"I think that the Bush Administration is determined to plant the seeds for war before it leaves,"

I would rather say the Bush administration is planting the seeds for going down successfully in history as the only administration losing three wars at the same time.
The author, while reprinting old and insignificant news that equally fails to lend any credibility to her reasonings here, fails to write the Iranian reactions in event of an attack on her soil. In fact, the very same perpetrators she has names here have been hesitant to consider attacking Iran because of certain, massive and never ending Iranian retaliations.

ZZim:
Please state your qualifications to label Iran as an aggressor,"I can't think of a plausible scenario where we would attack Iran first. I can think of lots of plausible scenarios wherein Iran attacks us first and says it was our fault."
When was the last time Iran attacked any country ?
Further, Are you aware of the fact that th US pitted Iraq against Iran in an Eight years old war resulting in close to one million Iranian death ?

Suicide By Global Police:

It is alright to be worried, because fear causes action.

Here is what is happening:

"Suicide-by-cop" is a suicide method in which a person deliberately acts in a threatening way, with the goal of provoking a lethal response
from a law enforcement officer, such as being shot to death.

The United States is acting as the world's Police.
World War 3 is in the making, and elements in the middle east are bent on Suicide By the Global Police.

The facts are as clear today as they were three years ago.

1)Iran wants a nuclear weapon.

2)there will only be one method to convince the Iranians they do not want a nuclear weapon.

correction (under comment)
Pact among Bush and Czech Prime Minister Tolpolánek was undersigned in Prague 8. July 2008. Czech Republic will enemy - occupied USA. From 8. July 2008 Czech republic is a target for foreign rackets.

Pakt mezi Bushem a českým předsedou vlády Tolpolánkem byl podepsaný v Praze 8. července 2008. Česká republika bude okupována USA. Česká republika od 8. července 2008 je legitimním cílem pro cizí rakety.

Pact among Bush and Czech Prime Minister Tolpolánek was undersigned in Prague 8. July 2008. Czech Republic will enemy - occupied USA. Z Czech republic from 8. July 2008 is lawful aim for foreign rackets.

Pakt mezi Bushem a českým předsedou vlády Tolpolánkem byl podepsaný v Praze 8. července 2008. Česká republika bude okupována USA. Z České republiky od 8. července 2008 je legitimní cíl pro cizí rakety.

I don't understand why all these people are fear-mongering. Boy will you guys look stupid when GWB leaves office peacefully on Jan 20. Iran is the one doing all the aggressive sabre-rattling. wake up and smell the coffee.

I can't think of a plausible scenario where we would attack Iran first. I can think of lots of plausible scenarios wherein Iran attacks us first and says it was our fault. Thats standard operating procedure for them. They do it all the time trying to cause trouble.

Steve:

The bush administration is anxiously awaiting courageous people like yourself to be in the front line when they are fulfilling your wish. And on the other end, the Iranians are anxiously waiting to host their uninvited guests with treatments unknown to human kind.

Speaking of evil. This administration, while well publicized and I fail to understand how you were left in the dark, has successfully attained and frequently bragged about it, the very well deserved reputation of being the mother of all evils.

I would suggest that there is not going to be any attack on Iran by either the Deceiver, or the next President, except if these worthies wish to commit the USA to economic collapse.

The Strategic Oil reserve is nothing comnpared to the daily imports of Oil, without 20 mill barrels a day the USA economy collapses - that occurs even if the USA's creditors [China and Japan, Opec, russia, EU] do not destroy the USA $, for with no oil from ME, these major economic powers' economy would take a tremendous hit. They will revenge any idiot, who destroys their economy.

If China, OPEC and Japan dump their $-s then the price of oil will be barrelful of $-s per gallon [a la the Weimer Republic]

Crude oil had an island reversal gap lower after the July 4th holiday and is a full 10 bucks lower.

The price of oil ran up based on wild eyed conspiracy theorists like this .

Now you're caught looking very foolish

http://tfc-charts.w2d.com/chart/CL_/88

Why does America persist with its imperial and hypocritical actions in doing its best to create military conflict with Iran?

Regrettably, the USA has lost whatever credibility it may have had with its invasion of a sovereign country on a demonstrably false premise, and its subsequent refusal to leave.

Imagine the outcry if the USA was attacked and occupied on a false premise? Who would be the terrorists then?

And now, we are told they want to go to war with Iran - when has Iran been a serious military threat to the western world?

The fact that the USA is in an economic mess is the fault of one country only - the USA.

What a shame that such a potentially great country as America has decended to this - an imperialistic bully with the most weapons of mass destruction on the planet, preaching to others about threats to world peace, whilst contemporaneously either invading sovereign nations or inciting internal crises with any country that does not agree with their view of the world, or which is trying to protect its national wealth in the form of natural resources.

I agree. As long as the jews control George Bush and the American government, we will do Israel's bidding. That includes destroying every country in the middle east that's a threat to the zionist state.

I don't relish the idea of Obama being president, but if he's elected I could see America being more independent of international jewish influence.

George Manuelian
Atherton, CA

Can't wait for Bush's farewell "gift" to the evil ayatollahs, the Cosa Nostra in sheets and turbans.

The axis of evil is now down to one--Iran... They deserve everything they will receive, and more since they have been bankrolling terror since the fall of the Shah.

We can thank Jimmy Carter for all the blood and carnage created by throwing the Shah under the bus. Which was worse: Shah or Ayatollah???

Can't wait for Bush's farewell "gift" to the evil ayatollahs, the Cosa Nostra in sheets and turbans.

The axis of evil is now down to one--Iran... They deserve everything they will receive, and more since they have been bankrolling terror since the fall of the Shah.

