The Pentagon has announced plans to move additional warships and strike aircraft into the Persian Gulf region to be within striking range of Iran. The aircraft carrier Eisenhower and its strike group entered the Persian Gulf on Dec. 11. Another aircraft carrier, the Stennis, is expected to depart for the Gulf within the next month.
Scott Ritter sees parallels to the invasion of Iraq: "We have told the Iranians it is their responsibility to prove to the international community beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is no nuclear weapons program in Iran. How can you prove a negative?"
Another parallel is the brutal Christmas Bombing of North Vietnam by Richard Nixon in 1972. James Carroll described it as "a final venting of frustration and rage by a superpower faced with ignominious defeat." Will Bush bomb Iran out of frustration with failing to "win" in Iraq?
"New Years Resolutions"
The info below is from the "One-Pager for Lobbying Congress for Peace and Accountability" compliments of Democrats.com. Written for the American voter (all three of them), this is edited for Australian readers:
1. No More Support for America's War in Iraq.
2. No more support for America's "War on Terror".
3. Pass legislation to shift the war spending to spending that will safely bring our troops home, providing health care and education for them when they get here.
4. And do this: bring in a temporary Muslim force; train an Iraqi police force; aid and support the reconstruction of Iraq by Iraqis; remove landmines and depleted uranium; dismantle blast walls and wire barriers; restore archaeological sites; train lawyers, judges, journalists, and social workers in Iraq; bring back professional Iraqis who emigrated; rebuild Iraq's public health system; and compensate the families of civilians killed and tortured.
5. Investigate the Case Made for This War and the Way it Has Been Conducted
A. Misuse of intelligence and fraud by the Government in making the case for this war.
B. Waste, fraud, conspiracy and misuse of funds.
C. War crimes, extraordinary rendition, and torture (or supporting those that have committed these acts).
We urge every member of the House and Senate to pursue these investigations in order to restore the rule of law and a system of checks and balances to our government. We believe we will best be able to move forward and avoid the same mistakes in the future if we complete a thorough public review of the conduct of the Government during the course of this war and the lead-up to it.
6. Support legislation outlawing war profiteering.
7. Support an investigation to Impeach George Bush if it is determined that the President and his administration did in fact conspire to defraud the American People and Congress into supporting his invasion of Iraq.
Now.... back to the bread and circuses!