An Israeli Strike on Iran, a Plan That Just Doesn't Fly

wasingtonpost.com ^ | August 10, 2008 | Bernard Avishai and Reza Aslan

[Random Access]

You have to wonder if there is some super weapon that could take care of this problem. (Like a blast that could create a containable blackhole within the Iranian borders, or an EMP of some sort). They say their nuke facilities are in reinforced concrete, etc.

If you can't take out the nukes themselves you just might have to take out the people who would order them launched.

[Thunder90]

I say that the USAF and the USN should support Israel when it attacks Iran in all possible ways, and also use it as an opportunity to strike against targets near the Strait of Hormuz and regime targets.

[Navy Patriot]

Judas goats.

today Iran is a friend of the United States and even Israel

Right, I see so much evidence of this it is overwhelming.

The idea that one fine morning Iran will incinerate Tel Aviv is madness

As was the Idea that they would attack the US Embassy and hold hostage, murder and torture persons with diplomatic immunity and innocents.

The regime wants to survive

Sure they do, to accomplish the destruction and murder of anything not Muslim, Jews first.

The United States overthrew Iran's government in 1953 to obtain Iranian oil

An outright lie, it was to remove a communist usurpation government, and the Shaw would be an ally in the cold war containment of the Soviet union (no warm water port) and their missile test facilities.

An Iranian bomb need not precipitate a regional nuclear arms race.

Moot. The regional Nuke race is already on, even though Iraq, Libya, and Syria have run into obstacles (heh, heh).

Even if Tehran were determined to get the bomb, there's no guarantee that it could pull it off.

Pakistan had no guarantee of success either.

The West will have to convince Iran like Japan. They will be bent on extermination until they discover it is their own.

[shield]

It depends who wins the presidency. If it’s McCain; Bush will hold off...if it’s egobambi Bush will strike Iran HARD...

[JasonC]

"is some super weapon that could take care of this problem"

Um, duh, it is called a hydrogen bomb. Israel has several hundred. Get serious yesterday, please.

[EEDUDE]

“The validation for the Iraq invasion failed to hold up in at least some areas.”

*************************************************************

Bush should have made EVERY effort to counter the claims that there were no active programs/WMD’s in Iraq. But the defense was tepid at best.

For some reason, information that appears to indicate that weapons/programs were moved to Syria was not publicized. My belief is that the administration was embarrassed that we failed to stop the move.

The perceived lack of credibility of our intelligence has left us impotent in the face of a very serious threat.

I sue hope whatever embarrassment was avoided proves to be worth it.

[ought-six]

“’You have to wonder if there is some super weapon that could take care of this problem?’ 7.62”

Well, 7.62 is not a weapon, but it is a wonderful round. Almost as good as .30-06.

[darth]

I must be a prophet. A Persian PhD engineer at my company was going on about how evil Zionism must be destroyed, yada, yada, yada.... I told him that I voted Iran “Country Most Likely to Get Nuked”. THAT WAS IN 1991! The nuclear ambitions of the mad mullahs have not changed over time. As I told him, as soon as Israel sees that Iran has both capability and intent...its all over. Very sad for the Persians who are being dragged into this by their rulers.

[goldstategop]

Agreed. Some people can be delusional on Tisha B'Av. The Jew is advised by the Talmud not to rely on miracles. Israel must stop Iran, whatever the price is incurred. There is no alternative.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Desron13]

This is really very simple. Either bomb them now or be forced to nuke them later. Personally, I'm almost wishing for the later. We will most likely suffer horrendous causalities but at least we will be finally rid of this cancer. This of course would be entirely avoidable if we had a non-delusional political class, but alas, we don't.

[Cold Heat]

Yea,I keep hearing people say that, and I can see their point, because the efforts failed, but the fact is,that they did try. They tried several times, however, with the CIA being totally uncooperative and even dismissive, and Powell having a hissy fit and getting all sorts of media time, the press had zero interest in covering the Admin as they attempted to explain how the Intel went wrong on only a minor justification of the Iraqi invasion decision. The congress critters who all voted in favor, raised the inventory angle to the front of the list and used it to make it appear they were misinformed, when all of the inventory estimates came directly from the U.N. and not the CIA.

Stories about the Russian convoys, and the positive tests on the river water were buried, and they refused to even cover the WMD finds that they did recover.

Damn shame, and it has forever poisoned my opinions of politicians, and their willing presstitutes.

Also, I have come to absolutely despise Colin Powell where I once defended him with my words.

A damn shame, is all I can say. >

[Cold Heat]

Our casualties would be reasonable during a air war. Iran's defenses are good, but not that good, and they would be taken down quickly.

Also, I think we would find that the common soldier would cave pretty quickly. These people are all talk and little substance, and without suicide bombers, would be inert militarily.

[Desron13]

"These people are all talk and little substance, and without suicide bombers, would be inert militarily."

You are correct in your first assertion but slightly misguided in your second. Suicide bombers are not practical weapons of war. They are a method of social coercion aimed at civilian populations. They have little application in actual combat since military forces on a battlefield can defend against this sort of attack with reasonable effectiveness. It quickly becomes an ineffective strategy. The Islamoscum know this which is why they only use it amongst civilian populations where our troops have to keep in mind civilian casualties.

[BobS]

I believe the 2nd week of November will have fireworks. After the Israeli elections and our election. There are nine air bases surrounding Iran for the last 4 years for a reason. The Navy has it's own orders for the eastern Med. for Syria and Lebanon. And there won't be embedded reporters this time. We are comitted to defend Iraq if it's attacked.

This one will be very bloody with whole cities being burned down. Iran made that declaration of war.

[McGruff]

I just don't see that Israel has enough planes to attack all the installations spread out all over Iran in one strike. I don't think Iran will give them a second chance before launching missiles back at Israel. Maybe Israel can shoot them all down but I'd bet some of them get through. Then the question is what type of warheads will they have. I don't see this as successful as their past missions (which were only a single target don't forget).

[BobS]

There are electronic counter-measures that make aircraft invisible to ground-based radar systems. It blinds them at 600 watts with swept frequencies, swept power, and fast swept pulses. That’s how it’s done.

[spookie]

I believe about 1 - 1/2 years ago I noticed a news article that they had purchased bunker buster bombs from us. Also in that article included that B-2 bombers were being modified to accommodate these bombs. The proto types were used during Desert Storm in hitting a so called milk factory and a supposedly bomb shelter for Iraqi families. What they were are a 30’ lenght of 16” rifles from our battleships and went down four levels in the bomb shelter.

So it just might be they are truly ready to teach Iran something about real war.

[BlueDragon]

"Titanium rods mounted atop an ICBM should be able to develop sufficient kinetic energy to impact..."

Just drop the whole idea, would you? /s

[BlackVeil]

From the article:

The Iranian regime is not a suicide bomber. The idea that one fine morning Iran will incinerate Tel Aviv is madness; Morris's description of the mullahs' "fundamentalist, self-sacrificial mindset," echoed by others, is a caricature. The Iranian regime knows full well that Israel has an arsenal widely thought to include as many as 200 nuclear warheads as well as missiles, submarines, strategic bombers and enough apocalyptic psyches to retaliate. Do Israelis seriously believe that Iranians hate them (on behalf of the Palestinians, who would be poisoned by the fallout) more than they love their children -- or, for that matter, the historic cities of Tehran, Qom and Esfahan?

This view does give grounds for optimism, that there is no immediate threat of war, and therefore no need for any preemtive strike.

[himno hero]

Try the W/P for flying B.S.