Iran: "We are prepared to fire tens of thousands of these missiles every day,"

[Gan]

A top security official accused the United States Thursday of seeking to undermine Iran's clerical regime by stoking sectarian and ethnic tensions in the country and using newspapers and non-governmental agencies toward that goal.

"A soft threat is the main plan of the US due to its incapability to launch a military operation [against Iran,]" Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.

Zolqadr, whose comments came in a speech he made in Iran's Kurdistan province, said, "The threat is being implemented through the creation of instability and tension inside Iran as well as fanning ethnic and sectarian differences."

"The threat is being implemented through the creation of instability and tension inside Iran as well as fanning ethnic and sectarian differences," said Zolqadr.

Earlier Thursday, he said that his country would attack Israel and American targets throughout the world if Teheran were attacked over its nuclear program, Israel Radio reported.

According to the official Iranian news agency, the official, who deals with defense issues, said that no American would be safe from Iran's long-range missiles.

"We are prepared to fire tens of thousands of these missiles every day," he said.

He added that the Shahab 3 missiles, which have a range of some 2,000 kilometers, could hit Israel, as well as US Army bases in the Persian Gulf.

Meanwhile, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, expressed a more positive view of the situation, saying Thursday morning that Wednesday's talks with EU Foreign Police Chief Javier Solana had brought them closer to "a united view" of how to break a deadlock over Teheran's defiance of a UN Security Council demand to freeze uranium enrichment.

Larijani added that Iran was "aiming to reach out for a common paradigm."

The two reported progress after their six-hour meeting on Wednesday evening, and planned to meet again in two weeks' time.

"We had a good meeting," Solana told reporters. "We cannot make miracles, but we tried to move...the [nuclear] dossier forward."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1177514491011&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

_______________________________________

Soon we're not going to have to worry about who's going to strike first. Unless of course this is all just 'talk', false bravado, and paper tiger'ism that they accuse the West (US) of.

[Parkbandit]

I think this story shows that freedom of expression is alive and well in Iran.

And this is from our Middle Eastern Expert.

[Stanley Burrell]

Yeah. We dropped brainwashing Drudge Reports all over the countryside in Operation Iranian Desert News Shield :rolleyes:

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been so hell-bent on censorship that I think it's only because of a uniting anti-American sentiment that doesn't pit his and the Ayatollah's pangs and worries against each other enough to create such a theoretical covert sectarian-initiated armageddon.

Hopefully, the religious moderates can raise enough hell against Mahmoud so as to impeach him by any means necessary.

What sucks is that during the Contra and Sha'ah's regime, we basically allowed a shitload of any and all true Iranian moderates to immigrate. This is something I'm always biting my fingernails about because the U.S. "learned," if you want to use that word, in a way, not to do the same thing as far as Iraqi influx has been concerned.

At best, the Ayatollah can revert back to his calmer presence and get a better following. He has that about him. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad does not have the capacity to do anything except play his cards right in about the wrongest sense possible. His denial, revenge and staunch rhetoric doesn't tone down and I don't see any reason in the world to why it would. It reminds me of certain other world leader figures.

Hopefully, he can be called out on the ideology of a "democracy" by Iranian moderates, preferably religiously moderate ones as well, loyal to The Ayatollah, and have it thrown into contrast enough so as to have Iran improve Iran.

Anyway, our stretched Army and incapacity to hold up a tangible draft is why two dudes with a set of keys in our Greenland bunkers will be initiating Operation Iranian Freedom. I really pray that shit doesn't happen. It's extremely, extremely difficult to try and find anything watery to throw on the fire with our current foreign affairs policy. Something I see a hopeful blowback from by simply not having King George II in office by '08, but there is going to have to be some absolutely crucial diplomacy in Iran through world policy.

I think any major attacks on or by Iran could gear certain one or two countries in the Central and South Americas, as well as N. Korea, to create as much tension as possible for the sake of doing so. And effectively start another Great War with updated weaponry.

