Britian prepares for strike against Iran

[Jerk]

Government in secret talks about strike against Iran
By Sean Rayment, Defence Correspondent
(Filed: 02/04/2006)

(if this happens, the price of oil will go through the stratosphere)
The Government is to hold secret talks with defence chiefs tomorrow to discuss possible military strikes against Iran.

A high-level meeting will take place in the Ministry of Defence at which senior defence chiefs and government officials will consider the consequences of an attack on Iran.

It is believed that an American-led attack, designed to destroy Iran's ability to develop a nuclear bomb, is "inevitable" if Teheran's leaders fail to comply with United Nations demands to freeze their uranium enrichment programme.


A high-level meeting will take place in the Ministry of Defence
Tomorrow's meeting will be attended by Gen Sir Michael Walker, the chief of the defence staff, Lt Gen Andrew Ridgway, the chief of defence intelligence and Maj Gen Bill Rollo, the assistant chief of the general staff, together with officials from the Foreign Office and Downing Street.

The International Atomic Energy Authority, the nuclear watchdog, believes that much of Iran's programme is now devoted to uranium enrichment and plutonium separation, technologies that could provide material for nuclear bombs to be developed in the next three years.

The United States government is hopeful that the military operation will be a multinational mission, but defence chiefs believe that the Bush administration is prepared to launch the attack on its own or with the assistance of Israel, if there is little international support. British military chiefs believe an attack would be limited to a series of air strikes against nuclear plants - a land assault is not being considered at the moment.

But confirmation that Britain has started contingency planning will undermine the claim last month by Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, that a military attack against Iran was "inconceivable".

Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, insisted, during a visit to Blackburn yesterday, that all negotiating options - including the use of force - remained open in an attempt to resolve the crisis.


General Sir Michael Walker
Tactical Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from US navy ships and submarines in the Gulf would, it is believed, target Iran's air defence systems at the nuclear installations.

That would enable attacks by B2 stealth bombers equipped with eight 4,500lb enhanced BLU-28 satellite-guided bunker-busting bombs, flying from Diego Garcia, the isolated US Navy base in the Indian Ocean, RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Whiteman USAF base in Missouri.

It is understood that any direct British involvement in an attack would be limited but may extend to the use of the RAF's highly secret airborne early warning aircraft.

At the centre of the crisis is Washington's fear that an Iranian nuclear weapon could be used against Israel or US forces in the region, such as the American air base at Incirlik in Turkey.

The UN also believes that the production of a bomb could also lead to further destabilisation in the Middle East, which would result in Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia all developing nuclear weapons programmes.


Click to enlarge
A senior Foreign Office source said: "Monday's meeting will set out to address the consequences for Britain in the event of an attack against Iran. The CDS [chiefs of defence staff] will want to know what the impact will be on British interests in Iraq and Afghanistan which both border Iran. The CDS will then brief the Prime Minister and the Cabinet on their conclusions in the next few days.

"If Iran makes another strategic mistake, such as ignoring demands by the UN or future resolutions, then the thinking among the chiefs is that military action could be taken to bring an end to the crisis. The belief in some areas of Whitehall is that an attack is now all but inevitable.

There will be no invasion of Iran but the nuclear sites will be destroyed. This is not something that will happen imminently, maybe this year, maybe next year. Jack Straw is making exactly the same noises that the Government did in March 2003 when it spoke about the likelihood of a war in Iraq.

"Then the Government said the war was neither inevitable or imminent and then attacked."

The source said that the Israeli attack against Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor in 1981 proved that a limited operation was the best military option.

The Israeli air force launched raids against the plant, which intelligence suggested was being used to develop a nuclear bomb for use against Israel.

Military chiefs also plan tomorrow to discuss fears that an attack within Iran will "unhinge" southern Iraq - where British troops are based - an area mainly populated by Shia Muslims who have strong political and religious links to Iran.

They are concerned that this could delay any withdrawal of troops this year or next. There could also be consequences for British and US troops in Afghanistan, which borders Iran.

