Iran a threat to U.S. on many fronts
By Suzanne Kelly
Iran poses a laundry list of threats to U.S. national security, according to top officials in the intelligence community.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that Iran poses a threat on a number of fronts, including its ability to develop a nuclear weapon, and the fact that any nuclear attack would likely be delivered by a ballistic missile.
"Iran already has the largest inventory of ballistic missiles in the Middle East, and it is expanding the scale, reach, and sophistication of its ballistic missile force, many of which are inherently capable of carrying a nuclear payload," Clapper said during his opening remarks to the committee.
The question for the intelligence community remains whether Iran, in particular Supreme Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei, either already has decided or will decide to pull the trigger when it comes to taking the country's nuclear knowledge and applying it to the actual development of a nuclear weapon.
"Iran's technical advancement, particularly in uranium enrichment, strengthens our assessment that Iran has the scientific, technical, and industrial capacity to eventually produce nuclear weapons, making the central issue its political will to do so," Clapper said.
There are a number of indicators that the intelligence community is looking for that Clapper refused to detail during the public hearing that would indicate that the decision has already been made, and Clapper added that there is no indication yet that the decision has been made.
But Iran is not giving up the potential either. Lt. Gen. Ronald Burgess, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said Iran is also "not close to agreeing" to abandon its nuclear program.
Under questioning by Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-New Hampshire, Clapper and Burgess verified that Iran remains a significant threat on a number of fronts, including its continued support of organizations such as Hezbollah, which is deemed a terrorist organization by the United States, as well as its indirect support of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Burgess added that Iranian weapons have been found in Afghanistan, and that Tehran is attempting a "dual-track strategy" in Afghanistan and Iraq - working against U.S. and coalition desires while making efforts to "put forward the government" in both countries.
"They are walking both sides of the fence" said Burgess, who confirmed that it is the intelligence communities' belief that Iran is supporting the killing of U.S. soldiers.
"Iran is a big problem," Clapper added. He said recent bombing attempts in Thailand, India and Georgia targeting Israeli interests may not have been a technical success, but they still had a psychological impact.
Iran also poses a threat to U.S. interests and can close the Strait of Hormuz, the entryway to the Persian Gulf, at least temporarily, Burgess said. While Iran has substantial reach with its ballistic missiles, it would likely only use them if provoked, according to the U.S. intelligence assessment.
"Iran is unlikely to initiate or intentionally provoke a conflict," Burgess said.
Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, who co-chairs the committee, listed his own ideas about the Iranian threat during his remarks to open the hearing, noting that Iran's believed involvement in a recent plot to assassinate a Saudi ambassador on U.S. soil has changed the nature of the threat.
"The rulers in Iran clearly pose a more direct threat to us than many would have assumed just a year ago," McCain said. "And that is on top of the hostile actions in which Iran has been engaging for years, including killing Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan, supporting terrorist groups across the Middle East, destabilizing Arab countries, propping up and rearming the Assad regime in Syria, and continuing their undeterred pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability. The threat posed by the Iranian regime could soon bring the Middle East to the brink of war, if it has not already."
@natlsecuritycnn on Twitter
One thing that the world knows...If Iran sends a loaded ballistic missile to anywhere, especially near US or its allies. ....it will be suicide. First for them and then probably the world. If 2012 prophecy is true...then they are probably right on schedule, at least we know their calendar will be up.
Time to call in Sea team 6. They nab mahmoud and aya in their sleep, deliver them to Isreal the next morning. We give the IIranian opposition the heads up. Its clean, smooth Obama style. I really feel for the Iranian people, their like passengers in a out of control ride. We do need to keep them out of cross fire,
Except that seal team six is dead after their helicopter "crashed" funny how conspiracy theroist predicted this would happen to keep them from speaking what really happened.
@John – Thank you for your comment. While unfortunately some conspiracy theorists can go too far when they don't have factual basis for their statements, most of them do, and people just don't want to believe that our great and powerful nation is ran by tyrants. And besides who really believes they killed Bin Laden and then simply threw his body in the ocean??? Really, the most wanted terrorist in the world, and they don't keep the evidence that he's killed??? It would be laughable if it weren't disgustingly true.
Jeff is right...our meddling always comes back to haunt us. If we'd take care our problems here we could "conquer' the world without firing a shot.
Iran knows well and will never use a nuclear weapon on an another country. It will be a death wish. It's like nuking its own country. India and pakistan never used nukes even in the latest war. Iranian people are moderate muslims (when compared with Saudi/Kuwait) and they are educated, the womens has more rights when compared to our allies Saudi or Kuwait. I can bet you will see lot more hatred towards america and fanatisum in these countries excluding the monarch rulers who needs our support to stay in power.
Do I have to post links of recent stonings in the streets of Iran to prove that a large portion Iranians are barbaric and that their courts are barbaric? Or do I have to post links to the many humanitarian organizations who condemn the government of Iran for their brutality upon their own citizens? Please give us a break with your nonsense! The facts simply don't match your description of a moderate population in Iran!
@JBD – So you are saying we don't have barbaric actions in our country? Really do you not watch the news? Even the main stream media has stories everyday about police abusing there power for no reason other than they think they are at a higher level than the average citizen. You are the one that needs to wake up. Any fool who believes that war is the path to peace will find themselves, as we are today, in a never ending cycle of violence.
And regarding your comments of isolationism, no I don't agree that is the answer, but comparing a country like Iran to what Nazi Germany did in WW2 is like apples and tomatoes, not even close. And if you want to scale down to the real details, the powerful bankers in the US wanted nothing to do with the war because they were busy profiting from financially supporting the Nazi regime.
I will never say Iranian Muslims are normal. I know its is hard to find anyone with an open mind in Islam since the religion forbids it. I worked in Kuwait and Dubai (UAE). I know what the local population talked about. I know the rulers rich above the law lifestyle and I know how local Arabs hates them. They cannot last long without US support F16 etc. Iran women can study, work and go out alone. They can join the army. I will not say they is no fanaticism in Iran. I am not say there is no hatred in Iran. Well threats and sanctions are going to help reduce it. Ahmadinejad will definitely use this opportunity to his advantage. I pity the Iranian people for the inevitable war.
@Kannan – Thank you for your comment at the bottom. Most people in this country only believe what the gov tells them regarding Iran, in that they are all crazy fanatics hell bent on destroying everyone who is not Muslim especially America. This disgusting convoluted point of view is how the war mongers keep people in the US dumbed down to always support whatever they say about a country they don't like. Sadly there are still actually people in this country that believe we attacked Iraq for 9/11 and not the mysterious WMD that doesn't exist. However the beautiful part is that people such as myself and you are not completely blinded to our daily dose of propaganda and get our facts from various sources besides those like CNN that are ran by the same 1% that's ruining our country at the governmental level.
We live in a world economy! The actions of every single nation affect every other nation in today's world and this will grow more true as time and technology advance. To you isolationists who believe that we should sit back on our laurels and hope that a regime like Iran never gets the power to damage us badly, WAKE UP. Our children will have to grow up and deal with people who still stone homosexuals and adulterers to death in the streets ... only they will have a nuclear arsenal by then as well. Make no mistake people ... we MUST be deeply involved in shaping the course of this world or our children will surely be forced to deal with a more powerful than ever enemy!
The obama administration would not go to war with iran without the approval and vote of th un. They showed this with the way they handled libya. The days of rushing to war are over as long as a democrat is in office. I have faith in obama that ask measures
the same approval you speak of was obtained by republicans in the past
... and that was Democratic congresses approval
"Iran poses a laundry list of threats to U.S. national security, according to top officials in the intelligence community."
Please remember when reading the first line of this highly opinionated piece of propaganda that this intelligence community is the same intelligence community that told us that Iraq had chemical weapons which justified our military presumption that they have yet to this day to produce evidence for. This is the same intelligence community that justified our military intervention in Afghanistan due to Al Qaeda that was predominantly Saudi Arabian citizens that carried out the 9/11 attacks. This is also the same intelligence community that prompted us into the Vietnam war that cost over 50000 lives and 300K wounded so we could fight a proxy war against China in country that never wanted our help to begin with. This is also the same intelligence community that fought a proxy war against the USSR in Afghanistan during the 80s which oh by the way was the same intelligence community that trained the militia that eventually became Al Qaeda.
Enough is enough with the warmongering leaders we continue to elect in the US. I'm an American citizen and for one am sick of this. They send the poor folks who join the military to get a college education to their deaths so they can continue to prop up their extremely wealthy military industrial complex, all the way stripping away every right our fore fathers gave us in the constitution in the name of keeping us secure. As Dwight D. Eisenhower said, "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist."
It's time to wake up America. How can we be a symbol for peace to the world when all we do is pound the drums of war!
You are severely confused and wrong. I don't even have time to go into how wrong most of your "facts" are.
Which is all the more reason you need to keep your OPINION to yourself. Every single statement I made in my remark is true and can be backed up by facts. You simply stating "you are wrong" makes about as much sense as the "I'm rubber and your glue" that I used to say when I was 6yrs old.
