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America `Poised to Strike at Iran's Nuclear Sites' from Bases in Bulgaria
and Romania
Report suggest that `US defensive ring' may be new front in war on terror.
Published on Sunday, January 28, 2007 by the _Sunday Herald_
(http://www.sundayherald.com/) / Scotland
by Gabriel Ronay
President Bush is preparing to attack Iran's nuclear facilities before
the end of April and the US Air Force's new bases in Bulgaria and
Romania would be used as back-up in the onslaught, according to an
official report from Sofia.
"American forces could be using their two USAF bases in Bulgaria and
one at Romania's Black Sea coast to launch an attack on Iran in
April," the Bulgarian news agency Novinite said.
The American build-up along the Black Sea, coupled with the recent
positioning of two US aircraft carrier battle groups off the Straits
of Hormuz, appears to indicate president Bush has run out of patience
with Tehran's nuclear misrepresentation and non-compliance with the UN
Security Council's resolution.
President Ahmeninejad of Iran has further ratcheted up tension in the
region by putting on show his newly purchased state of the art Russian
TOR-Ml anti-missile defence system.
Whether the Bulgarian news report is a tactical feint or a strategic
event is hard to gauge at this stage. But, in conjunction with the
beefing up of America's Italian bases and the acquisition of
anti-missile defence bases in the Czech Republic and Poland, the
Balkan developments seem to indicate a new phase in Bush's global war
on terror.
Sofia's news of advanced war preparations along the Black Sea is
backed up by some chilling details. One is the setting up of new
refuelling places for US Stealth bombers, which would spearhead an
attack on Iran. "The USAF's positioning of vital refuelling
facilities for its B-2 bombers in unusual places, including Bulgaria,
falls within the perspective of such an attack." Novinite named
Colonel Sam Gardiner, "a US secret service officer stationed in
Bulgaria", as the source of this revelation.
Curiously, the report noted that although Tony Blair, Bush's main ally
in the global war on terror, would be leaving office, the president
had optedto press on with his attack on Iran in April.
Before the end of March, 3000 US military personnel are scheduled to
arrive "on a rotating basis" at America's Bulgarian bases. Under the
US-Bulgarian military co-operation accord, signed in April,2006,an
airbase at Bezmer, a second airfield at Graf Ignitievo and a shooting
range at Novo Selo were leased to America. Significantly, last year's
bases negotiations had at one pointrun into difficulties due to
Sofia's demand "for advance warning if Washington intends to use
Bulgarian soil for attacks against other nations, particularly Iran".
Romania, the other Black Sea host to th US military, is enjoying a
dollar bonanza as its Mihail Kogalniceanu base at Constanta is being
transformed into an American "place d'arme". It is also vital to the
Iran scenario.
Last week, the Bucharest daily Evenimentual Zilei revealed the USAF is
to site several flights of F-l5, F-l6 and Al0 aircraft at the
Kogalniceanubase.
Admiral Gheorghe Marin, Romania's chief of staff, confirmed "up to
2000 American military personnel will be temporarily stationed in
Romania".
In Central Europe, the Czech Republic and Poland have also found
themselves in the Pentagon's strategic focus. Last week, Mirek
Topolanek, the Czech prime minister, and the country's national
security council agreed to the siting of a US anti-missile radar
defence system at Nepolisy. Poland has also agreed to having a US
anti-missile missile base and interceptor aircraft stationed in the
country.
Russia, however, does not see the chain of new US bases on its
doorstep asa "defensive ring". Russia's defence chief has branded the
planned US anti-missile missile sites on Czech and Polish soil as "an
open threat to Russia".
Sergey Ivanov, Russia's defence minister,spoke more circumspectly
while emphasizing Moscow's concern. He said: "Russia is no worried.
Its strategic nuclear forces can assure in any circumstance its
safety. Since neither Tehran, nor Pyongyang possess intercontinental
missiles capable of threatening theUSA, from whom is this new missile
shield supposed to protect the West? All it actually amounts to is
that Prague and Warsaw want to demonstrate their loyalty to
Washington."
