 |
 |
August 1, 2005
Issue
Copyright © 2005 The American
Conservative
Deep Background
In Washington it is hardly a secret that
the same people in and around the administration who brought you Iraq are
preparing to do the same for Iran. The Pentagon, acting under instructions
from Vice President Dick Cheney?s office, has tasked the United States Strategic
Command (STRATCOM) with drawing up a contingency plan to be employed in response
to another 9/11-type terrorist attack on the United States. The plan includes a
large-scale air assault on Iran employing both
conventional and tactical nuclear weapons. Within Iran there are more than 450
major strategic targets, including numerous suspected nuclear-weapons-program
development sites. Many of the targets are hardened or are deep underground and
could not be taken out by conventional weapons, hence the nuclear option. As in
the case of Iraq, the response is not conditional on Iran
actually being involved in the act of terrorism directed against the United
States. Several senior Air Force officers involved in the planning are
reportedly appalled at the implications of what they are doing?that Iran is
being set up for an unprovoked nuclear attack?but no one is prepared to damage
his career by posing any objections.