Israel Plans Nuclear Strike on Iran !

[Martin]

Pretty big breaking news piece here.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...535310,00.html

Revealed: Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran
Uzi Mahnaimi New York and Sarah Baxter Washington

ISRAEL has drawn up secret plans to destroy Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities with tactical nuclear weapons.

Two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up an Iranian facility using low-yield nuclear “bunker-busters”, according to several Israeli military sources.

The attack would be the first with nuclear weapons since 1945, when the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Israeli weapons would each have a force equivalent to one-fifteenth of the Hiroshima bomb.

Under the plans, conventional laser-guided bombs would open “tunnels” into the targets. “Mini-nukes” would then immediately be fired into a plant at Natanz, exploding deep underground to reduce the risk of radioactive fallout.

“As soon as the green light is given, it will be one mission, one strike and the Iranian nuclear project will be demolished,” said one of the sources.

The plans, disclosed to The Sunday Times last week, have been prompted in part by the Israeli intelligence service Mossad’s assessment that Iran is on the verge of producing enough enriched uranium to make nuclear weapons within two years.

Israeli military commanders believe conventional strikes may no longer be enough to annihilate increasingly well-defended enrichment facilities. Several have been built beneath at least 70ft of concrete and rock. However, the nuclear-tipped bunker-busters would be used only if a conventional attack was ruled out and if the United States declined to intervene, senior sources said.

Israeli and American officials have met several times to consider military action. Military analysts said the disclosure of the plans could be intended to put pressure on Tehran to halt enrichment, cajole America into action or soften up world opinion in advance of an Israeli attack.

Some analysts warned that Iranian retaliation for such a strike could range from disruption of oil supplies to the West to terrorist attacks against Jewish targets around the world.

Israel has identified three prime targets south of Tehran which are believed to be involved in Iran’s nuclear programme:

# Natanz, where thousands of centrifuges are being installed for uranium enrichment

# A uranium conversion facility near Isfahan where, according to a statement by an Iranian vice-president last week, 250 tons of gas for the enrichment process have been stored in tunnels

# A heavy water reactor at Arak, which may in future produce enough plutonium for a bomb Israeli officials believe that destroying all three sites would delay Iran’s nuclear programme indefinitely and prevent them from having to live in fear of a “second Holocaust”.

The Israeli government has warned repeatedly that it will never allow nuclear weapons to be made in Iran, whose president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has declared that “Israel must be wiped off the map”.

Robert Gates, the new US defence secretary, has described military action against Iran as a “last resort”, leading Israeli officials to conclude that it will be left to them to strike.

Israeli pilots have flown to Gibraltar in recent weeks to train for the 2,000-mile round trip to the Iranian targets. Three possible routes have been mapped out, including one over Turkey.

Air force squadrons based at Hatzerim in the Negev desert and Tel Nof, south of Tel Aviv, have trained to use Israel’s tactical nuclear weapons on the mission. The preparations have been overseen by Major General Eliezer Shkedi, commander of the Israeli air force.

Sources close to the Pentagon said the United States was highly unlikely to give approval for tactical nuclear weapons to be used. One source said Israel would have to seek approval “after the event”, as it did when it crippled Iraq’s nuclear reactor at Osirak with airstrikes in 1981.

Scientists have calculated that although contamination from the bunker-busters could be limited, tons of radioactive uranium compounds would be released.

The Israelis believe that Iran’s retaliation would be constrained by fear of a second strike if it were to launch its Shehab-3 ballistic missiles at Israel.

However, American experts warned of repercussions, including widespread protests that could destabilise parts of the Islamic world friendly to the West.

Colonel Sam Gardiner, a Pentagon adviser, said Iran could try to close the Strait of Hormuz, the route for 20% of the world’s oil.

Some sources in Washington said they doubted if Israel would have the nerve to attack Iran. However, Dr Ephraim Sneh, the deputy Israeli defence minister, said last month: “The time is approaching when Israel and the international community will have to decide whether to take military action against Iran.”

[RadioactiveMan]

If Israel used nukes, I'd support Iran!

[Big Red 11]

What the hell is wrong with this world, jesus christ.

[Ottawaman42]

This has been in the works for a very long time and comes as no surprise.Israel if it feels threatened enough has always maintained a limited nuclear strike to prempt aggression is within their rights.

Maybe it's time for the blanket veto policy at the U.N. to end ??????

Guess Tony forgot to check with Cheney first...

