Posted on 02/17/2005 9:59:20 AM PST by IAF ThunderPilot
President George W. Bush on Thursday addressed the issue of Iran's possible nuclear armament, declining to offer his full endorsement of Europe's negotiations to get Iran to halt its suspected nuclear weapons program.
He said the United States and Europe share the goal that Iran must not develop a nuclear weapon. Still, he left it up in the air whether he fully supports Europe's approach.
"I look forward to ... discussing strategies, ways forward with the Europeans to make sure we continue to speak with one voice, and that is Iran should not have a nuclear weapon and how to work together to make sure they don't," Bush said.
Asked if was concerned that Israel might attack Iran to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon, Bush said Israel is concerned about Iran's intentions.
"But clearly, if I was the leader of Israel and I'd listened to some of the statements by the Iranian ayatollahs that regarded the security of my country, I'd be concerned about Iran having a nuclear weapon as well," Bush said.
He said Israel "is our ally and in that we've made a very strong commitment to support Israel, we will support Israel if her security is threatened."
Bush spoke at a news conference where he announced that John Negroponte, the US ambassador to Iraq, would be the first US director of national intelligence, the powerful overseer of all 15 intelligence agencies.
In addition, Bush said Syria was "out of step" with other nations in the Middle East and said the United States would work with other countries to pressure Damascus to remove its troops from Lebanon.
Bush said he did not know if Syria was involved in the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.
"I can't tell you yet," Bush said. "I don't know that. I'm going to withhold judgment until we know what the facts are."
Bush said he would consult with allies about Syria when he visits Europe next week, and said the United States supports an international investigation of Hariri's assassination.
The United States has withdrawn its ambassador to Syria, Margaret Scobey, and that "indicates that the relationship is not moving forward," the president said. He said Syria was "out of step with the progress being made in the greater Middle East."
The United States expected Syria to find and turn over former supporters of Saddam Hussein's regime and send them back to Iraq and stop supporting terrorism, Bush said. He said Syria also must comply with UN resolutions calling for it to withdraw from Lebanon. Syria has 15,000 troops in Lebanon.
Looking ahead to his European trip, Bush said he knows that some allies think that his only concern is national security, and he said that national security is at the top of his agenda.
Yet, he said, "We also care about hunger and disease. We care about the climate."
Many allies are upset with the United States for refusing to approve the Kyoto climate treaty.
"They thought the treaty made sense," Bush said. "I didn't." He noted that the Senate had voted 95-0 against the treaty. Yet, Bush said there were other ways to deal with the problem of global warming and that he would talk with allies about new technologies to deal with the issue.
One irony of all this is that there isn't any real basis for bad relations between the Iranian people and Israel and that, before he was eased out with Jimmy Carter's help, the Shah and his country were in a de facto alliance with the Jewish state.
This irrational death wish (and if they do anything along the lines of what is being threatened, they and a few million of their people will die) just confirms that the Mullahs are clinically insane. For their own survival, the Iranian people must rise up.
Bush would have to issue a statement directly or through back channels that a nuke dropped on Israel is an act of war with the use of WMD and America would have no choice but to respond in kind.
Are you familiar with the concept of a medium range missile? And the news isn't so hot on missle defense testing the past six months.
yes I am familiar, but if you look at his post, he said drop. Missiles dont normally drop things unless they are tomahawks, which the Iranians certainly DON'T have....
I seriously doubt it will get to that point....
The F-15Is may be using the 'FAST packs':
Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) F-15C Eagle
The F-15C was the next major single-seat version of the Eagle. Externally, it was virtually identical to the F-15A which preceded it, but internally there were a number of significant differences that made it a much more capable fighter aircraft.
