Iran Super Thread- Merged

[aesop081]

Canada suddenly cuts ties, kicks out Iranian diplomats........I wonder..........


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/9526858/Iran-sends-elite-troops-to-aid-Bashar-al-Assad-regime-in-Syria.html

Iran sends elite troops to aid Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria

Iran is intensifying its support for the regime of Bashar al-Assad by sending 150 senior Revolutionary Guards commanders to Syria to help repel opposition attempts to overthrow the government.

Western intelligence officials say that Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has personally sanctioned the dispatch of the experienced officers to ensure that the Assad regime, Iran's most important regional ally, survives the threat to its survival.

In addition, Iran has shipped hundreds of tons of military equipment, including guns, rockets, and shells, to Syria through the regular air corridor that has been established between Damascus and Tehran.

Intelligence officials believe the increased Iranian support has been responsible for the growing effectiveness of the Assad regime's tactics in forcing anti-government rebel groups on the defensive.

In the past few weeks, pro-Assad forces have seized the offensive by launching a series of well-coordinated attacks against rebel strongholds in Damascus and Aleppo.

The Iranian operation to support Mr Assad is being masterminded by Qassem Suleimani, the head of the Guards' Quds force which is responsible for overseeing Iran's overseas operations. The decision to increase Iran's support for Syria was taken after the Syrian defence minister and Assad's brother-in-law were killed in a suicide bomb attack at Syria's national security headquarters in July, together with a number of other senior defence officials.

 

[dapaterson]

Meanwhile, at the Toronto International Film Festival, they're premiereing the movie "Argo", based on the exfiltration of US embassy staff from Iran.  US staffers who escaped the initial seizure of the embassy found refuge with the Canadian ambassador and his staff, and later left Tehran posing as crew for a science fiction movie, under legitimate Canadian passports and faked entry credentials.

 

[tomahawk6]

With what?

F-15s and F-16s don't have the legs without significant air to air refueling. What would you say a refueler's chances are over Iraq, Jordan, Saudi or Syria?

Natanz is buried under thirty meters of earth and reinforces concrete. What does Israel have that will do the job reliably short of nukes?

Jericho 3 missiles. One study estimated it would take 42 missiles to strike Iran's dispersed targets.

 

[brihard]

Jericho 3 missiles. One study estimated it would take 42 missiles to strike Iran's dispersed targets.

The sad bit is I bet there are those who would cheer Israel perpetrating nuclear war against Iran... No conventional weapons are likely to do the job on some sites.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Do we recognize the theat Iran poses to humanity (touching off ww3) and wear the mantle of bad guy and pull off a first strike or do we wait and see what Iran does with their nukes?

 

[Rifleman62]

You are absolutely correct. Israel only has to lose once, and then it will be over forever for Israel.

Modified.

 

[estoguy]

You are absolutely correct. Israel only has to lose once, and then it will be over forever.

^^^

Um, not sure if serious...

 

[Bigmac]

Israel will not wait much longer for world diplomacy with Iran that is clearly failing. The problem is if Israel strikes Iran first it will ignite a full scale war in the Gulf. If an attack is imminent it will likely be a strategic air strike of Iranian nuclear facilities by a united coalition.  Canada is cutting ties with Iran for a reason. Something is coming soon.  :2c:

 

[tomahawk6]

I think this is a prudent move by your government. All Canadian citizens should follow.

 

[Bigmac]

Analysis: Can Israel surprise Iran? Maybe not, but could still strike

More on following link:  http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCABRE88807820120909?pageNumber=3&virtualBrandChannel=0

Does the world sit back and let Iran continually lie about it's nuclear program and ignore requests to inspect their facilities. The Iran regime has made no bones about their desire to wipe Israel off the map and have not ruled out an attack in the future. Iran has also stated that if they are attacked by western forces their first target will still be Israel.

The talking is over.  :2c:

 

[tomahawk6]

Israel could surprise Iran - with an EMP. A nuclear bomb exploding 240 miles above Iran would destroy all of Iran's nuclear program including those deep underground or render them inert for decades. In 1962 the US tested an EMP it was called Starfish Prime. Picture Iran with no electricity and no cell phone service. A complete shut down of their economy and military air defenses.They would be wide open to revolution or follow on strikes by conventional forces.

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA531197&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFXlrn6-ypg

 

[cphansen]

Israel could surprise Iran - with an EMP. A nuclear bomb exploding 240 miles above Iran would destroy all of Iran's nuclear program including those deep underground or render them inert for decades. In 1962 the US tested an EMP it was called Starfish Prime. Picture Iran with no electricity and no cell phone service. A complete shut down of their economy and military air defenses.They would be wide open to revolution or follow on strikes by conventional forces.

