CBS: Sy Hersh To Report U.S. Planning Iran Military Action

On Friday, the CBS News editorial board interviewed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. During the questioning, one of the board members said to Rice:

Iran is still increasingly in the news, both with the President being here and we understand there's an article coming out in The New Yorker next week, Sy Hirsch [sic] talking about plans the Administration is making to go into Iran in a military way. Can you talk to us anything about the situation in Iran and the United States?

Rice responded with the common refrain that "the President doesn't take any option off the table, but we still believe that the diplomatic track has legs and can still resolve this if we remain very tough on that track."

Comments

[mmc9431]

I wrote Hilary condemning her yes vote on the Iran resolution and I contacted my Senators Obama and Durbin. Durbin reassured me in an e-mail response that the president must come to Congress before he can take military action against Iran. Looking over the track record of this administration I didn't come away very reassured!

[anotherpatriot]

My concern, as I've expressed before, is that since the Iranian army has been classified as a terrorist group, Bushco will claim that he has already been given the authority to hunt down and attack terrorists, and those nations that harbor or give aid to terrorists, as a part of the ongoing worldwide "war on terror."

[Norm]

Your concern is my concern, which is now my certainty that Hillary and some other Democratic candidates were fully aware that the U.S was going into Iran before the Democratic debate. It was all too fuzzy: The deadline for ending the Iraq war was pushed to 2013, with everyone carefully saying they did not know what they would inherit.
When asked about the Syrian air raid, Hillary said she knew very little, but within a few minutes gave more information, indicating she was being entirely disingenuous. This, after the Kyle-LIeberman vote was entirely suspicious - so suspicious I promptly went to the town hall and changed my voter registration to Independent. I'm shocked and disgusted and, frankly, ready to take to the streets, if someone, just someone, will throw a protest now, while there is a slim chance of doing some good. Or at least making one Hell of a lot of noise. These idiots are bucking to start WWIII, which a history professor of mine stated in 1968 would start in the Mid-East. Funny how this was foreseen forty years ago, but our intelligence and our leaders are totally clueless in 2007. Be frightened. Be very frightened. And not of Al Qaida.

[OneVoiceInACrowd]

Israel will launch, but need to call in big brother. The admin will tote how we are saving the Israels. Who knows where this will end with China's relations with Iran?

The set back 10 year plan really sounds like the 1st gulf war. Soften them up first, regroup then go in for the entire country. At which time Venezuela will receive its 10 year warning. And on we go.

Is it a far grasp to think that the people who came up with this plan to own the worlds oil supply is not the US oil producers? That is the "power-in-Power" right now. And this is what we get for allowing it to happen. 2 wars going on 3. These guys are madmen, all for oil.

We need a leader who can break this system. I haven't seen him/her yet.

[OneVoiceInACrowd]

why did huffpo reverse its thread display again?

[LittleGreenGreaseBalls]

The thread was probably reversed so that we wouldn't have to wade through endless posts by a half-dozen people (Blogging Bitch for example) who thought it was their personal bully pulpit.

[kroses98]

Neither have I. It's certainly not anyone who is running on ANY side! The only one I might trust might be Al Gore!

[CarmanK]

Middle East peace is not the goal of the Bush/Chene­y/Rumsfeld troika. They want to invade countries that have assets that can be pillaged. Israel is just another "puppet" in their theatre of destruction. Just think, if we had captured bin Laden, would we be in Iraq? Bet not!! The people who died on 9/11 and those of us who survived have never received justice. Iran is a democracy and the people are not the enemy. The troika needs Israel in conflict with its neighbors in order to keep the Middle East unsettled.

[leftLibertarian]

The war profiteers Bush and Cheney are not content with two wars, another must be added. Joe LIEberman must be drooling.

[mamacat]

Are there any constitutional issues involved here? Is a president of the U.S. allowed to attack another country without approval from the legislature?

Has the executive branch of the U.S. government been taken over by mind-controlling aliens intent on bringing an end to human civilisation?

At this point, anything remotely imaginable cannot be ruled out as possible from this administration. From letting a surrounded Osama escape, to invading the wrong country, to ruining the U.S. dollar, to refusing to help Katrina victims, and on, and on, and on.

At least when the U.S. was one of only two superpowers, we had to worry what the USSR would do in response to our actions. Today, there seems to be nothing to stop an insane president from ordering bombers to attack another country.

[WorkingClass]

The U.S. Constitution is an historical artifact.

[getoffmedz]

WorkingClass - your profile is impressive. Thoughtful Comments.

Good job.

[getoffmedz]

mamacat - Bush/Cheney wipe their asses with the Constitution.

[kroses98]

Allowed? He THINKS he's a DICTATOR!!!

[goodsnservices]

Not only are their constitutional problems, there are also problems with international law. A preemptive strike is always illegal, except when there is a clear and present danger from that country against you. For instance, when Saddam Hussein massed troops on the Kuwait border, had Kuwait had to capability, it would have been within it's legal rights to attack Iraq.

