From: Adam <""4thwormcastfromthemolehill\"{at}the field.near
the bridge">

Sanity:

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1164881825676&pagename=JPost%2FJPArt
icle%2FShowFull

Gates responded by saying that the threats were very severe. However, he
added that Iran had "forces from Ahmadinejad who are interested in
nuclear power as a deterrent against nuclear nations around them - Pakistan
from the East, Russia from the North, Israel from the West and us in the
Persian Gulf."

Gates said that the United States would pay an extremely high price for a
military attack on either Iran or Syria.

He suggested that Iran could respond to a US attack by closing off the
Persian Gulf to oil exports and to "unleash a significant wave of
terror" in the Middle East, Europe and the United States itself.

While Iran has not been helpful in Iraq, the country could do a lot more to
hurt US efforts there.

Also, he said, Iran's "ability to get Hizbullah to further destabilize
Lebanon I think is very real."

Gates described a military attack against Iran as an "absolute last
resort." The first option for the United States to deal with Iran
should be diplomacy and working with allies.

"I think that we have seen, in Iraq, that once war is unleashed, it
becomes unpredictable," he said.

Insanity/The product of insanity:

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1164881818845&pagename=JPost%2FJPArt
icle%2FShowFull

"While a senior defense official said US talks with Iran would lead to
a slippery slope that would eventually leave Israel alone facing the
Iranian nuclear threat, other government officials indicated that
US-Iranian talks were needed to stabilize the region since Iran was
"calling the shots" everywhere from Lebanon to Gaza."

You have the most mil equipment & men in the heart of the Middle East
& Iran is ""calling the shots" everywhere from Lebanon
to Gaza"?

On the upside, the first piece is encouraging.

Adam

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