Persian Gulf, United States has been quietly carrying out a not so covert economic war against Iran. … It is difficult to see how United States expects Iran to cooperate on Iraq and Afghanistan while being threatened militarily and suffocated economically. It may also all be a negotiating tactics. First show the guns and then negotiate. But in my opinion this is neither a bluff nor a negotiating tactic. Bush administration is behaving like a gambler that has lost everything except his house. Now in one last desperate attempt it is raising the bet to all or nothing. Let us hope that the Democrats will stop Bush before he accidentally or by design start another war in an already volatile region.” Excellent reference list.

Gulf states seen shifting away from U.S. assets
25.01.07. Reuters.

IRAN AND GAS

In January '06, the Financial Express reported that India fears Iran may extract a high price for piped gas. In February, the Asia Times noted that India has been pursuing discussions about a Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. The United States would prefer Pakistan and India to build a gas pipeline linking them to Turkmenistan - instead of Iran. Will Mushareff, who has been given bases in exchange for F16s, give up this pipeline?

Meanwhile, Iran and Georgia strike a gas deal.

US opposes IPI gas pipeline project
28.01.07. Online news. ISLAMABAD: Removing the ambiguity over the multi-billon Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project, the United States has announced its opposition to the project involving the three sub-continental countries.
"Apparently, Anglo-Americans are using democracy as a political argument to violently expand their economic global hegemony." Gilad Atzmon.

IRAN / IRAQ

PNAC: Rebuilding America's Defenses - A Biopsy on Imperialism; Part II: "Special Interests" - The Persian Gulf
(See Iraq)

UPDATE 1-Iraq, Iran to sign deal on shared oilfield-Shahristani
12.09.06. Reuters.

The “Surge” Is A Red Herring
12.01.07. P. Craig Roberts, ICH
Bush can tell blatant propagandistic lies, because Congress and the American people don’t know enough facts to realize the absurdity of Bush’s assertions.

Why is Bush telling these lies? Here is the answer: Bush says, “We will disrupt the attacks on our forces. We will interrupt the flow of support from Iran and Syria. And we will seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq.”

In those words, Bush states perfectly clearly that victory in Iraq requires US forces to attack Iran and Syria. Moreover, Bush says, “We are also taking other steps to bolster the security of Iraq and protect American interests in the Middle East. I recently ordered the deployment of an additional carrier strike group to the region.”

Top Iraqi condemns US over Iran
17.01.07. BBC.

Video. BBC Report: Cheney Rejected Iran's 'Help.' 1 min.37.
17.01.07. BBC, Newsnight. Newsnight has uncovered an extraordinary letter written after the invasion of Iraq in 2003 where Tehran offers to withdraw military backing for Hamas and Hezbollah as well as give open access to their nuclear facilities, but Vice-President Dick Cheney's office rejected the plan, the official said.

Iran offers to train Iraqi troops
18.01.07. AFP / uruknet. Iran says it is ready to help train and equip Iraqi security forces to combat what it calls terrorism.

Speaking after talks with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Iranian ambassador Hassan Kazemi has demanded to be shown "any shred of evidence that Iran is working to destabilise Iraq," as the US alleges.

"We are working for, not against, security in Iraq, because we know that insecurity justifies maintaining foreign troops in the country," he said.

"Iran is disposed to helping to train and equip Iraqi security forces to combat terrorism."

U.S. Launches Armed Force to Block Iranian Influence in Iraq
18.01.07. USNWR / ICH. ‘The U.S. military has launched a special operations task force to break up Iranian influence in Iraq, according to U.S. News sources. The special operations mission, known as Task Force 16, was created late last year to target Iranians trafficking arms and training Shiite militia forces. The operation is modeled on Task Force 15, a clandestine cadre of Navy SEALs, Army Delta Force soldiers, and CIA operatives with a mission to capture or kill al Qaeda operatives and Baathist insurgents in Iraq.’

US seeks change in Iran ties with Iraq -ambassador
24.01.07. Reuters. The United States will present evidence of Iranian agents' hostile activities in Iraq soon and hopes arrests of Iranians will push Tehran to change its diplomatic ties with Iraq, the U.S. ambassador said on Wednesday.

Troops Authorized to Kill Iranian Operatives in Iraq
26.01.07. D. Linzer, Washington Post. ‘The Bush administration has authorized the U.S. military to kill or capture Iranian operatives inside Iraq as part of an aggressive new strategy to weaken Tehran's influence across the Middle East and compel it to give up its nuclear program, according to government and counterterrorism officials with direct knowledge of the effort.’

US troops authorised to kill Iranian agents in Iraq
27.01.07. S. Goldenberg, Guardian. President Bush has authorised US forces in Iraq to kill or capture Iranian agents as part of a campaign aimed at countering Tehran's influence in the Middle East, the White House said yesterday.

In a further indication of concern in Washington at Iran's influence in Iraq, White House officials confirmed a decision to take more rigorous measures against Iranian agents in Iraq, accused by the US of arming and training insurgents.

US troops authorised to kill Iranian agents in Iraq
27.01.07. S. Goldenberg, Guardian. President Bush has authorised US forces in Iraq to kill or capture Iranian agents as part of a campaign aimed at countering Tehran's influence in the Middle East, the White House said yesterday.

IRAN / ISRAEL

Israel seeks pipeline for Iraqi oil
20.03.06. E. Vuillamy, Observer. US discusses plan to pump fuel to its regional ally and solve energy headache at a stroke

Israel praises U.N. Security Council decision to impose sanctions on Iran
23.12.06. AP.

Revealed: Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran
07.01.07. Sunday Times. ISRAEL has drawn up secret plans to destroy Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities with tactical nuclear weapons. Two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up an Iranian facility using low-yield nuclear “bunker-busters”, according to several Israeli military sources.

Israel’s plans to Wage Nuclear War on Iran: History of Israel's Nuclear Arsenal
15.01.07. Michael Carmichael. Global Research.ca. This article expands upon an earlier text published by Global Research. Hundreds of nuclear warheads under the control of Israel's defense establishment. In 1986, an Israeli civil servant who worked in the state-owned nuclear industry flew to London where he was invited to meet with reporters working for The Sunday Times. In these press briefings, Mordechai Vanunu revealed Israel’s top secret - the Israelis had gained control of a growing stockpile of nuclear warheads. … “During his confirmation hearings last month, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates responded to a question about potential US military intervention against Iran. Mr. Gates stated that such an attack could have, “devastating consequences,” for America and her friends in the region.

Mr. Gates was right. The reality is stark. If Israel attacks Iran, she will be playing Russian roulette on a grand scale. The retaliation from a broad spectrum of nations and multinational militias in the Middle East could bring about a concerted series of devastating hard power attacks against both Israeli and American forces arrayed in a dense cluster from Iraq to Kuwait, Qatar and the Persian Gulf.”

Iran: Thinking the Unthinkable
15.01.07. C. Hannilan, Foreign Policy in Focus. ‘recent statements by top Israeli officials and military figures -- along with recent White House threats against Iran and Syria and a shuffling of American commanders in the Middle East -- suggest that the possibility is real.’

Israel's Plans to Nuke Iran
16.01.07. Michael Carmichael, Baltimore Chronicle.

A Powerful Voice: An Interview with Ilan Pape
17.01.07. uruknet. Liam Bailey. “Yes the manipulation of the Holocaust memory is to allow the policies I have described above to be carried out without interruption. But I do think the fear in Israel is not from a nuclear attack from Iran, it is clear that the worst that can happen is deterrence policies such as the ones that took place in The Cold War. The fear is from a serious challenge to Israel's absolute military hegemony in the area.”

AIPAC is pushing us to war with Iran for Israel
18.01.07. mparent7777. Incorporating Huffington Post, Media Matters and bloggingheads. video.

Israel Calls for harsher Iran Sanctions
18.01.07. herald sun.

Israeli Spying: The Mother of all Scandals
20.01.07. What Really Happened. For two years, the FBI has suspected AIPAC of spying for a foreign country, and for those two years (and for decades before) that group suspected of spying for Israel has been reshaping the US Congress for the benefit of a foreign government

Israelis prepare public for conflict with 'genocidal' Iranian regime
22.01.07. Anne Penketh, Independent

'Israel is a nuclear threshold state'
22.01.07. A. Pfeffer, Jerusalem Post.

Strategic talks with U.S. focus on Iranian threat
22.01.07. Haaretz. The Iranian threat was at the forefront of the strategic dialogue between Israel and the United States that took place in Tel Aviv yesterday. The Israeli and American teams, headed respectively by Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz and Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, discussed ways to halt Iran's nuclear program, its support for terror and its attempts to expand its regional power and influence.

Smears for Fears
23.01.07. Matthew Yglesias, Prospect. Pay No Attention to the Israel Lobby's Push for War. Wes Clark just got caught up in the rigged rules for discussing Israel-related issues in America. … The Jewish community, in short, is divided on the issue. It's also true that most major American Jewish organizations cater to the views of extremely wealthy major donors whose political views are well to the right of the bulk of American Jews, one of the most liberal ethnic groups in the country. Furthermore, it's true that major Jewish organizations are trying to push the country into war. And, last, it's true that if you read the Israeli press you'll see that right-wing Israeli politicians are anticipating a military confrontation with Iran.