Why don't you keep your mouth shut unless you have something relevant to add! And by all means if I'm wrong in what I've learned then please prove me wrong with your own facts, otherwise STFU!
to any who hate isreal:
SO WHAT!?!?!? do any christians/muslims realize that their own religion is based off of that religion? could any religion from that beginning be around right now if not for that religion? how do you think god is gonna feel for anybody that eradicates the jews?or the christians? or anybody else for that matter? one of his tenants is THOU SHALL NOT KILL!!!!
do you think anybody that has killed inhis name or for anything else is gonna be seen in a good light? there has been enough treachery on BOTH SIDES that neither side is innocent!! no side is without guilt. so get over the whole it's their fault attitude. isreal is not going any where unless they are dislodged so powerfully that whole world condemns who ever does it. who ever does it makes enemies of just about everyone and makes them selves so feared that everybody else cannot live with thus being destroyed in the process. can any one group of people survive on their own? NO!! this whole thing over religion/resources/sex is a way for someone to hold power over someone else. in the end humanity is causing it's own arrmeggedon without divine intervention just so someone can tell me what i can and cannot do and i am sick of it!!! no man or woman can be a nation of themselves and the moment i give somebody a little power over me thay try to take it to far how long can this go on?
Look let Iran try anything and all we need to do is level it
to those who think all americans want to rule the world:
WE DON"T!!! but we also don't want to here crying from the rest of the world when find something new and all the sudden you cry because you don't have it either! take the internet for instance, american made it has the potential to change the world!! suddenly with a laptop and a wifi connect everybody can voice their own opinion. who does this hurt? people who don't want anybody else's opinion heard because they have a power over them already and this offers them a way to freedom. i don't want someone telling what i can and cannot say just because some book or some one with more power says i can't. what if something i say can help improve human life on this rock? should i keep quiet just because it upsets the balance? as to women in male dominated societies, should half the world veiw always be wrong? why should they have to cover themselves just because a man can't control his hedonistic reflax to strip and want to party and vice versa?
the iranian threat is a subvresive one that is tailored to the western's forebearance and inability to act without others say so.they know that we cannot act overly aggresive or face world condemnation! while their strategy does not get them to far in the short run their long term goals satisfy them and their obvious/not-obvious allies. it also allows them time to develope their arsenal's of various weapons aside from nuclear(while also giving time for nuclear development)!! what should really worry the us and her allies is where are weak at the moment? where are we strong but inadvertantly not looking that cold bite us ? trust me they are looking. they know they could not beat us in a stand up fight without us being weakened some how and economics is a long haul shot that would not be that effective without something they have that we want. oil is the problem here and we know it. our dependance on oil is one of our many weaknesses and we must show them that it is not! next time you buy a new car help american war efforts by buying a americancar that runs on electric instead of gas(or fusion!!) and you will be taking from their war effort! they realize the stranglehold we have put on ourselves and are exploiting it to their benefit this should be obviuous to all. now i am not saying become a hippy but our dependance on forigen trade is our weakness. that does not mean close borders and hide it just means by AMERICAN FIRST!!! companies will continue to own our country as long as we let them but the first strike at them will come from your pockets and mine!!
While I firmly agree with you that we need to protect our country and make sure we and our borders are safe, you are missing the point that the only reason Iran gives a crap about the US is because of our meddling with them and any other Middle Eastern country the US can, making them the true instability in the region. I'm an American and I love this country dearly, but I will not be so foolish as to believe that our gov is acting in our best interests because if they were they would be worried about the real problems we have in this country and not some country 10K miles away that can't come close to our warfare technology. Remember the only reason that the regime that is in place in Iran now is in power is because WE the US supported the coup that put them in place. And if you look at that template for us foreign activity in US history you will find it repeated over and over again. It's honestly amazing to me that WW3 hasn't started with the world against us.
Look at this and see who is pushing the States and Europe into another war @
http://zioncrimefactory.com/2012/02/02/vulture-jewry-wants-the-west-to-annihilate-iran-or-else-theyll-nuke-europe/
you might consider leaving your tent once in a while and looking around as watching anti israel plo productions will even give you a skewed view of reality.......... or you could just keep singing the arab mantra: "woe is me, woe is me, everyone but us arabs have caused our misery, woe is me, woe is me, 1948, 67 and 73, woe is me, woe is me, everyone but us made me a refugee".
What is ethnic cleansing... isnt it like this: President Franklin D. Roosevelt put it in 1942, “I actually would put a barbed wire around Palestine, and I would begin to move the Arabs out of Palestine…. I would provide land for the Arabs in some other part of the Middle East…. Each time we move out an Arab we would bring in another Jewish family…” .... and it was like this !!
'i'd have to see your source for that quote because FDR didn't appear to favor Jews all that much as he didnt let the Exodus , a ship carrying jews to safety from hitler land in the US and sent the Jews back to Europe to the gas chambers. Also. FDR was not an Israeli and let me remind you, the arabs that didnt leave their land in 1948 to clear a path for the arab armies bent on pushing the jews into the sea, became citizens and participate to this day in the Israeli parliament. can you say the same for any arab country?
What we all need is a Maverick(tm).
LOL!
The drum beat starts for another war to keep the Pentagon and their contractors well funded.
The US government has apparently been a greater threat to the US, with the way things have been going over the past decade+
It's simple, Iran wants to continue to suck the money out of other countries, first and foremost, the U.S.. If they continue to support fighting the U.S. in every place it's presence is felt, then the U.S. blows more money. It's all about economics and getting an edge.
Barney, I think you're half right. It is about Iran getting an edge, but it's not about money. The Iranians want to be a major regional power. Maybe THE regional power. Like what they see as the good old days, before the rise of the West. Their reason is not greed, but ethnic and national pride. And they can't accomplish that plan until the U.S. leaves the Middle East.
Keep up the drumbeat. With the war in Iraq over and Afganistan possibly over in acouple of years we will need another war to replace them. Obama will fall in line.
THIS SITUATION IS VERY SIRIOUS.SO 2 MAKE IT EASYER I WRITE A JOKE THAT CAME IN MY MIND.WHY USA DON'T SEND THEM A POWERFULL SPECIMENT OF NUKES SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT OF THEM WEAPONS.AND MAYBE THEY WILL UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR CULTURE IS 2 BLAME THAT NO1 WANTS THEM WITH THE POSETION OF NUKES NOT EVEN THE RUSSIANS I HOPE.OFCOURSE IT IS NOT ONLY THEIR CULTURE BUT ALSO THE SITUATION THEY R IN 2.AND NOW THE JOKE No2:IRAN IS USING THE NUKES THEN THE USA AND THEN THE RUSSIANS THE CHINISE THE PAKISTAN AND INDIA AND WE HAVE THE END OF LIFE ON EARTH AS WE KNOW IT.
YOU GUYS – I'M THUPER THERIAL!
Figure out where the CAP LOCK IS AND USE IT.
Whew. On heroin?
Wow George, you are right on top of things aren't you? I have never seen a more ignorant, poorly written, non-sensical piece of garbage comment on this site, ever. You are clearly a total loser.
Yes it's been said Iran has the right to develop nuclear energy for civilian use only. The western country's don't believe the development of the nuclear energy is there real reason. Iran is using the explanation of nuclear development of energy to cover up there real intentions an that is for a NUCLEAR DEVISE to destroy who they hate. Until we can prove at 100% that Iran is building a BOMB an there not much we can do. If we wait until it's to late an a nuclear device is lunch at a country any country then my guess is we will of wished we would of taken steps back when we could of prevented it. If an attack does happen with an nuclear weapon from Iran then a response in kind should happen but in the responce it should be total to all there development of nuclear power, I'd like to say BOMB them back to the stone age but that will never happen.
what makes you think that Iran is lying? I don't think they are stupid enough to start a war. if there is any war started it will be either by Israel or the US and thats going to cause a world war. havent we had enough?
I cannot speak for others, but what makes me think Iran is lying is that they have been lying to us on a regular basis since 1979. This is easily verified.
The way to end countries like Iran and Venezuela is to sharply reduce our purchases of their oil. Once the USA shows the weld the 'work a round', they will all follow and these despots will tumble. It's kinda' hard to complain about their nuke program when people from all walks of life here in the US would rather pay them than to be inconvenienced.
@Bill – This isn't even about Iran lying, and really of what relevancy is that argument considering we live in the US with a gov that is just as, if not more, dishonest than any other out there. What right do we, sitting on the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, and the only country to ever have used them on another, have to tell another society they are too dangerous to posses them. And don't forget the truth about the 1979 revolution you mention, considering that was the coup that the US supported only to turn around and say they are now a problem. Likewise lets not forget that the US touted this same rhetoric about North Korea having nukes, they developed and tested them, and yet haven't tried to kill anyone with them. Matter of fact they have had them over 5 years now and haven't even attempted to use them. Surprised because I'm not. No country would even humor the thought of using nukes unless they had them used against them, and again a reminder, there is only one nation on this planet that has ever done this, and countries like North Korea and Iran know that our trigger happy leaders would love a good reason to do so. Don't believe that, look up depleted uranium devices considered for bunker busters at the start of the Iraq war when Bush was still in office.
Regarding your oil facts you need to get them straight. We purchase so little oil from Iran (if any at all, I'm not sure to be honest) that they don't even fall into the top 15 of countries we purchase it from. Heck we actually get more from Mexico than we even do from Venezuela, but again it's a moot point because if we didn't buy it, then another country would. And at the same time, what does Venezuela even have to do with this, because they are friends with Iran? Iran has plenty of friends out there, like China and Russia, and I don't believe any us have any idea of horrible a war would be if they and the US began combating one another.
