Seymour Hersh: U.S. Conducting Secret Missions Inside Iran

[G_j]

Seymour Hersh: U.S. Conducting Secret Missions Inside Iran

http://www.truthout.org/docs_05/011705X.shtml


Report: U.S. Conducting Secret Missions Inside Iran
Reuters

Sunday 16 January 2005

WASHINGTON - The United States has been conducting secret reconnaissance missions inside Iran to help identify potential nuclear, chemical and missile targets, The New Yorker magazine reported Sunday.

The article, by award-winning reporter Seymour Hersh, said the secret missions have been going on at least since last summer with the goal of identifying target information for three dozen or more suspected sites.

Hersh quotes one government consultant with close ties to the Pentagon as saying, "The civilians in the Pentagon want to go into Iran and destroy as much of the military infrastructure as possible."

One former high-level intelligence official told The New Yorker, "This is a war against terrorism, and Iraq is just one campaign. The Bush administration is looking at this as a huge war zone. Next, we're going to have the Iranian campaign."

..more..

[Bozita]

1. Hersh appeared with Blitzer today -- watch for replays

Huge story.

Good post.

[EVDebs]

2. So how come no one reported the Chalabi secret missions for Iran ?

I guess MSM has a flair for the obvious ! Patrick Lang of the DIA says that the Iranian intelligence did 'good work'. Well, Duh ! The neocons fell hook line and sinker, and our grunts are paying for it.

[RC]

3. How long is the rest of the world going to let

the US get away their terrorism in other countries? The real terrorist are in the bu$h administration. When are the American people going to wake up and realize where the real threat is?

All this is about the OIL running out.
It seems to me, since we all are in the same peak oil situation, that if we work together with all the other countries to prefect alternative energy sources, we would all be way ahead of where we ever can be by waging war on innocent people.

I fear the limit of what the rest of the world is going to stand for when we start spreading all this killing and destruction to anymore countries is much nearer than most of us realize.

Some cities in the U.S. could look like Fallujah in the near future.
If that happens, this world could end up as a burnt out radioactive cinder. I for one have a problem with that.

[shraby]

4. A few months ago Iran reserved the

right to pre-emptively strike if they feel threatened. Watch out folks, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

[clem_c_rock]

18. I agree - 5 billion per month on bombing arabs could put us in reach of a

Hydrogen economy w/in the next decade or less.

[Redstone]

5. Well, what the fuck are they waiting for?

"The civilians in the Pentagon want to go into Iran and destroy as much of the military infrastructure as possible."

So let those fucking civilians who are so gung-ho go and do it themselves.

I'm sure the Army will be only too happy to lend them whatever equipment they need.

What a bunch of chickenshit, cynical armchair generals. Let them fucking go this time, and let the soldiers stay home.

Redstone

[BikeWriter]

16. Yep, I'd like to see the chicken hawks do their own fighting!

:)

[Tinoire]

6. president is committed to working with allies in European to persuade Iran

Bush: U.S. to Leave Iraq When Mission Ends
Posted: Sunday, Jan 16, 2005 - 01:05:11 pm PST
By NEDRA PICKLER

(snip)

(White House counselor Dan Bartlett) Bartlett said the president is committed to working with allies in European to persuade Iran to give up its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Iran has denied allegations of a secret nuclear weapons program, saying the country's nuclear activities are for peaceful energy purposes.

"It's critical that the entire world focus on this issue. It is a threat that we have to take seriously and we'll continue to work through the diplomatic initiatives that he set forth," Bartlett said.
http://www.bonnercountydailybee.com/articles/2005/01/15/ap/headlines/d87ld2l02.txt


Deja vu

[cornermouse]

7. Clearly a pattern of behavior has been set.

[Tinoire]

8. Precisely. n/t

[AZCat]

15. Who's going to be their U.N. stooge this time?

Now that Colin's out the door, who will be the sacrificial lamb that goes to the U.N. and sells his or her soul by lying to the international community before Bush & Co. pull the rug out from under any peaceful solution?

Condi, is it your turn? You've certainly practiced lying since your first days as NSA, including that "special" little session in front of Congress last spring...

[Nothing Without Hope]

9. Another thread on this story with more good comments is here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2959536#2959651

Some of the comments there are quite striking, including a report of a special ops who told his mother that he was going to be sent to Iran.

I looked online at the New Yorker site and the new story has not yet been posted.

[MountainLaurel]

10. Remember her saying that

A couple months ago -- wonder how we're going scrounge enough young American patriots *cough* cannon fodder *cough* to conduct war in two hostile countries at once.

It's feeling drafty in here all of a sudden.

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. Oh yes. And now that "freedom" has been brought to Iraq

...they can move on from this glorious victory to invade Iran.

But even with all the illegal manuevers they are using to keep troops from leaving service when they are entitled to, they are surely going to need a draft. This has been in preparation for some time.

We have to push for repeal or challenge of the obviously unconstitutional law that transferred the power to declare war from Congress to the President. He's going to do it again in Iran, as Seymour Hersch's breaking story today clearly shows.

[KoKo]

12. Problem is...who will care about this report. Average Americans

have "tuned out" to Iraq. They don't care where we go as long as the "Screeching Chimp" keeps us SAFE. (They think HE's kept us SAFE) "They" ..think...:eyes:

[bobthedrummer]

13. Kick.

:dem::kick:

[KharmaTrain]

14. Four More Wars...

What a surprise, no? The same people beating the same war drums...ready to create a military expedition that profits their benefactors. We need to pump even more tax money at the defense contractors and profiteers with smart bombs and all those neat shock & awe toys. Oh, BTW...did I mention Iran has oil???

I wonder if this regime will attempt to discuss "democracy" in Iran...especially since their ham-handed devestation of this region has all but minimalized Iran's indigenous democratic forces and justifies whatever authoritarian actions the Iranian clerics see fit in the guise of "national security". Good going, Junior.

Personally, I can't see the brass inside the Pentagon going along with any major action here as they don't have the horses to launch a prolonged invasion...only special forces stuff.

This regime doesn't care about public opinion (which it manufactures) or any international reaction...the only safety valve I see her is a military that could revolt if stretch futher without some major bling bling.

[alcuno]

17. I believe that this would constitute an act of war.

Sending military personnel into a sovereign nation in order to cause damage to the country.

[G_j]

19. Hersh: Iran In U.S. Crosshairs

Hersh: Iran In U.S. Crosshairs

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/09/29/world/main646227.shtml

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/127723/1/.html

http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=976344&tw=wn_wire_story


Jan. 17, 2005

(CBS/AP) Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Seymour Hersh says President Bush and his national security advisers had been "conducting secret reconnaissance missions inside Iran at least since last summer" for the purpose of gathering intelligence and targeting information.

Hersh, who broke the story about the Abu Ghraib prisoner torture scandal, writes in Monday's edition of The New Yorker magazine that he had repeatedly been told by intelligence and military officials on condition of anonymity that "the next strategic target was Iran."

Hersh reports the goal is to locate three dozen or more targets that could be destroyed in quick strikes and commando raids. He quotes a government consultant with close ties to the Pentagon as saying, "The civilians in the Pentagon want to go into Iran and destroy as much of the military infrastructure as possible."

American operatives have worked with Pakistan to plant nuclear detection devices in Iran, and are sharing information with Israel, Hersh quotes a former intelligence official as saying.

..more..

[proudbluestater]

20. Will THIS wake up the brainwashed right wingnuts?

Or is all hope lost?

[Karenina]

21. Kick!

:kick: