Human Rights Law

Bush and Cheney have long been rattling the sabers in Iran's
direction. The disaster they created in Iraq isn't going well, no
matter how they spin it. They may feel that engaging the United
States militarily in Iran would make it harder to elect anyone other
than the seasoned military man, John McCain. The Republican
presidential candidate just happens to be touring Iraq with Sen. Joe
Lieberman, one of the strongest advocates of a U.S. military strike on
Iran. Lieberman is likely on McCain's short list for a
vice-presidential running mate.

Admiral Fallon took early retirement after making comments that
contradicted the Bush administration's aggressive stance on Iran.
Fallon told the Arab television station Al Jazeera last fall that a
"constant drumbeat of conflict" from the administration against Iran
was "not helpful and not useful." After Fallon announced his
retirement, the New York Times reported a senior administration
official as saying Fallon's comments about U.S. Iran policy "left the
perception he had a different foreign policy than the president." If
Fallon wants to talk to Iran rather than attack it, then his policy
differs from Bush's.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Miller, however, has
downplayed the significance of Admiral Fallon's abrupt retirement.
Admiral Miller proclaimed recently, "In my view, this should not be
seen as a sign ? at all ? towards any kind of conflict with Iran."
Perhaps the chairman doth protest too much.

The White House has been spewing pugilistic rhetoric toward Iran. In
spite of the unanimous conclusion of the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies
that Iran is not developing nukes, Bush immediately declared, "I have
said Iran is dangerous, and the NIE estimate doesn't do anything to
change my opinion about the danger Iran poses to the world - quite the
contrary." (http://marjoriecohn.com/2007/12/bush-still-spinning-nukes-in-iran.html).

News reports this morning announced that Dick Cheney is on a surprise
weeklong visit to Iraq, Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories,
Saudi Arabia, Oman and Turkey. High on Cheney's agenda is the topic
of U.S. policy toward Iran.

Connect the dots. They paint a very frightening picture.

Full post as published by Marjorie Cohn on March 17, 2008 (boomark / email).