Admiral Michael Mullen declared today that the military stands ready to attack Iran at the president’s order, and insisted that it was critical to negotiations that the ever-present threats to attack Iran remain “on the table.”
Perplexingly, Adm. Mullen added that he believed that such an attack would achieve “limited results” in an attempt to stop the nation’s civilian nuclear program. Mullen and other military officials have previously indicated their belief that the military option would at best “buy time” to the US while cementing Iran’s determination not to negotiate.
US determination to keep the military option “on the table” against Iran, despite its lack of tactical value, has been the centerpiece of what passes for America’s policy toward the nation since very early in the Bush Administration. In that sense Admiral Mullen is just reiterating well established policy.
Yet as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, it is unclear why he should have an official opinion at all on how best to advance diplomacy through veiled military threats. That is supposed to be the job of the State Department, and if there is one person always comfortable with threatening to attack Iran, it is Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Having a top military official pressing the value of the military in diplomacy may seem at best a tad self-serving, and at worst another challenge to the chain of command, with the military once again poking its nose in where it doesn’t belong.
This guy needs to be put out to pasture. It's not the job of the military to determine public policy. In any case Iran is no threat to America. How would Americans react if an Iranian admiral was publicly threatening to attack the USA?
How would Americans react? Andy, you're making too much sense stating the obvious. So you can expect the opposite.
Like in days of old – Put Mullen and Hillary Clinton in the vanguard of the attacking force.
Lets see how brave these armchair warriors really are. They would happily send young Americans to their deaths in useless wars but will they go themselves?
This is just another indication that the United States government does not consider war as something to be avoided or a last resort. It is clear that a number of US officials in policy making positions consider war or the threat of war as a legitimate means to accomplish goals they consider important. The barbarians are not at the gates. The barbarians are in charge of the foriegn policy/war policy of the United States government,
It's time to load Hillary Clinton up with explosives and send her to Iran. I remember when she said she landed at Bosnia airport under sniper fire and came out alive. She will do fine in combat with Iran.
Thanks for reminding us about the blatant lies Hillary put out during the campaign. Like the lies put out by the Kuwaiti ambassadors daughter. Our Israeli/us government is rotten to the core. This trying to defame the moslems is sickening when one thinks of all the atrocities commited by so called christians e.g. Dresden, Hirshima, Nagasaki and many more. Who are the real terrorist?
white people are
It's diplomacy 101 to threaten Iran they will tell you.. No competent diplomat would NOT want the saber being rattled.. But because of the strange provenance of American bellicosity towards Iran, one must wonder if especially having the horrible hag Hillary make the threats is designed to wrest concessions or to make them harden their position so the neocon dream of castrating Iran with bombs…. can be accomplished The problem is how these awkward follies play out in the Muslim world where the U.S. invasion forces dwell.. It never ceases to amaze me how Israeli centric nearly ALL the current problems of the U.S. seem to be.. Even something like health care is a hostage to those who would rather spend the billions to protect Israel so she can practice genocide in Gaza..
1.4 BILLION Muslims….. Are they sure that they want to push their nuclear double standard on and on so that even the illiterate peasants of the world become aware of their blatant hypocrisy..???? Making nuclear threats against those who DO NOT have the bomb, will drive proliferation faster than anything known to G-g or man… Where will this all end…??? When will this all end..????
IF Harry Truman was President today, Truman would, rightly so, FIRE Mullen – Mullen is a nut case who should be sent on a one way trip to Israel. Is this how 'Christian America' acts – by threatening countries with being bombed? What IF other countries practiced a policy of 'preemptive war' as does the U.S. – there would be quite a few countries now attacking America first before we attacked them. As a Navy veteran of the Vietnam War – I am embarrassed that the Navy has such a nut case for an Admiral in its service. Endless war – isn't that what Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace prize for? – or – was it for sending in 20 Wheaties box tops?
You are correct. I am also a Vietnam vet and I can clearly remember the same kind of moronic brass with the same attitudes. But don't stop with Mullen, we should get rid of McChrystal and all the rest of the boot polishers to this and the previous administrations.
