U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure

31-01.-2006, 03:18 PM

Wurm

Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2004

Posts: 2,148

U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure

Here we go again.

Quote:

Published on Sunday, January 29, 2006 by the Toronto Sun

Nuclear Iran Feared
A War with Iran Could Go Terribly Wrong

by Eric Margolis

NEW YORK — The U.S. and Israel are preparing to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, according to U.S. and European intelligence sources.

The U.S. and EU are exerting maximum diplomatic and psychological pressure on Iran to prevent it from enriching uranium in spite of its legal right to do so. Tehran remains defiant, but may yet compromise by shipping uranium to Russia for enrichment.

President George Bush claims Iran’s limited but growing nuclear program poses “a grave threat to the security of the world.” What he really means is that Iran could one day challenge Israel’s Mideast nuclear monopoly.

Today, Iran’s handful of inaccurate, 1,200-km range Shahab-3 missiles can barely reach Israel, and have only non-nuclear conventional warheads. Many of Israel’s estimated 200 nuclear warheads are targeted on Iran, including new, nuclear-armed, U.S.-supplied Tomahawk land-attack missiles on its Dolphin-class submarines in the Indian Ocean.

U.S. and British special forces, and U.S. drones, have been probing Iran’s defences for a year. A major land invasion is unlikely, however, since they are overstretched in Iraq.

The U.S. and Israel would likely use air and missile strikes to destroy Iran’s nuclear industry and cripple its military. Much of Iran’s critical nuclear facilities are far underground or dug into hillsides.

Israel’s hawkish defense minister, Shaul Mofaz, while calling for diplomacy, warned last weekend his nation “would not tolerate” a nuclear-armed Iran. Israel’s Mossad has been claiming this March is the absolute deadline to stop Iran’s nuclear program. Israel’s many supporters in the U.S. Congress are loudly calling for war against Iran.

German intelligence leaks claim last December the CIA briefed Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan about U.S. plans to attack Iran. Israeli warplanes would overfly Jordan and Iraq to strike central and southern Iran. U.S. air and missile strikes could come from Diego Garcia, Qatar, Oman, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central Asia, and from carriers, surface warships and subs in the Indian Ocean.

Iran’s Persian Gulf nuclear reactor complex would be struck. Enrichment and heavy water plants and uranium mines are primary targets. Second priority: Missile-assembly plants, air and naval bases, power stations, etc.

Radiation risks

Iran vows to retaliate against an Israeli attack by firing conventionally armed missiles against Israel’s nuclear weapons complex at Dimona. Iran’s dilapidated air force is barely airworthy, never mind a threat to Israel. Even an improbable missile hit would probably do little damage. Still, Europeans are fretting over the risk of radiation releases from Dimona and, more likely, Iran’s bombed nuclear plants.

The Iranians could retaliate more effectively by attacking U.S. forces in neighbouring Iraq and getting their Iraqi Shia allies to join in. Iran could mine the Gulf, interrupt oil exports, launch raids against U.S. bases in the Gulf, Afghanistan and Central Asia. Iran is the world’s fourth-largest oil exporter; any shutoff would inflict enormous disruption on the West.

Mass air and missile attacks would badly damage Iran’s nuclear capability, but probably not put it out of business for good, as did Israel’s 1981 attack on Iraq’s sole reactor.

The beleaguered Bush administration may try to escape mounting woes by launching an air campaign against Iran to whip up war fever among Americans before mid-term elections, boosting Republican fortunes. But this is dangerous business because, like the supposed jolly little colonial adventure in Iraq, a war with Iran could go terribly wrong.

__________________
"Bush is the first President to admit to an impeachable offense."

- John Dean, former Counsel to the President (Nixon)

The aim of big corporations is to separate fools from their money all of the time and ordinary folks from their money most of the time. The rest of us must fend for ourselves.

01-02.-2006, 05:59 PM

Hypnospin

Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2005

Location: ex of santa cruz, california, usa

Posts: 798

Re: U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure

waittaminute, ya sayin' israel attacked iran in '81?

wonder what page of your kids history texts this is on?

the bush 1 war on iraq is in there though, with reason for us invasion being stated as iraq having attacked iran and kuwait.

i can only guess the reasons for mobilizing the us military are based on, er, who the us is friendly with and not what they do in terms of warfare...

was it not bush and his ever changing cast of the family 'n friends syndicate who accused those of holding opposing views as being

"revisionist historians?"

but this is all too complicated for any latent pinko idealist peacenik to comprehend, as i am sure any official press release would inform us.

so this is the face of us and israeli "diplomacy" then?
comforting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wurm

Here we go again.

[/center]
[/size][/font]

__________________
"The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present...As our case is new, so must we think anew and act anew"
Abraham Lincoln, in his address to congress dec. 1st, 1861

Last edited by Hypnospin : 01-02.-2006 at 06:27 PM.

