ALERT: Blair hints at military action after Iran's 'disgraceful' taunt to Israel

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,251-1846793,00.html ^

[markedmannerf]

TONY BLAIR served warning last night that the West might have to take military action against Iran after worldwide condemnation of its President’s call for Israel to be “wiped off the map”.

Ending a one-day European Union summit, the Prime Minister called the explosive declaration by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday a disgrace.

Promising discussions with Washington and other allies over how to react, Mr Blair said that he had often been urged not to take action against Iran.

But, he continued: “If they carry on like this the question people will be asking us is — when are you going to do something about Iran? Can you imagine a state like that with an attitude like that having nuclear weapons?”

It was the first time Mr Blair had even hinted at military action and his words are likely to alarm Labour MPs. Mr Blair, clearly angry at the President’s outburst, said that there were people in Iran’s leadership who believed that the world was sufficiently distracted with everything else that it could not afford to focus on the nuclear arms issue.

“They will be making a very big mistake if they do that. Those sentiments are completely unacceptable. I have never come across a situation in which the President of a country has said they want to wipe out another country — not that they have a problem with a country but they want to wipe it out. That is completely unacceptable.”

[conservativewasp]

Not long ago they had over 600 fixed wing combat aircraft, they can hit harder than you imagine. They also have significant midair refueling capability (and we will add to that one night soon). I agree that the centrifuges are dispersed, going after the entire program is their only real shot at slowing/stopping the program. They will be hitting dozens of targets all across Iran, we will stay at a distance, as will any other western countries, in order to avoid an Arab oil embargo. I'm guessing that followup strikes will be required down the road, perhaps repeatedly. Iran my become as isolated as was Saddam 5 years ago. Hopefully after an initial rally behind the government, the good people of Iran will slit a million or so throats and get rid of the Mullahs permanently.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

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

[danmar]

Does the UK have a military that can take on Iran?

Oh, yes the Gurkhas, the meanest professional warriors on the face of the Earth.
You do not want to meet one of them face to face. Bad for your health.

[girlangler]

tet68,

It does boil down to this -- and, like Saddam, this guy needs to go.

Hopefully this is being done covertly. Taken down from within. I think the time is about right.

[Eurotwit]

It comes from a head of state of a nation with a nuclear program, not from some run-of-the-mill mullah...

[virgil]

I never heard him talk that tough before.

[Altair333]

"Not long ago they had over 600 fixed wing combat aircraft, they can hit harder than you imagine."

Yes, but only the F-15is and F-16is have the range to strike Iran. Garden-variety F-15s and F-16s can't go that far without aerial refueling, and tankers are very vulnerable and would have to fly over Iraqi airspace.

[Sometimes A River]

Yes, true, although I find it ironic that they condemn this, but then send money upon money to the Palestinians, who do nothing but call for the destruction of the Israeli State.

[RaceBannon]

I'll go back in a heartbeat, old fat guy or not.

[Fishrrman]

Altair333 writes:
They've got some capabilities. But having 60 or 70 fighter-bombers that can reach Iran is likely not sufficient for the job at hand. The pesky thing about bunkers is that you can't see through them so even if you can bust your way in there, you have no idea whether there are actual weapons there or decoys.
They could, however, easily take out the nuclear reactor at Beshehr, thereby greatly hindering if not eliminating Iran's plutonium enrichment program. But I'm not at all optimistic about their ability to do the same with regard to their uranium enrichment program- thousands of uranium enrichment centrifuges that could be spread out who knows where don't exactly make an easy target.

Bombing a few targets _is not_ going to clean up the problem in Iran. It may slow them down in achieving their objectives, _if_ we take out all the _right_ targets, and _if_ they don't have secret duplicate facilities.

The only solution is to go in with boots on the ground, and clean that place up once and for all: depose the mullahs, search-and-destroy ALL of their nuclear infrastructure, and impose a democracy, Iraq-style.

Anything less than that, and it will only a matter of time before their nuke program is restarted, with a vengeance.

- John

[RaceBannon]

Bush? Sound like a man?

He didn't even sound like a man after 9/11, he just sounded presidential.

[ariamne]

I think its pretty clear we're on our own. The rest of the world seems to prefer becoming caliphates of Islam rather than join in the fight against these life-sucking leeches.

[jeffers]

Centrifuge enrichment of Uranium requires a cascade. You can't really disperse them and achieve the objective.

Israel says Iran will acheive an operational military nuclear capability between 2007 and 2009, probably 2008. Israel wil use their own assessments in making decisions.

All you ever wanted to know about Iran's nuclear program, the overt and the covert, backed up with overhead imagery.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iran/index.html

The new facilities are dug in pretty deep. The US has weapons systems that would probably crack them open, but some of the facilities are near the edge of our published abilities.

Israle might have to pursue...different options...to destroy some of Iran's newer facilities.

[Blue Scourge]

Yes, the UK doesn't have a huge military but it is very powerful...they would not be going alone either.

[injin]

If the time comes, they will be happy to issue you a pair of boots and a rifle.

already got um , just point me at the enemy ;^)

[Constitutional Patriot]

"To pretend otherwise is just sticking one's head in the sand."

...which is the State Department's M.O.

[strategofr]

"Russia, which has been helping Iran to develop its nuclear programme, called the words unacceptable."

Thanks for your support, Russia!

[strategofr]

"TONY BLAIR gave warning last night that the West might have to take military action against Iran after worldwide condemnation of its President’s call for Israel to be “wiped off the map”."

When it comes it international stuff, Blair is the best!