Posted on 08/18/2004 8:34:14 AM PDT by dead
Iran will strike the Israeli reactor at Dimona if Israel attacks the Islamic republic's own burgeoning nuclear facilities, a commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards was quoted as saying.
"If Israel fires one missile at the Bushehr atomic power plant, it should permanently forget about the Dimona nuclear centre, where it produces and keeps its nuclear weapons, and Israel would be responsible for the terrifying consequence of this move," General Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr warned yesterday.
Iran's controversial bid to generate nuclear power at its plant being built at Bushehr is seen by arch-enemies Israel and the United States as a cover for nuclear weapons development.
The general's comments, reported by the Iranian press, mark an escalation in an exchange of threats between Israel and Iran in recent weeks, leading to speculation that there may be a repeat of Israel's strike against Iraqi nuclear facilities at Osirak in 1981.
Iran insists that its nuclear intentions are peaceful, while pointing at its enemy's alleged nuclear arsenal, which Israel neither confirms nor denies possessing.
Dimona, in the Negev desert, is allegedly where Israel produces weapons-grade plutonium for its estimated 200 nuclear warheads.
Revolutionary Guard chief Yadollah Javani warned on Sunday that "the entire Zionist territory including its nuclear establishments and atomic munitions are now within the range of Iran's advanced missiles".
The statement came a few days after the Islamic Republic conducted what it called a successful test of an upgraded version of its conventional medium-range Shahab-3 missile.
The missile is considered the mainstay of Iran's military technology and portrayed as purely defensive and dissuasive, but also specifically as a weapon against Israel.
The Revolutionary Guards, or Sepah-e Pasdaran, to whom the Shahab-3 has been entrusted, exist in parallel to the regular armed forces.
The ideological spearhead of the regime, they are well equipped and have a navy and air force as well as ground troops.
General Zolqadr, however, considered that "given the internal crises in the Zionist regime and its military, security and geographical vulnerability, Israel is not capable of attacking Iran and its threats are only propaganda".
The threats, he said, were aimed at depriving Iran of its "indisputable right" to nuclear technology for peaceful ends.
Israel is concerned that Iran will continue developing nuclear weapons while a diplomatic solution is being sought. Israeli intelligence estimates that Iran will have a nuclear weapon by 2007.
John Bolton, Under-secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security and a noted hawk in US President George Bush's administration, said on Tuesday that bringing the Iranian nuclear dossier to the UN Security Council was "long overdue".
"We cannot let Iran, a leading sponsor of international terrorism, acquire nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them to Europe, most of central Asia and the Middle East, or beyond," he said.
Israel in July tested an improved version of its Arrow II anti-missile system, aimed squarely at fending off any attack by Iran.
However, Israeli experts say that there was unlikely to be an Osirak-style strike on Iran's nuclear sites, saying their dispersal throughout the country and the current problems of the US in Iraq would render such an attack counter-productive.
AFP
Essentially, if the Iranian reactor isn't destroyed soon... They won't wait after they get a nuclear weapon... They'll just nuke Israel right away.
So it is a case of you might die now, but you will most certainly die later.
Does Iran really want to go there? They could very well get what they wish for, except any attack against them may not be limited to the nuclear facility. Israel would now be justified with a total pre-emptive strike agains Tehran as far as I'm concerned.
Looks like the hand just went to the holster, you think?
It IS funny, though - Shahab-3 vs. Arrow AND the Patriot? We'll tell you who won - film at eleven.
Uuhhh.....Some friendly advice to Iran.
Don't.
Sandmaggots remind me of that fish which blows itself up to look bigger and meaner.
#1) Israel keeps its nukes in many places, and it has plenty of them (between 200 - 400).
#2) Iranian jets would be intercepted before they got even close to Israeli territory.
#3) Iranian medium range missiles aren't nearly accurate enough to hit a target as small as a reactor from that distance, and Israel's sophisticated ABM force has a decent chance of intercepting them anyway.
If it's not terrorism against random civilians, they can't handle it.
India and Pakistan both have nukes and hate each other, but neither has used the weapons. USA and USSR both had weapons and never used them. The theory of Mutually Assured Destruction wil prevent a nuclear war between Iran and Israel.
I don't think Iran would make it to Dimona.
NOTE TO IRAN:
DON'T THREATEN SOMEONE WITH MORE NUKES AND CAJONES THAN YOU!...
Saying they would attack Isreals nuclear facilities is tantamount to saying they will destroy all of Israel with a nuclear attack. Israel should announce a deadline for Iran to at least allow international supervision of its program or an attack will commence. An attack that would render Iran incapable of any response. In other words, an all out nuclear attack on Iran. Start warming up the virgins in paradise, muhammed!
Iran wouldn't use it. It would find its way into the hands of some terrorist group. Iran would would deny any allegations that the nuclear fingerprint was theirs. After that, let the onslaught of UN resolutions begin. If Kerry is in office, he will just go along with Kofi and his band of idiots.
LOL! Not a good idea Iran.
LOL! Not a good idea Iran.
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