[Burr5]

It goes without saying that actual military secrets or plans would be most unwelcome.

[cripplecreek]

Wouldn't a a slow-moving C-130 make an easy target itself?

[Redleg1963]

If it was easy, the UN might be able to do it.

The Gulf War taught us the lesson that you must remove the gov't. A good analogy for the medical community would be treating the symptoms and not the cause.

The only way to do that, IMHO is boots on the ground.

[Polybius]

Some, including myself, initially suggested the wide-spread use of the Massive Ordnance Aerial Burst (MOAB) system, with its 18,000 lbs. of explosives and the 500ft. diameter circle of devastation it leaves in its wake. However, you have to drop a MOAB out of a slow-moving C-130 relatively near the target. A good look at the size of the Iranian nuclear facilities suggests that at least ten of these might be needed to flatten one. And there are many.

The destruction of ground surface targets is straight forward: Initial strikes blind the radar and destroy air defenses, the enemy air power is annihilated and then the ground surface targets can be destroyed at leisure by either pin-point guided munitions or by B-52 carpet bombings. A MOAB would look more impressive but is not really necessary.

The real dilemma in this air campaign will be the feasibility of destroying hardened, deep below-ground facilities with conventional bunker busters.

[WhiteGuy]

I have NO military expertise.

However, I read novels.

here's the plan........


The military launches a secret attack on an ally in the ME.

Blame it on iran.

Retaliate by destrying everything that moves in iran with nukes.

Problem solved.


Yeah I know, it would never work.

[afnamvet]

The Massive Ordinance Air Blast weapon was designed as an anti personnel weapon. It wouldn't be used against hardened targets IMHO.

[wolfcreek]

If we don't pull the 'Shock and Awe' on them initially, they will use whatever they have in retaliatory strikes against Israel and our bases throughout the region. Could get messy real quick!

[Tommyjo]

B-2 don't carry air-launched cruise missiles. MOABs would not be used for any attack on Iranian targets. The delivery vehicle is just far too slow and vulnerable. Think of the use of stealth in the initial strikes backed up by ALCMs. That would just be the start of the campaign to defang Iran's nuclear ambitions.

It would require an intense military campaign to take out military airfields and air defense systems. Their naval forces would have to be taken out to stem any thoughts of closing the straits of Hormuz. Not an easy task, but the US has the means and methods to do it alone.

The biggest problem is that if the Israelis strike at Bushehr for example then the Iranians will simply not believe that the US wasn't involved. Vice versa for a US strike. Iran will retaliate with Shahabs etc.

More that likely the US will have no other option but to follow up any Israeli strike with full military action of their own. An Israeli strike would simply stir up a hornets nest in the region. Iran's regime would try to retaliate against US forces in the region so it would be better if Iran was defanged with an intense military campaign.