The MoD meeting will address the economic issues that could arise if Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president - who became the subject of international condemnation last year when he called for Israel to be "wiped off the map" - cuts off oil supplies to the West in reprisal.



There are thought to be at least eight known sites within Iran involved in the production of nuclear materials, although it is generally accepted that there are many more secret installations.

Iran has successfully tested a Fajr-3 missile that can reach Israel, avoiding radar and hitting several targets using multiple warheads, its military has confirmed.

[JohnnyMack]

This should end well. :rolleyes:

[slickdawg]

Dandy.

[King Crimson]

link?

[C&CDean]

Good. But it won't mean a single thing regarding the price of oil.

[JohnnyMack]

Good. But it won't mean a single thing regarding the price of oil.

:les: MASON JARS!!!!!!!!!!!

[Harry Beanbag]

Good. But it won't mean a single thing regarding the price of oil.


It shouldn't, but those weak-kneed fags that jack up the barrel price when stray camels fart will disagree.

[Okla-homey]

I say "bombs away" baybee. It ain't like they can possibly hate us any more than they already do, and they'll be nukeless afterwards. Its a win-win.:D

[C&CDean]

I say "bombs away" baybee. It ain't like they can possibly hate us any more than they already do, and they'll be nukeless afterwards. Its a win-win.:D

Yup. Let the toothless ones bomb the Godless ones. All the freaking way to Hades.

[okienole3]

Yup. Let the toothless ones bomb the Godless ones. All the freaking way to Hades.

"Some folks call it hell. I call it Hades. MMM HMMM"

[OklahomaTuba]

Good. But it won't mean a single thing regarding the price of oil.

Are you saying a strike against Iran won't cause oil to skyrocket? Did you forget the 1970's?

[Okla-homey]

Are you saying a strike against Iran won't cause oil to skyrocket? Did you forget the 1970's?

Hey slappy, don't forget, back then they were shooting up tankers in the Gulf and threatening to Silkworm us at the Strait of Hormuz. As long as that sea lane is secure, no biggee. We got a big ol' fleet there now and I reckon anything flying Iranian colors trying to make trouble would go down quicker than a UT coed with a gutfull of Smirnoff Ice.

[KC//CRIMSON]

Bad idea. Hezbollah makes Al-Qaeda look like amateurs.

[yermom]

these secret talks don't sound very secret

[MamaMia]

War, war, and more war. Its all the testosterone on the planet.

[usmc-sooner]

time to set up a few more meetings between allah and his people

[mrssoonerhubler]

hmmm. interesting. I really need to watch the news more often. ;)

[Octavian]

these secret talks don't sound very secret

thats what I was thinkin...

[Okla-homey]

thats what I was thinkin...

Its called "sabre-rattling." Oldest trick in the book. Sometimes it works.

[VeeJay]

At what point do we stop p*ssy-footing around with these sand snakes, take over the oil fields, and put them to work building windmills?

They HAVE to be good for something.

Ayatollahs with nukes. I don't think so. Bastages.

[OklahomaTuba]

Hey slappy, don't forget, back then they were shooting up tankers in the Gulf and threatening to Silkworm us at the Strait of Hormuz. As long as that sea lane is secure, no biggee. We got a big ol' fleet there now and I reckon anything flying Iranian colors trying to make trouble would go down quicker than a UT coed with a gutfull of Smirnoff Ice.

The Strait of Hormuz won't matter much if the persians stop production or distribution.

That amount of oil off the table, or even the rumor and threat of it will send send crude thru the roof.

[SCOUT]

The Strait of Hormuz won't matter much if the persians stop production or distribution.

That amount of oil off the table, or even the rumor and threat of it will send send crude thru the roof.

What would that do to the Persian economy? Seems that would be cutting off their nose to spite their face.

[Hamhock]

Bad idea. Hezbollah makes Al-Qaeda look like amateurs.


