Posted on 02/04/2006 3:09:43 AM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
IRAN secretly tested a new surface-to-surface missile (SSM) on January 17, seeking to establish the measurements needed for long-range missiles, the German daily Die Welt reported in its issue to appear today.
The test, conducted by members of the Revolutionary Guard led by Yahya Rahim Safavi, was successful, according to Western diplomats cited by the newspaper, which did not indicate the location where the test took place.
On January 28, Safavi said that Iran would use its ballistic missiles if it was attacked.
"Iran has a ballistic missile with a range of 2,000 kilometres," he said on Iranian public television.
"We do not intend to attack any country, but if we are attacked, we are capable of effectively responding. Our position is defensive."
Mr Safavi was referring to the Shahab-3 missiles that Iran possesses which can reach Israel and US bases in the Middle East.
All of their rocket tests are secret. They don't require to announce them to anybody. These launches are recorded and detected by space based infra-red systems as a matter of course. For example the Ukranians shot down an airliner by accident over the Black Sea a few years ago. The launch of the SA-5 (GAMMON) was detected. The Ukrainians went into old Soviet style denial, but the Pentagon made public to the world that the launch had been detected. The Ukrainians had to later come clean and admit to their accidental shooting down of the airliner during an air defense exercise.
Beyond that, I've got to think there are any number of Patriot batteries and improved Aegis platforms keeping a close eye on Iran at any time.
We've put a fair amount of effort into improving our ability to knock down theatre ballistic missiles, since the Gulf War / Desert Shield/Storm.
Right. ANd that li'l ole "we will wipe Isreal off the map" was just defensive....
Sure it is.
WASHINGTON TIMES.com (AP): Vienna, Austria - "A-BOMB INTENT FOUND IN BLACK-MARKET PAPER" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "A document obtained by Iran on the nuclear black market serves no other purpose than to make an atomic bomb, the International Atomic Energy Agency said yesterday.") (February 1, 2006) (Read More...)
GUARDIAN.co.uk: "UN ALERT AS NUCLEAR PLANS GO MISSING Blueprints Disclosing Key Steps to Build a Bomb Feared Up For Sale" by Ian Traynor in Vienna (ARTICE SNIPPET: "Inspectors at the UN's nuclear authority, the International Atomic Energy Agency, have been investigating the worst nuclear smuggling racket ever uncovered, headed by the Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan. The operation was discovered two years ago to be selling sensitive nuclear technology to Libya and Iran. A senior official said several sets of blueprints for uranium centrifuges - the so-called P-1 and more advanced P-2 systems which were peddled by the Khan network - have gone missing. (June 9, 2005) (Read More...)
Look to the sky.
-Time to kick the tires & light the fires, folks- terrorism gathers across the World...--
This will all come down.
Ah ya think it's time for the CIVILIZED world to do some missile testing of our own???
Or should we wait until it's too late again like with NK.
We'll wait. They know we'll wait. We know that they know we'll wait. So... we'll wait.
Why are *we* concerned? It's the oil thing, isn't it?
But not forever. Bush has already lined up the UN and NATO to our side. Iran will resist and the coalition will be set.
The best part will be the Congressional Resolution authorizing the use of force. Watching the liberals (especially those with presidential ambitions) squirm and weasel will be the greatest event of the year.
Yeah, and pigs will fly.
No, but liberal pigs will be squealing!
And there is the 747 based antimissle laser, although I'm not sure if it has been deployed yet.
Yeah.. we'll wait until it's too late.
Not even ready to put on the plane yet, IIRC.
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