Posted on 10/27/2005 3:12:25 PM PDT by 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.”
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
All I can say is, Duh...
Iran's intentions have been obvious for many, many years. To pretend otherwise is just sticking one's head in the sand.
what will show real backbone though is ACTION!
Leni
Israel will take out Iran by next summer.....
with the big one.
I say we let the Israeli's lead the strike into Tehran with their F-16's!
Dumbest thing we ever did was help end the war between Iran and Iraq.
Would be great to see reactors in Iran and NK nuked at exactly the same time. That would send quite a message.
No they don't. It would take a NATO coaltion from the US, UK, Germany, etc. and maybe a few other countries like India to launch an effective strike on Iran and take out their nuclear facilities. The UK doesn't have enough air power to take out the Iranian nuclear program.
I believe we're going to war. I'd been thinking Syria OR Iran, it's been looking like Syria, and I'd wondered how we could afford to leave Iran alone. Now it's looking like it's going to be BOTH. A hefty mouthful, but with strategic application of air power it should be doable.
Blair, while We are sure he IS angry, would not have spoken out like that out of anger. If he said that, then he and the President have been in close communication, and we are ready to roll. Molon Labe. Our guess is Defcon 4. The Buffalos are gassed up and ready to rotate off and wheels up.
Demonstrations in Tehran are like a war dance. They must be taken seriously. Our bet is that Ahmedinejad is bluffing. He is holding no cards, or nothing more than a pair. But the worst case is that he holds aces -- his own nukes. I would call his bluff.
The world watches with bated breath.
Do they have a conventional force that could subdue Iran? No.
Mr Blair we are with you, lets git em!
Iran is developing a nuclear weapon for only one reason: to wipe Israel off the map, as their leader has said. While I like Blair's comment, I suspect "the west" doesn't have it within itself to do what's necessary. Israel will have to defend itself, as always.
We should talk with China, Russia, Britain, and India about dividing Iran up 5 ways. "Spheres of Influence" or whatever - it worked in the past...
We provide air power, China provides a 2 million man army, Russia rolls in a few tanks, etc.
The Iranians will develop missiles to target the EU before they do the US. Now, they'll have missiles to target Israel before the EU
When does Israel clear things up?
I think Tony Blair has watched the BBC reporting on the war in Iraq, and watched the extreme left in his own party and around the world, and he is growning in office every day.
I believe he has had his Ron Silver moment somewhere along the line.
Blair condemns Iran on terrorism and Israel
While the 25 European leaders in a separate statement had merely expressed concern about Iran's "future intentions," Blair went much further, linking Iran's attitude to Israel with its policies on terrorism and nuclear power.
"I have never come across a situation of the president of a country saying they want to wipe out another country," Blair said.
"Their attitude toward Israel, terrorism, their attitude on the nuclear weapons issues is not acceptable.
"If they continue down this path then people are going to believe that they are a real threat to our world security and stability."
In the past, he said, people had asked him for assurances that Britain was not contemplating action against Iran.
"If they carry on like this, the question that people are going to be asking is: When are you going to do something about this? Can you imagine a state like that with an attitude like that having a nuclear weapon?" he said.
The argument recalled American preoccupations before the Iraq invasion with the notion of Saddam Hussein acquiring weapons of mass destruction. But Blair did not specify what he planned to do.
Britain is one of three European countries along with France and Germany negotiating with Iran over its contentious nuclear program. Iran says it wants to use nuclear power solely for civilian energy purposes. But the United States and its allies accuse Iran of seeking nuclear weapons.
Iran warns of mass protests
The Iranian foreign minister responded Thursday to international criticism over comments by his president that Israel should be destroyed by vowing that massive demonstrations will illustrate the anger of the Islamic world over the existence of the Jewish state, The Associated Press reported from Tehran.
Manouchehr Mottaki said that anger would be expressed Friday during massive demonstrations that will be staged in Tehran and other parts of the country to mark annual Al-Quds Day, when Iranians protest Israel's control over Jerusalem.
"The world will see the anger of the Islamic world against this regime," state-run television quoted him as telling ambassadors from Islamic countries.
He added that the "Zionist regime is illegitimate. The international community is concerned about the existence of nuclear warheads held by this regime."
Israel called Thursday for Iran's expulsion from the United Nations because of Ahmadinejad's remarks, but the United States declined to support that position. "Iran is a member of the United Nations," a State Department spokesman, Sean McCormack, said. "What I think we would encourage instead is Iran to start behaving in a responsible manner as a member of the international community."
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/10/27/news/iran.php
LOL. It was the F-15's that they ordered & recieved the 'extended range' fuel tanks for.
I don't think that Israel bought hundreds of bunker busters from us just to start a bunker buster collection. I don't believe that what I think is called "The Samson Option", is a myth.
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