Are we about to attack Iran?

Discussion in 'West Mall' started by Dr Fear, Jun 20, 2008.

  1. Dr Fear

    Dr Fear 500+ Posts

    Can someone please talk me off the ledge? [​IMG]
     
  2. UTViking

    UTViking 250+ Posts

    Stop being a ***** and jump! [​IMG]
     
  3. no, we're not about to. probably israel will before iran makes good on their weekly promise to wipe them off the map. i'm sure that will have a domino effect. so, yeah, jump [​IMG]
     
  4. ProdigalHorn

    ProdigalHorn 10,000+ Posts

    of course not. If we're going to attack ANYONE it would be Pakistan... or North Korea... or Syria... and let's not forget Iran!!

    Oh wait... [​IMG]
     
  5. RomaVicta

    RomaVicta 5,000+ Posts

    Who do you mean by "we?"

    I don't know if the US is about to attack Iran, but if Admiral Stockdale gives the word, I know that West Mall will attack Iran. I'll be down in the engine room shoveling coal into the nuclear reactor.
     
  6. DigglerontheHoof

    DigglerontheHoof 1,000+ Posts

    We're going to need a big boat Roma, better start eating your Wheaties. I want crow's nest duty.
     
  7. RomaVicta

    RomaVicta 5,000+ Posts

    I'm all over it. [​IMG]
     
  8. I'm tired of hearing about whether or not Israel is going to attack Iran and whether or not Iran will comply with UN rules. I'd say Go For It! I wish Israel the best of luck!
     
  9. LonghornLawyer

    LonghornLawyer 500+ Posts

    We're not going to attack Iran. But Isreal might. And therein lies the problem.

    If Israel wants to attack Iran, they need to do it this year. After this year, Iran starts receiving large shipments of SU-30 air superiority fighters, which are arguably better than the F-15C/D that the Israelis have, and the SA-20 surface-to-air missile, which is very effective for air defense against low altitude aircraft.

    And Israeli strike would necessarily have to strike multiple targets across the country. Israeli recognizes that, and so they're rehersing with 100 strike aircraft. Assume they'll have another 100 for combat air patrol, and you can anticipate that there is going to be an aerial battle of 300-400 aircraft.

    The thing is: the Iranians aren't going to wait until the Israelis go feet dry over Iran to engage them. They'll go out over the Persian Gulf to meet the Israelis. Right over top of the Gulf, where we have at least one carrier group at all times.

    You see the problem here? You think the Iranians are just going to let our carrier group sit down there while the biggest aerial battle since World War II goes on above? You think they might be a bit concerned that we would intervene if the tide of battle were to go against the Israelis? You think they might just want to preempt that possibility by firing off their anti-ship missiles as soon as they see the Israeli strike force?

    I do.

    The real problem is that the Israelis are going to totally f**k us and not tell us when they're attacking. So the Iranians are going to spot them and send an assload of Saccades, Silkworms, and Styx anti-ship missiles at our fleet with no warning. The last time something like that happened, the USS Stark was nearly sunk. This could be a whole lot worse.

    BTW, if we lose a carrier--and we easily could--there's no chance we don't go to war.
     
  10. HornsOverIthaca

    HornsOverIthaca 250+ Posts

    Man I hope you're wrong about all that stuff LL, but you're not. [​IMG]
     
  11. TahoeHorn

    TahoeHorn 1,000+ Posts


     
  12. LonghornLawyer

    LonghornLawyer 500+ Posts

    The problem, Tahoe, is that we may fire first.

    When the Iranians spot the Israeli strike force, they're going to send up their entire air force to meet it over the Gulf. Since they have plenty of spies in Isreal (e.g., Hizbullah and Hamas people who are on the Revolutionary Guard's payroll), Iran may know a strike is coming as soon as the first F15's leave the runway.

    So before we know the Israelis are starting a strike--we won't know until they are picked up by AWACS cover--the Iranians will know and begin sending fighters over the Gulf in a rather belligerant manner.

