For the Post, Iran = Iraq in 2002

 
"it would take only two to three months to convert the uranium enriched at Qom into weapons-grade material. That means that Iran could have a “breakout” capacity allowing it to quickly produce a weapon when it chose to do so."  Washpost

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Does this sound familiar?  If you read this editorial closely you will see that the Post does not say that Iran has a nuclear weapons program.  It says that Iran has a "drive" towards nuclear weapons.  It says that Iranian enrichment is greater than that needed for power generation.  It does not say that the enrichment is part of a discrete program for weapos construction.  It says that the enriched uranium could be converted to weapons construction.  It does not say that the MRBM vehicles are ready to be mated to miniaturized nuclear weapons.  It says that they could be.  And then there is the extra "boost" to this message provided by Iranian troublemaking in Iraq.

What does this add up to?

IMO, The Washington Post is making propaganda and political warfare in favor of war against Iran.  Hey, why not?  The same memes worked like a charm with the American sheeple in 2002.  Why not use them again?  When will we see a re-purposing  of Rice's line about the mushroom shaped cloud?  pl

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/sanctions-arent-slowing-irans-nuclear-progress/2011/07/20/gIQAqEciSI_story.html

Comments

[shanks]

That line '...fool some of the people all the time' refers to the YOUR congress traitors who'd vote against your national interests. They'd vote for war all the time, every time.

Here's the money quote from ex AIPAC staffer
"You see this napkin? In twenty four hours, we could have the signatures of seventy senators on this napkin."

That's on tape, recorded. I don't know what's the USA's beef with Iran is but the puppeteer sure is not the representative of the people of the USA. I mean, if the USA collectively hates Iran, that's your bee in your bonnet but letting some random clowns decide your war policy...

Watch the echo chamber start now, the NYT, theatlantic, Wired, newsweek, Time and LAT.

[dan]

Well, given that we're into at least the seventh year of concerted US media "propaganda" for military action against Iran, and that we're getting close to the twenty-year mark for its Israeli equivalent, I'd say that it's just another iteration of the same-old, same-old. It never goes anywhere, but never goes away either - and this will remain the case until the US and Iran actually engange in real diplomacy.

When we see the President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defence, the US ambassador to the UN, senior military brass and sundry other top-rank political figures banging this old chestnut, it'll be time to perk one's ears up.

[J]

I recommend that we strap the Wapo's editorial 'board' members to the ordinances that 'they' soooo willingly want to plaster Tehran with. Let them 'expand' their board 'vision' for a change, and see first hand what 'their inspired' carnage is like. Just maybe (most probably not), they'll stop doing propaganda pieces on behalf of a Foreign Government. But could they.....? Are they perhaps being remunerated by a Foreign Government in the backdrop? Don't ya luv how U.S. taxpayer dollars are turned right around and used against U.S.? What a U.S. taxpayer provided aid-money-laundering mansion this particular Foreign Government has created.

[J]

dan,

NEOCONS John Bolton and Bolton's former COS Fred Fleitz have been doing their utmost to stir up an Iran-war stew. Bolton has been pacing the halls of the Congress within the past 3 months lobbying his little NEOCON heart out for somebody to listen to his let's attack Iran singalong.

I think that the Wapo's editorial board, Bolton, and Fleitz all have been watching too many energizer bunny commercials.

[The beaver]

Wonder who, amongst the editors, attended the Bilderberg meeting in St Moritz last month? Usually they are invited as rapporteurs (sic) but not to the public!!!!
Or is it Donald Graham?

[Fred]

It seems from the editorial our economic war against Iran is going fabulously. They are sure to collapse, right after Cuba does.

[William R. Cumming]

Okay PL where is your post predicting what the Petreus era will bring at the CIA?

[jonst]

"what does this add up to?"......well, at the risk of seeing this from a parochial perspective, it adds up to, among other things, a fairly significant cut in my standard of living. It means the high chance of a hell of a lot worse care for my Mother in a nursing home. And soon enough, worse care for me in one. It means more crime in my area. It means the continuing decline in our quality of life in my community.

And it means more glib nonsense, from frauds, incompetents, and vicious criminals, who hide their criminality behind something that resembles the smile of an LL Bean model.

[Medicine Man]

Does anyone have any resources that define the terms used to describe a state's nuclear capacity (breakout capacity, etc.)? It would be helpful to review what these terms actually mean and how they're supposed to be used while picking apart the agitprop floating around out there.

[Cato the Censor]

The Washington Post's editorial staff went off the deep end many years ago. I suspect the only way they will ever come out is if the newspaper goes out of business. Note too that this is the paper constantly cited as an example of the left wing controlling all media in the USA. Sort of like Barack Obama being a socialist.

[Barry]

Why shouldn't the media lie? First, the military-industrial complex made a sh*tload off of the Iraq War; profitable shows demand a sequel.

Second, it's pretty clear that reporters, pundits, columnist, editors, senior editors and publishers all benefited if they backed the war, and were harmed if they didn't. Any media person trying to advance (or stay employed) has a very clear lesson).

