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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Pentagon denies report on planning war against Iran
2006-09-21
(Xinhua) -- The Pentagon has dismissed a media report that the U.S. Navy is secretly planning war on Iran, The Army Times reported Wednesday.
"No, no! Certainly not!"
The Pentagon was responding to a Time magazine report published on Sept. 18, which said Chief of Naval Operations Mike Mullen had asked subordinates to put "fresh eyes" on old U.S. plans to blockade two Iranian oil ports on the Gulf. The order allegedly came after the Navy first issued a "prepare to deploy" order to a submarine, an Aegis-class cruiser, two mine-sweepers and two mine hunters, the magazine reported. However, the Pentagon denied such planning and said it hopes relations with Iran could improve through dialogue, not military action. "We're going to approach the concerns that we and the international community have with Iran diplomatically," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said Tuesday. "Time will tell," he added.
Posted by:Fred

#10  We have no plans for a Land/Sea/Air invasion of Quebec either, but I'm sure someone has a copy of "Gretzky Hat Trick" filed under "Angry Canucks" in some obscure office somewhere.
Posted by: Capsu 78   2006-09-21 19:25  

#9  Reminds me of Bush's response before invading Iraq (paraphrase): "There are no plans on my desk to use military force against Iraq."
Posted by: xbalanke   2006-09-21 16:45  

#8  Just the Army dissing the Navy again. Maybe they will both win?
Posted by: OyVey1   2006-09-21 12:39  

#7  Planning? No. Have a plan in place? Yes.
Posted by: DarthVader   2006-09-21 10:30  

#6  Yaaasss, but what would you tell us if you were planning an attack?
Posted by: Bobby   2006-09-21 10:09  

#5  errr.....know nothing...
Posted by: Omasing Glinesing6559   2006-09-21 10:04  

#4  Technically speaking, the Pentagon doesn't have a plan on Iran. That is the responsibility of CENTCOM. CENTCOM puts it together and then coordinates with the Pentagon on supporting the operation. The Goldwater-Nichols Act arranged things that way. Considering the vast majority of reporters no nothing about their subject matter, why would you think they'd know who to ask the right question to?
Posted by: Omasing Glinesing6559   2006-09-21 10:03  

#3  The Pentagon has zer-effing-oh obligation to even hint about any plans regarding Iran. Fuck knows that the NYT would have a bale of papers with screamer headlines on the next plane out to Tehran.
Posted by: Zenster   2006-09-21 08:22  

#2  Can't win. Either ya get condemned because you're brushing off plans and reviewing/tweaking them, or ya get condemned because ya weren't prepared when it hit the fan.

"Time will tell," he added.

Freudian slip?
Posted by: Pappy   2006-09-21 01:23  

#1  "Thats right, D *** it, thats RUSSIA's job" - PRAVDA.com > RUSSIA"S NEW DEFENSE DOCTRINE sees USA, NATO, + International Terrorism as future threats.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2006-09-21 00:43  

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