    Let's be honest--we've shot down an A300 coming out of Iran because we thought it was suspicious. What do you think we're going to do with 100 fighters making for the Gulf and armed with warshots with their IFF on standby?

    "This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it."
     
  13. TahoeHorn

    TahoeHorn 1,000+ Posts


     
  14. PhantomHorn

    PhantomHorn 1,000+ Posts

    We should prevent Iran from getting nukes at any cost. Yea sure the economy may tank for a while and oil may jump up but it will be worth it.
     
  15. HoosierHorn

    HoosierHorn 500+ Posts

    OK, I'm confused...

    We shouldn't talk to Iran.... We should talk to Iran... We don't believe anything Iran says... Except that they are going to obliterate Israel if they can... We shouldn't let Iran have nukes... Nobody but the U.S. has ever used a nuke... We're stretched thin, but we're willing to fight.

    Obama actually is doomed. EIther he won't get elected because he won't be seen as a war-time President, or he'll get elected and have a big ME war to fight (if we engage Iran, they will not just keep it in the air, Iraq is then fair game, too) and an economy that is still in the early part of unravelling...

    But, um, yes... we are about to attack Iran.
     
  16. HornsOverIthaca

    HornsOverIthaca 250+ Posts

    At any cost? I'm not sure most of America would agree with that. A war with Iran would be worse than the war in Iraq. How could we diplomatically stop them? Won't Russia and China still help them?
     
  17. TahoeHorn

    TahoeHorn 1,000+ Posts


     
  18. Austintxusa

    Austintxusa 2,500+ Posts


     
  19. THEU

    THEU 2,500+ Posts

    LonghornLaywer, just a few questions here from me.

    Aren't we obligated by treaty to essentially go to war with Israel? If someone attacks Israel it was my understanding we had a treaty to help defend them. Just a question.

    Also, I can't imagine that you aren't correct, but how great is the current Iranian air force? What are their air capabilities?

    I just don't see any way at all that we would stay out of a war if Israel and Iran are engaged no matter who starts that one.
     
  20. Coelacanth

    Coelacanth Guest


     
  21. UTViking

    UTViking 250+ Posts


     
  22. Hungry Horn

    Hungry Horn < 25 Posts


     
  23. LurkerintheDark

    LurkerintheDark 250+ Posts

    Don't worry. We've got it covered:

    [​IMG]
     
  24. UT-69745551

    UT-69745551 250+ Posts


     
  25. TahoeHorn

    TahoeHorn 1,000+ Posts

    Hungry,

    You are correct. My bad. I wasn't thinking. But we still have dweebs in the State Department talking to them. And military people.
     
  26. Coelacanth

    Coelacanth Guest

    So, how do the Israeli jets actually get to Iran? I mean, what flight path do they follow?

     
  27. TahoeHorn

    TahoeHorn 1,000+ Posts

  28. TexonLongIsland

    TexonLongIsland 2,500+ Posts

    Coel,

    If the mission is successful, the Turks or the Saudis will yell to high heaven, but thank the Israelis through back channels. I wouldn't even be surprised if one or the other co-plan the raid with the Israelis and "shoot down" an Israeli attacker as cover. They are just as fearful of an Iranian bomb as the Israelis are.
     
  29. THEU

    THEU 2,500+ Posts

    I figure if Israel does this, they whoever they fly over will know (if Turkey, Iraq(US), or Saudi). Now the US can publicly cause a big stink and talk about how we didn't know nor authourise them to fly over Iraqi airspace, but we don't do anything either. We won't fire on them.
    Same thing for Saudi, as was mentioned above.

    Remember that Iran is NOT an Arab country. In times past Arabs have not been particular cozy with the Persians. The question now is, how will Persian/Arab relations figure alongside Persian/Israeli relations and Israeli/Arab relations.
    Big questions there I think.
     

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