Congress has really dropped the ball in regarding their delegated power to "make all rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces." Congress could have put a stop to this nonsense many years ago if they had the balls.
Mullen is in dangerous territory and definitely out of his pay grade when he threatens Iran or should I say bluffing, . He and others should mind what they say as Iran just may call his bluff and raise him a preemptive attack.
Your right, but Truman wouldn't stop with Mullen. I don't think Obama has the strength of character to do it though.
When the US/Israel do their next false flag in the US using the nuke the neocons stole in 07 to invade Iran, that is the day America will be nuked and invaded by the SCO. News here: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/6519605/WarNews
I'm still waiting to see all the compelling evidence of Iran's nuke-making program. Where is it?
Of course, the "evidence" does not exist. Like Iraq, we're being conned into doing Israel's dirty work against the toothless Iranians. One really has to suspend belief to think Iran is a threat to the U.S. But hey, Boeing and Northrup have profits to make, so bombs away, boys! We'll deal with the inevitable blowback later.
Iran is going nuclear because no country with 70 million people and a quarter of the world's oil reserves is going to accept being threatened by pip-squeak Israel. America has lost her way supporting any such lunacy. How Mullin became Chairman is an absolute mystery.
This is absurd. Everybody knows that the Obama Administration isn't going to attack Iran. Hell, even the Bushies were never that reckless, especially with 150K US troops for Iran to target right over the border in Iraq. I'm sure the US military has been "ready" for a long time. It is the military's job to be "ready". Adm. Mullen is stating the obvious. Actually attacking is another matter. Iran is primarily Israel's problem. Iran is an existential threat only to Israel, and if Israel isn't willing to take the huge risks of wiping Iran out, no one else will, or should.
Israel has a big decision to make. If Israel doesn't take Iran out soon, Iran wil become a nuclear weapons power, and that will enable Iran's clients to have the cover necessary to slowly destroy Israel – and they would. If Israel does take Iran out, they will have to use thermonuclear bombardment, since a conventional attack would not work. There would be huge short term costs to wiping Iran out, but coupled with an expulsion of the Palestinians, it would ensure Israel's survival for a much longer time.
here we go again. since when are the military Leaders making the decisions weather or not to invade another country. Mullen should openly display his financial interests or bribes he has received from the weapon manufacturers to keep this loosing battle going. Mullen is not acting on behalf of the American Citicent. we need Health care and jobs, not orange colored Body Bags.
i would suggest for those Pencil Pushing Generals to stand in the Front Row alongside their Men.
Israels Survival does in no way depend on taking our Iran. this Theory is false. Israels interests would be much better served by accepting Human Rights of its neighbors, by stopping illegal Settlement expansion,
by being honest about their nuclear capabillities and by just plainly try to get along. at this Point nobody can blame Israels Neighbors to become increasingly paranoid. especially singe Israel is doing its best to provoke this war between USA and Iran. i think that all nations should have control over nuclear Weapons, just like Israel. you insist that you have the right to defend your self ? so does every one else. with Israels Record of committing War Crimes in Lebanon and Palestine, you are pushing other Nations like Iran towards becoming a Nuclear Power also. but then Israel has never been interested in the Peace Process. Arab Nations have welcomed you in your part of the World and look what you have achieved.
What other country in the world has generals or admirals going around routinely threatening to attack other countries like it is a perfectly natural thing to say or do? Imagine a Chinese military figure just saying he was ready to attack Australia. Or a general in Russia saying he was ready to attack Kazakhstan or Finland. What would happen to a German general if he just said Germany was ready to attack France? He would be immediately dismissed and probably either end up in prison or in an mental institution. Only in Amercia is this Bizarroism "normal". Just ask yourself what would you do if tomorrow somebody threatened to attack you. Wouldn't you immediately call the police? At least when Reagan "joked" about bombing the USSR, his comment caused a lot of consternation and controversy. Now these type of threats don't even register. The USA is insane.