Iran
Question: will the US public be fooled into attacking Iran the way they were with Iraq? Even Buckets Goldenberg is wondering.
I think the public is aware - finally - that the Junta is composed of lies and that Bush/Rove/Cheney will literally say anything to get their way. And their way is always the way of war and torture and fraud. It's too bad, really, that more Senate seats weren't up in 06 because the Dems would have picked up a lot more of them. So no, I don't think people will fall into line over Iran.
But here's the problem: Georgie's a lame duck. He won't run again, and doesn't care a whit about what people think anymore. His interest is in keeping his friends out of jail (note the unprecedented firing of US attorneys) and pushing his radical neocon agenda. So, the American public isn't nearly as bamboozled as it once was - Georgie's down to 28% support in some polls - but he actually cares less.
Plus, the media is still on his side. They're really lagging behind the public in understanding that the Junta - from the White House to Congress (still) - lies about everything and will say anything to get their way. Watch any of the Sunday morning talk show - who do you see? George Will. David Brooks. Joe Lieberman. The extreme right has won a huge battle in taking over the entire media agenda. Even George Stephanopolous is singing from their song sheet. So when important lies are told about Iran (and they've already started), there will be nobody to go on air and say "the White House says this - but it's not true."
Why would the Junta want to attack Iran? Because it would be upping the ante in a big way from Iraq, and that's always been the formula. When the current policy fails, go bigger. It would make the neocons extremely happy. It would keep the military #1 in budget and manpower. Think about it: before Georgie, the military was becoming smaller and more professional. Now, it's going to get bigger and richer, and dumber - meaning more pliant and responsive to right-wing political hacks. The defense industry will get bigger and richer. The extremist Apocalyptic Christians will be delighted because they'll see the Second Coming as Coming Soon to a Holocaust Near You.
But the number one reason I think Bush/Rove/Cheney will do all they can to start a war with Iran is that they know that when they're gone, nobody else will do it. Whoever the next president is, he or she won't have the cojones or the congress to make the war happen. It's their last chance to have the war, and since they think they are infallibly right about everything (a function of their intellectual shortcomings and essential laziness), they think they must make things happen or very bad things will occur.
Of course, the worst really bad thing that could happen is their own policy.
It's amazing to think that everything this Junta has set out to do has produced the 180 degree opposite result. They are worse than the 'gang that can't shoot straight;' they are the gang that shoots directly backwards from the thing they're aiming at.
Smaller government? Biggest government ever. Financial responsibility? Biggest deficit ever. Democracy? Fixed elections. Freedom? Torture. Stop terror? Bring peace to the Middle East? Build giant terrorist recruitment and training tool ever. Turn Iraq into colossal failed state where terrorists rule. Destabalize the entire region and make Iran the most important player.
The list is as endless as it is sad.
I think the public is aware - finally - that the Junta is composed of lies and that Bush/Rove/Cheney will literally say anything to get their way. And their way is always the way of war and torture and fraud. It's too bad, really, that more Senate seats weren't up in 06 because the Dems would have picked up a lot more of them. So no, I don't think people will fall into line over Iran.
But here's the problem: Georgie's a lame duck. He won't run again, and doesn't care a whit about what people think anymore. His interest is in keeping his friends out of jail (note the unprecedented firing of US attorneys) and pushing his radical neocon agenda. So, the American public isn't nearly as bamboozled as it once was - Georgie's down to 28% support in some polls - but he actually cares less.
Plus, the media is still on his side. They're really lagging behind the public in understanding that the Junta - from the White House to Congress (still) - lies about everything and will say anything to get their way. Watch any of the Sunday morning talk show - who do you see? George Will. David Brooks. Joe Lieberman. The extreme right has won a huge battle in taking over the entire media agenda. Even George Stephanopolous is singing from their song sheet. So when important lies are told about Iran (and they've already started), there will be nobody to go on air and say "the White House says this - but it's not true."
Why would the Junta want to attack Iran? Because it would be upping the ante in a big way from Iraq, and that's always been the formula. When the current policy fails, go bigger. It would make the neocons extremely happy. It would keep the military #1 in budget and manpower. Think about it: before Georgie, the military was becoming smaller and more professional. Now, it's going to get bigger and richer, and dumber - meaning more pliant and responsive to right-wing political hacks. The defense industry will get bigger and richer. The extremist Apocalyptic Christians will be delighted because they'll see the Second Coming as Coming Soon to a Holocaust Near You.
But the number one reason I think Bush/Rove/Cheney will do all they can to start a war with Iran is that they know that when they're gone, nobody else will do it. Whoever the next president is, he or she won't have the cojones or the congress to make the war happen. It's their last chance to have the war, and since they think they are infallibly right about everything (a function of their intellectual shortcomings and essential laziness), they think they must make things happen or very bad things will occur.
Of course, the worst really bad thing that could happen is their own policy.
It's amazing to think that everything this Junta has set out to do has produced the 180 degree opposite result. They are worse than the 'gang that can't shoot straight;' they are the gang that shoots directly backwards from the thing they're aiming at.
Smaller government? Biggest government ever. Financial responsibility? Biggest deficit ever. Democracy? Fixed elections. Freedom? Torture. Stop terror? Bring peace to the Middle East? Build giant terrorist recruitment and training tool ever. Turn Iraq into colossal failed state where terrorists rule. Destabalize the entire region and make Iran the most important player.
The list is as endless as it is sad.
posted by fiduciary at 9:38 AM
2 Comments:
I don't know old friend. I hope you're right.
I can see how it's going to go. It'll start with regime change - maybe mix in some 'freedom for iranians' and some 'training ground for terrorism' type lingo. I bet we'll here something about not allowing 'september 11th to happen again'.
we'll likely hear 'Nukular' more times then our stomachs will be able to keep down. They'll be 'experts' lined up to tell us over and over again how Iran's nuclear program is an 'imminent danger' and how easy it is for them to make - or attain - suitcase nukes (see latest episodes of 24 - if you don't belive me - belive JACK BAUER - currently showing new episodes on Fox). The key of course is the 'or attain' part. Which is so ambiguous as to require nothing more than most peripheral of 'proof'.
Finally - we'll have Georgie jr doing his best Jimmy Swaggart - saying he's made a mistake - but of course - that's no reason to mortgage the future (actually he probably won't use 'mortgage our future' may cut a little close to the effects of his tax cuts').
By the end of it - he'll just be referring to the Iranians as 'the terrorists who wish to hurt America' (they actually prefer 'persian' to either if I recall). He'll paint a picture of every congressman who opposes him as a terrorist-loving hater over America.
Just my guess of what'll go down. Too much money for his mates if another war gets started. Whether the American people buy it or not is still up for debate.
Cheers,
Buckets
The only part I don't agree with is "Georgie jr doing his best Jimmy Swaggart - saying he made a mistake..." This is a guy who has never made a mistake in his life - just ask him. He has an unblemished soul and a pure spirit. He can sleep like a newborn every night, because everything that has gone wrong - if indeed anything has gone wrong - is the fault of others.
Rummy and the generals messed up his beautiful Iraq war, and Bremer and Powell are to blame for the aftermath. Chalabi let him down, but no more so than Maliki.
The funny part is that he is ready to take glorious responsibility for all the good things that happen.
It's just that he's still waiting for one.
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