No plans to attack Iran, says Blair
Friday 23rd February, 2007 : Amid indications of more sanctions on Iran from US President George Bush, his main war-against-terror ally UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has said that "no attack on Iran was being planned".

He added that a diplomatic solution to the West's row with Tehran over its nuclear plans was the only "viable and sensible" answer. "Iran is not Iraq. There is, as far as I know, no planning going on to make an attack on Iran. People are pursuing a diplomatic and political solution for a very good reason ... that it is the only solution that anyone can think of as viable and sensible," the Daily Times quoted him as saying in an interview with BBC radio.

Meanwhile, around 400 students took out a protest rally in Tehran yesterday in support of Iran's controversial nuclear program, a day after the UN Security Council's deadline over the program. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice planned to confer with European diplomats in Berlin, ahead of a likely push for new sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear program.

Last week Rice had said that the US probably would press for another UN resolution condemning Iran for continuing to defy the UN demand to stop enriching uranium, and to seek additional penalties against Tehran. The protest began at the British embassy where students chanted "Death to the US" "Death to Britain," and burned British and Israeli flags. They urged the Iranian government not to scale down its nuclear program.

More http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=229968

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Cheney givin' `em plenty of warnin' to get ready to "duck n' cover"...

Cheney hints at possible strike on Iran
Feb. 24, 2007 - U.S. Vice President **** Cheney has hinted military action against Iran is possible to keep Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

In an interview with The Weekend Australian newspaper, Cheney said he had no doubt Iran is trying to enrich uranium to produce nuclear weapons. He said he was "pretty close to agreement" with U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., that the only thing worse than a military confrontation with Iran would be a nuclear-armed Iran. Cheney said nuclear terrorism is the greatest threat facing the world and, while the U.S. does not believe Iran possesses nuclear weapons yet, "you get various estimates on the point of no return."

"Is it when they possess weapons or does it come sooner, when they have mastered the technology but, perhaps, not yet produced fissile material for weapons?" he asked. Cheney, on a three-day visit to Australia, held talks with Australian Premier John Howard Saturday on the question of Australia's commitment in Iraq and whether to send more troops to Afghanistan.

Earlier, in an address to the Australian-American Leadership Dialogue, Cheney warned of the dangers of pulling out of Iraq before Iraqis can properly defend themselves against terrorism. Many jihadists would head for Afghanistan and others would undermine moderate governments in the Middle East, while other terrorist groups sought victims on other continents, he said. "We have a duty to stand in their way," Cheney said.

Source

Israel gettin' ready to pounce...

Report: Israel Seeking U.S. O.K. To Use Iraqi Airspace If It Decides To Attack Iran
February 24, 2007 - A report published by British publication The Daily Telegraph newspaper on Saturday said it had received reliable information that Israel has asked Washington's permission to use Iraqi airspace to launch its fighter jets and attack Iran's nuclear facilities.

The report quoted a senior Israeli defense official saying that officials from Washington and Tel Aviv are currently discussing plans to provide an "air corridor" over Iraq for Israeli warplanes should it decide to launch military offensive against Tehran. The official was quoted as saying, "We are planning for every eventuality, and sorting out issues such as these are crucial. If we don't sort these issues out we could have a situation where American and Israeli war planes start shooting at each other."

The report came as U.S. Vice President **** Cheney on Saturday told reporters in Australia that the U.S. has not ruled out the possibility of taking military action against Iran, saying that "all options are still on the table" over Tehran's nuclear programs. Speaking at a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister John Howard in Sydney, Cheney said Washington is still working with other countries to persuade Tehran to abandon its nuclear programs and prefers to achieve the goal peacefully. Cheney declared, "But all options are still on the table."

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly called for the Jewish state to be wiped off the map. On Thursday, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed Tehran's continued defiance of a U.N. Security Council demand to stop its uranium enrichment program this week. In fact, the IAEA said Iran expanded its program instead of stopping.

More http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7006562755

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Iran Insists It Will Not Stop Uranium Enrichment Program
February 24, 2007 - A day after the deadline set by the United Nations Security pass, Iran on Friday defiantly insisted it would not stop its uranium enrichment program. Iran made the assertion after a report made by the International Atomic Energy Agency was released.

