“Big Zbig’” says not so fast: Former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski warns Newsmax.TV that a confrontation with Iran would be disastrous for the United States, lasting for years and possibly devastating America’s economy. “A war in the Middle East, in the present context, may last for years,” Brzezinski, who served in the Carter White House [not noted for its wildly successful foreign policies], tells Newsmax in an exclusive interview. “And the economic consequences of it are going to be devastating for the average American. May last for years. Or for minutes, depending on what kind of war it is. [...]
Leaving On a Jet Plan, Won’t Be Back to Iraq No More
The governments of the United States and Iraq failed to reach an agreement on a continued presences of US troops in Iraq post December 31, 2011. Here is a link to the Washington Post story. Comment: Good for the Iraqi government. It is their country, we invaded, we deposed Saddam, we have spend billions of dollars and countless lives doing all we can. Will Iraq become a stooge for Iran, probably. Will it experience a Civil War, most likely as it divides into at least two countries perhaps three. Will the Middle East be less or more stable–probably in the [...]
Qods Force In Our Backyard
The ever-vigilant Drifter-5 wrote in with this piece of news: “”Iran is increasing its paramilitary Qods force operatives in Venezuela while covertly continuing supplies of weapons and explosives to Taliban and other insurgents in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to the Pentagon’s first report to Congress on Tehran’s military. “The report on Iranian military power provides new details on the group known formally as the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), the Islamist shock troops deployed around the world to advance Iranian interests. The unit is aligned with terrorists in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, North Africa and Latin America, and the report [...]
More on Intelligence Changes Needed in Afghanistan Part II
Major General Flynn et al have created a stir this week with the publication of A Blueprint For Making Intelligence Relevant In Afghanistan causing all sorts of folks in Washington DC to have a case of high bile and spleenitis. Part of the problem is that Flynn and his co-authors had the temerity to publish the article through a think tank, The Center for New American Security (CNAS) and to by-pass the Army Bureaucracy. In fact Secretary Gates, while expressing support for the report, commented through his spokesman on the unique way it was distributed. Actually I commend Flynn and [...]
Battling The Sadrists In Iraq
Bonhomme Richard makes some good points in the post immediately below, about the week’s fighting in Iraq. There is yet more to be said. If the ISF are standing fast in Baghdad and Basra– whether they need help or not– that is an enormous step forward for them. As imperfect as it may be, the duly elected government of Iraq has to stand firm and be seen to stand firm for the rule of law and its own primacy. It cannot tolerate a competitor state-within-a-state. And that is what the Sadrists represent: the ugly alternative to the slow, slogging but [...]
"Iran says God protects nuclear program"
Seriously. I hope Allah’s air defenses are better than the ones the Iranians got from Russia … TEHRAN, Iran – Iran ‘s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Sunday that God would punish Iranians if they do not support the country’s disputed nuclear program, state radio reported. And we think we can negotiate with them…What a bizarre world we live in…
A Lovely Development In Syria
One of the benefits of being an early is riser is seeing the occasional live report in the wee hours. I just saw the lovely Reena Ninan deliver some lovely news from the Levant– to wit, the particularly vile heathen known as Imad Mughniyeh has assumed room temperature. In about a thousand pieces. And not a moment too soon. It’s a pity he won’t be ascending the golden stairs, because he’d find that the streets are guarded by United States Marines. I suppose he’ll just have to make do below decks, as it were. Waaay below decks.
Gaza Roundup
Terror! International Intrigue! War! Read my Gaza roundup below the fold!
An Alternate view of the Hormuz Incident?
Point, counterpoint: TEHRAN, Jan 10 (Reuters) – Iran released a video on Thursday which it said showed its boats did not threaten U.S. navy vessels in the Gulf, countering Washington’s account of the event which President George W. Bush called “a provocative act”. The video, aired by Iran’s Press TV satellite station, gave a completely different version of Sunday’s incident in the Strait of Hormuz compared with one released earlier this week by the U.S. Department of Defense. The video showed an Iranian naval officer in a small craft speaking via radio to a ship which could not be clearly [...]
Let's Help Iran Remember the Good Times
It was way back during me & LTCOL P’s cadetship. Ronald Reagan was the President. The US was escorting re-flagged tankers in the Persian Gulf. OPERATION PRAYING MANTIS. And yes, it was a RETALIATORY action.
