The War on Iran.

by Michel Chossudovsky

Global Research, April 1, 2007

"The US has completed major military maneuvers in the Persian Gulf within a short distance of Iranian territorial waters. This naval deployment is meant to "send a warning to Tehran" following the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1747, which imposes major economic sanctions on Iran in retaliation for its non-compliance with US demands regarding its uranium enrichment program......

" This marks the first time the Stennis and Eisenhower strike groups have operated together in a joint exercise while deployed to 5th Fleet. This exercise demonstrates the importance the ability for both strike groups to plan and conduct dual task force operations as part of the Navy's commitment to maintaining maritime security and stability in the region."......

While the Russian report must be taken seriously, there is, however, no corroborating evidence, which would enable us to pinpoint the exact timeline of a military attack on Iran. Moreover, there are several important factors which suggest, from a military organizational standpoint, that unless we are dealing with a case of sheer political madness, the Pentagon is not ready to launch an attack on Iran.......

Of significance, Admiral Keating was also involved in the 2003 attack on Iraq as commander of US Naval Forces Central Command and the Fifth Fleet.

While these key appointments point to a consolidation of the NeoCon military agenda in the Middle East, they also suggest that the US military would not launch a new phase of the Middle East war prior to consolidating these command appointments, particularly those at the level of US Central Command (CENTCOM), which is the key operational command unit in charge of the Middle East war theater......

Moreover, the appointment of an Admiral is indicative of a shift in emphasis of CENTCOM's functions in the war theater. The "near term" emphasis is Iran rather than Iraq, requiring the coordination of naval and air force operations in the Persian Gulf.......

The deployment of naval power prior to the March 2003 blitzkrieg against Iraq was on a significantly larger scale. In the early months of 2003, there were five US aircraft carriers within striking distance of Iraq plus one British aircraft carrier.......

The USS Nimitz nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and its accompanying battle group is currently on its way to the Persian Gulf., which would bring the number of aircraft carriers up to three.......

Iran is politically isolated. Unilateralism prevails within the corridors of the UN as well as within the Middle East war theater......

One would expect that separate "deals" were reached respectively with China and Russia, where certain commitments were met in bilateral discussions by Washington.......

Meanwhile, the US Congress is at war with the president regarding America's Iraq war strategy, but not a word is muttered on an impending war againsat Iran, as if it were totally irrelevant. The threats are real, an incident could trigger a war. The war criminals in high office desperately need this war to stay in power......

The Neocons in the Bush administration are in control of key military appointments: specifically those pertaining to Central Command (USCENTCOM), US Stratregic Command (USSTRATCOM) and the Joint Chiefs of Staff......"