Loose the dogs of war ...

It’s springtime! Wartime!

Throughout history, nations have waited if they could for the cold and hardship of winter to break before launching new battles and starting new wars. It’s sensible – proceed to the fight while the weather is cool, but not frozen, hoping to win before the oppressive heat of summer requires greater supplies of water to keep the troops moving. As the months move forward from spring, food is easier to get, less of it is required for human energy and shelter is not as vital. Life burgeons; death seems far away.

And armies can move more easily and much faster in the spring and summer. In our modern times, aircraft fly at much less risk and launch missiles with greater accuracy -- in spite of all our high technology -- when the weather is good and the skies are clear. The onset of fall and winter forces a gradual reduction of hostilities in conventional battle. Armies hunker down and commanders concentrate on chest beating, saber-rattling and inobtrusive maneuvering for strategic placement and tactical gain in preparation for the spring ahead.

We saw this strategic mindset take place, almost like clockwork, when Bush started the Iraq war, which had its fourth dark anniversary last week. Now, with the seizure of 15 British soldiers by the Iranians for allegedly violating Iran’s maritime boundaries – an insult the British deny – the scenario for war against Iran is being set.

Throughout the late summer, fall and winter American warships moved toward and arrived in the Persian Gulf, ostensibly for “exercises.” Harsh words and threats were volleyed back and forth. The “nuclear option” was bandied about. American ally Israel stated that it would not hesitate to launch nuclear weapons against Iran, should Iran be provocative toward that tiny, bristling nation. Iran’s progress on its own nuclear power capabilities, supposedly in order to meet its civilian energy needs, continued in defiance of international threats and sanctions. There were rumors of American and British special forces penetrating Iran’s borders on intelligence gathering missions. As all that happened, America accused Iran of helping Iraqi insurgents with bigger and better bombs – accusations which could not be proven, but nevertheless influenced popular support for some future, punitive action against Iran.

Far brighter minds than mine have been warning for some time now that placing armed carrier groups in the narrow, shallow gulf is folly, an "international incident" and possible trigger for war waiting to happen. This is obvious to any thinking person – I thought of it the moment I heard they were headed that way.

Now, that incident has occurred. Here in America, our media – and thus the people – are focused on our lying Attorney General (America’s top lawmaker – hah!) and the House’s passage of a bill that sets timetables to bring our troops home and end American involvement in the civil war in Iraq that we started. Few are watching what’s happening Over There. Is it any wonder that Bush is, against all logic, refusing to abandon Gonzales and calling glitzy press conferences regarding that issue and the Democratic bill to bring our troops home? Not to anyone who thinks. It’s smoke and mirrors, a dodge, a bluff, a time-waster. Because when the missiles start flying against Iran, U.S. Attorneys fired for political reasons and ineffectual congressional bills will fall by the wayside as America is forced to rally and support the new -- and far more ominous -- war of opportunity against Iran by men who have cudgels for brains and ATMs for hearts.

Springtime is here. Time for war.