Posted on 02/23/2007 10:48:17 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -
Vice President Dick Cheney renewed Washington's criticism of Iran on Saturday, saying "all options" remained on the table to deal with that country's regime after it ignored a U.N. deadline to halt uranium enrichment and said it would defy foreign pressure.
At a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Cheney also said that Washington was "comfortable" with Britain's decision to withdraw troops from Iraq and that it was up to Australia to decide if it would do the same.
Cheney said the United States remained "deeply concerned" about Iran's activities, including the "aggressive" sponsoring of terrorist group Hezbollah and inflammatory statements by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
He said top U.S. officials would meet soon with European allies to decide the next step toward planned tough sanctions against Iran for its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
"We worked with the European community and the United Nations to put together a set of policies to persuade the Iranians to give up their aspirations and resolve the matter peacefully, and that is still our preference," Cheney said.
"But I've also made the point, and the president has made the point, that all options are on the table," he said.
The White House has previously made similar comments.
"We believe it would be a serious mistake if a nation such as Iran became a nuclear power," he said.
Iran says its atomic program is aimed solely at generating energy, but the United States and some of its allies suspect it is geared toward making nuclear weapons.
The International Atomic Energy Agency reported on Thursday that Iran had not only ignored a U.N. Security Council ultimatum to freeze the enrichment program, but had expanded that program by setting up hundreds of centrifuges. Enriched uranium fuels nuclear reactors but, enriched further, is used in nuclear bombs.
The IAEA report came after the expiration Wednesday of a 60-day grace period for Iran to halt uranium enrichment.
Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that Iran would resist "all bullies," and appeared to dismiss the IAEA report, saying it was of no importance if countries did not believe Iran's nuclear activities were peaceful.
On Iraq, Cheney sidestepped a question about whether the White House had asked the British government to redeploy troops into another part of Iraq rather than withdraw them.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has outlined a plan to withdraw about 1,600 troops from southern Iraq in the coming months, and to reduce Britain's 7,100-strong contingent further by late summer.
"They have to make decisions with respect to their forces based upon what they think makes sense," Cheney said.
"They are going to continue to have a major presence there. They are also, I believe, beefing up their operations in Afghanistan," Cheney said. "So we are very comfortable with that decision."
Britain said Friday it will increase its troop strength in Afghanistan to bolster NATO forces battling Taliban militants. British media reported 1,000 additional soldiers would join the more than 5,000 British troops already in Afghanistan.
Cheney declined to say if he had asked Howard during talks held Saturday to add to the 1,400 troops Australian has in and around Iraq.
"Those decisions are obviously to be made by the Australian government based on their considerations as well as ... the conditions on the ground in that part of the world," Cheney said. "It's not for us to stress to our allies what their appropriate response might be."
I don't think President Bush will leave office with nuclear reactors operating in Iran. I think he will make sure of that one way or the other. At least I hope so.
Too damn true!
Pelosi has nothing to fear. Osama Obama will save the day.
The empty-headed libs can't take citicism.
They have clearly sided with the enemy.
I thought FReepers were above that soap opera crap.
"True. On one of those Anna Nicole threads, there were over 12,000 posts"
Yeah, what's up with that? I've been wanting to ask on that thread but didn't want to become one of the numbers.
But back to this thread, we are going to need to take some kind of action against Iran sooner or later. Peace and stability in Iraq will come much faster when Iran has other things to worry about. Like their own survival!
Good. The last thing I want to see from our adminstration is a statement of what they will NOT do. You always leave options open for anything, just to keep the enemy on their toes.
Posted on 02/23/2007 12:13:07 PM PST by West Coast Conservative
US Vice-President Dick Cheney has raised the possibility of military action to stop Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
He has endorsed Republican senator John McCain's proposition that the only thing worse than a military confrontation with Iran would be a nuclear-armed Iran.
In an exclusive interview with The Weekend Australian, Mr Cheney said: "I would guess that John McCain and I are pretty close to agreement."
The visiting Vice-President said that he had no doubt Iran was striving to enrich uranium to the point where they could make nuclear weapons.
He accused Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of espousing an "apocalyptic philosophy" and making "threatening noises about Israel and the US and others".
He also said Iran was a sponsor of terrorism, especially through Hezbollah. However, the US did not believe Iran possessed any nuclear weapons as yet.
"You get various estimates of where the point of no return is," Mr Cheney said, identifying nuclear terrorism as the greatest threat to the world.
"Is it when they possess weapons or does it come sooner, when they have mastered the technology but perhaps not yet produced fissile material for weapons?"
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
Below is a YTD time line of events with Iran and our subsequent military buildup besides what we have in Iran and Afghanistan. This time line changes with additions or subtractions as more news related to Iran is posted on Free Republic or elsewhere.
