USA about to declare war on Iran?

1.9.8.4.

Pretty much, yes.

then you're almost as clueless as the president of the United States :biggrin:

(congratulations)

Reply 21

Dirac Delta Function

then you're almost as clueless as the president of the United States :biggrin:

(congratulations)

Thank you lol.

What can they really do, apart from further increasing their illegal and immoral interventions in Iraq and causing further chaos for Iraqis, the US and the Middle-East as a whole?

Perhaps they can also cause a bit of a temporary fright with all prices as well.

Reply 22

Oldmannow

18

Apollo

Well to be fair, Russia seems desperate to fight someone.

if there is an Iran led Islam WW3 vs Europe/America...i hope Russia takes the side of Europe.

Reply 23

1.9.8.4.

Thank you lol.

What can they really do, apart from further increasing their illegal and immoral interventions in Iraq and causing further chaos for Iraqis, the US and the Middle-East as a whole?

Perhaps they can also cause a bit of a temporary fright with all prices as well.

I don't know what damage they can do, but they will definately fight and use all means available to them to hurt the US.

Reply 24

abrp

if there is an Iran led Islam WW3 vs Europe/America...i hope Russia takes the side of Europe.

No, there is not going to be such a thing, you see the major arab states - and Saudi Arabia in particular - are encouraging an attack on Iran.

It would be US+Israel+Arabs vs Iran+Hezbollah.

Reply 25

Oldmannow

18

in which case i hope we take over Ukraine and Belorus whilst no one is looking and then claim it was like that when we came there :ninja:

Reply 26

Dirac Delta Function

I don't know what damage they can do, but they will definitely fight and use all means available to them to hurt the US.

I'm not sure if that would be in their interest. I'm just not sure whether there is public support for a full on retaliation to the US.

The Mullahs are increasingly wary of the Ahmadinejad administration and its style of government. Public support for the government is also on the decline, which is why Ahmadinejad is doing his utmost to piss-off the West. It's a last ditch attempt to appeal to the electorate in the mock democracy that is Iran.

The future of Iran is quite uncertain for the time being.

Reply 27

abrp

in which case i hope we take over Ukraine and Belorus whilst no one is looking and then claim it was like that when we came there :ninja:

Opportunistic non-human animals. Lol, just joking. No I'm not.

Reply 28

Apollo

abrp

in which case i hope we take over Ukraine and Belorus whilst no one is looking and then claim it was like that when we came there :ninja:

Belarus? Pfft, it's all yours :p:

Reply 29

1.9.8.4.

I'm not sure if that would be in their interest. I'm just not sure whether there is public support for a full on retaliation to the US.

The Mullahs are increasingly wary of the Ahmadinejad administration and its style of government. Public support for the government is also on the decline, which is why Ahmadinejad is doing his utmost to piss-off the West. It's a last ditch attempt to appeal to the electorate in the mock democracy that is Iran.

The future of Iran is quite uncertain for the time being.

Ahmadi Nejad is a temporary, if somewhat amusing figure in Iranian politics. He'll be gone next election. Real power is held by Khamenei and the various councils, not really by the president. The US know this and all the playing up of Ahmadi Nejad role is a concious, dishonest campaign by the US government and media to push the masses into thinking they are faced with a mortal danger from Iran.

The Iranian government is unpopular, but the Iranians will fight very, very hard should they be attacked - all of them, Islamists, atheists, pro-government, anti-government, and all in between.

Reply 30

Dirac Delta Function

The Iranian government is unpopular, but the Iranians will fight very, very hard should they be attacked - all of them, Islamists, atheists, pro-government, anti-government, and all in between.

I sincerely hope that it does not, but if it comes it, I don't think they would be willing to fight with the zeal and passion you suggest. Especially if states such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Turkey and etc side with the USA, as I suspect they will.

Reply 31

1.9.8.4.

I sincerely hope that it does not, but if it comes it, I don't think they would be willing to fight with the zeal and passion you suggest. Especially if states such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Turkey and etc side with the USA, as I suspect they will.

Oh, they'll definately side with the US, they are the ones trying to push the US to attack Iran, not the other way round!.

But they will fight very hard - Iranians worship their country and their culture, and will put their differences aside when they are attacked from outside.

