Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, the Clock is Running

Election season, in my opinion, brings out the worst in politicians. This is the point in the political process where we get a glimpse into their souls. How? By looking at how they plan to keep a tight grip on the power they have. This is usually done through the threat of impending doom to make sure you vote for them out of fear instead of reason. Many writers think that this season will be no different; that this year's tactics will include the "gathering threat of annihilation by a nuclear Iran." I, however, think the evidence points to something even more sinister than that. You may recall that about a month ago I wrote:

If the President does not pursue the first option, then consider the clock running on the second. Hmm... Sixty days from now would put us in the middle of October. Could this be an indication of an upcoming October surprise or am I just paranoid? Only time will tell.

What I was writing about was President Bush's announcement that the nation "is at war with Islamic fascists." The options mentioned were:

[T]he President [could] go back to Congress and ask for a brand new AUMF that allows him the authority to wage war on "Islamic fascists". This would satisfy the requirements found in the War Powers Resolution (see 50USC1542). Either that, or he could wage an undeclared sixty days war on Islamic fascists. However, when the sixty day period ran out he would be required by law to end it or ask Congress for an extension (see 50USC15449(b)).

Wikipedia, among others, includes in it's definition of 'Islamic fascists' the nation of Iran.

 

That bit takes care of the past. Now lets look at the present. While listening to the American Radio Show, Dave Champion read from an article that stated:

The Nation has learned that the Bush Administration and the Pentagon have moved up the deployment of a major "strike group" of ships, including the nuclear aircraft carrier Eisenhower as well as a cruiser, destroyer, frigate, submarine escort and supply ship, to head for the Persian Gulf, just off Iran's western coast. This information follows a report in the current issue of Time magazine, both online and in print, that a group of ships capable of mining harbors has received orders to be ready to sail for the Persian Gulf by October 1.

You may have noticed that October 1 has come and gone. Does anyone know where the Eisenhower is? 

 

Now for the future... Tick-tock, tick-tock, the clock is running. Unfortunately, time will only tell will these events will lead us (the batteries in my crystal ball seem to be dead). I just hope that Americans fully understand what life will be like if our supply of oil runs dry. Quoting from this Time magazine article:

Next, there is oil. The Persian Gulf, a traffic jam on good days, would become a parking lot. Iran could plant mines and launch dozens of armed boats into the bottleneck, choking off the shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz and causing a massive disruption of oil-tanker traffic. A low-key Iranian mining operation in 1987 forced the U.S. to reflag Kuwaiti oil tankers and escort them, in slow-moving files of one and two, up and down the Persian Gulf. A more intense operation would probably send oil prices soaring above $100 per bbl.--which may explain why the Navy wants to be sure its small fleet of minesweepers is ready to go into action at a moment's notice. It is unlikely that Iran would turn off its own oil spigot or halt its exports through pipelines overland, but it could direct its proxies in Iraq and Saudi Arabia to attack pipelines, wells and shipment points inside those countries, further choking supply and driving up prices.

Remember these things in the coming weeks and months. The plans have already been made. The only thing left for the politicians to do is to sell it to the American people. How about it, America? Are you in a 'buying' mood?