There is one thing most TBP members have in common. They reach logical conclusions based upon the facts. The reason we find ourselves constantly frustrated by everything going on around us is that the world is not functioning logically. We see a world drowning in debt and our political and financial leaders’ solution to this issue is to create more debt, pretend things are getting better, and further enriching themselves at the expense of a dying middle class. It’s clear to any critical thinking person that peak oil has arrived. This chart proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt. Supply did not and cannot respond to higher prices.
The showdown with Iran over a nuclear bomb that does not exist is not logical. The war rhetoric and the unnecessary sanctions have already added $10 to $20 to the price of a barrel of oil. To attack Iran would threaten to open Pandora’s Box and possibly lead to World War III. But logic does not seem to be a necessary ingredient in our world today. As I try to make sense of everything swirling around my head, I can’t help but reach the conclusion that things are so bad that the wealthy elite who control the political and financial power in this world are willing to risk it all to retain their wealth and power. War enriches corporate arms makers and the bankers who will supply the debt to fight the war. By successfully crushing the existing Iranian government and installing another puppet regime friendly to the West, the ruling elite believe they can keep the oil flowing for awhile longer. They believe that successfully winning a war against Iran would result in $2.50 a gallon gasoline again.
The three stories below, all published in the last three days, gives me reason to believe that an attack on Iran is inevitable. The info from Stratfor reveals that we will have 3 aircraft battle groups in the Strait of Hormuz by March 21. There are missile destroyers and big deck amphibious warships gathering around Iran. We did not bring all the troops home from Iraq. We positioned thousands of troops in Kuwait and Bahrain. We have airbases completely surrounding Iran. If we are moving naval assets into the Gulf, you can be sure we are also moving bombers and fighter aircraft.
Attacking Iran now seems illogical to me. But so does adding $7 trillion of debt since 2008 to solve a problem created by too much debt. I believe that the situation of our financial system and depleting world energy sources is so dire that attacking Iran is seen as logical to those in power. Whenever you have domestic issues that are unsolvable, you seek an external enemy to focus the attention of the masses upon. The MSM has been doing their part as they have convinced a large segment of America that Iran is actually a threat to the United States. If you connect the dots, I see a high probability of war with Iran, and possibly Syria, within the next month. Once the bombs start falling, our world might change forever. Fourth Turnings never de-intensify.
Russia Discloses The Iran Ultimatum: Cooperate Or Be Invaded By Year End
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/14/2012 09:44 -0400
In what can only be seen as raising the rhetoric bar on the timing, scale, and seriousness of the Iran ‘situation’, Kommersant is reporting that “Tehran has one last chance” as US Secretary of State Clinton asks her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to relay the message to Iranian leaders. If this ‘last chance’ is wasted an attack will happen in months as diplomats noted that the probability of an Israel/US attack on Iran is now a specific ‘when’ instead of an indefinite ‘if’. The sentiment is best summarized by a quote from inside the meeting “The invasion will happen before year’s end. The Israelis are de facto blackmailing Obama. They’ve put him in this interesting position – either he supports the war or loses the support of the Jewish lobby”. Russian diplomats, as Russia Today points out, criticized the ‘last chance’ rhetoric as unprofessional suggesting “those tempted to use military force should restrain themselves – a war will not solve any problems, but create a million new ones.”
Senior Officials Confirm Strike Plan For Iran And Syria
Monday, 12 March 2012 13:46 Madison Ruppert
This article was written by Madison Ruppert and published at The Intel Hub
According to senior Pentagon officials, American military forces are already planning for possible strikes against Iran and Syria utilizing both conventional weaponry and cyberwarfare as the situation in both nations only seems to be getting worse by the day.
Lieutenant General Herbert Carlisle, deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements with the U.S. Air Force informed a March 8 investors conference sponsored by McAleese and Associates and Credit Suisse that the Department of Defense is exploring their options for military actions.
Carlisle’s statement came on the heels of an interview with the U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta for the National Journal during which he confirmed that the Pentagon is indeed planning for strikes on Iran.
This also came in the wake of Panetta saying that he thinks that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) should begin debating the issue of military intervention in Syria, although NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen claims that that discussion has not yet begun.
While Iran repeatedly denies any intent to develop nuclear weapons and Panetta himself has confirmed that they are not currently developing weapons on two separate occasions, the alleged developments in their program continues to give lawmakers and others the fuel they need to call for war.
In the case of Syria, the entire fiasco has been rife with blatant propaganda (and poor attempts at damage control), predictions of a military coup d’état, reports that the West is already discussing a no-fly zone, reports of cross-border attacks coming from Turkey, reports of Mossad, CIA and Blackwater already operating, even reports of undercover French army officers being captured and much more.
In the case of Iran, Carlisle refused to provide specifics on their planning, citing limitations due to the classified nature of the subject.