So, we should stay out of their pursuit to arm themselves with nukes because they are really bad dudes? :confused:

[KC//CRIMSON]

No. We should try other means than air strikes, something a little more peaceful. If we launch air strikes, they will launch Hezbollah attacks all over the place including the US. I just don't think it's a good idea.

[JohnnyMack]

Question I honestly don't the answer to:

Do the Iranians need the strait of Hormuz to get oil to China and/or Russia?

[Hamhock]

No. We should try other means than air strikes, something a little more peaceful. If we launch air strikes, they will launch Hezbollah attacks all over the place including the US. I just don't think it's a good idea.


I agree, because logic and appealing to the greater good of man has worked so well in the past.

What should we do after the UN security council?

[OklahomaTuba]

No. We should try other means than air strikes, something a little more peaceful.

Like what?

Maybe flowers, peace signs and happy fluffy bunnies perhaps???

After all, the Persians are a peaceful people, that don't intend to hurt anyone at all, except those evil Zionists of the west that need to be slaughtered by the millions.

Be realistic. The "more peaceful" solution is happening right now. See the nut less UN and EU. Once they cave to the mad mullahs (and they will, appeasement is their nature), Iran will be nearly complete making nuclear weapons to help with their energy crunch.

Do you really want the worlds #1 sponsor of terrorism and the current home of many top AQ members to have easy access to nuclear weapons?? The same country that openly calls for Israel and the US to be wiped off the face of the earth.

You really want that?

This is no different than letting Hilter have Nukes. We should have sent the missles in yesterday IMO. Might have saved some of our boys and girls in Iraq from Iran's bombs.

[OklahomaTuba]

What would that do to the Persian economy? Seems that would be cutting off their nose to spite their face.

You would think. History shows they don't care. See the 1970's oil shocks after the Yom Kippur war and Jimmy Carter's mistake of a presidency.

Also, there is this little agreement between China and Iran that says China will have Iran's oil, no matter what.

I am betting that Russia has the same agreement considering how close they seem as of late.

[OUinFLA]

Neutron bomb.

[OklahomaTuba]

Question I honestly don't the answer to:

Do the Iranians need the strait of Hormuz to get oil to China and/or Russia?

http://www.satribune.com/archives/dec30_jan05_03/inset_gaslines.jpg

There are more than this. A lot more, unfortunatly, I can't save the picture and show it from my pennwell account showing it.

Lets just say the Strait of Hormuz isn't as important as we think it is. And bombing the pipelines that go to other countries could turn those guys against us real quick.

[JohnnyMack]

[img]my pennwell account

I used to live across the street from the Pres. of Pennwell.

[opksooner]

That would enable attacks by B2 stealth bombers equipped with eight 4,500lb enhanced BLU-28 satellite-guided bunker-busting bombs, flying from Diego Garcia, the isolated US Navy base in the Indian Ocean, RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Whiteman USAF base in Missouri. Dayum, Whiteman is just a nice Sunday drive, right down the road a piece from my place.

[TUSooner]

I only hope there are a critical mass of reasonable mullahs in the Iranian gub'mint or this will happen, and hilarity will not ensue.

"Everyone knows where a war starts; nobody knows where it ends." ~ Bismarck

[colleyvillesooner]

So, we should stay out of their pursuit to arm themselves with nukes because they are really bad dudes? :confused:

http://www.theoldcomputer.com/Libarary's/Pictures/NESGameCovers/B/Bad%20Dudes.jpg

[OklahomaTuba]

I only hope there are a critical mass of reasonable mullahs in the Iranian gub'mint or this will happen, and hilarity will not ensue.

"Everyone knows where a war starts; nobody knows where it ends." ~ Bismarck

Ditto.

War with this nation will probably open up a can of worms that may take millions of lives to close again IMO.

Iraq and Afganistan will be easy compared to the effects this could have on us all and our everyday lives.

On the other hand, Iran having a nuke would be worse.

