Israel thinking alot about Iran?

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Granny says, "Dat's right - try him den hang his sorry butt"...

'Indict Ahmadinejad for Inciting Genocide'
May 19, 2008 - As the U.S. election campaign revisits the question of whether an American president should meet unconditionally with heads of hostile regimes, a drive to haul the Iranian leader before an international court may be picking up steam.

More than two years after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad began publicly calling for Israel's demise and questioning the veracity of the Holocaust, at least one government says it is looking seriously at the legal options that may be available. Last week, Ahmadinejad stepped up his rhetoric, greeting the Jewish state's 60th birthday commemorations by declaring on state television that "death and annihilation" awaited Israel.

The Australian government says it is taking legal advice on whether a case could be brought against the Iranian president before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in a television interview called Ahmadinejad's statements "appalling by any standards of current international relations" and "an incitement to international violence."

Rudd said it was important for the international community to be united in its condemnation of Ahmadinejad's remarks. They went beyond mere hyperbole, and could have a "roll-on effect across the Islamic world to those who listen to Iran for their guidance," he said.

President Bush, too, in recent days has warned against ignoring or taking lightly such threatening statements. "When a leader of Iran says they want to destroy Israel, you've got to take those words seriously," he said in a weekend NBC News interview.

MORE

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Iran about to get their butt kicked...

Report: Israeli minister threatens Iran attack
6 June `08 - Newspaper says politician believes sanctions not working on nuclear issue

An Israeli Cabinet minister has said the country should attack Iran if it continues with its nuclear program, a newspaper reported Friday. The Yediot Ahronot daily quoted Shaul Mofaz as saying, "If Iran will continue with its plan to develop nuclear weapons, we will attack it."

Mofaz's office did not return a call requesting comment on Friday's report. The newspaper said that Mofaz warned that the economic sanctions against Iran were not effective. It added that Mofaz said that the United States would back any Israeli attack.

Mofaz is a former defense minister and army chief. He would like to replace Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as head of the Kadima Party in light of a corruption scandal that threatens to bring Olmert down.

Report: Israeli minister threatens Iran attack - Israel-Palestinians - MSNBC.com

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UK lender closes down Iranian accounts
Friday 6th June, 2008 - UK bank, Barclay’s, has been closing down the personal bank accounts of British citizens who are working for Iranian-owned businesses.

The Times has reported the bank is using controversial American anti-terrorism laws to close the accounts of general staff members, including clerical officers, computer engineers and bank tellers. Barclay’s has enforced anti-Iran sanctions drawn up by the Bush Administration under the US Patriot Act against Iranian-owned banks Saderat and Melli.

Barclay’s has closed accounts and returned funds to account holders. Both of the Iranian banks are based in the City and fully licensed and regulated to operate in Britain. Neither is subject to the extensive Iranian sanctions regimes that are operated by the Treasury or the European Union.

However, the US Government’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has placed both on its list of specially designated nationals. Barclay’s has said it will not conduct business entities which are publicly designated SDN’s and will no longer undertake business which involves Melli or Saderat.

UK lender closes down Iranian accounts

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Israel about the loose the dogs of war...

Israelis 'rehearse Iran attack'
Friday, 20 June 2008 - Israel carries out an exercise that appears to be a rehearsal for an attack on Iran's nuclear sites, US officials tell the New York Times.

More than 100 Israeli fighter jets took part in manoeuvres over the eastern Mediterranean and over Greece in the first week of June, US officials said. Iran insists its programme is peaceful, but Israel sees Iran's development of the technology as a serious threat.

Tehran is defying a demand from the UN that it stop the enrichment of uranium. The UN Security Council approved a third round of sanctions against Iran over the issue in March 2008.

'Signals'

Several US officials briefing the New York Times said the exercise was intended demonstrate the seriousness of Israel's concern over Iran's nuclear activities, and its willingness to act unilaterally.

More BBC NEWS | Middle East | Israelis 'rehearse Iran attack'

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Looks like Iran thinkin' a lot about Israel...

New Iran missile 'puts Israel in range'
July 09, 2008 - IRAN'S elite Revolutionary Guards today test-fired a longer range Shahab 3 missile, with a range that puts Israel within reach, Arabic language state channel Al-Alam reported.

The channel said that the missile test fired was a "Shahab 3 with a conventional warhead weighing one tonne and a 2000 kilometre range". The test firing, which also included the firing of several other missiles, comes at a time of growing tensions over the Iranian nuclear program, which the West fears could be aimed at making an atomic bomb.

In total nine missiles were tested, state-run English language channel Press-TV reported. Along with the Shahab-3, the missiles tested were the Zelzal, which has a range of up to 400km and the Fateh, which has a range of around 170km.

Press-TV showed pictures of the Shahab-3 being launched at an undisclosed desert location inside Iran. "This a show of Iran's military muscle in the region in the face of threats from countries who said they would target Iran's nuclear facilities," the Press-TV announcer said.

