Carrier Strike Groups Head For Persian Gulf To Give Iran A Reminder

Deployment of second carrier to Gulf a 'reminder'

US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said Tuesday the deployment of a second aircraft carrier to the Gulf should be seen as a "reminder" of US military power in the region.

But Gates flatly denied that the United States was preparing the ground for military strikes against Iran.

"I don't think we'll have two carriers for a protracted period of time. So I don't see it as an escalation. I think it could be seen, though, as a reminder," Gates told reporters here during a visit with Mexican officials.

The arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Gulf follows a noticeable hardening in US rhetoric against Iran for meddling in Iraq and playing a destabilizing role in the region.

USS Abraham Lincoln


Commander Jeff Davis, a US Navy spokesman, said the Lincoln would overlap with the departing carrier USS Harry Truman by "no more than a day or two." He said it was a "routine regular replacement."

CBS News reported that the Pentagon has ordered new options be drawn up for attacking Iran and that the State Department has begun drafting an ultimatum that would tell Iran to stop meddling or else.

But when asked here whether the Pentagon was preparing for military strikes against Iran, Gates said flatly, "No."

The stepped-up US rhetoric against Iran has come against the backdrop of an intensifying violence in Iraq as US forces clash with Shiite militia "special groups" that the US military say are backed by Iran.

Some 44 US soldiers have been killed in Iraq so far this month, a grim rebound that comes as US "surge" brigades are withdrawing from the country.

Gates said a number of the latest casualties had come from rocketing of the fortified Green Zone and joint security stations from Sadr City, a bastion of followers of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

"We just haven't seen that for some period of time. So I think that's the reason for the spike in casualties, sad to say," he said.

"As we work our way around Sadr City, which we basically have stayed out of, we are encountering the kind of heavy combat" that US forces have experienced when they have gone into other new areas, Gates said.

"Clearly we are watching it very closely. But I think that General Petraeus is comfortable with the plans we have to bring out at least the five surge brigades," he said.

HMS Manchester/UK Prepares To Join Carrier Group


General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq, has charged that the Quds Force, a covert branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, was funding, training and arming Shiite militants to kill US troops.

Petraeus and other military leaders have said that the extent of the Iranian involvement became apparent last month after an Iraqi government crackdown in the southern port of Basra on armed gangs that exploded into violence.

He told Congress earlier this month that the Iranian-backed "special groups" were the greatest long-term threat to a viable democratic Iraq.

Admiral Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Friday he was increasingly concerned about Iran's behavior and pointedly warned that "it would be a mistake to think we are out of combat power."

At the same time, Mullen said military action was not imminent and acknowledged that a third US conflict in the Middle East would be "very stressing for us."

Gates also has played down the military option until now.

"Another war in the Middle East is the last thing we need and, in fact, I believe it would be disastrous on a number of levels," he said in a speech last week at the US Military Academy at West Point on April 21.

"But the military option must be kept on the table given the destabilizing policies of the regime and the risks inherent in a future Iranian nuclear threat -- either directly or through proliferations," he said.

Story Here

HMS Manchester prepares to join US Carrier Strike Group

Azerbaijan blocks Russian nuke shipment to Iran

*snip* Azerbaijan blocks Russian nuke shipment to Iran

NICOSIA — Iran has reported that a shipment of Russian nuclear equipment was being held in neighboring Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan, an ally of the United States, has acknowledged the delay. The Azeri government said it has sought to determine whether the nuclear shipment violated United Nations Security Council sanctions on Iran. See above link for the entire story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
President Akmenutjob better be looking out his back window! Quit meddling in our business in Iraq Akmenutjob, or you are soon to be toast! Try and Buzz that ship ha!

