WEll,wasnt their regecting these latest offers,the last 'preconditions' to nuclear strikes?

Posted by: Patriot5 at June 18, 2006 9:37 AM

Did anyone else see the History Channel special that aired on Fri., June 16th? "Iran: The Next Iraq?"

Here's the description straight from the site:

"For over 25 years, "Death to America" has been the rallying cry of the Iranian government, but it's only recently that the threat has become chillingly real and the Islamic Republic of Iran has emerged as perhaps the most clear and present danger to American security. This special will explore the once proud military tradition of Iran, its recent decline in power, and the country's struggle to gain a place among the world's super powers. We will also examine evidence that shows Iran is secretly pursuing a nuclear weapon and just may intend to use on the United States or its allies."

historychannel.com

Also, I noticed they have a segment coming up that many readers here will probably want to tune into:

"Ottoman Empire: The War Machine"

Airs on June 22nd, 8 PM EST.

No, I don't work for the History Channel. LOL.

Foehammer

Posted by: Foehammer at June 18, 2006 12:38 PM

We ain't talking logic here.

Posted by: arjun.sevak at June 18, 2006 2:01 PM

Israel is target one.

The U.S. is the slow bullsyeye.

These paranoid patriarchs in Iran think that- since the Jews and Zionism "run" the engine of Western Resistence to Islam- if a mortal blow to Israel could be struck, then, by their ill-logic, this annihilating attack would also cause severe damage to the potency of the expatriate Zionism "running" the war policy of the U.S.

The Western people could then escape the clutches of the Hebrew propaganda and see the folly of ever trying to help the Israelis.

We might then even join Islam in its crushing of the Jews.

Sounds good if you have the I.Q. of a pistachio nut.

Posted by: profitsbeard at June 18, 2006 2:45 PM

"The Islamic republic of Iran will not give up its rights. One cannot fix preconditions to hold negotiations without taking into account the position of the other party," he added." Quote..

Just the same thing said weeks ago when the offer from the "west" was given. They said then they would not "give up their rights", and many were saying the west was caving in with the offer.

But remember, this is the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The "west" knew what they would "finally" say, but the offer must be made to show they are trying to work out the issue.

Now the dredded U.N. may have to take this up.

Posted by: Islofob IS-1 at June 18, 2006 3:04 PM

Before they use them they are going to have to test them and the delivery system. Can't do that without us knowing.. .

Creating a viable isn't such a great feat. Actually, that is the easy part -- a high school Physics book will tell you how to design the thing.

The "hard part" was and is getting the fissable material.

Since there was only one test at the Trinity site on July 16, 1945 which involved the implosion-design plutonium version later used over Nagasaki,
I do not believe that the uranium known as "little boy" was ever tested prior to its use over Hiroshima; probably, because U235 was hard to get with 1940's technology and plutonium much easier to obtain since it was a by-product.

Therefore, I would not rely upon the notion that a "nuclear device" requires "testing" (and therefore detection) before use as Hiroshima will attest.

If they sneak a nuclear device into the US and detonate it. Just imagine the response they'd get.

I'm afraid I'll have to imagine.

Its a no-win situation for them

Considering the after effects of an all out nuclear exchange -- the living may truly envy the ! But, what are we going to do?

That, we'll figure out when we get there! Until then, its all speculation.

Posted by: witness at June 18, 2006 5:13 PM

-witness,

You're right about the fact that only one implosion-type bomb was tested prior to the Nagasaki attack while no "gun-type" bomb using uranium isotope 235 was tested prior to the Hiroshima drop. However, plutonium is not a by product of the separation process. Plutonium must be actively produced by a different process.

Fortunately, while the gun-type is easier from an engineering perspective, the fissile material is harder to come by.

Unfortunately, although an implosion device is harder to manufacture, requiring precise machining of the core and explosive lenses as well as needing high-speed switches to make sure the latter all go off at the same time, the active component is easier to acquire as the raw material to produce it is relatively abundant.

The Mo-Dogg Mullahs in Iran have access to more than enough uranium isotope 238 to get plenty of bang for their rial.

You're also right about the high school physics book. I found out all this stuff when I was in junior high school.

Posted by: Eisenhund at June 18, 2006 5:56 PM

BTW, I don't work at Sandia, Lawrence Livermore, or Hanford, and while the technical details may differ from my simplified description, I do believe that the processes are essentially as I described them.

If anyone knows differently, they may want to post their corrections. People tend to minimize the threat of an Iranian nuke because it's too troubling to contemplate that many nations capable of building a civilian coal-fired electric plant probably have the means and infrastructure to produce nuclear weapons. Most of it is 60+ year old technology, tech that was developed on chalkboards with slide-rules by smart, well motivated people. Despite what we all like to say about islam stifling free thought and creativity, the mohammedans are occassionally capable of accomplishing things when they make an effort.

The fact that the Manhattan Project was one of the most expensive scientific undertakings in history is irrelevant. Those people had to create the science as they went along. Nuclear technology now is essentially "off the shelf" stuff. Iranian nukes won't be a problem ten years down the road as some of these UN and USGov fools seem to think. The savages will force us to deal them long before then.

The first time Grug the Caveman rubbed two sticks together to make fire, it was a great leap forward.

Not such a big deal anymore.

Posted by: Eisenhund at June 18, 2006 6:24 PM

Eisenhund-

Mahmoud the Caveman is ready to rub two protons together.

Time to repeat the opening scene in "2001- a space odyssey", where a swung bone symbolically smashes a tapir skull.

Us- bone.

Mahmoud- tapir skull.

Unless the disgruntled Iranian youth, including Khomeini's dissident grandson, swing first. (Since they seem so good at killing one another, I'm hoping for the latter solution to this atomic impasse.)

And I won't kry[tron] a single tear over the missing mullahs.

Free yourselves, Iranian youth!

You have nothing to lose but your chains, and nothing to gain but your brains.

Posted by: profitsbeard at June 18, 2006 7:13 PM

After long experience and studying Islam, I never believe any Muslim saying any thing to a non-Muslim.
Abbas

Posted by: Abbas at June 19, 2006 1:37 AM

The time for talk has been over for a while now. We seem to be going through the motions to satisfy interested parties around the world while we in the U.S. are activating ex-soldiers and sailors... I personally know of more than two folks being called back and I'm not ex-military nor do I play a soldier on TV.

The old line "Diplomacy is the art of saying 'nice doggy' while reaching for the stick."

Peace out...

Posted by: A_Plague_on_Both_Houses at June 19, 2006 10:20 AM

-profitsbeard,

kry[tron]

I was kinda wondering if anyone else could name the magic switch! I remember twenty-or-so years back, the gov intercepted a shipment of these little devices going overseas. I can't remember where they were going (Iraq, I think it was).

Posted by: Eisenhund at June 19, 2006 11:05 AM

Krytron, not to be confused with the "klystron". Totally different animal.

Posted by: Eisenhund at June 19, 2006 11:06 AM