02-02.-2006, 03:41 AM

Wurm

Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2004

Posts: 2,148

Re: U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hypnospin

I don't see in the article where the author said Israel attacked Iran in '81, but only:

"Mass air and missile attacks would badly damage Iran’s nuclear capability, but probably not put it out of business for good, as did Israel’s 1981 attack on Iraq’s sole reactor."

...unless you were being 'tongue-in-cheek' again. (?)

02-02.-2006, 04:47 AM

Carrera

Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2004

Location: Staffordshire

Posts: 4,816

Re: U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure

As ever, there are two sides to this problem. You can certainly understand the Iranians feeling a need to have a nuclear weapon when the Bush Administration invaded Iraq and has been threatening to impose friendly regimes in the Middle East.
But where the Iranians really burned their bridges was by the declaration by which they stated Israel should be wiped off the map. To most people that would indicate the endorsement and intention of genocide.
The implications are that Russia has had to totally rethink its intention of doing business with Iran. For instance, Russia has a huge Jewish population and many Russian Jews live in Israel or do business in Israel. Wiping Israel off the map isn't something that would work to the advantage of Russia so now both China and Russia oppose any notion of a nuclear Iran.
The problem is Iran (unlike Pakistan or India) has shown itself to be too unstable to win the trust or support of either China, the E.U. or Russia. They really made a huge mistake coming out with such statements that defy reason or sanity, or grasp of reality.
You simply can't go around wiping people off the map in the modern world, no matter what your differences may be. This is madness.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wurm

02-02.-2006, 06:28 PM

Wurm

Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2004

Posts: 2,148

Re: U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carrera

You simply can't go around wiping people off the map in the modern world, no matter what your differences may be. This is madness.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carrera

...so now both China and Russia oppose any notion of a nuclear Iran.
The problem is Iran (unlike Pakistan or India) has shown itself to be too unstable to win the trust or support of either China, the E.U. or Russia.

This from BBC News I think is more accurate:

Quote:

Plans to enrich uranium in Russia for use in Iran could help break a global stalemate over Tehran's nuclear aims, China's government has said. Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, called the proposals "useful" after talks in Beijing aimed at heading off US and EU calls for UN action.

China, which could veto any sanctions bid in the UN, has urged greater efforts for a diplomatic solution.

Mr Larijani said China and Iran held "similar views" on the nuclear issue.

"We agreed members of the Non-Proliferation Treaty have [the] right to peaceful nuclear energy," he told reporters.

Link

China is not going to lean on Iran for anything but petroleum products, because China doesn't give a panda's ass whether Iran has nuclear powerplants, nuclear weapons, or fights off the coming US attacks with paintball guns. So long as they have access to Iran's oil & gas output, they'll look the other way.

Bush's insanity - should he get between China and her sources of fossil fuels - will be THE problem.

Please do us all a favor Carrera - stay off the keyboard if you don't know what you're talking about.

Last edited by Wurm : 02-02.-2006 at 06:39 PM.

02-02.-2006, 07:34 PM

limerickman

Community Team

Join Date: Jan 2004

Location: at the bar

Posts: 12,644

Re: U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wurm

Sounds like a case of "Pot, meet Kettle", no? Whereas the Iranian holy nit-wit made his ill-advised statement vis-a-vis Israel, prior to that you had the Bush junta not only threatening but actually bombing Iraq off the map, and is still trying to finish the task. It's "hard work", this madness.

And where do you get your information from?:

This from BBC News I think is more accurate:

Link

China is not going to lean on Iran for anything but petroleum products, because China doesn't give a panda's ass whether Iran has nuclear powerplants, nuclear weapons, or fights off the coming US attacks with paintball guns. So long as they have access to Iran's oil & gas output, they'll look the other way.

Bush's insanity - should he get between China and her sources of fossil fuels - will be THE problem.

Please do us all a favor Carrera - stay off the keyboard if you don't know what you're talking about.

Russia and China ain't gonna back Britain or the USA over Iran.

The fact of the matter is that Putin and the Chinese have oil agreements in place with Iran and they're not going to support sanctions against Iran.

In addition the EU, has been for several years, attempting to negotiate with Iran over it's intent to refine Uranium.

The chickens from Iraq are coming home to roost.
Bush reminds me of the boy that cried "wolf" : he did it once in Iraq and it was a lie.
The international community have no appetite for a showdown with Iran.
The Russian offer on Uranium is the best offer in town and it will be used to break the impasse.

If one reads the body language, Bush hasn't got the stomach for the fight in Iraq (they're bringing home the troops
and leaving Iraq in an unholy mess - excuse the pun).