If Tehran Only Knew, what will happen if there is no regime change in Iran.:
"In America, we lie for tactical reasons, stating over and over that military action against Iran is unlikely. However in Iran, out of ignorance, they reiterate that American military action against their country is impossible because the US is "unable" to do so!
We say and hope our analysis is wrong. A possible military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities is in the final stages. Unless a political miracle occurs that revives the halted dialog between Iran and the international community, Iran and its neighboring countries should not be surprised by a scenario that includes American military action. "
Just maybe, President Bush is purposely allowing the media and the left to spout their garbage in order to create the illusion that we are completely incapable of taking any action against Iran. It would come as a complete surprise if we did take action.
Summary of US military buildup in the Persian Gulf area since the first of the year:
Over the past month, the U.S. Navy has given orders to the U.S.S. John Stennis carrier battle group, based in Bremerton, WA, to steam toward the Persian Gulf, where it will join the U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Navy sources say the Pentagon is getting ready to announce the dispatch of a third carrier battle group – the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan – from San Diego. That will make three carrier battle groups in the region starting at around the end of January.
Oh, and along with them is the amphibious assault group led by the U.S.S. Boxer, which can land several thousand U.S. Marines to seize and destroy strategic sites near the coast at a moment’s notice. (Busheir? Bandar Abbas? Jask? The three Persian Gulf islands Iran seized from the UAE in the 1990s and has since fortified to harass Gulf shipping? Your pick).
Other recent US Naval and Marine Corp additions to handle/control/kill the Iranian Serial Killers:
Bataan Transits Suez Canal, Enters U.S. 5th Fleet Story Number: NNS070130-14 Release Date: 1/30/2007 7:00:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Joanne De Vera, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/ Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs
USS BATAAN, At Sea (NNS) -- The multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) and the Sailors and Marines of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) successfully transited the Suez Canal on Jan. 30 and entered the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.
While in the region, the Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) will conduct maritime security operations (MSO).
MSO help set the conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment, as well as complement the counter-terrorism and security efforts of regional nations. These operations deny international terrorists use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other material.
U.S. 5th Fleet’s area of operations encompasses 2.5 million square miles of water and includes the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean.
“We’ll continue our role as the surface warfare commander and the air defense commander for the Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group,” said Cmdr. Jon Carriglitto, Bataan’s operations officer. “Together with the MEU, we bring the ability to insert a quick, capable amphibious force where it’s needed.”
While in theater, approximately 6,000 U.S. Sailors and Marines assigned to the ESG and the 26th MEU provide the combatant commander a versatile sea-based force that can be tailored to a variety of missions. The Bataan ESG has the capabilities to support MSO, combat operations and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief.
“Bataan ESG’s presence in the U.S. 5th Fleet will require the crew to conduct what it does best: well deck and flight deck operations,” said Carriglitto. “We’ll be conducting varsity-level operations, but much of it falls right in line with our ongoing training, so I know we’re ready to meet those challenges.”
Bataan, commanded by Capt. David Hulse, left its homeport of Norfolk on Jan. 4 for a regularly-scheduled deployment as the flagship of the Bataan ESG. The ESG is comprised of the Bataan Strike Group, commanded by Commodore Donna Looney, commander, Bataan Strike Group/Amphibious Squadron 2, and the 26th MEU based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., commanded by Col. Gregg Sturdevant.
In addition to Bataan, the strike group consists of USS Shreveport (LPD 12), USS Oak Hill (LSD 51), USS Vella Gulf (CG 72), USS Nitze (DDG 94), USS Underwood (FFG 36), and USS Scranton (SSN 756).
For related news, visit the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cusnc/.
"Due to rapidly developing events in Somalia, U.S. Central Command has tasked USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to join USS Bunker Hill, USS Ramage, USS Anzio and USS Ashland to support ongoing maritime security operations off the coast of Somalia," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Charlie Brown, a spokesman for 5th Fleet in Bahrain.
Aircraft Carrier USS Reagan at Sasebo, Japan (where does it go next?)
AP ^ | 02/24/07
Posted on 02/24/2007 12:04:39 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
 |
An aerial view shows U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald W. Reagan sailing into the Sasebo Port, western Japan, Saturday, Feb. 24 2007. The newest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier made a port call at Sasebo U.S. naval base Saturday. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) |
More Iranian related news:
01.31.07
Pentagon official tells LA Times aggressive new tactics designed to deter Iranian assistance to Iraqi militants may include more forceful patrols by fighter planes along Iran-Iraq border to counter smuggling of bomb supplies from Islamic Republic; ‘For every improvised explosive device that goes off in Iraq, a bomb should go off in Iran,’ retired Air Force lieutenant general says.
