Let them. However, I still stand that the US should not bare the cost of any retaliation with Iran. Russia, China, and much of Europe also receive oil via the gulf and I am fed up with America paying the price for it.

No, we shouldn't blink. Iran has zero right to dictate who can be in International waters and who can't. I really can't picture the Iranians closing the Strait of Hormuz, since that would royally piss off China, who is one of their major trade partners. Closing the Strait doesn't hurt the US much and would only serve to antagonize nations that might otherwise ignore Iran.

Let them try something and the response will hopefully finish off the psychotic regime that rules that nation.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

We have abundant resources to meet all our energy needs. Look up a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor. It's passively safe (no chance of meltdown), can actually "burn" nuclear waste from older generation nuclear plants, and can't be used for nuclear proliferation.

If we built a few dozen of these power plants we could become energy independent for the next 1000 years and not be beholden to a bunch of crazy people just because they happen to have all the oil.

Theres not enough money in that for the politicians to bolster thier private incomes. Too many of them cash in on war related business. Why would they want to create our own energy when they profit more the way things are? It makes too much sense. The US will have to respond to any violent aggression from Iran but it would be better if they pissed off China enough for that country to kick their backsides.

Sam,

There wasn't an American flag on the ship the North Korean loons sank. It's a differnent matter altogether if it's flying the stars and bars.

Iran should know that...

We have abundant resources to meet all our energy needs. Look up a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor. It's passively safe (no chance of meltdown), can actually "burn" nuclear waste from older generation nuclear plants, and can't be used for nuclear proliferation.

Yep. Not to mention the fact that we don't even get much of our oil from the Middle East anymore, anyhow. We get it from Canada.

This is sabre rattling, nothing nore. Like the U.S. is the ONLY country that has a fleet in the Persian Gulf? There are a host of others. Iran will balk. And Iran wil choke. A given.

Empty threats from unhonorable leaders. Nothing more, nothing less. We should kick them a good one just to remind them of the pecking order.

Listen to all the little war piggies go "We, we, we, we, we" from the safety of their homes.

The recruiter will have the doors open early tomorrow. Why don't you, you, you head right on down there, you stalwart patriots.

I've seen this movie before.

How quickly you forget Saddam. The culture demands action on threats. No, I don't think we should back down, but get ready for the consequences that are inevitable. It is a matter of when, not if. Like the article says, it is in their interest that the "Great Satan" attack so they can increase their power over the people. We need a different strategy, like using cruise missiles to take out all the large government buildings with a minimal civilian impact...immediately after they fire the first shot. It should look like a swarm of angry bees. They might even be impressed if all the explosions occurred at the same time.

So are we (the USA) a Christian republic - I already know we have domestic problems...lol.

We treat each other like crap and the rest of the World worse - lets dump all the greedy leaders including our own. Outlaw Republicans and Democrats and the media they control...hate mongering is getting really old.

Sorry to break it to you cynical175 but Canada is America's hat. Where ever we end up looking/going you guys just come along for the ride.

As far as Iran, yes we can bomb them back to the stone age, but that also kills any pro-western support that may have built back up over the decades. The easiest thing to do is send in cluster munition cruise missiles over their cities loaded with lady gaga cd's and McDonalds gift certificates for McRib sandwiches and watch the country culturally implode.

Here is a brilliant idea!!! if less than 25% of our oil comes from that area LET'S NOT GET OIL ANYMORE!!!! Sure it may have a detriment but having been abroad America, we have it easy! other countries are paying over the equivalent of $15 but we also have possibility on home soil to drill... so Case and point is, let's not look like a bunch of dogs with their tail between their knees but let's try to avoid skrewing our economy over and STOP BUYING!

why the f do we need a aircraft carrier there in the first place? why is it there and what is it's purpose. We are forcing them to get atomic bombs just like we did when num nuts put them,Iraq and North Korea on the axis of evil list ya how did all that end up? north Korea has atomic weapons we lost over 4000 soldiers 20,000 wounded 6 trillion dollars and for f-ing nothing except a few oil contracts. Leave Iran alone and start worrying about our own country. Russia and China can watch them.

Lady GaGa CDs could be considered torture by most standards and we do not engage in torture (we use enhanced interrogation techniques)

Hello folks, our country is broke and weary of war. Let’s take an objective look at the Iran situation. Ask yourself, what would happen if Iran attacked an oil refinery in the US? Of course we would go into Iran and bomb their country. Well, we recently bombed an Iranian oil refinery and they didn’t retaliate. We issued sanctions on their oil and export industries and they didn’t retaliate. Why is that?

While appearing vulnerable they took control of the most sophisticated drone on the planet downloaded and deciphered the encrypted information and have our Military intelligence (I know it’s an oxymoron) people worried that top secret information has been compromised.

Do you believe that the Iranian’s have the capability to bring down a state of the art drone and have it land where they want it to and down load and decipher complex encrypted code? It appears that Iran has been getting help and lots of it from a very sophisticated source or sources. The US already declared war on Iran by issuing sanctions and covertly bombing them but they don’t dare overtly go in because it would jeopardize China’s oil flow, piss off Russia, Turkey and the local Arab countries. This would also force Iraq to support Iran. We got kicked out of Iraq, Pakistan, and Afghanistan is trying to get us to leave there country. The Middle East is kicking us out which means we are running out of staging areas and NATO support for an attack on Iran. The US tried to concoct fraudulent excuses to stir up public support to go into Iran. There was the laughable assassination ruse of the Mexican drug cartel and the more unbelievable law suit stating Iran was part of 9/11. There were also claims that Iran attacked Iraq, etc. The elite are running out of false flags. Iran is out foxing the US because they have the world divided and we can’t command an organized response. The UN Security Council voted against the US a few weeks ago. China and Russia have gone on record that if Iran is attacked they would support Iran. The world is getting fed up and bored with our Imperialism and the elite who orchestrate war.

We have been fighting urban wars of attrition for over 10 years now and we are broke, our allies are broke. We have spent close to 3 Trillion dollars in Afghanistan and Iraq. We can’t afford another expensive protracted war a half a world away and the US citizens are sick of war. There is 85% support for Ron Paul amongst our troops because they are sick of war and he’s promised to end the wars. The lengthy wars have depleted our manpower, equipment, and our political capital.

Last week the Census Department of the Federal Government reported that “50% of the nation’s population were living below the poverty line”. Our nation’s wealth has been exhausted by war so that we could secure profits for the banking, oil, and Military/Industrial cartels. We never saw a dime of it and never will because the 1% elite feel they have a Divine Right at our expense. You know their motto, privatize profits and socialize losses. They truly can’t squeeze much more from the peasantry but they will try.

Our government has been trying to get Iran to do something stupid so that we can attack them but they won’t do it. Iran isn’t Iraq or Afghanistan. They haven’t done anything, aren’t weak and they aren’t bluffing. They are asserting their right as a sovereign nation and have the support of some very powerful countries. If we attack Iran, the war will be at our doorstep and then we will see how brave you who espouse war respond. When you live by the sword, you die by the sword.

The US and NATO have become the swaggering bullies of the global playground.