__________________
.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

03-02.-2006, 02:55 AM

Carrera

Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2004

Location: Staffordshire

Posts: 4,816

Re: U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure

"And where do you get your information from?:"

I'm possibly the only guy up at 4.00 a.m. watching ABC News, BBC News, listening to foreign media broadcasts and reading papers. I keep in touch with what's going on.
Really, one angle on all of this is worth considering. Rather than viewing a conflict between the U.S. and Iran, try considering what we might call "the conflict between fundamentalism and secularism."
Firstly, I'm informed a wave of Christian fundamentalism is sweeping throughout the U.S. at an unprecedented level. Now they even have religious hip-hop raves in New York where people rap to themes about being born again. Teachers who have lectured on Darwinism have been sometimes forced out of schools and many people think the only way the Democrats can beat the Republicans is to produce a biblical libertarian evangelist.
Then you have the clerics in Iran and the religious conflict in the Middle East.
Put it all together and you get a big spark.
The deep rooted problem is that since the fall of the USSR and advance of capitalism, people all over the world are turning either to straight religion or religious fundamentalism. Slowly our freedoms are being eroded. The Government in this country is intent upon passing laws on blasphemy to prosecute people who have been deemed to stir up religious reaction by what they say in word or print.
And that's worrying we're heading in such a direction.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wurm

03-02.-2006, 03:01 AM

Carrera

Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2004

Location: Staffordshire

Posts: 4,816

Re: U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure

"Russia and China ain't gonna back Britain or the USA over Iran."

Let's wait and see. I heard on the news today Russia has become unexpectedly bellicose towards Iran and only China is shrugging its shoulders. This is really murky waters. It looks like Iran will be reported to the security council but, after that, it's not clear what action will be taken. It's hoped that in the face of such huge unity over the issue, Iran will have to back down. If not, then we have the problem as to what steps will be taken and only then there may be splits in the alliance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by limerickman

05-02.-2006, 01:30 PM	#9
Wurm Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 2,148	Re: U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure Carrera, you need to get real with what's happening as far as news. Wake up dude, I know you've got it in ya. __________________ "Bush is the first President to admit to an impeachable offense." - John Dean, former Counsel to the President (Nixon) The aim of big corporations is to separate fools from their money all of the time and ordinary folks from their money most of the time. The rest of us must fend for ourselves.

06-02.-2006, 01:28 AM	#10
ptlwp Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 544	Re: U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure No way, Israel and the USA are going to let Europe take care of this themselves; you guys are still closer than us, after all. Let's see if u can do a better job and have learned anything from WWII, as to where diplomacy can start and end. __________________ "All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing." Sir Edmund Burke

06-02.-2006, 08:34 AM

#11

limerickman

Community Team

Join Date: Jan 2004

Location: at the bar

Posts: 12,644

Re: U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptlwp

No way, Israel and the USA are going to let Europe take care of this themselves; you guys are still closer than us, after all.

Let's see if u can do a better job and have learned anything from WWII, as to where diplomacy can start and end.

Europe has been engaged with Iran for the past number of years - through a Tripartite negotiations (France/Germany/UK) with Iran.

These negotiations and discussions have been going on for the last few years.

It is my belief that the Russian offer to enrich Uranium for Iran will ultimately settle this - what I believe - is a storm in a teacup.

If indeed Iran are trying to gain nuclear weapons, i believe that they have that right.
After all Mordacai Vanunu has told us that the Israeli's have them.
Therefore it is only right that Iran should have them.

07-02.-2006, 07:14 AM

#12

stevebaby

Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2004

Location: Craggy Island

Posts: 2,825

Re: U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure

Quote:

Originally Posted by limerickman

Perhaps israel could do a deal with iran.
We won't make nuclear weapons if you don't.

__________________
I'm Rooting for Chiara!
Drink!Feck!Arrse!Girls!
bastard

07-02.-2006, 10:18 AM

#13

ptlwp

Registered User

Join Date: Oct 2005

Posts: 544

Re: U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevebaby

Perhaps israel could do a deal with iran.
We won't make nuclear weapons if you don't.

Ever heard of NEVER AGAIN Stevebaby? I don't think that is going to be on the table, ever.

__________________
"All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing." Sir Edmund Burke

07-02.-2006, 10:19 AM	#14
ptlwp Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 544	Re: U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure Come to think of it; whom said that whom should be driven from the face of the earth? COULD IT BE................???????????? __________________ "All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing." Sir Edmund Burke

07-02.-2006, 12:06 PM

#15

darkboong

Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2004

Posts: 1,534

Re: U.S., Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptlwp

Come to think of it; whom said that whom should be driven from the face of the earth?

COULD IT BE................????????????

Golda Meir or Ben Gurion ? Not sure which one...

__________________
Free Beer !

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode