IS BUSH PLANNING TO ATTACK IRAN?

Who would know if Bush were really off his rocker enough to actually start a war with Iran? Well, how about his Gulf State Sunni clients? Yeah, they might know, especially since Condoleeza is over there telling them. And how about the Russians? Well, I'd think Bush would make sure they knew since any post-attack nuclear stuff blowin' around would probably blow over to Russia. Oh, and Russian nationals are manning the advanced missle defense system that Russia just sold the Iranians.

So this week a Kuwaiti newspaper, Arab Times and a Russian admiral, a former commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Eduard Baltin, both confirmed that Bush is planning an attack on Iran... soon. The Arab Times headline, " US military strike on Iran seen by April ’07; Sea-launched attack to hit oil, N-sites" doesn't leave much to the imagination. But in case anyone missed anything:

Washington will launch a military strike on Iran before April 2007, say sources. The attack will be launched from the sea and Patriot missiles will guard all oil-producing countries in the region, they add. Recent statements emanating from the United States indicate the Bush administration’s new strategy for Iraq doesn’t include any proposal to make a compromise or negotiate with Syria or Iran.

The Russians are watching the U.S. naval build up in the Persian Gulf with great concern-- if not alarm. "U.S. Navy nuclear submarines maintaining vigil off the coast of Iran indicate that the Pentagon’s military plans include not only control over navigation in the Persian Gulf but also strikes against Iranian targets, a former commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Eduard Baltin has told the Interfax news agency. 'The presence of U.S. nuclear submarines in the Persian Gulf region means that the Pentagon has not abandoned plans for surprise strikes against nuclear targets in Iran. With this aim a group of multi-purpose submarines ready to accomplish the task is located in the area,' Admiral Baltin said."

Meanwhile Iran claims to have shot down a U.S. pilotless spy plane as a second U.S. nuclear-powered carrier group arrived in the Persian Gulf. Bush and Cheney seem hellbent on provoking Iran into giving them an excuse to attack. Most Senate Democrats-- and the Hoyer faction in the House-- would rather let Bush do what he wants in the Middle East-- no matter what horrors that entails-- than make the effort to stop him the way Ted Kennedy, Jack Murtha and Chris Dodd are proposing.