[Atlanteax]

Just use Nukes... problem solved.

[Gan]

Unfortunately I dont think Ahmadenejad is the one pulling the strings. It may appear that he's driving the bus, but its the Ayatollah thats dictating the directions.

Of course, I'm only an American so it would appear that I dont know enough to discuss Iran. :(

[Stanley Burrell]

Just use Nukes... problem solved.

Right.

Now what do you, the nuclear expert, seriously propose to do?

[Stanley Burrell]

Unfortunately I dont think Ahmadenejad is the one pulling the strings. It may appear that he's driving the bus, but its the Ayatollah thats dictating the directions.

Of course, I'm only an American so it would appear that I dont know enough to discuss Iran. :(

He (The Ayatollah) was extremely quiet as kept. This is why you see peeling posters of his existence in only some of the most placid places in Iran as you can find.

Recently, his documented rhetoric has been stronger. It does not match the retarded cameos of The Ah-man. I think it mostly has to do with Iran's Ayatollah being threatened by the amount of publicity and fuckheadedness present at the presidential level and the idea of trying to hold an anti-American sentiment as a means to gain power, not as he usually has done subtly, over Mahmoud. Khamenei is so much less the propagator of what could only be viewed as global and entirely possible, physical danger done by Iran that it isn't even funny.

I disagree with a lot of what The Ayatollah has said, recently, but it's been bells and whistles in the face of someone who can truly hurt Iran: And its cultural principles, for which he's much more strongly oriented towards and what can better Iran and the world a gajillion times better than Ah-man's agenda, IMHO.

[Gan]

It concerns me that Admedenejhad (Iran's President) has been pretty much silenced by the supreme ruler/cleric/Ayatollah Khemene (sp). Furthermore that the Ayatollah has stated that since the rest of the world (through the UN) is sanctioning Iran, then Iran will defend itself illegally as best it can.

Bottom line, usually when Iran says its going to do something, its more than just posturing. Time will tell...

Revisiting something I said almost a month ago in the WTF Iran thread.

[Atlanteax]

Right.

Now what do you, the nuclear expert, seriously propose to do?

Use Nukes on any nuclear plants of theirs.

The rest of the world will stand by in stunned silence (other than the formal protest at the UN) because they (3rd-worlders) will not want to be the next one hit... or they would suffer far too much economically if they let the incident impact trade relations with the US.

Russia/China, their leadership are quite aware that both sides (Russia and US & China and US) would lose far too much, to allow a minor thing escalate into a global tension.

Obviously the risks of such an option (high global oil prices, Iran retailing against oil tankers) is a bit high to be an early option... which is why the diplomatic route is being stretched out.

However, despite the risks, following through on such an option could be a lot less costly in the long run than some alternatives (Iran fully develops Nukes and distributes).

[Warriorbird]

Because of course nuking Iran wouldn't give any of our allies fallout...or lead to a Middle East united against us.

[Gan]

Playing the nuke card just opens up pandorah's box.

Who's to say that their reactors couldnt suffer a catastrophic accident (3 mile island, Cheryenko anyone)? Of course it would be made to look like it was an operational error that caused it, instead of sabotage.

:whistle:

[Tsa`ah]

The thing about such a covert operation is that it takes time and contacts ... which we don't have much of when it comes to Iran.

Why be coy about it. They have stated they'll launch 10's of thousands of missiles ... just be pre-emptive and firm ... lauch 10 of ours and knock out their nuclear capability. When they start crying, bitching, and making more threats, launch a few hundred more and take out their ranged capability.

[Parkbandit]

The thing about such a covert operation is that it takes time and contacts ... which we don't have much of when it comes to Iran.


I'll wait until we hear from xtc to determine what Iran has or has not. You sir, are in no position to know this like he does.

[Gan]

I'll wait until we hear from xtc to determine what Iran has or has not. You sir, are in no position to know this like he does.


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Winner.

