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As Pentagon Sends Reinforcements To Straits Of Hormuz, Iraq Redux Looms

Tyler Durden's picture




 

A few days ago, before the latest breakout in crude sent Brent to all time highs in GBP and EUR (and Asian Tapis in USD just shy of all time highs), we said that "we hope our readers stocked up on gasoline. Because things are about to get uglier. And by that we mean more expensive. But courtesy of hedonic adjustments, more expensive means cheaper, at least to the US government." This was due to recent news out of Iran "where on one hand we learn that IAEA just pronounced Iran nuclear talks a failure (this is bad), and on the other Press TV reports that the Iran army just started a 4 day air defense exercise in a 190,000 square kilometer area in southern Iran (this is just as bad). The escalation "ball" is now in the Western court." We were not surprised to learn that the "Western court" has responded in precisely the way we had expected. The WSJ reports: "The Pentagon is beefing up U.S. sea- and land-based defenses in the Persian Gulf to counter any attempt by Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military has notified Congress of plans to preposition new mine-detection and clearing equipment and expand surveillance capabilities in and around the strait... The military also wants to quickly modify weapons systems on ships so they could be used against Iranian fast-attack boats, as well as shore-launched cruise missiles" Which means the escalation slider was just shifted up by one more level, as Iran will next do just what every actor caught in an Always Defect regime as part of an iterated prisoners' dilemma always does - step up the rhetoric even more, as backing off at this point is impossible. Which means that crude will go that much more higher in the coming days, as now even the MSM is starting to grasp the obvious - from the Guardian: "The drumbeat of war with Iran grows steadily more intense. Each day brings more defiant rhetoric from Tehran, another failed UN nuclear inspection, reports of western military preparations, an assassination, a missile test, or a dire warning that, once again, the world is sliding towards catastrophe. If this all feels familiar, that's because it is. For Iran, read Iraq in the countdown to the 2003 invasion." And the most ironic thing is that the biggest loser out of all this, at least in the short-term is.... Greece.

As a reminder, here is an update of US naval assets, courtesy of a recently up and running Stratfor:

More on the latest very much anticipated defection from the US in what is setting up to be either the biggest dud of geopolitical foreplay in history, or potentially the start of a new World War (because the Muslim cresent will not take too lightly to any joint or standalone US/Israeli aggression).

The military also wants to quickly modify weapons systems on ships so they could be used against Iranian fast-attack boats, as well as shore-launched cruise missiles, the defense officials said.

 

The changes put a spotlight on what officials have singled out as potential U.S. shortcomings in the event of conflict with Iran. The head of Central Command, Marine Gen. James Mattis, asked for the equipment upgrades after reviews by war planners last spring and fall exposed "gaps" in U.S. defense capabilities and military preparedness should Tehran close the Strait of Hormuz, officials said.

 

The Central Command reviews, in particular, have fueled concerns about the U.S. military's ability to respond swiftly should Iran mine the strait, through which nearly 20% of the world's traded oil passes.

 

"When the enemy shows more signs of capability, we ask what we can do to checkmate it," a U.S. military officer said. "They ought to know we take steps to make sure we are ready."

 

The U.S. is concerned that Israel—which believes that Tehran will soon be able to assemble a weapon, and that time is running short to stop the bid—may choose to strike Iran by this autumn to stymie such a program. That, defense officials worry, could provoke retaliation that could prompt U.S. military action to defend its troops and key allies, and to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.

 

Central Command officials have told lawmakers they want the new mine-detection systems fielded before this fall, according to defense officials, underlining the urgency of preparedness.

 

In addition, U.S. special-operations teams stationed in the United Arab Emirates would take part in any military action in the strait should Iran attempt to close it, defense officials said. A military official said these forces have been working to train elite local forces in Gulf nations including the U.A.E., Bahrain and Kuwait, but added: "They would be used in the event of active operations."

Alas, as our game theory familiar readers will attest, the realistic outcome of recent events is not encouraging:

If two players play prisoners' dilemma more than once in succession and they remember previous actions of their opponent and change their strategy accordingly, the game is called iterated prisoners' dilemma.

 

If the game is played exactly N times and both players know this, then it is always game theoretically optimal to defect in all rounds. The only possible Nash equilibrium is to always defect. The proof is inductive: one might as well defect on the last turn, since the opponent will not have a chance to punish the player. Therefore, both will defect on the last turn. Thus, the player might as well defect on the second-to-last turn, since the opponent will defect on the last no matter what is done, and so on. The same applies if the game length is unknown but has a known upper limit.

For those confused, terminal defection means pushing the "Launch" key. And even mainstream journalists appear to have grasped what has finally dawned upon the energy market (if with the now usual 6-8 week delay):

A decisive moment may arrive when Barack Obama meets Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, in Washington on 5 March. "The meeting … will be definitive," said Ari Shavit in Haaretz. "If the US president wants to prevent a disaster, he must give Netanyahu iron-clad guarantees the US will stop Iran in any way necessary and at any price after the 2012 [US] elections. If Obama doesn't do this, he will obligate Netanyahu to act before the 2012 elections."

 

If accurate, this is not much of a choice. It suggests military action by the US or Israel or both is unavoidable, the only question being one of timing. Objectively speaking, this is not actually the position. All concerned still have choices. The case against Iran's nuclear programme is far from proven. It is widely agreed that limited military strikes will not work; a more extensive, longer-lasting campaign would be required. And Obama in particular, having striven to end the Iraq and Afghan wars, is loath to start another.

 

But as with Iraq in 2003, the sense that war is inevitable and unstoppable is being energetically encouraged by political hardliners and their media accomplices on all sides, producing a momentum that even the un-bellicose Obama may find hard to resist.

Will Obama truly risk sending gas prices to all time highs month ahead of his election, just in time to send the global economy into a spiraling recession where not even the fabled US decoupling (purely driven by the $2 trillion in liquidity expansion by non-US central banks)? Who knows: however, if he hopes to use the iraq playbook, he may be disappointed. Again from the Guardian:

In some key respects, the Iran crisis is distinctly different from that over Iraq in 2002-03. As matters stand, similarly strident warmongering surrounding Iran is thus hard to understand or explain – unless the ultimate, unstated objective is not to curb Iran's nuclear programme but, as in Iraq, to overthrow its rulers.

 

Bogeymen

George Bush and Tony Blair claimed a moral imperative in toppling the "monstrous" dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. But the much vilified Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's president, is no Saddam, and neither is the country's bumbling Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Iranian regime is repressive and sporadically brutal, but so too are many developing world governments. Unlike Saddam's Ba'athists, it has significant democratic and ideological underpinning. As a bogeyman whose depredations might justify international intervention, Ahmadinejad is a flop.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Saddam, notoriously, had no deployable or usable WMD, but his overthrow was primarily justified by the mistaken belief that he did. The present western consensus is that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons capability, but does not have an atomic bomb and is not currently trying to build one. Khamenei said this week that nuclear weapons were "useless and harmful" and that possessing them was sinful . Netanyahu's belief that Israel faces an imminent, existential threat is visceral rather than fact-based. Israel's refusal to acknowledge its own nuclear arsenal, let alone contemplate its reduction, further undermines the case for action.

 

Terrorism

Plenty of evidence exists that Iran supports, or has supported, armed militants, jihadis, and anti-Israeli and anti-western armed groups in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, providing financial and political backing, arms and training. In this respect, its behaviour is more threatening to western interests than was that of Saddam's secular regime, no friend to Islamists. But limited or even protracted attacks on Iran's nuclear and/or military facilities would not end these links, unless there was a shift of political direction in Tehran.

 

Strategic power-games

Iraq was considered important for its strategic position at the heart of the Arab Middle East and its economic potential, especially its oil reserves. Similarly, there can be no doubt the US and Britain would like to see energy-rich Iran return to the western camp, as in the pre-revolution days of the Shah. Conversely, Iran's military is more powerful and more committed to the defence of the status quo, from which it benefits greatly, than was Iraq's. The potential disruption to oil supplies and western economies, not to mention the impact of asymmetric Iranian counter-attacks, makes a resort to war contingent on producing lasting dividends.

