Iran says may preempt any attack on nuke program

[Dover]

Iran says may preempt any attack on nuke program

By Reuters



DUBAI - Iran might launch preemptive strikes to protect its nuclear facilities if they are threatened, Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani said in remarks broadcast on Friday.

"We won't sit with our hands tied and wait until someone does something to us," Shamkhani told Arabic channel Al Jazeera when asked what Iran would do if the United States or Israel attacked its atomic facilities.

"Some military leaders in Iran are convinced that the pre-emptive measures that America is talking about are not their right alone," he added in Persian. His comments were dubbed into Arabic.

"Any strike on our nuclear facilities will be regarded as a strike on Iran and we will respond with all our might."
Shamkhani's comments come amid media speculation that Israel may try to halt Iran's nuclear program through air strikes. Israel destroyed Iraq's nuclear reactor at Osirak in 1981.
Many diplomats and defense experts say military strikes on Iran's atomic facilities would delay but not destroy the development of any nuclear weapons program....cont'd


http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/467369.html

[mitchtv]

1. the "Bush" Doctrine

comes back to haunt us.

[neomonkey]

5. The "Bush" Doctrine

Oh my gosh, that is an oxymoron for the ages if ever I heard one!

Definitely goes up to the top of the list with Hitler's "Compassionate" fascism.

[susanna]

7. It was always going to come back to haunt us...

It's just that the dipsticks didn't want to listen to reason when we were all screaming about it.

I'm astounded by where we are at. No, actually, I'm overwhelmed. Because it's gonna take years, if not decades, to begin to repair the damage * has managed to create internationally.

I'm not an "I told you so" sort of person, but believe you me, those family/friends who voted for this monstrosity in 2000 have gotten my opinions full bore. At least four of them are now ready to vote for Kerry. All is not yet lost, I guess.

[Kool Kitty]

2. Well, gee thanks, Dubya-

see how much safer the world is now? And you wonder why he's doing so much negative campaigning? He certainly can't run on his piss-poor record.

[Yupster]

3. Now how would they actually do that?

The strike against their nuke facilities could come from Nebraska just as easily as from Kuwait.

What are they actually threatening?

If we Bush decides to take out their reactor, it's gone and there isn't anything they can do to defend it.

[Fovea]

6. If Bush decides to take out their reactor

they will have to do it with an air strike.
How long would it take for Iran to launch a retaliatory strike on Israel, or American interests in Iraq, or both? They can hit both now.

Probably not long. What would happen then? We would have to disband the UN, or at least kick it out of N.Y. Because we would be sanctioned all day long by them. And we would have started WW3 as a holy war against the most populous religion on the planet. Yeah, that is a fine idea.

They don't just have a reactor, they have a bomb or three.
We have to assume that Khan or some former Soviet has sold weapons to the most likely states since the Afghan invasion (Iraq under Saddam was only one small reason his neighbors wanted the bomb). So I would hazard that Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and possibly Egypt have the bomb, as well as NK.

With every day, we move closer to that big mother of all blowback.
Bush is dragging us there, but he will be in the bunker when the shit goes down. Will we?

[Kinkistyle]

13. What a great time that would be for N.Korea and China to start trouble.

All of a sudden North Korea starts acting like an asshole in Asia, and China feels like maybe its time to finally put the foot down on Taiwan.

[belab13]

26. Not to mention China should have a bit of leverage with regards to the

amount of US debt it owns and continues to purchase.

[shadu]

23. If US attacks, Iran should target israeli nukes

Iran should destroy as many israeli nukes as possible.
Lord knows, the last thing the world needs is a nuclear israel.

[0rganism]

14. They would strike the juiciest target they could reach, of course

That probably means Israel, for prestige points at the very least.

Doesn't really matter if an attack is coming from there, it's all about deterrence. Hell, even the target doesn't matter too much. If Kuwait or Baghdad look promising and Israel is out of reach, well, anyplace in range is eligible to be a hostage.

[Longhorn79]

4. So are they going to attack Israel, or us?

I guess a strike against Israel could hurt, but I highly doubt that Iran would either try to attack mainland US or US troops in the ME under official auspices. That would just be stupid. And also, the majority of the US would then get riled up, like after 9-11. No way, no how.

[schultzee]

9. So you think its ok for them to attack Israel or anyone else as

long as we don't get it? Bush has caused all this mess.

[Longhorn79]

27. No, my post said that an attack against Israel would hurt

I still don't think it's going to happen

[demconfive]

10. The threat is against Israel

Israel bombed Iran's reactor awhile back (the 80's I think).An attack by either Israel or Iran could send oil prices over the top.

[Speed8098]

17. "An attack by either Israel or Iran could send oil prices over the top."

Where is the top???

I think we're already there. I feel sorry for the people who use oil for heat. It's going to be a tough winter for a lot of folks.

I thought I had it rough with electric heat, but I'm beginning to change my tune. Last year was the first year my electric bills were lower than my neighbors oil bills. Our houses are almost identical in size.

