Posted on 01/17/2005 11:44:14 AM PST by Jomini
The Pentagon on Monday criticized a published report that said it was mounting reconnaissance missions inside Iran to identify potential nuclear and other targets. "The Iranian regime's apparent nuclear ambitions and its demonstrated support for terrorist organizations is a global challenge that deserves much more serious treatment than Seymour Hersh provides in the New Yorker article titled "The Coming Wars," the Pentagon's chief spokesman, Lawrence DiRita, said in a statement.
Hersh's article, published on Sunday, was "so riddled with errors of fundamental fact that the credibility of his entire piece is destroyed," DiRita said.
Hersh reported that President Bush had signed a series of top-secret findings and executive orders authorizing secret commando groups and other Special Forces military units to conduct covert operations against suspected terrorist targets in as many as 10 nations in the Middle East and South Asia.
DiRita did not comment on that assertion.
Instead, he said, Hersh's sources fed him "rumor, innuendo, and assertions about meetings that never happened, programs that do not exist and statements by officials that were never made."
Asked whether U.S. military forces had been conducting reconnaissance missions in Iran, Defense Department spokesman Lt. Col. Barry Venable said, "We don't discuss missions, capabilities or activities of Special Operations forces."
Hersh is too late to halt the next campaign in the war on terror. Within 48 hours of the initial strikes, the Iranian nuclear threat will be collapsed, the US and Britain will own Abu Musa and the Tumbs -- and with any kind of luck a revolution will be sparked.
Iranian air-defences have sharp teeth and their anti-ship missiles can do serious damage. Of course the Pentagon is preparing to neutralise these threats -- of course the Pentagon has to deny these stories. Tehran would be wise to immediately begin seeking terms.
J
As usual, Hersch is as accurate as he was about John O'Neill.
Reconnaissance missions take place all the time. The idea that we have people there watching so we must be getting ready to attack doesn't quite add up. What is so wrong with being prepared? These Iranians are a swirly bunch, we need to be prepared for anything. But being ready for it, doesn't guarantee that it is going to happen.
Hersh's mission in life seems to be to undermine the security of the United States.
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