Is Iran the next Iraq?

A fascinating and scary article by investigative journalist Seymour Hersh (responsible for uncovering the Abu Ghraib scandal) in the New Yorker.

He talks about the present thinking in the Bush administration about Iran and how the neocons are gung-ho for a military option, including the use of tactical nukes. The article shows G. W. Bush's main aim in Iran to be regime change, not just counter-proliferation. High level sources talk about how Bush believes that "saving" Iran will be his legacy.

And since he is politically free now, he is dangerous.

Speaking of President Bush, the House member (senior member of the House Appropriations Committee,) said, "The most worrisome thing is that this guy has a messianic vision."

There are senior pentagon officers and officials are trying to get the nuclear option off the table
but meeting with resistance. There are talks of high level resignations over the matter...

The attention given to the nuclear option has created serious misgivings inside the offices of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he added, and some officers have talked about resigning. Late this winter, the Joint Chiefs of Staff sought to remove the nuclear option from the evolving war plans for Iran - without success, the former intelligence official said. "The White House said, 'Why are you challenging this? The option came from you.' "

Another bit from the article...

One former defense official, who still deals with sensitive issues for the Bush Administration, told me that the military planning was premised on a belief that "a sustained bombing campaign in Iran will humiliate the religious leadership and lead the public to rise up and overthrow the government." He added, "I was shocked when I heard it, and asked myself, 'What are they smoking?' "

Please read the article. It is long but well researched and well written and very informative regarding the Iran nuclear issue.

Link to article...
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/060417fa_fact