Israeli Army Using Mock City to Train
23.01.07. AP. By ARON HELLER . TZEELIM MILITARY BASE, Israel (AP) -- Under the cover of thick smoke, a Muslim call to prayer sounding in the background, the masked Israeli commandos stormed a concrete building and "killed" two soldiers posing as Hezbollah guerrillas

Signs of Emerging U.S., Israeli, Sunni Arab Alliance against Iran
23.01.07. Sick / Gwertzman interview, Council on Foreign Relations. Gary G. Sick, a former National Security Council adviser on Iran, says an “emerging strategy” is developing that brings the United States, Israel, and Sunni Arab states in an informal alliance against Iran. He does not believe the United States would launch a military attack on Iran at this time because it lacks the military ability to be in Iraq and Iran at the same time.

"PM: International front has been formed against the Iranian threat
24.01.07. Haaretz. The prime minister emphasized that Israel has been following Iran's efforts to achieve nuclear capability for years.

Israel raises nuclear stakes with Iran
25.01.07. A. Penketh, Independent. ‘ "The Jewish people, with the scars of the Holocaust fresh on its body, cannot afford to allow itself to face threats of annihilation once again," Mr Olmert said in a speech to a high-level security conference in Herzliya. "No nation has the right even to consider its position. It is the obligation of every country to act against this will all its might." "We can stand up against nuclear threats and even prevent them," he said. ‘

Israel's Aggressive Nature Root Cause of Middle-East Crisis
25.01.07. English Fars news. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for European and American Affairs Sa'eed Jalili took the Zionist regime of Israel responsible for continued unrests in the region, stressing that the aggressive nature of that regime is the root cause of continued crisis in the Middle-East.

Israel tries to cut off Tehran from world markets
26.01.07. Hearst, Guardian. srael is launching a campaign to isolate Iran economically and to soften up world opinion for the option of a military strike aimed at crippling or delaying Tehran's uranium enrichment programme.

Pressure will be applied to major US pension funds to stop investment in about 70 companies that trade directly with Iran, and to international banks that trade with its oil sector, cutting off the country's access to hard currency.

Israel tries to cut off Tehran from world markets
26.01.07. Hearst, Guardian. srael is launching a campaign to isolate Iran economically and to soften up world opinion for the option of a military strike aimed at crippling or delaying Tehran's uranium enrichment programme.

Pressure will be applied to major US pension funds to stop investment in about 70 companies that trade directly with Iran, and to international banks that trade with its oil sector, cutting off the country's access to hard currency.

Israel calls for sanctions on Iran that bypass UN Security Council
07.02.07. dpa / Raw Story

Israel Planning Huge Nuclear Bomb Shelter In Jerusalem
08.02.07. playfuls.

Israel ready to confront Iran alone
13.02.07. News.com / legitgov. Israel alone will have to confront the perceived nuclear threat from arch enemy Iran, the country's ultra-rightwing Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman said today... Mr Lieberman's controversial appointment to government has seen him tasked with co-ordinating Israel's efforts to counter Iran's nuclear programme.

RUSSIA

Russian Admiral Says U.S. Navy Prepares Missile Strike on Iran
15.01.07. Mosnews/Legitgov. U.S. Navy nuclear submarines maintaining vigil off the coast of Iran indicate that the Pentagon’s military plans include not only control over navigation in the Persian Gulf but also strikes against Iranian targets, a former commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Eduard Baltin has told the Interfax news agency.

RUSSIA COMPLETES SAM DELIVERY TO IRAN
23.01.07. MENEWS.

Iran receives Russian air defense missiles, defense minister says
24.01.07. AP / IHT. Iran has received a Russian air defense missile system, the Iranian defense minister said Wednesday.

Russian defense minister bristles at U.S. missile defense plans
24.01.07. V. Isachenkov, sign on San Diego. Russia's defense minister on Wednesday harshly criticized U.S. plans to deploy missile defense sites in central Europe, saying that Moscow doesn't trust American claims that they are intended to counter missile threats posed by Iran and North Korea.

The Coming War Against Iran
25/01/07. Daan de Wit "ICHBlog" -- - Given the presence of four American submarines off the coast of Iran, Eduard Baltin, former commander of the Russian fleet, reasons that the U.S. is planning to attack Iran.

U.S.: missile defense in E Europe is to counter Iranian threat
25.01.07. Xinhuanet. Washington's proposed missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic are designed to counter the potential missile threat from Iran and will not affect Russian security, a senior defense official said on Thursday.

USA may impose sanctions against Russia for selling 29 Tor-M1 complexes to Iran
25.01.07. Pravda.

US must explain Mideast military build-up: Russia
27.01.07. Brecorder

Russian FM: deliveries of air defense systems to Iran legitimate
27.01.07. China View.
Belarus

Belarus, Iran sign memorandum of understanding on defense
24.01.07. Rian/ru.

WARNINGS, BLAMING, SCOLDING - BRIBERY?

U.S. pursues financial strategy against regimes it can't otherwise corral
26.12.06. Anne Gearan, AP. “Frustrated over languishing diplomatic campaigns against Iran and North Korea, U.S. officials are finding their backup strategy of financial sanctions has been surprisingly effective against those remaining members of President Bush's “axis of evil.”

Over the past year, the Bush administration has persuaded bankers across Europe and Asia to choke off some Iranian and North Korean access to the world financial system, using the taint of terrorism and corruption as leverage. … Their success so far owes more to the self-interest of banks than to the foreign policy goals of Washington, which accuses both nations of rogue behavior from counterfeiting U.S. money in Pyongyang to hiding a nuclear weapons program in Tehran. U.S. officials say banks have more to lose from rubbing shoulders with foreign banks, trading companies or governments linked to criminal behavior or terrorism. …
The United States alone can't prevent a foreign entity from doing business with alleged bad guys. But by taking relatively small steps to blacklist two banks that do business with North Korea and Iran, the Bush administration has introduced a whiff of scandal to transactions with those banks or governments. There is a powerful unspoken message in the U.S. presentations, too. In effect, foreign banks have been warned that their access to the vast U.S. banking system may be at risk if the administration eventually bars all U.S. transactions with overseas institutions that do business with groups tied to terrorism.

The financial moves have gained in appeal because the United Nations has a spotty record of applying meaningful sanctions, and because U.N. action is often laborious and slow. Although the Security Council acted swiftly to retaliate after North Korea tested a nuclear device in October, it has taken nearly a year to produce a weak sanctions resolution on Iran.

The solo U.S. financial strategy is more flexible than international diplomacy, requiring no approval from Congress or other countries. And though there are risks, particularly in the case of Iran, the strategy has worked better than its designers had hoped. … In the case of Iran, the United States banned U.S. banks from performing an indirect electronic maneuver that allowed a large state-owned bank to broker the sale of oil or other exports overseas in dollars. Oil is traditionally traded in dollars, although U.S. firms are generally barred from doing any business in Iran because of long-standing U.S. sanctions. Following the North Korean example, the United States targeted only Tehran-based Bank Saderat. Making the announcement in September, Levey listed four Mideast terror groups the bank is accused of serving. Iran denied the allegations but it hardly mattered. For months, U.S. officials had been showing bankers across Europe what they claim is evidence that Iran's central bank used the international financial system to funnel money to terrorists elsewhere.

Even before the Saderat move, the Swiss bank UBS cut off all dealings with Iran, and European banks HSBC and Credit Suisse scaled back their business there. …”

U.S. Embassy Is Warning Beijing on Iran Gas Deal
28.12.06. NY Sun.

Defense Secretary, in Afghan Capital, Scolds Iran
15.01.07. NY Times. Gates said that the United States was building up its forces to demonstrate its resolve to remain in the Persian Gulf. (that's honest, for a change?)

Israel warns Russia on Iran arms sale
17.01.07. Turkish Weekly. Voicing extreme concern over Russia's recent sale of advanced anti-aircraft missiles to Iran, senior diplomatic and defense officials warned Moscow Tuesday that the deal could have serious security implications that would even "get back to Russia."

US lacks 'explosive' evidence against Iran
17.01.07. G. Porter, ICH. For 18 months, the administration of US President George W Bush has periodically raised the charge that Iran is supplying anti-coalition forces in Iraq with arms. … Previously, high administration officials have always admitted that they had no real evidence to support these claims. Now, they are going further. The Bush administration made a decision to start blaming its new problem in Iraq on Tehran. On August 4, 2005, Pentagon and intelligence officials leaked the story to the National Broadcasting Co (NBC) and the Columbia Broadcasting System that US troops had "intercepted" dozens of shaped charges said to have been "smuggled into northeastern Iraq only last week".

U.S. has few bargaining chips in Iran disputes: Gates
18.01.07. A. Gray, Washington Post. The United States has little reason to negotiate with Iran now because the government in Tehran does not want anything from Washington, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday.

Gates seeks Saudi help to end Iran's nuclear work
18.01.07. Daily Star. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates touched down in Saudi Arabia Wednesday, angling for support in confronting Iran's nuclear ambitions as US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice left Kuwait at the end of her Mideast tour.

U.S. seeks to blame Iran for failure in Iraq: official
20.01.07. Tehran Times. The United States seeks to justify its failure in Iraq and blame the situation on Iran, a member of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Mohammad Jaafari said on Thursday.

US luring Arab states into anti-Iran role: experts
International news. Determined to halt the Iranian nuclear programme, the United States has sought to lure its largely Sunni Arab allies into adopting positions that are likely to antagonise Shia- dominated Iran, Arab analysts believe.

Israel warns Russia on Iran arms sale
Voicing extreme concern over Russia's recent sale of advanced anti-aircraft missiles to Iran, senior diplomatic and defense officials warned Moscow Tuesday that the deal could have serious security implications that would even "get back to Russia."
Jerusalem Post. (What about US arms sales to Israel?)

