Iran's Missiles Are ‘Ready To Destroy Israel’ [Gunfight at OK Corral?]

London Times ^ | September 28, 2009

[Steelfish]

September 29, 2009

Iran's Missiles Are ‘Ready To Destroy Israel’

Catherine Philp, Diplomatic Correspondent and Tim Reid in Washington

Iran warned Israel yesterday that it faces destruction if it attacks the Islamic republic, only hours after Tehran provocatively test-fired missiles capable of hitting targets across the Middle East.

“If this [an Israeli attack] happens, which, of course, we do not foresee, its ultimate result would be to expedite the last breath of the Zionist regime,” Ahmad Vahidi, the Iranian Defence Minister, said on state television.

His defiant comments came after Western leaders dismissed a second day of rocket launches by Iran, calling them a “reprehensible” distraction from critical talks this week that will determine whether Tehran is ready to negotiate over its nuclear programme, or face biting new sanctions.

Robert Gibbs, President Obama’s White House spokesman, called the missile tests “provocative”. He added: “This is an important day and an important week for Iran.”

He demanded unfettered access to a new nuclear facility that Iran appeared to have concealed from international inspectors, but finally admitted to last week.

“They can continue on the path they’ve been on . . . or make a decision to step away from a nuclear weapons programme, and enter into a meaningful relationship with the world, based on their own security but not based on nuclear weapons.”

David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, said the missile tests were an attempt to deflect growing pressure, after disclosure of the hidden plant on a heavily guarded military base outside Qom.

“It mustn’t distract us from the big question of this week, which is how will Iran respond at the meeting with the international community on Thursday,” he told Sky News. “The test that counts this week is the test for Iran.”

[ThunderSleeps]

You might be right. A quiet communication that any attack on Israeli holy lands would result in Mecca and Medina being quiet places for the next 10,000 years while they cool... Might do wonders for pan-Arab cooperation in keeping Iran in check.

[QBFimi2]

>> Time to make those Holy Cities into Holely Rock Piles.

Can you say “Pyrexistan”?

[CurlyDave]

A quiet communication that any attack on Israeli holy lands would result in Mecca and Medina being quiet places for the next 10,000 years while they cool... Might do wonders for pan-Arab cooperation in keeping Iran in check.

Don't get ahead of yourself here. There are reports that the Saudis will allow Israeli overflights to bomb Iran.

Google a map of Saudi Arabia, and you will see that, by going through Saudi Arabia, the Israelis could bomb Iran without coming anywhere near Iraq, which leaves the US without any real leverage. Probable mid-air refueling is needed, but that is easy enough.

Do not be naive enough to think that this news article just leaked out randomly. The Saudis are sending a message to Iran that they want regional stability more than they want Israel gone.

[socialismislost]

Israel could do major, but not permanent damage. The problems is Israel is tiny in comparison, and if even a fraction of Iran’s crap got through it could devastate the entire country. Obama will cave though, as usual, and leave Israel blowing in the wind.

[CurlyDave]

A major mystery to me is why we never hear about Israeli missile tests.

Oh, we hear about defensive missile tests, but no ballistic missiles. I wonder why not.

[Frank_2001]

Because their media aren’t a bunch of friggin’ traitors?;)

[socialismislost]

Im sure Israel has ballistic missiles. As well as nukes. But right now, they dont have US support like they did with Bush.And Iran is a huge country, like 3 times as big as Iraq with 3 times the population. Lots of their sites are dispersed and heavliy underground and deep into moutains. Even nukes couldnt penetrate to the depth needed, especially in mountain installations, where the rock is many dozens of feet thick. Israel is definitely going to need US cover and allowance of Iraq airspace to cross. China and Russia wouldnt let that happen in the Security Council and Obama would cave, whereas Bush may not have.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I have long proposed the idea that Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) was not invalidated by the end of the Cold War. In fact, it is the ideal tool to extend to the rest of the world to prevent the use of nuclear weapons.

That is, say there are two nations that hate each other, for whatever reason. One of them develops or has obtained one or more nuclear weapons that they want to use to destroy their hated enemy.

Simply put, two or more of the major nuclear powers approach their leader or leaders with a deal. If they attack their hated enemy with a nuclear weapon, the United States, or France, or Russia, or China, or Israel, or India, or the United Kingdom will attack the nuclear weapons user with neutron weapons, killing every living thing in their nation.

Then, just as importantly, their hated enemy, which may have lost a major city in the first attack, will be given the entire sterilized nation, and all its possessions. Since neutron bombs do not destroy buildings or other property, it will all become the property of the victim nation as reparations.

This is a one-two punch for such fanatics as the nut job who currently is the president of Iran. If Iran attacked Israel, for example, every Persian in Iran would die, and Persia as a whole, and everything within it would become a second Jewish nation. And I say “Persia”, because parts of Iran, such as Iranian Kurdistan, Arabic Khuzestan, and Baluchistan, might remain untouched, and be given respectively to Iraqi Kurdistan, Iraq, and Pakistan as new parts to their nation, in a subsequent partitioning of Iran.

Thus just Persia would be annihilated, and given to the Jews as the new, Jewish Persia.

This would drive nut job crazy, because not only would they and their people lose everything, which a true fanatic might not mind; but all of their “stuff” would enrich their hated enemy, something which they could not stand.

[guitarplayer1953]

TOTALY AGREE WITH YOU SMOKE EM ALL.

[socialismislost]

here is a map. No way Saudi's would allow their airspace to be used. They would give silent consent, but that would be all. The Saudi's have oil installations that could easily be destryoed as well by Iran and they know it. Never in a thousand years would the Saudi's show their hand and expose their vulnerable installations. Even with refueling, there are parts of Iran that only with US active help could Isreal ever reach and make it back safely, and that is not going to happen with Obama. Sadly, Iran will in all likelyhood acquire nukes just like N. Korea.

[Quickgun]

Israel wouldn’t use nukes as first strike, I don’t think?
And then, if they don’t use nukes, can they handle Iran? Iran would have to give them a reason to use them, and at that point it would be too late..Just asking? Looks like a very bad situation brewing to me, as Iran isn’t the only nation in the area that is not friendly with Israel. Pakistan? and they already have nukes.

[socialismislost]

Israel would be condemned immediately if they used nukes, and even if they did use nukes first they would be entirely effective because of the disperse nature of Iran’s program, as well as the deep mountain installations. Tech wise Israel is light years ahead of Iran. Iran has the advantage of being a huge country and able to quickly shut down the shipping lanes, which would send oil past levels that would make the economic problems seem trivial in comparison.

Israel with Hezbolla the last time around was a real wake up call. They were able to hit a Israeli frigate and almost sink it. and Hezbolla is a proxy. It also frankly puts literally thousands of our troops in a direct firing line of Iran missiles. And Yes, Pakistan would definitely come into play. Then you are talking a possible regional war, and that draws in India and China, not to mention Russia.

It could all go sideways real fast.

[CurlyDave]

No way Saudi's would allow their airspace to be used.

Try this link: http://www.arabmonitor.info/news/dettaglio.php?idnews=28470&lang=en

[djf]

Mideast isn’t like the OK Corral.

It’s like the Hatfields and McCoys.
A thousand years of people acting all hillbilly!
With more than enough “Deliverance” thrown in!

It’s gettin old...
jmho.

[socialismislost]

I didnt see that. Thanks for the link. But it talks of one strike. I seriously doubt the Saudi’s would allow their airspace for an all out war, as their oil installations would be in jeopardy. They could give quiet consent and deny for one or even a few, but not an all out war. Remember Hezbolla almost took out an Israeli frigate the last time around, and they are just a proxy with limited weapons and funding. Iran is the 800 pound gorilla in the middle east and its why even now you see a lot of bluster and talk but no action. The Mossad know very well the capabilities of Iran’s military and what they are capable of. They had plenty of time and ease of operation during the last years of Bush’s term and did not act. The only real option Israel has would be to unleash the nukes ballistically, which is not going to happen.

[Billthedrill]

Oh, we hear about defensive missile tests, but no ballistic missiles. I wonder why not.

That information is hard to come by. The Jericho series is quite well-thought-of in the field and would be more than adequate to the job. Most of Israel's potential targets are within the range of submarine-launched cruise missiles and attack aircraft as well. They tested the former in '06.

[backhoe]

I’m getting nervous- remember this?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2103500/posts
“I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.” BHO
Audacity of Hope | na | obama

Posted on Saturday, October 11, 2008

“The actual quote from the book “Audacity of Hope” is from page 261 and is as follows: “Of course, not all my conversations in immigrant communities follow this easy pattern. In the wake of 9/11, my meetings with Arab and Pakistani Americans, for example, have a more urgent quality, for the stories of detentions and FBI questioning and hard stares from neighbors have shaken their sense of security and belonging. They have been reminded that the history of immigration in this country has a dark underbelly; they need specific reassurances that their citizenship really means something, that America has learned the right lessons from the Japanese internments during World War II, and that I will stand with them should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.””

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

[CurlyDave]

But it talks of one strike. I seriously doubt the Saudi’s would allow their airspace for an all out war...

There are wheels within wheels within wheels and only a very few at the very top know the real truth. What is published is limited, old and frequently very deceptive.

But start thinking about what we do know. Islam is not a monolithic religion (and I hate to call it that, because it is more than just a religion -- it is also a pervasive way of life), there are many fractures. OTOH all of the sects have a vision of one world-wide caliphate.

The real problem is that means only one supreme leader of all muslims and all but one of the current leaders would have to give up some power. I think Iran wants to supply that one leader and this scares the cr@p out of all the other countries in the muslim world.

While the Saudis are going to want plausible deniability, they do not want to be subjugated by Iran, and might be willing to have Israel take Iran down a notch or two.

[ncfool]

Bring it on Iran. Lets see if you have the metel to deal with Israel or are you just the Bully nation. GOD is with Israel.