The most pernicious bullies are those who can convince the dimwitted principal that their victims were the aggressors from the start: Taunt and provoke, then seize upon the inevitable response as providing an excuse to respond with a savage beat down. There's nothing quite like being able to pummel the weak for their lunch money and feel like a noble hero at the same time.

The White House contends Tehran’s threat is just an attempt to deflect attention from the Islamic republic’s domestic problems and says the Navy will continue operations in the Gulf.

This is the most important sentence in the story.....and establishes that the current administration understands the that all of this bluster from Iran is for domestic consumption. It should also show that the war mongering and saber rattling in the US is also for domestic consumption brought to you by the Military Industrial Complex who rely on war and rumors of war to keep raking in your tax dollars via the offence budget.

USA is now the paper tiger. I WANT MY DRONE BACK PLEASSSSSSSE

David Walker; were you in Vietnam, 67,68?

I think we need to send the Stennis back into the area just to make the point that we do not car what they have to say and that the Iranians do not tell the US what to do. Also, it would call their bluff and expose to the Iranian people what a bunch of saber rattling morons they have for leadership. There is no way that the Iranians are stupid enough to attack a US aircraft carrier sailing in international waters. If they ever did the Iranians would need glass bottom boats to see the remains of their navy resting on the bottom of the ocean.

As for anyone who thinks that the Iranians could shut down the Straights of Hormuz by seeding the areas with mines all I have to say is you have got to be kidding. At their first attempt to deploy the first mine the US, with backing from NATO and the UN, would destroy every mine laying asset the Iranians have. There is no way that our government would allow the Iranians to disrupt the flow of vessel traffic through an international waterway. The few mines that they might be able to deploy before we put a stop to it could be quickly cleared by the minesweepers that the 5th fleet has in the area. The US maintains a fairly robust mine sweeping capability in the region for just his purpose because the Straights of Hormuz is such a choke point.

Those who think that the US was provoking the Iranians by sending the Stennis into the area are ill informed at best. The Stennis transited through the area in international waters after departing from a port visit in the gulf. This ship movement had been planned long before the Iranians started or even made public their plans for their exercises in the area. There was absolutely no intentional provocation involved with the ship being in the area. It did not loiter in the exercise area at all and simply made a routine transit through an international shipping lane.

The US can not give the impression in any way that we take the Iranian threats seriously or that we are concerned about what they might do if we send our warships into international waters. To keep our ships out of the area would hand the Iranian government a domestic propaganda victory and only serve to further embolden them.

So Iran threatens to hold their breath until we give in? Let them close the straights; minimal impact to US oil supply. Huge impact to China, major impact to Europe. Since Europe is broke, let China lead the fight, while we make sure no Iranian oil gets out so we can starve them.

Meanwhile, predator drones can cruise the skies of Iran looking for targets.

Jack Housely:

Nope - '69-'70. At this point in my life, I think David Walker is the most common name in the world.

It would seem that there are a number of you who don't pay attention to history. Even recent history.
If we try to ignore the threat that Iran poses, they will become embolden. They will be further motivated to become a world power. I am not saying this as a military representative, I am saying that as a student of modern events, which GW Bush was not.
Iraq was not a threat to anyone but themselves, just as Seria is not a threat to anyone but themselves. If we ignore the threat Iran poses they will become like Al Qaida, possibly league with Al Qaida. Sunni partnered with Shia' to oppose the "Great Satan" because we are appearing to be weak in their eyes by not answering the threat. Clinton didn't take the fight to Bin Laden in 1993, and look where that got us...Isn't it ironic that the Iranians are using the Al Qaida mantra? The "Great Satan" was coined by Al Qaida as a war cry against the United States. We represent freedom of Choice, for women, who in Muslim culture have no voice and little freedom.

They are treatening us, we are not threatening them, the first shot should be answered.

We have a lot bigger problems than Iran:

wikipedia:

"In 2007 the richest 1% of the American population owned 34.6% of the country's total wealth, and the next 19% owned 50.5%. Thus, the top 20% of Americans owned 85% of the country's wealth and the bottom 80% of the population owned 15%…"

"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both."....Justice Louis Brandeis

"…The American Civil Liberties Union denounced Obama’s signing of the legislation. Obama “will forever be known as the president who signed indefinite detention without charge or trial into law,” ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero said in a statement. “Any hope that the Obama administration would roll back the constitutional excesses of George Bush in the war on terror was extinguished today,” he added…"

Obama signs police state legislation

By Patrick Martin
3 January 2012

President Barack Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law on New Year’s Eve. The bill provides a massive $662 billion for the US war machine and makes unprecedented inroads into democratic rights, authorizing the US military to seize individuals anywhere in the world and hold them in a military detention facility indefinitely, without a trial or any other legal recourse.

Congressional Democrats and Republicans ratified the NDAA in a series of House and Senate votes in November and December that beat back nearly all efforts to set limits to the presidential power to arrest and imprison without trial or charge. As Republican Senator Lindsey Graham emphasized during the congressional debate, the legislation defines the entire world to be part of the battlefield against Al Qaeda, including the territory of the United States itself, making every human being on the planet, including every American citizen, a potential prisoner of the American military.

The NDAA effectively revokes the oldest democratic right, habeas corpus, which bars arbitrary imprisonment by requiring that the government present evidence to a judge or court to justify taking a person into custody. This right was first asserted in England during the Middle Ages and finally established and codified in the course of the English Revolution of the 17^th century, which shattered the arbitrary power of the monarchy and established the supremacy of parliament….

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/jan2012/ndaa-j03.shtml

Obama Administration Demanded Power To Indefinitely Detain U.S. Citizens

White House removed language that would have protected Americans from Section 1031 of NDAA

Paul Joseph Watson

Infowars.com
Monday, December 12, 2011

Despite reports that Obama is planning to veto the National Defense Authorization Act, Senator Carl Levin has revealed it was the administration itself that lobbied to remove language from the bill that would have protected American citizens from being detained indefinitely without trial.

“The language which precluded the application of Section 1031 to American citizens was in the bill that we originally approved…and the administration asked us to remove the language which says that U.S. citizens and lawful residents would not be subject to this section,” said Levin, Chairman of the Armed Services Committee.

“It was the administration that asked us to remove the very language which we had in the bill which passed the committee…we removed it at the request of the administration,” said Levine, emphasizing, “It was the administration which asked us to remove the very language the absence of which is now objected to.”

Section 1031 of the NDAA bill, which itself defines the entirety of the United States as a “battlefield,” allows American citizens to be snatched from the streets, carted off to a foreign detention camp and held indefinitely without trial. The bill states that “any person who has committed a belligerent act” faces indefinite detention, but no trial or evidence has to be presented, the White House merely needs to make the accusation.

An amendment introduced by Democratic Senator Feinstein, described as “cleverly worded nonsense” by Congressman Justin Amash, does not protect Americans from being subject to the provision.

