This week the Pentagon decided to delay the deployment of some 3,500 troops to Iraq (
AP story). This was discussed on
Scarborough Country. Scarborough's lead in was
Does the White House have a secret plan to withdraw from Iraq? The Pentagon`s announcement this week that it`s canceled the deployment of thousands of U.S. troops headed to that country brought about a flurry of speculation and Pentagon denials that a retreat is beginning, a retreat that many Americans would like to see in time to save the president`s party from disaster in this fall`s mid-term elections.
My reaction was different. I wondered whether this was a prelude to attacking Iran. US troops in Iraq will be very vulnerable to a pro-Iranian Shia backlash (see Riverbend's post on American Hostages... US troops will have to be withdrawn to safe areas in advance of the attack, which would include delaying new deployments to Iraq.
Then yesterday (May 11)
Larisa at Raw Story reported that 2 aircraft carrier battle groups were on their way to the Middle East.
According to military and intelligence sources, an air strike on Iran could be doable in June of this year, with military assets in key positions ready to go and a possible plan already on the table
Watch for reports that US troops in Iraq are holing up inside their bases and the Green Zone. That will likely be the last warning before the attacks happen.