As with Iraq, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has begun an "information campaign" with shabby intelligence, only this time the target is Iran.
It's deja vu all over again.
The Christian Science Monitor reports that Blair held a news conference to announce that despite no "definite proof," there is "evidence" tying Iran to bombings in Iraq.
Who needs proof? Fear is far more effective...
The story was leaked Thurs., at night by a "senior British official" who of course, insisted on remaining anonymous. Sound familiar?
However, The Guardian reports that many in the UK intelligence community disagree with Blair's "evidence:"
"There are differing views within the British intelligence community as to the level of [Iran's] involvement. British military sources insisted last night there was no hard evidence that the explosives technology came from Iran. Defence sources suggested that blaming the IRGC for supplying the explosives technology was going too far. Other military officials said there was "so much expertise in Iraq" the bombs could have been made by former members of Saddam Hussein's security forces.
Two questions:
- Are Blair and Bush really that stupid? Will they once again selectively release intelligence that supports invading Iran? Will another "dossier" be manufactured, just sturdy enough to hold together until after the point of no return?
- Are we scared enough to sit back and watch it happen all over again? Will we let misleading statements about uranium and nuclear weapons dull our senses and shorten our memories?
Without the spectre of re-election, no one in the administration cares about 30% approval ratings,
so long as Bush insiders retain control of Congress.
This is where the real War on Terror will be fought, on the campaign trail in the months ahead. And if we don't invade before those elections, this is also where Iran's fate will be decided.
This adminstration is not restrained by a sense of morality. If they lose control of the Congress, all the fear and animosity they've built up will crash down on their heads with that particular brand of justice reserved for politicians.
They will fight like cornered animals, so we must watch closely and act pre-emptively, instead of passing our responsibilities on to the historians.