“The Feinstein Amendment 1031(e) is dangerously misleading,” writes John Wood of Change.org, which is running a petition to oppose the signing of the bill. “Don’t be fooled: In the text of 1031(e), “Nothing in this section shall be construed…”, the only word that matters is “construed” because the Supreme Court are the only ones with the power to construe the law. The Feinstein Amendment 1031(e) permits citizens to be imprisoned without evidence or a trial forever, if the Supreme Court does not EXPLICITLY repeal 1031.”…

http://www.infowars.com/obama-administration-demanded-power-to-indefinitely-detain-u-s-citizens/

Boys and their toys. If Iran is trying to deflect attention away from their domestic problems well don't give them anything to deflect atttention with. There's really no reason for our ships to be in that region. If anything I see us escalating the tension by putting economic pressure on Iran and then even ratcheting it up even more by putting our warships in the region. Can we really afford more conflicts and wars? Sooner or later Iran is going to have the bomb and short of taking over the whole country there's nothing we can do about it. We've already spent a lot of money in Iraq and all we've gotten for it is negative feelings from the locals and destabilization. In short we got nothing. Pakistan already has the bomb and we can't trust them.

This may not be all that serious of a threat, recall that there are a butt load of these ayatollahs over there.

David Walker

Listen to all the little war piggies go "We, we, we, we, we" from the safety of their homes.

The recruiter will have the doors open early tomorrow. Why don't you, you, you head right on down there, you stalwart patriots.

I've seen this movie before.

They wore the value of that pro-war currency to death. I have always believed that it's the military industrial complex's way of "thinning the herd." Good evening, DW.

scubasteve: a couple of problems with your scenario, one the technology has not transitioned to a prototype yet, its extremly expensive - much more so than uranium currently and no one knows what the negatives are to this approach yet until prototypes are built and the effects upon the environment studied.

This may be the year that a final confrontation with Iran will happen. Clearly sanctions are hurting domestic bliss at home, but much more is needed.

I disagree with the Talking Heads at MSNBC, the Heritage Foundation and the US Government. I believe we should take extremely seriously, the threat of War by China and Russia if the USA and Israel attack Iran.

some of you guys are so illogical with information processing... No wonder you vote along party lines! Iran is simply showing the Western countries and the Middle East of its own military. I do mean its OWN. It is not even close to saber rattling. Closing off a 2 mile strait will require sinking of a super tanker in the strait. Since Iran will not fire upon British nor American military ship at any instance (fearing of escaling to a war with USA). However it is also highly unlikely that Iran will attack a neighboring super tanker, which is also an act of war. Iran is not about to give away its GOODWILL amongst its neighbor. Iran is also not stupid enough to escalate the mistrust amongst the Arab and the Persian contries as well.

It would be a no-win situation. Iran has never played a NO-WIN game. They have politicians, not idiots nor idealogs... Iran gets what it wants, a profit in the oil game and nationalism. It is up to its neighbors to continue to feed the beast and saber rattling will help divert attention from internal political (stability) pressures...

To Ternan

They might not be able to use the technology from the drone BUT it could be a good bargening point with the Chinese or Russians for some useful technology that they could use.

Ever heard about Chinas DF-21D (Dongfeng-21D)? Your own military have said that it is a carrier killer to wich the US or anybody else has presently no defense.

Send the carrier in. If they attack it, we have the excuse we need to conduct an extensive campaign to destroy their nuclear program.

Commonsense, I think you mean the Stars and Stripes...

Cynical, MacArthur wanted to take the war all the way to Moscow. President Trueman stopped him, not the Chinese. MacArthur kept running his mouth and Trueman fired him.

tiredofhypocrites-794827

After he crossed the Yalu, than got canned by Truman.

Still doesn't take aaway he was an egomanic that coward under his desk when he was in the Phillipines when the Japs attacked.

Admirals got canned in Pear Harbour for their screw up yet MacArthur who made an equal booboo got of scott free.

There is no doubt that Iran is losing some ground and influence in the region. How the Arab Spring will unfold for them is anyone’s guess and remains to be seen. However, there is no doubt that if they “lose” Syria, their influence in the region will be greatly diminished. In addition, pressure to reform politically is building up from within. So it’s no wonder Iran’s hierarchy is looking for a diversion to distract their restless people.

Nevertheless, time is on their side. We can easily be “painted” evil and as aggressors by their leaders and radical Muslim elements throughout the Muslim world and demonstrations would flare up against us in no time.

Can a head on confrontation with Iran be avoided and can we afford to “blink” as a result of their threat? I most certainly think so! Just let the hot heads cool down and then when the dust settles turn the focus back on Iran’s behavior and their nuclear ambitions and motives once more. They can shoot themselves in the foot without our help.

It knows that Obama-mia is a lame duck and doesn't want another war and may blink. We have here another Kennedy (BAY OF PIGS), Carter (IRAN AND AFGHANISTAN) Clinton (bin Laden and the World Trade Center). The common denominator are they are democrats and incompetents.

OR

Eisenhower overthrowing a democratically elected government in Iran, or Iran-Contra, or Watergate, or The Bush Wars.

If you're speaking of the last time the US participated in a legitimate war, it's was WWII. Screws these wars and it's totally achievable by stopping the provocation. We get into these things and drag other countries with us--like that "war on terror" scam.

Every single "hopeful" on the right has an abundance of "taint." One Mormon has some spine but he's at 1%. The other Mormon can show the US how to shed more jobs and increase military spending--opensecrets.org shows that the bankster money is going to Romney. He's been Liberal/Moderate/Conservative--neopolitlin ice cream with Rove hiding behind those SuperPacs. Perry was a waste of $15M by the Superpacs. They had little idea that he was brain dead when they wrote the checks. "Frothy mix" might win the evangelicals but beyond that--what? Some drunk voter that picks with their eyes closed?

Ron Paul. I disagree every aspect of his domestic agenda. Deregulate, allow the market to decide what an hour's labor is worth. Let people die if they can't afford health insurance. His biggest field of voters are from the Ayn Rand School of Narcissism. It's kind of messed up when you model your life after a fictional character, John Galt. Try one that exists. A person can disavow insane racists rants that he made in the 90's, but they're still there. You know that he's a white separatist, but you justify your anger by, once again, turning to Ayn Rand's obvious hatred towards minorities.

Have at it. This field of wannabes represents the worst bunch I've witnessed in 61 years.

5 or 6 dollar a gallon gas no matter what if Iran so much as makes waves in the straights.

No US Armed Forces action without a draft being instituted first period.

We have a volunteer Armed Forces now and we have been in violent conflicts for the past 10 years costing us too many lives, too many returning disabled and in need of care to redeploy and we have spent too much money and lost too much money due to fraud on these other 10 year conflicts to the detriment of our own infrastructure and taking care of our own masses issues.

The middleclasses have suffered and sacrificed enough already. If there is no draft in which every person between a certain age must go into the armed service with no exceptions for anything except absense of limbs, then no Armed Forces intervention.

By the way these draftees would not be allowed to go into the national reserves or any stateside forces or stay in the USA period, away from the front line like was done during the Vietnam war, where the overiding majority of the forces on the frontline or in the war zone were from the poor and middleclass while the children of the rich and powerful got to stay stateside or not participate at all in the war. The family members of draft age of these people trying to push these conflicts should be the first in line to be shipped abroad into harms way.

