Sunday, February 11, 2007

Is it worth it?

Front paged at Booman Tribune and My Left Wing

Every Congressman, Congresswoman, talking meatstick, member of the press and American should be asking this question. Certainly, we can look back at the complete disaster that is Iraq and ask “WAS it worth it?”. In fact, many people have asked themselves that question, and even NewsMax reported last year that nearly 60% of Americans think the answer to that is “No”.



This time, as the drumbeat for raining fire and brimstone over Iran is getting louder and louder, the question should be asked as to whether an attack on Iran will be worth it. Worth the cost. Worth the consequences. Worth the casualties. Worth the complete decimation of our already strained military.


LithiumCola has one of the best comments that I have read as it relates to the “evidence” about Iran’s supposed meddling in Iraq. And it should be used as a litmus test for any potential military action. It is a simple question. Even if all of the supposed evidence (whose most favorable description was “pretty good”) is true, is it worth bombing Iran over?



The whole “nuclear bomb is imminent” meme has been thoroughly shot down on so many occasions that even this crew of lying liars can’t sell that one to the most gullible of Yellow Elephants (add this to your blogroll…). However, the Bush administration is hell bent on using its own catastrophic failures in Iraq as a means to try and provoke Iran into war.



Thing is, Iran isn’t stupid. Despite the fact that they are the ones with UN sanctions, and despite the fact that the IAEA has indicated that Iran is running afoul of their obligations, it is Iran that will come out looking better in a battle with the US. It is Iran that will be defending itself. It is Iran that has the upper hand.



As far back as two years ago, Iran was preparing for a US or Israeli attack. Over two years ago, Iran was already winning the war of words – indicating that it would retaliate if attacked but never mentioning that it would be an aggressor.



As recently as this past December, Iran was talking – not about “pre-emptive strikes” but about “retaliation”:

Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Yahya Rahim Safavi: "The Americans are sunk in the quagmire of Afghanistan and Iraq, and there is no way for them [to move either] forward or backward. Assuming they attack Iran, [then] their 200,000 troops, in their 33 bases, are highly vulnerable. American politicians and military commanders both know this.



"They can start a war, but [the decision to] end [the war] will not be in their hands.



---snip---



Iranian Navy Commander: American Warships Are Heavy... And Easily Sunk: On November 27, 2006, the Iranian news agency Mehr reported that IRGC Navy Commander Admiral Sejad Kouchaki had said, "We are fully monitoring the route taken by the American [warships in the Gulf], and because American warships are heavy, they have no maneuverability, and are easily sunk."



---snip---



Iranian Suicide Bomber Organization Threatens Suicide Operations Against U.S. Targets in Gulf: On November 20, 2006, the Kuwaiti daily Al-Rai reported: "An extremist Iranian group is threatening to carry out suicide operations in the Gulf countries that are allies of the U.S., in the event that the U.S. uses its own bases in these countries to attack Iran."



This is what we will be looking at if we attack Iran. Hell, Vice President Cheney has been saying that bin Laden is in Pakistan for two years now. There are new allegations by John Negroponte that Pakistan is harboring terrorists and is assisting the Taliban in its attacks against forces in Afghanistan. Yet, here is evidence which is questionable at best about Iran being trumpeted using the same liars that strong-armed their way into an invasion of Iraq.



The United States is hardly in a good position here. We barely have the resources to fight in Iraq or Afghanistan, let alone Iran. The repercussions will be swift. They will be strong. If anyone thinks this country and its economy are in bad shape now, just wait until an attack on Iran.



For those who say that “we haven’t been attacked again here in the US”, get ready for a few attacks if we start bombing Iran. For those who think that Iran will just roll over and give us that cheap oil we were promised by the neocon war criminals before “Shock and Awe”, you got another thing coming.



There are so many things that will backfire from an attack on Iran. There will be such a strong backlash from the international community. In a word, this country will be fucked. Even more than now.



Even if the supposed evidence against Iran is true, is it worth the ramifications of bombing the country?



I think you will be hard pressed to find anyone that will say yes to this question. Unless they are lying, delusional or criminal.


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