197 replies to this topic

[3340skywatcher]

BlountWolf, on 16 March 2012 - 02:18 PM, said:

Their publicly backing down from that rhetoric is a good sign, IMHO. They at least see the mistake of using such bellicose rhetoric. What they actually believe is another issue entirely, I'll grant you.

Yea it's kind of like insulting someone and everyone seeing you do it, so you say you were "just kidding" even if you were'nt. Awful hard for Iran to back down from those comments. Im still puzzled as to what they said yesterday about wanting more clarity and cooperation from the "West" They should took a good long look in the mirror and see if they still need to stand by that statement.

[3340skywatcher]

  

BlountWolf, on 16 March 2012 - 01:18 PM, said:

Big stick.

http://www.wired.com...y-persian-gulf/

[Cyclogent]

On one hand, more force in the region puts more pressure on Iran to hurry up and resolve the situation.  But, on the other hand it MIGHT embolden Israel to go ahead and pull the trigger.  The big unknown is IF Israel attacked, would Iran target US ships in a retaliation. If they did, we would be looking at thousands of US casualties, vs hundreds in Iraq I/II.  Iran's military does have enough firepower to severely damage/sink much of the naval fleet in that part of the world....just sayin.

[3340skywatcher]

So when does enough become enough.....    Iran urges Afghans to fight U.S.

I always go back to this quote from president Bush after 9/11 when the war on terror started. "We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them."

I believe Iran fits that description

Edited by 3340skywatcher, 17 March 2012 - 02:12 PM.

[3340skywatcher]

Some stories on Iran from today

Iran vows to attack any country that attacks them. not really a new idea from them they have said this before....

Obama giving Iran breathing room...Breathing room? Now is not the time for breathing room! How ignorant can you be     This is exactly what Iran wants.......   If anything the grip needs to be tightened..... If we are not going to use military force the the diplomatic pressure needs to be tighter than a ticks hind end!

[Stormlover]

Read a security assessment from some former CIA and Defense Dept. guys that have a private security firm now, and they say Iran can make 5 nukes by the end of this year, and a 6th shortly after. They think they may put off any tests with the first or first few they have ready because it will blow their "cover" and certainly invite an attack. They think they will build a few extra before any test.

[3340skywatcher]

And Obama want to give them breathing room...... When I saw that today it made me so angry, now is not the time to loosen the grip we need to wait until they actually come through and comply before we loosen our grip. We can't get soft just because they say they want to restart talks......   Obama has it backwards loosening the grip will only aide them in speeding up the process   not make them more likely to do something

On a side note I wonder how Netanyahu feels about this?

[Stormlover]

3340skywatcher, on 20 March 2012 - 10:54 PM, said:

And Obama want to give them breathing room...... When I saw that today it made me so angry, now is not the time to loosen the grip we need to wait until they actually come through and comply before we loosen our grip. We can't get soft just because they say they want to restart talks......   Obama has it backwards loosening the grip will only aide them in speeding up the process   not make them more likely to do something

On a side note I wonder how Netanyahu feels about this?

And once they have a number of them, there is no going back. Obama keeps saying he wants to prevent them getting it, not just managing them having it, but another thing this article I read said is that they don't take Obama seriously. They have no belief that the U.S. will attack them, and they know Obama keeps pressuring Israel to not attack. NOT the way you deal with this in public.

[Stormlover]

Interesting read about this situation:
http://www.bloomberg...s-can-work.html

[Cyclogent]

Peter King says Hezbollah in America

[3340skywatcher]

Stormlover, on 20 March 2012 - 11:02 PM, said:

another thing this article I read said is that they don't take Obama seriously. They have no belief that the U.S. will attack them, and they know Obama keeps pressuring Israel to not attack. NOT the way you deal with this in public.

Yep and loosening the grip on the sanctions proves that, Obama never has been and never will be ready to lead in situation like a war with Iran. To give Obama credit (what little we can) at least he knows he cant sufficiently mount an attack on Iran... In the end you cant say you are going to be tough and have a no tolerance policy and then turn around and get soft.....

[3340skywatcher]

NYPD: Iran conducting surveillance in New York City.