Corporationpersonspeople must also human up and go too. Corporations are supposedly people and supposedly have personhood, and they seem to speak with their moneyvoice. All their moneyvoice/speak/speech should be used to shout at the enemy and to shout 'bombs away' on the frontline...

One other thing.... no conflict intervention without it being paid for first, plus with money set aside for the housing, jobs, financial assistance , medical mental and rehab care of the Armed Forces upon their return to homebase USA.

By the way if there are those folks who do not have children or family members of draft age because they are too young or too old then these too young children should be required to serve a 2 in the armed forces when they come of age and if the war/conflict is over they should be required to spend an additional 2 years (total 4 years) caring for the vets and at armed services pay grade. If they are too old to draft then they should be required to spend a term of 4 years caring for the vets at armed services pay grade. No exceptions. See how quickly these folks would be to start another something...... LOL

Enough with war and violence as the first and only solution already....

I mean this will all due respect however, many of you are completely missing the bigger picture and misguided by the single sided scenarios.

I'll try to keep this brief but here it goes...

IT IS in Iran's interest for war. They want it, and want it badly. One of the main reasons that Iran as well as the U.S. and Israel haven't made a move as of yet is the aggressor and victim card. It is an extremely important victory as to who holds this trophy and it's implications are VERY significant!

Much of this has to do for winning suupport, allies, and allied support. By the way, Iran does have allies. Regardless of your views of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, we are not a popular people in that region because of it. Iran knows this all to well and seeking the opportunity to sink it's teeth into it by making us even more unpopular.

So what, you might ask? Our military is so much bigger and technologically advanced, Iran would be the loser... Not quite! That's the problem I see here, a simple minded attention span of a level playing field where it's the U.S. vs. Iran. Again, there is MUCH MORE at stake and I will explain in a moment...

Before I get to that, keep in mind that Iran is ranked in 12th place as far military might is concerned. They have over 500,000 active military and over 650,000 in reserve. Many more will enlist once this war begins. By the way, this war will happen guaranteed!

While they are working for their own MASSIVE scale production of nuclear warheads, this does not mean they do not possess any already purchased on the black market! They are seeking to have an arsenal that is SCARY! They have thousands upon thousands of missles already, this is important to note that Iran can strike both close range and as far away as France!!!

This places a MASSIVE risk on a wide range of targets which include not just the straight of Hormuz, but our military bases in the region, oil pipelines, important infrastructures, just to name a few.

Iran is a formidable enemy on their own turf! They do not have to send troops outside their country and can simply launch rockets, mortors, and missles into the the Straight of Hormuz or use their Advanced Russian bought SAMS into the sky. And remember, they have their proxies operating outside their country waiting for thier commands...

Well, Iran wouldn't be that stupid, would they? That depends on how well you truly know the leadership of Iran and the Revolutionary Guards! Understanding their true ideology and beliefs, you might just change your mind!

So what us the BIG Picture, the REAL objective? Iran already has Syria, Hamas, and Hizballah under it's control and Iran believes the Mahdi is about to return, and for that to happen a war MUST take place!

Your crazy Steve, you think Iran would risk everything for that? YES THEY WILL!!! I have studied this region for over 10 years and I am telling you they will! That is what it's ALL ABOUT! Just google the video of the Madhi's return that the Iranian government themselves released not too long ago.

Mark my words, and mark them well, THIS WAR WILL HAPPEN!

Much misery and suffering will occur. Just how much this affects us here is uncertain, but it's not going to be good. We will find out unfortuantely how bad or how horrific it will be when it affects the price at the pump, terrorist attacks here and/or abroad, other wars, with an economy that is already tanking.

Ironically, the Bible fortold of this thousands of years ago in Ezeikel 38...

For those of you that do not believe, now would be a great time to start!

Steve Out...

I don't have the date yet, but in the future put them in the stone age, where they belong is acceptable for the world. don't you agree?

Always Another.....how is you know all of this.....or did you read that in Ezeikel 38 like Steve######? I am always amazed how it is that someone sitting behind a computer in 10 buck 2 Idaho can KNOW so damn much that the rest of the world is blind too. I KNOW that the great percentage of the people in the world think you are full of it......but what would I know.

Unfortunately, blogger Steve is right; war fever is in the air, again.

But it is USA that wants war, not Iran. Despite USA issuance of sanctions followed by military provocations and even the invasion of Iranian airspace, the Iranian Regime has not caved-in to US demands. Instead, it has been embolden and found ways to anger the American war mongers. Not accustomed to being belittled and disrespected, the American war mongers want blood. And once again, the mercenary Spin Doctors from Madison Avenue will brainwash the American people with phony patriotism, flag waving, and singing of God Bless America. As in the past, the American people will swallow the propaganda from DC about War on Terrorism. War will start when America's leaders begin emphasizing the trigger words: 'Liberty', 'Freedom,' and 'Human Rights.'

Regarless of what the America has said about complete military withdrawal from the Middle East, American military forces are still waging wars in Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in various capacity. Already the Military Industrial Complex and war lovers have their eyes on the big price, Iran. Having killed hundreds of thousands of civilians in Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan, the war lovers' insatiable appetite for corpses are focused on Iranian women, children and men, today.

It won't be long when too many America's precious sons and daughter will come home in body bags, once again. And still, the hard-hearted American people can not see that their government has been purchased by degenerates, and their Constitution perverted by aberrants.

Too bad we failed to heed Eisenhower's farewell speech/warning. We've had the "tail wagging the dog" for way too long.

http://www.h-net.org/~hst306/documents/indust.html



Ok, State Of Israel,

The stage is set. Americans have been softened up by their propaganda services such as MSNBC, the Congress is overflowing with traitors, the chances of a treacherous act being challenged by Americans is practically nil.

Do another USS Liberty. Americans are ready, willing and able to blame Iran for anything you do.

Ok, J.P. Don't forget to look under your bed too. Doubtless there are Israeli agents hiding there with the dust bunnies.

TrustVerify - your post is the most thorough and accurate I've seen so far on this thread. I'm also heartened that most posting here are not the usual garden variety of warmongers I see on blogs about Iran. I would only add that I think we have purposefully made enemies of countries that need not be our enemy - Iran and Venezuela and Cuba are just three of them. The US will probably never be able to quiet the greedy thirst for conquest of the MIC, our bloated military, our oil companies or our defense contractors who all need another war to make more profits - but our people are getting smarter about what is really behind our constant building of bases in other countries and trying to effect regime changes in countries who won't bend over for us and in this lies our hope for a better future some day.

Since the carrier Iran threatened is on its' way back home, they can claim we bowed to their threats and avoid looking like we called their bluff when we send another carrier into the Gulf.

TrustVerify ... please provide proof that the US bombed an oil refinery on Iranian soil?

Russia, China, and much of Europe also receive oil via the gulf and I am fed up with America paying the price for it.

Oil is a commodity. If the price goes up somewhere, it goes up everywhere. Most of imported oil comes from the Western Hemisphere? If the Strait was closed off, all of the sudden the rest of the world will be competing with us for oil. Don't kid yourselves that somehow we can isolate ourselves from what happens in the Middle East. It IS a global economy, like it or not.

