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2006-02-05 Syria-Lebanon-Iran

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Posted by lotp 2006-02-05 14:40|| || Front Page|| [11145 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 The MMs of Iran are stepping up their game of chicken. I believe that they really do think that they have us intimidated that we (collectively) will do nothing. The public divisions aired in the MSM in the US are sending them strong signals to keep up the play. My pain in my side tells me that we will play this security council thing while preparing for something militarily. Only thing is that anything of any size, like carrier movements, will tip our hand. Wonder how the B-52 deployment is at Diego Garcia. The problem is that we are running out of time. The MMs will give a bomb to a proxy, or they will pubically rattle it around, like Kimmy. The Imams are fomenting instability with Cartoon Madness. Hamas and Hizb'Allah are tooling up for the big showdown with Israel. This is not just accident and coincicence, boys and girls.

Posted by Alaska Paul">Alaska Paul 2006-02-05 15:32|| 2006-02-05 15:32|| Front Page Top

#2 I fear you're right. But if it comes to a military attack, there are a range of options I suspect.

Posted by lotp 2006-02-05 15:40|| 2006-02-05 15:40|| Front Page Top

#3 However, I suspect we have more time than is reflected in Paul's comment. But I suspect the die is cast, except for the Chinese veto.

Timing is going to be very interesting. I still expect something for fall.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-02-05 15:44|| 2006-02-05 15:44|| Front Page Top

#4 In terms of resources, the Teddy Roosevelt carrier group is in the gulf, with her 85 aircraft, and the Marines' have an expeditionary strike group in the area. The Ronald Reagan is slowly meandering her way westward .. she's in the Phillipines right now, was in Japan a few days ago ...

Posted by lotp 2006-02-05 15:50|| 2006-02-05 15:50|| Front Page Top

#5 actually lotp - IIRC the Reagan was in Brisbane a week ago(?) - we had stories in the SD paper about their shore leave, doing good works for the locals, etc.....If the RR goes into the Sea of India and there's no tsunami crisis.... welllllll, lol

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-02-05 16:04|| 2006-02-05 16:04|| Front Page Top

#6 yep - looks like Jan 23-28th in Brisbane

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-02-05 16:09|| 2006-02-05 16:09|| Front Page Top

#7 So the Aussies were the ones who mucked up her engines with jellyfish.

Tough neighborhood LOL

Posted by lotp 2006-02-05 16:20|| 2006-02-05 16:20|| Front Page Top

#8 Let's be realistic about this:

Anyone who thinks that Iran wasn't and hadn't been actively enriching uranium all the while are suffering from a serious intake of yellow cake.

Posted by Captain America 2006-02-05 18:48|| 2006-02-05 18:48|| Front Page Top

#9 Just for fun, I search the Net with "Iran resumes uranium enrichment" and got over 800.000 answers!

3 of them dated:

Section: World
Published: Thursday, March 11, 2004;
Summary: TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran said Wednesday it would resume uranium enrichment etc. etc...

Section: World
Published: Tuesday, November 16, 2004;
Summary: TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran said Monday that it was suspending uranium enrichment etc. etc...

Section: World
Published: Monday, February 14, 2005;
Summary: TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran rejected a European demand to stop building a heavy water nuclear reactor etc. etc...

As a diplomat would say "As far as I am concerned and all things considered, I think that there is a possibility that Iran is laughing at us.

Posted by SwissTex 2006-02-05 19:45|| 2006-02-05 19:45|| Front Page Top

#10 Out loud, and scornfully.

Posted by lotp 2006-02-05 19:51|| 2006-02-05 19:51|| Front Page Top

#11 He who laughs last, laughs best. Ain't seen no fat lady yet.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-02-05 19:56|| 2006-02-05 19:56|| Front Page Top

#12 Whether considering Saddam's seemingly inexplicable recalcitrance, Iran's apparent death wish, the ascendancy of Hamas, widespread governmental condemnation of European free speech throughout the Islamic world, or any of the other myriad of examples that appear here at Rantburg on a daily basis Lee Harris appears ever-more the prophet. If you've not read that piece, do.

Posted by AzCat 2006-02-05 20:44|| 2006-02-05 20:44|| Front Page Top

#13 I think the intelligence agencies don't have a clue how much U-235 the Iranians have. Them Iranians have had 15 years, since they bought Pakistan's tech in the late 1980's, to build and hide many thousands of centrifuges. The only thing the west may have a clue about is the amount of uranium imports and whether the Iranians have been able to bring their own uranium mines online.

Posted by ed 2006-02-05 20:48|| 2006-02-05 20:48|| Front Page Top

#14 Don't forget we have over 100,000 American Soldiers in Iraq and Iran could reach them with a truck bomb. A truck nuke, if you will. That may be the retaliation they promise. Then there's always the straights.

Posted by wxjames 2006-02-05 21:19|| 2006-02-05 21:19|| Front Page Top

#15 They don't have that big a bomb. Iraq is the size of California. How many nukes would it take to pulverize California? I'll enjoy considering that.

Also, what are the prevailing winds in Iraq/Iran?

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-02-05 21:22|| 2006-02-05 21:22|| Front Page Top

#16 There's a wing of B-1s at Diego, plus one or two squadrons of B-52s. There are also twelve hangars that could accommodate B-2s. I have no idea if nukes are stored there or not, but it's not impossible to reach Iran from bases in the US - just tiring. Iran is playing a very dangerous game with a hardnosed president. That could prove suicidal.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2006-02-05 23:18|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2006-02-05 23:18|| Front Page Top

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