General Pace from yesterday

In response to a question about USA safety and the reasons for no other attacks since 9/11, he said that some men tried to plant explosives on aircraft recently, but were stopped. WTF was that about?

For fugging sake even Pace must know that everyone of the so called 'plotters' has been released and the so called liquid explosives scare turned out to be a figment in the imagination of the Brit and American 'keep them scared' terra group.

What a freakin' moran.

These bizarre rush tag line bumpers sticker slogans for morans, will they ever stop?

They stated, very simply, something like:

"Iraq never attacked the US. None of the 9/11 hijackers were Iraqis. In fact, 15 of the 19 were Saudis. It's time to focus the 'war on terror' on those that attacked us and they are not in Iraq."

in response to alledged weapons smuggling. Biden is also said Congress will oppose any move into Iran.

Pace made a statement that affirms that the US military won't cross into Iran in pursuit of any weapons flows to Iraqi insurgents. The General is quoted in the NYT as saying diplomacy can deal with Iran.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/1/11/132431/340
Biden Threatens "Constitutional Confrontation" Re Iran Hotlist
by SusanHu
Thu Jan 11, 2007 at 10:27:23 AM PST

Sen. Joe Biden just informed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that, should the Bush administration attempt to cross over into Iran without Congressional approval, such action will provoke a "constitutional confrontation."

Sen. Biden is the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

(I was just listening to the Senate Foreign Relations committee hearing on Iraq, via C-Span3. It just concluded. I thought his remark so significant you needed to know right away, rather than wait for a news story to appear.)

Posted originally at No Quarter.

* SusanHu's diary :: ::
*

FYI: C-Span3 has now gone to the House Armed Services Committee hearing with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who is about to speak, and Gen. Peter Pace.

You can listen to C-Span 3 via the link above.

::::::::::

Sen. Biden further told Secretary Rice that Bush's escalation plan is a "tragic mistake." And he implied, best I could tell, that Bush's unilateral (unitary executive) escalation of the Iraq War was done without consultation and approval of the U.S. Congress. As Biden was speaking, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) inserted a remark that the Marines have already been told that their stays in Iraq will be extended. Sen. Biden reiterated that every senator supports the troops and is amazed by the "overwhelming commitment" of the troops.
http://www.nytimes.com/...
?hp&ex=1168578000&en=9de2f83aac6506fc&ei=5094&partner=homepage

The region’s potential explosiveness was underscored as General Pace said it was essential to go after those Iranians who supply weapons to insurgents in Iraq.

"Are you going after them in Iran?" the general was asked at the news conference. "Why not go to the source?"

The general said the security of American troops could be protected "by doing the business we need to do inside of Iraq," and that there were non-military means to pressure Iran.

"Has anyone in the military recommended operations inside Iran?" the questioner persisted.

"No," the general replied.

Pace's comment is most significant re Iran.

He's saying no US military border crossing or hot pursuit or other action that might be construed by the Iranians as casus belli.

This reminds me of last Spring, when Pace refused to confirm Bush and Rummy's assertions that Iran was providing IED to the Iraqi insurgents. Rummy glared at Pace, but the matter was dropped after that.

Washington Post article today quotes Pace as saying Iran is "complicitous" and "destructive" in assisting Iraqi insurgents, but refuses to endorse any incursion to stop any weapons smuggling across the Iran border.

This, in conjunction with Biden's remark, is extremely significant. It looks like the Congressional majority is about to also step up to the plate in opposition to the Administration's push toward expanding the war to Iran.

Biden and Pace may not be perfect, but right now they're the best hope we have.

the Brits say Iran has not been smuggling weapons into Iraq. That's just one more fugging red herring raised by Bush.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x3100864
{snip>
British commandos in the deserts of far southeastern Iraq have been testing one of the most serious charges leveled by the United States against Iran: that Iran is secretly supplying weapons, parts, funding and training for attacks on U.S.-led forces in Iraq.

A few hundred British troops living out of nothing more than their cut-down Land Rovers and light armored vehicles have taken to the desert in the start of what British officers said would be months of patrols aimed at finding the illicit weapons trafficking from Iran, or any sign of it.
Other senior British military leaders spoke as explicitly in interviews over the previous two months. Britain, whose forces have had responsibility for security in southeastern Iraq since the war began, has found nothing to support the Americans' contention that Iran is providing weapons and training in Iraq, several senior military officials said.
--------------------------

is supplying Shi'a militants with arms. In fact, he refused to back up that assertion when it was levelled last March by Bush and Rumsfeld. The JCS have been pushing back against preemptive strike plans since the beginning of the Bush-Cheney Administration, and have increasingly resisted moves toward an Iran war in the last couple years: See, http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/17/172417/205

While they don't express it publicly, the professional military is enraged at the Bush Administration. After all, it's their lives that have been wasted in ever-greater numbers during the three years since the invasion. If the White House orders Iran attacked for no apparent reason better than partisan domestic politics, that would be taken as a grave abuse of command authority by the armed services, and would prove a fatal error for Bush-Cheney.

that the so called London aircraft terrorists did not exist.

The conspiracy was led by an MI-6 double-agent and another working for Pakistani ISI. The hydrogen peroxide "bomb" would never work, but there were seven or eight British citizens entrapped who believed they were going to bomb aircraft. They never had the means to do it, but some did have the intent.

On a legal level the thing was a set-up, but on another it was "real" because some of those involved indicated they were willing to assist in terrorism.

I wouldn't cite this as a real terrorist plot, but I understand why some officials do.

I found it interesting that while the others around him have been axed, he remains in charge. In boooshie world it sure isn't because of his comptency as much as his ability to suck-up and carry this regime's water. He blurs the lines between politics and the military and that's why this regime loves him so much.

Anything this automoton says is only done to placate critics or blow sunshine up people's asses that creates the impression that somehow this "mission" is "winnable" and taking the heat, but not the responsibility, for the blunders this regime has committed.

He says there won't be an invasion of Iran? Anyone want to take that bet? I'll give points! Wasn't he the one who said we had sufficient force several months ago? When boooshie says "jump", Pace asks not just how high, but if he'd like a full or a half piroette on the way down.

You're thinking of operational officers in Iraq who have retired. That should be viewed as a different order of magnitude less serious than a potential war with Iran. Pace originally said we have sufficient forces in Iraq because he, along with most of the Chiefs, opposed (and still privately oppose) an escalation. Rather than resign, however, they won't publicly speak against the President. They don't want to resign because there's a much bigger issue at stake - Iran, and they want to stick around to block an Iran war.

Read this from the Thinkprogress piece about Hersh's article, both linked above:

A new report by Seymour Hersh finds that senior Bush administration officials are developing plans (not "developed") for a massive attack on Iran which could include nuclear weapons (maybe it has nukes in it...maybe it doesn't). Hersh points out that the Joint Chiefs of Staff — a panel of the highest-ranking military officials from each branch of the U.S. armed services — are strenuously opposed to the plan, so much so that some have threatened to resign if it goes forward. (emphasis and parentheticals are mine).

You are very correct...the Chiefs are all but forced by their commission to follow whatever the dictates of the "Commander in Chief" is...acting otherwise is insubordination. Retirement, if an option, is the way many have gone to both avoid having to continue with this self-destruction of the military infrastructure and keeping quiet.

While I would hope this is a firewall against an Iran or Syrian incursion, I remember reading similar sentiments about the Iraq invasion and how the military was going to "revolt"...look back at the actives who spoke out prior to last year's election and see how quickly they shut-up or were shut-up. I believe this regime intimidates the military...and while the generals may chafe under the blunders of this regime, they have little recourse. If booshie decides Iran, they'll strap it up and start the march on Teheran.

Quite the opposite, I've concluded that Dubya and Cheney have already been neutralized, and are on their way out the door. It's the neocons who've been forced out, not the realists. Please, see:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/1/10/121241/862
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/1/7/152413/3517