China knows we'll fight for their commodities.. The price of oil controls everything.

If everyone with a car kept it parked for one day this would send Iran the strongest signal.

We need to show that we as citizens are demanding a change in the way America acts. First and foremost the way we are viewed as world police. The Iranian regime is doing nothing more than taunting us to make a pre-emptive strike. And when we do, they will get sympothy from some other nations that are tired of us sticking our noses in. We need to play politics until we can't play politics. Why should we save the Strait and it's oil. Why not Russia and China? I'll tell you why, because they all know that we will do it, so why should they bother? MAKE the rest of the world act instead of us jumping in first. Then, if it escalates, we can blow them all to hell and back.

Archstanton, While I do like your attention to details the first response report Highlights the Fact that George W. Bush removed Habeas Corpus..........Obama signing reinforced that decision, also Wikpedia is the absolute worst site to defend a position with due to the fact ANYONE can change and modify the story!!

Just a Flash Back for those who are short on memory: President Obama was considering the escalation of 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan, Dick Cheney came out into the press and said "Get off the fence and send them in" [more or less, Idea same].

Cheney wanted and was pushing for an US invasion of Iran before he and Bush's tenure was up........

Further more no where in all this reporting is Ahmadinejad's name used in any of the statements and I do have a doubt that the Iranian Navy can make such claims without their President vocally backing them.

Saber-rattling or not, any threat from Iran should be taken seriously and prepared for appropriatley.

Here are the facts: Every modern militant Arab regime has used every weapon in thier arsenal without restraint in every conflict they've fought in.

Iran's leader has stated that he wishes for a world without America and has said this before every speech he's made before the UN.

His desire is to bring about a conflict that with hasten the return of the Last Imam and restore the Caliphate. This is strictly a religous desire and has nothing to do with politics, nationally or globally.

No one truely knows the progress they've made in thier nuclear program though they have the ability to affect most of the midle-east.

If and when they do they, 2 possibilites. Threaten other gulf states to attack Isreal and US interests in the region or our worst nightmare. That would be to launch a missle from a cargo ship a few hundred miles off the east coast of the US. If they can create an EMP ove rthe center of the US this would destroy our electrical power and distribution network. 90% of the population would die of starvation within a year. It done during the winter that could go up to 100%.

Sweet Dreams.

TIREDOFHIPOCRITES MacArthur wanted to roll into China during the Korean war.. Patton was the one who wanted to re-arm the Germans at the end of WW2 in Europe and deal with Russia before they got to be to powerful.. In both cases the politicians sacked them and now Russia and China are both a continuing pain in the a$$.. Seems our politicians always screw up{ ala the end of gulf war 1} and give us more wars to fight later.. A statement made by one of our great warrior leaders George S. Patton..

That oil facility as blown up by internal dissidents along with an ammo dump and a prison.. That country is full of unhappy people and they have that Islamic desire to act out with bombs and assignations.. That's why they were not doing the blame game..

Always Another....once again you assume facts that are not in evidence. Firstly I have likely forgotten more about history and politics than you will ever know but leaving that aside.

Just a couple of things

• The US Military/Government do not comment or publish figures on the delivery of weapons, military flights, troop movements etc in strategic theaters so the assumptions, theories, rhetoric, and propaganda that you pick up from a couple of your favorite blogger sites, or talking to your neighbor are not facts.
• Yes I and everyone else know that the US maintains a strategic reserve of oil in several places. I also understand that the the major suppliers of oil to the US are Canada, Mexico and other countries that do not transport via the Straights of Hormuz, so the Straights are not of vital strategic importance to the US but are to general world trade and some of our allies.
• Every country has contingency plans for likely possibilities....not news.
• It is also a fact that the US has at some point in time and in some manner supplied arms and assistance to most if not all "terrorist" countries including Iran, Iraq, etc again not news...what do you think the terrorists have their own little weapons manufacturing sites. The US is a major supplier of armaments and once they are out the door there is no telling where they will wind up.
• Diego Garcia (supplied via Australia), the fact that US supplies arms to Arab countries, that the US has ships with mine sweeping capabilities in the Gulf (and the rest of the oceans) are all generally known or accepted.

But it seems what most of your rant is about is the fact that you don't like the current President (I can only assume the deeper reasons for this), however in my opinion he has shown one thing that most of our recent presidents have not, intelligent restraint and intelligent action when necessary.

You are falling back on the same tried and failed arguments of birth certificate and school records (which I can assure you in past and I go back to Eisenhower no other president has been asked to produce) to deride the current President. I suspect, like many others who make that argument, that you are a racist and a bigot and therefore it is simple for me to dismiss your comments as well .... rubbish, which I choose to do, as you have assumed that because I don't agree with your assumptions that I don't know anything about history and current events.

Discussion over!

alwaysanother,

I could listen to you all day___________maybe a week...Not !

Workingpoor and et al... The cost of petrol is going up whether there is a conflict with Iran or not. These folks have been betting on the short-sightedness and short attention span of the American people and their sometimes less than stellar memory. How else would some people keep voting against their best interest, while believing the outcome will be different... again and again? LOL

During the 2007-2008ish or there abouts, there was a glut of oil on the world market to where oil that had been bought for a much lower price was being 'barged' because there was so much of it if I am not mistaken. Folks seem to have forgotten that.

While they were 'barging' oil, the cost of gas continued to rise because that was the plan in the first place even as these folks tried to soften up the masses to the idea of paying over 4 dollar per 9/10th of a gallon for gas. They even kept referring to the old standard of ' folks in Europe are paying more'... something like 7 dollar per gallon for gas.

The thing these folks did not mention was that Europe have a better, more nationwide, faster and more convenient public transportation system and have more walkable cities etc than we do and many people there do not/ did not need to drive a vehicle to get around to work etc. The Europeans were also increasing the MPG of their vehicles and also producing better diesel that burned clean or cleaner. How about 60 mpg back then, to our getting 20-35ish mpg and us thinking and still thinking that we have done something great. LOL

The other thing is that there are not that many oil refineries so when one goes off line that impacts the refinering of oil to petrol. So it was not unusual for a refinery or two to have to go 'off line for maintenance'...(LOL) thus causing less production of petrol and the increase at the pump. Of course there was also the old OPEC shuffle and China and other developing countries need and are using soooo much more oil blah blah blah... tossed in for good measure.

