[strategofr]

Less than 2 months to go, looks like.

[Steveone]

I would think they already have it!

[lexington minuteman 1775]

DEBKA is not always reliable. What does STRATFOR say?

[atomicpossum]

Whew. If DEBKA says it is, it probably isn't.

[SandRat]

Let's hope it goes off as their best Scientists and Technicians try to set it up for the test and takes them and the Lookie-Loo Leadership out all at once.

[Boundless]

Already posted as:

Tehran plans a nuclear weapons test before March 20, 2006 ...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1562793/posts

with links to earlier non-Debka sources.

[RTINSC]

SURPRISE! Our stealth bombers just left your airspace...and left you with, as we say in the USA, your pants down.

I love pre-emptive strikes, don't you?

[Congressman Billybob]

There is a huge difference between a static, underground blast, and a test of a warhead small enough to be carried by a plane, or put in a missile. The real danger is when they get the weapons small enough to deliver with something smaller than a box car.

Israel probably has better intel than the US, on what's going on for real with Iran's nuclear program. For us it is an irritant -- ba large one, but still an irritant. For them, this is life or death. As with the Iraqi nuclear facility that they destroyed in 1981 (right year?), at some point Israel will have to act, regardless of what the US, UN, EU, or any one else is doing. But that time will not come before 20 March.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column: "On Judge Alito, the San Francisco Chronicle is Unfit to be a Newspaper"

[DainBramage]

Aslong as this president remains "the president" I promise there wil be a preimptive strike.

[DoNotDivide]

Iran's nuke capability is either a few weeks or few years away, take your pick.

I believe that they could have acquired pre-fabbed, clandestinely built their own AND are working to produce more.

[tet68]

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.

Not really, it would instead INSURE a strike on Iran.

[sgtbono2002]

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.

[Southack]

Iran can't test a nuke that soon.

Won't happen.

[kjam22]

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!"

[festus]

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

[F16Fighter]

The question now is: will the United States, Israel or both deliver a pre-emptive strike ahead of the Iranian underground test - or later?

Is U.S. sponsored assassination still illegal?

[popdonnelly]

It appears that the extremist Muslim plan is to nuke Israel. If I was Israeli, it would never happen.

[Eagles6]

North Korea’s in 2001

Did I miss something?

[ChEng]

Yada, yada, yada.....As I see it, the life blood of Iran is their oil exports, no oil exports, no money, no messin around. That said, suppose the next five tankers heading for Iran should suddenly sink. Said sinkings attributed to our new best friends, the "Committee For a Free Iran.." Right off, the insurers of targeted third world registered ships would drop coverage or quadruple rates. Ok, sink the next five, there goes coverage. So Iran flags their own ships..our "friends" sink em...What is Iran to do? Can their "navy" protect these vessels, not only in the straits but elsewhere, don't think so. Call on their allies to help out, don't think so. Go to the UN, now that's an idea...

The main obstacle, while most of these ships are registered in third world countries, countries with little recourse to protecting said vessels, they are owned by European and American intrests, owners that would scream bloody hell in the halls of London and Washington. If we are serious, as we should be, actioned as described above should be allowed with no interference from Western powers...This could be a short term solution to what is shaping into a long term and costly problem...Oh, just thought of a possible problem for some people, the Iranians charter Western ships, Swedish, Canadian etc..But then, good luck Sweden and Canada tracking down the "Committee for a Free Iran."

[fragrant abuse]

I'd have an easier time believing this if we had more than one source to go on and more details about the nature of the device - where did it come from? NK? Pakistan?

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Now, now. There's no evidence that Iran has WMD. /Democrat sarcasm