Died on the 4th of July

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As Marine Staff Sergeant Edgar Heredia is being buried in Houston, the Bush Administration is trying to find a way for more young men like Edgar to die.

A while back, I believe it was right after the 2004 election, George W. Bush, in one of his speeches said that there might not be an election in 2008 if there is a national emergency. It was a brief statement, hardy noticed. I wish I had the exact date - maybe someone out there remembers specifically when and where it was said.

Perhaps the CNN, ABC, MSNBC, FOX etc. will have the gumption to really try and stop Bush and Cheney this time - as all this is happening, I hope the media remembers that they danced a jig while our military went into blast Iraq for WMD's that did not exist (even the blessed Tim Russert helped this along).

As we well know, if the Bush administration (and Israel*) proceed, the results will be disastrous for the Middle East and for the young people of our country.


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Not so Quiet on the Third Front
Washington Post

By Dana Milbank

Thursday, July 3, 2008; Page A03

The threats, counterthreats, and counter-counterthreats between Israel, Iran and the United States have reached new levels of hysteria in recent days. Israel openly threatens to attack Iran's nuclear program, Iran threatens to shut down oil-shipping lanes, and the commander of the U.S. fleet in the Persian Gulf, Vice Adm. Kevin Cosgriff, says this would be an "act of war" requiring an American military response.

That was the backdrop yesterday as Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, faced the cameras in the Pentagon briefing room. Mullen, just back from a trip to Israel that further raised speculation about an Israeli attack, was asked whether Cosgriff's saber rattling would raise tensions with Iran.

"Actually," the chairman replied, "I think Admiral Cosgriff, who made that statement, is making an accurate statement."

Or, as John McCain might sing, "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran."

The doldrums of the Fourth of July recess have been enlivened by fresh talk of another war. Is it a diplomatic bluff or a serious possibility? Perhaps some of each: Iran's foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, told the Associated Press yesterday that the possibility of an attack is "craziness" -- but, just in case, he also made sure in the same interview to speak about progress in negotiations with the West.

The administration, for its part, seems eager to convince Iran that President Bush is crazy enough to sanction an attack. In the Rose Garden yesterday, Brett Baier of Fox News asked Bush how confident he is that Israel won't launch a military attack on Iran before the end of the year. "I have always said that all options are on the table, but the first option for the United States is to solve this problem diplomatically," came Bush's mild reply...

for complete WP article click here

link to Democracy Now interview with Seymour Hersh on U.S. "escalation of covert operations against Iran" - click here

*Israel has every right to protect itself, but considering the ramifications of any military action against Iran, we hope they will pursue every possible diplomatic means.