This whole Iran thing is being pushed because the other conflicts are winding down and we now need to 'feed the beast' so to speak. So why not help to manufactor amp up another conflict etc into a mega life and property destroying war so some folks can make even more money while 'culling' the population here and abroad. LOL Who knows, perhaps Iran want to decrease their country's younger population...like we have done, you know those troublesome youngsters with their big ideas about civil liberties and all that, and their needs and want for jobs and even a better life with maybe a bit of fulfillment thrown in for good measure, going forward in the 21st century. Sounds like Us doesn't it.... LOL

But, like has been said... 'height of war, height of plunder'. Thus while everyone is busy fighting and dying there would be or are those who are busy plundering, including decreasing a person's rights -civil and otherwise- behind the scenes, as the strong busily take away (land, property, minerals, liberty, life, personhood) from the weak all the while stating they are supposedly helping the weak and the country. LOL

This sort of thing has been going on forever... some of these un-necessary wars/conflicts ( for profit etc) are even doccumented in the Bible. The Bible even states that 'there is nothing new under the sun'....sooo.... LOL

Anyhoo, considering that it appears that our leaders are not listening to the majority in the masses who are not interested in starting another conflict nor financing it - as many in the masses have already been made poor/reduced to poverty, homeless and jobless-, if these leaders should start another of these conflicts or bother to respond militarily to saber rattling instead they may find that they declare war and there is no one to go fight it as we do have a VOLUNTEER Armed Services now.

If these folks are depending on the poor, middleclass etc to volunteer their fighting services as a means of getting citizenship or having a job, they can see the result of what has been happening to the vets coming home now to no jobs, forclosed houses/homelessness, too little to no medical, mental and physiotherapy care, broken families etc. Many would be returning to be even worse off than before they went imo.

So as we do have a VOLUNTEER Armed Forces now.... what are they going to do..... institute a DRAFT?

Those who are posting the old ' its inevitable, a war is inevitable' are just trying to desensitize the masses into thinking and believing that another war/conflict is inevitable and there is nothing that will stop it. Many of these people pushing the old war thing as inevitable, probably have never heard of or ascribed to that old thingy called 'diplomacy' as a means of resolving conflicts/issues and which has been working for the past few years.

Diplomacy is hard work,quiet, behind the scenes and thus does not have the flash and glam or have been made out to be or look sexy and kick butt like war. For this the best people who know what they are doing and fully believe in peace as a solution and are able to work well with others and are quietly persistent and actively patient, need to be in these positions... as we have seen.

There are still issues to be addressed, but the world is a much quieter place imo. Lets keep it that way for a change...

By the way everybody have 'friends', or at least frienimies and even acquaintances with matching needs and shoes or boots....LOL

The people who always want to fight the Middle East are Christian first and their loyalty to America is somewhere down the list. Since you Christian war mongers came from the Middle East, I suggest you go back home and fight your battles there.

Alwaysanother; you choose to only see half the truth - the rest is Fox rhetoric. bin laden denied any involvement in the World Trade tower bombings, he may have approved of it, but he didn't have anything to do with its execution...try Bush's Saudi buddies...btw; it was bin laden's brother who bailed out Bush's oil business.

Sandtrich; that thinning of the herd is going to become much more apparent soon - the ruling class can't control 7 billion, and that 7 billion is waking up.

You can't compare them to rabid animals. A rabid animal is subject to its drives...it is COMPELLED to be rabid. Iran is using strategery. Bush 1 (IMHO one of the smartest men in office, along with Carter) knew that the middle-east always has been, is now, and always will be factionalized. There is a Bedouin saying: "I against my brother, my brothers and I against my cousins, then my cousins and I against strangers". The Iranians know that their best chance at stability (at least for those in power) it to give every Iranian someone common to hate.

If the US walks in, guns blazing, we will give the people of Iran a common enemy, and like the US in WWII, people with not much in common will suddenly get along, if for no other reason than political expedience. We have to be subtle.

That doesn't mean a pushover. That means we are subtle. It is becoming a lost art.

Are you nuts?

Not rabid in the text that we think of as rabid....but nuts by any of our conventional thinking...YES. They have a huge ego driven existence in this religious jihad way of thinking that they have the "supreme" advantage. They are nuts by our standards of thinking...IMHO they have no humble way of thinking...the ones in charge anyway. I do feel for the beatin down average poor working joe in Iran. But push come to shove they will unite against us ...in a heart beat folks.

Have you been reading the posts here? WHO is rabid? Americans? - check.

BIG CHECK.

JP,
Who is threatening who? The US has been patrolling "international" waters since Al Qaida and the Somalies became a threat to international trade, but we are not the only presense in the area.

Pull your head out where you can see what is going on around you. You are so anti-American that you can't see the forest for the trees.

By the way, isn't interesting that the US is already talking about pulling our people out of the middle east, and they decide to pull this?

So....Where are the liberals screaming "No blood for Obama's oil war!"? Do the anti-war protesters really care about the lives of American sailors and soldiers? Stupid question, I know.

MilitaryMan-1740371,

I am as pro-America as they come. That being said, I am deeply, deeply ashamed of AmericanS.

With the experience of two recent invasions, Iraq and Afghanistan, what have Americans learned? What fruit have we born from these invasions? We have lost men and women - dead and injured - our economy has been strained to the breaking point, unnecessary civilian deaths, injuries and displacements number in the hundreds and hundreds of thousands, our rights have been eroded and continue to be eroded, our reputation as a land of justice has been devastated.

AND YET, after these lessons of two unnecessary wars, reading the posts here, we see Americans clamoring for more or if not outwardly clamoring buying into the machinations of warmongers! Amazing, simply amazing. Can people never learn? What is it - shallowness? Bloodlust?
What is it?

How are people going to feel and react to seeing our fleet smoking and with it's bottom up? Why stumble into ANOTHER war? Can't we ever learn?

JP,

We need to stop treating war like it is a chance to make money. We invaded Iraq to nation build. It cost us a lot in blood and treasure with zero gains. Unless you happen to be the recipient of a no-bid government contract, of course.

Perhaps Americans have learned a lesson. In Libya, we didn't set foot in the country, we just assisted the people. We generated good will, deposed a thorn in our side for the last 40 years, and did it for about 1,000th the cost.

I agree !!!!!

If I had my way we could eliminate 2 more thorns in our side......... Iran and Pakistan !!!!!! one we send millions of dollars and the another we could stop becoming being a threat!!!!! everyone knows that each Nuke has a signature to a specific area of origin.... if the CIA or Assad stole a nuke from Pakistan and sent It off in Iran all of our world current problems would be solved !!!!! make it look like Iran was running a test Nuke and it accidentally went wrong and the signature would not lead back to the USA once the dust settles Pakistan would have to be accountable for their lose of a weapon of mass destruction !!!!!!

I truly do not wish innocent people to die , but in both of those countries it is not about people it is about their extremist goverments!!!!!!

I truly hope the CIA or Assad Is Reading This !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Screw Iran. Period

Mark - I hope you are talking about Israel, because they are the true rabid animal in the ME.

As for people on these forums saying Iran is threatening the US, the opposite is true. The US and Israel have both made countless warnings to Iran that force is an option to stop their non existent nuclear weapons program. They have not enriched uranium to anywhere near the level required to produce nuclear weapons and they are under constant monitoring by the IAEA.

We are the ones that have been placing sanctions on Iran, in order to cripple their economy and place hardships on their citizens. It is the US 6th Fleet, that is steaming in and around the Persian Gulf, trying to provoke an incident, which could lead to war. It is no secret, that the leadership of Israel has been active in trying to persuade America to attack Iran. Netanyahu has even been on Glenn Beck, trying to make a case to attack Iran. Israel is a mad dog. No more wars for Israel.