When the US and Arabs were pushing Saddam to attack Iran in 1980, everyone thought that it would be a relatively easy victory for Iraq, because
1/Iraq's army was professional and well trained, compared to what Iran had
2/Iran was politically unstable
3/Iraq was heavily armed
4/Iraq had backing in funds and intel from the USn & Arabs

and the Iranians suprised everyone. They did it partly because of religious zeal (which was massive in 1980, but much less so now), and partly because of their adoration of their country - something that is very strong now, and gets stronger with each threat from Israel and the US.

Reply 32

yawn

17

I was under the impression that it was a pre-planned and foregone conclusion...at least, according to political pundits and some TSR members who mentioned it as fact a couple of weeks again. :confused:

It's all part of the big build up to the inevitable, as was the scenario before Iraq and is not a matter of "if" but rather "when"?

Reply 33

Varsity

13

My money is on Israel getting the first punch in.

My only hope is they go for airstrikes only, even if they do not destroy the facilities totally you can always bomb them again. If I wake up and see paratroopers on the morning news I will not be a happy bunny!

Reply 34

Agent Smith

I very much doubt it's imminent. The US has been saying for some time that Tehran is behind much of the Iraqi insurgency, and has amassed some evidence to that effect, so the casus belli has existed for quite long enough that they could act on it if they wanted to.

Personally I would like to see the Iranian government hit good and hard, but I don't know how one would go about it. Iran is not a pushover, and the US is already stretched. If and when war with Iran does come, it can not afford to lose.

Besides, Average Joe American, with his seemingly unerring instinct for being wrong in every situation, is now vehemently against any further overseas intervention by the US, just when it is needed - and this after having supported the initial invasion of Iraq, which was not.

On the other hand, my analysis so far has been very US-centric. There's Israel to consider, as well as the Arab countries that have no love at all for those goddamn Shiites. While an Arab-Israeli alliance is about as likely as a chocolate kettle, even against Iran, I expect one of the two - either the Arab League or Israel - will take some form of action. Personally I'd rather it was the latter, because the Arabs will only screw it up by attempting a ground invasion or paratroop assault or something equally stupid. A repeat of Osirak wouldn't be a bad idea. But there again - Average Joe Israeli isn't currently in a particularly belligerent frame of mind, and the Israeli government is quite weak.

Reply 35

No-one is going to send people in on foot; they'd get a thorough ass-kicking.

you can't repeat Osirak, Iran's facilities are spread over a larger area and some are underground. You know, these issues were considered lol.

I think in the end, the USI is going to have to put up with a nuclear Iran and hope MAD gives everyone a, lets say, more 'sober' perspective on the issues of the M.E....until the US finally bankrupts them and the regime falls.

Reply 36

Varsity

13

Actually there were/are Israeli plans for attacks with airborne troops. Not just to attack the compounds but to kidnap or kill the scientists involved.

As for any airborne attack getting an arse kicking, they would take substantial losses, but air superiority (something Israel is more or less guaranteed over Iran) goes a long way.

Reply 37

Agent Smith

Dirac Delta Function

No-one is going to send people in on foot; they'd get a thorough ass-kicking.

Historically, the Arab nations are worse than average at learning from thorough ass-kickings.

you can't repeat Osirak, Iran's facilities are spread over a larger area and some are underground. You know, these issues were considered lol.

And those issues, in turn, were considered when developing the bunker-buster bomb. Although I'm not sure if (a) the Israelis have got any and (b) they'd work on the Iranian facilities.

I think in the end, the USI is going to have to put up with a nuclear Iran and hope MAD gives everyone a, lets say, more 'sober' perspective on the issues of the M.E....until the US finally bankrupts them and the regime falls.

Relying on hope alone, particularly when Iran is involved, is a pretty shaky foundation on which to build relative peace.

Reply 38

Varsity

13

One of the main problems with bombing Iran's facilities is they have built them all near large towns and/or cities. If you bomb these there would be severe radioactive fallout. This is one of the reasons I think the USA will let Israel do the job for them, try and keep their hand as clean as possible.

As far as the weapons to take out underground bunkers, Israel has both the missiles and the training to deliver them.

Reply 39

Agent Smith