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA531197&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFXlrn6-ypg

Just doing a little checking, I wonder how the nations around Iran would feel about having their electrical systems attacked along with Iran.

It's a question of weapon range, i.e. from a range of 750 KM for a 1 KT bomb exploded at 40 KM to a US wide range for a MT device exploded at 400 KM.

I suspect Israel would not have a MT device available and probably wouldn't worry too much about spill over onto the countries bordering on Iran , since these countries are not Israel's allies.

However these countries like Saudi Arabia, Quatar, the UAE, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Syria are mostly American allies, not to metion the Straits of Hormuzm a major highway for the world's oil. I think the potential for collateral damage from an EMP device is potentially too high to make it's use likely,

 

[tomahawk6]

The original EMP tests were done with a 1.4 megaton warhead. A much smaller warhead or 2 would do the trick and have little to no impact outside of Iran's borders. The Russians conducted a number of EMP tests over Kazakhstan in various sizes of warheads. The one that caused the most trouble was a 290km 300kt warhead. Smaller sized warheads may be more surgical.

 

[Nemo888]

120 countries, roughly two thirds of UN members, over 50% of the world's population still publicly support Iran. This crying out to nuke them in the echo chamber is rather counter productive. Wouldn't Iran's only option to prevent being stepped on again be getting nukes. Nukes are the only reason Pakistan and North Korea get their ass kissed by the USA.

Perhaps apologizing for overthrowing democratically elected Mossedeq and installing the Shah would be the first step in a global information operation.  Providing close protection and funding dissidents to start broadcasting by satellite and internet would be infinitely more cost effective. A bit of respect goes a long way in the honour culture of the Middle East.

 

[brihard]

An EMP attack would still be a nuclear strike on Iran- one that would have devastating consequences to their civilian population; it would be a crime of humanity the likes of which has seldom been paralleled. It sure as hell would not be discriminate, proportionate, militarily necessary, nor least necessary force. It would also be an act of war against any affected neighbouring countries.

 

[tomahawk6]

An EMP attack would still be a nuclear strike on Iran- one that would have devastating consequences to their civilian population; it would be a crime of humanity the likes of which has seldom been paralleled. It sure as hell would not be discriminate, proportionate, militarily necessary, nor least necessary force. It would also be an act of war against any affected neighbouring countries.

Crime against humanity ? Hardly. Its not at all like vaporizing a city. Few if any casualties because the explosion is in space essentially. It is simply an overload of the electric grid and anything that requires electricity stops working. Its the best way to stop the nuclear program without massive loss of life.Should the Iranians gain nuclear weapons their version of an EMP wont be far away.They would love to bring the US to its knees and an EMP would do it.

 

[blacktriangle]

Do you realize how many essential services in modern and developing countries rely on computers and other electronics? It would be devastating to any population and would no doubt result in a break down of civil order. EMP doesn't discriminate. Sure the people won't be obliterated, but they will enjoy hunger, disease, looting, and all that good stuff.

I'd rather be nuked, thanks.

 

[a_majoor]

EMP can be generated by non nuclear devices as well, and it wouldn't take much to smuggle some in via truck and detonate them beside a transformer farm outside a city or the central bank to paralyze large segments of the economy. Crippling the power grid or communications grid would impair the ability of the Revolutionary guard to operate.  You can use your own scenario.

 

[cphansen]

EMP can be generated by non nuclear devices as well, and it wouldn't take much to smuggle some in via truck and detonate them beside a transformer farm outside a city or the central bank to paralyze large segments of the economy. Crippling the power grid or communications grid would impair the ability of the Revolutionary guard to operate.  You can use your own scenario.

At least using these non nuclear devices, you can minimize the political issues,  and reduce collateral damage.  Producing a nuclear EMP would definitely be against everyone's interests. The article about the EMP did make the point the US could protect it's electrical distribution system for only 40 billion dollars.

Maybe we should redirect the monies for the F35 into protecting our electrical systems.

After all the sun can and has caused EMP events before, After all during the late 19th century, the telegraph system had wires burned out by an EMP event and telegraphists killed while sending during an EMP event.

 

[FutureQYR]

Do you realize how many essential services in modern and developing countries rely on computers and other electronics? It would be devastating to any population and would no doubt result in a break down of civil order. EMP doesn't discriminate. Sure the people won't be obliterated, but they will enjoy hunger, disease, looting, and all that good stuff.

I'd rather be nuked, thanks.

I don't know, maybe its just me but i'd rather stand some chance of survival then a very bleak death in a nuclear explosion, or the agonizing ordeal of dying from radioactive exposure...