Texan Poker Bluff and Persian Chess Moves
22.01.07. K Gajendra Singh, ICHblog. Like Iraq , some fancy schemes are on the anvil in the Pentagon .To ward off the threats to the world economy if Tehran curtailed oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the US has reportedly made contingency plans for the indefinite takeover of Iranian territory in Chah Bahar, which would deny Tehran its strategic leverage with Hormuz.

U.S. warns Iran to back down
23.01.07. J. KRANE, AP. A second U.S. aircraft carrier strike group now steaming toward the Middle East is Washington's way of warning Iran to back down in its attempts to dominate the region, a top U.S. diplomat said here Tuesday. … "Iran is going to have to understand that the United States will protect its interests if Iran seeks to confront us," Burns continued.

US Warns Iran to Back Down
23.01.07. AP/ Truth Out. A second U.S. aircraft carrier strike group now steaming toward the Middle East is Washington's way of warning Iran to back down in its attempts to dominate the region, a top U.S. diplomat said here Tuesday.

DAVOS-Arab League's Moussa warns U.S. against Iran attack
24.01.07. Reuters.

Iran Threat Hovers Over US-Russia Missile Dispute
26.01.07. CNS news. Amid differing views over the potential security threat posed by Iran, the United States and Russia are exchanging verbal blows over U.S. proposals for a missile defense "umbrella" in eastern Europe and Russian plans to sell missiles to Tehran.

Example of Spin

At the very moment when US/UK oil companies are signing an agreement to take Iraqi oil under their imperial wings, this story appears: Report:-Iran (sic) -eyeing-southern-Iraqs-oil
16.01.07. Daily India/playdfuls. British military intelligence officials are concerned Iran is building its influence in the southern oil-rich Iraqi city of Basra, The Telegraph said Tuesday.

SANCTIONS IN IRAN?

In 1997, the former director of the CIA, and the former US Ambassador to Iran, Richard Helms stated that sanctions had "not changed Iranian behaviour" and that they were "too crude a device for such a complex nation of different groups and languages."

On the 18th of January '06, the Hindustan Times said that Israel, the EU and US were preparing sanctions against Iran. The Israeli defense and civilian agencies' proposals for sanctions, presented to European and American officials, included " an oil embargo, a ban on Iran's football team from participating in this summer's World Cup, a denial of entry visas to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and officials involved in Iran's nuclear programme, a halt to the International Atomic Energy Agency's technical cooperation with Tehran on nuclear issues and a restriction on the country's civilian aircraft landings."

Professor Abbas Edalat is a founding member of the newly formed Campaign against Sanctions and Intervention in Iran (CASMII). He recently traveled to the US and spoke at MIT and San Francisco about war and sanctions and the coming hostilities against Iran.

Hans Blix "thinks the West has not offered Iran enough. Compared to what has been offered to North Korea, U.S. offers to Iran have been 'rather miserable.' "

Meanwhile, Iran and Cuba have signed a banking agreement, expanding cooperation in various commercial, banking, agriculture, health and cultural fields. And China and Iran are near an oil field deal.

What are the hidden stakes in the Iran crisis? Thierry Meyssan writes: "the US have military control of part of the Caspian basin and of a corridor enabling them to link this area with the Indian Ocean (Afghanistan and Pakistan). They have also taken control of the key areas of the Gulf (Saudi Arabia and Iraq). At the end of this operation, Washington should have complete control over the world's main hydrocarbon production and reserves. It will control the world economy without the need to share power."

Rice: More Iran sanctions may come
21.01.07. Gulf News.

US pushes Europe on Iran sanctions
25.01.07. Reuters/FT.com.

Bolton: U.S. following flawed Iran plan
24.01.07. Herald News. “Very weak,” says Bolton.

UK WEAPONS TO ISRAEL

British arms exports to Israel doubled last year
25.07.06. Islamic Republic News Agency. The report revealed that 120 Standard Individual Export Licenses, worth Pnds £23.5 million (Dlrs 43 m) were issued to British companies applying to sell military equipment to Israel in 2005.

MPs attack government for breaking its own guidelines on arms sales to Israel
03.08.06. Richard Norton Taylor, Guardian. ‘In a hard-hitting report, MPs from four Commons committees say arms sales are regularly approved to countries the government itself.

US: $s AND WEAPONS FOR ISRAEL

Found In Lebanon 08.06

Pro-Israel PAC Contributions to 2006 Congressional Candidates

21.10.04. Eyeing Iran Reactors, Israel Seeks U.S. Bunker Bombs
Reuters / Common Dreams. The United States plans to sell Israel $319 million worth of air-launched bombs, including 500 "bunker busters" able to penetrate Iran's underground nuclear facilities, Israeli security sources said on Tuesday.

Who's Arming Israel?
26.06.06. Berrigan / Haertung, Foreign Policy in Focus. “The United States is the primary source of Israel's far superior arsenal. For more than 30 years, Israel had been the largest recipient of U.S. foreign assistance and since 1985 Jerusalem has received about $3 billion in military and economic aid each year from Washington. U.S. aid accounts for more than 20% of Israel's total defense budget.

Over the past decade, the United States has transferred more than $17 billion in military aid to this country of just under 7 million people….

During the Bush administration, from 2001 to 2005, Israel received $10.5 billion in Foreign Military Financing—the Pentagon's biggest military aid program—and $6.3 billion in U.S. arms deliveries. The aid figure is larger than the arms transfer figure because it includes financing for major arms agreements for which the equipment has yet to be fully delivered. The most prominent of these deals is a $4.5 billion sale of 102 Lockheed Martin F-16s to Israel.”

In July ’06, during Israel’s war against Lebanon, more arms were rushed to Israel, some through UK airports. The ‘hazardous cargo’ caused problems for the UK government. A news blackout was then imposed.

Israel Asks U.S. to Ship Rockets With Wide Blast
11.08.06. David Cloud, NY Times / ICH.

Crude Oil and Total Petroleum Imports to the USA -Top 15 Countries
14.08.06. AZTLAN.

Revealed: The Biggest Political Contributor in America is an Israeli Extremist!
17.01.07. D. Duke, Melbourne Indymedia.

Military Surplus Parts Illegally Find Their Way to Iran, US Officials Say
22.01.07. S. Theimer, AP. Fighter-jet parts and other sensitive US military gear seized from front companies for Iran and brokers for China have been traced in criminal cases to a surprising source: the Pentagon.

See also Index on Illegal US Weapons in Lebanon and Appendix to Weapons in Lebanon.

NUCLEAR WAR FOR OIL IN IRAN?

"by 2010 we will need on the order of an additional fifty million barrels a day. So where is the oil going to come from? ... While many regions of the world offer great oil opportunities, the Middle East with two thirds of the world's oil and the lowest cost, is still where the prize ultimately lies, even though companies are anxious for greater access there, progress continues to be slow."
Dick Cheney, then Halliburton CEO, 1999

In May, 2005, Michel Chossudovsky wrote that there was a "Planned US-Israeli Attack on Iran."

William Rivers Pitt stated in January '06 that an attack on Iran was a Looming Folly.

In February '06, Michael Keefer wrote an important analysis, 'Petrodollars and Nuclear Weapons Proliferation: Understanding the Planned Assault on Iran'. Iran, he said, had "been in the gun-sights of George W. Bush and his entourage from the moment that he was parachuted into the presidency in November 2000 by his father's Supreme Court." He references the Israeli Threat Factor, saying that "the United States and Israel ¹⁷ were working out the targeting details of an aerial attack in June '05." He talks about "deliberate arms trafficking with Turkey, whom the US needs to consent to the 'aggression' against Iran." He refers to the Teheran Oil Bourse, which "poses a threat to the status of the U.S. dollar as the principal world reserve currency."

Keefer recommends reading the following: Philip Giraldi, Deep Background, William Arkin, Not Just a Last Resort, and Early Warning.

Two further excellent Chossudovsky articles: Nuclear War against Iran, and The Dangers of a Middle East Nuclear War, in which he talks about those Americans who are convinced that "mini-nukes are safe for the surrounding civilian civilization."

Jorge Hirsh, who discusses the nuclear hit men behind the 'Nuclear Deployment for an Attack on Iran.' Jorge Hirsch has since written another highly referenced, strong article, America and Iran: At the Brink of the Abyss.

The Iran Plans
04.08.05. Seymour Hersh, The New Yorker. "The Bush Administration, while publicly advocating diplomacy in order to stop Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapon, has increased clandestine activities inside Iran and intensified planning for a possible major air attack."

Iran-US confrontation
thewe. Kewe writes: "The future doesn’t look bright at all. It seems the U.S. administration is bent on destroying anything that it can not control." Kewe explores the developments through extraordinary photographs and excellent maps. *** Originality. Recommended site.


The Buildup to War

Johnny Got His Gun
15.01.07. William Blum, Counterpunch.
“In the past year Iran has issued several warnings to the United States about the consequences of an American or Israeli attack. One statement, issued in November by a high Iranian military official, declared: "If America attacks Iran, its 200,000 troops and 33 bases in the region will be extremely vulnerable, and both American politicians and military commanders are aware of it." A report on how US govn. uses soldiers as Death Fodder.


The End of the Beginning
09.08.06. D. Plesch, global research. US forces ready to destroy 10,000 targets in the Middle East in a few hours. ‘Regardless of any impending ceasefire, the removal of Hizbullah and the Iranian nuclear position sets up the prospect of an US war against Iran.

US and UK send extra ships and aircraft to Gulf in provocative ’signal’ to Iran
21.12.06, NY Times

The UK media finally print this news. Allies 'go after' Iran as beefed-up naval force sails for Gulf (16.01.07, Times on Line.) "Two Royal Navy Minehunters have arrived in the Gulf to reinforce a naval frigate on patrol in the area. ... Britain’s contribution is two minehunters HMS Blyth and HMS Ramsey, which will remain in the Gulf for an unusually-long two-year mission to keep shipping routes open in the event that Iran attempts to block oil exports. ... The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier group entered the Gulf in December. ... It will be joined by the USS John C. Stennis carrier group. This is the first time since the invasion of Iraq four years ago that the US has deployed two carrier strike groups in the Gulf at one time.

In addition, President Bush has ordered the deployment of an air defence battalion equipped with Patriot missile batteries to protect America’s Gulf Arab allies from possible air attack from Iran.

Target Iran
21.12.06 Scott Ritter / Seymour Hersh, Democracy Now broadcast, 50 min. The aircraft carrier Eisenhower and its strike group entered the Persian Gulf on Dec. 11. Another aircraft carrier, the Stennis, is expected to depart for the Gulf within the next month. The military said it is also taking steps to prevent Iran from blocking oil shipments from the Gulf.


Map Major Iranian oilfields (Univ. of Texas)
click to enlarge



U.S. puts squeeze on Iran's oil fields
07.01.07. LA Times. As Washington wages a very public battle against Iran's quest for nuclear power, it is quietly gaining ground on another energy front: the oil fields that are the Islamic Republic's lifeblood.

Distracting Congress from the Real War Plan
10.01.07. Paul Craig Roberts, ICH. The US Congress and media are focused on President Bush’s proposal for an increase of 20,000 US troops in Iraq, while Israel and its American neoconservative allies prepare an assault on Iran. … The Bush administration has recently doubled its aircraft carrier forces and air power in the Persian Gulf. According to credible news reports, the Israeli air force has been making practice runs in preparation for an attack on Iran.

Incirlik Air Base

US sends warplanes to Turkey's Incirlik military base
11.01.07. Kuwait News Agency. U.S. F-16 jet-fighters arrived Thursday in Incirlik Air base in southern Turkish city of Adana after, the first time in three years. ... According to Local Cihan News Agency, at least 16 F-16 jets joined by early warning system AWACS airplane, as well as tanker airplanes landed here at Incirlik coming from an American base in Germany.

This is odd, because in April 2004, in spite of ! an offer of a nuclear reactor, Turkey refused a US request to allow an attack on Iran from a Turkish base.
In June ’06, the question of 90 US nuclear bombs at Incirlik was being brought before the Turkish parliament. WHAT WAS THE RESULTING DECISION?

US denies Iran attack plans
13.01.07. newscom.au. (Will Israel drop the bombs on Iran on behalf of the US?)

Tensions rise as Washington accuses Iran over militias
14.01.07. A. Buncombe, Independent. Tensions between the US and Iran were set to escalate last night after it was revealed that President George Bush had signed an executive order several months ago, authorising American troops to undertake wide-ranging military action against Iranian operatives active inside Iraq.
Now read this:
Media Distortions: Preparing us for War with Iran
19.01.07. F. Rudmin, Globalresearch.ca. The difference between "a" and "the" can be the difference between no war and nuclear war. But it was all false. The supposed facts were fiction. We were fooled by public relations lies, by repeated propaganda, by so-called experts and authorities, and by rhetorical tricks, including clever use of "the". Media distortions in the Independent (14.01.07) revealed.

Gates Says U.S. Resolved to Remain in Persian Gulf
15.01.07. D. Cloud, NY Times. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Monday that Iran was “acting in a very negative way” in the Middle East and that the United States was building up its forces to demonstrate its resolve to remain in the Persian Gulf. … President Bush announced last week, in his speech laying his new Iraq strategy, that he was also sending a second aircraft carrier and several Patriot anti-missile batteries to the Persian Gulf.

“The United States has had a strong presence in the Gulf for a long time,” Mr. Gates. “We are simply reaffirming that” with the buildup, he said.

Iran: Thinking the Unthinkable
15.01.07. C. Hannilan, Foreign Policy in Focus. ‘recent statements by top Israeli officials and military figures -- along with recent White House threats against Iran and Syria and a shuffling of American commanders in the Middle East -- suggest that the possibility is real.’

Escalation Against Iran
16.01.07. Col Sam Gardiner, Counterpunch. The Pieces Are Being Put in Place. ‘The pieces are moving. They’ll be in place by the end of February. The United States will be able to escalate military operations against Iran. ... The second carrier strike group leaves the U.S. west coast on January 16. It will be joined by naval mine clearing assets from both the United States and the UK. Patriot missile defense systems have also been ordered to deploy to the Gulf.’

Britain and US turn screws on Iran
17.01.07. News.com

The Coming Wars
17.01.07. Seymour Hersh, The New Yorker. 'The Bush Administration is looking at this as a huge war zone," the former high-level intelligence official told me. "Next, we're going to have the Iranian campaign. We've declared war and the bad guys, wherever they are, are the enemy. This is the last hurrah-we've got four years, and want to come out of this saying we won the war on terrorism." '

US military strike on Iran seen by April ’07; Sea-launched attack to hit oil, N-sites
17.01.07. Arab Times.

Attacking Iran: What’s In It For Bush?
17.01.07. Paul Craig Roberts, ICH. Suddenly the media is full of Bush Regime propagandistic assertions designed to make the American public believe that Iran is the enemy that is fighting against our troops in Iraq. To facilitate this deception, the Bush Regime staged a propaganda event by invading an Iranian government liaison office in Northern Iraq, kidnapping the Iranian officials and declaring them to be involved in plans to kill US troops.

Bush's tough tactics are a 'declaration of war'
12/21(?).01.07. A. Penketh, Independent. American forces stormed Iranian government offices in northern Iraq, hours after President George Bush issued a warning to Tehran that was described as a "declaration of war". The soldiers detained six people, including diplomats, according to the Iranians, and seized documents and computers in the pre-dawn raid which was condemned by Iran. A leading UK-based Iran specialist, Ali Ansari, said the incident was an "extreme provocation". Dr Ansari said that Mr Bush's speech on future Iraq strategy amounted to "a declaration of war" on Iran. … "We will seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq," (Bush) said.

Asked for her view of an Israeli military operation in Iran should diplomacy fail, (Condi) replied: "Well, I think that even talk of such just shows how very serious it would be to have Iran continue its program unabated." Condoleeza Rice , Reuters, 14.01.07. (no mention of US or Israeli nukes, then?) And, (10.01.07), Scoop (legitgov) reports that Companies Refusing To Reveal Biotech Research "Some 113 university, government, hospital and corporate laboratories engaged in research often with potential to be used for germ warfare have refused to disclose their operations to the public as required by Federal rules, a nonprofit watchdog agency has charged."

Perle: Bush Will Green Light Iran Attack
21.01.07. K. Nimmo. Richard Perle, more accurately referred to by his moniker, the Prince of Darkness, tells us from Herzliya, Israel, that Bush will eventually give the order to kill Iranians. see also Prominent lobbyist Perle: U.S. will attack Iran if it obtains nukes (22.01.07. Haaretz)

Iran Plans to Conduct Missile War Games
21.01.07. N. Karimi, My Way

The Unthinkable: The US- Israeli Nuclear War on Iran
21.01.07. M. Chussodovsky, Global Resarch. Selected Global Research Articles

Prominent lobbyist Perle: U.S. will attack Iran if it obtains nukes
22.01.07. Haaretz.

Iran prepares the public for possible military confrontation with U.S. amid discontent over prices
22.01.07. AP/IHT.

Iran Bars 38 IAEA Inspectors
22.01.07. VOA.

Texan Poker Bluff and Persian Chess Moves
22/01.07. K Gajendra Singh, ICHblog. Like Iraq , some fancy schemes are on the anvil in the Pentagon .To ward off the threats to the world economy if Tehran curtailed oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the US has reportedly made contingency plans for the indefinite takeover of Iranian territory in Chah Bahar, which would deny Tehran its strategic leverage with Hormuz.

The Build Up To Iran Timeline
22.01.07. R. Alexandrovna, Raw Story
And
Escalation of US Iran military planning part of six-year Administration push
23.01.07. Larisa Alexandrovna and Muriel Kane, Raw Story.

Brzezinski: Bush Iran Policy ’Stupid’
23,01.07. Iran daily. (Iran) has legitimate interests in what is happening in Iraq,“ IRNA quoted the Hamburg-based Die Welt newspaper as reporting in its Tuesday edition.

The American hostility towards Iran
24.01.07. P. Reynolds, BBC. ‘One of the notable features of President George Bush’s State of the Union was its hostile attitude towards Iran.’

Former CIA chief expects force with Iran
24.01.07. UPI/Washington Times.

Attack on Iran's nuclear facilities would be catastrophic says IAEA chief
25.01.07. AP. ‘International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed el-Baradei said Thursday that a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities would have ''catastrophic'' consequences and only strengthen resolve in Tehran to make atomic arms.’

Pakistan PM: Attacking Iran would be catastrophic
25.01.07. Reuters.

Iran's Khatami calls for calm heads in nuclear row
25.01.07. S. Dawson, Reuters.

Iran nearing satellite launch, U.S. magazine says
25.01.07. Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine reported on its Web site on Thursday.

Iran To Conduct Missile War Games
25.01.07. AP / Global Research.ca.

Bush denies preparing attack against Iran
26.01.07. FT.

GULF STATES FEAR IRAQ SPILLOVER
26.01.07. The News.

On Iran, Bush confronts echoes of Iraq
27.01.07. D. Sanger, NYT / IHT.

Iran says nuke program continues
28.01.07. China Daily. Three inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency who arrived in Iran on Saturday are scheduled to visit the uranium enrichment plant in Natanz, Iranian state-television reported. 'Iran is installing 3,000 centrifuges.

Burns warns Iran against pursing additional centrifuges
The Hindu.

Iran denies MP's centrifuge claims

U.S. patrol ship on alert in gulf
16.02.07. Perry, LA Times.

War Pimp Alert

Strategic talks with U.S. focus on Iranian "threat"
22.01.07. A. Benn, Haaretz. The Israeli and American teams, headed respectively by Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz and Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, discussed ways to halt Iran's nuclear program, its support for terror and its attempts to expand its regional power and influence.

Israel faces nuclear Holocaust warns Gingrich
23.01.07. Ynetnews (ICH).

Edwards: Iran Threat Serious
23.01.07. Totally Jewish.

Romney calls for anti-apartheid-like sanctions against Iran
23.01.07. WHDH.

Hillary Clinton And The Pro-Israel Lobby
23.01.07. Joshua Frank, Tom Paine. AIPAC's hypocrisy is nauseating. The goliath lobbying organization wants Iran to cease to procure nukes while the crimes of Israel continue to be ignored. So who is propping up AIPAC's hypocritical position? None other than Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Hillary Clinton of New York. As one of the top Democratic recipient of pro-Israel funds for the 2006 election cycle, pocketing over $83,000, Senator Clinton now has Iran in her cross hairs.

Candidates court Israel, cite Iran risks
24.01.07. Washington Times (ICH). Presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney, John Edwards and John McCain all detoured through Israel on the way to New Hampshire this week, seemingly competing to see who could be strongest in defense of the Jewish state.

US says its has proof Iran is interfering in Iraq
24.01.07. Yahoo / AFP. US says its has proof Iran is interfering in Iraq: … The United States said it had proof of Iran's interference in Iraq, promising soon to publish details of Iranian networks in its strife-torn neighboring country. "There is solid evidence that Iranian agents are involved in these networks and that they are working with individuals and groups in Iraq and that they are being sent there by the Iranian government," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.’

Iran attack possible, says Cameron
26.01.07. Telegraph. ‘A pre-emptive military strike against Iran involving British troops could be launched under a Conservative government after David Cameron yesterday refused to rule out the use of force against the Gulf state.’

Video. Iran Attack: Secret War Plans Against Iran Revealed. 3 min. Scarborough Repeats Lies Regarding Iran's President and Pimps A War With Iran

11. Iran: Deaths

Mysterious death of Iran’s top scientist
26.01.07. Asian Age. One of Iran’s top nuclear scientists, Ardeshir Hassanpour, a professor at the University of Shiraz, has died under mysterious circumstances.

NOW WHAT?

Don't Mourn: Annotate
18.01.07. Foreign Policy In Focus. Today we face a different barrage of words from Washington, but one also drafted in the service of a grand ideological battle. Mindful of the tyranny of images, President Bush attempted in his prosecution of the war in Iraq to imprint pictures of success on the public mind: a hated statue pulled down, a haggard Hussein captured, a victory banner on an aircraft carrier. But those few pictures of putative success have been overtaken by more powerful and more pervasive images. The photos from Abu Ghraib have become iconic. The morning newspaper features more faces of the fallen. A cell phone captures grainy shots of a mishandled execution. On the battlefield of the image, the United States has lost the Iraq War. .. So, to rescue his failed Iraq policy with more boots on the ground, the president has had to resort again to words.

Lawmakers seek to bar U.S. attack on Iran
18.01.07. Reuters / legitgov.

Stop the Next War
19.01.07. J. Raimondo, anti-war. All these legislative initiatives deal with Iraq, with only one – House Joint Resolution 14 – confronting the key issue on the war-and-peace front: Iran. This is a binding resolution that forbids the President from ordering an attack on Iran absent military action against U.S. forces, or a demonstrably imminent threat of attack.
Congress has long ago abdicated and delegated to the president its constitutional responsibility to initiate wars.’

Congress Can Stop the Iran Attack, or Be Complicit in War Crimes
20.01.07. J. Hirsh, anti-war. ‘President Bush is invoking his "command

There is no War on Terror
24.01.07. Clare Dyer, Guardian. "The director of public prosecutions, Sir Ken Macdonald, put himself at odds with the home secretary and Downing Street last night by denying that Britain is caught up in a "war on terror" and calling for a "culture of legislative restraint" in passing laws to deal with terrorism.
Sir Ken warned of the pernicious risk that a "fear-driven and inappropriate" response to the threat could lead Britain to abandon respect for fair trials and the due process of law."

Stop the Iran War Before It Starts
26.01.07. Scott Ritter. The Nation, ICH blog. Democrats should seek immediate legislative injunctions to nullify the War Powers' authority granted to the President in September 2001 and October 2002 when it comes to Iran.

The Overblown Terror Threat and Islamophobia
27.01.07. Abukar Arman, anti-war. Analysts both in the Muslim and the Western world by and large agree that fear and lack of objective dialogue are the root cause of Islamophobia and anti-Americanism.

Bush Is About to Attack Iran
27.01.07. P. Craig Robert. Anti-war. Why Can't Americans See it? The American public and the US Congress are getting their backs up about the Bush Regime's determination to escalate the war in Iraq. A massive protest demonstration is occurring in Washington DC today, and Congress is expressing its disagreement with Bush's decision to intensify the war in Iraq.


Footnotes

[1] In 2003, the UK government issued licences for sales of military goods to Israel worth in excess of £11.5 million, in addition to open licences whose value is not available. For 2005 CAAT report, see: Arms Exports and Collaborations: the UK and Israel (pdf)

[2] Bolton said "the way India and Pakistan had obtained nuclear arms was legitimate."

Articles are from anti-war.com; globalresearch.ca, globalsecurity, informationclearinghouse,info; legitgov.org,uruknet and google news alerts.

This article will be futher updated.

+

UPDATES

$ The Dollar

Dollar Slide Accelerates
13.04.07. Telegraph. Sterling and the euro are leading the charge against the embattled dollar, as interest rates are still expected to head higher in both Europe and the UK.

Petrodollar & Iran & Iraq
19.04.07. Jim Willie CB. kitco.com / ICH. The PetroDollar is a term used to describe the close relationship between the USDollar and the crude oil export business dominated by Saudi Arabia, manifested in the superstructure of the global banking system. So one could say the oil world provides the pool from which the US$ exchange rate valuation is applied and enforced.


Iran and Gas / Oil

Shell defies US pressure and signs £5bn Iranian gas deal
29.01.07. T. MacAllister, Guardian.

The pipeline may not be a pipe-dream

The pipeline may not be a pipe-dream
30.01.07. Rasul Bakhsh Rais, Daily Times. If cooperation in transporting the energy resources of Central Asia and the Gulf region is held hostage to conflict between India and Pakistan or instability in Afghanistan, it will adversely affect the future economic growth and individual well-being of Central, South West and South Asia. … Talks on building the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline began in 1994, more than twelve years back. Progress on this multi-billion-dollar project has been held hostage to India-Pakistan tensions. …Pakistan has been equally interested in the Turkmenistan pipeline through Afghanistan; there is a possibility that India might also join the project. Since the pulling out of the Unocal in December 1998, Turkmenistan and Pakistan have remained engaged in reviving the pipeline project, but they continue to face tremendous difficulties in raising the capital and attracting partners. … The situation in Afghanistan has qualitatively changed with the tremendous interest of the world powers in its reconstruction as a nation, country and state. Some of them would support the efforts that Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Pakistan are making in pulling the regional pipeline project out of cold storage.

Iran invites interested countries to invest in oil pipeline
17.02.07. Islamic Republic News Agency.

Indian officials to visit Pakistan for Iran gas pipeline talks
18.02.07. Daily Times.

Shell, Repsol, Total, Defy U.S. to Seek Iran Deals (Update1)
23.02.07. C. Bohlen, bloomberg. President George W. Bush's campaign to turn Iran into an economic pariah is being rebuffed from Spain to Malaysia as countries and companies pursue long-term agreements to tap into the world's second-largest reserves of oil and gas.

Oil rises amid US chill, Iran tensions
27.02.07. TVNZ. Oil rose on Monday as a burst of cold weather boosted heating demand in the United States and as world powers discussed tightening UN sanctions on Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil exporter.

Iraq, Iran to build joint pipeline in south
10.03.07. K. Saleh, Azzaman. Iraq and Iran have agreed to build a pipeline to carry Basra crude to the refineries in Abadan.
The deal is part of a memorandum of understanding the countries have signed to further expand economic ties. . Iran has emerged as the country’s number one trade partner in the years since the U.S. invasion. Iranian companies are active in southern and northern parts of Iraq.

More than 3.6 billion barrels of crude oil discovered in south
21.04.07. irna.ir / ICH. More than 3.6 billion barrels of crude oil discovered in south: Deputy Oil Minister and Managing Director of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Gholam-Hossein Nowzari said here Saturday that 3.6 billion barrels of crude oil has been discovered in southern Iran over the past 3-4 months.