We broke international law when we invaded Iraq -- they posed no immediate threat to us. If we launch air attacks agains Iran, we will again be breaking international law. There is no enforcement mechanism in international law, except one -- "self help". That means the rest of the world, should it choose to do so, could with impunity attack the United States in retaliation for our illegal aggression, providing they do not use illegal means themselves (no chemical, no biological, no terrorist attacks), and those retaliatory attacks would be perfectly legal within the framework of international law.

Talk about screwing with our self image! We're supposed to be the good guys, the people who uphold the law, assist the weak against aggression, punish the aggressors, etc. Now we're poised to become that very enemy we've vowed to fight against. I can't stand it.

[NoFactsJustTruth]

Of course the neoCONS might want the price of oil to eventually be artificially high and for a number of possible reasons.

The first is that once the power of OPEC is broken, the USA and Saudi oil companies will have a much bigger say in determining the price per barrel of crude, and reaping a lion's share of profits. All other oil producers will likely fall in line then for greater profits also.

Secondly, but maybe more importantly, black markets WILL ripen and entire tankers of crude stolen from 'somewhere', or anywhere, could be sold in many countries with less scrupulous refineries.

If oil factors aren't enough, you can bet your ass the military industrial complex (MIC) is also on board 100% with the aggressive and geopolitical aims of OUR currently criminal government, and that they also like record profits.



In light of all that profiting going on, why would they be concerned with a few (million?) lives being lost?

[getoffmedz]

NoFactsJustTruth - "In light of all that profiting going on, why would they be concerned with a few (million?) lives being lost?"

Considering none of those slaughtered in Iran are consumers of the oil.

Bush/Cheney draws their false authority from false wars. They are like vampires, sucking their power from dead and maimed and the heartbreak of families and loved ones.

They ARE SHIT!

[themodernleader]

Senate leaders should make clear to the President that if he goes to war against Iran without Congressional authorization, he will be summarily impeached and tried for treason against the Republic. That is their constitutional duty.

[babyboomerorig]

Great idea!

[WorkingClass]

No. Senate leaders should impeach NOW.

[anotherpatriot]

Articles of impeachment (the charges) are drafted by the House of Representatives for cases involving federal officials. Once drafted, a supermajority of the US Senate is required to convict based on the articles. If a supermajority of the Senate does not convict, then it is considered an acquital.

[Grannysue]

Of course they are going to attempt to bomb Iran, that's what the group "Freedom Watch" is all about. Cheney's little group of neo nazi white guys sitting around and poking pins into a map of the countries they want to take over, of course all of them have oil, why the hell else would they want to attack them. These people are crazy and need to be stopped.
Sorry to tell all you rabid right wing zealots but your party has been taken over by the Nazi's and their hell bent on destroying the world.

[anastasiabeaverhousen]

A little respect for the great journalist, Cy Hersch. "Sic" or not, at least spell his name correctly in the headline.

[ZingoBonMot]

Would that be Seymour M. Hersh, aka, "Sy" Hersh?

[1man1voicenovote]

Super-cali­phatalisti­c extremist devotion

[impatient]

Rice believe we can still reolve this? Resolve WHAT? Amedinahjad was here and said he sees no issues between the US and Iran.

What pretenses are they looking for this time?

[OldManOnFire]

Who are Iran's major allies?

Is it safe to guess Russia and China?

Both are super-powers with nuclear weapons!

Israel and France have nuclear weapons!

Does anyone in any way whatsoever see something good that can come from insane-Bush attacking Iran??

Have we all gone mad????!!!!!!!!!!

[Craig]

I really think the MSM discussion is just saber rattling in the form of free propaganda. It would be impossible for the US to pull this off without global economic calamity since the price of oil would probably double on concerns alone, and Iran could actually block the Straight of Hormuz for short periods of time. It could only work if there was a grand coalition involved up front, so that everyone would be able to measure their own riska and rewards appropriately beforehand. The Russians and Chinese would not stndby without some threats or response. The economic calamity caused to other nations would most certainly result in economic and other sanctions against the US.

[paige]

Hi Craig, I pray there is no war with the U.S. and Iran but my question is: Does Bush, Cheney really care about the price of war and about what it would do globally? They are so filthy rich and truly elites of the rare class (as far as money not morality) do they really care what it would mean? They can go where ever they want in this world to save themselves and leave it all behind for the minions to clean up. Do they care?

[ZingoBonMot]

If you think Iran could block the Strait of Hormuz for even five minutes, you are mistaken.
It doesn't matter, anyway. The point of this latest "War with ______" is to keep the price of crude oil artificially high.
All crude oil is traded on the international market in U.S. dollars.
The value of the dollar is sinking, therefore, the price of a barrel of crude has to be raised accordingly in order for the oil merchants to stay abreast of the dollar's declining value.
The only way to justify that inflated price per bbl is to sell it as a commodity prone to periodic "politically induced shortages".
And the only way to guarantee that kind of "politically induced shortage" is to start a bloody war in an oil-rich region, thereby creating one.
Rent "Syriana" and watch it one hundred times if you must. There will never be a better explanation of why American oil barons wanted to "liberate" Iraq.

[ZingoBonMot]

And, paige, the answer to your question is NO, they don't care one whit about us, the world, or the mess they leave in their wake.
The men and women they so carelessly sacrifice to the horrors of war mean absolutely nothing to them. We are but dumb animals, beasts of burden, the great unwashed, the ignorant masses. They are convinced their money will buy them not only worldly pleasures, but moral indulgences as well.
Should men such as these be made to pay for the evil they perpetrate while in this world?
I can't presume to say.
That decision belongs to a higher power.

[anotherpatriot]

I bet the reason that it's SUCH a big secret as to just who belongs to their new millionair­e/billiona­ire warmongering neocon elitist frat boy sorority club is because there are probably some foreigners involved, and Bildebergs, and Rothchilds, and Rockfellers, and Kissinger, a few security contractors and CIA operatives thrown in for muscle, as well as the usual suspects (Cheney, Rumy, Wolfie, Libby, Perle--the whole PNAC gang.)

All I can say to this group is BRING IT ON!! People, this isn't just about America anymore. This is about restoring those things we all hold dear as citizens of the world. Each and every individual citizen who values freedom, liberty, the rule of law, and believes that finding peaceful solutions to our differences is the path that will bring us together, over chaos and endless wars, corruption, more death and destruction, and dictatorial oppression under the neocons new world order, must stand up and make their voice heard around the world and say NO MORE! This is our planet and we will not let you destroy it or the people on it anymore.

As individuals, we must all take a stand and refuse to allow fear to control our minds or world events any longer. Without fear, they have no power over us.

And to the American people I say, the citizens of the world are just waiting for us to find our courage and resolve to do everything within our collective power to stop the neocons from achieving their goal.

[WigWamWag]

Juast suppose they declared a Iranian war and no one showed up tofight? Another tragic false flag operation would have to occur to mobilize the populace. Bad news all around.


Let the damn Iranian have the bomb, maybe it will keep the jews silent and less politically involved in the American gvernment and demanding the US pay for its national defense.


Protecting Israil's financial interest and getting control of the regional oil reserves is what this sabre rattling is really all about. There is a big bad black trial balloon being floated to promote the ploy and threat of eventual attacks.

[godlessclif]

A pipeline is a hard thing to guard. Look at how many times the rebels have blown up the pipeline in Colombia.

[MissingAmerica]

If Bush handles the diplomacy, it will slide off the tracks. As far as Bush taking nothing off the table, we wish the Democrats had been so unwavering when it came to impeachment. We want it back on, before this jackass gets us into yet another unwinnable war.

[average joe]

Iran it's about time all us old farts as you call us had to face a draft. now looks as if you young farts are to. Your country call so suck it up.

[Grannysue]

If one bomb is dropped in Iran, then anyone who authorized Bush to do so, or if they didn't must be tried for War crimes against the U.S.
What they hell do these guys think, our military is on it's last legs, are they going to throw rocks at the Iranians? Are they going to stand up stick figures as "Soldiers"?
It's obvious to the entire world how stupid Bush is, I don't think what the United States and world doesn't realize is how DANGEROUS Bush is. Stop this maniac before WWIII begins. Which is exactly what the Republicans want. They all grow big balls, except when it comes to fighting, then they shrink up like an old man in the shower.
When I see Barbara and Jena Bush in a uniform and heading for battle, and Mitt's five sons in uniform and heading for battle, then I will support Bush's little WAR's. But hell will freeze over before that happens.

[PollM]

As it appears the administration is slowly leading the country towards a similar path it took us in the Iraq war. Very little information and no diplomacy. Bush ideology and fundamental perspective is again taking control of foreign policy. Democrats will one day ask themselves why did we not attempt to impeach President Bush!!!
If President Bush does move forward with these plans, would you support the bombing of Iran? ------> http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=608

.

[research]

Go Granny! (pardon my angry expletives please) 29 Dems voted to start another fucking WAR!!!!!!

Dems: Fuck Bi Partisanship! The 30% republicans are trying to create a fascist state with them in charge! The 70% democratic value folks are going to tell the 30% greed nut jobs to shut up, and give us the keys. Dems, stop listening to the republicans or any conservative media. (delegate that to an assistant). Listen to the Liberal media: air America, the daily show, Colbert report and Oberman. Go on these shows. Let the repubs shows die from indifference. Give up trying to change the conservatives, you can't. They must not be allowed to run things no matter how hard they whine. And we have to watch their business deals because they are sociopaths more often then the general population.

If you Dems don't get you tongues out of the Repugs asses, their may not be a USA in 2008!

[WorkingClass]

Dear Granny:

Bush don't need troops. Him got nukes!