Unless the Israelis launch a preemptive attack before the Iranian preemptive attack to preempt the Israeli attack.

Whew!

Posted by: tanstaafl at October 22, 2008 5:55 PM

You want to know why I'm not worried about Israel? Because Israel has one of the best militaries in the world, the best pilots and a whole lot of very technological and smart weapons.

In fact, it seems Iran didnt learn from the Yom Kippur, 6 day war...and other wars where lots of islamic countries went together to wipe out Israel and they got their asses kicked very badly...by a tiny and jewish country.

I bet that is something that is weighting heavily in their minds and something they might embarassed about.

Somehow I want Iran to attack, so if any mohammedan comes complaining it was the "joooooooosss" again I would shove in their face the cold hard truth...again. And when Iran does, it will lose the battle, and then again shove in their face their defeat...again. But with that it would eliminate Iran's nuclear facilities because with mohammedans attacking Israel,they would have free access to bomb. Besides, Iran would need to go through Iraq to do something, and with the US army there... you do the maths.

They could Ally with Lebanon or Syria instead, but as I said before, not something I'm worried, because Israel is damn good.

Posted by: Dr.CancerMan at October 22, 2008 6:08 PM

I've never been an isolationist, but am fast becomming one.
If these so-called allies of ours in the middle east and Europe can't gett off the fence and support -- no, demand tough action against Iran - then it's time we tell them they're on their own.
They all want us to defend and protect them from their enemies, but none of them wants to commit publicly to endorsing a stand against the Iranian threat. They all wish privately that the Americans would attack Iran's nuclear facilities, and then sit back and condemn us for attacking a fellow Islamic State.
If we do decide to attack Iran's nuclear plants, we should demand that these "allies" contribute their planes and pilots to the effort. If they say "no", we should withdraw to our own borders, and tell them they can defend themselves. Period.

Posted by: rational at October 22, 2008 6:13 PM

I think this is meant for consumption by radical (pious) Islamists worldwide in order to bolster iran's street cred. They know that Israel knows that they currently possess no such capability yet.......Anyone who thinks that these thugs will retreat one inch if obama is elected is smoking waaaay too much crack. They would take his election as an opportunity for more gains against their Great Satan.

Posted by: CJK at October 22, 2008 6:19 PM

But "pre-emptive wars never ever work." Just ask H.D.S. Greenway, who continues to be a bow-tied contributor, even in his anecdotage, to the Boston Globe, now on its uppers. And for more on Greenway, google "H.D.S. Greenway" and "Jihad Watch" or just "A Tribute to H.D. S. Greenway.

The other day Greenway reported on a talk by Andrew Bacevich, in whose work has recently (and far later than the JW articles on Iraq) understood that both McCain, with his complete misunderstanding of what would constitute victory in Iraq (because McCain refuses to think through what outcome would divide, demoralize, and hence weaken the Camp of Islam), and Obama, with his belief, real or feigned, that he can only get out of Iraq if he shows just how rough-tough he intends to be in Afghanistan (and with Pakistan), who says, equally incorrectly, that Afghanistan is "the central front" in the "war on terror."

There is no "central front" in the "war on terror" and it is not even a "war on terror." It is a war, not yet recognized, and therefore clumsily and ineffectively fought, and fought with a tremendous waste, a quite-unnecessary squandering of men, money, and materiel.
Greenway quotes Bacevich quoting Rumsfeld and Feith, with their naive and sentimental love of American might, and their incomprehension -- shared by Greenway, of course, who though he spent years at the Jeruslaem bureau of The Globe, sending back dispatches so unsympathetic, and so tendentious, and so cruel, about Israel and the Jihad being waged against it (no one believed more devoutly in the "national liberation" business than bow-tied H.D.S. Greenway, no one was so utterly convinced that he understood things correctly though it was just two or three years ago, in a single column, that he began to demonstrate a glimmer of understanding, even, that the Copts in Egypt were subject to Muslim discrimination and humiliation, and physical attack, because they were Copts).

Whether Bacevich -- who rightly notes the idiocy of Bush amdinistration policies but becaue he has not studied Islam, or not studied it enough, he draws the wrong conclusion, at least if we are to believe Greenway, who claims that "in Bacevich's view, it is the entire doctrineof preventive war that has proved a failure." No, that is not what has been proved a failure. What has been roved a failure is the notion that "freedom" in the sense of Western, advanced democracies, with guarantees for the rights of the individual, and equality before the law of non-Muslims and women, could ever be brought to the "ordinary moms and dads" whom Bush liked to wax sentimental about.

The failure to understand that Islam locates political legitimacy not in the will expressed by the people, but by the will expressed by Allah in the Qur'an, as glossed by the Sunnah (written down in Hadith and Sira) can be seen, as Bacevich so tellingly quotes, in such remarks as Rumsfeld's naive, and false polarities (there are many other possibilities) -- "We have a choice..Either we change the way we live, which is unacceptable, or we change the way they [the Muslims] live, and we chose the latter" and in Feith's suggeston that America's purpose in Iraq was "to transform the MIddle East and the broader world of Islam generally."

From this, H.D.S. Greenway, who so impressed his working-class colleagues with his bow-tie, and the Chinese vases back in Needham, and the presume but baseless pretense of brahminhood, concluded, as noted above, that Bacevich says that preemptive war "has proved a failure." And therefore we are not to use it again, would be the obvious conclusion.

But did Bacevich say this? It is justified to mock those free-market fundamentalists who think that American power is limitless, and who thought the Americans should stay in Iraq to "bring freedom...to ordinary moms and dads." These people knew nothing about Islam. Had they done so, had they instead of frenetically running around in hectic vacancy, taken the time to read and study (once one reaches the dizzying heights of the power empyrean it becomes very difficult, but it must be done, it cannot be farmed out to aides -- "as for understanding Islam, our aides will do that for us, and give us power-point presentations").

The real failure of intelligence in Iraq (google an article by that very name) was to not realize that the collapse of the regime of Saddam Hussein, a disguised Sunni despotism, would inevitably lead to a transfer of power from the Sunni Arabs, who constitute 19% of the population, to the Shi'a Arabs, who constitute at least 65% of the same population, and that that transfer of power would never be accepted by the Sunnis, and never be yielded on by the Shi'a. For Islam inculcates not the spirit of sweet reason and compromise, but of seeing outcomes as consisting of two possiblities only: Victor and Vanquished. And the Kurds would never be willing to surrender the autonomy they had achieved, and would insist upon maintaining that nearly-complete autonomy, and very likely seizing the chance, the only chance that they may ever have, to declare an independent Kurdistan, which, if properly handled, could be a threat to Syria and Iran (but not necessarily Turkey), and what's more, could inspire non-Arab Muslims (Berbers, Malays, black Africans) to come to recognize that Islam is a vehicle for Arab supremacism and imperialism, and that the Arab yoke could be thrown off.

The failure in Iraq was a failure to identify the real nature of a victory, or the proper definition of victory, over the Camp of Islam. The battlefield of self-defense against Jihad (the "struggle" to remove all obstacles to the spread, and then the dominance, of Islam) is not Iraq, not Afghanistan, not any one place. It is the world. But if there is one place more important than the others, right now, it is in the countries of Western Europe (and its slightly geographically off-center honorary member and, in some ways, founder -- Israel), the historic heart, the fons et origo, of Western civilization without which America can continue to exist only with great difficulty. It is not acts of terrorism (regarded by Muslims as merely an updated form of qitaal or combat, and justified in their eyes because the military contest is otherwise so unequal, and therefore, to Muslims, simply"unfair") that constitute the main instrument of Jihad, but the Money Weapon, campaigns of Da'wa, and demographic conquest, all over Western Europe, in the Bilad al-kufr.

Bow-tied H.D.S. Greenway, he of the Chinese vases in Needham, may not recognize this, and may have tendentiously ascribed to Bacevich a conclusion that Bacevich in truth never reached, not only because such a conclusion (that "preemptive war never works") not only does not logically follow from all the sensible things Bacevich does say in indicting the Bush Administration, and previous administrations, for their o'erweening and ludicrous sense of American power and American uniqueness (the title used for a study of Marlowe, "The Overreacher," would be good title to describe American policies and spendthrift ways and general heedlessness over the past few decades) -- no, such a conclusion would also be wrong.

