Israel Preparing for Iran

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-09-23 07:46pm

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Iran has said it will react "most severely" to any Israeli action against its nuclear facilities, issuing the warning after Israel said the United States was selling it 500 bunker buster bombs.

Israeli military officials said Tuesday that the Jewish state will receive nearly 5,000 smart bombs, including the 500 one-ton bombs that can destroy two-yard-thick (two-meter-thick) concrete walls.

In 1981, Israel bombed Iraq's nuclear reactor before it could begin operating.

On Wednesday Israel said that Iran would never abandon plans to develop nuclear weapons and called for quick action by the U.N. Security Council "to put an end to this nightmare."

Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, asked Wednesday about the sale of the monster bombs, told reporters: "Israel has always been a threat, not only against Iran, but all countries."

The main conflict in the Middle East, Kharrazi said, is Israel's "freedom to produce as much as they need -- nuclear bombs as well as other weapons of mass destruction."

"But be sure, any action by Israel certainly will be reacted by us, most severely," Kharrazi said after he met British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly's ministerial meeting.

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom sidestepped the question Wednesday of whether Israel would take military action against Iran if it continued to pursue its nuclear ambitions.

"They are trying to buy time, and the time has come to move the Iranian case to the Security Council in order to put an end to this nightmare," he told reporters after meeting U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

"We know that the Europeans are trying now to engage with the Iranians, but we know that the Iranians will never abandon their plans to develop nuclear weapons. They're only trying to hide it," he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, responding to a question about an Israeli attack on Iranian facilities similar to the Iraqi strike, said: "We're talking about diplomacy and political efforts to stop this movement on the part of the Iranians toward a nuclear weapon."

"We're not talking about strikes. But every option always, of course, remains on the table."

The U.N. atomic watchdog agency demanded last weekend that Iran freeze uranium enrichment and related activities, such as the building of centrifuges, within two months.

Failure to do so could lead to the International Atomic Energy Agency passing Iran's nuclear file to the U.N. Security Council, which could impose sanctions.

Iran vowed Tuesday to continue a nuclear program some suspect is aimed at developing weapons, even if it means ending cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

Iran maintains its uranium enrichment program is to generate electricity, not produce nuclear weapons.

"We consider it our right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes," said Karrazi, the Iranian foreign minister.

He insisted "there are ways and means to arrive at a compromise" over the demands to halt its enrichment program.

Besides the 500 one-ton killer bombs in the arms sale, Israel will get 2,500 one-ton bombs, 1,000 half-ton bombs and 500 quarter-ton bombs, the Israeli military officials said.

Israel's announcement of the purchase came after the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible military sale to Israel worth as much as $319 million.

The agency said in a June 1 press release that the sale "will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that has been, and continues to be, an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East."

CJvR · Post by **CJvR** » 2004-09-23 08:09pm

How do you maintain MAD against lunatics eager to die? Perhaps the Ayatollahs have developed enough taste for the worldly stuff to be less eager to leave it even for 72 virgins...

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-09-23 08:11pm

Here's a stupid question. If Israel pulls an Osirak Part 2 (Iranian Boogaloo), and Iran declares war on them, wouldn't that put us square in the middle of the mess? Iran has to go through Iraq, among other things, in order to get to Israel and visa versa, which is right now under our control, thus they both have to go through our airspace. If shit hits the fan and the prospect is war, we are going to have to get involved, aren't we?

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-09-23 08:12pm

Oh fucking great. Just what the region needs, another Yom Kippur and this time when the West is so heavily tied up over there. Why can't Iran and Israel just mutually nuke themselves and leave us the heck alone?

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2004-09-23 08:13pm

Don't worry folks, the UN will handle this before it gets out of hand.

Mlenk · Post by **Mlenk** » 2004-09-23 08:34pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:Don't worry folks, the UN will handle this before it gets out of hand.

PLEASE say that was sarcasm.....

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2004-09-23 08:39pm

With US troops on the eastern Iranian boarder and US troops on the Western Iranian boarder, oooof, this will be interesting.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2004-09-23 08:41pm

Gil Hamilton wrote:Here's a stupid question. If Israel pulls an Osirak Part 2 (Iranian Boogaloo), and Iran declares war on them, wouldn't that put us square in the middle of the mess? Iran has to go through Iraq, among other things, in order to get to Israel and visa versa, which is right now under our control, thus they both have to go through our airspace. If shit hits the fan and the prospect is war, we are going to have to get involved, aren't we?

Actually the most logical attack route would be through low level through Saudi Arabia to avoid Jordanian and Syrian radar coverage. That is how the Osirak raid was flown. Iran wouldn't see them coming until the raid was a couple miles out, and they'd have no way of proving it was ever detected by US radar. The US would be inbetween nothing, Isreal has only a very limited ability to attack Iran, and Iran cannot return the favor by any direct means.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2004-09-23 08:45pm

Mlenk wrote:PLEASE say that was sarcasm.....

Of course not, France is sending a carrier group to the Persian Gulf as we speak. They're gonna go in there, bitchslap the Iranians, return home, and tell their women to start shaving their pits because the French men are going to be the men again.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-09-23 08:46pm

Sea Skimmer wrote:Actually the most logical attack route would be through low level through Saudi Arabia to avoid Jordanian and Syrian radar coverage. That is how the Osirak raid was flown. Iran wouldn't see them coming until the raid was a couple miles out, and they'd have no way of proving it was ever detected by US radar. The US would be inbetween nothing, Isreal has only a very limited ability to attack Iran, and Iran cannot return the favor by any direct means.

Yes, but if the Israelis do attack Iran and take out their nuclear facility, Iran is still going to declare war. That still puts us between them and Israel, doesn't it? You don't think that Iran would just take that slap in the face from Israel, do you?

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2004-09-23 08:58pm

Gil Hamilton wrote: Yes, but if the Israelis do attack Iran and take out their nuclear facility, Iran is still going to declare war. That still puts us between them and Israel, doesn't it? You don't think that Iran would just take that slap in the face from Israel, do you?

Actually I think it is quite likely that they will as Iraq did. The only way they can overtly strike back is terrorism and or another tanker, which means war with the US, the Gulf States and probably a big chunk of NATO for starters. This isn't 1988, they know they couldn't get away with hit and run attacks on shipping, and they know that as busy as the US Army might be, the USAF'S can still bomb there country back fifty years. There most likely response would be to step up arms shipments to the Palestinians, and too get back to work on a nuclear program, this time hidden away somewhere less easy to wipe off the map.

Anyway, this arms shipment is proof of nothing. Israel already has a large arsenal of 2000 pound and possibly larger penitrating bombs and has had them for a very long time. They are getting no new capability.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2004-09-23 09:27pm

Knife wrote:With US troops on the eastern Iranian boarder and US troops on the Western Iranian boarder, oooof, this will be interesting.

The Iranians aren't that stupid. Their goal would be to link us with Israeli action, thus pushing an even bigger wedge between us and our Arab allies. Something like another oil embargo would be the best they could hope for. Even though it wouldn't kill anyone, such an action would definately fuck us over pretty bad.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-09-23 09:29pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:Don't worry folks, the UN will handle this before it gets out of hand.

Sorry, I just about pissed myself laughing.

Seriously, this is going to be one hell of a mess no question about it.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-09-23 09:32pm

If Iran invaded Iraq in an effort to attack Israel, the Iraqi populace would have a new target for their aggression. I kind of doubt that the Iranians are stupid enough to try something like that, which may actually strengthen the US position in the region, and since Iranian military forces are more or less targets for American weapons it would accomplish little.

Mlenk · Post by **Mlenk** » 2004-09-23 10:18pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:
Of course not, France is sending a carrier group to the Persian Gulf as we speak. They're gonna go in there, bitchslap the Iranians, return home, and tell their women to start shaving their pits because the French men are going to be the men again.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-09-23 10:40pm

Mlenk wrote:
Wicked Pilot wrote:
Of course not, France is sending a carrier group to the Persian Gulf as we speak. They're gonna go in there, bitchslap the Iranians, return home, and tell their women to start shaving their pits because the French men are going to be the men again.

Holy Shit. This confirms that Wicked Pilot has gone crazy.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2004-09-23 10:58pm

Iran will never declare general war on Israel over this; the Ayotollahs would prefer to not lose their country.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2004-09-23 11:11pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:
The Iranians aren't that stupid. Their goal would be to link us with Israeli action, thus pushing an even bigger wedge between us and our Arab allies. Something like another oil embargo would be the best they could hope for. Even though it wouldn't kill anyone, such an action would definately fuck us over pretty bad.

Lucky for the US, the major Arab oil states don't have anything like the cash reserves they did in 1973; they simply couldn't afford an oil embargo. Even if they did try to launch one, most major Arab oil producers simply wouldn't participate anyway, espically among the gulf states, none of whom are likely to have any great desire to see a nuclear Iran.

CJvR · Post by **CJvR** » 2004-09-24 09:51am

I seriously doubt the Ayatollahs will do the world such a huge favor as sending their army and revolting Guard off to die in Iraq. It would be wonderful if they did though, lets hope... :twisted: