Carter's legacy.
Posted on 10/01/2009 3:04:20 AM PDT by Scanian
Iran's traditional emblem has been the Persian lion. Russia's should be a vulture: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin intends to feed on the carcass left by any confrontation with Iran.
For Moscow, this crisis isn't about Tehran's acquisition of nukes. It's about Russia's acquisition of a stranglehold on global energy markets.
Putin's playing with fire -- but he's sure we'll be the ones burned.
As for the Obama administration's desperate (and stunningly naive) hope that economic sanctions can deter President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad and his fellow thugs-for-Allah from pursuing nuclear weapons, forget it.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Carter's legacy.
Iran's 2005 defense budget was estimated to be $6.2 billion by London's International Institute for Strategic Studies. This was $91 per capita, a lower figure than other Persian Gulf nations, and lower as a percentage of gross national product than all other 'Persian Gulf states except the United Arab Emirates.[1] [16] This makes Iran's ranking the 67th largest defense expenditure globally.[17]
All military action would consist of bombing a couple of targets and naval action. Maybe some spec-ops.
You can forget about any larger scale military action against Iran. The good thing is that there won’t be an invasion needed to topple the regime. Disabling the WMD has priority, after that targetting key regime facilities and personel should suffice to enable internal opposition to topple the regime. We saw in the last months that the will is there. All they lack is the capability to succesfully remove the regime. And disabling the nuke cycle is something only bunker busters can do.
Oh and regarding markets... weren’t it for the mullah regime, Iran would be an global economic powerhouse (it was budding to be that in the 1970’s) with enormous ressources in every sector. Should there be one day the overdue regime change, I’ll be definitely investing in Iran.
BTW regarding defense spending: Iran today (despite all militaristic and bellicose bluster) spends only 25% of what the Shah spent on the military in the 1970’s. Their economy is in the gutter, way below capabilities and run by cleptocrats. All we lack is the political will in DC to give the thuggocracy the final kick in the gut.
I am glad people know it.
At the same time, and unknown to the Israelis, the Soviet Union mounted a disinformation campaign pushing Egypt to join Syria against Israel. At that time, the Soviets were providing military and economic aid to both Syria and Egypt. On May 13, 1967 a Soviet parliamentary delegation visited Cairo and informed the Egyptian leaders that Israel had concentrated eleven to thirteen brigades along the Syrian border in preparation for an assault within a few days, with the intention of overthrowing the revolutionary Syrian Government. This was a complete fabrication designed by the Soviets to destabilize the Middle East. Similar false information may have been given to Egypt by the Soviets as early as May 2.
The build up and aggressive intent were denied by Israel. UN Secretary General U Thant reported that UNTSO observers on the Syrian border:
... have verified the absence of troop concentrations and absence of noteworthy military movements on both sides of the [Syrian] line.
Nasser probably correctly interpreted the Soviet information as an indication to him that the time was ripe for an attack on Israel and that he had their backing. With the United States deeply distracted by the War in Vietnam, the Soviets had reason to think there would be no US intervention. Nassar then abandoned his former cautious policy and took the lead for new aggression against Israel. Syria and Iraq eagerly joined Egypt's preparations, increasing the momentum toward war.
Regarding Iran, our fathers did that sort of thing successfully, when men were in charge. ...information about it behind the following (not tainted by loose-minded rhetoric, celebrity worship or fantasies from television shows).
Denazification, cumulative review. Report, 1 April 1947-30 April 1948.
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/History.Denazi
...some related background info.
US TOLD TO LEAVE CENTRAL ASIA [Russia & China demand “deadline.”]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1437369/posts
Russia, N.Korea, China give Iran missile aid -CIA
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/519198/posts
Putin uses war on terrorism to tighten grip on democracy [No more elections for governors.]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1215159/posts
Putin: Russia Building Nuclear Weapon U.S. Won’t Have
http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1282021/posts
Russia calls for banning Judaism
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1431407/posts
Russia confirms further delays to Iran`s nuke plant
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1210369/posts
Russia defends arms sales to Iran
http://www.freedomdomain.com/Templemount/5_30a.html
Russia denies Iran’s nuclear plant facing delays
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1201134/posts
Russia probing whether Jewish law constitutes incitement [”first time since Stalin’s regime”]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1431367/posts
Russia Says It’s Ready to Arm Saudi Arabia
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1339879/posts
Russia says new Topol RS-12 mobile ICBM can evade U.S. missile defense
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1513904/posts
Russia signs Major Tank Production Deal with Pakistan
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1171239/posts
Russian Delegation in Baghdad With Putin Message for Saddam Hussein
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3918d6aa328c.htm
Russian FM To Israel: Chechnya No, Palestine and Iranian Nukes Yes
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1210302/posts
Russian Rabbi Investigated for Distributing Book of Jewish Law [Update, more info.]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1431369/posts
Russian threats alarm Georgia
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1216005/posts
Russians Respect Reason For Terrorism
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1210347/posts
Second Beslan Reporter Drugged
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1212718/posts
Does Russia not think that Iran could sucker punch them and launch missiles on Moscow?
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