[Blizzard1]

Cyclogent, on 21 March 2012 - 06:18 PM, said:

Peter King says Hezbollah in America

Sorry, off topic, but what did Peter King say? I watched but heard nothing but noise from checking out his assistant over his shoulder!  

[Cyclogent]

Iran building up its stockpile of wheat

from the WSJ: "Iran is ramping up imports of wheat, including rare purchases from the U.S., in a sign Tehran is building a strategic stockpile of grain in anticipation of harsher sanctions or even military conflict."

You know, I was thinking if Iran agreed to a "wheat for uranium" deal, its people would never go hungry again.  Wheat is something we have plenty of, so much in fact that we end up dumping bargeloads of it into the ocean to make room for future harvests.  I say Uranium for Wheat for Middle East Peace!

[BlountWolf]

Quote

Obama moves to choke Iran oil exports

By Andrew Beatty (AFP) – 12 hours ago

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama gave the go-ahead for robust sanctions against Iran's energy sector Friday, judging there is enough oil on world markets to ensure the move will not hammer US consumers.

With just hours to go before a deadline to decide, Obama determined the United States could punish banks and other financial institutions for buying oil from Iran, without causing a global oil shock.

The step could have major implications for Tehran and its customers, forcing firms and countries to choose between trade with the United States and Iranian oil.

China, South Korea, India, Japan and the European Union are major buyers of crude from Tehran.

http://www.google.co...008c3cd7b33.7d1

[rinato]

April 10, 2012 – IRAN – The Russian military anticipates that an attack will occur on Iran by the summer and has developed an action plan to move Russian troops through neighboring Georgia to stage in Armenia, which borders on the Islamic republic, according to informed Russian sources. Russian Security Council head Viktor Ozerov said that Russian General Military Headquarters has prepared an action plan in the event of an attack on Iran. Dmitry Rogozin, who recently was the Russian ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, warned against an attack on Iran. “Iran is our neighbor,” Rogozin said. “If Iran is involved in any military action, it’s a direct threat to our security.” Rogozin now is the deputy Russian prime minister and is regarded as anti-Western. He oversees Russia’s defense sector. Russian Defense Ministry sources say that the Russian military doesn’t believe that Israel has sufficient military assets to defeat Iranian defenses and further believes that U.S. military action will be necessary. The implication of preparing to move Russian troops not only is to protect its own vital regional interests but possibly to assist Iran in the event of such an attack. Sources add that a Russian military buildup in the region could result in the Russian military potentially engaging Israeli forces, U.S. forces, or both. Informed sources say that the Russians have warned of “unpredictable consequences” in the event Iran is attacked, with some Russians saying that the Russian military will take part in the possible war because it would threaten its vital interests in the region. The influential Russian Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper has quoted a Russian military source as saying that the situation forming around Syria and Iran “causes Russia to expedite the course of improvement of its military groups in the South Caucasus, the Caspian, Mediterranean and Black Sea regions.” This latest information comes from a series of reports and leaks from official Russian spokesmen and government news agencies who say that an Israeli attack is all but certain by the summer.

[Cyclogent]

LOL at Iran...Iran cuts oil supply to Germany

Day after stopping crude oil exports to Spain and Greece, Press TV says Islamic Republic cuts crude oil sale to Germany as pre-emptive retaliation to EU embargo; Tehran also plans to ban imports from 100 European companies


LMAO thank you Iran for speeding up the process and making it easier to enforce the embargo and international trade sanctions.  Haha.  You know you have a regime by the balls when they make decisions based on emotions, rather than sound logic/strategy.  If they did their homework they would have realized that refined fuel is already one of America's biggest exports to Europe, and America has a gazillion underutilized ships just waiting for this type of thing anyway.  So, the oil takes an extra day or two to get there, big whoop.  Nice try though, lol.  