Anyone as illiterate as you can not be taken seriously.
western revolution do some research, Russia is a mess they can't afford a war.
So the 2012 elections will essentially decide if we start WWIII
Essentially yes. The only candidate I'm certain wouldn't go to war is Ron Paul though and his chances of getting the nomination are next to none. Any other Repub and we'll be off to war Day 1. Obama may at least give it a week if we're lucky..
At least Obama won't do anything without assuring our allies are behind us as well.
thats why we need to vote for Obama
VOTING BARACK OBAMA . . . AGAIN ????? ARE YOU CRAZY . . . . He would be too DAM'N SLOW in RETAILATION
VOTING BARACK OBAMA . . . AGAIN ????? ARE YOU CRAZY . . . . He would be too DAM'N SLOW in
RETALIATION !!!!! Especially vs IRAN ???? See, DEMOCRACTS are TOO PEACEFUL PEOPLE , like to TURN THE OTHER CHEEK, LET ANOTHER BLOW COME BY and U.S.A will be DONE . . . COOKED GOOSE !!!!!! Vote for MITT ROMNEY , so he can really make QUICKER – INTELLIGENT DECISIONS . . . that will be MUCH MORE ACCURATE !!!!!
"They are walking both sides of the fence"
So it would seem.
http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/as-the-crow-flies/
Perhaps I'm just confused, but I'm pretty sure the article even said that they had would only use their weapons if provoked.. Yes, I understand that Iran isn't an ally of the U.S. and that nuclear weapons are dangerous, but we don't rule the world. It isn't our place to go into other countries and tell them what they can or can't do. Many countries have nuclear programs and even nuclear weapons, but I honestly can't see how our talks of war are backed by anything other than trying to supress a country's right because they are an enemy of Israel.
It is scary with any country having nuclear weapons capability. It is borderline insane not to do anything you can to keep rogue countries like Iran from developing that capacity. The Iranian theocracy has shown it is borderline insane. Would you allow a crazy person to own a gun if you had ability to stop them. I hope you are not that deluded.
Ya but who decides if they are crazy ? The US . lol
Most of the insanity from Iran comes from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and even he has repeatedly stated that the goal of the Nuclear program is strictly energy. They've even stated that the policy of building such a bomb is illegal there and against their religion. The crazy hate talk that you hear of from Iran though is from him and half of the citizens don't like him. They really aren't the hate mongering zealots that they get made out to be.
Ya --- Right --– And an armed robber released from jail will only use a gun for another armed robbery and nothing else......The robber promises.....believe him.....coward....
So.. it's cowardly to not be afraid of them and panic that the Middle Eastern boogiemen are coming to get us? How exactly does that work?
Skek – Learn how to interpret an analogy -- Look at Iran's track record in terms of violent and apocolyptic rhetoric rhetoric -– How can you trust such a regime?
We should have left Hitler alone and then he would have entered your parents house and taught you the meaning of "Boogyman" before you went to bed.......
Anyway -- Just believe Ahmedinajad.....he's a trustworthy person...I'd feel VERY comfortable if he had the bomb.....wouldn't you? I'm sure he hasn't been responsible for the death of hundreds if now thousands of NATO and American troops.....Coward
Ahmadinejad doesn't have the authority to launch a nuclear weapon even if they had one. Also, we did leave Hitler alone. We didn't enter WW2 until Japan gave us a very personal invitation, so I have no clue where you get the idea that we stepped in to stop the wrongdoings of Nazi Germany. Iran is a pissant Middle Eastern country who is no threat to us. We just have a big problem with them because they have funny beliefs and they don't recognize Israel. Calling me a coward isn't going to encite me to start fearing that a country on the other side of the world is going to kill me and my family because they believe, speak , or appear in some manner that is different from me.
I agree with your assessment of Iran and refuse to engage with your faulty WWII logic (otherwise the US would have only went after Japan) -– Looks like you will need a visit from a Boogeyman though to bring you out of your denial in terms of the correct course of action. And yes -– you are still a coward and even worse, a coward in denial about the true threat posed by an Ayatollah with a nuclear bomb.
The fact that you define the rhetoric and threats spoutted off by Iran in support of terrorism and the killing of civilians to be "funny beliefs" exhibits that you are not only a coward in denial, but that you are a serious liability to your family, our future generations and are irresponsible.
Enjoy the view from the Ivory Tower – coward
Hey, we knew what was going on in Germany. We had to attack them too. You can't just go into a World War, attack one country and expect their allies to leave it alone. It's all or nothing. Iran has said they have no plans for a bomb or to attack, our own intelligence officers have stated that they aren't a threat, yet you and countless others are so scared of them that you advocate attacking them and starting a lengthy war that we can't afford and don't need just to ease your minds. I'm trying to explain to your that there isn't a monster in the closet and you're calling for your metaphoric father to come make sure, but I'm somehow the coward? I would love to see it from your point of view – I really would – but I'm nowhere near flexible enough to get my head up that oriface.
More denial -– Excellent and getting defensive too! Excellent, that may be a slight backbone growing. For anyone who has a short term memory or a dangerous and irresponsible philosophy like Skek....Here's a refresher on what Iran's leader thinks:
“In Iran, we don't have homosexuals like in your country. (Laughter) We don't have that in our country. (Booing) In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon. I don't know who's told you that we have it. (Laughter)”
"We don't shy away from declaring that Islam is ready to rule the world."
"The wave of the Islamist revolution will soon reach the entire world."
"Our revolution's main mission is to pave the way for the reappearance of the Twelfth Imam, the Mahdi."
"Soon Islam will become the dominating force in the world, occupying first place in the number of followers amongst all other religions."
"Is there a craft more beautiful, more sublime, more divine, than the craft of giving yourself to martyrdom and becoming holy? Do not doubt, Allah will prevail, and Islam will conquer mountain tops of the entire world."
"What is important is that they have shown the way to martyrdom which we must follow." [President Ahmadinejad's comments on an aircraft crash in Tehran that killed 108 people in December 2005].
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad praised his country's ability to recruit "hundreds of suicide bombers a day," saying "suicide is an invincible weapon. Suicide bombers in this land showed us the way, and they enlighten our future”…. to commit suicide was "one of the best ways of life."
"By the grace of Allah, we (will be) a nuclear power."
"The Islamic republic of Iran has the capacity to quickly become a world superpower. If we believe in ourselves... no other power can be compared to us."
"I believe the German people are prisoners of the Holocaust. More than 60 million were killed in World War II . . . The question is: Why is it that only the Jews are at the center of attention? We say that if the Holocaust happened, then the Europeans must accept the consequences and the price should not be paid by Palestine. If it did not happen, then the Jews must return to where they came from."
"You [the United States], who have used nuclear weapons against innocent people, who have used uranium ordnance in Iraq, should be tried as war criminals in courts."
I am certainly not the only one with my head up in an orphace. Coward. Wake-up!
Our corrupt politicians as always; they put the interest of Israel before America. Look at CNN news today "Republican donor expected to shell out $10 million to Gingrich super PAC". Do you know who this donor is? His name is Sheldon Adelson (CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp) a Republican Jewish buying out our government to send our American kids to die for Israel. This donor is big AIPAC supporter and him with Newt Gingrich are willing to destroy our country and livelihood for the sake of Israel. Please don't bother to vote because Americans under the illusion that we vote in our president but in fact it's the money from the Jewish lobbyist is controlling our corrupt congress and president.
Israel wan't mentioned once in my commentary Nate -- Learn how to control your mouse you bloody moron -– You don't need to look at Israel and Iran's relatiomship to uncover why the World must unite in stopping these lunatics from getting a bomb. You don't sound like a coward though Nate.....Just a FOOL
You obviously don't know much about Iran. THEY HAVE BEEN ARMING TERRORISTS AND TRAINING THEM AGAINST EVERYONE ELSE ON THE PLANET. How is it that you missed all that? Most of the IED's that have been blowing up us and allied troops have come from IRAN. How the hell have you missed that?
I think McCain is full of himself. IF the US hasn't been a threat to civilization around the world under the guise of Freedom from Terror then i'm Ronald McDonald. Most of the American people are stupid but some of us know the truth to what the government has been attempting to do for a long time. If they attack us it would be a throwing of the insults and blame. Both countries would probably stage some plot that one attacked the other first, if said violence on a mass scale does occur. Look at 9.11.
Hi Ronald. You were held back a few times eh.....
We havent fully unleashed our military capabilities since WWll. You have no clue.
Never heard of Vietnam?
Cambodia?
Laos?
Hell, we dropped more bombs on these people than in all of WW2 combined.
Nuke 'em now or nuke 'em later. Those are the options.
The British Government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa .
Never mind.
http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2008/11/14/talking-head-like-a-hole/
Oh, and Russia would probably back Iran, and both countries are rich in Uranium missiles that can be launched from any point on the globe. Hello War Games.
If it came down to us Bombing Iran Russia would not be declaring war on us. That is just ridiculous.
We should start nuking just east of isreal and keep dropping nukes as we move in an easterly direction until we reach water.
The Iranians are coming , the Iranians are coming. I laught at America.
I seriously think that we need a regime change in Iraq.........Oh sorry , Iran. lol
DEJAVU war mongers !
The U.S has the most powerful military in the world hands down. We could make that whole region a no fly zone if we wanted. Iran can be a after thought very quickly. Im not worried in the least.
The problem here is that there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly he [Saddam Hussein] can acquire nuclear weapons. But we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.
Never mind.
No because you are a warmongerer. The US has killed more innocent people than any other colonial power except the wonderful UK!!!!!! We have used NUCLEAR WEAPONS on unsuspecting unarmed civilians because we believed they were less than human.!!!! You are a SPOKESMAN for those IDEAS and actions!!! Grow a brain!!!!
Get out of this country. I am absooutely sick of cowards like you living under the freedom our country provides and then putting it down. Go live in Iran if you think it is so great. I'm positive once you move there, they will freely let you talk against their government. Oh wait – they have already recently shot and brutalized their own people after they tried to revolt against a rigged election. Go live there coward.
Why should you be? After all, you're just another chickenhawk, content to sit back and watch others do all the heavy lifting.
We couldn't stabilize Iraq. and failed miserably. In the end we were told to literally "get out",
We could not kill, capture the Taliban or whatever we do when we occupy foreign lands in the disguise of "nation building" What makes you think we can defeat the Iranians ?
After all the PTSD war generation coming back, you want another war ?
Nobody wants another war.....Let's just sit back and wait to see what happens -- North America is far away from the middle east! Great idea! If you were really lucky, maybe an Iranian ICBM will fall on your house Jill. Just sit on your hands coward and demean the efforts put forth by the Heroes who have made the world safer.
written at 5pm iran time from the ministry of propaganda by poseur claiming to be an american, so sad
Jill, Jill, Jill............don't you know common sense is not welcome here?
Iran funds terrorism and is developing nuclear weapons. How is that not a problem? It will be a problem to you when your home was hit by a nuclear bomb and will be toxically radioactive for the next 50 years.
America has supported terrorism for the past 60 years in several countries including Afgan. The funny part is one person calls them terrorist and another calls them freedom fighters. Just depends on whos side your on.
PS dropping leaflets saying you will die if you stay here then bombing entire cities is pretty terrorizing if you think about it. Just saying, the elegance of verbiage is no substitution for rational thought.
Heard the same like 10 years ago .......was it called Iraq ?
LOL
The same propaganda that took place before attacking Iraq
Exactly right ! There is zero reason for the US to even consider a war with Iran. Efforts to make the entire Middle East a Nuke Free zone would be a far better option rather than picking on Iran
But Iran is the problem here. No one else is making nuclear bombs but Iran. Stop Iran and you stop the middle east from having nuclear weapons.
Nuclear Iran in itself isn't a problem. Nuclear Iran with a clear enemy is a problem. Israel is the problem. They need to compromise and learn to get along with neighbors instead of hiding behind the US and endangering this country also.
It always seems to be a threat when our country decides it needs to take over another. This time however Israel which has cost us billions every year and has done nothing for us is the WAR MONGER this time. Let everyone else fight their battles and let them PAY for it as well. I am sick and tired of my taxpayer money assisting everyone in the world and our car corporations and no one is doing crap for the American people.
Seriously. Israel is a terrible ally. We don't need to get tangled in their mess.
First off, I am an Elite Member of our country's 5th Special Forces Group, out of Ft Campbell KY. Beforus it seems you do not have a Clue what you are talking about. Iran has been supplying Terrorists in Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza, Syria, I'm not going to list them all,but you get the picture, with weapons and training, so that they can kill AMERICAN SERVICEMEN , and other's. I personally have lost 2 people in my unit. They threaten the American People, They kidnap Americans and put them on trial as spies, and charge millions of dollars for what they call bail. Which is nothing more than a Ransom payment made to kidnapper's. They have CLEARLY Stated that if they do develop a Weapon that they WILL WIPE ISRAEL OFF THE MAP. I am not quoting what Israel said, I am quoting what IRAN said. It isn't even a secret anymore that Iran is Arming Terrorists against the United States. I am a Green Beret Volunteer, and if asked I would volunteer to lead a raid to destroy Iran's nuclear capability. But this is not a war that will be fought on the ground. It will be fought from the air. It is a MATTER OF FACT, that all we would need to strike Iran and Cripple their forces beyond repair is one Carrier Strike Group. Iran is 4% smaller than our Alaska. the conflict would be over in hours. If you love Iran so much let me suggest that you move there and starve with the rest of their country, while their Supreme leaders eat lobster and spend much needed food money on their wild Nuclear Ambitions. Here's another fun filled fact for ya! IRAN WANT'S EVERYONE THAT IS NOT OF THEIR MUSLIM FAITH KILLED.
@JO all you have just said and quoted are crap coming from your a s s !
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!
.....oh....sorry!
I usually nod off whenever someone inundates me with bullshit.
Thanks for the propaganda: killer! Im sure your proud to kill for Amerika! Im sure your IQ hovers in the 80s
Mr Jo. and what the F%$@k ru doing in people's country then? and we ask our selves why th eworld hate us, I'm sick of my country being a puppet of Israel
Well Narco we see that America is not your country. In MY world I have laid down my life in many war's for MY country. What have you done for YOUR country? And sitting around in your parents basement blogging on something you obviously know nothing about doesn't count as doing something for your country. So what have you done for your country? What's that? I think I hear your mother calling from upstairs. It's supper time.
I think this is where I came in.
http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2008/11/14/talking-head-like-a-hole/
Garbage propaganda because the powers that be plan on attacking Iran, just as we did Iraq. We destroyed their next door neighbor, have military throughout the region and they're the threat to us?? The Onion does a better job of reporting news than CNN.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/iran-worried-us-might-be-building-8500th-nuclear-w,27325/
Good post. Iran ins't invading anyone, but is sure nervous about the invading countries in that area. Guess which nation invades the most?
Onion is for idiots and has nothing but troll fodder. Waste of space.
For those of you hoping for a peaceful outcome to this situation with Iran, all I have to add to your thoughts is: "I hope so". Unfortunately, the reality is; its probably not going to happen with the yo-yo's in power within that country. Sometimes the only answer for people who just don't get it, is a violent one. I don't condone this, nor do I advocate for an armed response. However, that may be the only answer left if compliance with the inspectors does not come true. The bottom line is; at this point in time Iran is lying. That said, I do not wish for our troops to be once again dispatched to a third world armpit to play "police". A simple ultimatum needs to be drafted and sent, at the end of which "Things are going to automatically happen." Besides we know where that facility is. One cruise missile can and will do the job nicely. Its a matter of having a President with some guts, and willing to shut them down to make our point. That is something our country has lacked since Truman!
Well said!
Brilliant. And how do you think China and Russia would re-act to bombs flying around the area? Iran hasn't invaded anyone in a very long time. But, they do have oil, lot's of oil.
i would like to say what gives your country the right to be the police man of the world or rather what gives your country the right to have nuclear arms and another country should not have it. Afterall america practices democracy and freedom of speech and thought or is democracy only relevant when it conforms with America or western countries wish???
Turkey is all that stands between Europe and Iran. IRAN IS EUROPE'S PROBLEM.
"Emmy Award-winning actor Ed Asner said Navy Seals have told him military action against Iran is forthcoming and will be preceded by a false flag attack.
Asner told Alex and his nationally syndicated radio show audience that the Seals are attempting to alert the American people about the prospect of a false flag operation and “more foreign escapades” before the establishment media “starts brainwashing us.”
Asner said it is up to the American people to recognize and prevent an imminent false flag operation and stop another disastrous war before it gets started. He said the Navy Seals are now coming forward because they are worried that an Iran false flag attack “runs the danger” of creating a “world-wide conflict if it gets out of hand.”
http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2009/06/08/up/
It looks like the war machine is gearing up to invade another country that is no threat to the U.S. This all seems so familiar. Remeber Iraq had all those weapons of mass destruction (which were never found). Iran may just be developing nuclear energy. It is well know that the easy oil, mostly found in the middle east, is running out. Which is exactly why many middle eastern countries, which were once gushing with oil, are now investing in nuclear energy. Its not just Iran. We need more diplomacy in the world not violence. The U.S. is so focused on war it seems like it is our number one export anymore. All we make in the U.S. anymore is war.
The generations coming up in the U.S. today may not have a bright future but they will have a lot of guns and bombs........I guess they will have to shoot something.
A good war can help a failing economy.
Peace is the key to development. Lets maintain it all over and progress positively.
israel is not our friends. How is it that the dirty evil zionist regime in tel-aviv believe it can threaten the nations in the middle east? What gives them that right??
the dirty evil zionists are trying to get the U.S. to attack Iran. Iran is a peaceful country and If I was Iran, I would stop being peaceful. I would develope nuclear bombs.
Bombs Away . . . . is what Iran should be saying.
Iran should announce they HAVE nuclear bombs and if the dirty evil zionists want to start WW3,
then Iran should say . . . Let's get it on!
Heck, I say, Let's Get It On!
In the end everyone gets nuked but the best part is . . . israel gets nuked, too!!!! Yipppeeeeeeee!
And in the end everyone left will know the evil of the zionists and the evil zionist survivors will be hunted down and given what they most deserve. And all the traitor-zionists in American will be hunted down, too. They will be given what they deserve, too.
Yipppeeeeeee! no more zionism and no more israel!
I can take comfort in knowing that.
ha ha zionists pigs . . .look at my thumb . . . gee you're dumb and you're all are about to be nuked.
