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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Iran on verge of satellite launch - report
2007-01-25
RAN is on the verge of launching a satellite into space that could herald a new dimension in Tehran's strategic capabilities, Aviation Week and Space Technology says on its website.

The recently assembled, 30-tonne ballistic missile-turned space launcher could also be used for testing longer-range missile strike technologies, the magazine said in a report for its January 29 issue.

The Iranian space launcher "will lift off soon'' with an Iranian satellite, said Alaoddin Boroujerdi, chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, according to the weekly.
Posted by:tipper

#11  Nice satellite ya got there, Almondine. Be a shame if sumpthin' happened to it.
Posted by: SteveS   2007-01-25 23:40  

#10  There are times when you care what the peanut gallery are saying, and times when you must disregard them and deal with realpolitik and, in this case, brinkmanship.

Of course we would like it if there is no obvious link to us, and while lots of Americans would enjoy the possibility that the US made that missile do what we wanted, there would be no tangible proof.

By causing a disaster in Iran, it would cast their entire missile program into doubt, it would question the capability of their technology, and their government would be bitterly criticized for killing Iranians.

All of these things could be played to our strategic advantage. Who cares what the MSM and the democrats think? They are clueless, and would criticize under any circumstance, with reason or without.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2007-01-25 23:26  

#9  Why moose? They (and our own MSM here) will just blame the evil Bush and Cheeney -- and the Democrats will be rooting them on!.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2007-01-25 22:34  

#8  I agree that this missile must fail. But the big question is *how* it should fail. If it just blows up on the pad, or harmlessly during its boost phase, then Iran will just be out a missile.

However, if it is to suddenly veer off course, and crash into a major city, with a surprising amount of destruction and loss of life for such a missile, well...it might reflect poorly on the Iranian government.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2007-01-25 22:22  

#7  Believe it when I see it.
Posted by: Chuck Simmins   2007-01-25 22:17  

#6  Shoot it! Shoot it!

/toyota
Posted by: Frank G   2007-01-25 21:22  

#5  Aegis with the ABM software in the area?

Posted by: 3dc   2007-01-25 21:17  

#4  Shoot it down.
Posted by: Danking70   2007-01-25 21:07  

#3  What was that you were just saying, Sergei?

"Sergei Ivanov, speaking during a trip to India where he co-chaired a bilateral commission on military ties, said that neither Iran nor North Korea has or will have a capability to build missiles capable of reaching Europe. "They don't and won't have intercontinental ballistic missiles," Ivanov said at a news conference."

That's what I thought you said.
Posted by: xbalanke   2007-01-25 21:07  

#2  Yo China, bet you beer ya can't shoot it down!!!
Posted by: 49 Pan   2007-01-25 20:15  

#1  Should be a good time to test the anti-missile system by covertly shooting it down in the boost phase.
Posted by: RWV   2007-01-25 20:11  

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