“I won’t get into any details on that, obviously, because it’s ongoing operational planning,” he said, according to Defense News.
However, he did confirm that cyberwarfare is an option that they are currently considering.
“There [are] … electronic warfare pieces. There are offensive cyber operations. There are defensive cyber operations. Without stepping over any line of classification, I would say again, everything is on the table. That could be a component,” he said.
Thankfully, it appears that these military officials are aware of the fact that invading Syria would be an entirely different beast than the Libyan operation.
“It requires thought and deliberations,” Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz said at the same conference. “A key challenge is that Syria is not Libya. Syria is a much more demanding air defense environment as a case in point and would require a level of effort far in excess of what we did in Libya.”
The country has a somewhat outdated Soviet-era surface-to-air missile system which would likely require the American military to utilize stealth aircraft like the B-2 bomber and F-22 fighter.
While the F-22 has yet to be used in a combat operation, the B-2 was used at the beginning of the bombing campaign in Libya as well as in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In November of last year, it was reported that Russian ships entered Syrian waters, not only delivering advanced S-300 missile systems but also the technical advisers who would assist in setting up the anti-aircraft missile array.
Israeli news sources called the S-300 one of the most powerful anti-aircraft missile systems available and it was also reported that Russia is installing advanced radar systems throughout Syria to compliment the missile system.
In January of this year, Syrian media also reported that a Russian naval flotilla had arrived in the Syrian port city of Tartus in addition to another report in November of last year which said that Russian ships had entered Syrian territorial waters in order to prevent Western military intervention as the opposition called for a no-fly zone.
Both Russia and China have been some of the strongest opponents of military action in Syria, with China even setting forth a diplomatic plan, which of course the West is completely uninterested in.
Carlisle said that the Department of Defense is already engaging in efforts to prepare for intervention in Syria but claimed that it was not unusual for them to do such a thing.
“In standard military fashion, we plan,” he said. “That’s what we do. So we’ll think about everything and every eventuality. We’ll think about what would be required of us and how we would accomplish it.”
If the reports I have been covering for so long are accurate, they have been planning for intervention in Syria for much longer than they are making out.
At this stage all we can do is hope that the plans to attack both Iran and Syria will never materialize. If anything is certain, it is that both events would be disastrous for everyone involved and both have the unfortunate possibility of starting a much larger and deadlier regional – perhaps even global – conflict.
Carrier Enterprise Sets Off On Final Journey – Direction Iran
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/11/2012 16:28 -0400
Today at noon Eastern, the storied aircraft carrier Enterprise, aka CVN-65, left its home port of Naval Station Norfolk one final time for its final voyage with a heading: Arabian Sea, aka Iran. There in a week it will join CVN 72 Lincoln and CVN 70 Vinson, as well as LHD 8 Makin Island, all of which are supporting any potential escalation of “hostilities” in the Persian Gulf region. As a reminder, back in January we learned that the Enterprise’s final voyage will be in proximity to Iran, and in the meantime, the aircraft carrier held extended drills off the Florida coast to attack a “faux theocracy” consisting of fundamentalist “Shahida” states. Why the Arabian Sea in about 7-10 days will be home to not two but three aircraft carriers and a big deck amphibious warfare ship is very much an open question, although we may have some thoughts.
More:
Thousands of sailors will deploy today from Norfolk on the USS Enterprise for the last time on Sunday.
Nearly 5,500 Sailors aboard the ships of the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group (ENT CSG) are scheduled to deploy from Naval Stations Norfolk and Mayport, Fla., March 9, 11 and 12, to support operations with the U.S. Navys 5th and 6th Fleets.
The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65), commanded by Capt. William C. Hamilton Jr., will depart from Naval Station Norfolk for the ships 22nd and final deployment March 11.
CVN 65 will not be alone:
After the Enterprise leaves Sunday, three Norfolk-based guided-missile destroyers will head out Monday — the USS Porter, USS Nitze and USS James E. Williams.
The strike group is commanded by Rear Adm. Ted Carter Jr.
Carrier Air Wing 1, based at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, will be embarked aboard the Enterprise.
The Enterprise was launched September 24, 1960, by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. and commissioned November 25, 1961.
Its record of high-profile service began with the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Since then, it has served in countless missions around the world.
…
The aircraft squadrons of CVW 1 embarked aboard Enterprise are: Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11 Red Rippers, VFA 136 Knighthawks, VFA 211 Fighting Checkmates, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 251 Thunderbolts, Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 123 Screwtops, Carrier Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron (VAQ) 137 Rooks, Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 Rawhides, and Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron (HSL) 11 Dragon Slayers.
Some pictures released minutes ago from Enterprise’s final deployment:
Finally, this is how congested the Arabian Sea looks right about now, where two carriers and one assault ship are currently located, via Stratfor.
