The Economist on Iran war: "Be afraid"

NoWorries · Tar Sands Joined: Jun 05, 2008 Posts: 78

link I'm surprised at this. My read is that all the indicators are pointing the opposite way.

TreeFarmer · Heavy Crude Joined: Jun 26, 2007 Posts: 326

All of that is just laying the groundwork.

If you want to read a really well thought out piece check this out: link
TF

mystiek

Because that president of Iran is so apocalyptic in his beliefs about ushering in the 12th iman (or whatever), its almost like he is trying to "egg on" a confrontation.. If Israel or US attacks Iran's nuclear facility we are really going to pay a high price at the pump for sure, I know the navy officials stated on the news that they could keep the strait open, but I will believe that when I see it. Hope you have your gardens in this summer!

threadbear · Expert Joined: Jan 22, 2005 Posts: 7508

Nah...He has to answer sabre rattling with same, or look like a big pussy. Make no mistake--The Iranians didn't start the egging on process, but they may end up finishing it, in just the way you describe. It's a macho thing, saving face, etc...It also probably works better than assuming a bent over position, while Israel/US paints a bulls eye on your butt.

vetusfirma

SoylentGreen · Heavy Crude Joined: May 25, 2008 Posts: 168

I think there are some morons with a podium over estimating Iran's ability to execute miltarily after the US hits them where it counts.
I have been saying Isreal /US will hit Iran in late summer /early fall '08 for a couple years. We wont let Iran have a nuke program peaceful or otherwise.
The Jews wont trust the job to Obama and wont wait for the outcome of the election.
Who knows what will happen? There were intellectual knuckleheads that were saying US Abrhams M-1 A1 main battle tanks would get stuck in the Iraqi sand and Iraqi tanks would dig in and be formidible. In reality it was like shooting diaperheads in a barrel.

socrates1fan · Heavy Crude Joined: Jun 04, 2008 Posts: 284

ThereWillBeMoreBlood

On a lighter note: link
Apparently one of the Iranian missiles misfired during this most recent launch, so they simply had someone with the state media photoshop a fourth missile into the picture. Even funnier I suppose is that dozens of international media outlets ran this picture before anyone noticed the obvious trickery.

burtonridr · Intermediate Crude Joined: Aug 03, 2007 Posts: 763

SoylentGreen · Heavy Crude Joined: May 25, 2008 Posts: 168

...in reading those articles, Iran has a russian power reactor to go on line in October. They will want to take it out before it is fueled,otherwise it will be the equivelent of a dirty bomb.iran will get spanked in less than 60 days.

allenwrench · Intermediate Crude Joined: Apr 23, 2008 Posts: 883

This stuff is nothing. Resource wars will be part of our world until we suck the last drops of crude from the earth...so get used to it.

hermit · Heavy Crude Joined: May 13, 2008 Posts: 148

ReducedToZero

SoylentGreen · Heavy Crude Joined: May 25, 2008 Posts: 168

hermit,humor is a wonderful thing.
Another reason is Iran will have the Russian SS-20 anti aircraft missle coverage in Jan 09 which I believe is theyre most advanced export system. Russia hasnt spent near as much as the US in the last 20 years on defense...but what they have spent $ on is missles, anti aircraft and anti ship. The latest Russian missle systems are formidible.

mos6507

If we intend on merely bombing Iran back to the stone age, I see no reason why we won't succeed in doing it. Sure there will be some casualties, maybe even some high value targets destroyed, but we'll get the job done. But we can not mount an invasion and we are certainly not up to fighting a broader war if Russia or China decide to defend them. But strictly on the basis of a bombing campaign, I don't think the US has that much to worry about. Now if Iran were to successfully stall long enough to actually GET nukes, then all bets are off, because they've already said they would "play dirty" if attacked, which I'm interpreting to mean things like suitcase nukes wiping out a major US city. So the stakes really are high.
_________________
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