I have to admit that my first thought at the "Iran" nuke news of today was...

[Bullwinkle925]

is this Rove's October Surprise???


Fear and more fear a week and a half before the election?

Mushroom clouds appearing again on our horizon?

[wanpete]

1. I know that we here at the DU are so onto KKKarl's dirty tricks that it almost

seems laughable that they would think that this terra stuff really still works. But I have to remind myself that there is still a certain segment of society that this crap really gets to. Our biggest fear, should be not taking control of one or both houses of Congress on 11/7.

[Bullwinkle925]

2. I agree.

I wonder about the motivation behind every news bit that is streaming on the news programs. I used to be so naive but the past 6 years have stripped the blinders off for good.

edited for spelling

[wanpete]

3. agreed! I no longer trust anything from corporate media and I ponder what

effect every news bit is designed to have on the psyche of the people...

[rhiannon55]

4. Me, too

I've seen so much in the last six years that I no longer doubt the willingness and ability of those evil people to do anything to get and retain power. They're usually the first people I suspect when crimes (like wars) are committed.

[Bullwinkle925]

5. I know ....

Do you suppose people behind the Iron Curtain had these feelings as well?

[rhiannon55]

6. Probably so

Can you believe what has happened to our country?

[Bullwinkle925]

9. NO!

It's still a freakin' nightmare!

[NanceGreggs]

7. The real October Surprise ...

... is the fact that none of their October surprises have worked, or will work, in getting their supporters back.

Dems are now holding a country-wide lead as being preferred to Republicans on every issue. No ONE thing is going to change their minds at this point.

[Bullwinkle925]

8. I'll walk to my poll and vote.

Hopefully everything will work out the way the predictions are going now.

[NanceGreggs]

10. It's time for change ...

... and THIS time, it's not just Democrats who want it.

[nealmhughes]

11. The best sources on what is really happening in Iran with nuke stuff

are probably CNS (Center for Nonproliferation Studies) at Monterrey and Le Monde Diplomatique (many of the articles are in English as well as French if one can't read French).

These are totally nonbiased analyses based on years of expertise and not some hack corporate newswriter/government spokesperson's dribble.

What it boils down to is:
The Shah gave US and French construction and nuclear companies billions of dollars in the late 70s (Eisenhower gave them their first research reactor in the late 50s) and construction was begun then halted by the Revolution in 79. We kept the money and froze their accounts...

Iran is "surrounded" by potential enemies: whether Sunni as in Afghanistan or Hindu in India and "Communist" in China, US occupation in Afghanistan, wild cards in all of the -stans, and strongman Sunni Musharraf with US arms in Pakistan. And the US wanting bases in Iraq and already having them on the Gulf.

Iran at its current rate of sale of oil will be running out in about 30 years, which means that it needs to get ready now for full industrialization/ag production/professions to take the oil economy's place. That have about 2 generations before left before the poverty will begin, otherwise. That is why they want state of the art reactors to take the slack of burning oil (they have no coal to speak of).

Iran has a whole lot of Uranium, but noone wants them to enrich it. They want to do it themselves and cut out the French/US/Russian middlemen and then sell that and keep their own.

Honestly, they are doing exactly what Brazil is doing! Enriching their own Uranium! But noone is screaming about the "Carioca Bomb" coming. It is because Iran has a genuine fear of the US's continued revanche towards the events of 79 and a few dozen "guests" of our embassy then...Honestly, it was a revolution! I think that we (the US and its embassy staff held hostage) got off easy by the students; especially considering the history and our blank check to the Shah and his evil SAVAK (secret police).

Just use your internets if your pipes aren't clogged and The Google and put in those sources and "Iran" or "Iran nuclear"...

[MiniMe]

12. Rove guaranteed an October surprise. Makes it hard not to read this...

into everything we see on fear mongering.