Dangerous Planning in the White House

"The Administration wants to contain Iran and blame it for our problems in Iraq--but it's new strategy may be helping our enemies in the war on terrorism."  So reports Seymour Hersh in the March 5 issue of The New Yorker magazine.  As you may remember Mr. Hersh is the reporter who broke open the story of the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War.

We are all painfully aware of the civil war between Sunnis and Shiites, which a culturally ignorant Administration precipitated with the U.S. invasion of Iraq.  As horrendous as this is, at least up until now we have been viewed as neutral in quelling the violence between the two factions.  Now, however, according to Mr. Hersh, the Bush Administration, in order to undermine Iran, which is predominately Shiite, has decided to reconfigure it's priorities in the Middle East.

In Lebonon the Administration has cooperated with Saudi Arabia's government, which is Sunni, in clandestine operations that are intended to weaken Hezbollah, the Shiite organization backed by Iran.  The U.S. has also taken part in clandestine operations aimed at Iran and its ally Syria.  A by-product has been the bolstering of Sunni extremist groups who espouse a militant vision of Islam and are hostile to the U.S. and sympathetic to to Al Qaeda.

Now to further complicate and contradict U.S. strategy, most of the violence directed at the American military has come from Sunnis, not so surprising since they were the dominant power before the U.S. invasion reversed their dominance.

In light of the above conflicting information do not warning lights flash when according to Mr. Hersh, the Administration is now examining a wave of new intelligence on Iran's weapons programs.  I quote from his article, "Current and former American officials told me that the intelligence which came from Israeli agents operating in Iran includes a claim that Iran has developed a three-stage solid-fuelled intercontinental missile capable of delivering several small warheads.  The validity of this human intelligence is still being debated."   Thank God say I, but is it being debated or twisted and spun?

For Mr. Hersh goes on to say that the pentagon is intensively planning for a possible bombing attack on Iran; a process that began last year at the direction of Mr. Bush. Hillary Clinton says (and who knows better?),"We have all learned lessons from the conflict in Iraq, and we have to apply those lessons to any allegations that are being raised about Iran."

This letter is but an extremely small overview of Mr. Hersh's piece, which was the feature of The New Yorker magazine.  I ardently suggest that for only $4.75 you can purchase this critical information and analysis about the very dangerous planning in the White House and the Pentagon.  And whatever you do, call your senator and representative with your views.

Buz Cormany