So this is interesting:
The representatives — a European diplomat and a U.S. official — said a large number of Russian technicians, engineers and other specialists have returned to Moscow in the past week, at about the same time senior Russian and Iranian officials tried unsuccessfully to resolve financial differences over the Bushehr nuclear reactor. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because their information was confidential.
"A good number of them have left recently," said the U.S. official, of the approximately 2,000 Russian workers on site of the nearly completed reactor outside the southern city of Bushehr. The European diplomat, who is accredited to the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, said a large number had left as recently as last week.
Quite interesting. Could the Russians have made a quick calculation of costs about their help to the Iranian nuclear project? I guess eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat would eliminate the need to put anti-missiles in Eastern Europe--a move the Russians have protested with much gusto.
Of course, if we strike Iran, they will strike back--probably against Israel with forces in Lebanon and perhaps with long-range missiles from Iran that survive our assault.
So this is interesting, too. The Israelis are staging a huge civil defense drill:
A total of 5,000 police, or 25 percent of the overall operational force, and 6,000 soldiers were to take part in the drill, security officials said. About 130 communities will be involved in the operation, Rosenfeld said.
If I was really suspicious, I'd say these are connected events. But I've thought I've seen signs of impending assault on Iran many times in the last three years. A couple dots do not make a full picture. Except in retrospect when everyone should have seen it coming based on those two dots. It is too easy to connect dots to create the picture you expect to see.
But you never know.