Sizzle and fry and goodbye!
good job, the fbi just opened a file on your ass with that little rant. thanks for exposing yourself
If you look at history as an outsider, you would probably come to the conclusion that the U.S. is a bigger threat to Iran. We disposed of their government in 1953, then cried foul when they retaliated by ousting the shah and taking our people hostage. We supplied arms to Saddam Hussein against Iran in the bloody Iran-Iraq war. We preemptively invaded Iraq and are now knocking on Iran's back door and building up propaganda and sanctions against them. Iran has a lot of problems, but this feels far too much like Iraq 2.0. "Oh this country in the middle east is so dangerous, they're a threat to the world we must invade them!"
Iran not only danger to US,it is arab.
Iran is persion you scrub, get it right. You people are so ignorant...
There are several things I with more media outlets would write about on the subject of Iran and any potential nuclear weapons program they may have so as to give Joe Sixpack a better idea of the facts on the ground.
1. In the mid 70's the US was pushing Iran to build 23 nuclear reactors. Dick Cheny as white house chief of staff and Donald Rumsfeld as Sec Defense even signed off on a plan to have Iran buy a US made facility to extract plutonium from spent fuel. All I hear today is why does a nation awash in oil want nukes (nuclear power)? Well back when oil was a sky high 4$ per barrel the argument coming out of the white house was that they needed nukes so they could export as much oil as possible. Why does this argument no longer work with oil at 100+$ per bbl?
2. The United States gave Iran a small research reactor, the unit located in Tehran that was just recently refueled by Iran. The reactor as we gave them ran off of weapons grade urnaium as was the norm for small reactors of that time. We supplied 2 cores for the reactor at 5585g U235 each. Given typical burnup rates, Iran has in it's possession about 7kgs of weapons grade uranium, well over the threshold considered to be a 'formula mass', the minimum credible amount amount of nuclear material required to build a bomb. Since the fuel that went in was already weapons grade, all that needs to be done to it is simple chemical processing to remove fission products and the urnaium could be directly used in a bomb. Everyone who argues Iran's nuclear program is a threat claims that they are stalling till they can finish their race to The Bomb. Iran has had the material needed to build a bomb, and it has been sitting peacefully in Tehran for nearly half a century now. Not much of a race if you ask me.
3. On the subject of the Tehran research reactor. This sort of reactor is how all of the newest members to the nuclear club achieved their initial entry. When you run a nuclear reactor you produce plutonium as a byproduct. Plutonium is reasonably easy to isolate, so a small nuclear reactor is an ideal way to build up a modest arsenal. A good rule of thumb is a 5 megawatt reactor run for 1 year will produce 1 bombs worth of plutonium. North Korea, Pakistan, India, and Israel all run their reactors as hard as they can, with as much up time as possible. Israel went so far as to specify a cooling system that was 400% what their reactor needed so they likely run their unit at even high than rated powers. What has Iran done CONSISTENTLY since getting their reactor? They run it at about 7% of capacity. That's not just last weeks figures, or last year's but year after year they run this tried and true american designed reactor at a fraction of it's potential. Instead of making enough plutonium for a bomb every year since 1968, they have maybe 2 bombs worth of plutonium in their spent fuel pool, again sitting their peacefully, monitored by the IAEA. Some nations use 'research' reactors in a manner that is plainly consistent with a nuclear weapons program. Some use their reactor in a manner consistent with what it is intended for, actual research and the production of nuclear medicines. Iran falls into this latter category.
One has to ask, why would a developing nation NOT use technology that they already have, technology that can easily give them nukes, and instead engage in a decade long, multi-billion dollar effort to enrich uranium under the watchful eye of the world community? There is no logic to it.
4. Lastly I often hear Iran challenged to acquire their uranium on the open market. They tried that. they invested 5 billion dollars (adjusted for inflation) in the European enrichment facility that was built in the south of France. Contractually they are entitled to 10% of the plants output. Know how much fuel they got out of the deal? NONE. Zero. Not a single gram. If the west was serious about providing Iran fuel, they wouldn't play "give us all your uranium and in 2 years we will give you fuel" games. They would land a plane in Tehran and do a swap in real time, like Iran asked for.
The west has fearmongering to substantiate it's claims regarding Iran's Nuclear program. Iran has nearly half a century of consistent ACTIONS that demonstrate the peaceful use of the atom.
Bob,
I'm not sure where to start. But, I'll give a go.
Everything you say is mostly true. But what you're leaving out, and it is the important part, is in the 70's, the Shaw was in power. He was a stable leader, a little nuts, but still, stabe and a friend of most of the world. The U.S. and ALL other nuke enabled countries, were happy to help. The Shaw did not openly advocate the distruction of ANY country. The shaw did not claim that Isreal needed to be destroyed.
It was in 1980 when the Shaw was overthrown. Everything changed then. Iran became very hostile to most countries.
As for the reactor you claim has been producing fuel "Peacefully" for decades, you're wrong. The parts they need to exceed the 7% output you talk about are not available to them. Once they declared they would wipe Isreal off the map, their plant was disabled to a point of almost non operational status. The fule swap you talk about, was offered to them with one condition, the IAEA be allowed to inspect ALL facilities. They turned it down. France was willing to do a tarmac swap like you talk about, but wanted certian things in exchange. The inspections and the UN requested Iran dismantle several very old reactors that pose a hazard to the region. Iran refused and said they wanted unconditional terms for the exchange.
So, yes, you are correct in most of what you say, but mislead the reader. And one last point, for a country that claims they only want to produce medical isotopes, why do they keep increasing the grade? 20% is far too much for plain medical research and cancer treatment.
The bigger question and far more scary question is, what do you do when they follow through with their threat of destroying Isreal?
Very good post though. I'm glad you didn't just bash with uneducated comments.
you act as though the shah was a stablizer in the region....wrong...he was the cause of all the trouble along with his masters the U.S.
Well,.....I hate to sound cold but if Iran destroys Isreal (doubtful) it ends our obligations to Isreal. Problem solved. The last thing the U.S. needs is another war......
Jim,
Go away. You miss the point of my comment and I never said the Shaw was anything but a western friend.
Sickofit,
Think about this, what if Iran decided to destroy India, Turkey, or any other country they view as an enabler of the west or an alie of western cultrue. It is not just Isreal we're talking about. It is the mind set that they are going to be doing Gods work. They have already told the Saudis it wouldn't be wise for them to continue a relationship with the west.
@ Neil......[the Iranian dictator is ] stabe and a friend of most of the world. The U.S. and ALL other nuke enabled countries, were happy to help...
sure... it is the saeme with dictators and racist regimes who are (friends of the West)... The west was eager to help the apartheid South Africa with nuclear weapons but dispowered it when it became democratic .... the same, the West was urging the Iranian dictator to build a nuclear power... but when it became democratic republic with periodical elections it is no longer a friend for the west.... the same as Mubarak was the friend of the west and was backed directly from the US.... the same as the autocratic feudal regime of Saudi Arabia is the best friend of America.... the same as the racist zionist regime is the friend of the West !!!
Neil, I'm sorry but you are both mistaken and trying to misdirect the discussion to the point of ridiculousness.
I understand certain things were given or offered to iran under the shah that would have not been before the islamic revolution. That totally misses the point. The people calling for war today say that iran does not NEED nuclear power when they have so much oil. not that we cant trust them with it. The simple fact of the matter is we were once bending over backwards to sell every nuclear technology possible to a nation awash with oil. the same nation we are now claiming doesnt NEED nukes because they have so much oil. despite the fact oil has risen 20 times in price.
with regards to the tehran research reactor. fuel WAS avaliable to tehran for some time. back int he 90's argentina aided iran in converting the system to run off of 19.75% enriched urnaium istead of weapons grade material and they have provided several cores since this time. in their effort to get fuel since then iran has numerous times offered a 'tarmac' swap' the best deal the west has ever offered would be one where we took their entire stockpile of urniaum, waited 2 years and then gave them the fuel they needed. france never offered a swap such gas what you describe. it would have been nonsensical for iran to have turned it down. the iaea instpects EVERY declared nuclear site in iran. there is no special building they are wanting to get into but are denied permission.
iran does not keep 'increasing' the enrichment of their fuel. They went from 5% to 20% and stopped. you claim that 20% fuel is not needed for the production of medical isotopes, but I have no idea where you pull that 'fact' from. MANY research reactors are still running with weapons grade uranium. 20% is right at the curve where the critical mass of uranium starts to asymtopically approach infinity, so 20% is the realistic LOWEST enrichment that can be used for a SMALL, versatile reactor, such as what is needed for the intended purposes. Sure you dont NEED 20% enriched uranium to do that. but when you try to use lower enrichments you end up with a reactor the size of a comerical power plant, instead of a little 2 foot cube at the bottom of a deep swimming pool.
IMHO you loose all credibility the moment you bring up the 'wipe off the map' nonsense. that was a mistranslation. the idiom 'wipe off the map' does not even exist in persian, the language the comment in question was made in.
@American Teenager... China's military may not be "designed for that task", but it doesn't need to be. They have twice as many people in the military than we have in our total population. And that is just the men and women that are "of military age" at the moment. They have about 20 million more people coming of military age every year. With a military that big, what they were "designed for" is of little consequence. Why do you think the US kisses their butt so much for?
pleeze shut thee fuck upp
Everyone should really watch the Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, explain to the Senate Armed Services Committee today that there are three key benchmarks that the US Intelligence services are monitoring that would show intent by Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, none of which have been seen.
http://www.c-span.org/Events/Intelligence-Chiefs-Identify-Global-Threats-to-US-National-Security/107¬37428355/
Pay close attention to Sen. Lieberman doing his darndest to get Clapper to say the intelligence shows something it does not. After reading this article, you'd think Clapper played up the nuclear threat. He actually did the opposite.
If you watch and listen to the "drums" in the press our beloved leader, the uniter and peace seeker with Isalm, the trigger man with the gun at the heads of the people paying the most into this country demanding more, the greatest transparent advocate of the greatest fleecing of our country by the Fed OUR President Obama, IS preparing for war in Iran. He won't declare war because congress – buy constitution – will have to approve it so he'll bypass it under the UN or other umbrella and not define it as "war". The expense will be the greaty and many will be killed. Somehow, he will figure out a way to blame Bush! How easily we are misled and manipulated by this administration and the supportive press. . Are the troops from Iraq home? No they're in Afghanistan. Is GITMOclosed? No iit is getting a renovation to hold more prisoners. Does the Affordable Health Care Act reduce the cost of health care? No, it just brings more people into the pool to pay for it. Baaaah sheep, baaaah.
But cardog I can see how you interperet my posts as warmongerring. I don't blame you, and I know someone is going to say that I wouldn't step up and serve if I was called upon. To let you and everyone else know I am signing up for the Navy as soon as I graduate. Why? Because I love my country and all it stands for and would gladly fight and die in its defense.
Bringing our troops home a sign of weakness? cardog are you serious? That was a brave step foward by Obama and showed the world that we have confidence in these people to keep the peace. That is a sign of confidence not weakness.
cardog to be honest with you I hate war and the suffering it brings to people who don't deserve to suffer. I have very hard time watching documentaries about the horror of war. But what I've been posting is merely saying if we go to war the US cannot hold back. We need to hit the people who cry out for nothing less than a genocide of the western world. But I was merely saying those facts as a statement of truth to silence those who believe they can defeat the US. But I'll agree that the US is desperate for a firm leader who will take the proper steps to insuring world peace. But I still hold hope that war is avoidable.
Its intelligent enough to find Osama bin Laden, and dozens of other higher-ups in Al Quaeda then blow them away.
No I'm just saying, if(and I emphasize if) Russia or China decide to fight us we won't hold back. That's not our military's style and hasn't been in terms of fighting a real standing military.
You might want to study the Vietnam war. We did nothing but pussyfoot through that. What a failure and a waste of lives for nothing.
How intelegent is the us intelegence realy, how many times has it lyied about other countries. the u.s. will only help countries with oil and stand to benifit from it. israel has on oil, they have nothing of us intrest.
Now where is Joe Gets? It's time to renew our battle.
china and russia and the us aren't going to go to war...over what? Getting dragged into a war somebody else starts, that i can see happening in a limited way with both sides then backing off.......................anywho.................Iran isn't going to launch a ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead against us cause if they do, we'll turn the country into glass, every square inch nuked...................what you have to worry about is them developing a nuke and putting it into a container ship that docks in LA, or Seattle, or New York or you get the idea. The missile obviously reveals who's launching it......the nuke in a crate of olive oil doesn't...................stop these people from getting a nuke but don't spend a dime on any kind of defense system against putative iranian ballistic missiles.
Although I'm not saying our enemies won't be. I'm saying that we are too, and the technology just puts us over the top of anything that they can throw at us.
Guess what Beelzabubba so are our troops just ask, Hussein, bin Laden, Hitler, Rommel, Yamamoto, and King George. Never underestimate someone with a history of proven military prowess.
So for all reading this rest easy, our boys will be victorious. And for those reading this who think I'm wrong just wait and see. America will once again be so lethal you might call it cheating.
charlie I believe you're right, there will be a war with Iran. Who starts it though, I don't know. But it will not be the bloody war many people fear. I'm here to tell you that this the kind of war our military is trained and equipped to do. We have become masters of the Art of War and the Iranians will along with the world be reminded.
The great mistake obama has done was pull out from irak. This year 2012 will not be over without a bloody war with iran. For this reason obama will not be re-elected. Obama is weakening the usa military, and creating more enemies for the usa. If obama is re-elected, he will have four more years to destroy the usa. Obama will trigger the 3rd worldwide war.
I'm reading your comment and cannot believe what I'm reading. To let you tell it, we should be at constant war. From what you're saying, bringing our troops home from Iraq is a sign of weakness? How about having a President and leader that knows when to end something that never should have been started in the first place?
As for Barak H. Obama being re-elected, just be prepared to deal with his second term. You're fooling yourself if you truly believe that the line up of clowns representing the Teapublicant party and jokers like you will be elected for dog catcher.
Mr Charlie Avila, I think you lack comon sense, we pulled out of Iraq for one Reason and one reason only, we can not afford the war, got it? we're broke, we're in a huge financial crisis, the country is in down fall, focus on domestic problems, jobs, education, healthcare, revamp the economy, we're on the verge to be in a total internal chaos!!! world power no more man, these days are long behind us
So let me get this straight.....you are 100% in favor of the Iraq war started by Bush but you vehemently object to the make believe Iran war that will be started by President Obama? Partisian politics in a nutshell.
All in all markishere. China gets manhandled. And Russia wouldn't pull its troops from its border with the EU for political reasons. They are very paranoid about the Germans being right next door along with a sizeable American contingent.
markishere, the kind of war I was referring to was a war on the high seas, which China would get utterly destroyed, and a war of moving large bodies of troops along witheir logistical support to the area of operations. We have ten times the lift capacity they do and have the ability to track their movements viasatellite and drone. Mostly it would be an air war which we would win hands down due superior planes weapons, tactics and our AWACS birds. There is a reason that the Iraqi Air Force didn't face the Americans in the Second Gulf War. Also whatever forces did land in Iran to help would be equally decimated by air power and deep piercing armourred thrusts.
I am of Russian ancestry and I hold Russia, its people, and its proud military in very high regard. They have very advanced weaponry themselves like the new Su-45 they have in development. But the problem is a severe shrtage of funds which the US miltary would not have a problem with if we were fighting a major war. China is a proud nation with a good military but it just isn't designed for the kind of war it would have to wage against us and the fact is we are.
It ain't just the weaponry, AT – the Slavs are tough, resilient sons-of-bitches.
Ask the Nazis.
Actually I know quite a bit about the Chinese and Russian miltaries. I'm not trying to sell them short, their doctrine is good if executed correctly. It's just that our military is better because of our doctrine. Another reason their doctrine is antiquated is because the doctrine holds life in low regard, just look at their tanks. Built to be not very survivable and the same goes for the lack of body armor they equip their soldiers with. That was fine years ago. But times have changed and if a population sees large numbers of soldiers being killed the war won't last long.
I thought I'd address somebody accusing the EU of being thugs or gangsters. Tell me do thugs put hundreds of years of conflict behind them to form a super country of historically bitter rivals? Or do they liberate a puny state from Iraqi occupation, going against a much larger force of armourred formations and annihalting them. Next time don't call someone a thug who rolls in Leopard II and Challenger tanks.
catzpaw I agree. No one wins with nukes.
typo: "lose" not "use"
Continued from my last post. What all might China and Russia lose if they fight the US? Their military doctrine is antiquated and inflexible in combat. The Iraqis used the exact same doctrine and they lost badly. I am not saying that the Russian and Chinese soldiers don't know how to fight, quite the contrary. It's just that we've read your doctrine as well and have designed our own tactics to counter it. This isn't even mentioning our superior experiencce on the battlefield, technology, traing and logistical support. So tell me what could Russia and China potentially use in a war with the US?
Kid........never underestimate your opponent.
Ever.
Perhaps outnumbering us a bajillion to one?
Someone has been playing a little too much call of duty
Were does the majority of your manufacturing come from these days? We don't have the capacity to put out enough war goods if a "major" conflict broke out against a country like china. They would cut us off simply and it would take years to get manufacturing rolling again in this country. Not to mention the population numbers don't help us either.
You are young and idealistic. Wait a few years until you have seen that all is NOT black and white. I love my country and consider the US one of the best places to reside, but I do not kid myself into believing that we are without blame. Our country has caused and continues to cause much suffering in the world. The goal is to alleviate suffering and work at peace, something we have apparently forgotten. Killing all your enemies does not further freedom, it only creates fear. Fear mongering is the greatest threat to our national security and it goes across party lines. I can understand why any country wants the ability to defend itself, the USA is intimidating. Iran is a fairly stable country, even if it is repressive and their political statements about Israel are disgusting. Pakistan is another story, that country is an accident waiting to happen.
Agree,disagree with the government all day long....however I have the utmost confidence in our armed forces.
But for everyone who wants to say that Russia and China would militarily assist Iran read this. Nations make decisions based on what they have to gain and what they might lose. So tell me what would Russia and China have to gain from fighting the US and our allies in the name of helping Iran? What would they gain? That is if they win which is highly unlikely.
Strange how Suzanne Kelly's article is similar in it's "theme" to another 'reporter's' article that was in the NY Times before the U.S invasion of Iraq.
