Briefly: The Mole Hunt Is On
All signals point to the leak regarding the planned Israeli attack on Iran being genuine—meaning, the two leaked docs are real docs providing real information. (Cf. the posts from yesterday.) The usual suspects are demanding a full investigation:
Megatron @Megatron_ron
NEW:
The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, told CNN that the American intelligence community is conducting an investigation into the leaking of classified documents regarding the Israeli preparations for an attack on Iran.
He added that this is a serious incident, and indicated that he and other senior officials in the House of Representatives and the Senate will receive a classified briefing on the leak and the investigation today.
That’s one of those statements you can pretty much take any way you want to.
The big question remains: Was this an authorized or an unauthorized leak? Subsidiary questions are: Does this leak reflect a regime consensus against war on Iran before the election or against war on Iran ever. Another set of questions: Was this a leak by a faction within the government or by an individual?
But here’s another thought. Suppose the leaker is identified. Will there be a trial? If there is a trial, what defense might be mounted? Might it be possible for the leaker/defendant to mount a defense based on the proposition that he/she was attempting to head of an unconstitutional war? How might a jury react to even that suggestion—never mind what instructions a judge might give. More importanty, how might the nation react?
On a somewhat related note—because it’s all related …
Christopher Cavoli heads the US European Command, the top US general over there.
Spiegel interview with General Cavoli and Inspector General Breuer: Key statements:
* Breuer: We must always be aware of Putin's intentions. Russia's war economy is running at full speed. Putin is preparing Russian society for a long conflict. He is reorganizing the Russian military districts and forcing a major expansion of the land forces. So we don't have endless time to reposition ourselves.
Correct. And Putin understands that this “long conflict” is a global conflict. I haven’t seen any evidence that the US has done anything concrete to reposition itself. Unless by “repositioning” one understands withdrawing, standing down, downsizing.
* SPIEGEL: Where are the biggest gaps in NATO?
* Cavoli: The war in Ukraine has shown us how important air defense is, something that was unforeseeable just a few years ago. Almost all countries in the world can now build modern drones and even long-range cruise missiles. We must react to this, and quickly.
Unforeseeable to whom? Putin and Russia foresaw the need for air defense and how air defense could neutralize the US reliance on airborne striking power. More effectively and more cost effectively than by ever more complex and costly aircraft. Hypersonic missiles, anyone? Who has ‘em, who doesn’t?
* Cavoli: The Russian armed forces are learning, improving, applying the experience of the war. At the end of the Ukraine war, whatever that looks like, the Russian military will be stronger than it is today. These armed forces will be on the border of our alliance. They will be commanded by the same people who already see us as an enemy today and will then be pretty angry about how the war went. So we will have an enemy with real capabilities, mass and a clear intention. That is why we must be ready and we need armed forces that can stand up to it.
Cavoli implicitly recognizes that Russia will win—it already has, in effect—and that that will place Russia on the border of NATO. When you realize that Russia is already on the border with NATO—the Baltics, Finland, Norway—you have to ask what he’s talking about. I suggest he’s talking about Poland and Romania. Creating a very angry and powerful Russia was a bad idea from the start. Who will be accountable for that?
Zin Note: The West will have two major problems after this conflict, the first being what is mentioned in the interview above. Not only Russia, but much of the Eastern world will be mobilized to fight the Western powers. The second, less discussed, issue is the fact that an albatross called "Ukraine" will be tied around their neck. Not only will this broken territory cost a lot of money to rebuild, but it's already corrupt government will be broken and cease to function properly, and it will not be widely acceptable to supply it with sufficient defenses for the risks to global security that could result. Ukraine will be a rogue nation on the verge of collapse and dependent on outside assistance for the near to mid future. https://t.me/EastCalling
The Neocons have created a world of problems for America.
Cavoli probably had to swallow hard to give him time to figure out how to redirect based on ad lib after he says "Unforseeable just a few years ago" He meant to say "due to our hegemony in the US we weren't anticipating needing this just yet as we have the defense industry locked into our other no longer needed investments".
Further, seems like Assange or Snowden types remain amongst our Intel community. Snowden now lives in Russia and Assange is New Zealand I believe. Stay tuned.
Culprit(s) could come from Kamala's camp as they are more empathetic to Gaza / Hamas etc.. Or it could have come from Zhou's camp as a set up to blame Kamala's camp. If from either camp I speculate its intent (motivation) to get Israel to stand down. Of course above all, shows US involvement and complicit in all of it. Perhaps that is the real motivation.