August 1, 2005 Issue
Copyright (c) 2005 The American Conservative

Deep Background

In Washington it is hardly a secret that the same people in and around
the administration who brought you Iraq are preparing to do the same
for Iran. The Pentagon, acting under instructions from Vice President
Dick Cheney's office, has tasked the United States Strategic Command
(STRATCOM) with drawing up a contingency plan to be employed in
response to another 9/11-type terrorist attack on the United States.

The plan includes a large-scale air assault on Iran employing both
conventional and tactical nuclear weapons. Within Iran there are more
than 450 major strategic targets, including numerous suspected nuclear-
weapons-program development sites. Many of the targets are hardened or
are deep underground and could not be taken out by conventional
weapons, hence the nuclear option. As in the case of Iraq, the
response is not conditional on Iran actually being involved in the act
of terrorism directed against the United States. Several senior Air
Force officers involved in the planning are reportedly appalled at the
implications of what they are doing - that Iran is being set up for an
unprovoked nuclear attack - but no one is prepared to damage his career
by posing any objections.

                              * * *

Source: "The American Conservative"
http://www.amconmag.com/2005_08_01/article3.html


Cheers, Steve..

---