Posted by: Hugh at October 22, 2008 6:40 PM

So nice of the Iranians to keep us informed and all.

Posted by: Jewel Atkins at October 22, 2008 7:26 PM

Hugh:

Over the years there has to a be a book there of your reflective thoughts,knowledge, and opinions. A gathering of all all your writings standing with pages, and pages of titles for all to review, and disseminate against whatever opinions are out there for comparative thought, a stand alone work in progress and fully realized and edited to your best desired compilation.

Posted by: Mackie at October 22, 2008 7:33 PM

Maybe this is one of those 4 or 5 international scenarios that Biden is talking about, after the messiah wins. And he says the American response wont be popular. Maybe the response would be nothing, as in no response at all to Iran attacking Israel, that would be wrong and make Americans mad like he said. It makes a good conspiracy theory, i think its wright.

Posted by: FredM at October 22, 2008 7:49 PM

Regarding dialogue with the United States and the West, Safavi said Iran's decision would be influenced by the results of the U.S. presidential elections next month, as well as by the Iranian presidential elections in June and the economic situation in the Islamic Republic.

Safavi also said that a victory by U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama would pave the way for dialogue with Washington, while a John McCain presidency would bolster Iran's extreme right, which opposes dialogue.
.................................

Of course, Joe Biden also just claimed that Obama would be "tested"--deliberately so--in the early days of his presidency. Sounds like terrorism to me.

But then again, Barack Obama will talk to Iran without preconditions--the very epitome of open dialogue! Too bad, now, that Achmadinijad (oh so predictably) has announced that Iran has preconditions of its own--including, I believe, that the U.S. pull out of the Middle East entirely, and--oh yes--abandon Israel.

I'm sure in this case that nothing but peace would follow.

Sarc/off

Posted by: gravenimage at October 22, 2008 7:55 PM

This is absolutely fascinating, firstly they were braying “that they would never stop as they had an Allah given right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes only ” now its Tehran would therefore demand "firm and significant" U.S. measures in return for stopping uranium enrichment. This sounds very much like preconditions for talks and are that they are willing to sacrifice Monkey man.
I wonder if this has anything to do with the 7 containers containing radioactive waste that the Americans Russians Dutch and French warships found on that Iranian ship that was taken by Somali pirates a month or so ago and released into the tender care of the Americans. I gather it was on its way to Rotterdam through the Suez canal, or somewhere in that general direction. Now there is a smoking gun, you can't very well talk your way out of that one, would that come under the description of weapons of mass destruction. Perhaps they are worried about the talks between the chief of the American General staff and his Russian counterpart that were being held in Helsinki a couple of days ago. I am sure that is bringing them out in a sweat. When the two old arch enemies huddle together in secret, that can't bode well. It can bode well that their economy is in free fall with massive inflation and oil at 67 dollars a barrel when they need it at 90 just to break even with there falling production. We live in interesting times. I think that this as the Duke of Wellington said at Waterloo is going to be a close run thing.

Posted by: Holger Dansker at October 22, 2008 8:10 PM

Senior Tehran officials are recommending a preemptive strike against Israel to prevent an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear reactors, a senior Islamic Republic official told foreign diplomats two weeks ago in London.

Only one problem with that idea; Iran doesn't have enough conventional capability to prevent an Israeli attack. But the Iranian moolahs could ensure that Israel does attack them, by launching their preemptive strike, which is more likely the real idea.

Safavi said that Iran's nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes only, and that Khamenei recently released a fatwa against the use of weapons of mass destruction, though the contents of that religious ruling have not yet been publicized.

Let me guess at the contents: "blah blah blah most merciful, …yakity yak yak, pbuh, kill the infidels." And that will pretty much sum it up; killing infidels is, by definition, a "peaceful purpose".

Regarding dialogue with the United States and the West, Safavi said Iran's decision would be influenced by the results of the U.S. presidential elections next month, as well as by the Iranian presidential elections in June and the economic situation in the Islamic Republic.

Safavi also said that a victory by U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama would pave the way for dialogue with Washington, while a John McCain presidency would bolster Iran's extreme right, which opposes dialogue.