This video snippet goes contrary to how Ms. Kelly starts this article (or the heading given to this article)- http://www.aljazeera.com/video/americas/2012/02/20122170514625396.html
(Leon Panetta, the United States defense secretary, tells US legislators that while Iran is enriching uranium for its nuclear program, there are currently no indications that Tehran has decided to develop atomic weapons.)
KeithTexas, unfortunately what you say is the truth. Every nation on Earth knows that war is either a maker or a breaker for a nation. The US is no different. But that same growth from war is what made the US great.
Tomas, you have a point that historically China was technolgically superior to the world. But nowadays that's not the case. The US is extremly powerful, and no country has felt what we can do when we're unleashed since WW2 and look what happened to our enemies in that war. So remember who is the big all-powerful country before saying you're better
Iran doesn't have a sub capable of lauching an ICBM. But if they did it would be under 24 hour watch by more than one of our own fast attack subs. So if it makes the wrong move, boom.
Hey Dorkus, the answer to your question regarding our readiness to war with Rusia and China is a NO. We're are not ready to war with China because no matter what technology we – us+europe+ Nato ally countries have, the chinese has more and greater superiority over the rest of the world. I am a history student. And I can tell you that China's technological superiority over the world goes back in years before even America was born yester. Can you emagine how better they've got over these years? We're weak, that's why we only bully and group on little countries around the world with our ligal european ganster friends. I hope that day never come when America goes to war with Russia or China. I wana live!!! lol
What difference does it make who is more technologically advanced. If we start exchanging nukes everybody in the world loses.
There is no way in the world that Iran could be considered a threat to the United States.
There is also no way to stop the warmongers from attacking them if they need a little war to keep the bucks rolling in. Sacrificing the blood of American men and women to keep the economy going seems to be fine with most Americans or so it would seem since we have been doing it for 94 years.
War is money. War is profit.
Khan, I mean no disrespect but war is what has stimulated the economy in the past. All it takes is for the public to get behind a solid leader who will do what is necessary.
So can we afford to wait until Iran detinates a nuclear weapon at a test site? Can we (or Israel) wait until they have the capability of connecting a nuclear device to an ICBM or a satellite in space or launcing one from a sub?
Right, like any of that is possible. Spreading hate and discontent is fun I suppose because there are plenty of folks on this forum doing it.
Do you work for Raytheon? I am sure they need a little war to keep the bucks rolling in.
bobby I agree 100%. What this situation needs is a good sit down meeting between both sides with someone mediating. They talk it out and figure out a peaceful solution.
Is Iran more of a threat to US than our own Government? We have elected someone who took an oath to enforce the laws and constitution, and has clearly not respected the law, nor complied with the constitution, and corrupted the judicial system. "Obama eligibilty" snope it, also see how his eligibilty was challenged in Georgia, judge for yourself, do your country a favor and research this.
It is just ridiculous and political to say Iran is a threat to US. I believe there is no nation can do any harm to US.
We have seen how much we suffered economically for last couple of years with a false WAR, and another war may bring us on the street.
I personally think Iran's biggest and most effective weapon to the US directly is its influence on gas prices. Although it depends if they actually have a nuc.
Iran and Israel were friends before the Iranian revolution, and can be friends again.. This is apersonal response between the elite politicians on both sides.. The politicians cause hatred between peoples and the peons fall for it everytime.. If Israel and Germany can have diplomatic relations, and russia and America can now be friends.. than israel and Iran can work this out.. If not the world powers need to drag out the leaders of both sides for a good. spanking.. Lets hold the foolish politicians who start wars for stupid reasons responsible..
Lets do it. I'll raise my hand to be the first to jump in on that gig. No politics or questions.
Didn’t the same people and the same media tell us that Saddam had WMDs, therefore he was an IMMINENT threat to the US? Come on American Jews, I know you’ll think the rest of the Americans are dumb, but we are not this dumb that we will trust the same story TWICE!
.and many more treat stil kuming, god help us.
This whole article reeks of Bush-era war propaganda. Fear will justify yet another credibility killing premtptive strike. God/Allah forbid we actually try to understand each other's needs and devise solutions that support both of our common interests. ...and to anyone who says their core interest is the destruction of western society, try asking "why" a few more times before leaping to cause.
Of course the pat American response to anything are the usual penis-themed, vulgar, asinine, gay "jokes"
Well my pat American response to Iran is to leave Iran alone in their sphere, but Iranian ships come to close to the USA, they might be greeted by huge waves, unexpected boarding parties, and the like.
Well.....with Islame teaching 10 year olds to be suicide bombers.........then you should be able to take a couple of jokes thrown your way.
I have a lot of Jewish friends here in America. I also have friends in every land on earth, be it Africa, Europe, Asia or Middle East. This to say we're just too connected be a hater. I don't think war is for or from civilized people. Let the animals who are tired of living with human family take his hatred, love of division and go dig his own grave and leave us alone in peace. Enough with sending and killing the poor people of our time to go die for the very rich coopereation who want to control world' resouces for themselves. If the want a war with Iran, they should put their own relatives on the plans and take the lead! Human being with brain should seek peace to for a good night sleep in the neighborhood of world's community. Make friends, and you'll have no enemies. Bully and play agressively with your neighbor and you'll find no love and total insecurity for yourself. Peace be upon every nation. It's every man's right to build the talliest war for his family's security! Iran and every nation has the right to build a defense system like anyone else. How dare they're being told to walk around naked! They'll have themselves to blame if they listen and get rape by the lawless big boys who has no intension for peace. I love America. We just need to stop killing and forcing our way in everything without a brain to have a deal via negotiating fairly.
For the most part I agree with these statements.
Peace can only be found when we drop our hate for other people. No one threatens world peace more than those who only act to protect their own selfish interests. The days of the one with the biggest stick controlling everything are gone. The world is more aware now of what is being done in our name. It is time for a complete change of how we operate in this world.
The guy on the right is wearing a mask so that when the guy on the left shoots his load, it won't get into his mouth. "Hey, I can see your weiner through this thing. What else is it used for!"
"I'm not falling for that old trick......again!" Hahahahahahahahaha
Jeremy Bernstein of the New Yorker wrote an interesting piece on how Iran obtained nuclear weapons. Worth reading, for those interested: http://goo.gl/RvCmG
A more interesting article would be how Israel got it's nuclear weapons!
in my opinon a massive aliance is being formed to fight nato seeing irans president today in pakistan confirms a lot of things russia and china are building a nasty aliance be very aware
ya, this could be , but i think they were talking about the best poppy crop ever in 2011 and the american aid money that they split last year and how much more they need this plus the extra for the new poppy crop this year. sanctions hit oil and the banks , buy the poppy crops flurish in afghanistan that we occupy, go figure.
If you want to worry, think Pakistan a truly failed government. Where we are a major part of the problem. They have the bomb and you are exited about Iran.
The guy on the right is saying, "Hmmm, what did the Russians say goes into this end?" Hahahahahahahahaha
Threat to the USA? Since when did the USA become a province or occupied or annexed territory of Israel?
Hezbollah and Hamas may be fighting to regain territory stolen by Israel and which is illegally occupied, and they may be trying to achieve a measure of justice for the people Israel has ethically cleansed, and they want justice for Israeli crimes against humanity, but they are not a threat to the USA, their fight is with Israel.
Israel is trying to entrap the States into a new war after forcing them into Iraq and Afganistan.... I dont believe the Americans would endanger their soldiers again for the blew eyes of the zionists !
Ethnic cleansing? When one out of every four Israeli citizens are Muslim/Arab, with full representation in the Knessett (13 of 120 representatives) Really? Stolen territory? Since when did the Palestinians legally have their own sovereign "territory" with an autonomous functioning governing body "running things" prior to the formation of Israel?...are you talking about the land they were occupying under the Ottoman Empire? What exact legal "rights" to sovereignty did they have under that Empire, so that is was in-turn legally "stolen" by Israel? To be clear, I'm not defending Israel's way the dealt with expelling people off land they had lived on for generations, things would have been alot less "tense" if they simply would have asked for permission the "share" an live along side the Palestinians in peace...but neither side was "accomodating" to the other. I am strictly refuting the language you utilized after the "ethnic cleansing" statement, which is flatly "false"...if that were the case, there would be no more Palestinians left...the IDF had and has plenty of bullets to get that job done.
uhhhh... Maybe the fact the Palestinians occupied Palestine for a minimum of 2 millennia gives the de facto right to be called Palestinians. The fact that outside forces took political and military control of the area doesn't diminish the rights the Palestinian people have to their sovereignty. If that was the case then one could forcefully argue that Jewish people ceased to exist around 586BC when the Assyrians overran their plot of land.
Your attempt to deny the identity of the Palestinian people is distastefully similar to arguments the Naziis made about Jews, classifying them as a mongrel race, cosmopolites, not attached to any one country or culture. I suggest you abandon your dishonest tactics, they do not put you in a very good light..
One in four are Arab right? 13 of 120 in government right? Is that 25%?.
