serum114

Title
U.S. Says Israeli Exercise Seemed Directed at Iran

Link
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/20/wa...=1&oref=slogin
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Excerpt

Several American officials said they did not believe that the Israeli government had concluded that it must attack Iran and did not think that such a strike was imminent.

Shaul Mofaz, a former Israeli defense minister who is now a deputy prime minister, warned in a recent interview with the Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot that Israel might have no choice but to attack. “If Iran continues with its program for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack,” Mr. Mofaz said in the interview published on June 6, the day after the unpublicized exercise ended. “Attacking Iran, in order to stop its nuclear plans, will be unavoidable.”

But Mr. Mofaz was criticized by other Israeli politicians as seeking to enhance his own standing as questions mount about whether the embattled Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, can hang on to power.

Israeli officials have told their American counterparts that Mr. Mofaz’s statement does not represent official policy. But American officials were also told that Israel had prepared plans for striking nuclear targets in Iran and could carry them out if needed.

Iran has shown signs that it is taking the Israeli warnings seriously, by beefing up its air defenses in recent weeks, including increasing air patrols. In one instance, Iran scrambled F-4 jets to double-check an Iraqi civilian flight from Baghdad to Tehran.

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Comment:

__________________

The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.
Hunter S. Thompson

TrueBlueAmerican

Im interested in seeing that fight.



Vs.

The_Heretic

The problem is that Iran has less money to dedicate to military expenditures than the U.S., so that will determine why Israel would win the fight.

__________________
"Enough!!" -so rang Barack Obama's voice off the walls of Mile High Stadium

TrueBlueAmerican

True.The Iranians would hold their ground at first but a protracted conflict would eventually drain Iran's monetary resources since the US would be pipelineing money into Israel to sustain their effort.

But in a fair fight between Israel and Iran, Israel would lose first since their economy is too tiny to sustain a high intensity conflict for more than 9-12 months.

In a US complicit scenario the first 9 months would be a real battle. Then Iran's military would collapse as a conventional military force and would take up Hezbollah style guerilla warfare and tactics.*


If Israel flies over Iraqi airspace that makes the US complicit.

If Israel uses American money that makes the US complicit.

If Israel goes forward with the attack, we MUST stop the above lest we get sucked into the conflict. This is the real problem and this is Israel's trump card. If Israel sends four F-16 squadrons blazing towards Iran over US controlled Iraqi airspace, they know the US would more than likely not engage.

US+Israel Vs. Iran = Israeli voctory

Israel(no nukes) Vs. Iran =


* The wild card is Russia and China. Im sure they would not sit by and watch Iranian oil fall into the control of Israel and the US, so theres no telling what they may or may not do.

The_Heretic

Now if the IDF pulls as dumb as the one we pulled in Iraq, that of trying to occupy Iran then the game chances, and the U.S.'s deep pockets becomes a liability.

There's never been any such thing as a "fair fight" nor will there.

Chances are the U.S. would attempt to buy off both Russia and China [possibly with permits to drill for oil off our coasts as well as letting Russia maintain their dubious claim over the Arctic Sea's resources and turning a complete blind eye to any and all abusive labor practices and deteriorating manufacturing standards of communist China].

__________________
"Enough!!" -so rang Barack Obama's voice off the walls of Mile High Stadium

Kanadesaga

Jesus christ what the hell is wrong with you two? You got something against business? This is just 80s style hostile takeover with a twist! It's free market politics at its best! What are yoiu anti-american?

__________________
"..., because hope don't park the motherfucking car."

The_Heretic

Right, right. I'm sure we'll hear that before, during and even after Iran successfully test detonates a nuclear weapon using Pakistani [A.Q. Khan's] knowhow.

__________________
"Enough!!" -so rang Barack Obama's voice off the walls of Mile High Stadium

michelemichele

__________________
ribbet

Kanadesaga

so you're gung ho to bomb Iran? drop a few bunker buster nukes and show them what's what!

__________________
"..., because hope don't park the motherfucking car."

TrueBlueAmerican

All you need to know is that an attack on Iran by either Israel or the United States will end our little experiment with democracy.

Al Quds forces WILL attack the United States by any means at their diposal and that will usher in martial law followed by decades of reactionary conservatism.

9/11 laid down the prep work. The next terror attack will allow our government to excercise all those little powers they have been giving themselves all these years.