Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble
Bush is Cooking Up Two New Wars
By PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS
Mired in interminable conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Bush administration is moving toward initiating two more wars, one with Iran and one with North Korea. With no US troops available, the Bush administration is revamping US war doctrine to allow for "preventative nuclear attack." In short, the Bush administration is planning to make the US the first country in history to initiate war with nuclear weapons. The Pentagon document, "Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations," calls for the use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear adversaries in order "to ensure success of US and multinational operations."
In the case of Iran and North Korea, the Bush administration is using diplomacy not for diplomatic purposes of reaching agreements, but in order to set the two countries up for nuclear attack. In the case of Iran, the Bush administration's plan is now obvious. The Bush administration is leveling false charges against Iran, just as it did against Iraq, of conspiring to make nuclear weapons. These charges are known to be false by the Bush administration and by the entire world.
For the past two years the International Atomic Energy Agency has had unfettered access to inspect Iran for any sign of a nuclear weapons program. The head of the IAEA has announced that there is no sign of a weapons program. The Bush administration nevertheless insists that Iran is making weapons, but can produce no evidence. As in the case of Iraq, the Bush administration substitutes allegations for facts.
Gordon Prather, an expert on the subject, has reported the straight facts in fine detail. Readers can become familiar with them by consulting his archive at Antiwar.com.
By bullying the 35 members of the IAEA, the Bush administration last week managed to get 22 votes that could lead to the referral of Iran to the UN Security Council. The Bush administration will now lobby for the referral. Once it has the referral, even if the Security Council does not act on it, the Bush administration can use it as an excuse to attack Iran. The Bush administration knows that few Americans have any knowledge of international law and procedures and will simply believe whatever President Bush says. The highly concentrated US media is a proven walkover for the war-mongering Bush administration.
As Dr. Prather has shown, Iran has gone beyond compliance to propose that new additional safeguards be established to monitor its nuclear energy program. The bad intentions are on the part of the Bush administration.
The Bush administration's plan is to create Iranian intransigence in place of cooperation by forcing the Iranian government to stand up to the bullying by reducing its cooperation. The goal of the Bush administration is to attack Iran, not to create cooperative relationships.
Needless to say, Iranians are angry at the Bush administration's manipulation of the IAEA members. Last Wednesday protesters in Tehran attacked the British embassy, which serves as a proxy for the non-existent US embassy, and legislation was introduced that, if it passes, will scale back Iran's cooperation with the IAEA. Iran has also threatened to cut off oil deliveries to some of the countries that caved in to US pressure, thereby permitting the US to increase tensions and escalate the conflict.
The Bush administration is betting that it can demonize Iran the way it did Iraq. As both Congress and the American public have failed to hold Bush accountable for deceiving them about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, the administration assumes that its tactics will work a second time.
However, a nuclear attack on Iran would leave the Bush administration isolated. The US would instantly become a pariah nation, loathed and hated everywhere else.
Moreover, it would leave our battered troops in Iraq in a perilous situation. The only reason our army in Iraq has not been destroyed is that the Shi'ites, who comprise the vast majority of the population, have not taken up arms against us, expecting the US to turn over Iraq to them. As the Iraqi Shi'ites are allied with the Iranians, who also are Shi'ite, the US cannot attack Iran without destroying its position in Iraq.
The Bush administration, filled with hubris and delusion, is too stupid to know this.
The American people need to ask themselves why of all the countries in the world, only the US and Israel believe that it is imperative to attack Iran. If Iran is such a threat to the world, why isn't Russia, for example, concerned and ready to invade?
Americans need to ask themselves the same question about North Korea. Why is the US, half a world away, so concerned about North Korea? If North Korea is such a threat, would not China, sitting on its border, know it? Wouldn't Japan know it? South Korea? Wouldn't some other country besides the US see the problem and take action? According to the Voice of America (August 11, 2005), "Senior South Korean officials on Thursday defended what they say is North Korea's 'natural right' to pursue civilian nuclear power. The move may cause friction with the United States, which has expressed firm opposition to the North having any nuclear facilities whatsoever."
If the US doesn't want other countries to develop nuclear weapons, the US must stop bombing, invading and threatening invasions and nuclear attacks. How does President Bush serve the cause of peace by making countries paranoid by declaring them to be our enemies.
For there to be peace, the US must drop its belligerent role. The proper function of diplomacy is to build trust by drawing countries into economic and cultural relationships, not to isolate them for attack. It is past time for the US to give up its quarter century feud with Iran. US interference in Iranian internal affairs was the source of the feud. We need to acknowledge it and get over it.
The Korean war ended a half century ago. Isn't it time the US acknowledged the war's end and signed a treaty with North Korea? The Korean war was essentially a war between the US and China. It was Chinese troops that prevented American victory. Yet we are getting on with China, a much greater potential threat to the US than North Korea or Iran could ever be.
By creating instability in the Middle East, the US undermines Israel's security. As a few thousand Iraqi insurgents have proven, American armies are not going to be able to sit over the oil in the Middle East. If we can't produce enough valuable goods or maintain a strong currency, we won't have access to the oil. There is no possibility whatsoever of the US pushing around powers like China, India, or Russia.
Bush's hubris makes him unrealistic. He greatly overestimates America's power. Congress and the American people must find a way to supply the judgment that is missing in the executive branch.
There would be no terrorism if the US would stop interfering in the internal affairs of Middle Eastern countries and if Israel stopped stealing the West Bank from the Palestinians. The Bush administration knows this, and that is why the administration spreads the propagandistic lie that "they" (Muslims) hate us and our way of life. This lie is the excuse for American aggression.
Paul Craig Roberts has held a number of academic appointments and has contributed to numerous scholarly publications. He served as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan administration. His graduate economics education was at the University of Virginia, the University of California at Berkeley, and Oxford University. He is coauthor of The Tyranny of Good Intentions. He can be reached at: paulcraigroberts@yahoo.com
It must really make you mad, that a guy like Bush, who in your mind is the dumest person on earth. Is the leader of the US, and the most powerful man on earth.
Maybe that praying to the owl thing is working for him. I'm thinking about praying to hooty, myself.
Only 3 more years to gripe about Bush, Maybe buy then Iran, Korea, and Syria will get nuked.
LMAO Bush has at least 10 IQ Points on Kerry con!
It must really make you mad, that a guy like Bush, who in your mind is the dumest person on earth. Is the leader of the US, and the most powerful man on earth.
Maybe that praying to the owl thing is working for him. I'm thinking about praying to hooty, myself.
Only 3 more years to gripe about Bush, Maybe buy then Iran, Korea, and Syria will get nuked.
Nope, waste of time getting mad over something so stupid as that, I do find it funny thou all of you bushies just eat up everything he has to say as the gods honest truth, ooppps did I say god? wonder how that works with the pagen worship he does in the grove, sorta double standard there now aint it?? hehehehehehehe
My gawd I can't believe the dribble you libs babble on about. Your view of why we are in Iraq being oil is just stupid. As far as Bush threatening nuclear war, where in the hell does that come from? Gordon Prather is no expert on anything but mindless bullshite.
The fanatical muslim world wants dominance over all around them and will go to any means to achieve their wants. Sadaam Hussein was a mindless dictator who controled his people by violence and repression, caring nothing about their fates. He was on the verge of being overthrown by his crazy son who if he had gained power within would have escalated the reign of terror against his own people as evidinced by his rape and torture binges.
You cannot reason with the terrorists as you lib boobs seem to think. War is hell but it must be fought over there or it will come to us. The fantics will not go away, can't you see that? They don't care to be your friends.
Hating George Bush has blinded you so bad you just don't get it.
I want no war of words but ask that you give us an intelligent answer on how we can overcome the terror threat, that in spite of your denials, is the real reason we are at war. Kerry, Kennedy, the Clintons and all your other heroes sure the hell haven't offered anything .
My gawd I can't believe the dribble you libs babble on about. Your view of why we are in Iraq being oil is just stupid. As far as Bush threatening nuclear war, where in the hell does that come from? Gordon Prather is no expert on anything but mindless bullshite.
The fanatical muslim world wants dominance over all around them and will go to any means to achieve their wants. Sadaam Hussein was a mindless dictator who controled his people by violence and repression, caring nothing about their fates. He was on the verge of being overthrown by his crazy son who if he had gained power within would have escalated the reign of terror against his own people as evidinced by his rape and torture binges.
You cannot reason with the terrorists as you lib boobs seem to think. War is hell but it must be fought over there or it will come to us. The fantics will not go away, can't you see that? They don't care to be your friends.
Hating George Bush has blinded you so bad you just don't get it.
I want no war of words but ask that you give us an intelligent answer on how we can overcome the terror threat, that in spite of your denials, is the real reason we are at war. Kerry, Kennedy, the Clintons and all your other heroes sure the hell haven't offered anything .
Who is this lib you speak of??
Who is this lib you speak of??
Gee, I ain't gotta clue. :hammer2:
Who is this lib you speak of??
So substitute whatever political identity you relate to and answer the question. Tell us how to solve the terror problem. Always got a better solution but never want to share it.
Roberts is a political hack writer taking positions that insure outrage to his columns. He changes his positions depending on who is in office and most is pure speculation on his part.
Here is a bit of history:
Israel has acted unilaterally before to halt a nuclear program by a hostile neighbor, bombing Iraq's Osirak reactor in 1981. Widely condemned at the time, the surprise raid is now credited with dealing a major setback to Saddam Hussein's nuclear ambitions.
What do you think would happen if a country that chant, "death to America" every day would do with nuclear power?
Roberts is a Idiot aside from an enemy and terrorist supporter
I just read the first Post that bent one made and now must apologise to my brain.
He lacks basic understanding in a number of areas;NO I will correct that All aspects.
The core of Islam for one, and the Iranian situation for another.
As for Israel he should just keep quiet as the anti Semitism shows well above stupidity.
I guess the fact that 90% of Iraq is well and fine has him upset as well; maybe because there are no terrorists blowing up busses here in this country is another factor...
This Imbecile need to travel to a country LIKE say Kuwait that had a "Visit" from Saddam and try to propagate his Lies that would be funny with the thank you Mr Bush signs all over!
Or talk to the Kurds This guy is just another WORTHLESS Anti-American Jack-Ass
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