Bush's Iran attack plan has brought into sharp focus the possible
costs to Central and Eastern Europe of being "pillars of Pax
Americana".
and Romania
Report suggest that `US defensive ring' may be new front in war on terror.
Published on Sunday, January 28, 2007 by the _Sunday Herald_
(http://www.sundayherald.com/) / Scotland
by Gabriel Ronay
President Bush is preparing to attack Iran's nuclear facilities before
the end of April and the US Air Force's new bases in Bulgaria and
Romania would be used as back-up in the onslaught, according to an
official report from Sofia.
"American forces could be using their two USAF bases in Bulgaria and
one at Romania's Black Sea coast to launch an attack on Iran in
April," the Bulgarian news agency Novinite said.
The American build-up along the Black Sea, coupled with the recent
positioning of two US aircraft carrier battle groups off the Straits
of Hormuz, appears to indicate president Bush has run out of patience
with Tehran's nuclear misrepresentation and non-compliance with the UN
Security Council's resolution.
President Ahmeninejad of Iran has further ratcheted up tension in the
region by putting on show his newly purchased state of the art Russian
TOR-Ml anti-missile defence system.
Whether the Bulgarian news report is a tactical feint or a strategic
event is hard to gauge at this stage. But, in conjunction with the
beefing up of America's Italian bases and the acquisition of
anti-missile defence bases in the Czech Republic and Poland, the
Balkan developments seem to indicate a new phase in Bush's global war
on terror.
Sofia's news of advanced war preparations along the Black Sea is
backed up by some chilling details. One is the setting up of new
refuelling places for US Stealth bombers, which would spearhead an
attack on Iran. "The USAF's positioning of vital refuelling
facilities for its B-2 bombers in unusual places, including Bulgaria,
falls within the perspective of such an attack." Novinite named
Colonel Sam Gardiner, "a US secret service officer stationed in
Bulgaria", as the source of this revelation.
Curiously, the report noted that although Tony Blair, Bush's main ally
in the global war on terror, would be leaving office, the president
had optedto press on with his attack on Iran in April.
Before the end of March, 3000 US military personnel are scheduled to
arrive "on a rotating basis" at America's Bulgarian bases. Under the
US-Bulgarian military co-operation accord, signed in April,2006,an
airbase at Bezmer, a second airfield at Graf Ignitievo and a shooting
range at Novo Selo were leased to America. Significantly, last year's
bases negotiations had at one pointrun into difficulties due to
Sofia's demand "for advance warning if Washington intends to use
Bulgarian soil for attacks against other nations, particularly Iran".
Romania, the other Black Sea host to th US military, is enjoying a
dollar bonanza as its Mihail Kogalniceanu base at Constanta is being
transformed into an American "place d'arme". It is also vital to the
Iran scenario.
Last week, the Bucharest daily Evenimentual Zilei revealed the USAF is
to site several flights of F-l5, F-l6 and Al0 aircraft at the
Kogalniceanubase.
Admiral Gheorghe Marin, Romania's chief of staff, confirmed "up to
2000 American military personnel will be temporarily stationed in
Romania".
In Central Europe, the Czech Republic and Poland have also found
themselves in the Pentagon's strategic focus. Last week, Mirek
Topolanek, the Czech prime minister, and the country's national
security council agreed to the siting of a US anti-missile radar
defence system at Nepolisy. Poland has also agreed to having a US
anti-missile missile base and interceptor aircraft stationed in the
country.
Russia, however, does not see the chain of new US bases on its
doorstep asa "defensive ring". Russia's defence chief has branded the
planned US anti-missile missile sites on Czech and Polish soil as "an
open threat to Russia".
Sergey Ivanov, Russia's defence minister,spoke more circumspectly
while emphasizing Moscow's concern. He said: "Russia is no worried.
Its strategic nuclear forces can assure in any circumstance its
safety. Since neither Tehran, nor Pyongyang possess intercontinental
missiles capable of threatening theUSA, from whom is this new missile
shield supposed to protect the West? All it actually amounts to is
that Prague and Warsaw want to demonstrate their loyalty to
Washington."
Bush's Iran attack plan has brought into sharp focus the possible
costs to Central and Eastern Europe of being "pillars of Pax
Americana".