Right Under Our Nose

While we have all been worried about who will be the next President of the United States, Russia has been sending shipment after shipment of Nuclear Fuel to Iran! Something else we need to consider in our candidate for President, how are they going to deal with Iran? Here is a *snip* from a story about what's going on right under our noses

*snip*Russia delivered a sixth consignment of fuel for Iran's first nuclear power plant in the Gulf port of Bushehr on Thursday which makes it around 80 percent of the consignment, the official IRNA news agency reported.
"The sixth load of nuclear fuel arrived at the Bushehr plant on Thursday morning," said a statement from the Organisation for Production and Development of Nuclear Energy quoted by the news agency.

The delivery brings the nuclear fuel supplied by Russia so far to 66 tonnes or around 80 percent of the total order of 82 tonnes, IRNA said.

Previous deliveries were made on December 17 and 28, and January 18, 20 and 22. Two more consignments are due by February according to a timetable agreed by the two sides.



Late last month, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the Bushehr reactor would be working at 50 percent capacity by mid-2008.

But the Russian constructors insist the 1,000-megawatt plant will not go on line until the end of the year.

After delivery of the first shipment of fuel, Russia said Iran no longer needed to pursue its own uranium enrichment, a message repeated by US President George W. Bush.

Tehran has so far defied successive UN Security Council ultimatums to suspend enrichment prompting two sets of UN sanctions.

The six major powers, the five veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany drew up a new text on Tuesday to put before the council.

The contents of the text agreed by the foreign ministers of the so called 5+1 were not released.

But a senior US official said the new draft "increases the severity of the sanctions already in place and will also introduce new elements."

Iran on Wednesday described as illegal and ineffective the threat of new UN sanctions and said it would clear up any remaining questions about its nuclear programme in talks with the UN watchdog.

The Western powers fear that Iran's nuclear programme is a cover for a drive to develop a bomb, a charge Tehran strongly denies.

Story Here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One has to wonder, with all Iran's rich Oil wealth, what on earth do they need with Enriched Uranium? Seriously!! And what the hell is Russia doing sending it to them so they can enrich it? All is not well out there with a nutball on the lose in Iran running aound with centrifuses! And we all better ask ourselves the question, "Who is the most well equipped to handle Iran in our field of candidates?" Something we better take seriously in this election.

US Navy: Iranians Were Heartbeat Away From Being Blown Up

U.S.: Iranians 'Were a Heartbeat From Being Blown Up'

The standoff between three U.S. Navy ships and five Iranian speedboats in the Strait of Hormuz Sunday was one step away from turning violent.

"They were a heartbeat from being blown up," a Pentagon official, speaking of the Iranians, told ABC News.



According to the Navy intelligence report on the incident, the Iranians radioed, "I am coming at you. You will blow up in a couple of minutes."

The Navy ships radioed back, presumably transmitting a warning. All three ships also engaged in "evasive action," and according to senior Pentagon officials, the "prepare-to-fire" order had been given and the gun stations manned.



Pentagon officials today expressed surprise the Navy ships allowed at least one of the Iranian speedboats to get so close -- just 200 yards away -- without firing.

They say at least one of those speedboats boasted a machine gun, and all were behaving as if they were packed with explosives.


Pentagon Video


A Navy official told ABC News that while there have been similar incidents in the Gulf, Sunday's differed because of the "aggressive actions" taken by the Iranians.

"I've never seen a provocation like this is in international waters," another military official who has served for more than 25 years said.

The White House seconded that notion.

"We urge the Iranians to refrain from such provocative actions that could lead to dangerous incidents in the future," White House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto said.

Published reports cite the Iranian Foreign Ministry as confirming the incident but calling it "ordinary."



"Yesterday the Revolutionary Guard demonstrated their capacity to act irresponsibly and, in my estimation, well out of the ordinary norms of what we would expect," Vice Adm. Kevin Cosgriff said in response to Iran's account of Sunday's incident. "So hopefully, they've learned from this that we're serious."

Defense Secretary Robert Gates agreed, calling the tense standoff "troubling and a matter of real concern." He added, "This is a very volatile area, and the risk of an incident and of an incident escalating is real. I can't imagine what was on their minds."