IRAN CLOCK IS TICKING
Thursday, February 01, 2007 - FreeMarketNews.com
LINKED NEWS ANALYSIS
Military and intelligence sources continue to tell me that preparations are advancing for a war with Iran starting possibly as early as mid-to-late February. The sources offer some differences of opinion over whether Bush might cite a provocation from Iran or whether Israel will take the lead in launching air strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
A Quote from: The Dogs of War - Lessons of the 20th Century. By Victor Davis Hanson, (author most recently of Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise of Western Power):
“"I would not wish to fight the United States - either militarily, politically, or culturally. For every threat, our history teaches us that Americans offer not just a rejoinder, but the specter of a devastating answer of a magnitude almost inconceivable to those now chanting and threatening in the streets of the Middle East.
Do they have any idea of what sort of dangerous people we really are? Do they understand the history of the names of those ships now off their coasts, like the USS Peleliu or Enterprise, or the pedigree of the 82nd or 101st Airborne?"
In spite of all the reality above, the insane Islamofascist serial killers in charge of Iran are going ahead with naval war games in the Persian Gulf.
Iranian navy, air forces to launch wargames in Persian Gulf, Oman Sea IRNA / Reuters ^
Posted on 02/06/2007 10:20:34 AM PST by maquiladora
Missile units of the air and naval forces of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) will begin a specialized wargame in southern and central parts of Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman from Wednesday.
The announcement follows mounting tension with the United States, which has said it will step up pressure on Iran. This has included despatching a second aircraft carrier to the Gulf, a major shipping lane for oil exports.
The exercises will be staged on Wednesday and Thursday by the missile units of the Guards' naval and air forces, the semi-official Fars news agency reported, citing a Guards source.
Second US aircraft carrier arrives near Iran
AFP ^ | 02/20/07
Posted on 02/20/2007 8:15:53 AM PST by nypokerface
MANAMA (AFP) - A second US aircraft carrier has arrived in Middle Eastern waters as promised by US President George W. Bush in January amid an escalating crisis with nearby Iran over its nuclear program.
The USS John C. Stennis and its accompanying strike group joined the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Sea of Oman but has not yet entered Gulf waters, the US Fifth Fleet said Tuesday from its base in Manama.
The Stennis "entered the US 5th Fleet area of operations... to conduct maritime security operations in regional waters, as well as to provide support for ground forces operating in Afghanistan and Iraq," said a US statement.
Bush on January 10 unveiled his new strategy for Iraq which included deploying a second aircraft carrier group and a Patriot anti-missile defense system "to reassure our friends and allies."
Washington accuses arch-foe Tehran of stoking the insurgency in Iraq and of seeking to develop a nuclear bomb, charges denied by the Islamic republic.
Days after Bush's announcement, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the Stennis's redeployment was a signal to Iran, which, he said, has a "very negative" attitude.
Iran has also been carrying out military exercises in the region, including test-firing missiles and building drones that military commanders boasted could hit the US Navy.
The White House has repeatedly insisted it has no plans to strike Iran, and downplayed the significance of reinforcing the US military presence in the Gulf region.
Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin criticised the US military build-up in the Gulf, saying it did not fit in with Washington's Iraq strategy.
Our comrades, Pelosi, Reid, Clintoon, Kerry and Kennedy will never allow Bush to attack us! 
Hey, what is causing all those bright lights and loud noises!
The nuclear bomb used at Hiroshima was puny compared to what we have ready for the Islamofascist serial killers in Iran:
Atomic blast in Hiroshima
An atomic blast demolished the centre of Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6,1945. Japan agreed to surrender after a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9.
Iranian Map: Before we unleash the real hell on earth shown below for the Iranian Whackjobs:
Then, we show the suicidal Islamofascist serial killers in charge of Iran, what real nuclear weapons will do.
Iranian Map: After the above!
Besides the obvious air and missile strikes, we can cause a lot of economic problems for Iran using their techniques against them like the following: (Iranian) Pipeline blown up
Daily Times (Pakistan) ^ | February 21st, 2007
Posted on 02/21/2007 2:41:24 AM PST by M. Espinola
Quetta: Suspected Baloch militants blew up a gas pipeline near Quetta on Tuesday, cutting supplies to a power plant and several areas, a gas company official said. Gas supplies were cut to four districts near Quetta and a 95 MW city power plant. Supplies might be restored to some areas within 24 hours, Nawaz said. No one was hurt in the early morning blast in the outskirts of Quetta. “They planted explosives under an 18-inch pipeline that blew out a 4-foot piece of the pipe,” said Sheikh Nawaz, general manager of Sui Southern Gas Company. agencies
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Yeah, what's up with that? I've been wanting to ask on that thread but didn't want to become one of the numbers.
But back to this thread, we are going to need to take some kind of action against Iran sooner or later. Peace and stability in Iraq will come much faster when Iran has other things to worry about. Like their own survival!
Ditto on both your points.
PS - Since I beleive this is a political forum board, except for vanities, I wouldn't allow soap opera coverage submissions.
Nuclear and Thermo-Nuclear, choose your option.
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