Iran / Iraq

There are many articles showing how the US is ‘manufacturing consent’ for their war on Iran. I have omitted these, as they are chillingly reminiscent of the buildup to war in Iraq.

Bush's backdoor attack: Iran via Hizbullah
26.01.06. Yitzhak Benhorin, Ynet News
Published: 01.26.07, 21:38 ‘Friday, the Washington Post reported Bush's authorization of a new, more intensive policy that allows for more stringent measures against Iran. This includes, primarily, the authority to capture or kill Iranian agents active in Iraq, a story Bush and other US officials did not deny. However, the new policy extends far beyond Iraq.’

Sailors at Lemoore air base ship out on short notice to USS Reagan carrier
26.01.07. Fresno Bee. Some 360 of them flew out of the base late Thursday to rendezvous with the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, which will return to sea earlier than scheduled as part of a worldwide redeployment of forces resulting from the president's decision.

Iran closes border crossings with Iraq
28.01.07. ALI AKBAR DAREINI, AP / The State.

Iranian Reveals Plan to Expand Role in Iraq
29.01.07. J. Glanz, NY Times /fairuse. Iran’s ambassador to Baghdad outlined an ambitious plan on Sunday to greatly expand its economic and military ties with Iraq — including an Iranian national bank branch in the heart of the capital — that will almost certainly bring Iran into further conflict with American forces who have detained a number of Iranian operatives here in recent weeks.

Bush Warns Iran Against Action in Iraq
29.01.07. AP / News herald.

How US is putting more heat on Iran
P. Grier, CS Monitor. The US isn't facing a two-front war, exactly – but as the Pentagon begins its new push in Iraq, the Bush administration simultaneously is increasing military and political pressure on Iran. … But it's not clear that such escalation will accomplish more than it will cost, say some experts. Any actual attack on its agents or interests might cause Iran to redouble its current support for Iraqi Shiite militias. Or Tehran could decide to outflank US forces by causing trouble elsewhere.

Iraq, Iran and WMDs
29.01.07. F. Khosmood interview with Scott Ritter, Znet. “Not a single Senator, not a single Congressman was presented with viable intelligence that proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Iraq retained weapons of mass destruction.” Discussion of new book, and Iran.

Iran plan to open bank in Baghdad
30.01.07. The Australian.

US fighter jets to patrol Iran-Iraq border, report says
30.01.07. Ynet news.

U.S. delays report on Iranian role in Iraq
01.02.07. P Richter, ichblog. The Bush administration has postponed plans to offer public details of its charges of Iranian meddling inside Iraq amid internal divisions over the strength of the evidence, U.S. officials said.

Iraq Invites Syria, Iran For Talks
01.02.07. CBS.

Scott Ritter on War With Iran
01.02.07. ichblog. Audio.

Iranian Diplomat Kidnapped in Baghdad by Iraqis With Official ID
06.02.07. J. Glanz, NY Times.


Sanctions

Iran Wants Time to Review Plan That Delays U.N. Sanctions
28.01.07. NY Times / fairuse. Mr. Ivanov expressed optimism that the dispute could be resolved if both sides agreed to Dr. ElBaradei’s proposal.

Iran: Drive for tough sanctions
26.02.07. Observer / Hindu. Britain seeks a united front at UN to halt nuclear progamme as Cheney says no option is ruled out

Blacklist Of Iran Dealers
26.02.07. NY Sun. Companies, Banks Targeted.

U.N. starts talks on new Iran sanctions
05.03.07.

UK Arms

Britain’s Arms Trade with Israel
26.01.07. Ruth Tenne, Palestine Chronicle.


US arms

Israel to buy thousands of US smart bombs - report
29.01.07. Forbes. Israel intends to buy thousands of advanced 'smart' bombs from the United States which the Jewish state first used during the Lebanon war, the Jerusalem Post reported today.

According to the English-language Jerusalem Post, the Israeli army will purchase 100 mln usd worth of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) -- low-cost kits produced by Boeing (nyse: BA - news - people ) that turn free-fall An atomic threat made in America bombs into guided 'smart' munitions.

How the U.S. spread bomb-grade fuel worldwide — and failed to get it back
28.01.07. Sam Roe, Chicago Tribune. First of two parts. Romania is but one example in a world that reverberates from the fallout of the United States' Cold War folly known as Atoms for Peace, a program that distributed highly enriched uranium around the world. (John le Carre could not have made up this bizarre, horrific story! )

Israel to buy thousands of US smart bombs - report
29.01.07. Forbes. Israel intends to buy thousands of advanced 'smart' bombs from the United States which the Jewish state first used during the Lebanon war, the Jerusalem Post reported today.

According to the English-language Jerusalem Post, the Israeli army will purchase 100 mln usd worth of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) -- low-cost kits produced by Boeing (nyse: BA - news - people ) that turn free-fall An atomic threat made in America bombs into guided 'smart' munitions.

Israel, U.S. begin discussions on renewal of foreign aid package
08.02.07. Haaretz. The Bush administration this week asked Congress for $2.4 billion in financial aid for Israeli security needs, the highest amount possible under America's current agreement with Israel.

Livermore may lead labs in building new H-bomb
02/03.07. Insided Bay Area. Ralph Vartabedian, Los Angeles Times. First new 'replacement warhead' in 20 years to be announced today

Israel puts in $65 million military equipment sale request to U.S.
21.04.07. Reuters/ICH. The Bush administration announced on Friday the first officially disclosed sale of U.S. military equipment to Israel since the end of Second Lebanon War this past summer.

Israeli Buildup to War

REPORT

A Clean Break
Institute for Advanced |Strategic and Political Studies. A New Strategy for Securing the Realm. Study Group on a New Israeli Strategy Toward 2000."The main substantive ideas in this paper emerge from a discussion in which prominent opinion makers, including Richard Perle, James Colbert, Charles Fairbanks, Jr., Douglas Feith, Robert Loewenberg, David Wurmser, and Meyrav Wurmser participated. The report, entitled "A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm," is the framework for a series of follow-up reports on strategy. … Participants in the Study Group on "A New Israeli Strategy Toward 2000:" Richard Perle, American Enterprise Institute, Study Group Leader; James Colbert, Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs; Charles Fairbanks, Jr., Johns Hopkins University/SAIS; Douglas Feith, Feith and Zell Associates; Robert Loewenberg, President, Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies; Jonathan Torop, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy; David Wurmser, Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies;
Meyrav Wurmser, Johns Hopkins University.
Also see article by Craig Unger, Wonderful Folks Who Brought You Iraq. Vanity Fair, 04.07.


ARTICLES

World War III has already begun, says Israeli spy chief
27.01.07. Ynet news. Former head of Israel's intelligence service tells Portuguese newspaper it would take at least 25 years before battle against fundamentalist terrorism is won; says nuclear strike by Muslim terrorists 'very likely'

Israel is the real winner of America’s War on Iraq and Iran
29.01.07. M. Elmasry, Mparent7777.

Iran, Israel, The Big Lie and The Real Threat30.01.07. Frank Scott. "Attempting to portray Iran as a nuclear menace to Israel and the world, in that order, even though it has no nuclear weapons and Israel has hundreds, is not merely a sign of dementia. It is indication of near idiocy in a society that can be repeatedly manipulated into believing such totally crackpot notions that have no foundation in the material world but exist only in a world of superstitious psycho-fantasy."

Israel to buy U.S.-made smart bombs – Report
30.01.07. al jazeera.

Israel calls for sanctions on Iran that bypass UN Security Council
07.02.07. dpa / Raw Story

Israel Planning Huge Nuclear Bomb Shelter In Jerusalem
08.02.07. playfuls.

VideoHow Israel got its nuclear bomb. (18.02.06, uruknet.)

Israel seeks all clear for Iran air strike
24.02.07. Con Coughlin, Telegraph

AIPAC Demands "Action" on Iran
24.02.07. G. Leupp, Counterpunch. "An American Strike on Iran is Essential for Our Existence"

Israel to hold nationwide nuclear attack drill
26.02.07. Breitbart. 'Israel will next month stage its first-ever nationwide drill simulating a nuclear and chemical missile attack on its cities, rescue services said Monday

Gulf countries: No space for Israel
26.02.07. UPI. 'Arab League Secretary-General Amr Mousa told reporters in Cairo the foreign ministers of Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates said there is no agreement allowing Israeli jets to use their air space to reach Iran.'

Israel to ask U.S. for more military aid
27.02.07. Moti Bassok, Haaretz.

Israel not 'threatened' by US-Iran talks
28.02.07. Jerusalem Post.

Israel can deal with Iran alone, Lieberman says
28.02.07. YNet News.

Israel and Iran's War of Words Could Easily Ignite World War III
28.02.07. la valley star.

“An American Strike on Iran is Essential for Our Existence”
26.02.07. G. Leupp, , Dissident Voice. AIPAC Demands “Action” on Iran

Israel concerned over Russia - Syria weapons deal
02.03.07. Albawaba.

Russia wants Israel to join NPT - FM Sergei Lavrov
02.03.07. Rianru. Russia wants Israel, which has never admitted its nuclear status but is nevertheless believed to possess nuclear weapons, to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to establish a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East, the Russian foreign minister said.

Olmert calls special cabinet session over Iranian nuclear threat
06.03.07. Haaretz / ICH.

Israel, NATO conduct Red Sea naval exercise
16.04.07. Jerusalem Post.

The US Buildup for War

John Bolton in Conference Call with AIPAC Membes
Stop AIPAC. Transcript and Audio Clip.