5 other words: More dead Americans for oil.

Indrid-Cold.....and you know this how? This country Iran can hardly feed itself yet they have all these sophisticated military weapons pin pointed at all these specific oil targets. This is the same country that battled with their neighbor Iraq with sticks and stones military hardware for 10 years to a standstill and they are going to take on the US, knowing full well that the US trashed the entire Iraq military in a few days twice and without putting one boot on the ground helped to wipe out the Libyan military machine.....they may be dumb and crazy but that doesn't make them stupid. So they "test fired" 3 ship launched missiles that was probably the only 3 they had. In the 60's we had high def photos of everything that was going on in Cuba with the missile installation technology has advanced that times 100 if Iran has any missile installations at all we know exactly where they are and if they so much as fuelled one of them we could eliminate them before they could scratch their butts. They are a threat neither to the US or oil, for Christ sake they depend on oil why would they take a chance of losing that in an instant? Don't just believe THINK.

Have a little think.....Iran is going to take out the oil producing installations in the ME why? You think that would decrease the supply and therefore raise the price so they would be able to sell their oil at a higher price, and you don't think that in retaliation for even loosing one missile on a neighbor that the Western Allies along with Russia and maybe China wouldn't wipe out all of their installations and send them back to the dark ages. People like you play right in to the hands of the Military Industrial Complex all they need is a rumor of war and people like you to believe it and bang they keep scraping in your tax dollars via the offence budget. Wise up!

As long as they keep their saber rattling and anti free world rants inside their own country for domestic control purposes it is no sweat off the US.....and their record outside of their own country is fairly dismal.

The US will float it's Navy wherever it damn well feels like it and Iran will do nothing but talk. All of this bluster on both sides is for domestic consumption, Iran needs an enemy to keep their citizenry under control and in fear and the Military Industrial Complex in the US needs an enemy to keep the tax dollars rolling in (now that that damn Obama went and killed OBL, despite that clown Always Another's claim that OBL had a double and is not really dead because Obama didn't order that he be captured alive, you and AA should get together and fear monger in unison).

Also all of this fear mongering (which works as well in controlling domestic pouplations in the US as well as it does in Iran, you being a typical example of its black magic) just works to take our minds off of the real problems at hand domestically, whatever you may believe those to be. It is the damn fear mongering, useless wars, and playing world policeman that have put the US and all Western Democracies in the mess they are in.....with the US offence budget being larger than the rest of the world put together (or most of it anyway) but you don't have enough money to repair and maintain your infrastructure, go figure.

You (and AA) go head keep listening to the fear mongering, the BS, watching Oprah, Fox Blues, Dancing with the American Idol XFactor Stars.....anything to keep you from turning your attention to the problems at hand will do, so the career politicians and the MIC can continue to rip you off blind.

Yeah, the pseudo Christian fundamentalists and the barbaric Islamic fundamentalists have m uch in common: Both a waste of oxygen and good for nobody on this earth. If only.....put e'm together like two pit bulls attacking each other. Of course, pit bulls are far more noble than these scumbags from both sides of the world. And pit bulls do it without malice.....

Maybe doughbama could go over and have a little sit down with Achmadinijad, bow a little and give him an ipod with some of his old bs speeches, that will win the little @!$%#t over.

You shouldn't be talking about Israel like that, Adrian. Its not nice to be so hateful, even if it is true.

So, you think that Iran is on the payroll of "corporate American profiteers"?

Iran is not on the payroll of Corporate American Bankroll yet.. but you can believe that those greedy speculators on wallstreet and the oil companies themselves will PLAY this up to gauge the American People.

Oh yes they are!!!! They have been since before the Shah.

and where is the proof?

Yuh think, Domingo?

Oh poor you, you want a little cheese with that wine?

dominigo: you one our "victims" well sucks to be you - not happy? then pick up your little bag, leave my country and returned to that third world pesthole you call home

yo "its about time" - lord another conspiracy theorist that needs a conspiracy to justify their own miserable failures in life. Always need to blame something, someone, some conspiracy to cover your misguided decisions in life that have led to your life of repeated failures. sucks to be you - nope no one to blame except yourself no one kept you down just you

Ternan - Did you even read all of the comments with comprehension? Your comment is so out of line with any of the others, that the only repeated failure is your own. I am not the one who made any comments about a conspiracy theory here, I am the one who asked for 'Proof" that Iran is on the Corporate Payroll of America. Please see comments: 8.2 and 8.4.

As for your callous comments and insults, that's the funniest thing I have heard today. I just love it when someone tries to deflect their own life on someone else.

Get a clue!!!!!!!

Well so far Iran has not re positioned it's military for a strike. So, until they do, Business as Usual. However, if Iran attacks us, then what?

Then we blacken Iran's eyes.

Then things end badly for Iran.

I'm pretty sure if Iran attacks anything/anyone US in International waters everyone on the planet knows whats going to happen. Remember, we overturned 2 countries in the last 10 years looking for 1 person.

Even Iran knows their @!$%# stinks and we will win the chess game. Its a ploy to stall for time and distract from the nuclear talks they so "willingly" want all of a sudden again.

We don't have to speculate as to what would happen. Look at what happened the last time the Iranian Navy messed with us.

Google "Operation Praying Mantis"

They mined the Persian Gulf and we spanked them in retaliation. Bad.

Iran won't attack the US, they are too clever. But through their surrogates, Hamas and Hezbollah, they have attacked the US, US interests and Western allies. But the might attack other nations like Israel. Since they have threatened to destroy Israel and are developing WMDs that will be within striking distance of Israel, you can believe them.

The best scenario is for the liberal factions of Iran to overthrow the cleric theocracy. The CIA and Mossad are both advocates for the revolutionary people within Iran.

now you like liberals lar, interesting flip but I agree with you

I like liberals in Iran. I prefer conservative viewpoints in the US, but I like all Americans. My wife is a liberal.

arizonaaron69,

So tell me, should we just allow a rogue nation like Iran to dictate who gets to come into the Persian Gulf and who doesn't, regardless of the fact that it is International waters and therefore open to vessels of all nations? What message does that serve hmmmm?

Think before you speak. Your comments reveal a great deal of ignorance and a lack of critical thinking skills.

Wizard or woosy...your a noodle spined socialist wimp...buy a ticket to somewhere else...one way..please.

Hey Arizona Ron Did you ever go or do anything for your country? Other than breath the free air, generations have paid for in their blood? No one likes War, but I'm not a fan of giving up my American Freedom. I served for 30 years, and Yep I'm old but I'd go in a minute, so if they call you Ron just let me know and I'll do it again for you.

Vote for Ron Paul. Problem solved.

arizonaron69- You obviously have your head on your shoulders -thank you- and you are correct in most things you have stated, plus your sentiments are shared by millions. It is noteworthy; that Barry Soetoro takes vacation, then goes to Iowa to attempt to secure the next four years. There has been no news of Barry Soetoro acting on the poker game with Iran that was started by Barry Soetoro. Is this person capable of anything other than consuming some banana's? Soetoro was schooled in Indonesia on Islam and he is not going to cause the Muslim a problem.

