What is this story all about? Israel planning to attack Iran?

I don't know where this post belongs but it sure is unnerving.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/76332C2C-23BA-4FEA-A707-F12FE9534CD3.htm

Sunday 21 December 2003, 15:16 Makka Time, 12:16 GMT

Mofaz says Israel will hit Iran
Related:
Libya to scrap weapons of mass destruction

"Israel is considering a military strike to destroy the nuclear programme of Iran, now regarded as Tel Aviv's number one enemy.

The Israeli daily Haaretz cited defence minister Shaul Mofaz as telling Israel radio's Persian service last week that if a decision was made to destroy Iran's nuclear capability, "necessary steps will be taken so that Iranian citizens will not be harmed".

Since the collapse of Saddam Hussein's rule in Iraq, Israel has come to regard the Islamic government in Tehran as its number one enemy."
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The US is impotent when it comes to reigning in the world's biggest terrorist nation.

...get set for WWIII.

Who would come Iran's aid??

The situation would further destabilize the middle east. Iran has ballistic missiles that can reach Tel Aviv.

Israel has better Patriots than we do (the missiles). Given the disparity in air power, Iran wouldn't live to see Mutually Assured Destruction. They're emulating Pakistan, only Israel isn't India.

One would like to believe that Israel would take out Iran easily in war, but that is simply not the case. Iran's military is not like Iraq's military. In the last 10 years Iran has been spending 20 bill+ on defense and has been stockpiling various arms and airplanes.

BTW, the patriot missles aren't always efficient.

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All these nations have their own national security concerns. NK with the US and SK, Pakistan with India, Russia with the Chechnyans, etc. In the case of China, they have been trying to get various military contracts with Israel (several years ago Israel was about to sell the AWAC radar system/spy plane to China, but it fell through once the US blocked it).

You are correct though that all the nations you mentioned have helped Iran, not necessarily in its nuclear program, but in conventional weapons as well.

I also believe that Israel would not attack Iran as readilly as they did with Iraq, considering Iran's military is much more advandced than Iraq's was at the time.

Israel would need to perfect its ARROW missile system, but I believe that they would attack Iran once they were reasonably certain they could do so while withstanding minimal casualties.

Of course what are minimal casualties? Iran does have ballistic missile capability as you mention. Could these missiles break through the ARROW system? These are the questions that will be answered, as Iran is closer in completing a nuclear device. It seems almost certain that Iran will eventually complete one with the next several years, unless it is halted by Israel (or maybe even the US, when a second Bush* term makes it unecessary to worry about political consequences).

They don't mess around with their enemies.

Now, it's possible that nuclear weapons in the hands of enemies who can (and you believe WILL) get them to you might, just might, be a reason for a pre-emptive war.

And I'm not even sure about that but I think reasonable people could disagree on this.

and I'm glad that they did.

That if Iran finally gets The Bomb, then they will use it as soon as they are able, or give it someone who can.

...war either way. If Israel sits tight until they get nuked, it's WWIII. If Israel strikes Iran, the entire middle east will react against Israel.

n/t

Then war is inevitable.

I think not.

They said the same about saddam. But he was never suicidal. Still isn't.

I believe your statement to be paranoid and basically racist.

The Iranian government is quite hostile to the Israelis, and is the primary financial backer for several Palestinian terrorist organizations (such as Hezbollah). Nothing would make the Iranian government happier than the complete destruction of the Israeli nation and pretty much all Jews, period. The Iranian gov't is on record, as is the terrorist organizations they support.

No, Iran is not suicidal, which is why I said something to the effect of "the Iranians or others." It would be a simple matter to hand The Bomb off to one the aforementioned terrorist organizations, and then deny all culpability.

I would also like to mention that is other Muslim nations -- such as Egypt, Jordan, or Turkey -- had nuclear weapons, I would not suggest that they would automatically use them against Israel. These countries have either made peace, or never been at war with israel.

Iran was a major ally to Isreal unitil 1978. If Iran got involved with Arabs in any of the Isreali-Arab Wars..Isreal would have been toast.
The US allowed Isreali jets--painted with Iranian colors bomb the Iraqi nuclear reactor, this truly caused the border conflict with Iran and Iraq change it to a full fledged war.
Now that Iran is just on the verge of having a fully functional nuclear program, Isreal is scared shitless.
The Hezbollah is a Lebanonese organization not Palestinian. The Hezbollah was stopping what Isreali government plans of annexation of southern Lebanon(for a larger buffer zone), just like Nazi Germany did 40 years before with its neighbors.
The core Middle Eastern desire of nuclear power(not weapons) is too elimanate the need for oil and its destructive nature of thier ecomonics system and ecological systems.

"this truly caused the border conflict with Iran and Iraq change it to a full fledged war"

"Iran was a major ally to Isreal unitil 1978. If Iran got involved with Arabs in any of the Isreali-Arab Wars..Isreal would have been toast." I think a good argument could be made that the reason Iran was not directly involved in those wars is beacuse Iran IS NOT AN ARAB NATION -- they don't even share same religion (although a similar one). They are Persian and Farsi is their native tongue, for the large majority of them. The Iranians I know also detest Arabs in general (though admittedly anecdotal). So: if I'm a racist, which race am I biased against?

As you said, Israel is "scared shitless." WHY are they scared shitless? Because they know (or have a good reason to believe) that the Iranians will, directly or indirectly, use nuclear weapons against them -- just what I said to begin with.

