Posted on 01/12/2007 10:40:48 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
For months, rumors of war between the United States and Iran have been building. Many fear that President Bush is spoiling for a fight, and they've begun to interpret various developments in the region as the run-up to an attack on Tehran. A report in the British press about a possible Israeli raid on Iran's nuclear facilities quickly became linked with predictions about coordinated action with the United States. Observers on all sides, left, right and other, convinced themselves that the appointment of Adm. William Fallon to oversee military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan meant there would soon be Tomahawk missiles, if not U.S. soldiers, crossing the border into Iran.
President Bush's speech on Wednesday night only stoked such speculation. Bush paid lip service to the Iraq Study Group report, but cast aside its advice that he negotiate with Iran and Syria. Instead, he rattled sabers at Iran with some ferocity, accusing it of arming insurgents in Iraq and threatening it with international isolation. He attempted to rally his Sunni Arab allies, such as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, in this effort. He said, "We will disrupt the attacks on our forces. We'll interrupt the flow of support from Iran and Syria. And we will seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq." He announced that he would position another aircraft-carrier battle group in the Persian Gulf and would deploy Patriot antimissile batteries.
Then Thursday came a U.S. raid on an Iranian consulate in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Irbil. By the end of the day, rumors of war with Iran had spread to normally cautious corners of the Internet. The Washington Note wondered aloud if Bush had issued an executive order to commence military action against Iran and Syria. Was the raid a deliberate provocation and the preface to war?
fyi
Then you have this...http://www.kuna.net.kw/home/Story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=941583
Why deploy Patriots, unless you are anticipating enemy missiles flying your way?
Very interesting!
Last time I checked the jihadists didn't have missiles.
fyi
If you pronounce it just right, one wonders if this fellow is ready to cry "JuanCole."
> Last time I checked the jihadists didn't have missiles.
How bout Iran? How about Lebanese Hezbollah? Have you been reading the news?
That was sarcasm.
Ah, my computer must be acting up. The /sarc tag got lost in transmission. Thanks.
Could have something to do with that patriot missile battalion that shipped to Iraq...
U.S. detains 6 Iranians in sweep ~ ...in Kurdish region reflects crackdown on such networks
Oh, so taking over a building that is sovereign soil is a cause for war now? Guess we'd better invade Iran for that embassy deal back in '79.
Action against Iran, Syria could escalate conflict: Rudd....Labor Leader in Australia...
Methinks we have sent the additional carrier group into the region with reasonable suspicion of an excellent strategy...
Once on station -- the verbal jousting will increase, and "W" will begin to turn the softly-spoken answer into a big stick.
(Isn't it the TR ordered out anyway -- outstanding!)
I think we will provoke/lure the Iranians into the airspace on/near the Iraqi border or over the open seas of the Gulf -- and engage them in a little hi-tech air combat -- the ratio will be nearly 40 to 1... IMHO...
Get 'em close enough -- a little AMRAAM action -- then the rest of them will launch; history will be re-written. The Marianas Turkey Shoot (WWII) will move to second place on the best day ever in Naval Aviation.
The staggering odds will kowtow the Iranians and all their local allies into staying on the ground. A no-fly zone will be imposed -- and re-negotiations of their nuclear strategy will be quickly underway-- with the implications that we can overfly any/all of their stuff --- or bomb it into oblivion at our own pleasure.
The best story I heard from late in Viet Nam war -- was a story -- but a good one. A section of MiG-21's preparing for early morning patrol... One of our CLG's (guided missile cruiser) was just offshore a few miles with the newest version of the Sea Sparrow and its improved sea-based radar....
When the radarman advised the CIC officer that he had inadvertently radar-locked one of the MiG's on the taxiway -- the LT asked the skipper to engage... which was approved.
The two pilots went into position on the runway -- finished their engine runups and control checks....
About the time the lead released the brakes for takeoff roll... the cruiser went to guidance radar mode and pickeled the Sparrow....
About the time the lead MiG was retracting the landing gear 50 feet in the air the missile impacted right behind the cockpit and blew the fighter out of the air....
It's reported that -2 aborted with some rapidly invented mechanical probllem or other....
Bad day all around for the bad guys...
The Iranians are next....
just my humble....
Discovery channel keeps re-playing the original Raid on the Reactor (Osirik) in Iraq story.
That's like watching a chimpanzee poke a bear with a stick for an hour and when the bear stands up and growls the bear is accused of picking a fight.
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