Story Here

President Bush Remark's On Incident

Iran Seeks Confrontation in Gulf

Bush Strongly Warns Iran on Naval Clash

BUSH STRONGLY WARNS IRAN ON NAVAL CLASH...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Is Iran completely Insane? Speedboats trying to take on the US Navy? What the hell are they thinking? I wonder if they know how close they were to being a target. Iran is just trying to provoke a War. I'm shocked those loons werent blasted out of the water. Watch these Lunatics on the Pentagon Video up above.

UPDATE:

U.S. Formally Protests Iranian Harassment Of Ships In Persian Gulf

Bush To Akmenutjob "Come Clean"

Bush Calls on Iran to 'Come Clean' on Nuclear Activities



Alot of talk going on about this *New* Intelligence report on Iran and it's capability or non-capability to build a Nuclear Bomb. Bush isnt buying this report and frankly neither am I. Here's a snip of what President Bush had to say today *snip*.

President Bush, trying to keep pressure on Iran, called on Tehran Wednesday to "come clean" about the scope of its nuclear activities or else face diplomatic isolation.

Two days after a new intelligence report said that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program four years ago, Bush demanded that Tehran detail its previous program to develop nuclear weapons "which the Iranian regime has yet to acknowledge."

"The Iranians have a strategic choice to make," he said. "They can come clean with the international community about the scope of their nuclear activities, and fully accept the long-standing offer to suspend their enrichment program and come to the table and negotiate, or they can continue on a path of isolation."


“The annihilation of the Zionist regime will come... Israel must be wiped off the map... And God willing, with the force of God behind it, we shall soon experience a world without the United States and Zionism” “They have invented a myth that Jews were massacred and place this above God, religions and the prophets.” “I officially announce that Iran has joined countries with nuclear technology.”Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

The administration is worried that the new National Intelligence Estimate — representing a consensus of all U.S. spy agencies — weakens its leverage over Iran and its ability to build global pressure on Tehran to stop its uranium enrichment program.

Bush, arriving here on a campaign fundraising trip, said he had consulted with members of his national security team, who gave him a report about what Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley have learned in talks during the past several days with their counterparts in Britain, Germany, France and Russia.

Full Story Here

Bush Prods International Community on Iran

NIE Report

UPDATE:

Akmenutjob Claims Victory Over NIE Report!

IRAN REPORT AUTHOR IN JULY: IRAN IS DEVELOPING NUKES...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UPDATE:

Fred Thompson Issues Statement On NIE Report *snip*



Iran, Nuclear Weapons, and the NIE
Posted on December 5th, 2007
By Fred in Iran, Commentaries

The new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran’s Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities doesn’t change my view of that we need to restrain Iran. The NIE confirms that as recently as the fall of 2003, Iran was covertly working to develop nuclear weapons. Perhaps they have since halted their covert nuclear weapons work, but meanwhile they continue to aggressively pursue a uranium enrichment capability, despite the fact that it makes no economic sense as a civilian program.

This program was begun secretly as part of their larger nuclear weapons program and could be converted to bomb-making in short order. The knowledge and equipment necessary to enrich uranium for civilian nuclear fuel is identical to that used to enrich uranium for a nuclear bomb; making fissile material for an atomic weapon just takes a little longer. Iran developed this program covertly and illicitly (in violation of its Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty safeguards obligations) and pursued it for years before the United States and others found out about it. Iran’s transgressions are numerous: it failed to declare its activities, hid key portions of its program, and acquired material and technology illicitly, among other things. Much of this continues to this day.


Full Statement Here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Is Akmenutjob playing us all for fools? What on earth would he need cetrifuges for? Why would this idiot enrich Uranium right out in the open? Did he really stop his program in 2003? Didnt he claim he got the secrets to make a nuke from A.Q. Kahn? Why does he throw out weapons inspectors like Saddam did? Is he making all this "Wiping America and Israel Off The Map" stuff up? Israel is not going to be blown off the face of the earth or marched off into the water over an NIE report. Is Nutball trying to fool us like Saddam did? Or is he making it look like he's been fooling us for quite a while when all along he really hasnt been, and everybody thinks he has and that's what he want's. I cant explain it, but something is fishy about all this.