Uh, tell us something our own campaign ads haven't. Something like:

It's high noon in Tehran as Barack and Armandhandjob are about to meet for a bullshit showdown at Mahdi's Well Camel Corral.

(Spaghetti western music in the background …waah waah waah).

Barack struts coolly onto the grounds of Mahdi's Corral. Decked out in his finest tux, without breaking a sweat in the heat, Barack is supremely confident in his own capability to bullshit. He slips his hand into a breast pocket and retrieves his golden cigarette box. He sizes up Armandhand, lights up, and takes a long relaxing draw on his cigarette.

"What's up, Hand-job?" Barack asked, blowing curls of smoke upward.

"Oh Infidel leader of the Great Satan, submit to us now, or join us in our slavery to Allah, or suffer Allah's wrath." AAHJ replied. "Otherwise, you will rot in fires of infidel hell and locusts will dine on your entrails for eternity."

(A barely audible voice drifts in from the sidelines, "Oh no he didn't!")

Another slow puff of smoke. "Careful HJ, you're mixing your metaphors. We have no common grounds to start negotiations when you do that. Besides…"

The Iranian president held up his hand, "You have no powers of persuasion in the Islamic Republic of Iran; we do not suffer the white guilt of the Western oppressors. Additionally, English is not our first language, so your glibness is useless here. We are…"

The blow to the side of his head sent the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran reeling sideways and tumbling over a short, circular wall a few feet away. His screams diminishing as he fell deeper toward the bottom.

President Obama strolled to the wall, rested his elbow on it, drew a final puff and flicked the butt into the Mahdi's well.

"Besides, Michelle doesn't like that kind of talk."

If conditions are favorable following the U.S. election, he said, Iran could draw back from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's declaration that "the nuclear case is closed," and put it back on the agenda.

Obviously Armandhandjob is terrified that a president Obama would use the same underwhelming force as Carter did.

Safavi said he believed that U.S. sanctions on Iran have run their course, and that there would be no point in strengthening them.

Tehran would therefore demand "firm and significant" U.S. measures in return for stopping uranium enrichment.

How about we agree not to destroy you if you stop. Firm and significant enough?

Posted by: RalphInfidel at October 22, 2008 8:18 PM

Iran just keeps beggin' t' have their military erased. Any day now, Israel will be forced to remove this threat to their existence. If/when they do, the Ayatoilets will strike out like a wounded animal at anything that's close enough, and we will have to respond, thereby insuring the complete destruction of their military capabilities...except maybe for mass suicide attacks. A couple o' B-52 strikes will nix that shit. Morons...

Wow...look at the carrot on the end of THAT stick...

Hey America! Elect a leftist child who is ashamed of America for President and we'll talk to ya. (Cause we know we can lie to and more easily mislead Obama.)

Elect a man with a spine and experience in such matters, and we're gonna be assholes.

Of course we know it's all deception and they'll lie to whoever takes office. Obama is ready to speak with liars and murderers whereas I doan bleeb McCain is and I KNOW Governor Palin isn't. (She was my Mayor before she was my Governor).

Y'know...pretty much anything the Ayatoilets view as good, I'm pretty likely to view as bad...but I don't need this straw...my back broke when Obama made it clear to all Americans that he's a socialist.
He wants to take "rich peoples" money and give it to people that don't have it together enough to earn their own way in life.
I aint rich and I don't want any hand outs from the government. Let those that earned theirs keep it. I'll get my own. That's capitalism folks. The weak perish. Chlorine for the gene pool.

And anything that comes outta Iran's collective mouths...just means to an end.
And that "end", is the end of freedom for all those who still enjoy it.
The end of all religions but Islam.
The end of real governments and the substitution of Ayatoilet madness.

We have a choice between a giant douche and a turd sandwich. I'll take the giant douche as he will do the least damage to the Republic, and with Governor Palin to offer advice, I think it will reduce the douches size, but not what he is.

Such is life... eh?

Islam is a lie and truth is killing it.

Posted by: Alaskan at October 22, 2008 8:23 PM

They better hurry up. If the price of oil keeps dropping, they'll need to get use catapults.