[Herb Ely]

During the cold war (the good old days) the intelligence community had developed a discipline called weapons programmatic analysis. Either it wasn't applied or the administration didn't want the results during the run up to Iraq 2002. Did the Iraqis have WMD programs? Probably - but no one asked whether the programs were in planning milestones or had reached final testing and deployment milestones. Iranian programs are a future threat until they complete testing and the weapons are in the hands of troops trained to use them.

When the Washington Post says they could "quickly" produce a weapon they are vague. If quickly means 6 months one response is required. If it means 6 years, another one might be appropriate.

[Patrick Lang]

WRC

They will try to recruit him as a tool in their effort to regain their lost power. He will let them believe that they have succeeded, while he uses them to try to gain control of DoD. pl

[J]

Colonel,

What would he 'do', once he 'gained control' of DoD? 'Who' would he be working for? Surely not the President, right?

[Patrick Lang]

J

You joke. himself, of course. pl

[walrus]

"They will try to recruit him as a tool in their effort to regain their lost power. He will let them believe that they have succeeded, while he uses them to try to gain control of DoD."

Col. Lang, as usual, you are way ahead of me.

Wirh respect to Iran, I wonder if Netanyahu thinks that the window is closing because Two of his assets are deteriorating?

- American economic problems are going to highlight the costs of an Iran adventure.

- The Murdoch empire's troubles have only just begun, which is going to reduce Israels propaganda capability.

- The Boycott, sanctions and Divestment movement is picking up steam as the Two party state solution is dead as a Dodo.

If not now, when?

[graywolf]

So, because Iraq's nuclear weapon proved illusory or dormant, how does it follow that Iran is not working on a nuclear weapon?
The only connection might be the inept and/or politicized intelligence agencies.

[Thomas]

I will go with political pushback by the NeoClub of Straussian Supermen.

It appears the behind the scenes diplomacy is ready for a public debut.

Iranian FM Salehi announced today that they are willing to discuss normalization of relations with US. Also he said can resolve regional issues with Saudi Arabia. Concert of the Middle East coming to life?

http://www.voanews.com/persian/news/iranus2011-7-22-126023448.html

[Fred]

"The Murdoch empire's troubles have only just begun, which is going to ...."

Walrus, you left out the part about this creating big problems for those aligned with Murdoch holdings in the US, namely Fox and the WSJ. Surely no one thinks such a paragon of virtue would have one standard of 'ethical' executive leadership and reporting for the UK and a different one for the US? Which of our politician's and cops have been on the take? Not to count a few folks, to include a few Wallstreet traders, having had phones hacked.

[R Whitman]

The perfect solution to the Iran problem is to cede our interest in Iraq and Afganistan to them. They will be so busy the next ten years they will not have time to screw with us or Israel.

[RLKirtley]

For years I have used what I think of as a mocking phrase " Next year Tehran",and every time I do,I think of how many people are saying it seriously.

[J]

We need to stick the Wapo editorial board, Bolton, Fleitz, and other NEOCON nutjobs all together into a rubber room and put up a sign on the door -- Warning: Contents of this room are harmful to themselves as well as harmful to Mankind. -- And then weld a seal around the door, to prevent any escape.

[Phil Giraldi]

The Israeli media has been reporting that an attack is coming and that Netanyahu is nuts enough to carry it out. As noted above, Bolton has been all over capitol hill, warmly received by Ros-Lehtinen and the usual suspects. Recently the WP and other neocon organs have been pumping up the demands for war. If Israel starts something, the US will be drawn in almost immediately, suggesting strongly that we the public are being prepared for yet another war on behalf of Israel. When the war is over and we are both bankrupt and internationally isolated, I would like to see Fred Hiatt and the rest of the gang at the WP hanging from a lamp post a la Mussolini. Didn't Jefferson say that a Republic needs a new revolution every generation? We are overdue.

[Fred]

Phil,

I was going to comment on Ros-Lhtinen failing on Cuban American issues since there will be no money to support Cuba once Castro is gone, but after reading her background I'm even more shocked. Not only is she pushing economic policies that will undo the Social Security system, something her predecessor - Claude Pepper - helped enact, but I find it's worse; supporting the release of Orlando Bosch? just how many foreign interests is the Congresswoman putting ahead of the US?

http://www.ciponline.org/cuba/opeds/who%20is%20a%20terrorist.htm

[J]

Phil,

I'd like to see the FBI accountants do an indepth review of just how many of our U.S. Aid to Israel $$$s are being round-robined back to Congress persoana like Reps. Ros-Lehtinen, Cantor, etc. (Congressional roster of those who are putting Israel interests ahead of U.S. ones)in the form of both campaign contributions, and under-the-table payoffs. Ooops my bad, I forgot, DoJ won't let the FBI do their job, and when they do, DoJ yanks it out of their hands and puts a 'gag seal' on their investigations results.

What federal prisoner number do you think that 'if' DoJ developed some backbone about them, they'd attach to Rep. Ros-Lehtinen's,
Cantor, and the others members of the U.S. Congress's Israel-first club's clothing?

Wouldn't you say the Israeli government is doing a first rate money-laundering job on our Congress (and probably a few DoJ lawyers thrown into the mix)?