Things in America have to change; they are going to change. Although not with Barry (boy), or any repub that campaigns against Barry (boy); contrary, a new party, a true man, with blood and guts born out of the United States of America National Republic is emerging as I type. He is going to do what you say arizonaron69, and more. Haven't met this man yet? Go to facebook.com/ThomasKipleyDuGan You can do more there than you could ever do here. If you choose not, you will still begin to know this man.

JRH Peoples Party

The W of Wisdom, so does that mean we should be able to carry hand guns into a bank or a public place? why cant we, because it's a threat even if we don't plan on shooting anyone bringing a warship that has the capabilities to blow stuff up and it's sole purpose is to destroy things then it's a threat so what do you think Iran is being(threatened right) if you can remember during the Iraq war we had a ship that was going to go close to Russian waters and a General in the Russian Navy said he would launch a nuclear missile at our ship if we went through there water well we didn't go near there water, but was it just a verbal threat? what are these 3rd world countries suppose to do bend over and take it up the arse no there going to say stuff that makes them not look like cowards in front of there people who do not care for the west.

Oh yeah, Ron Paul- stick your head in the sand and get your azz blown off!

Don't you all know? war is the GOP jobs plan!

It helps lots of people in our country -

the people who make arms and ammunition

low income, recent HS grads who need a job, experience and more education - all they have to do is not get killed.

it lowers the unemployment rate - people in the military don't need jobs. those killed won't need a job later.

And so it goes....

Grandpa, you served for 30 years so that means you probably served in Nam. Boy that needless war sure was worth it, sure bought a lot of freedom. Yes, the service is always looking for a few good men, of course the younger the better so they can brainwash them. You're their poster-boy.

northern lights:? facninating how you managed to pull the Republicans into your little warmonger scenario if you bothered to study history you would find Democrats were responsible for the vast majority of all wars the US has ever been involved in. They were called the war party for many years for a reason

Ternan - First of all, its called spell check. Fascinating, not facninating. Next, what history books do you read? The democrats are responsible for the majority of the wars the US has ever been involved in?

First of all, if you had any history background, you would know that ONLY CONGRESS can actually declare war. Seems to me that this is something that would have to actually be VOTED On? Many presidents have had "military operations", but they were not 'considered' a war.

Next, I would recommend knowing before speaking:

calystazura.hubpages.com/hub/Declaration-of-War-in-the-United-States

So, get out a calculator, do some homework, and then post back here with the results. I am on the edge of my seat.

Itsabouttime

Formal Declarations of War

There have been five formal declarations of war against other countries. The War of 1812 against the United Kingdom, the Mexican-American War against Mexico, the Spanish-American War against Spain, World War I against Germany and Austria-Hungary, and World War II against Japan, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania. The older wars make it a bit tricky to determine if they were Democratic or Republican due to the changing of political parties throughout the years.

James Madison was the President during the War of 1812. He was Democratic-Republican (opposing the Federalists) which eventually broke off into the two parties we know today. Which was also the majority in Congress that year. James Knox Polk was the President during the Mexican-American War, who was Democratic. The Congress during that war was also Democratic.
William McKinley was the President during the Spanish-American War and he was Republican. The Congress majority was also Republican. Woodrow Wilson was the president during WWI, he was Democratic. The Congress majority was also Democratic. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the President During WWII and was Democratic. The Congress majority was also Democratic.

Of the Five:
Democratic-Republican: 1
Republican: 1
Democratic: 3

That good enough math for you. BTW this was taken from the site that you posted.

Thanks for the post grunt. It's good to see someone out there can actually read with comprehension. The facts you posted are directly from the website that I posted and your math is right on the money. What I would challenge the preceding commentor and you to actually 'what each' war was about and was it justified.

The war of 1812 - was justified.

Mexican-American War - Manifest Destiny and directlyed related to the annexation of Texas to the Union. - Justified, yes.

Spanish-American War - Questionable...justification.

WWI - Wilson was 100% justified in requesting congress declare war.

WWII - FDR was 100000000% justified in requesting congress declare war. We were outright attacked by Japan.

Having said that, I am in quite certain a republican or a democrat (respectively) would have behaved in the same manner in each of these 5 regardless of their political party.

Justification of the wars withstanding, Ternan stated that the Democrats were responsible for the majority of the wars that the United States has been involved in. You, correctly, pointed out that it is not the President that takes the Nation to war, but rather Congress. By a 3-1 majority the Democrats have been responsible for the majority of the Wars that we as a Nation have fought in. So in fact you were both right. I do agree, that regardless of the party in power the results of the 5 would have been the same.

Though to be fair, it should be 3-2, being that the site left off the Civil War, which had a Republican President and Congress.

Silly Chuck-781946, the F series aren't in B-I-N-G-O... but there are lots and lots of Bs. B2, B52, B1, I'm sure anyone of that series will be enough to get their attention....

Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran....lots of b's in that.

Actually, the Iranians described exactly how they captured the drone and for once it actually seemed like they were telling the truth.

They said they jammed the controller's signal, which triggered the drone to automatically return to base. However, the Iranians then spoofed the GPS signal so the drone thought it was someplace it wasn't, then guided it to land at what it thought was it's home base, but was actually somewhere in Iran.

We shouldn't underestimate the Iranians. They are crazy, not stupid.

Thats pretty much what the news reports I saw are saying. The drone malfunctioned and they got lucky and picked it up. Self destruct needs to be installed so it blows when tampered with on the ground unless it's picked by the US who have codes to disarm. Iran can't force the US to stay out of internatonal waters and they're blowhards for thinking they can threaten it. If they do attack the US will deal and the rest of the world will see that Iran is way over stepping. I saw the pictures of that drone and it sure looked intact to me.

Yeah and you forgot china(Iran oil), north korea. Does china want our cash and the trillions in debt we owe them or irans oil?, and will north korea take advantage of this situation? Pakistan is pissed at us too now and kicked us out.

Your comment's not silly, Billy. Your comment hits the nail on the head. "This could get interesting", for sure.

I don't like rattling sabers, but if you think Iran's acting thuggish and bold now, wait until they get their nukes. A nuclear armed Iran will be a much bigger problem and it is only about when the Middle East will blow up, not if it will. And how many other countries will Iran bless with their technology. The USA is behind the eight ball here. Our military has had their hands tied by our politicians and the international community in every war we've participated in for more than 50-years now. We may as well just sit back and let the kaka hit the fan and react without mercy after Iran leaves us absolutely no choice. Then we should just let our armed forces do what they do best without restraint so that the entire world of loud mouthed despots sees what their end will be if they choose to be as reckless as the Iranians.

Billy in chess the game has hidden ways to gain in check. I hope we have prepared the correct next move already so far I trust we have.

Let them. However, I still stand that the US should not bare the cost of any retaliation with Iran. Russia, China, and much of Europe also receive oil via the gulf and I am fed up with America paying the price for it.

Are you expecting Russia, China and much of Europe to write us a check? If so I think you might be disappointed.

Many 50 centers on these boards .