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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iran will trigger all-out regional war if attacked, official says |
| 2007-06-13 |
| US weekly Defense News quotes a number of senior Iranian officials threatening to fire ballistic missiles in masses against targets in Arab Gulf states and Israel if US forces strike Tehran's nuclear facilities. Fine. We will attack with only one missile. Maybe two if lady luck really smiles on you and the first one doesn't work. If US forces strike Iranian nuclear facilities, Tehran will respond by triggering an all-out regional war, Iranian officials said last week in an interview with the Defense News weekly. Given their "culture" it's the only thing they have to fall back on, I guess. “Ballistic missiles would be fired in masses against targets in Persian Gulf states and Israel,” one Foreign Ministry official said. “The objective would be to overwhelm US missile defense systems with dozens and maybe hundreds of missiles fired simultaneously at specific targets.” Certain Persian Gulf states should take note and decide in word and deed which side of the fence they are on. The newspaper quotes a number of Iranian officials whose comments reflect Tehran's official line but who could not obtain permission to speak on the record at short notice. Hey, this is old news if you're in the Iranian government. According to the officials, Tehran’s primary targets would be US military installations and strategic targets in US-allied Arabian Gulf states, including oil depots, refineries, power plants and desalination facilities. This I understand. US warships would also face waves of surface-to-surface cruise missiles sent to overwhelm their countermeasures. Better park them out a few more miles. One Iranian official with knowledge of the leadership’s national-security discussions said his country’s leaders anticipate that US forces will strike with no warning against the military’s command-and-control network, and have ordered ballistic- and cruise-missile battery crews to launch the retaliation plan within an hour after a US attack begins. If they have any left, that is. “The US will be as surprised with Iranian military capabilities as the Israelis were with Hizbullah in last summer’s war in Lebanon,” he said. “Most of our people are confident we would give the Americans hell and likely emerge victorious.” Israel wasn't surprised. Olmert was. His understanding of all things military is obviously "challenged". As well as his understanding of when to get out of the way. Admiral Ali Shamkhani, a former Iranian defense minister, told Defense News that special targets would include Arabian Gulf states that help Washington to justify a strike. Shamkhani runs the Center of Strategic Studies, a think tank comprised of former senior foreign, defense and interior ministers who advise Ayatollah Ali Khameni, the country’s supreme leader. Better bomb them good and hard, and leave something immobile intact to threaten them with further destruction. “Allegations by some Arab gulf states that the Iranian nuclear program poses an environmental threat to the area and that it would spark a nuclear arms race are aimed at helping the US establish legitimacy for its anticipated aggression against Iran,” Shamkhani said. Ah. I guess a mushroom cloud has been classified as an "environmental threat". No wonder we can't seem to communicate with them. US military action threatens Iran’s existence, he said, “but most of those who speak about the war option are well aware that Iran has the capability to face this choice.” Sort of. As long as everything goes according to plan. According to the report, in case of an American attack Tehran will also allow al-Qaeda and other Islamic terrorist groups free passage across its borders from Afghanistan and Asia into the Middle East. Whoa! They finally said it! Must be desperation time. “Iran will open a freeway for terrorists from Afghanistan all the way to Lebanon, enabling the terrorists to strike in almost every country in the Middle East,” said the official with knowledge of national-security discussions. A much smaller price to pay than continuing down the path we are on where they just grow the capability. He added that Iran currently bans such transits from Afghanistan, forcing them to take longer routes and risk capture in other countries. “This positive action would not continue if Iran is attacked by the US.” I call B.S.. They'll just be more open about it. Nothing to be lost here. Perhaps this will give you an idea of the magnitude of the problem if you haven't figured it out already. |
| Posted by:gorb |
| #9 I still don't see the downside. |
| Posted by: ed 2007-06-13 22:24 |
| #8 More like vitrified... |
| Posted by: Big Floluper8229 2007-06-13 22:21 |
| #7 “Most of our people are confident we would give the Americans hell and likely emerge victorious.” "I do not think that word means what you think it means" - Inigo Rodriguez Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2007-06-13 15:35 |
| #6 “Most of our people are confident we would give the Americans hell and likely emerge victorious.” Whatever happened to Baghdad Bob? Did he emerge in Iran? Dangerous delusions. "Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy!" I don't think Iran has any intelligence in more ways than one. They have no concept of an entire country made of glass. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2007-06-13 11:36 |
| #5 Iran will trigger all-out regional war if attacked, official says So, what is so different from where we are now? There is an all-out regional war triggered by Iran going on as we rant. Iraq insurgency, Afghan taliban support including Heck, Lebanon and Syria (Hez and others), Gaza civil war, Hamas, etc. |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2007-06-13 10:35 |
| #4 According to the report, in case of an American attack Tehran will also allow al-Qaeda and other Islamic terrorist groups free passage across its borders from Afghanistan and Asia into the Middle East. So, they'll do nothing different? |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2007-06-13 10:17 |
| #3 “Iran will open a freeway for terrorists from Afghanistan all the way to Lebanon, enabling the terrorists to strike in almost every country in the Middle East,” said the official with knowledge of national-security discussions. Is Code Pink writing this guy's talking points now? |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-06-13 09:58 |
| #2 1. If Israel will do nothing, we'll wipe it of the face of the Earth. 2. If Israel attacks us, we'll wipe it of the face of the Earth. 3. If USA attacks us, we'll wipe Israel of the face of the Earth. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2007-06-13 03:59 |
| #1 Seems obvious to me. 1. Israel and the U.S. Have to hit everything almost immediately, or 2. We can leave it to Israel. We just have to make sure we're ready if Iran drags us into it. I'm going for what I call option 1+. The plus being doing something to control Iranian oil and ports. |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2007-06-13 01:06 |