Bush Hands Congress Their Ass

UPDATE:

Bush Is On A Roll



*snip*
“Iran was dangerous, Iran is dangerous, and Iran will be dangerous -– if they have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon,” President Bush said on Tuesday. Iran had a covert nuclear program before 2003 -- "What’s to say it couldn’t start another covert, nuclear weapons program?” Bush asked on Monday...

Bush Says Intelligence Report Shows Need To Be Vigilant About Iran's Nuke Ambitions

Iran Is Still A Danger, Bush Says


US Report On Iran Nukes May Weaken World's Resolve
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

President Bush Yesterday 12-03-07 Giving A Speech On Getting Something Done In Congress, FUNDING THE TROOPS COMES TO MIND!

Bush Raises The Stakes

President Bush challenged Congress Monday to approve more money for the war in Iraq before leaving Washington for the holidays, setting up the prospect that he may call for a special session to force lawmakers to allocate those funds.

"It's unconscienable to deny funds to our troops in harm's way because some in Congress want to force a self-defeating policy, especially when we're seeing the benefits of success," Bush said at a Monday morning news conference in the White House Rose Garden.

His comments represent a little bit of legislative brinksmanship the day before members return to Washington for what promises to be a frenzied December session.

The president warned Congress that the Army would run out of money in March and the Pentagon would have to lay-off as many as 100,000 non-military support personnel to save money for the military effort.

Democrats and other outside budget groups have disputed those fiscal projections in the past, arguing the Department of Defense has the money necessary if officials re-allocate it properly.

Bush was clearly trying to capitalize, in part, on comments various Democrats made last week acknowledging the escalation of U.S. troops in Iraq over the summer has helped quell violence in the war-torn country, particularly those remarks by Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha, a prominent critic of the war who also controls the Pentagon's budget.



"We changed our strategy and now even many of those who initially opposed the surge acknowledge that it is achieving results," Bush said. "It is time for members of Congress to meet their responsibility to our men and women in uniform, and they should stay in session until they pass these emergency funds for our troops."

Democrats quickly denounced the president's remarks.

“A sagging economy has left American families struggling on the homefront while thousands of American troops are risking their lives on the battlefront," said House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (Ill.). "This morning, the President called on Congress to approve plans for more the same. The status quo might be acceptable to the President, but this Congress will insist on a new direction.”

The Democratically-controlled Congress has a heavy slate of legislation to complete before wrapping up its business for the year, and Bush pressed on lawmakers to complete an update of the electronic surveillance law that expires in February, pass their remaining spending bills for the year and approve legislation to save millions of Americans from the alternative minimum tax before leaving town later this month.

Story Here

________________________________________________

Failing Congress
Congress returns to work this week, and things continue to look bad for Democrats. When Democrats took power, they had three major goals: to end the war in Iraq, cripple Bush's presidency, and pave the way for a Democratic sweep next year. They have failed in all three respects. Our Republican delegation from Oklahoma deserves a lot of credit for sticking to their principles and giving Republicans a great shot at gaining seats in 2008.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well playtime is over now onto business. But by Congress not doing much before they went on recess how are they suppose to hurry up and do anything? More Gridlock, more Battles, oh it's so nice to have Congress back! Pfft.

The Evil Has Landed

This piece of trash needs to be arrested (Or worse) Take your wreath and shove it!

And what the hell is Columbia University thinking? Have these people forgotten he held our American Embassy Personell Hostage for 444 Days? And is aiding in the killing of our Troops in Iraq by supplying the enemy with High Tech IED'S? This is so wrong so very wrong. Yank the Security Detail!!!!







Move the UN to Guantanamo Bay!!