Mohammad Saeedi, deputy chief of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said, "Iran considers that a suspension of uranium is contradictory to its rights, the (Nuclear) Non-Proliferation Treaty and to international regulations." Mohammad Saeedi, deputy chief of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization told the official Islamic Republic News Agency, "Iran considers that a suspension of uranium is contradictory to its rights, the (Nuclear) Non-Proliferation Treaty and to international regulations."

This as Washington reiterated its call for the United Nations Security Council to take more measures to force Iran to give up its nuclear program. The U.S. wants the Security Council to convene and take additional steps beyond those approved last December, State Department Deputy spokesman Tom Casey said. Casey said additional sanctions against Iran should be used to "convince Iran to change its behavior" and do what it has been long asked to do.

Saeedi said the Islamic regime would not accept the Security Council Resolution 1737 demanding suspension of its uranium enrichment by Wednesday. Saeedi's comment was Tehran's first reaction to ElBaradei's report that Iran had refused to suspend its uranium-enrichment related activities as demanded by the U.N. Security Council.

More http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7006562273

[Martin]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Israel gettin' ready to pounce...

Report: Israel Seeking U.S. O.K. To Use Iraqi Airspace If It Decides To Attack Iran
February 24, 2007 - A report published by British publication The Daily Telegraph newspaper on Saturday said it had received reliable information that Israel has asked Washington's permission to use Iraqi airspace to launch its fighter jets and attack Iran's nuclear facilities.


More http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7006562755

See also:

Iran Insists It Will Not Stop Uranium Enrichment Program
February 24, 2007 - A day after the deadline set by the United Nations Security pass, Iran on Friday defiantly insisted it would not stop its uranium enrichment program. Iran made the assertion after a report made by the International Atomic Energy Agency was released.


More http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7006562273

What bothers me the most is how Israel is so mum about it all when asked.

Maybe they don't want to give up the element of surprise.

Granny says Iran bein' sneaky `cause they is upta somethin'...

IAEA Report Finds Iran Still Keeping Nuclear Development A Secret
February 28, 2007 - The United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has released its latest report condemning Iran's continued nuclear development.

IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei tells the U.N. that despite the threat of international economic sanctions, and further threats by the United States and the European Union that they may be forced to take action, "Iran has not agreed to any of the required transparency measures." The IAEA rejects Washington's claim that any Iranian program would build towards a nuclear weapon; however, the Agency still wants to inspect Tehran's nuclear development in order to verify that the Islamic Republic is not building weapons.

According to the U.N., Mr. ElBaradei reports that Iran continued to feed uranium into enrichment machines at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP); enriching some 66 kilos of uranium hexafluoride (UF6) to a level consistent with fuel production but not fine enough for a nuclear weapon. Yet, despite the fact, ElBaradei says that Iran's program, which was developed in secret for almost 20 years, in direct violation of its obligations as a signatory nation to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), still must be monitored.

ElBaradei explains that "it is necessary for Iran to enable the Agency, through maximum cooperation and transparency, to fully reconstruct the history of Iran's nuclear program. Without such cooperation and transparency, the Agency will not be able to provide assurances about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran or about the exclusively peaceful nature of that program." "The Agency remains [unable] to make further progress in its efforts to verify fully the past development of Iran's nuclear program and certain aspects relevant to its scope and nature."

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7006603930

US and Israel Not Planning Attack on Iran, Syria
April 02, 2007 - The U.S. and Israel are not planning a coordinated attack against Iran, Syria and the Lebanese terrorist organization Hizballah, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said.

Tensions nevertheless mounted over the weekend between the West and Tehran as Iranian television broadcast images of two more of the 15 abducted British sailors, confessing that they had been captured when they crossed into Iranian territorial waters. On Monday, the Iranian Student News Agency said that Iran had film footage of all 15 captives confessing they had been seized in Iranian waters but would not show it.

So far, four captives have appeared on television making such a confession. Britain has dismissed the "confessions" of the 15, who were seized on March 23, and said that they were abducted in Iraqi -- not Iranian -- waters. The incident has fueled tensions in the region that were already running high over Iran's refusal to submit to a United Nations Security Council demand it halt its enrichment of uranium, a process that can be used to fuel a reactor or build an atomic weapon.

The West believes that Iran is secretly developing a nuclear bomb under cover of its civilian nuclear program. Iran denies the charges. The Security Council voted to toughen sanctions against Iran late last month. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad justified the capture of the sailors, saying that instead of apologizing, the other side had "started crying." This was the same spirit that would "set the world on fire," Ahmadinejad said, according to the Iranian Fars News Agency.

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