More New Iran missile 'puts Israel in range' | NEWS.com.au

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Oil Prices Rebound on Iran Missile Tests
July 9, 2008 - Oil Prices Rebound in Asian Trading After Iran Test-Fires Missiles

Oil prices rebounded Wednesday in Asia from a tumble of more than $5 in the previous session after Iran test-fired nine missiles, renewing fears of a conflict that could cut global oil supplies. Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards fired nine long and medium range missiles Wednesday during war games officials say are a response to U.S. and Israeli threats, state television reported.

Gen. Hossein Salami, a top Guards commander, was quoted as saying the exercise "is to demonstrate our resolve and might against enemies who in recent weeks have threatened Iran with harsh language." The drill was conducted in the Persian Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which about 40 percent of global oil exports pass, and comes less than a day after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he sees no possibility of a war with the United States or Israel.

"I assure you that there won't be any war in the future," Ahmadinejad said Tuesday during a visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The countries were "focusing on propaganda and psychological war," he said. Midafternoon in Singapore, light, sweet crude for August delivery was up $1.20 at $136.24 a barrel in Asian electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In the floor session Tuesday, the contract fell $5.33 to settle at $136.04 a barrel.

More ABC News: Oil Prices Rebound on Iran Missile Tests

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Looks like Europe should be thinking about Iran too...

Iran has missile that could hit Europe
Tue Jul 15, 2008 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Tuesday that Iran has the ability to launch a ballistic missile capable of hitting sections of eastern and southern Europe.

Air Force Lt. Gen. Trey Obering, director of the Missile Defense Agency, told reporters he believes Iran now has a missile with a range of 1,250 miles, but he declined to say whether the weapon has been test-fired. Iran said last week it conducted two missile tests involving a number of weapons including what Iranian state television called a "new" Shahab-3 missile, a medium-range missile that could be used to strike Israel.

Tensions over Iran's missile arsenal and accusations from the United States and its allies that Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons have roiled international financial markets with fears of a possible military confrontation. Iran denies it wants nuclear weapons and says its nuclear program is designed to produce electricity to increase its output of oil and natural gas.

Older versions of the Shahab-3 have a 800-mile (1,300-km) range. But a new extended version is believed to have a range of up to 1,250 miles, making it capable of hitting targets as far away as Greece, Serbia, Romania and Belarus. Iran is also developing a solid-fuel missile known as the Ashura with a range of 1,250 miles, according to the Pentagon.

More U.S. says Iran has missile that could hit Europe | International | Reuters

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Gonna shield Israel from Ahmadinejad...

US considers deploying missile defence radar to Israel
30 July 2008 WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has agreed to explore deploying a powerful missile defence targeting radar in Israel, a senior US defence official said Tuesday.

"The idea here is to help Israel create a layered missile defence capability to protect it from all sorts of threats in the region, near and far," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Gates discussed the Israeli request Monday in a meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, the official said. Besides the radar, Gates also agreed to explore sharing missile early warning launch data, as well as US funding for two costly Israeli projects designed to counter short-range rockets and mortars, he said.

The official said deploying the X-band radar was a near-term proposition, adding "all this is moving pretty quickly." "We are going to station this land-based system there, and the Israelis would plug into it," said the official. An X-band radar is a powerful phased array radar that can target the warhead of a long or medium range missile in space. The United States has deployed one in Japan and plans to install a larger X-band radar in the Czech Republic. The official linked the assistance to the US administration's push for progress on a roadmap for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

But it appeared to be more directly related to Israel's concern about Iran's nuclear programme. "A policy that consists of keeping all options on the table must be maintained," Barak told Gates, according to the Israeli defence ministry. "Iran's plans pose a threat to regional and global stability. We insist that it is vital to continue tightening the economic and financial sanctions imposed on the Iranians," he said.

More Channelnewsasia.com

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Necessary for 'peaceful' nuclear energy???...

Iran boosts range on warplanes
August 18, 2008 - IRAN has upgraded its fighter jets to allow them to fly 3000 km without refuelling, which would put arch-foe Israel easily within reach.

"We have succeeded in upgrading the capabilities of our planes and have increased the range of these planes to 3000km without refuelling," Iran's air force commander, Brigadier-General Ahmad Mighani, was quoted as saying today by the ISNA news agency. "We do not wish to attack another country ... but we will defend ourselves should we be attacked," he said, without, however, mentioning Israel. Israel, which views the Islamic republic as its greatest threat, lies about 1000km from the Iranian border.

Iran's claims about its military capabilities are often greeted with scepticism by Western experts and Brig-Gen Mighani gave no details about how the upgrade was achieved. In June, Israel conducted war games that were seen as a dress rehearsal for an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, which are the subject of an ongoing row with the West. Israel, the region's sole if undeclared nuclear armed power, along with its staunch ally the United States, is leading the campaign against Iran's nuclear drive, which they suspect is aimed at developing weapons.

Iran, which testfired a number of missiles in war games last month, denies the allegations and says its nuclear drive is aimed only at providing energy for its growing population. Iran has said on several occasions that should it be attacked, it would strike Israel using its Shahab-3 missiles, which it says has a range of 2000km. Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak said last week the US is at present opposed to any military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities.

