Bush Birthday Gift to Israel: WAR
I know I'm breaking TPM rules by using my space to link to another Cafe piece.
But I have to do it. Everybody needs to read Todd Gitlin's report about the cheerleading conference on war with Iran that is taking place in Israel. The whole war party is there, even President Bush.
Upon landing in Israel, Bush said he had a gift for Olmert and Peres but he could not reveal what it is for security reasons. But I can tell you.
I think it is a promise that either the US will attack Iran sometime in the next 250 days or Bush will give Israel the go-ahead to do it.
That attack, should it take place, would threaten every one of us here -- not to mention the existence of the State of Israel.
But, hell, Bush said in a speech to Knesset that Masada is the example he admires. That is where the Jews committed suicide rather than submit to Roman occupation. Husbands and fathers slit the throats of their wives and kids.
Bush announced: "Masada will not fall again."
Time to get scared, kids. The neocons have 250 days left to bring the temple down on all our heads.
Also, Bush is already attacking the Democratic nominee for not being ready to go to war with Iran. Obama believes in negotiations so he's an appeaser (like Reagan with Gorbachev). It is no coincidence that Bush is putting out this garbage in pretty much the only place in the world where he can get away with it: a conference of hardliners in Israel.
Last time he was in Israel he promised Olmert that he would come back for Israel's 60th birthday bash, a weird promise for an American President. This time he is offering something much creepier. He'll keep this promise too. I expect he'll speak at the AIPAC war rally in June to lay some more groundwork for the attack that he wants to be his legacy. Watch this space....unless it's blown up.
Can Bush be stopped? Apparently not. Can Congress be stopped? Apparently not.
From the 'Nation.' "Bush signed a secret finding authorizing a covert offensive against the Iranian regime that...is 'unprecedented in its scope.' The covert program is budgeted at $300 million, which Democratic leaders in Congress approved in a secret session after listening to the request for a special appropriation.
"No doubt the ardent support of the Israel lobby for escalation toward war on Iran played a significant role in the Democrats' green light."
May 15, 2008 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Can Bush be stopped? Apparently not. Can Congress be stopped? Apparently not."
Well said. Our entire Congress is already complicit in crimes against humanity. A few million more destroyed lives won't matter, as long as the money machine keeps humming for the plutocrats.
May 15, 2008 3:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I saw part of Bush's speech to the Knesset.
Bush babbled about "appeasment" and referenced Hitler's invasion of Poland. Did Bush think he was talking to Limbaugh dittoheads? What a frikkin asshole. Referring to Hitler's Germany the way he did takes from the suffering the Jews experienced during those years.
Any Democrat that went along with the alleged $300 million for covert offensive action against Iran should be ran out of Congress.
May 15, 2008 2:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama framed Bush's warspeak in the Knessett today poignantly as "sad." That may be true, but I'm with you M.J. Rosenberg. Threats are hollow if not supported by actions. 250 days left for the predators and profiteers in the Bush government to hoist another war on the backs of the American people.
The Continuity of Government presidential directives and heretofore unknown unknown authorities are disturbing and seldom mentioned.
Any military action against Iran, and the unknown unknown responses would provide the Bush government with adequate an excuse to engage the newly concocted and highly centralized COP authorities, declare martial law, begin rounding up shipping "enemy combatants" off to those hundreds of Homeland Security detention centers nobody wants to talk about, and suspend both the election, and the Consitution. Congress would effectively be desolved. America would instantly transition from our current flawed and deformed sort of government into a totalitarian dictatorship rule by the Olympians, Vulcans, predators and profiteers in, or beholden to the Bush government.
I don't put anything past these creeps.
May 15, 2008 2:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bush announced: "Masada will not fall again."
Of course, neither Bush not any neocons will be there to defend it.
May 15, 2008 3:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have a hard time seeing how it's good for Israel to be linked with the most unpopular American President since, well since I don't know when, and to be framed against the candidate who is attracting such enthusiasm among Americans.
May 15, 2008 7:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bush will bomb Iran just before the election if it look like an easy Obama win. Or, he will bomb just after the election if its close but Obama wins.
The only way I don't see Bush bombing them is if McCain wins, and that's only because he knows McCain will bomb them.
So, in summary, I believe that the U.S. will enter in to a third middle east war by bombing Iran. Sooner, if Obama becomes the president elect, or a little later if McCain does.
May 15, 2008 7:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thankfully, Bush couldn't launch a war against Iran because our armed forces are bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is nothing that indicates to me that the lame-duck administration would undertake such a reckless course of action. In the runup to Iraq, it was clear the administration was planning to go to war. At this point, all I see is lame sabre rattling. I hope I'm right.
May 15, 2008 8:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
You should listen to me. As a former field commander for the rebels of San Marcos, I know of what I speak.
-- Subcommandante Uno.
May 15, 2008 8:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Have you not been paying attention? Sanity never comes into Bush's reasoning.
May 15, 2008 8:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Heh, Bush is the Zionuts' Golem
Wikipedia even gets this part right:
The existence of a golem is sometimes a mixed blessing. Golems are not intelligent — if commanded to perform a task, they will take the instructions perfectly literally.
May 15, 2008 10:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Armchair Guerrilla,
I hate to burst your bubble, but it's our ground forces who are bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have more than enough Air Force and Naval air forces to bomb Iran for a lengthy period of time.
One aircraft carrier has more combat aviation than most small nations, and we have 13 carrier groups. It is a normal threat to Iran to move a second carrier into the Persian gulf. Add a third, and fly in some B-1 and B-2 bombers, and we could severely damage parts of Iran. Then add the Israeli Air Force.
Of course, what we would do as a follow up is up in the air. That would probably require a draft. But after the bombing starts and the generals and admirals start saying "We need more troops" do you really think the Congress is going to vote "No?"
Bush and company are probably the most dangerous men in the world today. They have no more sense of proportion, rationality, ethics or good sense than Hitler or Mussolini did. Nor do they learn from history.
May 16, 2008 6:31 AM | Reply | Permalink