Posted on 01/22/2006 2:57:22 PM PST by strategofr
Tehran plans a nuclear weapons test before March 20, 2006 the Iranian New Year, moves Shahab-3 missiles within striking range of Israel. Reporting this, the dissident Foundation for Democracy in Iran, a US-based watch group, cites sources in the US and Iran. The FDI adds from Iran: on June 16, the high command of the Revolutionary Guards Air Force ordered Shahab-3 missile units to move mobile launchers every 24 hours instead of weekly. This is in view of a potential pre-emptive strike by the US or Israel.
Advance Shahab-3 units have been positioned in Kermanshah and Hamad within striking distance of Israel, reserve launchers moved to Esfahan and Fars.
The missile units were told to change positions in a radius of 30-35 kilometers and only at night.
DEBKAfiles Iranian sources add: FDI reporting has a reputation for credibility. Western and Israeli intelligence have known for more than six months that Irans nuclear program has reached the capability of being able to carry out a nuclear explosion, albeit underground. It would probably be staged in a desert or mountain region and activated by a distant control center. Tehran would aim at confronting the Americans, Europeans and Israelis with an irreversible situation.
At the same time, an explosion of this sort would indicate that Iran is not yet able to produce a nuclear bomb that can be delivered by airplane or a warhead adapted to a missile. The stage Iran has reached is comparable to Pakistans when it conducted its first nuclear tests in the nineties and North Koreas in 2001. All the same, an Iranian underground nuclear blast, which will most probably be attempted on March 22, would turn around the strategic position of all the parties concerned and the Middle East as whole.
The question now is: will the United States, Israel or both deliver a pre-emptive strike ahead of the Iranian underground test - or later? Or will Washington alternatively use the event to bring the UN Security Council round to economic sanctions? Tehran is already organizing to withstand economic penalties. For Israel, the timing is getting tight in view of its general election on March 28. Acting prime minister Ehud Olmert must take into account that a ruling party which allows an Iranian nuclear explosion to take place six days before the poll would draw painful punishment from the voter.
I dont look for this to happen. If Tehran does an underground test of a nuclear device it makes them outright liars, It states in no uncertain terms that they arent looking for Nuclear energy, but nuclear war. It would send a message to all that Iran has become to dangerous to be allowed to exist as it is now.
I believe an underground explosion of a nuclear test would force the rest of the world to take Iran by force .I think even France and Germany at that point would stop waving the white flags.
Iran can't test a nuke that soon.
Won't happen.
They already have them courtesy of Pakistan and/or North Korea.
Well, that's the supposed theory for the date.
Gravy is good on hats, I've had it.
Agreed!
I hope I don't find out firsthand.
"DEBKA is not always reliable."
ROFL!
Now that Debka says it, I can rest easy knowing it WONT happen.
Iran's first test of Nuclear Weapon will be a "live" test over Israel....
Iran knows they have one chance to take out the bulk of Israels response. The Muslim plan is that there are more Muslims than Jews, and we already know that they consider martyrdom for "the cause" to be acceptable ... even if it isnt voluntary.
Seems like we should drop a nuke on them on March 22 from about 40,000 feet and say "Holy Cow.... I can't believe they attempted an above ground detonation!"
Well I was wondering if there might be any truth to this rumor, and was suspicious it wasn't true ( the setting of a hard date that is ).
But then I saw it in Debka.............
;Eye red it two.
LOL. Were u edumakated in the publik skuls two ?
Is U.S. sponsored assassination still illegal?
It appears that the extremist Muslim plan is to nuke Israel. If I was Israeli, it would never happen.
"But why the 20th"
Iranian new year, apparently
"elections?"
Israeli
" Is U.S. sponsored assassination still illegal?"
no.
"Iran's first test of Nuclear Weapon will be a "live" test over Israel...."
not practical. expertise must first be developed.
"Iran can't test a nuke that soon.
Won't happen."
How do you know?
Did I miss something?
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