 

Political imperatives

In contrast to the splits over Iraq, the main western powers are united in their determination to bring Iran to heel. As well as Netanyahu, David Cameron, Nicolas Sarkozy and Barack Obama have all declared an Iranian bomb unacceptable. Their inflexibility thus makes war more rather than less likely should Iran refuse to back down. "Having made the case for urgency and concerted action, it would be difficult for Obama to tell the world 'never mind' and shift to a strategy that accepts Iranian membership in the nuclear club," said Michael Gerson in the Washington Post.

Yet while nothing may well be the final outcome, one thing is certain: Greece is in deep trouble. As a reminder, the insolvent country is one of those affected by the Iranian decision to cut off European exports. And as Athens News reports: "Greece relied on Iran for more than half of its oil imports during some
months last year
after traders and oil majors pulled the plug on
supplies and banks refused to provide financing for fear that Athens
would default on its debt."

Major traders are in talks with Greece to supply crude oil and help the country cut reliance on Iranian oil ahead of a European ban, in a sign that they are happier about Greece's creditworthiness following a second debt bailout. Greece turned to Iran as a supplier of last resort last year despite pressure from Washington and Brussels to end trade as part of a campaign against Tehran's nuclear programme that the West says is for arms and Iran says is for energy.

 

Traders told Reuters that Swiss-based Totsa, the trading arm of French oil major Total, and trading house Mercuria were in separate negotiations with Greek refiner Hellenic Petroleum to help it replace Iranian crude. Glencore, a leading Swiss-based commodities trader and one of the few that conducted business with Greece during the debt crisis, may also boost supplies, trading sources said.

 

Two industry source said talks were at advanced stages. A third industry source said negotiations were at an early stage. "If something were to happen, it would be unlikely before summer," one source said.

The reason for the delay? Why certainly that Greece has some money to pay, i.e., passage of the bailout (that Greece won't see a single penny out of it is a different story entirely)

Hellenic acknowledged earlier this week that it was buying oil from Iran and paying for the shipments later, terms known in industry jargon as open credit terms. But the refiner also said that replacing Iranian oil would be "easy" with supplies from Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Russia. Traders expect the terms offered by alternative oil suppliers to be far less generous, as many are still unable to enter into agreements with Greece because of the risk associated with the country's debt.

 

Part of the reason for swapping crude oil for products is that Hellenic is unable to obtain letters of credit from banks because of lingering default fears.

 

"They have liabilities and banks could come in and demand payment," said a London-based trading head who decided not to enter talks with Hellenic, saying it was too risky for his firm.

 

However, Greece's second bailout this week provides reassurance that any crude supplied to a refinery would not be caught up in a messy national default. Hellenic, which has 350 million euros of debt maturing this year and 1.3 billion in 2013, has started refinancing discussions with banks. It said it hoped that the bailout deal would allow Greece to return to markets and ease Greek companies' refinancing strains.

In other words, war or no war, Greece better pray that Europe at least pretend to fund the second bailout agreed upon on July 21, 2011, as otherwise, the country will be out of crude by the summer. Of course, if there is no bailout, the country will also be broke by then too, with rioting and bank runs a daily occurrence. Perhaps seen in this light, a gasoline shortage doesn't seem all that bad...

 

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Sun, 02/26/2012 - 17:16 | 2198654 lakecity55
lakecity55's picture

Right on. We must re-capture America with new Washingtons, Lincolns, and Eisenhowers. The King's men must be repelled again. Once again, a Power has taken our wealth, invaded our homes with his soldiers, and eaten our grain. We The People did not support this.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 09:44 | 2197493 chubbar
chubbar's picture

Well, Looks like the U.S. has stepped up intervention in Syria.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4194506,00.html

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 17:10 | 2198644 lakecity55
lakecity55's picture

The loyal to America guys see it differently fromm the loyal to oil elites.

Or the NCOs see it differently than the Brass.

Even if Iran had 2-3 weapons, what real danger does it pose?

Any offensive, first-strike use of said weapons would be suicide.

Put up a missile defense and let any nation know if they go they glow.

If the Iranians truly believe in their 13th or whatever Imam phrophecy about needing a war to bring forth the Ma'ahdi, there won't be anything you can do to stop them before they strike anyway. When their war happens and no Imam shows up, everyone can attack them justifiably. There is simply no need to goad them into a war unless somebody(s) has an ulterior motive. The Allies Do Not Need to have huge assets in the area. All this is BS. Issue a joint UN resolution if they (Iranians) start a war, they're history. Everyone go home and fix your own stupid governments.

The fact there has been NO UN resolution to this effect tells me the Fox is in the Henhouse.

Ike was right.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 17:17 | 2198661 grgy
grgy's picture

If you happened to watch the Arizona Primary debates, those three numb-nuts were pandering hard for a war with Iran and they got applause. Ron Paul stated that US intelligence can't even confirm Iran is working on developing a nuke and he gets booed.  Do you see what we are up against?

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 03:49 | 2197264 hardcleareye
hardcleareye's picture

"No Move By Iran to Build a Bomb".....  It should read  "Iran has put the Nuclear Warhead DESIGN on hold, but refuses to allow UN inspectors to confirm".

THEY CAN"T BUILD THE BOMB UNTIL THEY HAVE THE 90% ENRICHED  URANIUM..... So yes the NYT"s headline is correct, they are NOT building a BOMB per sec, they are just enriching the uranium to be able to build the bomb.  (kinda reminds me of "Depends on what your definition of "is" is.")

And how far along were the nuclear warhead plans before they moth balled them? 

Oh  look at that picture  and read the article (back in 2009) of the " Iranian long-range Shahab-3 missile being fired"......

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/05/iran-tested-nuclear-warhead-...

But if you take the time to read the cited links in the NYT's piece you come away with a very different "impression/spin" than what the NYT's article implies.....

"We assess with moderate confidence that convincing the Iranian leadership to forgo
the eventual development of nuclear weapons will be difficult given the linkage many
within the leadership probably see between nuclear weapons development and Iran’s
key national security and foreign policy objectives, and given Iran’s considerable
effort from at least the late 1980s to 2003 to develop such weapons."

"We assess with moderate confidence that Iran probably would use covert facilities—
rather than its declared nuclear sites—for the production of highly enriched uranium for a
weapon."

"We assess with high confidence that Iran has the scientific, technical and industrial
capacity eventually to produce nuclear weapons if it decides to do so."

And so on and so forth.  In the 2007 report they claim that

"A growing amount of intelligence indicates Iran was engaged in covert uranium
conversion and uranium enrichment activity, but we judge that these efforts probably
were halted in response to the fall 2003 halt, and that these efforts probably had not been
restarted through at least mid-2007."

For the NYT to claim that the above quote remains the "consensus" is pure BULLSHIT, Iran has confirmed that they are enriching uranium at Furdo, started building the enrichment plant in 2006, so much for that.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 08:28 | 2197394 Element
Element's picture

You are confusing design, build and assemble.

They have definitely completed the design for several warheads for different roles--probably did this about 20 years ago, and developed and refined them ever since. 

You think not?  The US did this for a couple of years from scratch before cores became available, and when the cores finally went in the refined designs, it all worked.  Iran has had a massive advantage (and a lot more time) with today's aero-space tech and knowledge, machines, computers, 3-D CAD, high speed imagery, infinite-element-analysis design, metallurgy, chemistry, explosives, electronics, sensors, detonators, delivery systems and MINITURISATION.  Plus Iran has a GDP comparable to Australia, and it is not a technically backward country by any means (want a slightly used RQ-170 cheap? ... how about a stealth cruise missile then?).

They have certainly built and zero-yield tested the function of those designs--probably completed that 15 years ago.

They have certainly prefabricated a series of warheads and RV casings for ballistic and cruise missile delivery, and built, tested and refined and hardened the delivery systems, and this has been going on sequentially since at least 1990.

They are certainly capable of producing nuclear weapon cores fast, and are in the process of building a large stockpile of 20% HEU pre-requisite to doing that. They have no civil purpose to create and possess such a standing stock of HEU.

It's also likely they have produced enough weapon grade HEU for several cores in an earlier smaller secret program, and are thus now in a confident position to enrich on a larger scale, more overtly.  The final phases will come very quickly from here.

But this does not necessarily involve ASSEMBLY of a fully functioning weapon, complete with HEU core.

They do not have to assemble a weapon, or five, as that could be done in mere hours, if it became absolutely necessary.

The US military knows it probably would fail if it attempted to stop Iran taking the final steps, via force.

An attack would cause them to assemble warheads.

Hence it's politically expedient to extend and pretend that it ain't really happening like that, and to treat an Iranian nuke just like the Israeli nuke.

Don't talk about it!  

(Don't mention the war!!!)

Just act as though it doesn't really exist.

Thus the US, Israel, Iran, Russia, China and NATO, as a whole, must and will switch to that sort of mode of dealing with Iran at some point, rather than to admit the confronting fact that Iran has the A-bomb.  

The US and NATO then must find a way to settle the matter diplomatically, that allows sanctions to be gradually lifted and diplomatic relations upgraded.

Iran will go along with this sort of diplomatic papering-over for as long as no one challenges them or else forces them to demo an A-bomb.  They would much prefer not to, because as with Israel, ambiguity is a powerful deterrent.

And no one really wants to find out if it is true via that means. 

It could be true right now--that's a real posibility.

The alternative path is a genuinely unprecedented scale of sustained modern warfare of unmatched cruelty and barbarousness.
 
--
 
So the relevant question is, which option will Red Shield want?  

Because that's the one we're going see develop fairly soon-ish.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 10:45 | 2197575 hardcleareye
hardcleareye's picture

"The US and NATO then must find a way to settle the matter diplomatically, that allows sanctions to be gradually lifted and diplomatic relations upgraded."

Not if Iran starts/continues using gold for payment of oil. 

With all those oil reserves the US and NATO are not going to/cannot  allow the Iranian government to remain standing.

IF they do they will be putting their neck under the Iranian boot and I don't see them doing that (pay back is a bitch)......  Iran will take great pleasure in kicking it's enemies ass, there is NO diplomatic resolution to this issue.

Russia is not going to stand back and allow the Iranian government to be over run.

They (US and NATO) are going for all out war, switch the public spot light, invoke a few Force Majeure clauses and unwind some of the financial paper  from the Greek/Euro arena at the same time.

All crew contact with friends and family on the Lincoln has been shut down for the last week or so.

This is not going to end well.

 

 

Mon, 02/27/2012 - 06:26 | 2199969 Element
Element's picture

Yes, that's an issue I've left out, because Russia has already made it very clear where it stands on that issue, and as regards gold as the next currency, and China has made clear wants a slice in the next reserve currency, and everyone knows this means the USD is on notice, that its days are numbered as the boss-buck. 

In the end, is the US prepared to confront Russia, China and Iran simply so the US can strut around the Persian Gulf like some sort of manic Toad-of-Toad-Hall?  I think the US will back-down here, but only after it is out of options and support and also after an intense missile battle occurs.  The US is in so deep with Israel and Iran, as the 'bad-guy', that it's unlikely to cut its loses and waddle off to sulk, without attacking Iran first.  Washington simply can't let it go until there are a lot of very dead Iranians.

In which case Russia and China will start making very blunt threats and demands, and begin getting involved, then the UN will lead a global call for circuit-breaker negotiations, a cease-fire will be drawn up, and mines cleared away, and oil trade will resume.  Thus Iran will also become a defacto nuclear-power.  It's all going to get scary, and just when we think it can't get worse, it will get very much worse. People will be freaking-out about it.

The real-geopolitics, of Iran as a nuclear power, will have to be worked through (by Israel, USSA and the lingering EU detritus), and that will take at least a decade for it to settle down to a new strategic and diplomatic normalisation.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 07:03 | 2197360 Element
Element's picture

From the same link:

“They don’t have evidence that Iran has made a decision to build a bomb, and that reflects a real gap in the intelligence,” Mr. Kay said. “It’s true the evidence hasn’t changed very much” since 2007, he added. “But that reflects a lack of access and a lack of intelligence as much as anything.”

--

i.e. shoot first and ask questions later.

Same as with Iraq

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:43 | 2197662 RiverRoad
RiverRoad's picture

Iran is a strawman.  Russia is holding Iran's bomb for them.  Ain't nobody dropping any nukes over there considering where the fallout will blow.  Japan, however, was the perfect target with the Pacific out there.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 09:47 | 2197497 Sorynn
Sorynn's picture

The NY times moved this article to the registered user portion of the website...

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 16:33 | 2198547 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

"HALT. . . . papers please!"

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 10:05 | 2197525 johngaltfla
johngaltfla's picture

DO NOT act shocked if it comes out one day in the future that the U.S. painted it's F-15's and F-16's in IAF colors and flew the missions to attack the Iranian nuclear facilities from Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

But I still do not look for an attack until this autumn when Obama's poll numbers are down due to the economy slowing down again.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:47 | 2197673 RiverRoad
RiverRoad's picture

Especially since we wouldn't want to change horses in mid-stream now would we?  That little war we got going in Bosnia sure helped Clinton out of a tight spot and dropping those bombs the day he was impeached was convenient.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 13:53 | 2198059 Buck Johnson
Buck Johnson's picture

But yet we still continue to put forces in the region.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 22:02 | 2199249 Joseph Jones
Joseph Jones's picture

Well fine, good, thanks for one piece of great news in this debacle!

Now if O'Satan could sit his ass in front of the TV cameras (or simply threaten Rabbi Netenyahu to do it) and tell the universe point blank that Iran's not going nuclear anytime soon, and the USA will shoot out the sky any Israeli attempt to attack Iran, then I'll sleep better at night.

The life/death problem for O'Satan is that Mossad assasinated the last USA president to get in the Zionist's way: yes, the Mossad apparently shot JFK for disallowing Israel from going nuclear because JFK knew (rightly) it would upset the balance of power in the ME.

 

 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 18:06 | 2197143 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

adult tricycles are just like adult movies - except less oil, slower grid and threesome has a whole dIfferent meaning

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 00:59 | 2197037 Reese Bobby
Reese Bobby's picture

I'm glad the military wants to modify ships to deal with small Iranian attack boats.  Way to be ahead of the curve you strategic planning whiz-kids.  Just brilliant.  So given not even the military is that stupid I guess they want a nice causality count to rage against in the first phase of Gulf War III?

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:04 | 2197048 Conrad Murray
Conrad Murray's picture

A view of Iran the chickenhawk war mongers don't want you to see. Don't be shy, dear Americans; have the decency to meet the people your tax dollars will soon go towards murdering.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D61uriEGsIM

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:11 | 2197064 tarsubil
tarsubil's picture

No shit. I was talking about how it is insane that the US is threatened by little old Iran and how given that we have them surrounded and we killed Qaddaffi after he gave up his nuke program, it would be insane for them not to pursue a nuke for defense (remember what defense is America? defending against bombs being dropped on your country and tanks crossing your borders? ring any bells?). He fucking responds, well, if you love Iran so much, why not go live there? I said, so I'm not in favor of bombing a country that I use logic to discover is of little or no threat to us, therefore I love them? Wow, that is fucking retarded. Later he says the world agreed to defend Isreal (I shit you not). People are completely brainwashed. And he says Ron Paul is going to let the chinese take over this country (who fucking knows how the hell that is going to happen?). For fuck's sake, I wanted to belt that fat stupid turd.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:18 | 2197077 tarsubil
tarsubil's picture

And more than that. So I lay into this guy because he's really pissed me off. I tell him, that given the complete absense of a representative central government in Afghanistan that it is absolutely incorrect to hold the entire country responsible with an invasion over 9/11. I say it is far more correct to hold all of the US, including little serf douchebag himself, responsible for what our central representative government has done. And it has dropped a shit load of bombs on a shit load of innocent women and children. So Iran may not be great, but neither are you fat worthless piles of shit that love war and winning and covering your eyes when the children get their fucking limbs blown off. Fuck you!

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:35 | 2197204 xela2200
xela2200's picture

Lazy boy Generals with water down media that isn't allowed to show body bags because it demoralizes the public. What BS.

It all could have been prevented by forcing pilots to keep cabin door locked no matter what. Just a simple law.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:56 | 2197218 TruthInSunshine
TruthInSunshine's picture

Regardless of what anyone thinks of Eisenhower, his farewell speech to the nation was an incredible moment in American History and probably one of the most underappreciated and intentionally ignored (by the Lame Ass Main Stream Media, politicians and our stellar educational institutions) string of fundamental truths that any sitting president has ever provided.

Everything he mentioned and warned against has come to pass. If he were alive and gave that speech today, he'd be labeled a terrorist/enemy combatant under NDAA 2012 and targeted with a drone fired hellfire missile.

Eisenhower warns us of the military industrial complex. - YouTube
Sun, 02/26/2012 - 16:56 | 2198610 lakecity55
lakecity55's picture

We were warned.

We can still make it change.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:50 | 2197682 RiverRoad
RiverRoad's picture

We could use a little demoralization right now.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:25 | 2197630 jwoop66
jwoop66's picture

Here are the future murderers...

 

http://youtu.be/SErowaB4nUY

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 00:56 | 2197038 cherry picker
cherry picker's picture

I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't think the innocent in Iran, and there are plenty of them, should have to taste war.   I also think the young on this side of the fence should not experience it either.

I think the world should protest and stop each side from starting hostilities based on humanitarian grounds.

That to me sounds like the logical thing to do.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:08 | 2197059 Reese Bobby
Reese Bobby's picture
That means that...our whole solar system...could be, like...one tiny atom in the fingernail of some other giant being. This is too much!
That means...one tiny atom in my fingernail could be--could be one little...tiny universe!
Sun, 02/26/2012 - 10:09 | 2197534 Max Hunter
Max Hunter's picture

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt." Abraham Lincoln

You, sir, are a moron.  Your reply was so far removed from relevance I don't even know how to reply to it..

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:28 | 2197636 jwoop66
jwoop66's picture

Ha!   I feel ya Reese B.   A lot of folks around here just wont get it.     Good one!

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:20 | 2197190 Think for yourself
Think for yourself's picture

exactly. the civilized chapter of humanity might just finally begin when a majority of humans make it their personal duty to themselves, their family members, friends, societies and species to refrain themselves, their family members and friends from participating in army service and, by extension, war.

The universe is fractal. As above, so below, and as below, so above. An individual that does not want war will not participate in the army, a family of such individuals will be peaceful, and so on for the community of such families, the nation of such communities and the planet of such nations.

I didn't have to push anything on my family members, we're all peace-loving, but I did convince one of my best childhood friend to stay out of it, because he was broke and his FPS gaming addiction let him think it being a pawn would be "awesome". Let me tell you, I was really happy when my only friend that was potentially interested in the army told me he chose not to sign up!

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 04:33 | 2197291 dolph9
dolph9's picture

Good luck trying to convince American serfs, completely manipulated by Jews and big corporations, that war is not the answer.

"Support our troops."

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 07:40 | 2197381 SMG
SMG's picture

Luciferian Illuminati not Jews.  The Luciferian Illuminati also run the big corps around the world.

But you're right tht war is not the answer.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:44 | 2197665 Iwanttoknow
Iwanttoknow's picture

SMG,worth a 1000 up arrows.I've been telling my jewish friends to combat this menace.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 12:46 | 2197428 Think for yourself
Think for yourself's picture

I'll stop you right there. Not that you are wrong (Rothschild zionist, as in most of the times that someone says "Jew", would be more appropriate) but you're worrying about factors that are mostly outside of your control.

There's this saying I really love, "You have no responsibility to save the world, your only responsibility is to save yourself. Minding your little corner of the world, the universe heals itself." So one starts by helping oneself, healing oneself internally, and as you become healthier and freer of propaganda, of externally imposed conditionnings, you start naturally identifying your family's, friends', societies' and ultimately species'/planet's well-being with yours.

So once you start being whole, healthy, a desire arises to help other people that wish to do so to heal themselves. It's not an effort, but rather the natural compassionate flow of things in which you'd like to share your health with those you care about. So what's the starting point? The people that are most important to you, the people that you are most important to; so you help friends and family heal first. Sure, be compassionate in your interactions to the common lowly manipulated serf, but you don't have to waste your energy on something you might not be ready to deal with yet, at least not until they become the next natural step.

You'll cross that bridge once you get to it, and the beautiful thing is by then there are many more healthy individuals, with healthy families and healthy friends, which start creating a healing network in which most lowly serfs are connected to a healthy family member or healthy friend node. You don't have to worry about this - you only deal with your part. So start with healing your own little corner of the universe, and that little corner will expand in due time as your capacity to help others grows.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:46 | 2197672 MSimon
MSimon's picture

Thank you sir. As you know my power is unlimited. I'm Jewish.

 

So look out bitchez. Don't make me angry. I'll steal your money and orgones and make you do jail time for it too.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 16:46 | 2198577 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

if you want to "convince" amrkn "serfs" not to enlist as paid mercenaries, then we all must stop "supporting" THEIR troops - and by THEIR, I mean to distance myself from those who are fighting on behalf of THEM, not "me."

the first change needs to come from within, stop identifying with those who have hijacked the "nation" and stop "supporting" their stormtroopers, even if only passively by continuing to identify with them in mind and speech.

at this point in time, it is NOT noble to be killing other humans on THEIR behalf.

(and MSimon above,  same goes for you - to be "Jewish" does not require you to identify with the zionists - some of us here know the difference, so should you.)

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:22 | 2197191 xela2200
xela2200's picture

It is not going to happen. Yesterday, there was an article on the price of oil going to $200.  I made the comment that it can go to 200, 300 or even higher because it is measured in FIATcurrency. Bernake can print to infinity. In fact, in gold terms oil hasn't gone up that much. Not to even mention when the dollar is not used to trade oil. At any rate, people were outright angry. Talking about revolution and getting cock without lube, blah blah blah

Oil goes up and Obama is going to have to act especially in an election year. People will demand it without understanding the repercussions. And so people will die by the thousands. Your kids will die, somebody will profit, and we will go even more broke which will mean crime up and services down. It really really sucks, but what can you expect from a desperate government.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 04:17 | 2197283 oldman
oldman's picture

With the shit we are in already, dude, if war starts---nobody will care about price; they will care about surviving.

Or we could look at the bright side which if war starts----there will not be enough oil for the military to finish it but the military doesn't care.

Just doing their job, right?

Please help get some people in the street

Please       om

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 13:11 | 2197923 max2205
max2205's picture

Please. This is all in the re elect Obummer script. Take us to the brink with oil sky high. Then through 'skilled' negotiation save the day. Maybe around Sept. Iran caves and oil is back under $50 before the election.

$2 says he even gets a Noble Price price again and then he has 4 more years to try for a hat trick.

Makes me sick to think it will happen but I will make coin off of it.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 10:13 | 2197537 Dr. Engali
Dr. Engali's picture

That may be the logical and the right thing to do, but it's not going to happen. There is 40+ years of propaganda invested in convincing people that Iran is a boogie man. Too many people buy into the lie.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:59 | 2197691 RiverRoad
RiverRoad's picture

If UN diplomats are sincerely interested in world peace, why not move the UN to Iran where they could do the world some real good for a change instead of causing massive traffic jams partying their heads off in NYC.  

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 14:16 | 2198142 knightowl77
knightowl77's picture

Your arguments are not logical, but emotional....

On other threads here many ZHers talk about their gun ownership and their "right" to defend

themselves. Certainly that is a right...Over the years, I have carried guns everyday. I have had to threaten people to get them to stop

threatening me. They must have thought I was serious, because I never had to pull the trigger, though I was prepared to...If I were robbed at gunpoint, I do not have to wait until the robber fires a bullet in my direction to take action and fire first. My life need not depend on the "good or bad intentions"

of my attacker. The same principles apply to a nation's defense....

Prior to the end of WWII you could let another nation invade or attack before responding. That changed with the advent of nuclear weapons in which 1

nation can kill a substantial number of people in another nation with a nuke or nukes with very little warning...

I do NOT support another war. I do not support a US attack on Iran because we are not currently threatened.I do not support the use of drones all over the world killig people.

I do not support our troops fighting and dying in Afghanistan and would like our troops to come home and guard our Southern border.

We are not threatened by Syria, though innocent people are dying there, so we should not get involved.

Only Israel can decide if Israel is being threatened, it is their right to take action if they feel the need.

If a person has the right to self defense, then a nation has that same right. We must insure that we do not attack for the wrong reason or a

false flag type of incident....

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 16:41 | 2198572 cherry picker
cherry picker's picture

I always believed as you stated that logic and emotion were separate, but lately I am thinking that thos of us who see logic as something different are deluding ourselves as logic is nothing more than an emotion of a different type.

If someone breaks into my house with the intent to harm, I too would defend.

But as you say, Iran is not breaking into anyone's home.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:00 | 2197040 holdbuysell
holdbuysell's picture

Interpretation:

Iran's oil trade sans USD is going swimmingly.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:06 | 2197158 CrashisOptimistic
CrashisOptimistic's picture

Item: Iran's oil minister this week announced that Iran is presently exporting 2.4 million barrels per day.  This number is essentially unchanged from October.  Hence and therefore, the sanctions are not reducing their unit sales.

Item: They have to give a discount to China, India and Asia in general.  So what?  The price has risen.  The discount off that increased price may just provide them the same level of money they were getting before.  Hence and therefore, Iran is under no pressure.  They have export revenue at the same levels they had pre sanctions.  The sanctions have done nothing but inconvenience their customers who want to pay for that oil.  It's hurting India, not Iran.  India may decide to buy their multi billion jet fighter package non American.

Item: Iran geographically spread out their nuclear development program.  There Is No One Target.  

Item: The logistics of an Israeli attack, traversing hostile airspace and requiring air to air refueling enroute, to hit a target that is not critical given the spreading out of the program . . . just makes no sense.

Item: China is now getting a nice discount.  They may want to defend their cut rate supplier.  Chinese air defenses installed in Iran and manned by Chinese military advisors would raise the stakes of any air attack (again, on a target that is not critical to the Iranian program). And btw, you'd have to hit those defenses first, i.e., fire on Chinese troops. 

Item: China and Russia remain outraged at how a protect Libyan civilians UN resolution turned into a regime change and murder Gadaffi resolution.  They are strongly inclined to defend Iran, whether they approve of Iranian policies or not.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:01 | 2197041 palmereldritch
palmereldritch's picture

What's the symbol in the Nash Equilibrium formula for False Flag?

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:08 | 2197057 Conrad Murray
Conrad Murray's picture

A star.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 09:25 | 2197476 francis_sawyer
francis_sawyer's picture

of David...

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:08 | 2197058 Theta_Burn
Theta_Burn's picture

Something like this

-------------<@){{{{{-<

Mother of all distractions enroute...

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:27 | 2197102 Race Car Driver
Race Car Driver's picture

The Swordfish?

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:44 | 2197145 UP Forester
UP Forester's picture

Hypo needle for the "vaccination" for the Bird/ManBearPig flu?

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:03 | 2197047 Alpacanio
Alpacanio's picture

More of the same. Israel will attack in the next 6 weeks. Then god help us all.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:05 | 2197050 holdbuysell
holdbuysell's picture

Might be helpful to identify the dates of moonless nights in Iran over the next several months.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 05:07 | 2197306 RichardP
RichardP's picture

That's been done in a previous thread/topic.  I believe the dates are around the 23rd of each month - give or take a few days.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 06:44 | 2197346 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

Richard, it's 22 March.  Were you hoping we'd focus on the 23rd, allowing the event to occur before we're prepared??  Almost.

Don't steam your monitor up. 

I'm joking.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 17:00 | 2198626 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

we could start with Purim, which is a full moon "holiday" - 8 March - this is a great indicator of warlike events - first gulf war 1991, 2003 bombing in Iraq, 2011 aerial war with Libya,

then the vernal equinox - sun at zero degrees Aries, ruler Mars, the god of War - 20th March, followed by the new moon on 22nd. . .

from there, the new moons fall on 21 April, 20 May, 19 June, 19 July, 17 Aug, 16 Sept., 15 Oct. . . . that takes you to "election" day, but I doubt we'll "get" that far. . .

from a certain perspective, every month going forward has very strong tensions globally. . .

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 23:11 | 2199452 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

Re. first gulf war 1991, 2003 bombing in Iraq, 2011 aerial war with Libya

Intersting CA. You may have shot down the war-on-a-new-moon theory. Some kind of "October Surprise" seems likely.

Mon, 02/27/2012 - 17:02 | 2201603 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

it would appear that when the state of Is chooses war-dates, they inevitably fall on special days. . .

also of note is April 19.

but other factors are at play just now, and I don't believe we'll arrive at October without prior surprises - this is a pivotal year, full of tensions.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:05 | 2197049 wee-weed up
wee-weed up's picture

Best Wag-the-Dog money can buy on the way. Gotta divert attention away from the shitty economy and get re-elected!

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:22 | 2197193 DeadFred
DeadFred's picture

Plus when Greece goes under they can say "We would have saved them except for Iran..." and Ben will get plenty of cover to print, print, print.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:08 | 2197055 Reese Bobby
Reese Bobby's picture

.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:08 | 2197056 Xibalba
Xibalba's picture

What ever happened to the hoverboard?  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkyLnWm1iCs

 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:26 | 2197101 tarsubil
tarsubil's picture

That is one of the most retarded cinematic sequences I've ever seen.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:10 | 2197062 monopoly
monopoly's picture

Most of us are so sick and tired of war and the killings of innocent people in all countries caught up in this absurd farce. Here we are a bankrupt country playing "Rambo" against another middle eastern country.

How did that "change we can count on" in Iraq work out for ya, Mr. Bush and President Obama? War, what a waste. And it solves nothing. 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:33 | 2197202 RockyRacoon
RockyRacoon's picture

How 'bout a nice double-shot of 180 proof John Bolton to stiffen the resolve!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAgv6HaOHzM&feature=related
The truth... not that we didn't already know.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 04:34 | 2197293 oldman
oldman's picture

Monopoly,

Your first paragraph was enough.

Please send this story out with a few of the more astute comments(there are many to choose from on this one!) to as many people as you can---especially vets of Iraq and Afganistan---they know and will tell others

Please help NOW         we can sort out the blame later        om

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:13 | 2197065 VyseLegendaire
VyseLegendaire's picture

Time to short baby incubators?

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:18 | 2197076 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

Fucking " Ground Hog" day.  This 2011 redeux is getting old. Some one rattle my cage late Aprilish! I'm, still hybernating, and the Salmon aren't running!

  yes HULK I'm really going to sleep this time. Damn those Tylers to hell.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:20 | 2197080 Caviar Emptor
Caviar Emptor's picture

This all could be a prelude to an other prelude. 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:30 | 2197108 Race Car Driver
Race Car Driver's picture

... to 'liberating' Syria and making it 'safe for democracy'?

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:35 | 2197118 Caviar Emptor
Caviar Emptor's picture

...and joining it to Iran to form a new, optimistic, consumerist nation: Syran!

 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:38 | 2197129 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

 An Egyptian model. " Muslim Brotherhood".

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:41 | 2197136 Conrad Murray
Conrad Murray's picture

That's a wrap.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:22 | 2197086 navy62802
navy62802's picture

The West is too dependent on oil. Over the past 50 or so years, we have tried to eek every ounce of profit out of fossil fuels instead of trying to devise a viable alternative. Now, we get to pay the piper. No one should be surprised. No one's parents should be surprised.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:39 | 2197095 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

There is a SHIT LOAD of crude. It's all politics. Didn't your parents teach you?

 

CONTANGO/ I didn't mean to be harsh, but you did log into Z/H.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:37 | 2197127 Coke and Hookers
Coke and Hookers's picture

It's not entirely accurate to simply look at oil as a 'natural resource' or a 'source of energy'. Oil is control. If you control oil, you control pretty much everything else - including the dollar. Developing alternatives breaks that control. Therefore, there will be no alternatives unless they can be controlled too. If there's an alternative you can bet your ass that it's not going to be from a 'distributed source'. It will be run by a cartel and have choke points (like refinaries) that can be controlled and manipulated at will.

Oil is just a tool (or one of them) to control the world economy. Any threat to that tool is serious and will be dealt with severly. Iran is trying to break away from this control mechanism and that simply can't be tolerated. The US government is a group of puppets controlled by the people who control oil and therefore Iran will be attacked. It's as simple as that. Unless we see a rebellion at the Pentagon or something like that.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 03:07 | 2197229 palmereldritch
palmereldritch's picture

Great points.  So to re-cap, riff and expand:

Together, oil and finance denote total control of the global economy.

Oil is the enabler to power and movement and finance is its limiter.  Having them both denoted by a cartel ponzi monopoly of fiat fraud currency places total control in the hands of the issuers of the fraud.  The two are inextricably intertwined and inter-dependent and (like PM’s) physical control is paramount. Petroleum fuel can physically limit and control the population’s movement and by inflationary price propagation, limit and destroy the people’s wealth and liberty.  It is literally, the lubrication of the capitalist commercial engine and without it, the gears of war could not turn.

Iran is a threat because they are operating outside the cartel of fractional reserve private central banking that has a hold on the primary petroleum bourses by its debt notes the FRN and GBP.  As someone commented previously, look at how they dealt with Quaddafi...and he tried to  cooperate.

.

 

IMO, thug thieves steal and kill...it’s all they know. They’ve been around since the Stone Age, it's only their schemes that get more sophisticated and greed lust grander.  This crew probably consider the planet is theirs to manipulate and dominate so they will never cede any control let alone allow a precedent to stand that would undermine the main ponzi that is the Fraudulent Preserve or allow an action to threaten any central banking scheme that will be (in their minds) a global currency blueprint/solution to a financial crisis they will engineer....most probably from this very confrontation.

Thesis, anti-thesis, synthesis.  And dominoes, lots of dominowes

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:24 | 2197096 BigInJapan
BigInJapan's picture

What's the move here, guys?

Other than gold, in the near-term, how should one play this?

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:46 | 2197146 Coke and Hookers
Coke and Hookers's picture

War is bullish. Go long on everything in sight. ;-)

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:26 | 2197099 Long-John-Silver
Long-John-Silver's picture

The military also wants to quickly modify weapons systems on ships so they could be used against Iranian fast-attack boats, as well as shore-launched cruise missiles"

 

This sounds like the Tanker War 1984-1987.

http://countrystudies.us/iraq/105.htm

I was on a Guided Missile Destroyer escorting Tankers in the Gulf. We had deck mounted 50-cal machine guns that were installed  at the Subic Bay Naval Repair Facility. We also took on a Cobra helicopter. One other ominous upgrade were new gas masks and protective suits issued to every crew member. We spent 76 days on patrol with no breaks, not even a day or two to make repairs tied up to a Destroyer Tender. It was 76 days of pure hell. We would be at General Quarters (Battle Stations) for 2 and 3 days at a time. We were constantly being harassed by Gun Boats or we were shooting down missiles  and then going after the shooters. I'm feel sorry for each and every crew member headed to that hell hole.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:34 | 2197115 Race Car Driver
Race Car Driver's picture

Admit it ... those warm nights in Ologapo were worth it.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:42 | 2197132 Long-John-Silver
Long-John-Silver's picture

Warm San Miguel Beer and hot bikini clad girls that had a single English phrase they could say "Me love you long time". I had some use or lose leave so I took 2 weeks off in Ologapo. It almost killed me.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:55 | 2197165 Race Car Driver
Race Car Driver's picture

> It almost killed me.

Lol... it almost always does.

I haven't been there in 30 years, but the memories don't fade much.

I'd go back tomorrow for a day or a week - maybe for the rest of my life.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 10:01 | 2197520 chubbar
chubbar's picture

Ahh, it stirs memories of crossing back across "shit river" after a night of San Miguel and ass grabbing! And who didn't like that "monkey on a stick" those street vendors served up?

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 17:15 | 2198658 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

really is amazing what colonised peoples will do for monies, eh?

sell their bodies. . . or sell their souls for booze & sexual servicing. . . same as it ever was.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:33 | 2197113 BlackholeDivestment
BlackholeDivestment's picture

 

 

 

Then there is the U.N.American Principality of the Air http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-4194506,00.html Sin Tax Error ...2012 ...oops ...error ...in the air ...0101zerothehero ...That's Syrian Air Space ...Supreme Court Robot Malfunction ...Syntax Error ...bleep ...bleep ...SkyNet Online ...Web Bot ...forcast image http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KqqTRvUYDk&feature=related

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:35 | 2197124 cherry picker
cherry picker's picture

I don't understand why the Western World will allow Israel to start anything and feel compelled to enter the fray.  Israel is not innocent either, as the USS Liberty attack and other incidents confirm.

I really don't believe Iran is desiring war on anyone.  There is no hard evidence nukes are being built.

If Israel or anyone starts a preemptive action, they will carry the burden of guilt and should pay the price.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:41 | 2197135 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

Isreal is a tough read. Ask any bankster, and they will confirm my comment. They will "GO" it alone.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 12:44 | 2197854 gwar5
gwar5's picture

I have trouble with that as well, but the common thread seems to be their beligerance in not wanting to trade oil in USDs.  Hussein, Ghadaffi, and Iran all share the same transgression.

 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:40 | 2197133 gwar5
gwar5's picture

War seems like a given but many thought it would happen later his year, or after the elections, if Obama had his way. Right now Obama does need a good scapegoat for the high gas prices, and Israel may not wait.  Heavy demonizations in the MSM of the target enemy is the usual MO prior to overt shooting. It whips up popular support from the masses and signals negotiations are finally terminated and there is no going back. 

 

Unknown: how many Hezbullah and terror cells may have come into the USA across our Southern border with the help of Chavez and the cartels (with Eric Holders AK-47s).  There have been many reports of black ops types sneaking across into the USA the last few years, thought to be Cuban, but no one knows for sure who they are. They have been both observed and filmed using stealth techniques and weapons consistent with special ops training.  

 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 09:10 | 2197448 AnAnonymous
AnAnonymous's picture

Yeah, yeah, Gaddaffi had a lot of those cells. All well implanted in Eurabia etc... They would tear up the world with terrorist attacks if Libya was invaded.

This is when you measure how all those US citizen warops writers, Tom Clancy and the rest, are so poor, that is when a US citizen manages to produce the same cheap result with his half baked cheap US citizen propaganda.

Hey, but those writers make millions so it is all cool, bro.

US world order.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 12:34 | 2197810 gwar5
gwar5's picture

Iranian assymetric war on US soil is a documented threat. I assumed everybody already knew this.

 

Chavez is Iran's buddy and he has even already been caught red handed trying to recruit and arm American radicals to commit acts of terror -- some of them were FBI informants. The cartels control smuggling routes and safe houses into the US and have already worked with the Iranians to try to assasinate the Saudi Ambassador. Iran is even building missile sites in Venezula. Hezzbollah is the Persian special ops and terror wing of Iran, and coincidentally, the cartels are now using ME tactics including IEDs. It's stupid to think Iran has not been planning ahead for a shooting war with the US knowing they cannot win without assymetric tactics. 

Before the US starts a shooting war with Iran they will have to deal with the real possibility of IEDs on mainstreet USA. 

 

 

 

 

 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:58 | 2197701 Moe Howard
Moe Howard's picture

No need to sneak in via border, call up CIA or FBI and tell them you need to get in USA and don't have a visa.

They will escort you onto the airplane and give you free underwear to boot!!@!

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 12:38 | 2197825 gwar5
gwar5's picture

... and the first 2500 to apply will receive a new AK-47 as a promotional gift.

 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:42 | 2197137 Peter Pan
Peter Pan's picture

I honestly believe that the leadership of the Americans, the Israeilies and the Iranians need to spend a weekend playing paintball, followed by arm wrestling, coffee and then some talk.

What's wrong with us grown men? Can't we finally realise that we are all born the same way and that we all end up getting buried?

By I guess that where there is hate, there is no room for anyone else. Even if the world contained only two people there would still be war if the example of Cain and Abel is anything to go by.

Come on boys, put your stupid ideologies to bed and enjoy the party of life.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 10:29 | 2197551 debtandtaxes
debtandtaxes's picture

This isn't about ideology or religion.

It's about power and control of resources. If Iran decided to allow US corps into Iran to profit from banking and Iranian oil - and to do international oil transactions only in US dollars - Iran would quickly become best friends to the US - like Saudi Arabia. 

 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:37 | 2197572 john39
john39's picture

You can't reason with religious fanatics bent on destruction and world domination. Ironically, I'm talking about those who control the US, Israel and Europe. And the religion is luciferian, which has literally infected the entire world. This is a fight to the death, bet on it.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 17:20 | 2198665 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

while I agree with you, how far would those "luciferians" get if not for willing cannon fodder volunteering to fight each other on behalf of their owners?

THOSE are the people we need to worry about, as they are more "localised" and they're armed to the teeth.

hearts and minds.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:42 | 2197138 FreeNewEnergy
FreeNewEnergy's picture

Who wants to wager that the shooting war starts at approximately the same time Greece defaults. The precise timing of the events are already being closely coordinated by TPTB, no doubt.

I'm laying odds on the week of March 18-24, which covers all of the key dates and fits nicely into the college basketball meme of March Madness.

Greece will go belly up and WWIII will start while most of the US populace is concentrating over whether Marquette will beat Michigan.

Love it from one perspective at least: filing any kind of tax returns which might just stray a bit from the truth will be a piece of cake.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 06:49 | 2197352 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

New moon March 22.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 17:21 | 2198666 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

or full moon (purim) on the 8th.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:55 | 2197693 Moe Howard
Moe Howard's picture

Nice tip on the tax thing, glad I aways hold off until the last day.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:44 | 2197144 Caviar Emptor
Caviar Emptor's picture

Shouldn't we be arming dissidents and paying for it through the heroine and cocaine trade right about now? 

Worked before I think I remember.........

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:46 | 2197147 Fix It Again Timmy
Fix It Again Timmy's picture

We have a military that after 10 years in Afghanistan, burns the Koran.  You think that someone would have forseen the outcome and would have acted correctly.  So far, the world has avoided a nuclear war despite these bumbling fools [I was in Vietnam, and I experienced these bumbling fools first hand], put I think the clock has run out and this time they will light up the world....

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 01:54 | 2197163 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

 Those "Ancient Aliens", must be laughing their arses off, down in Atlantis :-0

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:54 | 2197689 Moe Howard
Moe Howard's picture

I am using Ancient Alien tech, I keep downloading korans to my kindle and deleting them, less greenhouse gases than burning them and they are free!

 

Come riot over at my house afgan goat humpers.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 05:01 | 2197305 Ineverslice
Ineverslice's picture

Yes, I agree with Afghanistan...we're losing what little grip we have, this is obvious.  As for Iran and our current Big Econo Picture, we are in unchartered territory making most of it up as we go on.  I don't think men like Obama and Biden have a clue, so they will in time defer to Israel,  a "runaway freight train" on a collision course.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 12:10 | 2197729 RiverRoad
RiverRoad's picture

Oh they have a clue alright.  All of this garbage with Iran, Greece, etc. is being closely orchestrated/coordinated around everybody's coming elections.  A truly disgusting set of circumstances. 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:00 | 2197170 cranky-old-geezer
cranky-old-geezer's picture

 

 

Around here gas rose 33 cents / gal last two weeks.

If I didn't know better I'd say this whole Iran thing is being done to help Wall Street oil speculators and oil companies in general.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:05 | 2197178 zkay
zkay's picture

Beginning of last week, it was $3.39 here. Today it was $3.78, and this is in rural illinois.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 12:17 | 2197748 RiverRoad
RiverRoad's picture

Right on.  Prices are being raised NOW so they can be lowered for Obummer's reelection.  Big Oil, who bows to the Fed, pulls this crap every frickin' time.  And the sheeple's teeny weeny little brains never remember that.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:00 | 2197171 heavymetaleconomist
heavymetaleconomist's picture

Nash equilibrium requires players to be rational

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:38 | 2197208 RockyRacoon
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It also requires that one be able to read the mind (intentions) of the other players to be effective.

Good luck with that "variable".

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:10 | 2197180 Alpacanio
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Don't forget the elite think a "major event" ie: earthquake they believe will hit on March 22nd. Greek defaults, Oil prices going skywards, Wars starting. Seems like things are coming together for that week.

 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:35 | 2197203 Moneyswirth
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"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet..."

Matthew 24:6

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 03:42 | 2197257 palmereldritch
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322

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 09:54 | 2197508 Race Car Driver
Race Car Driver's picture

3/23/12 for the dark horse.

 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:16 | 2197189 q99x2
q99x2's picture

Once the markets have been, secured (controlled - tied to the Feds printing presses) as established over the last 3 months, it is now time to secure the petro dollar. WWIII may start and the price of oil reach for the stars but when its over the S&P will be at 1500 and EURO/USD nearly 1.40. Volume shall remain low.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:40 | 2197209 XRAYD
XRAYD's picture

CNBC's Michelle Caruso-Cabrera has already reported last week that Iran will soon have a (nuclear armed) missile that can reach the East Coast of the United states in 2-3 years.

http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=258927

The WMD "mushroom cloud over New York/Boston" gambit is already in play!

 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 04:44 | 2197299 in4mayshun
in4mayshun's picture

It seems clear that ZH has a fresh new batch of newbie ignorant mind numb readers.
For god's sake people, please stop getting your information from the main stream media!!!

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 05:24 | 2197311 BigInJapan
BigInJapan's picture

And you've spent how much money on missile "defence"?

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:51 | 2197684 Moe Howard
Moe Howard's picture

And a link to the Joo Post of all papers Hahahahhahahahahhahahha.

 

That WMD mushroom cloud over New York/Boston would kill more Joos than if you blew up all of Israel. Hahahahahhahahahahhahah

 

Israel better stop fucking around with those crazy persians or the Joos in JewTown [Trade mark Jesse Jackson] are gonna get it!!!!!