"We're on the edge of the abyss...." Audio. S. Ritter. 24.01.07. “Wars against Iraq and Iran are part of a larger US strategy that would eventually include conflict with Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, Ritter says. Why? A main reason is that the US wants to dictate the growth of China and India.”

Debunking Iran's nuclear myth makers
25.01.07. K. Afrasiabi, Asia Times. Increasingly, the voices of dissent in Iran on the nation's nuclear policy are getting louder and louder, reflecting a growing disenchantment with the confrontational policies of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, which according to many Iranian pundits have put vital national-security interests at risk.
"It is starting to look like a real tragedy," a Tehran political-science professor told the author, adding, "An inexperienced mayor [of Tehran] with no previous international exposure was put at the helm, and he brought in his aides who were equally novices in the realm of international politics, at a critical time in Iran's foreign relations. The result has been near-disastrous. But, hopefully, other leaders will put a stop to this nonsense."

U.S. PREPARES FOR IRAN LONG-RANGE MISSILES
28.01.07. MNL. .. the Czech Republic and Poland have been selected to host the missile defense assets amid an expected Iranian threat to Europe over the next few years.

Drums of War and Orchestrated Hysteria about Iran
28.01.07. R. Tremblay, Crimes and Corruptions. "And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar."

‘US warship to Gulf sends strong signal’
29.01.07. The int. News. “I think most of the nations in that part of the world believe their security is supported, if you will, by the United States. They want us to have a major presence there,” Cheney said in an interview with Newsweek magazine, according to a transcript released by the White House on Sunday.

America ‘poised to strike at Iran’s nuclear sites’ from bases in Bulgaria and Romania
29.01.07. Sunday herald.

ElBaradei's Idea for `Timeout' With Iran Is Rejected by U.S.
29.01.07. B. Varner, Bloomberg.

With Iran ascendant, U.S. is seen at fault
30.01.07. NBC. Arab allies in region feeling pressure.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Kuwait rarely rebuffs its ally, the United States, partly out of gratitude for the 1991 Persian Gulf War. But in October it reneged on a pledge to send three military observers to an American-led naval exercise in the Gulf, according to U.S. officials and Kuwaiti analysts. … "The United States is the first to be blamed for the rise of Iranian influence in the Middle East," said Khaled al-Dakhil, a Saudi writer and academic. "There is one thing important about the ascendance of Iran here. It does not reflect a real change in Iranian capabilities, economic or political. It's more a reflection of the failures on the part of the U.S. and its Arab allies in the region."

US strike group transits Suez Canal
30.01.07. Jerusalem Post.

Bataan enters 5th fleet
30.01.07. Marine Corps Times. “Its arrival coincides with the new surge of US military forces into the region and saber-rattling between Washington and Tehran.

A Powerful Iran not Tolerated by US
30.01.07. English fars news.

Europeans fear US attack on Iran as nuclear row intensifies
31.01.07. Traynor / Steele, Guardian.. As transatlantic friction over how to deal with the Iranian impasse intensifies, there are fears in European capitals that the nuclear crisis could come to a head this year because of US frustration with Russian stalling tactics at the UN security council. "The clock is ticking," said one European official. "Military action has come back on to the table more seriously than before. The language in the US has changed."

The neocons have learned nothing from five years of catastrophe
31.01.07. *** Francis Fukuyama, Guardian. Their zealous advocacy of the invasion of Iraq may have been a disaster, but now they want to do it all over again - in Iran. “What I find remarkable about the neoconservative line of argument on Iran, however, is how little changed it is in its basic assumptions and tonalities from that taken on Iraq in 2002, despite the momentous events of the past five years and the manifest failure of policies that neoconservatives themselves advocated. What may change is the American public's willingness to listen to them.

Bush 'spoiling for a fight' with Iran
31.01.07. S. Tisdall, Guardian. ‘US officials in Baghdad and Washington are expected to unveil a secret intelligence "dossier" this week detailing evidence of Iran's alleged complicity in attacks on American troops in Iraq. The move, uncomfortably echoing Downing Street's dossier debacle in the run-up to the 2003 Iraq invasion, is one more sign that the Bush administration is building a case for war.’

The Failure of America as a Moral Force
31.01.07. P, Craig Roberts, ICHBlog. “Everyone can see the US buildup of massive air and naval attack forces on Iran’s borders. Fox “News,” the Bush Regime’s main disinformation agency, is busy preparing its viewers for the US attack by whipping up fear and hysteria over Iran.”

Europe nervous despite US denials it plans to attack Iran
Traynor / Steele, Sunday morning herald, ‘ Fair Use

Iran showcases nuclear facilities to visiting diplomats, journalists
03.02.07. AP / Sign on San Diego / legitgov. See also Channel 4:
Video.

Two Pearl Destroyers Head for Persian Gulf
04.02.07. KHNL. video here


Iran guards to hold war games in Gulf, reports say
06.02.07. Reuters/Sign on San Diego.

Iran test fires Russian missiles near Strait of Hormuz
07.02.07. AP/ IHT. Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards test fired its new Russian defense missile system Wednesday near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, state radio reported.Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called Wednesday on world leaders to impose sanctions on Iran even if they have to do so without the United Nations Security Council.
http://snipurl.com/19p01

Rice confronted over Iran evidence
08.02.07. English aljazeera.

Weapons used in attack in southeastern Iran come from U.S.: report
18.02.07. English People/legitgov. 'On Wednesday morning, an explosive-laden car exploded in Zahedan as a bus, belonging to ground forces of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, passed by, killing at least 11 people and injuring 31 others. ... Relevant documents, photographs and film footage, which show that the explosives and arsenals used in the attack were American, would soon be made public, an "informed source" was quoted as saying.'

Iran: Ready to Attack
19.02.07. D. Plesch, New Statesman.

Theater Iran Near Term" (TIRANNT)
23.02.07. M. Chossudovsky, Globalreseearch.ca. "Theater Iran Near Term" has identified several thousand targets inside Iran as part of a "Shock and Awe" Blitzkrieg, which is now in its final planning stages.


American armada prepares to take on Iran
24.02.07. Damien McElroy aboard USS Eisenhower, Raw Story / Telegraph.

US developing contingency plan to bomb Iran
24.02.07. ABC News.

VP Cheney is on one of his bully tours, manipulating countries to support US policy/Iran war
Cheney arrives in Persian Gulf for talks with U.S.-allied Oman
25.02.07. AP / IHT. There are 4 bases in Oman which the US uses - one is 80 kilometers from Iran. Oman is strategically important for oil.

US Vice President Cheney menaces Iran with military aggression
25.02.07. P. Symonds, Global Research. 'In two interviews published today—in Murdoch’s Australian and on the US-based ABC News website—he confirmed that the Bush administration was willing to go to war against Tehran on the pretext of halting its nuclear programs.' See also: US warns Tehran over nuclear 'mistake' (25.02.07. R. Sullivan, Scotsman)

US generals ‘will quit’ if Bush orders Iran attack
25.02.07. Smith / Baxter, Sunday Times. Uup to 5 generals or admirals are willing to resign rather than approve what they consider would be a reckless attack.

Evidence of US coersion of IAEA members against Iran revealed
25.02.07. Campaign Iran. See discussion also To nuke or not to nuke: that is the question by William Bowles (02.03.07)

SEYMOUR HERSH The Redirection 25.02.07. Seymour M. Hersh. The New Yorker / ICH. Is the Administration’s new policy benefitting our enemies in the war on terrorism? see also CNN VideoPentagon Can Strike Iran within 24 hr. of Bush Order-War, 7 min. Antiwar Radio: Charles Goyette Interviews Seymour Hersh Seymour Hersh Lecture in Cairo (25.02.07). Seymour Hersh discusses his interview with Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, Abu Ghraib and the Bush administration's shifting Middle East strategy. VIDEO. Seymour Hersh on Al Jazeera From Secrecy News "At the conclusion of a widely cited article on U.S. policy towards Iran in the latest issue of The New Yorker, Seymour Hersh referred to a November 2006 report by CRS "on what it depicted as the Administration's blurring of the line between C.I.A. activities and strictly military ones." The referenced report Covert Action: Legislative Background and Possible Policy Questions" (November 2, 2006) can be read: here. Tomgram: The Seymour Hersh Mystery 13.03.07. Tom Engelhardt, Tom Dispatch. A journalist writing bloody murder and no one notices. 'As far as I can tell, no one in the mainstream even blinked on the Iran-Contra angle or the possibility that a vast, secret Middle Eastern operation is being run, possibly illegally and based on stolen funds and Saudi money, out of the Vice President's office.'

US accused of drawing up plan to bomb Iran
26.02.07. Guardian. President George Bush has charged the Pentagon with devising an expanded bombing plan for Iran that can be carried out at 24 hours' notice, it was reported yesterday. An extensive article in the New Yorker magazine by the investigative journalist Seymour Hersh describes the contingency bombing plan as part of a general overhaul by the Bush administration of its policy towards Iran.

US data on Iran flawed, says UN nuclear group
26.02.07. The Standard.

There are eight battleships at sea
Map, photos and stories with musak. judicial-inc.

West 'humiliating' Iran, says Hans Blix
26.0207. AP/YNet News.

Woman Colonel Urges Troops to Refuse Orders if US Attacks Iran
26.02.07. Ms Magazine.

US funds terror groups to sow chaos in Iran
26.02.07. Lowther / Freeman, Sunday Telegraph. America is secretly funding militant ethnic separatist groups in Iran in an attempt to pile pressure on the Islamic regime to give up its nuclear programme.