We can thank Jimmy Carter for all the blood and carnage created by throwing the Shah under the bus. Which was worse: Shah or Ayatollah???

It is soo on the cards. Just look at the buzz out there: just like in the run-up to Iraq. Also, there is a tight ring around Iran of US and ally forces. They could attack from many angles and quickly. To be frank, Iran would not know what hit it and would not be able to respond. Their radar and missile guidance systems can be easily shut down.

Why is US support for the groups in Iran called covert action? US is supporting PJAK, Jundullah and MEK all three groups are recognized terrorist groups internationally. Supporting terrorist groups means terror sponsorship and it is now considered a major International crime. Why isn't the current regime in Washington considered terror sponsor? this is just unbelieveable.

UNBELIEVABLE that American and Western people can be told more lies and propaganda about Iran to stage another war. UN-BE-LIE-VABLE

...and of course Iran is going to sit like an innocent lamb and take it? Does exposure in Iraq mean anything?

Ok Arab. Let me put to rest, your little iranian wet dream, right now.

If israel/America strike iran's nuclear facilities

1a. Yes, Lebanon and Syria may strike Israel. But Israel has proven time and again that it can handle these threats with the IDF. Hell, Israel might have cleaned up Lebanon in this last small war over the summer, but for, a huge israeli political screw up.

1b. Ok, say iran does fire 100 missles at israel. They have to go over at least 500 miles of US controlled air space. Ever hear of a patriot pac 3? or a THADD medium range interceptor. These missle shields are so nasty that they dont even need a warhead. Its like hitting a bullet with a bullet. Ok, maybe 3 outa 100 missles gets through to israel. Happy?

2. Yes, oil will probably spike to around 300 dollars a barrel. So what. Ever hear of the strategic petrolium reserve? It has enough oil for americans to run their cars for 3 months without foreign oil. And its completely full. Oh, and it took us 2 weeks to knock out Iraq's conventional army. I'll give it 4 weeks for Iran. Just to be fair.

3a. Those hundred thousand crazy iranians with ak-47s and RPG's. 3 points. Thunder bolt 2's(warthogs). Apachee helicopters. C-130 gun ships. Problem solved.

3b. The thousands of crazy speedboaters and small invisible rockets? Im not even gona dignify that with a response. But I will give you 1 aircraft carrier hit with sunburn missles. We have 9 more of those btw. And if you sink an american carrier you cant imagine how bat chit crazy the american public will go. Think 9/11 part 2.

So yes, it will be messy to strike iran. But a nuclear armed iran is much messier. And, well, Obama just ist a war president. Countown Iran. I give it 6 months. Keep your gas tank filled.

Iran's nuclear program started under the Shah, with the encouragement and participation of the United States. It is fully monitored by the IAEA and subject to safeguards. Aside from the unverifiable allegations from the US's faked "laptop of death", the last IAEA report quite specifically stated that Iran's nuclear program continues to be operated as declared, with no diversion of nuclear material for weapons, and the IAEA even conducted 14 surprise inspections too.

So, what exactly will Israel be bombing in Iran - a legal, overt, NPT-compliant nuclear energy site that's open to insepctions? What will that acheive? And what do you suppose 70 million nationalistic Iranians will think about that?

The truth of the matter is that Iran is not a "threat" and Israel is deliberately exaggerating things because Israel doesn't want to see Iran and the US getting along. If the US and Iran start to get along, who needs Israel? Israel has always been an albatross around our necks. Good riddance.

I think if America really wanted a war on Iran, it wouldn't have bothered with sanctions, however, given recent events in Iran, it looks like America is trying to stir up trouble in Iran's border areas and make Iran think twice, if not weaken the Iranian government. America seems to be doing the same to Iran as Iran has allegedly been doing to her in Iraq, encouraging opposition forces.
This is what's gonna happen, Bush is not going to start another war before he leaves office, and Iran is not going to stop enrichment as long as that remains the pre-condition for talks. Obama is going to be President, Iran would eventually finish it's plans and gain full weapons-manufacturing capability, and then the entire Persian Gulf area and other Arab nations will start their own Nuclear Programs.

I don't think covert action, can cause a war. Perhaps it will cause some trouble for the Iranians but the Iranians are wise enough to not respond in a way that could be viewed as an act of war.

This whole thing in my opinion is just a big drama, to force Iran to give up its nuclear program. However, it surely will be suicidal for Israel if Iran is attacked.

Here's why?
1) Israel will be attacked from Lebanon, and possibly Syria, and from the South by Hamas, and Iran will target the Israeli nuclear facility with missiles.
2) Oil Prices will rise to more than $300 a barrel and Israel will be blamed by the whole world. Its clear from the Media that Israel is the one pushing for this war. It wasn't so clear when Iraq was attacked. This time its very very clear.
3) Iran has hundreds of thousands of people who will be willing to kill themselves for the sake of Iran (if it were attacked), these people will ride little speed boats filled with explosives in the gulf and target US Navy ships. There is no way to stop these speed boats when they come in the hundreds. They will be like a swarm of bees, all shouting “allah akbar”, and you have the people on land who will target US navy ships with little missiles that can not be detected on radars, until they are launched.

Without the US Navy the US presence in the Middle East becomes obsolete. Think about it US Navy withdraws, oil prices become a $1000 a barrel, and Hezbollah continues to shell Israel. No one in the right mind will accept this scenario.

My opinion, is to stop this childish talk about war. Thoughts sometimes become Words and Words sometimes become Actions. We should all stop talking about this, because a war with Iran will collapse the world economy.

This is not a reasonable way to deal with the Iranian Nuclear program. Iran is not North Korea.