Iran raid 'will be nuclear disaster'

gulf daily ^ | 9th January 2007 | TARIQ KHONJI

[r9etb]

Israel has orbital capabilities -- the capability to drop ground-launched missiles anywhere in Iran is not an issue.

They also have missile-capable subs, and cruise missiles, too.

Air defenses are not an obstacle.

[OKIEDOC]

More crying and teeth gnashing .

Go Israel do what Europe and others do not have the guts to do, that is protect themselves from the bloody religion of piece, Islam.

[shrinkermd]

There must be some Ashkenazim someplace in the government with exceptional IQs.

Dropping nuclear weapons from an orbital device or with long range orbital rockets would be a first class mistake.

Not only would it set precedent for similar actions against Israel but it would inflame the Arab world like nothing else would. The US would be unable to veto any condemnation or action by the UN as a consequence.

Belligerence and threats--I repeat--are not a policy alternative in this situation. You know, "...speak softly and keep a big stick.."

[r9etb]

Dropping nuclear weapons from an orbital device or with long range orbital rockets would be a first class mistake.

You misunderstand. It's not the use of orbital rockets for ICBMs (which is really not hard to do, btw); it's one of technological capabilities in regard to rocket performance.

Iran doesn't have missiles with sufficient performance (i.e., range) to hit Israel.

Israel, OTOH, knows how to make rockets with orbital capability, which says they don't have the missile performance issues that Iran does. Range is not a problem for them -- they can hit Iran.

BTW -- did you know that the only thing separating a ICBM from an orbital rocket is that the latter has an upper stage, and the former does not? Both we and the Russians have successfully converted ICBMs for orbital use.

[RightWhale]

Bahrain University physics professor Dr Waheeb Alnaser said

This one may have been talking to Michio Kaku. They want us to fear the atom.

[Little Ray]

I would say that's Iran's problem...

[shrinkermd]

Iran doesn't have missiles with sufficient performance (i.e., range) to hit Israel

You know more on this subject than I but you are assuming what is now stays now. There will be enough smart Iranians, Pakistanis and others to either develop or buy this technology.

The only similarity I can think of is in 1862 my ancestors suddenly found the Dakota people were killing them right and left. They killed with state-of-the-art rifled rifles while most of the settlers had smooth bores. It took Abraham Lincoln sending General Pope (I think that was his name) and artillery to chase the Dakotas out onto the Dakota plains and into Canada.

People who think in slogans act in bullets and if it takes more than bullets they will match you weapon for weapon.

People hate Jews and the State of Israel not because of failure but because of success. You need a strong political effort at attenuating the Iranian situation knowing full well of your liability--being hated for being successful. As I said before, there must be some smart Jews in the government. In the meantime, threats just reinforce the negative perceptions of Jews and Israel.

[Professional Engineer]

if there is an earthquake

Isreal can create earthquakes? Cool.

funny how this is lost by the screaming headline.

[r9etb]

Your original comment had to do with air defenses. My response was, simply, that Israel's capability to reach orbit, means they can also reach Iran ... without having to worry about air defenses.

There will be enough smart Iranians, Pakistanis and others to either develop ... this technology.

And yet they have not. I can only guess at the reasons for this, but I think it's primarily the lack of an indigenous a high tech infrastructure (especially specialty metals and high-precision machining).

... or buy ...

The fact that they have not bought it yet, shows that nobody who can make this stuff -- even the Russians or Chinese -- is stupid enough to sell it to the Iranians, North Koreans, or other whackjobs.

[colorado tanker]

This is as bad as all the exaggeration about how bad Chernobyl would be. Next thing you know, they'll trot out "nuclear winter."