[BlountWolf]

Quote

Russia Is Massing Troops On Iran's Northern Border And Waiting For A Western Attack
F. Michael Maloof, G2 Bulletin | Apr. 9, 2012, 3:38 PM | 155,094 | 93

WASHINGTON – The Russian military anticipates that an attack will occur on Iran by the summer and has developed an action plan to move Russian troops through neighboring Georgia to stage in Armenia, which borders on the Islamic republic, according to informed Russian sources.

http://www.businessi...-certain-2012-4

[ES5NHC]

BlountWolf, on 11 April 2012 - 09:02 PM, said:

http://www.businessi...-certain-2012-4

Oh dear. Soviet Russia too! Since they have a history of being BFFs to tyrants around the world, I guess they will be coming to Ahmadinejad's defense. And Georgia... oh dear... WW3 anyone?

And speaking of Russia... I've started seeing nightmares about Russians annexing us over here...

[BlountWolf]

Big Stick. (the kind you'll never see coming till it whops you right upside the head)
http://www.wired.com...sses-near-iran/

[Cyclogent]

BlountWolf, on 27 April 2012 - 12:10 PM, said:

Big Stick. (the kind you'll never see coming till it whops you right upside the head)
http://www.wired.com...sses-near-iran/

Wow that's a big stick with some muscle behind it.  The Iranian Navy has a reputation for being smart and sensible, so in the event something happened and Iran ordered their navy to engage ours, I doubt they will even acknowledge that order - instead they'll just waive their hands hello as our ships pass by and ask if they can board for a meal and a few drinks, lol.

[3340skywatcher]

Hmmmm looks like we are all puppets in Iran's game..... Higher amounts of uranium found at enrichment site

[Ghost]

Obama and Israel Already at War with Iran?

Interesting if true...

[Stormlover]

Ghost, on 11 June 2012 - 06:59 AM, said:

Obama and Israel Already at War with Iran?

Interesting if true...

Yeah, it seems like Obama is having info leaked out to try to make him look tough to help his reelection chances. Then he acts insulted that anyone would claim someone in his admin is leaking anything.  

[Cyclogent]

So Iranian nuclear talks resume but not expected to be fruitful - meanwhile...

a couple of negatives
- Iran's Parliament is currently debating a bill that would result in closure of the Straight of Hormuz
- Iranian military exercices in the Persian Gulf and missile medium range missile testing.  


and a couple of positives
- the bill to close the straight isn't very popular (currently there are 100 supporters out of 290 members) which means 35% of Iran's Parliament is suicidal, and 65% of Iran's Parliament isn't.  Heh, 2 out of 3 ain't bad
- Iran's military leaders aren't foolish or suicidal - IMO, it's doubtful they would actually acknowledge an order to close the straight or fire missiles towards Israel

So I guess for now, no sign of a military escalation in the immediate future.  Certainly have to admire Israel's patience

[Stormlover]

http://foxnewsinside...utes-of-attack/

[Jack Watkins]

Stormlover, on 05 July 2012 - 03:21 PM, said:

http://foxnewsinside...utes-of-attack/

Should I copy & paste that B2 bomber image from the Egypt thread, or are we good?

[3340skywatcher]

Question?? If we destroy the missile sights first..... how will they attack anybody???

[3340skywatcher]

this one? let em even think about firing one missile.

[Cyclogent]

Just a bunch of hot air from Iran, for now at least...

Gulf tensions and Iran rhetortic

For all the talk, however, naval officers say tensions in the Gulf between U.S.-led forces and their Iranian counterparts are if anything lower than several years or even months ago, with clear signals that Tehran itself is holding back.

Last week, U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Jonathan Greenert told a news briefing that the Iranian navy continued to be "professional and courteous". Confrontations with Revolutionary Guard naval units - in which they came too close to U.S. warships for comfort - were also down in number, he said.

Despite occasional talk of Iran refusing to allow U.S. carriers through Hormuz, U.S. naval officers say that in fact Iranian units appear to have had instructions to steer well clear when the giant ships transit the strait.

When foreign warplanes approach Iranian air space, they find themselves swiftly warned off with a simple but firm radio warning in English.

For its part, the U.S. Navy says it has rescued dozens of Iranian sailors from Gulf and Indian Ocean waters, including several from a dhow held captive by Somali pirates.

"I have never worked harder to prevent a conflict," said Vice Admiral Fox, formerly commander of U.S. naval forces in the region. "We are going out of our way to send the message that we are not there to overpressurize (the situation)."