"The Ethnic cleansing of Palestine" By Elan Pappe (Elan Pappe, is an israeli intellectual who wrote the ugly truth of his fabricated state... I am not qouting An Iranian fanatic Muslim here... I am speaking of a jewish historian who lived the events and knew them perfectly in details, how and when the ethnic cleanising happened) Read the facts and dont go back to re-tell me of the zionist propaganda, I know the zionist lies as I lived them on my skin and my family was massacred out of our home and our garden was given to a jewish settler in the early 1190s.... @http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-ethnic-cleansing-of-palestine-by-ilan-pappe-425487.html
Under the Ottoman Empire the whole area in question was the province of, Palestine. When the British took Palestine from the Turks in World War I Jews only comprised 3 or 4 percent of the population. Then the British made their declaration to create a Jewish state in Palestine, and the ethnic cleansing began.
There had been no Israel and very few Jewish people. The Palestinian people had always been there. Judeo-christian religious fanatics and bigots can deny the politics, geography, demographics, and religious realities all they want, but the history remains, as do the Palestinian people in Palestine and the millions of Palestinians around the world who were ethnically cleansed.
Eric: You don't read and comprend too well do you? You simply take a couple specific words and twist it into something I never said. I talked about the word "legal rights"... "de facto" rights has NOTHING to do with "legal rights". Did I say that I agreed with how the Israelis have dealt with the Palestinans? No I did not, and nor was I trying to attempt to justify what the Israelis did to the Palestinians and "deny the identity of the Palestinian people". Your ASSumptions trying to associate my statements about "legal rights" with the Nazis classifiying the Jews as Mongrels etc...makes you look like what? You make the call.
NOW, I will absolutely retract my statement about my incorrect understanding of "ethnic cleansing" vs "genocide" which Sami and I both had a misunderstanding of. I am refuting the "genocidal" policy of the Israeli government but I am not refuting their "ethnic cleansing" policy with their "planned deliberate removal from a specific territory, persons of a particular ethnic group, by force or intimidation, in order to render that area ethnically homogenous." Hence the reason why said: "I'm not defending Israel's way the dealt with expelling people off land they had lived on for generations."
Glenn: I apologize with my figures, 20.5% of Israeli citizens are Muslim/Arab. 13 of 120 are representatives, why its not proportional? I suppose you should ask the Muslim/Arabs that didn't vote "straight down ethnic lines".
What If: Why EXACTLY did you injected the statement "Judeo-christian religious fanatics and bigots can deny the politics, geography, demographics, and religious realities all they want"... they have NOTHING to do with this discussion.
All three: Let me be CLEAR, I am not a "fan" of EITHER side, BOTH have make mistakes and NEITHER side is purely a victim and completely innocent. Take my statements for what their worth...
Ethnic cleansing ??? By Israel ?? My dear Sir, are you aware of the weight that your words carry ? Let us discuss this "a contrario" : If Israel had had an ethnic cleansing policy, there would be far fewer if not very few "Palestinians" left. The Turks, the Nazis, the Serbs, all 3 have shown that reducing the numbers of their opponents was a fairly easy thing to do . Yet, the number of Palestinians grows, more every day. One of the most prolific social group on Earth..Let's look at it positively : In 1947-1948, a vast majority of Palestinians left their homes with the promises made by 5 Arab countries and important people such as the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem (Al-Husseini) that all the Jews would soon be killed ...That, unfortunately for the Palestinians, did not happen...Many of them could have come back, but chose not to...History demonstrates that "stupid" decisions have a way of becoming long term problems...
But think about it :Seriously, no one is to blame ... You make your bed, you sleep in it. Time has rolled over these events.. Move on, make something for yourself..Palestinians are the only social group still catered to by the UN after over 60 years.. Time to stop that.
"The Ethnic cleansing of Palestine" By Elan Pappe (Elan Pappe, is an israeli intellectual who wrote the ugly truth of his fabricated state... I am not qouting An Iranian fanatic Muslim here... I am speaking of a jewish historian who lived the events and knew them perfectly in details, how and when the ethnic cleanising happened) Read the facts and dont go back to re-tell me of the zionist propaganda, I know the zionist lies as I lived them on my skin and my family was massacred out of our home and our garden was given to a Russian settler in the early 1190s.... @http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-ethnic-cleansing-of-palestine-by-ilan-pappe-425487.html
The UN was the one that created "israel" ... read my post on that @ http://samibedouin.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/29/ ... the UN was partner in ethnically cleansing the Palestinians.... I have made my choice already to fight zionism until I drive it out of Palestine... it is not me only but the Muslim fighters everywhere !!
What is ethnic cleansing... isnt it like this: President Franklin D. Roosevelt put it in 1942, “I actually would put a barbed wire around Palestine, and I would begin to move the Arabs out of Palestine…. I would provide land for the Arabs in some other part of the Middle East…. Each time we move out an Arab we would bring in another Jewish family…” .... and it was like this !!
USA is Israel's hemorrhoid
Israel has not stolen anything.
When you attack another nation and lose,
the winner gets the spoils.
The land you say Israel stole, was owned by the British after the
collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
Israel has stolen nothing, but you perpetuate the lie.
Buzzer, Judeo-christian fanaticism and bigotry is at the core of the problem in occupied Palestine. Look up what Zionism is all about. The British Balfour declaration in 1917 called for the creation of a JEWISH STATE on Palestinian land where the Palestinians have been for thousands of years. Judeo-christian religious mythology is THE problem, just look up the CRUSADES.
Why a modern secular nation such as the USA would cause itself so much damage by getting on the wrong side in such an obvious dispute is one of those great mysteries of human stupidity.
Oh, and it was the GERMANS who did it in the 1930s and 1940s, not the Palestinians. Go figure.
And you're saying that the Arab Muslims in their history of how they have treated others that are not of the Muslim faith are not right along at the core of this dispute? What EXACTLY is sitting on top of the Western Wall in Jersalem? Thats right a Mosque, of all the places to put one, put in on one the most holy sites for the Jews that were there before Islam was established...why exactly was this done? ALL fallable humans on ALL SIDES are at the core of this problem...they have twisted the message of God for the Jews, Christ for the Christians and Allah for the Muslims...all in the name of "religion" that is atleast I know at complete ODDS with what Christ is all about. BTW, non-religious secular movements have quite a bit of "blood on their hands" and have behaved no better that these fallable "fundamentalist".
And I'll flatly disagree with you on one final point...fallable people that claim to be Christian and their twisted interpretation of Christ's message are THE problem...you cannot fairly judge and condemn a belief by simply tying it to what some in power chooses to do by covering themselves with it...there is NOT one thing in Christ's message, what he stood for, who he is or what he is that points in favor of ANY action that has taken place to give the Jews back their "homeland".
Not to mention Iran's involvement in South America.
First, This is not the openion of the vast majority of the European people who said in a european poll that "israel" composed the first threat to the world stability not Iran... second, unlike israel Iran has never invaded another country with its missles or raided on other countries like the zionists did in many many countries.... third, the zionist nuclear arsenal is far ahead developed than the Iranian one and it is estimated that the zionists have some 300 nuclear heads ready to be used even against Europe as an israeli threatened (to hit the European capitals if they dont work against Iran) ... "israel" (as its officials said repeatedly) was about to use its nuclear missiles against Egypt 40 years ago .... stop lying and tell the facts that israel is the first nuclear threat in the middle east !!
Hey Sami... Yes, Israel is the first, and still the only, regional power to posess nukes wth the ability to deliver them.. Well, why not...? Given the position and the rethoric used by Arab ( and now non-Arab such as Iran) over the past 60 years, it is hard to blame them for wanting to own a DETERRENT..
I can only hope that the leaders of Iram understand the meaning of the word deterrent...If they don't, their country will become a nuclear wasteland, just as their target (Israel) would be.. No one wins...
Now, is that NOT a totally DUMB scenartio ?? If you agree, tell Iran to cool it. Israel never has vowed to eliminate each Persian... And yet they could, and sometimes, I catch myself thinking that maybe they should.....
Sure, all the Arabs understand that as long as there is a zionist entity planted in the heart of the Arab and muslim world, there will be no freedom for arabs... we wiil not get our freedom and development unless we annihilate the zionist entity into a new Palestinian secular state for all people, but not a racist zionist state for the "jew" only ... dont worry, since it was planted by the Britons, the zionist entity never felt in peace, and will never feel so until the German and Russian "jewish" settlers are driven back to where they come from !!
*** Sami, the bedouin.
Sure, all the Arabs understand that as long as there is a zionist entity planted in the heart of the Arab and muslim world, there will be no freedom for arabs...
The Islamic and Arabic governments, ruled by Dictators, kings and Police states, have kept the
people supressed by blaming all of thier problems on Israel.
You perpetuate that lie.
Answer this question.
If you remove Israel, what do you have left ?
Dictators, Kings, and Police States.
So what has changed ?
Stop believing the lies.
Those people participating in the Arab Spring are not fighting
Israel, they are fighting surpression by thier own governments.
the heading of this artical says,, iran a threat to the usa on many fronts, yup , i agree !
however obama will not confront iran as long as he is pres.
obama's intel chief just told congress that iran will not attack first.
So you are suggesting that we do what W did and attack preemptively? Last time I checked that wasn't working out too well for us. And besides, are you really ready, are WE really ready to go to war against China and Russia just to protect the sacred Joos?
Russia and China would not declare war on the US. 1. China's #1 business partner is the US and we wouldn't exactly like it if they declared war on us. Their economy would crash without us buying their goods and supplying them jobs. And they don't have the ability to wage war far from home because their military just isn't designed for that task. 2. Russia doesn't have the power it once did. It's no longer the "Rompin' Stompin' Red A$s."