Iran vs. US/Israel?

[Ace Rimmer]

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran will strike U.S. interests around the world and Israel if attacked over its disputed nuclear program, a senior official was quoted on Thursday by the official IRNA news agency as saying.

Just wondering what people think about this. Given that our (the US) President has proven he will take and stick to military action and the probability that Iran is either in the process of developing or already has nuclear weaponry. What do you think would happen if the US were to take action against Iran? Should we even be concerned?

[Rkiver]

Well considering the US hypocracy on nuclear power, weapons and the Middle East.......

It would be unfortunate of those who are not involved in this to get hurt, but if Bush goes ahead and blunders in again...well I just feel sorry for the average American who doesn't support him.

[Radiant Caligula]

For as long as Bush remains in office and Iran is controlled by islamic priesthoods, I think we should worry.

The irony is that if Iran had nuclear weapons (which they most certainly haven't - or else they would have given it a "test ride"), the region would stabilize. Tension would be up, for sure, but no one would dare attack a nuclear power (N-Korea anyone?) and Iran's leader isn't dumb enough (or is he?) to go ballistic with his new toys.

I think Iran is speeding up the development of its nuclear program in order make themselves untouchable. If they use nuclear arms offensively, they must surely know hell awaits them.

[Ace Rimmer]

... and Iran's leader isn't dumb enough to go ballistic with his new toys.

I think Iran is speeding up the development of its nuclear program in order make themselves un-atackable. If they use nuclear arms offensively, they must surely know hell awaits them.

I'm not so sure that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is entirely sane. By his statements he has at least proven that he is not totally against such a clash.

[Radiant Caligula]

that's what worries me about religious freaks like him (and Bush).


*insert 6.3million mindboggingly stupid sayings by GWB here*

[Stewsburntmonkey]

The US doesn't have the troops to do much in Iran, so I think its somewhat of a moot point. The best the US could do would be send in air strikes, but that wouldn't accomplish much and Iran could certainly take advantage of the current US weakness and retaliate in Iraq or Israel. Israel could defend itself, but a lot of damage could still be done.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is at least as sane as Bush or Blair (some may say that's not saying much, but whatever. . .). I don't think he is at all mentally imbalanced he is just power hungry. A lot of what he says has to be taken with a grain of salt as he is often just trying to stir things up.

[BrianBlessed]

I'm not so sure that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is entirely sane. By his statements he has at least proven that he is not totally against such a clash.

I think it's hard to question his sanity, where the majority of Americans believe in the rapture and think that the UN is the anti-christ. However ignoring mental world leaders, nuclear weapons being a deterrent aren't really much practical use as as soon as you use one everyone's fucked pretty much. You'd have to be an intellectual cretin to think you'd come out better off from that.

[Ace Rimmer]

I think it's hard to question his sanity, where the majority of Americans believe in the rapture and think that the UN is the anti-christ. However ignoring mental world leaders, nuclear weapons being a deterrent aren't really much practical use as as soon as you use one everyone's fucked pretty much. You'd have to be an intellectual cretin to think you'd come out better off from that.

True, but that majority isn't in control of an entire nation and potentially nuclear weapons with another nation desperate to stop the first from obtaining nuclear status.

[Radiant Caligula]

conventional war is much more fun. It can be done and you can get as much funding you need once invasion forces are inserted. Why can't they invent ways to have as much fun with nuclear weapons?

ohh wait. IV already did.




May I suggest IV sends a boxed copy of Defcon to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad right away to "relieve" him of his nuclear itching?

[Shwart!!]

Last time I checked, they don't ship free copies overseas.

Shwart!!

[Radiant Caligula]

Last time I checked, they don't ship free copies overseas.

Shwart!!

But for the sake of mankind, send him a copy!

On the other hand, for the sake of no mankind, do send him a copy (in case he gets a taste for crisped bacon)

[niksonpsi]

mmm...
I think that Iran would trigger the 3rd World War....
I don't want to be an apocalyptic farseer(hehe) but today there is a lot of tension in middle earth (err east) because of Iran, Irak and so on.
Recall that warning (or threat?) that Iran's president said about israel:"We will erase Israel for earh" (or something like that, as I'm not an english speaker, I heard that in spanish so it would be "Borraremos a Israel del mapa")

so, Iran would do the first step...
also, Israel is a very tiny country, so a nuclear bomb would Destroy various cities in a single strike..


But... I hope thaat it won't never happen...



or else... mwahahahah

[Stewsburntmonkey]

The problem is that any nuclear attack on Israel by Iran would not only trigger a nuclear response by Israel but also by the US. Sure Iran could wipe Israel off the map with nukes, but Iran would be wiped off the map in the ensuing retaliation. Iran knows this, so any such talk of wiping Israel off the map is just rhetoric.

While we talking about it, there is the obvious hypocracy in the West letting Israel have a secret nuclear program, but not allowing Iran to have one.

[Radiant Caligula]

mmm...
I think that Iran would trigger the 3rd World War....
I don't want to be an apocalyptic farseer(hehe) but today there is a lot of tension in middle earth (err east) because of Iran, Irak and so on.
Recall that warning (or threat?) that Iran's president said about israel:"We will erase Israel for earh" (or something like that, as I'm not an english speaker, I heard that in spanish so it would be "Borraremos a Israel del mapa")

so, Iran would do the first step...
also, Israel is a very tiny country, so a nuclear bomb would Destroy various cities in a single strike..


But... I hope thaat it won't never happen...



or else... mwahahahah

Nuclear tension is the highest since the cold war, but not even a thousand degrees as high. And that is exactly why the nuclear threat is a thousand degrees greater. The balance of terror is now asymmetrical and that is why the "balance" is cancelled out. Pakistan/India have internal nuclear balance so that border is "safe" - seen isolated.

North Korea made themselves untouchable by getting new toys but know those very toys must stay locked up unless they want immedeate retaliation by American sub counter or stealth strike from any of the US bases in the region.

Isreal having nukes (which scares me more than anything) is assurance of safety for them - and the palestinians. Iran (if they think twice) would surely not rain holocaust on any target in Israel knowing they most likely will kill heaps of their palestinian brothers in the process.

Unless some mad general take control over Russian (or post-Sovjet state) arsenal or same thing in China, we're pretty safe regarding these toys as well.



What really worries me:

Rogue nukes.

That is the cat that most likely would hop out if the bag. Many top officials are pretty certain nukes are out there, either on the black market, already in the possession of terror cells or in the making. Producing A-bombs isnt that hard if you just have the knowhow and the equipment, the problem is the materials. Obtaining (enough) uranium/plutonium isn't something you do at 7/11, but thats where the black market comes handy. I'm sure there are enough black channels worldwide to unthirst people who crave fission materials. Africa is a big (unstable/corrupt) place where uranium can be found and old Sovjet isnt exactly transparent territory.

If a terror cell managed to sneak in a suitcase bomb or bigger into the US mainland (not that hard) and set it off in a major metro area, what the hell would Georgey do?

I pray to God that IF it is going to happen, let it happen AFTER GWB is out of office - so we can have an intelligent response to it.


"The Sum of All Fears" isn't a fantastic movie, though I enjoyed it, but what it does good is to explain the psychological mechanics of what might happen in case of such an event. Who would GWB nuke if a rouge toy got off? Where?

Once one cat is out of the bag, the pack of jackals is right around the corner I'm afraid.
If one nuke goes off anywhere populated in the world, you can kiss that so called stability I mentioned ADIOS.


Fear can do anything.

[KingAl]

What really worries me:

Rouge nukes.

Hear hear. The existence of a red player or team should be banned in all Defcon games to stop the bastards getting any ideas.

In all seriousness, the depressing fact is that someone crazy eventually getting their hands on nukes is practically inevitable.