This whole posturing mess belongs to *. He is the one to set the precedence of pre-emptive strikes. He is the one fanning the flames.
The little emporer must go.

And remember, in the minds of our leaders, an attack against Israel is an attack against the U.S.

[Strelnikov_]

8. Iran Could Destroy Western Economies

. . by causing disruption of Persian Gulf oil shipments. They have massive numbers of ASM's which could put a major dent in oil shipping.

It has become apparent that conflict with Iran is simply the next step in the Petro-Jihad begun following 9/11. Instead of initiating energy conservation measures to address peak oil, the administration is making a grab for Mideast oil reserves, since after 2010 they will constitute the vast majority of remaining conventional oil in the world. They are 'oil men', and the the profits to be made on oil following peak will be massive, so good of the country, or the world, be damned.

With the recession coming next year due to the initial peak oil shock, a re-elected Boosh administration will be looking to take peoples mind off of the economy. Provoking Iran into preemptive action will provide the political cover to initiate a draft for round two of the Jihad, limited war with Iran.

The problem is that Iraq, as the opening act, has revealed the incompetence of the administration and the fundamental weaknesses of the U.S. Military. I have no doubt that the initial weeks of 'Operation Persian Carpet Bomb' will go well, but then the plan will go astray, just like Iraq, and this time against a formidable foe.

Then, the true Achillie's heel of the U.S. military, a force designed for short high intensity conflicts, will be revealed, it's cost. How will we be able to fight a protracted conflict with a high-cost military when we depend on foreign countries to finance our debt and manufacture components for the weapons systems?

And when the ships and planes start to run out of high-tech, high cost wonder weapons, the Iranian ASM's will begin to take their toll.

[Algomas]

11. The silver lining to this black cloud is this:

Their policy of Full Spectrum Dominance is being executed by a gang of Full Spectrum Incompetents.
Their own stupidity is the best thing we have going for us!

[Strelnikov_]

22. Agreed, But Their Incompetence Will Probably Get A Lot Of Us Dead

. . before it ends and the progressive side wins.

Look at Nazi Germany. The Third Reich was bound to fail, but it still took 30 M+ fed to the beast of war before that logical end could come.

[0007]

16. And with14 military installations near completion we can start counting

the days when planes start flying out of Iraq.

[Tight_rope]

12. Man...do what you godda do...I'm sick of everybody threatening each

other... Fuck...set of the damn missle and let's just start WWIII. After it's all over we will see who comes out on top. "NOBODY"!

EVERY LAST ONE OF THE WORLD LEADERS ARE MAD MEN...ESPECIALLY BUSH*

"Man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life." - JFK

"The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the level of thinking that created them." -Albert Einstein

[GRClarkesq]

15. How?

Iranians going to attach Whitman AFB in Missouri? Home of the B2. They just do not have this capability.

[SOS]

28. Shamkhani

stated that if Israel attacks the Bushehr nuclear site, they will target Israel with their Shahab-3 missles.
Specifically, the Dimona nuclear facility in Israel.
The missles are based on the North Korean Nodong technology.
Let's hope NK didn't supply a nuclear warhead as well.
In this eventuality, both countries would be annihilated.

Bush, meanwhile, is vacationing.

[MGKrebs]

18. Are they using Chalabi for their intel?

:scared:

[54anickel]

19. "We didn't say that" - seems they've picked up a LOT of Shrubs tactics

Reminds me of Shrubco's defense "We never used the word imminent"

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-08/21/content_1847243.htm

Iran claims report on its preventive operations "distorted"

TEHRAN, Aug. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Iran on Saturday denied a report that it might launch a preemptive attack to prevent a possible raid on its nuclear sites by the United States or Israel, saying the report "distorted" its Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani.

Some media reported on Wednesday Shamkhani told the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera TV that Iran might launch a preemptive strike against US forces in the region to prevent an attack on its nuclear site.

The official IRNA Saturday quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi as saying remarks made by Shamkhani on the country's preventive operations have been "distorted."

"The Iranian defense minister, in his remarks, stressed that the Islamic Republic defends its territorial integrity and its national interests. However, his remarks have not been quoted precisely and have been misrepresented," Asefi said.


more...

[Hidebo]

20. preemptive attack? more like a suicide attack.

Iran is ready to commit a suicide attack?
very unlikely, IMHO.

[NNN0LHI]

21. Starting to look like we can't beat a few "dead enders" in IraQ

So what makes you think we can beat IraN? Just curious?

Don

[shadu]

24. If we invade Iran, I'm rooting for Iran

[Green Lantern]

25. Iran

wouldn't have to attack the continental US. They could, depending on the size quality and number of their weapons, attack our interests overseas, like oil fields in Iraq, or Saudi Arabia. They could target US installations and troops. They could go after the US Fleet, depending on delivery capability.

Our first job is to get rid of our homegrown Nazis. That will eleminate much of the problem up front.