This 1-2-3 doesn't add up to anything. Whatever the US, Canada and three western European countries decide to do is inconsequential to Iran, which is in Asia and has strong trade and political relationships with important Asian countries, including Japan (the largest recipient of Iran petroleum exports), China (#2), India and Malaysia. The US, Canada and western Europe are currently in economic contraction, with negative GDP growth, while China is at 10% and India 8.5%. Are these countries going to stifle their own growth for an Israeli pipe dream? No way, Jose.

So don't worry about the death cries of dying empires. Iran is doing quite well, thank you, especially with their new friendly neighbor next door -- Iraq. They thank the US for that.

You missed the main point.
The only security priorities listed in the NSS are nukes and terrorism.
So why does the US need ten nuclear carrier fleets, fleets of bombers and fighter, fifty ton tanks, heavy artillery and two million people under arms during a time of economic hardship??

"Turkey: Future Gaza Aid Ships Will Have Military Escorts"
There is no basis for this claim.

The ISAE can express "umbrage" til the cows come home, but in doing so they are acting outside the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) framework as obvious tools of the US and the other western powers that control the UNSC and often the IAEA.

NPT extracts:

Article III
1. Each non-nuclear-weapon State Party to the Treaty undertakes to accept safeguards, as set forth in an agreement to be negotiated and concluded with the International Atomic Energy Agency in accordance with the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Agencys safeguards system, for the exclusive purpose of verification of the fulfillment of its obligations assumed under this Treaty with a view to preventing diversion of nuclear energy from peaceful uses to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.
3. The safeguards required by this article shall be implemented in a manner designed to comply with article IV of this Treaty, and to avoid hampering the economic or technological development of the Parties or international cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear activities,

Article IV
1. Nothing in this Treaty shall be interpreted as affecting the inalienable right of all the Parties to the Treaty to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with articles I and II of this Treaty.
2. All the Parties to the Treaty undertake to facilitate, and have the right to participate in, the fullest possible exchange of equipment, materials and scientific and technological information for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

note particularly-
***the International Atomic Energy Agency . . . for the exclusive purpose of verification of the fulfillment of its obligations assumed under this Treaty with a view to preventing diversion of nuclear energy from peaceful uses to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.***

again-
***for the exclusive purpose. . .preventing diversion***
http://www.fas.org/nuke/control/npt/text/npt2.htm

Al-Qaeda was responsible for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, so what's one more? The only negative aspect is that the US wouldn't be included in this one, so there's no potential profit in it -- that's what pisses Gates.

How many presidential national emergencies are enough?

There were nineteen (19) US national emergencies declared by President George W. Bush, and according to a law passed to eliminate such foolishness, they must be renewed on their anniversary or they expire. President Obama has renewed all fourteen of the NE's that were due to expire since his inauguration, with five to go. The first NE that Obama renewed deals with the terrible threat from the Ivory Coast: -- – "Because the situation in or in relation to Côte d'Ivoire continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, the national emergency declared on February 7, 2006, and the measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond February 7, 2009."

The most recent NE s Obama renewed were two that were due to expire in September on the terrorist threat. Two national emergencies on terrorism. The next NE Obama will undoubtedly renew will be on Sudan: -- "the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the actions and policies of the Government of Sudan" , last renewed October 30, 2008.

Iran, as an NPT signatory, has the right to pursue a peaceful nuclear program, and the IAEA is EXCLUSIVELY limited to verifying the non-diversion of nuclear energy to weapons programs. While the IAEA has consistently and repeatedly determined that there has been no diversion, the IAEA has been roped into UN politics for other purposes which are outside of its legal purview.

Article III, NPT
1. Each non-nuclear-weapon State Party to the Treaty undertakes to accept safeguards, as set forth in an agreement to be negotiated and concluded with the International Atomic Energy Agency in accordance with the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Agencys safeguards system, for the exclusive purpose of verification of the fulfillment of its obligations assumed under this Treaty with a view to preventing diversion of nuclear energy from peaceful uses to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.

** for the exclusive purpose of verification of the fulfillment of its obligations assumed under this Treaty with a view to preventing diversion of nuclear energy**

3. The safeguards required by this article shall be implemented in a manner designed to comply with article IV of this Treaty, and to avoid hampering the economic or technological development of the Parties or international cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear activities, including the international exchange of nuclear material and equipment for the processing, use or production of nuclear material for peaceful purposes in accordance with the provisions of this article and the principle of safeguarding set forth in the Preamble of the Treaty.

**to avoid hampering the economic or technological development of the Parties or international cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear activities**

Article IV
1. Nothing in this Treaty shall be interpreted as affecting the inalienable right of all the Parties to the Treaty to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with articles I and II of this Treaty.

**the inalienable right of all the Parties to the Treaty to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes**

The basic problem is that Pakistanis don't like Americans.

form the latest Pew Global Attitudes Project, Aug 13, 2009:
"Opinions of America and its people remain extremely negative. Barack Obama's global popularity is not evident in Pakistan, and America's image remains as tarnished in that country as it was in the Bush years. Only 22% of Pakistanis think the U.S. takes their interests into account when making foreign policy decisions, essentially unchanged from 21% since 2007. Fully 64% of the public regards the U.S. as an enemy, while only 9% describe it as a partner."
http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID...

Fully 64% of the public regards the U.S. as an enemy, that's not good.

General McChrystal should go for the insubordination mentioned above, plus the insolence he displayed in wearing his cammies for the 25-minute dress-down by the CINC on Air Force One. McChrystal had worn his Class A's for the London speech, but went to the Class C's for the President. Not only was this insolent, but it was in violation of Army Regulation 670-1 which says that Class A's (greens) should be worn on public occasions, and utility uniforms are reserved for specific duties in the field, in hospitals etc.

Take up the largest drill you can find and bring it over to Phoenix. Start drilling straight in on a constant latitude and eventually that drill will emerge on the other side of the world, in the barren hills of the Hindu Kush. Well, not entirely barren, because the US has military outposts there, protecting Americans including the millions in Phoenix. Makes sense to me.