Posted by: jewdog at October 22, 2008 9:03 PM

Sure hope that pigeon did its work before being "caught" by the Iranians.

Posted by: Vee at October 22, 2008 9:18 PM

In the name of G-d, America, if you're not prepared to deal with Iran's nuclear project yourself, can you not at least *give* Israel a flock of F22s already, gratis? And some stuff to make dirty great holes in the ground with. And tell them - Use Your Initiative.

Further advice: you do not tell anyone you're going to do it, you don't tell anyone you're doing it, and you do. not. tell. anyone you've done it, either while whatever is going to happen, happens, or afterward. Let the mouths, and the files, stay closed, for however long it is that secret files are supposed to stay shut. Not. one. leak. A wall of silence.

Hit the Islamosphere with what it cannot abide and fears above all else: the thunder-stroke of overwhelming force, delivered without warnings, explanations or apologies.

And in 1000 years time the name of your nation will still be written among the Righteous.

Posted by: dumbledoresarmy at October 22, 2008 9:19 PM

For the record, this is a combination of false bravado and psy-ops.

The Iranians are petrified of an Israeli attack...an October surprise before Obama's election...or a post-election attack before Obama's inauguration.

Posted by: Cornelius at October 22, 2008 9:22 PM

Let's see

Obama gets elected, Iran plays nice allowing Obama to remove US forces completely from the region. Leaving nothing to stand between Iran and Israel. With no muscle in the region, Pakcrapistan cuts off transit routes to basically US forces in Afcrapistan. (our friends buggering out in the meantime). According to Obama, he really only committed to killing Osama if the opportunity presented itself. If this is really the case, it would not matter if we or the Pakcrapastanies killed him. Either way, Wars over.

Obama looks like a Savior the Media makes him out to be. His supporters are ecstatic for correcting all Bushes Failed policy's. Europe couldn't be happier. Muslims are praising Allah like never before.

Mean while, Biden is explaining to American Jews who supported Obama, why dressing the Jews of Israel for dinner is a good thing. You know, that bad news that at first looks bad but is really good.

On the other hand. Reports linked to this story claim Obama wants to meet Ineedajob to give him an ultimatum before taking action. You know, give them a chance to repent.

While another article claims Gates has left Israel off some Defense Department Paper (as of yet, unpublished) listing Americas principle Allies. Noting the possibility of Gates remaining in Obamas Administration.

My take on Bidens comments only make sense If Obama does what the Demoncrats and the Press has not allowed the Bush Administration to do. Reducing Iran to rubble.

No matter what we throw in this blender, the drink is going to taste awful.

Posted by: flowerknife_us at October 22, 2008 9:43 PM

Psychological warfare.

'Mother of all battles' kind of talk.

I doubt Iran really want's to start anything with Israel directly. Especially when they have so many willing proxies.

But who knows, Ahmadinijad and the Mullahs (sounds like a rock group), might go off the deep end trying to get Mahdi stimulated.

Only stimulating Mahdi with chaos gets him moving. Pre-empting an attack on Israel would create plenty of chaos. If Mahdi does not appear then, they will have to appoint someone...Bush will be out of office by then, maybe he would be interested...

Posted by: duh_swami at October 22, 2008 9:57 PM

I'm with Cornelius. This is indeed just more false bravado from a regime which is deeply unpopular at home and has, as its only real Ace, the hope that the West will lose its will (the West, in effect, coming basically down to Israel and America since Europe couldn't and wouldn't frighten even a octogenarian tyrant nowadays, though, I must admit, Sarkozy shows some promise). The will is key and the damn mullahs and their President, Little Adolf, know that.

Posted by: Wellington at October 22, 2008 10:15 PM

al-Sistani currently runs that Islamic hell-hole. Ahmadinejad's fate rests solely in his filthy Islamic hands. If he wants him supplanted, it will be.

As far as Iran endeavoring in a pre-emptive strike against Israel? I dare them. Israel is looking for any reasonable excuse to eradicate Iran and the rightfully and thankfully neutered Bush cannot stop them.

Let's get this ball rolling already. It is long overdue.

Posted by: awake at October 22, 2008 10:52 PM

Sort of reminds me of Saddamned and the First Gulf war with his SCUD attacks on Israel. Didn't the Palis dance in the streets then too?

Posted by: MorrisMinor at October 22, 2008 11:02 PM

A ridiculous Iranian ploy … pretending the dirty nuclear cargo (intercepted by Somali pirates who quickly fell ill and got what they deserved) wasn’t plan A (as well as B through Z). Having played the only card they had (which fizzled), having exerted all their mental capability over the course of a week or more (but to no avail), they now rattle a meaningless verbal saber.

The clock is ticking on Iran. In fact, it’s running out and they know it.

Posted by: LoneRanger at October 22, 2008 11:09 PM

Call me old fashioned, but aren't pre-emptive strikes suppose to be top secret? This is practically front page news. Why?

Posted by: champ at October 23, 2008 1:02 AM

Pre-emptive strike?

Go ahead punk, make my day.

Posted by: Nokingofmine at October 23, 2008 2:55 AM

Holger Dansker, LoneRanger -

if that story you guys are relating is true - if the Somali jihadists really have,by pinching a ship with 'hot' cargo intended by Iran for somewhere else, ruined Iran's lovely jihad plot, then all I can say is this, from J R R Tolkien: "Oft evil will shall evil mar".

One for the 'Ummah Shoots Itself in the Foot Dept'?

Or, to cite something rather older and even more powerful than Tolkien: from the TaNaKh, the Hebrew Bible, the Tehillim/ Psalms, Psalm 7: 14-17.

"Behold, he [the wicked] travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.

"He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.

"His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

"I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high".

Posted by: dumbledoresarmy at October 23, 2008 5:56 AM

For years, American "experts" have been telling us that it would be impossible to destroy or even badly damage Iran's nuclear sites, because they're too widely scattered and buried too deep. So far as I know, the Iranian regime has never disagreed with that assessment. How then could there be a preemptive strike to prevent an impossible action? We should now expect each of our "experts" to come forward and say, "I was mistaken. It IS possible to destroy or badly damage Iran's nuclear sites. The Iranians themselves have admitted as much."

Posted by: Aileen at October 23, 2008 7:03 AM

"Safavi said a small, experienced group of officials is lobbying for a preemptive strike against Israel."

Would that be like a tiny minority of extremists?

Posted by: Abscedere at October 23, 2008 8:53 AM

Dumbledoresarmy, if you speak with any "old soldier" from the Isreali military, you will find that the Arab militaries could pretty much be counted on to trip over their own feet in days past. But wisely, they knew it wouldn't stay that way forever.

It isn't that the Israeli military isn't up to the job of dealing with any of the surrounding hostile populations. As we have seen, it's the political will, or lack thereof, which is causing problems. Something the entire Western world is faced with, obviously.

We cannot count on the ineptness of Islamic terrorists forever. As Wellington points out, our will needs some work.

Posted by: Vee at October 23, 2008 8:54 AM

That Somali cargo does sound too much like a dirty bomb gone astray. If the boat was going thru the Suez canal then it would have had access to the Israeli coast, or thereabouts.

Anyway, teams of Palestinian zombies, longing for their 72, could have easily been inducted to drive explosive laden trucks and one of the special containers from Iran to you know where.

Can't think of any other earthly use for that stuff as far as the Iranians are concerned.

Posted by: Hedgehog at October 23, 2008 9:36 AM

This is what Senator Biden was warning us about.

Israel will launch a preemptive strike against Iran and the US will punish Israel one way or another. "It will seem like an unpopular decision but he is asking Americans to trust Obama/Biden as it will be the right decision in the end."

Israel will be wiped out completely and the world will be at peace as the Israel excuse will be history. Then the Muslims can focus their efforts on Islamizing Europe.

Posted by: American at October 23, 2008 11:11 AM

The Yom Kippur war was thirty-five years ago. Israel is not the country that it was then. It has been weakened by political correctness and by agreements with neighbors that have done nothing to assure Israel's security but allow its neighbors to continue attacking Israel with armies of civilians.
You won't see military invasions. They're not necessary. The armies are already living or working in Israel.

Posted by: PMK at October 23, 2008 1:37 PM

This is scary. With both sides mulling preemptive strikes, it would seem a foregone conclusion that sooner or later one of them will do it. The only question is which one will be the first to strike, and how soon? Let's see, how does that Armageddon story go again?

Posted by: Eastview at October 23, 2008 3:29 PM

This is saber rattling plain and simple. Israel knows a preemptive strike will have almost no effect and Iran has no way to get to Israel conventionally. The Iranians WILL develop an atom bomb and everyone at the UN will say "you said the reactor was for peaceful generation of electricity". In the words of HG Wells this is one of the pillars of doublespeak. The Iranians will not test the bomb (like the North Korean atomic firecracker) but rather the test will be when or if it explodes over Israel. Unfortunately for the Iranians the North Korean missile is highly inaccurate and will do one of 4 things; 1) solve the Israeli - Palestinian problem by vaporizing the west bank, 2) Solve the Israeli - Hezbollah problem by vaporizing southern Lebanon, 3) Will solve the Israeli - Hammas problem by hitting the sea and the resultant tidal wave will devastate gaza, 4) It will vaporize quite a few jews. I see 1-3 as the most likely. After the bomb goes off, there is no way the UN can say Israel cannot retaliate. But Israel will not retaliate bomb for bomb, 200 Israeli F16's will take off on most likely 1 way missions, 199 will hit Iran and totally devastate the country, 1 will send an earth penetrator into Mecca turning it into a very large nuclear hole in the ground. Al Jazeera will show the devastation all over the muslim world, the arab street and arab governments will be scared sh*tless. The arab governments knowing Israel has at least 100 (possibly more) bombs and will drop them on the slightest provocation will fall all over them selves to sign an everlasting peace treaty with Israel. I really wish there was a way to have peace in the Middle east without tens of millions having to die. Iran's stupidity unintentionally will have the result of bringing finally peace to apart of the world that desperately needs it. Unless the Iranian people wake up and realize the nuclear target has been painted on them and unless they want to be vaporized they better have a regime change and have one fast.

Posted by: WLF at October 24, 2008 12:30 AM

The Iranian People knew how to revolt against the Shah.

If they WANTED TO ,they could do it again!

They are as COMPLICIT as the German People were in the Third Reich.

Damn Iran!

Posted by: CHOI at October 24, 2008 1:28 AM

There is one thing that I think you've all overlooked(apologies to those who haven't) but, if Iran launches an attack on Israel, then effectively that will be seen as an attack on the West and would allow America and Europe to support Israel.
Remember that Russia stated that any attack on Iran would result in Russia supporting Iran, but then that was only if America attacked first without good reason.
Iran would be making a very bad mistake if it did so. Israel would leave no stone unturned and we may very well see Nuclear power being brought in. This could effectively kick off WW3.

It would also mean the immediate removal of allied troops from Iraq and Afghanistan to move to protecting Israel and attacking Iran.
I'm all for a war against Iran. We should have done it long before Iraq. We should also have gone into Saudi Arabia as well.

It's time to stop pussy footing around. Iran and Saudi Arabia are not or ever will be our friends and it's time we stopped believing this way. Our support should always be for Israel before any other country in the Middle East. Israel are fighting for survival. End of.

Posted by: Richard the Lionheart at October 24, 2008 9:39 AM

Richard the Lionheart,

Didn't you hear senator Biden promise an unpopular decision? Supporting Israel would be a popular decision.

Go figure!

Posted by: American at October 24, 2008 7:41 PM

American,

If you hadn't already gathered from my postings, I'm not American and therefore I do not follow most of American Politics, especially what is said within the Senate.
So no, I did not hear what Senator Biden said thank you.

Posted by: Richard the Lionheart at October 25, 2008 5:04 AM

Israel need not strike Iran's Nuclear facilities. They require large amounts of Electricity to operate.

Remove the power source along with their transportation fuels and communications networks. Why risk limited assets striking hardened, high risk targets?

Think of Iran as an Ant Hill. Hitting the Nuclear facilities is like poking a hole in the hill with a stick. Some of the Ants scurry around but the hill remains.

Kick the hill apart and the Ants are forced to to build another.

Posted by: flowerknife_us at October 25, 2008 9:22 PM