Article

2009-09-29 Syria-Lebanon-Iran

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Posted by Steve White 2009-09-29 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11126 views ] Top

#1 How high can they shoot?

Posted by ed 2009-09-29 02:09|| 2009-09-29 02:09|| Front Page Top

#2 1990's NET > ISLAMIST IRAN = RADICLA MULLAHS "ACE" AGZ US or US-ALLIED ATTACK + INVASION is

* IRANIAN NUCBOMB + related STRATWEAPONIZATION.
* Unwillingness of anti-US World Powers to accept US-NATO control or domin of Iran's oil.

Posted by JosephMendiola">JosephMendiola 2009-09-29 03:00|| na]">[na] 2009-09-29 03:00|| Front Page Top

#3 That's an unsustainably enormous chunk of their population, unless they're just happy to have a job that feeds them.

Posted by gorb 2009-09-29 03:55|| 2009-09-29 03:55|| Front Page Top

#4 Remember, Iraq at one point had the fourth largest army in the world. Then something happened to it ...

Posted by Steve White 2009-09-29 07:47|| 2009-09-29 07:47|| Front Page Top

#5 Analysts are great at counting tubes and boots, but avoid developing 'combat effectiveness' measures that are subjective. One is simply bean counting and safe from commitment. The other is an art and subject to postmortem judgment. You don't stay employed in the latter without a sustained track record.

Posted by Procopius2k 2009-09-29 08:17|| 2009-09-29 08:17|| Front Page Top

#6
How big is Iran's military?

It does not matter, no one is going to invade Iran anytime soon. Bomb certain sites, hopefully; Invade, no.

Posted by Parabellum 2009-09-29 08:59|| http://sidemeat.wordpress.com/]">[http://sidemeat.wordpress.com/] 2009-09-29 08:59|| Front Page Top

#7 what parabellum says.

What IS potentially important, is the relative size and effectiveness of the Rev Guards vs the regular army

Posted by liberalhawk 2009-09-29 11:43|| 2009-09-29 11:43|| Front Page Top

#8 Remember, Iraq at one point had the fourth largest army in the world. Then something happened to it ...

Old joke about the Iraqi army...

If it doesn't move, hide behind it.
If it moves, surrender to it.

Posted by Woozle Uneter9007 2009-09-29 11:50|| 2009-09-29 11:50|| Front Page Top

#9 Iran fought the Fourth Largest Army in the World® to a standstill over eight years of trench and missile warfare.

Posted by Fred 2009-09-29 14:39|| 2009-09-29 14:39|| Front Page Top

#10 Smaller by a couple of planes than it used to be....

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2009-09-29 16:12|| 2009-09-29 16:12|| Front Page Top

#11 They have a number of Special operations brigades that operate globally. They have proxy militias, Hammas etc.. that operate as well. This is good, cold war analysis, tank on tank stuff but the way we fight has changed. How many special operations teams in the Navy, how do they employ, what is their specialty, etc... Otherwise we will be counting tanks and they will be killing Americans.

Posted by 49 Pan 2009-09-29 17:16|| 2009-09-29 17:16|| Front Page Top

#12 quibble - not all Azeris are necessarily disloyal to the regime. IIUC many Azeris who live in Teheran are assimilated, strongly fundamendalist, and more loyal than most ethnic farsis. In contrast to the Azeris in Tabriz.

Posted by liberalhawk 2009-09-29 17:17|| 2009-09-29 17:17|| Front Page Top

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