U.S. Jets Buzz Iran Airspace

World Net Daily ^ | 1-3-05

[hope]

This is a WorldNetDaily printer-friendly version of the article which follows. To view this item online, visit http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=42225 Monday, January 3, 2005 U.S. jets buzz Iran airspace Warplanes said to spy nuke sites, test defenses Posted: January 3, 2005 9:20 p.m. Eastern © 2005 WorldNetDaily.com WASHINGTON – U.S. military warplanes flew over Iranian air space, raising Tehran's concerns preparations are being made to knock out its nuclear facilities, according to Iranian news media reports. The U.S. jets reportedly flew out of bases in Afghanistan and Iraq, with the latest coming Saturday when a fighter buzzed at low altitude an area in the northeastern province of Khorrasan, which borders Afghanistan. Other reports of overflights cited intrusions by F-16 and F-18 fighters over the southwestern province of Khuzestan, which borders southern Iraq. Papers said the planes appeared to be spying on nuclear sites. The U.S. military was silent on the veracity of the reports. However, one source said he would not be surprised if the reports were accurate, given the building international tensions over the state of Iran's nuclear weapons program. "The circular maneuvering of the two American fighters indicated them as carrying out spying sorties and controlling the borders," said an Iranian official. Less than a week earlier, Iranian air force chief Brig. Karim Qavami was quoted as having ordered his forces to open fire and shoot down any unidentified aircraft violating the country's airspace. "Given that the intrusion of enemy aircraft over Iran's airspace is possible, all fighter jets of the country have been ordered by the army chief to shoot them down in the event of sighting them," he said. In August, five U.S. warplanes entered Iranian airspace from the southwestern Shalamcheh border and overflew Khorramshahr. Iranian military specialists believe the intrusions are designed to assess the capabilities of Iran's anti-aircraft defenses. Army chief Gen. Mohammad Salimi also said the Iranian air force has been ordered to defend the country`s nuclear sites in the event of an attack. "The air force has been ordered to protect the nuclear sites, using all its power," the daily Iran quoted Salimi as saying, adding the air force had temporarily suspended all its maneuvers to focus its capabilities on patrolling the skies over Iran. Such statements have raised the stakes in a war of words amid foreign press speculation about possible Israeli and American attack on Iran`s nuclear facilities. Iranian military commanders have warned of grave consequences if any such attack takes place. Earlier stories: U.S. test simulates attack on Iran's nuke sites Iran's nuclear smoking gun Tehran nukes targeted in first U.S. protest Secret Iranian nuke site under civilian homes

[traumer]

"U.S. jets reportedly flew out of bases in Afghanistan and Iraq... "

Looks like these countries make part of the new chessboard !

[ASA Vet]

If Iran just decided to go

Dog gone it, I had a reply all typed and upon proof reading it decided to self censor again.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

The mullahs have been sabre rattling and thumping their chests for quite a while now. I'm sure we have had spy planes over them for years now they are just now trying to get world opinion on their side-to make it look as though we are picking on them.

[prairiebreeze]

ping

[26lemoncharlie]

Well the French lost it for awhile till the allies gave it back to them!

[Realist05]

Where's Kermit Roosevelt when we really need him?

[Patton@Bastogne]

.

RaceBannon,


"If Iran just decided to go, we wouldn't have anything able to counter for a week, not in numbers anyways"


Noting that my comments are "not" the typical "nuke-the-arabs-till-they-glow-in-the-dark" ...

But ... the U.S. doesn't even need tactical nukes to hold-back even the most potent Iranian ground offense against U.S. forces in Iraq ...

Or ... for that matter ... Iranian missile attacks against Persian Gulf shipping.

Why ? MOAB-class weapons.

The ultimate in non-nuclear Shock and Awe, twenty or thirty would anniliate even a mass-armour Soviet-style conventional attack against U.S. forces, to say nothing of it's singular destuctive power against supply-points and logistical centers.

Dittos for any Iranian naval assets ...

Are Iran's mullahs crazy enough to take the United States on militarily ?

No ... but with the Lion of Democracy roaring at their Western and Northern gates ... they're positively scared to death.



Patton@Bastogne


.

[doug from upland]

Iranian leaders might need to be directed to this RELATED THREAD.

[RaceBannon]

Their forces have to be close enough, though to use a weapon like that.

I have been so wrong before making predictions, I guess because I have expected Iraq to think a little, the terrorists to perform simpler attacks that I can imagine but havent seen...

But, all Iran would have to do is the simple preventative measures against attacks against massed forces, and there goes the MOAB usage being effective as we would hope.

I have been wrong so many times, I expected the Iraqis to fight harder, be smarter, fight simply because we are there regardless of their political opinions, better coodination in use of weapons, mines, IED's, hiding armor in buildings before firing on troops, stuff like that...

I am guilty of thinking like an American military trained person, so, I am slightly pessimistic in my assesment of possible casualties while totally optimistic about our inevitable victories!

I am so glad they dont fight like I think! Especially the terrorists!

[konaice]

He has a point, though, there is NO WAY we could fight a standing Army of 2.3 million with our forces.

We bombed Iraq for 10 years before this last war.

We havent bombed Iran yet.

If they massed toops, they could overwhelm us at the border...unless we start bombing en masse their buildup areas.

True they have lots of recruits, they need that many to keep the local population in line(or so some on this site would have us belive).

But as othes on this thread have posted, it really wouldn't be a fair fight. They will not be allowed to mass troops anywhere near the boarder.

They don't have the transport or the tanks, and if they set off walking - well, thats precisely why developed the MOAB. If worse comes to worse, I doubt Bush would let 140,000 troops be sacrificed. He would use tactical nukes.

We didn't bomb Iraq for ten years, we were enforcing the no fly zone, which means bombing only what shot at us. So that's not a fair comparison.

I would expect toubles with Iran to go more like Gulf I, with the B52s engaging large numbers of Iranian Army and keeping the, from getting anywhere while we systematically chop up their missile bases, transport, communications, oh, and all their nuclear infrastructure.

They have a lot of anti-shipping missiles so I would expect some of our smaller navy units in the gulf would take some hits.

But I doubt any of this will happen. I suspect we caught a few of their guys sneaking across the border, and are sending a stern warning. Its just not our way to lead with fighter-bombers. Not till we are done throwing Tomahawks at them for a couple weeks.

[RaceBannon]

I may be all wet on this, too, I mean, how are they going to get their armor to the border without being noticed?

Do they even have the heavy equipment to do it?

The trains to carry tanks, armor, artillery...that we would openly see.

Gas is almost free for them, but something has to carry it. Cluster bombs would take out their supply lines easily, we would just have to do a LOT of strikes, they have an intact army, not one that has been bombed for 10 years.

[Rummyfan]

My only response is ALRIGHT!

[RaceBannon]

he he, there is NO WAY they would win, I realize this, regardless of their numbers, but my point is:

They have WAY TOO MANY people to just send in 1/4 million Americans to actually control any area and leave open our back door to the already present Iraqi/Jordanian/Saudi terrorists in Iraq right now.

We would need an ADDITIONAL 1/4 million troops and planes...maybe not planes, but you understand my point.

We havent got an additional 1/4 million troops ready to go any time soon.

Iran knows this, we know this, and in my opinion, it is reason enough for the draft, or at least a relaxing of re-enlistment standards so old fogies like me can go back in!

[hermgem]

What would France and Germany do without all those exports to Iran?
They suffered heavy by losing Saddam's largess in granting oil leases, making phone installations, delivering trucks, military equipment, ammunitions.
Remember the lefts cry it's for oil, but they omitted to tell us it's for French oil.
This was big business which kept going in spite an awareness of Saddam killing hundreds of thousands.
If on top of this Iraqi setback there's an Iranian cutoff, the whole EU house could collapse.
Instead of working a harsh 35 hours per week and 6 weeks vacation they would have to reduce working hours to 21 and 12 weeks vacation to keep everybody employed.

[Rummyfan]

Alexander conquered Persia though vastly outnumbered. How many of that 2.3 million-man army would actually fight? Iran is ripe for a revolution.

[Rummyfan]

Dude... standing army means NOTHING. It would be the biggest turkey shoot since Marianas. We would have them on two fronts from the air. If they drove as fast as they could they probably wouldn't get anywhere near our ground forces before we turn their military into a smoldering wreck.

Great point!

[zipcode101]

Well, I'm sorry but that is incorrect. To my knowledge the iraqi army never got more than 20 miles inside of Iran. The war was a standoff. But all that is now irrelevant. It was, in fact, 22 years ago. The Iranians are driven by Shiite moslems.They could easily be joined on the rear by cleric Al Sadr forces to the rear. If we pick a fight,we need to get our country ready and in my view ,we are oblivions to the sacrifice needed or the losses that would ensue.

[RaceBannon]

highway of death, yes, but what if they practiced the standard defensive protocols? Like...spacing between vehicles?

100 yards? At least?

They were not going against troops and they knew it, and they knew we owned the sky. If the force spreads out, the flight time, targeting, woud be numerous, and massed bombing would not be as effective due to target spacing distances.

Persians are not stupid, and they read. They know what can happen.

I also believe that if we used Iraq as the standing army to invade Iran for us while we bombed, we would be instigating a blood bath of two countries that hate each other.

Iran has been a pawn of it's neighbors for 200 years, and for the GREAT SATAN to use Iraq to invade, all disregard of the Mullah's will take a back seat. They hate the Iraqis.

And we aint got an additional 1/2 Million men in uniform to invade.

[ASA Vet]

Having served in both the conscript and volunteer military,
I'd take old farts like you, ra^ther than folks not wanting to be there at all.

[Paul_Denton]

The US has a weapon just for such an event. The neutron bomb.