Iran boosts range on warplanes | NEWS.com.au

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Iran gonna have nuclear missiles...

IAEA: Iran To Upgrade Missile For Nuke Use
Sept. 16, 2008 - U.N. Agency Presents Report Allegedly Showing Iran's Plans To Redesign Weapons

The U.N. nuclear agency has presented intelligence allegedly showing plans to redesign an Iranian missile to accommodate a nuclear payload. The International Atomic Energy Agency shared the intelligence with 35 nations on Tuesday, but the Iranian representative to the organization says the information was fabricated. Gregory L. Schulte, the chief U.S. representative to the IAEA, said the evidence shows Iran has a weapons program. The two spoke separately to reporters after the presentation by the IAEA, one day after the U.N. nuclear watchdog issued a report saying that Iran has stonewalled its attempts to probe allegations that it drew up plans and conducted experiments for a nuclear arms program.

Meanwhile, France said Tuesday it would push for more sanctions against Iran. "We have no other choice than to work in the days and weeks to come toward a new Security Council sanctions resolution," French Foreign Ministry spokesman Eric Chevallier said. He called the IAEA findings "very worrisome." White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe also spoke Monday of "the possibility of new sanctions" if Iran continues to defy the U.N. However, Russia and China, who like the U.S. and France have veto power over U.N. Security Council resolutions, would likely resist a fourth round of sanctions against Iran. Britain, the fifth veto-wielding member of the Security Council, is aligned with the U.S. and France. The Security Council has already imposed three sets of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear defiance.

The IAEA's report said Iran has now amassed a third of the amount of enriched uranium it could reprocess into the material for the fissile core of a nuclear weapon should it choose to do so. But U.N officials familiar with the report emphasized that Iran - whose known nuclear programs are under IAEA supervision - has shown no indication it wanted to go that route. The U.S. and its allies allege that Iran wants to develop its uranium enrichment program to make nuclear weapons. But oil-rich Iran insists it only wants to make nuclear energy, and IAEA oversight and inspections of its known enrichment program has not found any evidence that contradicts that.

China said Tuesday that imposing further sanctions on Iran will not resolve the nuclear impasse. "I don't think sanctions are the way out," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said. But Jiang also said China hoped Iran would keep cooperating with the IAEA. "The solution of the Iranian nuclear issue is negotiation and dialogue," she told a regular news briefing. "We hope the relevant parties will step up diplomatic efforts and settle the issue peacefully through dialogue and negotiations."

IAEA: Iran To Upgrade Missile For Nuke Use, U.N. Agency Presents Report Allegedly Showing Iran's Plans To Redesign Weapons - CBS News

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Gonna let Israel be the testing ground for SDI...

Israel gets US defense equipment to counter Iranian missiles
Sunday 28th September, 2008 - The US has deployed an advanced high-powered radar system and supporting people at an Israeli air base to counter any possible missile strike from Iran.

The Defense News magazine has reported that more than a dozen of aircraft transferred the high-powered, high-frequency radar system and some 120 US European Command supporting personnel and equipment to Israel's Nevatim Air Base.

The radar system is designed to detect and track ballistic missiles soon after launch. The defense gear requires dozens of technicians, maintenance specialists and security forces to operate and defend the US installation.

Though the EUCOM has repeatedly deployed troops and air defence batteries for joint exercises and Iraq-related wartime contingencies, but has never before permanently deployed troops on Israeli soil.

Israel gets US defense equipment to counter Iranian missiles

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Iranian pilots won't have a chance...

US to sell 75 fighter jets to Israel
1 Oct 2008, WASHINGTON: The Defense Department has said that it wants to sell up to 75 fighter jets to Israel in a USD 15.2 billion deal for the aircraft expected to be the mainstay of air power in the US and several other nations for decades.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Monday that it had notified the Congress on Friday that Israel has asked to buy 25 of the F-35s made by Lockheed Martin Corp, with an option to buy an additional 50 at a later date. The sale would be the first to a country outside of the US and eight partner nations that are collaborating on the F-35, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter. The jet is still under development and is not yet in service, but the US plans to eventually acquire 2,458 planes for the Army, Marines and Air Force at a cost of USD 300 billion.

The F-35 was designed as a replacement for a range of warplanes, including the F-16, which is a large component of many air forces worldwide. Countries such as Spain, Singapore and Japan also have expressed interest in the F-35. Israel has said it plans to buy a fleet of F-35s as it upgrades its military technology. The first batch of 25 would be the variant of F-35 designed for conventional take off from military airfields, but the later 50 could include a version that can land vertically.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement that the proposed sale will help Israel "develop and maintain a strong self-defense capability." It also said that sale of the technologically advanced fighter won't upset the balance of military power in the region. The US is developing the plane with nations that include Britain, Australia and Italy, though the Pentagon has shouldered much of the funding. Plans currently call for the military to start flying the plane in 2010.

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