[Osce0la]

these secret talks don't sound very secret
This is the SO...you know we've got some insider info ;)

[OUinFLA]

Yeah, but what is typed here stays here.
It's like uber secret.

[Pricetag]

Its called "sabre-rattling." Oldest trick in the book. Sometimes it works.
That's because it's the Brits doing it, right? It would be called "saber rattling" if we did it, right?

[IronSooner]

Ditto.

War with this nation will probably open up a can of worms that may take millions of lives to close again IMO.

Iraq and Afganistan will be easy compared to the effects this could have on us all and our everyday lives.

On the other hand, Iran having a nuke would be worse.

War with Iran would probably precipitate WWIII. Not at first, but I could see it going that way. That part of the world will decide it's the U.S. vs. Islam and all flip out. Russia and China are already in bed with them, so that'll drag the lion's share of Asian into it. Maybe I should get a job with a defense contractor afterall.

[Tear Down This Wall]

Matthew 24
Signs of the End of the Age
1Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2"Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."

3As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

4Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, ' and will deceive many. 6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains.

9"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

15"So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. 18Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. 19How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. 24For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. 25See, I have told you ahead of time.

26"So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. 27For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

29"Immediately after the distress of those days
" 'the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'[c]

30"At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

32"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it[d]is near, right at the door. 34I tell you the truth, this race will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

[b]The Day and Hour Unknown
36"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. 37As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

45"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' 49and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

[Okla-homey]

War with Iran would probably precipitate WWIII. Not at first, but I could see it going that way. That part of the world will decide it's the U.S. vs. Islam and all flip out. Russia and China are already in bed with them, so that'll drag the lion's share of Asian into it. Maybe I should get a job with a defense contractor afterall.

Do you want to live forever? You gotta die sometime. May as well be in a thermo-nuclear cataclysm. Much sexier than "bird flu" IMHO.;)

[Pricetag]

Do you want to live forever? You gotta die sometime. May as well be in a thermo-nuclear cataclysm. Much sexier than "bird flu" IMHO.;)
Speaking of thermonuclear cataclysm, the mention of Whiteman AFB reminded me of the movie The Day After. Maybe someone ought to ship a copy of that bad boy over to the folks in Iran.

[JohnnyMack]

Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism eschatology is the oldest eschatology in recorded history. By 500 BC, Zoroastrians had fully developed a concept of the end of the world through a divine devouring in fire.

According to Zoroastrian philosophy, redacted in the Zand-i Vohuman Yasht, "at the end of thy tenth hundredth winter...the sun is more unseen and more spotted; the year, month, and day are shorter; and the earth is more barren; and the crop will not yield the seed; and men ... become more deceitful and more given to vile practices. They have no gratitude."

At the end of the Battle between the righteous and wicked, a Final Judgement of all souls will commence. Sinners will be punished 3 days, but are then forgiven. The world will reach perfection as poverty, old age, disease, thirst, hunger and death are halted. Zoroastrian concepts parallel greatly with those of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic eschatological beliefs, largely due to the influence Zoastrianism exerted on Judaism whilst the Levant was under Achaemenid control and the subsequent emergence of Christianity and Islam from Judaism.

This is fun.

[Harry Beanbag]

I like the Zoroastrian version better.

[IronSooner]

Interesting how many parallels there are between zoroastrianism and christianity

3 days seems like getting off pretty light.

[Pricetag]

Interesting how many parallels there are between zoroastrianism and christianity

3 days seems like getting off pretty light.
I don't know, God created the universe in six, didn't He? That seems like quite awhile.

[sooneron]

This is fun.
3 days? Meh, I can do that standing on my head!:texan:

[JohnnyMack]

3 days? Meh, I can do that standing on my head!:texan:

puhzzactly. What they gonna do? Make us listen to Ashlee sing Bjork's greatest hits? pffffftttt.

[sooneron]

All nickelback all the time!!!

Maybe Nick Z will be in charge of all social events!