The only external difference between the F-15A and the F-15C was the introduction on the F-15C of the capability of carrying FAST (Fuel And Sensor Tactical) packs attached to the side of the fuselage outside of each air intake. The tanks conform to the aerodynamic shape of the side of the fuselage, and when they are installed, there is very little adverse aerodynamic effect and very little degradation in performance. When the FAST packs are removed, the F-15C is externally indistinguishable from the F-15A, and the two variants can be distinguished only by a knowledge of their serial numbers. However, on the F-15C, the FAST packs are only very rarely actually taken off the aircraft. The FAST packs are now referred to as Conformal Fuel Tanks (CFTs).
Each FAST pack can carry an additional 849 US gallon of fuel. Alternatively, sensors such as reconnaissance cameras, infrared equipment, radar warning receivers and jammers, laser designation, and low-light TV cameras can be carried in place of some of the fuel in these packs. The FAST packs were first tested on an F-15B on July 27, 1974. They can be installed or removed in 15 minutes on the ground.
-end snip-
http://www.airtoaircombat.com/detail.asp?id=11
"Throw salt in their eyes and make them sick."
That's what I say to Iran.
Works for me.
My son has to beat 'em off with a stick. Only he doesn't. ;)
USA and Israel Vs the new "Axis of Evil" Iran and Syria.
Nice!
Nope, I see Isaiah 15-19, a war that is described as "in the evening there is trouble, in the morning it is over" and again as "Damascus is a ruinious heap".
A one day war.
That would be called in english, a pre-emptive strike before Iran completes its bomb in 6 months.
I do not think there is a problem with the people of Persia at all, it is with the People of Arabia that invaded and enslaved the people of Persia long ago.
Now you're talking sensibly.
I slip up and do that once and a while. I think it is going to be one heck of a summer this year.
"And I hope one of those nukes is aimed at Mecca. Then, "TROP" would have no holy place due to their "peace""
Is this the famous "Lunatic Fringe" of FreeRepublic?
I have a difficult time with the pictures and talk of nuclear explosions on this site.
War especially nuclear war is hell. Mankind must see to it that nuclear weapons are never again used. Never!!!
Nothing personal.
Pray for Peace.
Likely as not they'll need teams on the ground
doing the demolition. Unless a tactical nuke is
used, I do not think an airstrike with Israels
available planes will accomplish a whole lot
(other than oil and stock price jitters).
The true and lasting solution is deposing the
mullah-ocracy and instituting a representative
democracy in Teheran.
I have a difficult time with the beheading videos and talk of jihad on other sites.
Dittos. IAF Thunder Pilot, I'm concerned about what options Israel will have if they give up any more territory. I heard if Israel retreats to pre-'67 borders, then there is no way to conventionally defend themselves. is this true?
If necessary our govenment could wag a finger and say "tsk-tsk".
And the world would be a durn sight safer.
First, you left out half the conversation. But, hey, that's a weenie's perogative, to leave out facts that don't fit your notions.
I have a difficult time with the pictures and talk of nuclear explosions on this site.
Then, you have 2 options. Get over it, or don't.
War especially nuclear war is hell.
Man, that's deep. No, really. But, open your pie hole if you really want to get into the psychology of war.
Mankind must see to it that nuclear weapons are never again used. Never!!!
I disagree. I think that low yield nukes have a very special place in the arsenal. But, then you obviously think all problems can be solved with both sides sitting down and talking.
Dude, believe it or not, there are bad people in the world. These bad people don't care about your words. They think your use of words instead of action makes you weak. They also want you very dead.
Most of the people who serve(ed) in the Armed Forces don't want to go to war. Why? You get shot at, and that's not healthy. However, those same folk realized that there are bad people who want us dead. So, they serve, training to fight so that others don't have to.
When those brave people go out, I want them to have every weapon they possibly can. I want them to have guns to kill the bad guys. I want them to have tanks to kill the bad guys tanks. I want them to have nukes to kill the bad guys C3 (Command, Control, Communications) nodes that are berried deep in bunkers or in mountain caves. I want them to have all of these things so as many of our boys come home as possible and as many bad guys are sent straight to hell as possible.
Nothing personal.
Whatever.
Pray for Peace.
I do. But, as Vegetis said, "Those who long for peace must prepare for war."
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