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 02:55 | 2197220 Spartan
Spartan's picture

Another important news item on Friday evening was that Saudi hit record exports last week of 9 mbpd add 2 mbpd domestic and that's 11 mbpd, on paper they have 12.5 mbpd capacity...let's see...seems we will test that soon...but we are running out of spare capacity even without a war...oil shortages loom.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 03:15 | 2197243 The Heart
The Heart's picture

False Flag Events!

Not just for conspiracy theorists anymore!

At 4:00 min on the real mainstream news.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgiofNVAL-o

 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 03:39 | 2197255 etresoi
etresoi's picture

"The Pentagon is beefing up U.S. sea- and land-based defenses in the Persian Gulf..."  Only the sociopathic 'political hardliners' could consider military operations thousands of miles away from the US borders a defensive act.  The simple fact is the US failed at stealing Iraq's oil and when it fails to steal Iran's oil, will 'liberate' Nigeria.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 03:41 | 2197256 Vigilante
Vigilante's picture

For those who remember the first Gulf War...

The Liberal media were predicting Armageddon and what not..

..the same on the Afghan war...

..and the same on the second gulf war..

..and the same on the Libya war..

but nothing happened...asses were kicked and they were all 'succesful'.

If there were 'just' or not is another story.

The same will happen with Iran.

The nuclear facilities will be taken out and also some military targets esp. along the coast.

There will be threats of retaliation and this and that and one night Ahmadinejad will receive a call from Obama to let it go or Tehran gets nuked.

End of story...

They are all windbags in the middle East

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 04:43 | 2197298 oldman
oldman's picture

Vigilante,

I hope you are right.

I would love to be wrong on how the human society will unwind on this one under today's circumstances.

We can hardly stand up now------there is not the resilience that we had in the past.

I really fear the damage a war in the oil countries could do at this particular moment in human history and I have NO FEAR!

Hope you are correct and that this oldman is just a fool         om              

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 09:12 | 2197456 Gully Foyle
Gully Foyle's picture

Vigilante

"but nothing happened...asses were kicked and they were all 'succesful'."

Maybe you should take a fucking look around you because sure as you are full of shit quite a bit of bad happened. Not only unnecessary death of troops and civilians but a doomed economy and erosion of civil liberties.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 10:46 | 2197576 rwe2late
rwe2late's picture

“Liberal media” ??

As I recall, the MSM were not opposed, but all supportive, ranging from cakewalk-with-flowers to necessary-and-do-able.

As for your conclusion “nothing happened”, that is rather myopic.

Thousands and thousands dead and injured, millions displaced, the rule of drug dealers and pathological sheikhs insured, the growth of a belligerent global war machine, the steps toward police states in the US, Britain, and elsewhere, the denigration of international laws and ethics, economic plunder and waste, environmental destruction and pollution …

But wait, “we won”, and that’s all that matters.

[Because no matter what, "we" could always "nuke 'em"].

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 03:43 | 2197260 devo
devo's picture

I'm not sure our government is on our side in this war...

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 12:22 | 2197766 lakecity55
lakecity55's picture

It's not "our" government anymore.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 17:28 | 2198680 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

never was.

know where you stand, and with whom.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 03:55 | 2197268 headless blogger
headless blogger's picture

There's a really good article at The Daily Bell today. You should all read it if you haven't already. It's in line with all of this garbage that is going on (over and over like de je vu).

http://www.thedailybell.com/3643/In-Europe-and-America-No-Retirement-Just-Sufferin

They have some pretty good articles over there sometimes.

 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 04:07 | 2197278 BlackholeDivestment
BlackholeDivestment's picture

  6.8 quake 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNlO9UT2puM&feature=channel_video_title

...looking at the earthquake (6.8 in Russia highest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6EOCxPIq3I&feature=channel_video_title so far tonight) spike tonight, maybe these assholes can all just stop the bullshit (not gonna happen) before another meltdown, instead of causing a global market one on purpose, as they bomb one into play in Iran.  

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php 

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_big.php  

http://earthquake-report.com/2012/02/26/earthquakes-list-february-26-2012/

 

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:48 | 2197679 Chimerican
Chimerican's picture

Are they gas fracking in Russia?

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 04:21 | 2197285 magpie
magpie's picture

Meh, rational arguments won't change anything. Exactly like 2003 before the Iraq War, seeing that it didn't make any geopolitical sense and would empower Iran and guarantee Chinese economic supremacy.

Israel strikes when the price of oil is being pushed back to 100.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 05:56 | 2197325 BlackholeDivestment
BlackholeDivestment's picture

...umm, well, having witnessed ''with my sick sense'' (of humor), first hand inside the Beltway, the uh hum ''rational'' was trumped by the blind conventional thinking of people required to follow their ''given'' (new world) orders, at the same time the creep of the domestic shadows were ''crafting'' against everything the good guys are all about and they had and have (most of them) no ability to see it unless they received an out of the ordinary revelation. Those people end up out of position one way or another, for better or worse. The persons that I have met that have been given propper vision (that I have crossed paths with) have what I will describe as a ''watchfull'' but, powerless to do anything to stop it, countenance about them. Let me tell you, the domestic enemy shadow walks hand and foot ( among all nations and tongues) with our collective global enemy, which is something much more than most would ever see first hand, and can pop in and out one place on the globe, as it were, instantly some other place, like a viral psychosis. How do you defend against that? You can't. All you can do is try to wake people up to it,( seal the corrupted host(s) with the revelation of mercy in Christ) it does not matter who they are or what country or religious background they claim. The darkness, well, let me tell you, people that have witnessed it know what I'm talking about and it's way beyond what people would call skull duggery. This is bigger than most in Israel's  own forces would imagine, or any other country for that matter. It is prophetic and it's a hell of an enemy, one known as the ''principlalities of the air''. That will be clear enough (if you do not understand already), in the coming events down the road a bit. The counterintelligence going on is deeper than any King, Queen or county on the board. There is a hand that plays all sides. Kinda like a private arms dealer. Lol. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d0d6qgsvTw

My friend, I hear what you are saying, and know the truth you are lamenting over but, things are a bit deeper from what I have seen. http://bible.cc/revelation/12-9.htm

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 04:43 | 2197296 dolph9
dolph9's picture

It would be one thing if Americans actually fought to defend their borders.  Imagine if Canada or Mexico was invading the U.S.  Well forget the illegals for a moment.

But this is not the case.  The U.S. faces no external threats.  Islamic terrorism, though it exists, is hardly a threat at all.  It's played up, manufactured by the powers that be to support endless war.

No, the American sheeple are risking their limb and life for oil and Israel, while Halliburton laughs all the way to the bank and the Jews laugh in the bank.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 07:46 | 2197387 SMG
SMG's picture

Banks are controlled by Luciferian Illuminati, not Jews.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 10:23 | 2197546 Max Hunter
Max Hunter's picture

Banks are controlled by Luciferian Illuminati, not Jews.

Yeah..  That helps to identify and fight them. You're a fucking useful idiot.. Or a paid troll.. Or a moron..

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 10:52 | 2197581 john39
john39's picture

But it makes a great cover story for the Talmudic luciferians. Notice how Hollywood loves to tell us all about the evil Illuminati. When is the last time that you saw the darker parts of the Talmud discussed in the MSN. Enough said.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:58 | 2197699 SMG
SMG's picture

Rothschilds, Rockefellers, most european "royalty", Warburgs, Gates and Buffet, and thats to start with. Does that help?

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 12:26 | 2197785 RiverRoad
RiverRoad's picture

Fer sure.  Money has no higher authority than men in bed at the Fed.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 12:38 | 2197826 SMG
SMG's picture

You are spreading disinformation for your masters.

They will turn on you too one day when you have outlived your usefulness to them.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 14:23 | 2198160 john39
john39's picture

So post what you consider the truth. Let information stand or fall on it'd own merits.

Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!