[Seran]

I would say it's fairly obvious that Ahmadinejad has been trying to provoke us into some sort of military operation against his country just so the Middle East would be united against us. How easy would it be then to re-direct the hatred of the United States against Israel, which has always been Iran's long standing target?

There's no doubts we'll be launching an invasion against Iran, and we need to at this point, but I'm afraid the geo-political fallout would be horrendous.

[Back]

Here we go again. The drumbeats are starting for a war with Iran.

With everything that has happened with Iraq I am extremely skeptical of anything the executive branch tells us about Iran.

[Gan]

Here we go again. The drumbeats are starting for a war with Iran.

With everything that has happened with Iraq I am extremely skeptical of anything the executive branch tells us about Iran.


You better check with Hillary then. ;)

[sst]

The thing about such a covert operation is that it takes time and contacts ... which we don't have much of when it comes to Iran.

Why be coy about it. They have stated they'll launch 10's of thousands of missiles ... just be pre-emptive and firm ... lauch 10 of ours and knock out their nuclear capability. When they start crying, bitching, and making more threats, launch a few hundred more and take out their ranged capability.

Agreed 100%

[Gan]

The thing about such a covert operation is that it takes time and contacts ... which we don't have much of when it comes to Iran.

Why be coy about it. They have stated they'll launch 10's of thousands of missiles ... just be pre-emptive and firm ... lauch 10 of ours and knock out their nuclear capability. When they start crying, bitching, and making more threats, launch a few hundred more and take out their ranged capability.

As appealing as this scenario sounds, (much like us taking out Saddam), I really dont see our current Congress going for something like that.

Perhaps we should send over another delegation of hugging politicians.

I will say, if they were ever to lob a nuke at the US or a US ally, I totally support the persian glass parking lot scenario and putting a final end to the infamous persian empire.

[Meges]

How much would a cubic foot of Persian Glass sell for on the market? Think there's money in that? Go from Persian Rugs to Persian Glass over-night. Heh. Sorry, your comment struck a humor cord with me.


Meges

[Sean of the Thread]

Here we go again. The drumbeats are starting for a war with Iran.

With everything that has happened with Iraq I am extremely skeptical of anything the executive branch tells us about Iran.



Uhm it's NOT the executive branch saying "Death to Israel" or "Death to America" and then brandishing 10,000 missiles a day.

[Parkbandit]

There's no doubts we'll be launching an invasion against Iran, and we need to at this point, but I'm afraid the geo-political fallout would be horrendous.

LOL

[Gan]

Playing the nuke card just opens up pandorah's box.

Who's to say that their reactors couldnt suffer a catastrophic accident (3 mile island, Cheryenko anyone)? Of course it would be made to look like it was an operational error that caused it, instead of sabotage.

:whistle:


The thing about such a covert operation is that it takes time and contacts ... which we don't have much of when it comes to Iran.

Why be coy about it. They have stated they'll launch 10's of thousands of missiles ... just be pre-emptive and firm ... lauch 10 of ours and knock out their nuclear capability. When they start crying, bitching, and making more threats, launch a few hundred more and take out their ranged capability.

I thought this deserved a bump with the new story out:
__________________________________________________ _

CBS News has learned that Iran is continuing to make progress on its expanded efforts to enrich uranium — in spite of covert efforts by U.S. and other allied intelligence agencies to actively sabotage the country's nuclear program.

"Industrial sabotage is a way to stop the program, without military action, without fingerprints on the operation, and really, it is ideal, if it works," says Mark Fitzpatrick, the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Non-Proliferation and now Senior Fellow in Non-Proliferation at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Sources in several countries involved told CBS News that the intelligence operatives involved include former Russian nuclear scientists and Iranians living abroad. Operatives have sold Iran components with flaws that are difficult to detect, making them unstable or unusable.

"One way to sabotage a program is to make minor modifications in some of the components Iran obtains on the black market, and because it's a black market … you don't know exactly who you are dealing with," Fitzpatrick says.

Senior government representatives, who spoke to CBS News on condition that neither they nor their country be identified, pointed to the case of the exploding power supplies. Installed at the pilot enrichment facility at Natanz in April 2006 as Iran was first attempting to enrich uranium, the power supplies, used to regulate voltaage current, blew up, destroying 50 centrifuges. The head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Agency, Vice-President Gholamreza Aghazadeh said in January of this year that the equipment had been "manipulated."

There is other evidence, CBS News was told, that some of the technical difficulties Iran is having in consistently running its centrifuges are the results of a concerted effort at industrial sabotage.

Sources familiar with the U.S. effort against Iran tell CBS News that U.S. intelligence agencies have run several programs in recent years, employing different techniques, including modifying components in hard-to-detect ways and making subtle changes to technical documents and drawings, rendering them useless.

"Governments [interested in deterring Iran] are investing a lot of effort to disrupt the Iranian trade, or track their purchases," says David Albright, President of the Institute for Science and International Security.

Iran is vulnerable to industrial sabotage because it is prohibited from buying what it wants on the open market. Instead, analysts say, it has turned to the black market, focusing efforts to clandestinely acquire the technology in Western Europe. Intelligence sources tell CBS News that Iranian agents working from the Islamic Republic's consulate in Frankfurt, Germany, have shipped home banned components using the protection and secrecy of diplomatic bags.

more...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/23/eveningnews/main2843582.shtml

[Sean of the Thread]

Nice.

I'd still rather see a couple SEAL teams handle it but... meh whatever.

[Clove]

How much would a cubic foot of Persian Glass sell for on the market? Think there's money in that? Go from Persian Rugs to Persian Glass over-night. Heh. Sorry, your comment struck a humor cord with me.


Meges

I'm sorry, that struck a humor chord with me too. Raw Persian glass would probably be an inexpensive raw material. But imagine the fees you could charge for self-illuminating mirrors made with genuine Persian Glass!

[Atlanteax]

Russia is planning on abandoning the nuclear plant it is helping Iran build.

For all sense and purposes, Russia will drag it out as long as it can, so as to maximize it as a distraction to the U.S., but Russia has no desire to see a nuclear Iran either, and are quite aware that the Europeans would be *very* upset with Russia if Iran succeeds because of Russian assistance.

I'd say that Russia is now talking about abandoning the nuclear plant, as NATO (which requires a full consensus among allies) is planning on building a missle shield site in southeast Europe. This is signficant (as far as Russia is concerned) because it seems to be an European initiative and not a U.S. one (as far as NATO goes) and is independent of the U.S.'s plans for Poland/Czech.

Russia has recently come to the conclusion that the benefits of dragging out assisting the construction of nuclear plant in Iran is no longer worth the cost involved, particularly as the political leverage it provided Russia is evaporating.

To Russia's dismay, this will obviously help the U.S.'s position in the MiddleEast over the short and longer term.

[Skeeter]

Should've called these guys. They'd wrap it up in one episode.

http://wwwimage.cbs.com/primetime/the_unit/common/images/header_01.jpg

[Stanley Burrell]

I thought this deserved a bump with the new story out:
__________________________________________________ _

CBS News has learned that Iran is continuing to make progress on its expanded efforts to enrich uranium — in spite of covert efforts by U.S. and other allied intelligence agencies to actively sabotage the country's nuclear program.

"Industrial sabotage is a way to stop the program, without military action, without fingerprints on the operation, and really, it is ideal, if it works," says Mark Fitzpatrick, the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Non-Proliferation and now Senior Fellow in Non-Proliferation at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Sources in several countries involved told CBS News that the intelligence operatives involved include former Russian nuclear scientists and Iranians living abroad. Operatives have sold Iran components with flaws that are difficult to detect, making them unstable or unusable.

"One way to sabotage a program is to make minor modifications in some of the components Iran obtains on the black market, and because it's a black market … you don't know exactly who you are dealing with," Fitzpatrick says.

Senior government representatives, who spoke to CBS News on condition that neither they nor their country be identified, pointed to the case of the exploding power supplies. Installed at the pilot enrichment facility at Natanz in April 2006 as Iran was first attempting to enrich uranium, the power supplies, used to regulate voltaage current, blew up, destroying 50 centrifuges. The head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Agency, Vice-President Gholamreza Aghazadeh said in January of this year that the equipment had been "manipulated."

There is other evidence, CBS News was told, that some of the technical difficulties Iran is having in consistently running its centrifuges are the results of a concerted effort at industrial sabotage.

Sources familiar with the U.S. effort against Iran tell CBS News that U.S. intelligence agencies have run several programs in recent years, employing different techniques, including modifying components in hard-to-detect ways and making subtle changes to technical documents and drawings, rendering them useless.

"Governments [interested in deterring Iran] are investing a lot of effort to disrupt the Iranian trade, or track their purchases," says David Albright, President of the Institute for Science and International Security.

Iran is vulnerable to industrial sabotage because it is prohibited from buying what it wants on the open market. Instead, analysts say, it has turned to the black market, focusing efforts to clandestinely acquire the technology in Western Europe. Intelligence sources tell CBS News that Iranian agents working from the Islamic Republic's consulate in Frankfurt, Germany, have shipped home banned components using the protection and secrecy of diplomatic bags.

more...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/23/eveningnews/main2843582.shtml

http://www4.ncsu.edu/~gsparson/civ2/Diplomat.gif

I have nothing else to contribute.

Wait, yes I do: To, um, Atlanteax, let's say -- What is your highly combat trained opinion on what Iran would need to do in order to have the U.S. attack it with nuke-u-lar weaponry?

O.K., go!

[Gan]

I'm sorry, that struck a humor chord with me too. Raw Persian glass would probably be an inexpensive raw material. But imagine the fees you could charge for self-illuminating mirrors made with genuine Persian Glass!

Yea, you could see a little reflection of XTC in every mirror.

[Gan]

http://www4.ncsu.edu/~gsparson/civ2/Diplomat.gif

I have nothing else to contribute.

Wait, yes I do: To, um, Atlanteax, let's say -- What is your highly combat trained opinion on what Iran would need to do in order to have the U.S. attack it with nuke-u-lar weaponry?

O.K., go!

Lob a nuclear weapon at Israel or any other ally of the US.

[Atlanteax]

Wait, yes I do: To, um, Atlanteax, let's say -- What is your highly combat trained opinion on what Iran would need to [I]do in order to have the U.S. attack it with nuke-u-lar weaponry?

O.K., go!

Iran is just posturing ahead of the May 28th meeting with the U.S. over Iraq's future (just like the US Navy moving 7 ships into the gulf for military exercises).

Iraq's government will be completely replaced (Al-Makiri will not be PM) by the end of the year, with a new PM agreeable by both US and Iran.

al-Sadr's political faction will be part of the new government, and his Medhi army will be incorporated into the Iraq security apparatus.

.

For the U.S., the light is visible at the end of the tunnel.

The situation in Iraq may indeed be resolved on somewhat favorable terms to the U.S., and we'll see the Westernization of Iraq's oil industries (telecommunications and others are already Westernized).

Iran is doing this because it would rather have a stable and neutral Iraq, than a wholy chaotic neighbor.

.

Essentially, both sides have reached the conclusion that they have much more to lose by trying to "go for the win", and elected to negotiate Iraq's status.

There are several promising signs already that Iran will be holding up its end of the bargain in measures of good faith... and the U.S. has also done the same.

Hopefully this will continue to a stable Iraq by the end of the year.

[Clove]

Yea, you could see a little reflection of XTC in every mirror.

Is that humor or horror?

[Gan]

A little of both if you ask me. But you can only be of persian decent for the attributes of the glass/mirror to work correctly.

[Clove]

Iran: "We are prepared to fire tens of thousands of these missiles every day,"

I'm sorry. Every time I read that quote I hear "All your base are belong to us!!!"