Attack On Iran In The Near Future?

According to Slate and their analysis of Time Magazine's latest issue it sure as hell looks that way. According to Time, a "prepare to deploy" order has been sent out to U.S. Navy submarines, an Aegis-class cruiser, two minesweepers, and two mine-hunting ships. The chief of naval operations, the nation's top admiral, has ordered a fresh look at contingency plans for blockading Iran's oil ports. The Slate article takes the view that quite possibly this is a bluff to make Iran think an attack is imminent so they will negotiate. there are at least two possibilities: The Bush administration really is gearing up for war, and some dissenting officers want to sound the alarm and rouse opposition. Or the administration wants to make the Iranians think an attack is brewing in order to pressure them into a diplomatic solution. As Fred Kaplan says in his article, that would be the saner of the two options (attack or diplomacy), but the way I see it, Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld haven't used a "sane" attitude since they stole the Presidency and I doubt saneness returning at this late date. In addition to the Slate/Time stories, there is this from ICH titled This is how US will attack Iran that raises the alarm of the situation with Iran to a higher level. It will take a few days, with thousands of sorties, satellite and laser-guided bombs will be aimed at targets -– 1,500 already planned by Pentagon -– and will try to infiltrate armed concrete, under which some of nuclear sites are hidden. Meanwhile, Washington launches diplomatic blitz in attempt to promote sanctions on Tehran. Well the diplomatic blitz started today with Bush yammering away at the U.N. However, the article goes on to say this about the Time report: The attack, the Time says, will be limited to the nuclear facilities in Iran and will be aimed at 18 to 30 different facilities connected to the nuclear program. The sites are spread across the country, some of them exposed, some operating under the guise of regular plants, and others buried deep under the ground. Sources in the Pentagon told the magazine that among the sites the Americans are familiar with are 1,500 targets for an attack. In other words, the military offensive requires activating nearly all types of planes in the army's possession: Warplanes and stealth vehicles, F-15 and F-16 aircrafts taking off from the land and an F-18 which takes off from an aircraft carrier. I don't know about you, but given the track record of this neocon bunch, I wouldn't put too much stock in their claims of using diplomacy. This would take talking with Tehran, not preaching to them and the world what their demands are, and this Administration is not capable of a civil dialogue with anyone. Read on.....