Headlines for 10-19-07

We can attack Iran, says US commander **


Military Resistance Forced Shift on Iran Strike ** The Joint Chiefs were soon joined in opposition to a strike on Iran by Admiral William Fallon, who was nominated to become CENTCOM commander in January. Mann says Pentagon contacts have also told her that Fallon made his opposition to war against Iran clear to the White House. The time to speak up is NOW.


No evidence Iran arming Taliban: Afghan foreign minister Spanta's comments came after the top US commander in Afghanistan, General Dan McNeill, said Thursday a convoy of explosives intercepted last month had arrived from Iran and probably with the knowledge of the Iranian military.


US could change missile shield plan if Iranian threat subsides Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried said US officials had explained Washington's stance to Russia in talks at NATO headquarters to help allay any fears that the missile shield would be a threat to Russia.


Iran backing terror, says Blair UK ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair has accused Iran of backing terrorism and warned the world faces a situation akin to "rising fascism in the 1920s".


Two marines to face Haditha trial Prosecutors allege that the marines shot unarmed people in retaliation for a roadside bomb attack that killed one of their comrades.


Kurds 'will fight Turkish raids' The president of the Kurdish region in northern Iraq has said his people will defend themselves if Turkey attacks Kurdish rebels based in the region.


70 punished in accidental B-52 flight The Air Force said Friday it has punished 70 airmen involved in the accidental, cross-country flight of a nuclear-armed B-52 bomber following an investigation that found widespread disregard for the rules on handling such munitions.


Army to Keep Extending Troops' Service The U.S. Army will continue to rely on an unpopular program that forces some soldiers to stay on beyond their retirement or re-enlistment dates, despite repeated pressure from Defense Secretary Robert Gates to reduce and eventually eliminate the practice.


Who restarted the Cold War? by Patrick J. Buchanan Who restarted the Cold War? Bush and the braying hegemonists he brought with him to power. Great empires and tiny minds go ill together.


The Secret History of the Impending War with Iran That the White House Doesn't Want You to Know ** When Mann and Leverett went public with the inside story behind the impending disaster with Iran, the White House dismissed them. Then it imposed prior restraint on them, an extraordinary episode of government censorship. Finally, it threatened them. Now they are afraid of the White House, and watching what they say. But still, they feel they have to speak out.......On Monday, Leverett went straight to Rice's office for an explanation. She told him that Ariel Sharon had called early elections in Israel and asked Bush to shelve any Palestinian plan. This time Leverett couldn't hide his exasperation. "You told the whole world you were going to put this out before Christmas," he said. "Because one Israeli politician told you it's going to make things politically difficult for him, you don't put it out? Do you realize how hard that makes things for all our Arab partners?".....In Time magazine, former CIA officer and author Robert Baer quoted a highly placed White House official: "IEDs are a casus belli for this administration. There will be an attack on Iran."....."We're tired," Mann says. "Nobody listens."

I'm listening! Thank you for having the courage to speak out. This is a long article, but well worth the read. It deals with the Palestine issue, and shows the influence that Cheney and the neocons have had over both that issue and the issue of Iran and Syria (two more targets on Israel's wishlist). Note Ariel Sharon's power over our president - George Bush.


Gates in the Lion?s Den Again, his placement of a two-state solution ahead of containing Iran is, in my view, quite remarkable, even gutsy considering the extremist views of the host organization. Hehe. It was gutsy.


After Comments, U.S. Terror Chief Resigns Citing Health Reasons hree days after Americans saw the Bush administration's counterterrorism chief say the Iraq war has likely not made the United States safer from terrorism, the official announced his resignation, citing health reasons.


Oil prices fall from record highs US light sweet crude fell 87 cents to $88.60 after an earlier $90.07 record.


Israel cannot be destroyed, says former Mossad chief "We cannot say that the Iranian threat is an existential threat on the State of Israel. I believe that the State of Israel cannot be eliminated. It cannot be destroyed because of things you know and because of things you can imagine."


Rice to return to Middle East in two weeks The U.S. official, who spoke on condition that he was not identified, said White House National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley planned to visit Israel and the Palestinian territories next week to prepare for a U.S.-hosted peace conference to be held later this year. Hadley = neocon.


Israel "mole" took photos of Syrian target: report Israel urged the United States to destroy the complex, but Washington hesitated because no fissionable material was found that would prove the site was nuclear, ABC said.


Angry parents want refugees out of Lebanon schools Patience is wearing very thin among Lebanese whose children are unable to attend schools now being used to accommodate Palestinians after deadly clashes in a refugee camp in the north.


Those who oppose AIPAC and CUFI are caught in the realm of nightmares


U.N. presses Israel on Shebaa The United Nations is pressing Israel to reopen negotiations with Lebanon over the disputed Shebaa Farms area.



Fox News: What Would You Ask the GOP Presidential Candidates? My question to all of them with the exception of Ron Paul: at what point did you think you would start representing the AMERICAN national interest? Thanks.


US intelligence does not show Syrian nuclear weapons program, officials say Allegations that a Syrian envoy admitted during a United Nations meeting Oct. 17 that an Israeli air strike hit a nuclear facility in September are inaccurate and have raised the ire of some in the US intelligence community, who see the Vice President?s hand as allegedly being behind the disinformation.


Syria ready to open ties with friendly Lebanon In a letter to UN chief Ban Ki-moon, a copy of which was carried by the official SANA news agency on Friday, Syria accused Washington and militia leaders from the 1975-90 Lebanese civil war of blocking the establishment of "balanced" relations between the two countries.