American Enterprise Institute Takes Lead in Agitating Against Iran
26.02.07. B. Berkovitz, Dissident Voice.

U.S. military banking on Turkey for Iran, Iraq access
26.02.07. World Tribune / ICH. The U.S. military has sought to significantly expand operations at a key Turkish air base (Incirlik)

Steve Bell, Guardian (02.03.07)

U.S. to Attend Iraq Meeting Where Iran, Syria Invited (Update2)
27.02.07. J. Mathewson, Bloomberg.
BUT ...
U.S. won't talk to Syria, Iran directly
01.03.07. CNN.

Everyone is very busy in Washington ...,

Edwards' mid-east policy doesn't ackknowledge Israeli nukes
28.02.07. Alternet Peek. Video.

Pentagon Meet Discussed Escalating Pressure on Iran
01.03.07. Gareth Porter, anti-war.com.

Rice the gracious hostess of Bush's supper of contrition
01.03.07. D. Milbank, smh. 'On January 11 the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, sat at the witness table in Hearing Room 106 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building explaining why those who talked about engagement with Syria and Iran were all "wet". "That's not diplomacy - that's extortion," she said. On Tuesday Rice returned to the same witness table in the same hearing room. "I'm pleased to inform you that the Iraqis are launching a new diplomatic initiative, which we are going to fully support," she announced cheerfully. And guess who's coming to dinner? Iran and Syria.

US representatives approve cooperation with Israel
01.03.07. YN News.
House of Representativse approves bill on anti-terror cooperation between US and five countries, including Israel. Bill to award $25 million in grants to companies whose technology helps combat terror.

Bolton Says U.S. Should Seek `Regime Change' in Iran (Update1)
01.03.07. Bloomberg.

Analysis: U.S. Intel on Nukes in Doubt
G. Jahn, Guardian.

To Nuke or not to nuke
02.03.07. William Bowles, Investigating Imperialism. Even if a ‘tactical’ nuclear strike is contemplated (is there such an animal?), the radiation released from both US weapons and Iran’s nuclear facilities would in all likelyhood make much of the region uninhabitable, including most probably Israel. … An unprovoked attack on Iran would undoubtedly further isolate the US from the world community, further complicate its relations with the EU, Russia and China. It would also further diminish the US’s influence over world affairs, leading to it being even more isolated than it already is. If I’m wrong, then the US is even more desperate and its leaders even more out of touch with reality than any of us realise.

ENTER CHINA China demands US cancel planned missile sale to Taiwan 02/03.07. BBC China warns Negroponte on Taiwan arms sales 03.03.07. Yahoo News.

FEATURE: US Navy: aircraft carrier for Afghanistan, not Iran
03.04.07. Earthtimes.

(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

B. OBAMA supports Israel In AIPAC speech, Obama repeats support for Israel, peace talks 03.03.07. S. Rosner, haaretz. See also Obama Obama supports Israel. Period. (Rosner06.03.07, Haaretz. How Barack Obama learned to love Israel 05.03.07. Ali Abunimah, Guardian. His about-face is disappointing but not surprising: he is merely doing what he thinks is necessary to get elected. Obama: US should never dictate what's best for Israel 02.03.07. YNET NEWS. AIPAC speech story. ‘In a powerfully pro-Israel speech, Democratic presidential candidate US Senator Barack Obama clarified that Israel and the United States do not have the luxury to ignore the exhortations of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and “no option, including military action, (should be taken) off the table” in the effort to stop Iran's nuclear armament.’ Yes, Barack, But How Much Do You Hate the Palestinians? 03.07. Tony Karon. 'And nobody will think any less of you, Barack, if you choose to speak the truth, and what you know to be the truth, rather than half-heartedly embrace falsehoods that aren’t doing anybody any good. The right-wing Zionists aren’t going to support you no matter how hard you pander, and the liberal mainstream will respect honesty and consistency. Israel needs American leaders that can march it back from its own self-destructive impulses, rather than cheerleaders of its march of folly.'

UN atomic agency to meet on Iran, North Korea
04.03.07. Channel News Asia.

Iran: No plans to meet with U.S. in Iraq
04.03.07. Chron com.

Russia to counter US buildup
04.03.07. Plenglish. Russia readies to respond the eventual installation of a US anti-Missile Defense system in the Caucasus, said Russian AF Chief, Army Gen. Vladimir Mija

Media blacks out Iran Peace Delegation representing 50+ Million in US
04.03.07. B. Wilson, Alternet.

Iran's rich architecture and rare treasures threatened by possible US strikes
05.03.007. M. Kennedy, Guardian. Many ancient remains are close to nuclear plants · Archaeologists anxious to avoid repeat of Iraq chaos

Attack on Iran would backfire, warns report
05.03.07. J. Borger, Guardian. · UK nuclear expert fears for region after air strikes · Tragedy and turmoil would follow, says Blix

Webb Introduces Bill Barring Funding For Military Action Against Iran
05.03.07. Fox News.

ENTER PAKISTAN US pressurizing Pak to get its support for attack on Iran 05.03.07. Pak Tribune. Gul says US is ‘paving the way to use Pakistan’s territory for its expected attack on Iran … “ US ally Musharraf in a tangle over Iran 07.03.07. M K Bhadrakumar, Asia Times. The intense pressure from Washington on President General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan to be cooperative in the "war on terror" is yielding dramatic results, although perhaps not of the kind initially anticipated.

New York dinner raises $18m. for IDF
03.04.07. Jerusalem post. Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz addressed more than 1,300 attendees and remarked on the key security challenges facing Israel. The former defense minister and army chief warned that Iran intended to carry out its threats to destroy Israel.

PELOSI SHOULD RESIGN FROM AIPAC
Pelosi's Misguided Middle East Visit
05.04.07. DR. MARCH NEWMAN, Electronic Lebanon. While Pelosi's delegation to the region should be met with applause for refusing to participate in isolating Syria, her visit to Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria should be met with a great deal of caution.

VIDEOThe Israel Lobby. Portrait of a Great Taboo The Power of the Israel Lobby in the United States. Includes interviews with John Mearsheimer, former chief of staff to United States Secretary of State Colin Powell, Lawrence Wilkerson, cofounder of the Christians United for Israel lobbying group John Hagee, neoconservative Richard Perle and historian Tony Judt express their views in Marije Meermans and William de Bruijns documentary.





Iran May Be the Greatest Crisis of Modern Times
12.04.07. John Pilger, Dissident Voice. The Bush administration, in secret connivance with Blair, has spent four years preparing for “Operation Iranian Freedom.” Forty-five cruise missiles are primed to strike. According to Russia's leading strategic thinker General Leonid Ivashov: “Nuclear facilities will be secondary targets . . . at least 20 such facilities need to be destroyed. Combat nuclear weapons may be used. This will result in the radioactive contamination of all the Iranian territory, and beyond. ... On 6 April, Blair accused “elements of the Iranian regime” of “backing, financing, arming and supporting terrorism in Iraq.” He offered no evidence, and the Ministry of Defence has none.”

Human Rights

Iranian envoy wounds 'confirmed'
11.04.07. BBC. The head of the International Red Cross in Tehran says he saw wounds on an Iranian diplomat who has alleged that US forces in Iraq tortured him. ... Mr Sharafi, second secretary at the Iranian embassy in Baghdad, says he was kidnapped by Iraqi agents operating under the supervision of the CIA. . . Iranian state media has quoted Mr Sharafi saying the CIA subjected him to torture as they questioned him about Iranian assistance to groups inside Iraq. . Iranian television has shown pictures of Mr Sharafi receiving treatment in hospital and quotes a doctor's report saying there are signs someone drilled holes in his feet as well as broke his nose, injured his ear and wounded his neck and back.


Deaths

Iranian nuclear scientist ‘assassinated by Mossad’
04.02.07. Sunday Times.


MANUFACTURING THE IRAN THREAT

American Enterprise Institute takes lead in agitating against Iran
26.02.07. B. Berkovitz, Media Transparency. Despite wrongheaded predictions about the war on Iraq, neocons are on the frontlines advocating military conflict with Iran.

SEE ABOVE, IRAN/ISRAEL

Now What?

Chalmers Johnson, Nemesis on the Imperial Premises
31.01.07. Tomgram.

12 Consequences of Attacking Iran
0 7.02.07. J. B. Utley, anti-war. U.S. war plans are reportedly counting on a few weeks of war (as they did with Iraq) to disable Iran's nuclear and military industries. The concept that the U.S. could simply destroy much of Iran then proclaim the war over neglects all the lessons of Iraq, namely that a wounded Muslim nation only gives up when it wants to. Repeatedly, the U.S. loses when we expect enemies to play by American rules. Following are consequences we must anticipate following such an American attack

Another Hiroshima?
Kewe.

Attack on Iran would result in India feeling nuked: Moret
15.02.07. Dhananjay Khadilkar, DNaindia.

Greenpeace launches campaign for nuclear-free Middle East
17.02.07. Jerusalem Post.

Campaign Iran

Sarah Meyer is a researcher living in the UK

The url to Iran War: Resource Info is: http://indexresearch.blogspot.com/2007/01/iran-war-resource-info.html

This article was first published at http://www.brusselstribunal.org/Meyer/iran.htm

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Tags: Index Research, USA, IRAN, Israel, Russia, UK, Weapons, Oil, AIPAC, Euro, Nuclear, Map Iran oil