The Hezbollah "was" stopping? Then how com they're still active? How come they were active BEFORE the invasion of Southern Lebanon? How come Iran has not sought peace, as have other Muslim nations?

in Isreali colors and Ireal announced the attack right after the planes got back. I remember it being in the news the next day. Also, the Ireali planes were F-16s, if I remember correctly, and Iran didn't have any of those. Iran had our F-4s and a few F-14s. So they didn't start the Iraq-Iran war.

Another tinfoil hatter gets the facts screwed up.

Israel does have the bomb, they have bombers, missles and submarines capable of launching said nukes. The first thing that happens when a nuke is fired at Israel is that Mecca and Medina get nuked. That should be exceedingly clear to Iran, Pakistan et al.
However, a Muslim fanatic may beleive that God would protect the Holy Cities. (Not due to being Muslim, but fanatics of any religion have nutty ideas. Such as Jerry Fawell.)
I would hope that the controls on the Pakistani or Iranian nukes are good enough to keep them from the nutjobs.

Well, we've already been acting as an Israeli proxy in the occupation of Iraq, so why not?

struck Israel's nuclear facilities.

at least for the Israeli people, I understand that sharon has built a bunker for himself and his henchmen...

Will Dean practice what he preaches about being even-handed in the Middle East?

to support sharon more than bush does
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"...the former Vermont governor declared that, while the United States should become more engaged, he did not have any fundamental objections with President George W. Bush’s policies...

When asked by the Jewish newspaper Forward late last year as to whether he supported APN’s perspective, Governor Dean replied "No, my view is closer to AIPAC's view."..

He also rejects calls by APN and other liberal Zionist groups that Israel’s requested $12 billion loan guarantee be linked to an Israeli freeze on constructing additional illegal settlements on confiscated Palestinian land, arguing that such aid should instead be unconditional...

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0226-04.htm

I thought Dr. Dean was a straight shooter he didn't back down because of political expediency. :(

How is evenhandedness a bad thing that should be apologized for?

Is Nader the only person who is not humbled by the zionist lobby?

Bush is in a bind now because of the lack of WMD. If we roll into Iran the American public will shit a brick but if we roll into Iran to "help" Israel...well that might just work.

>

...It's worked so far for them, hasn't it?

the majority of people that I'm in contact with resent having their tax dollars spent for Israel. They resent American blood being spilled for Israel.

i don't understand WHY we got into it in the first place. WHy is it our problem? you never saw america providing weapons for the IRA or funneling money into britain to fight them (or did we?!?!!?). I try not to harbor conspiracy theories..but sometimes i get to thinking how the hell did we get into the whole supporting of Israel thing. it just seems not to smart, considering people have been fighting over that land for centuries. Why pick sides? the only side to be on is that of peace. and somehow i don't think that involves giving israel money so they can shoot some more rockets into the west bank.

is not a credible source. Sorry they are Israel haters, IMO.

than fox-cnn-msnbc. al jazeera tells the arab side of things which we never hear in the usa. i read the english website everyday and i find them very credible in their reporting of the iraqi war. there are alot of jewish sites that are as bad as you claim al jazeera is....

is about as credible as my cat...

Well informed, even handed...

This story is not new by any means, Israel floats it every other week.

things like this just make me hate that place more and more.

does israel have nukes? I shudder at the thought. i can imagine them running around nuking people in the name of the great nation of irael. you know, that same country that thinks they can run around stealing peoples land because the bible tells them it is theirs.
puke.

From 15 to 30 years, depending upon whose information you read. The one thing that's certain is that they have them.

while i think the resentment of Israel by the arab countries surounding them is sad, and there is a lot of anti-semetism... But, i can just see Israel being the catalyst for another war. starting shit with all the countries around them and then draggin the rest of the world down. i feel bad harbouring not so supportive feelins on them, but it just seems to me that they never ever treated their arab citizens well. perhaps they thought they would all just pack up and leave if they underrepresented them. It always confused me how you could be a democracy AND a jewish state at the same time. cause right there are you excluding people.

maybe im just not jewish and don't understand the need for a "jewish state" being an american always suited me just fine. don't need to live under a "christian state." hell, maybe us christians should all just pack up and take over that area. we can make the national language latin. its about time we had another crusade.

to join the nuke agreements and refuse to even admitt they have them and of course how many..but the usa turns a blind eye to this. no wonder the arabs hate us.

smart bombs and nuke weapons on their subs.their jets and weapon systems are as good as any american fighter.yes it`s the promised land,but there will be no peace untill they make peace with their neighbors.

as a weapons depot/overfed pitbull/gunrunner haven.

And yes, Israel has piles of nukes, that you paid for.

who's to say who's using who?

Not to long ago they were about to drag us into WW3 over Syria.
Of course before that it was Iraq.
And what about Palestine?

People like Sharon never run out of enemies.

"All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger." -Goering

They will destroy the nuclear reactor, but the question is WHAT HAPPENS AFTERWARDS. See when they took out Iraq's reactor, Iraqi either was unable to retalliate or they knew they'd eventually have their asses handed to them by Israel if a war broke out.

Iran on the other hand, spends 20 bill a year on defense(#9 in the world) and has medium range shahab 3 missles capable of reaching Israel. The mullahs are always looking for a reason to kill as many Israelis as possible, and an Israeli attack on the Natanz nuclear facility just might give them that reason they've been waiting for.

It'll get their freeloading asses nuked.

:eyes:

Sharon attacks Iran, Bush enters conflict to assist Sharon, Afghanistan down, Iraq down, Iran down, Syria next?