News & Analysis: The Neocon War on Iran

By Various Sources ∙ CASMII ∙ August 12–18, 2008

Crying Foul in Tbilisi
by Daniel Pourkesali (CASMII Columns) August 16, 2008

Russia’s crossing of an international boundary must certainly be censured as it is outside the norms of civilized behavior and clearly a challenge to the core principles of the international law and the UN Charter. But its condemnation must take into account Georgia’s past provocations in denying the people of South Ossetia their most basic rights. ››read more

 

Mainers Unite to Prevent War With Iran
(source: Payvand) August 18, 2008

Delegates to the Democratic National Convention Will Propose a Platform Emphasizing Diplomacy, Not War ››read more

 

AP’s Iran-Trained Hit Squads Story: Iraq News Nadir?
CASMII Media Watch:: by Gareth Porter (source: AntiWar.com ) August 18, 2008

In covering the story of Iran’s role in Iraq, far too many reporters have passed on blatant propaganda without the slightest effort to point out its inconsistency with documented facts, much less to try to uncover the truth. But a story by Pamela Hess of Associated Press distributed Aug. 15 sets a new standard for abetting official disinformation. ››read more

 

Turkey plans to finalize the Iranian energy agreements in one month
CASMII Media Watch:: (source: Hurriyet) August 19, 2008

Turkey hopes to finalize the planned energy deals with Iran within a month after the sides failed to agree on the deals during Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit last week. ››read more

 

Iran rejects Western charges of bank illegalities
by Patrick Worsnip (source: Reuters ) August 16, 2008

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Iran rejected on Friday Western allegations that its central bank and other financial institutions were trying to skirt U.N. sanctions by covering their tracks, and threatened to seek compensation. ››read more

 

Turkey urges Iran to accept incentives, warns on U.S. attack
(source: Hürriyet) August 16, 2008

Turkish President Abdullah Gul urged his Iranian counterpart to accept the new incentives package of the Western countries and warned on a possible U.S. military operation, Hurriyet daily reported on Saturday. ››read more

 

 

Critics say bill co-sponsored by Langevin and Kennedy heightens tensions
by STEVEN STYCOS (source: The Phoenix) August 15, 2008

Rhode Island peace activists say a resolution co-sponsored by US Representatives James Langevin and Patrick Kennedy could lead to war with Iran………Afrasiabi discounts Iran as a nuclear threat, saying the International Atomic Energy Agency would quickly detect any movement of plutonium for military use.
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Russian support for Iran sanctions at risk amid Georgia rift
by Scott Peterson (source: Christian Science Monitor) August 15, 2008

Fierce American criticism of Russia’s military action in Georgia is almost certain to jeopardize a very different US strategic objective: stepping up pressure on Iran with another layer of United Nations sanctions. ››read more

‘Wipe off the map’: The Tip of an Iceberg
CASMII Media Watch:: by Anneliese Fikentscher & Andreas Neumann (source: ConcernedPhotography.com) August 15, 2008

Still at the centre of the threat scenario is the alleged statement of Iran’s president of 26/10/2005 saying Iran wanted to wipe Israel off the map, wanted to raze Israel to the ground (with the atom bomb). We have often proven that this alleged statement originates from a falsification and that Iran’s president has actually given expression to his expectation that the regime occupying Jerusalem – the Zionist regime as he often calls it – will disappear. To insinuate that the Iranian president wanted to destroy Israel – and thus the Jews – is – and that cannot be emphasised enough – as though you wanted to assert that the demand for the end of the Apartheid regime was the same as demanding the destruction of South Africa. ››read more

Political Pipeline: How anti-Iran policy contributed to war in the Caucasus
by Muhammad Sahimi (source: AntiWar.com ) August 15, 2008

While many have written about the causes and consequences of the war, little emphasis has been put on the role that the U.S. government’s failed policy toward Iran has played in this rapidly developing situation. ››read more

 

“The Neocons Are Dying to Nuke Iran”
by Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, interview with Kathy Sanborn (source: Information Clearing House) August 15, 2008

The neocons would love to attack Iran, and have Iran retaliate. They could use any retaliation as an excuse to nuke Iran. The neocons are dying to use nuclear weapons. They’d love it if our aircraft carriers in the Gulf were sunk, because we could turn around and nuke Iran. I think that’s the scenario of Dick Cheney, the Weekly Standard, Bill O’Reilly, and others. ››read more

US/IRAN: Nothing Behind U.S. Allegations?
by Omid Memarian (source: IPS) August 14, 2008

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 13 (IPS) – While the United States has repeatedly accused Iran of providing lethal weapons to Shiite militias, last week, U.S. officials once again failed to provide solid evidence for this charge, raising questions about the actual level of Iran’s meddling in Iraq. ››read more

U.S. puts brakes on Israeli plan for Iran strike
by Aluf Benn (source: Haaretz) August 13, 2008

The American administration has rejected an Israeli request for military equipment and support that would improve Israel’s ability to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. A report published last week by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) states that military strikes are unlikely to destroy Iran’s centrifuge program for enriching uranium. ››read more

Jewish International Opposition Statement Against Attack on Iran
(source: The Struggle) August 13, 2008

We seek security for all concerned by affirming the right of all to security. While we lend no credibility to the prospect of an inevitable conflict, we nonetheless object to the hysteria promoted by the Iran-bashers who are now desperate in their repeated false starts to create another unnecessary war. The attempt to oblige Iran to comply with Security Council resolutions loses its legal, diplomatic and political force as the United States and Israel consistently ignore UN diplomacy and World Court decisions, relevant to the question of Palestine. We call upon all opposed to a military confrontation with Iran to write their governmental representatives demanding that the State of Israel subject its nuclear facilities to international inspection and sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) as has Iran, rather than issue threats of war. ››read more

Algeria Supports Iran’s Pursuit of Nuclear Power, APS Says
by Ayesha Daya (source: Bloomberg) August 12, 2008

Aug. 12 (Bloomberg) — Iran has the legitimate right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful and civil needs, like any other signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Algerie Presse Service said, citing Algeria’s President. ››read more