[IronSooner]

Barbra Streisand live. Nekkid. And in between sets, talking politics.

[Stoop Dawg]

4Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, ' and will deceive many. 6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains.

Name a time in history when there were NOT wars and rumors of wars.

[85Sooner]

Iran ain't gonna do squat and neither will anyone else. They are just sabre rattling to be able to get in on the development of the new Iraqi government.
Actually makes a little sense.

[Okla-homey]

I miss the Cold War when it was just us versus a single monolithic nuclear-armed evil empire.

[JohnnyMack]

I miss the Cold War when it was just us versus a single monolithic nuclear-armed evil empire.

Yeah 'cause The Hunt for Red October and Red Dawn RMmother****ingFO!!!!!!!

[OUinFLA]

an article that just came up on Netscape:

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20060404%2F1629823651.htm&sc=1107&photoid=20060404VAH103

I found this paragraph interesting:

Iran and the United States have agreed to hold rare direct, high-level talks to discuss how to stabilize Iraq. While both sides have insisted the talks won't touch on the nuclear issue, U.S. officials say they suspect Tehran is looking to open the door for nuclear talks.

Since the U.N. Security Council issued its demand last week, Iran has taken a stance of rejection - while playing up hopes for a negotiated solution.

Mottaki said Iran's nuclear program had two options: cooperation or confrontation. ``Iran prefers the first option,'' he said.

[JohnnyMack]

Iran and the United States have agreed to hold rare direct, high-level talks to discuss how to stabilize Iraq. While both sides have insisted the talks won't touch on the nuclear issue, U.S. officials say they suspect Tehran is looking to open the door for nuclear talks.

Since the U.N. Security Council issued its demand last week, Iran has taken a stance of rejection - while playing up hopes for a negotiated solution.

Mottaki said Iran's nuclear program had two options: cooperation or confrontation. ``Iran prefers the first option,'' he said.


I remember reading a while back where a good chunk of the current unrest in Iraq is being caused by people who crossed over from Iran and are in Iraq just to stir up ****. The Iranian's said that they could make sure that didn't continue to happen if the U.S. turned a blind eye to Iran's nuclear ambitions.

[OUinFLA]

I'd be shocked if Iran could back that up.
However, the article in it's entireity gives a bit of a positive outlook for some resolution.
One can only hope.
or.....................we can just Nuke em.

[picasso]

I miss the Cold War when it was just us versus a single monolithic nuclear-armed evil empire.
which is why every one hates us now. we're the only big kid on the block.

-Dennis the hair Miller.

[Octavian]

which is why every one hates us now. we're the only big kid on the block.

-Dennis the hair Miller.

Dennis must've missed the 90s

[picasso]

Dennis must've missed the 90s
heh. and we were loved then?

[dolemitesooner]

I say bomb the whole ****ing midle east. all the way from france to pakasTina

[Octavian]

nah...but not anymore disliked than we were in previous decades.

Europeans have been snobby and condescending towards American culture since before Tocqueville. Our leaders weren't met w/ mass protest on every foreign trip they took. The public oppinion polls of our historical allies viewed us in a favorable light. Thats saying nothing of the Islamists, they've always been crazy.

Just sayin that an American-led unipolar world doesn't necessarily evoke hatred or outward dislike just on its own.

[picasso]

good point but you have to admit that if say North Korea was closer to our ballpark people would be sidling up to us a wee bit closer.

[dolemitesooner]

I SAID BOM B THOSE FRENCH PANISIES LIBERALS

[Octavian]

good point but you have to admit that if say North Korea was closer to our ballpark people would be sidling up to us a wee bit closer.

yeah.

Euro leaders are still quick to call up Uncle Sam once the IAEA reports Iran's right wing govt is inches from the Bomb.

[Octavian]

I SAID BOM B THOSE FRENCH PANISIES LIBERALS

give em a few weeks....they'll burn it down for us ;)

[picasso]

on the original post, is there any truth to this? I've seen nothing else about it.