WAR: USA Probes Iran

US officials now officially acknowlege overflights of Iran by unmanned drones. They say this was to search for nuclear weapons and probe weakness in air defense systems.



The USA is doing its homework ahead of presenting a strong case to the world community about Iran and potential nuclear weapons development.

Intelligence gathering is often done as a precurssor to a millitary strike, but may also be done strictly for intelligence gathering.

This is a signal that the USA is not affraid to keep the preasure on Iran for getting them to recognise international requests for them to halt their nuclear ambitions.

I think an all out assault on Iran isnt on the cards. Air strikes with explicit approval from the EU are an option if they prove without doubt that they have a nuclear weapons program. Should be interesting to see how the US administration engages its "Allies" to get cooperation.

I think air strikes have already been ruled out for practical reasons.

Iran is a very big place, much bigger than Iraq. They have more underground emplacements, and most of their nuclear apparatus is hidden and spread out to make the neutralization of it difficult.

Iran has a mutual defense pact with Russia, and Iran is holding onto a number of Russian missles, just for safekeeping you understand.. If America and its allies attack, Iran will reduce Israel to glass and ash if they have the capability, no doubt about it. If Iran lacks the nuclear option, they will likely attempt to sink one or more of the American carriers bobbing around nearby. Iran will most certainly assault all American allies in the region, with cruise missle and rocket attacks.

Remember the 'human wave' attacks from the last time Iran got provoked? I'm sure we'll see that again.

In the end, Iran has already said they will defend themselves agressively if attacked. What does the average American gain by attacking them? Nothing.

The rich will get richer for every pint of blood spilled, regardless the oil and armaments companies will surely make out.

I'm surprised that we're not bombing them already frankly.

I wonder what the reaction of the US admin would be if a foreign power admitted to flying unmanned drones over the US to spy on it ? More hypocrisy, is it an wonder that the folks in the middle east don't like the US !

Yes we would be very pissed if someone was flying UCAV's for intel purposes over the US. But it wouldn't work too well, drunken rednecks would get together and shoot them down anyway

And you won't see any of our enemies flying spy planes into US air space, unless they are completely stupid.

Plane and simple. Iran is walking a thin tight rope with the civilized world. Its not just the US who is fed up with their terrorist, and nuklear threatening regime. Why is Europe trying to put pressure on them?....because most of the civilized world views them as a threat! You darn right that the US is going to use what they can to spy on Iran.
If a person is suspected of carring a hand gun into an airport.....what do you do? Ignore him? Or try to find out if he is armed or not? And don't make this situation out to be an all US created issue. Terrorism from these regimes have been an issue with the entire world for decades!!

Originally posted by Mr Carburetor

Iran is walking a thin tight rope with the civilized world. Its not just the US who is fed up with their terrorist, and nuklear threatening regime. Why is Europe trying to put pressure on them?....because most of the civilized world views them as a threat!

Nah Mr Carburetor - the civilized world sees Bush as a threat - they're just trying to keep everyone out of his way, and stop anyone from setting him 'off.'

...Kinda like the way you handle a drunk, just at an international diplomatic level.

Before bush was president we had the same terrorist regime problems. The civilized world has been bickering for decades about these problems. The tragedy of 9/11 and the pressure on the bush administration is what prompted us to start fighting back on what was becoming a huge international problem. Civilized nations don't fear bush, they fear the ramifications of a difficult war that they know needs to be taken care of. Its kind of like cleaning the gutters. NO ONE WANTS TO DEAL WITH IT CAUSE ITS AN UGLY JOB, BUT THEY KNOW IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!! Finally someone has to jump in and do it.....well guess who stepped up to that!!!!

Ever heard of a bad roommate?......well those that aren't helping keep this world clean and safe from terrorist regimes like IRAN, IRAQ run by Saddam, and the the old Taliban in Afganistan.... are acting like slopy lazy roommates who fear getting their hands dirty to take care of a problem.

I wonder what the reaction of the US admin would be if a foreign power admitted to flying unmanned drones over the US to spy on it ? More hypocrisy, is it an wonder that the folks in the middle east don't like the US !

I'm no fan of Iran...but...

All things considered...this is still a valid point. This is an intrusion into sovereign airspace by a foreign power. Of course, as mentioned, Iran's in trouble to more than just US interests, so I doubt you'll see a whole lot of worldwide opposition to the move, which is likely why the US admitted to it... Still, I'm constantly puzzled at this administration's continuing public admittance to items which should be classified to hell... I don't get it... Not the best idea to say, "war isn't being planned right now" when you're scouting out the enemy....

. Why is Europe trying to put pressure on them?

Europe is putting pressure on Iran because of the mutual defence pact that Iran has with Russia. Europe knows that the US govt is stupid enough to think that the Ruskis will let it side if they drop a few bombs on Iran whereas Europe knows that it will bear the brunt of any Russian attack due to their past alliance with the US.

Wasn't it just a couple weeks ago or so that Rumsfeld claimed no knowledge of Iran overflights, while I was sitting there submitting stories about it? I questioned who to believe, to the ridicule of some who swear everything Iran and North Korea prints in their media is false. Maybe now you can understand my dilemma. As of this point, I no longer believe a damn word the Bush admistration says. I was trying, I really was. But no more.

. As of this point, I no longer believe a damn word the Bush admistration says. I was trying, I really was. But no more.

I reached that point in 2000, hehe.... Right after Inauguration....

Gazrok says,

This is an intrusion into sovereign airspace by a foreign power.

Umm excuse me for refreshing your memory here, but BIG DEAL??
The USA overflew the USSR all the time, using the SR-71. Thats pretty much the same thing right? The USSR had plenty of nukes pointed right at our heads and we still "spied" on them...like Iran really has some deterrent to us spying on them. We have used this asset, the U2, and now drones to conduct surveilance this way since the limmitary began using aircraft.
The USA has done this over MANY "rivals".

Im with Mr Carb here,
The world IS more affraid of "dealing with terrorism" than they truely are of President Bush. Many world leaders have known for a while that the growing underworld of criminal terrorism, black market weapons and radicalism would become an issue, it was only a matter of when.
YES these elements are now powerful enough to threaten cities, and macro-economics of countries....thats a big challenge that needs to be met, and i see countries still trying to live in denial about it.

Malcr poses a good question,

I wonder what the reaction of the US admin would be if a foreign power admitted to flying unmanned drones over the US to spy on it ?

How about
DOPE!?!? How could we have been that blind?....embarrased for having to admit to the citizens that someone COULD actually fly spy aircraft over us and get away with it!
We know the USSR did it to us, im sure as we've seen with al Queda...they just gather intel from inside the USA and send it out easily...

The name of this intel game is to do it and not get caught. Even if you do, the fact that you can and suffer no real reprocussions while gaining intel on your adversary is valuable in and of itself....Certantly other nations would do this to us if they could.
Yeah the nations will beat their fist on the table and cry "shame shame" but its rarely been worth going to war over.

Some of europe is already within range of Iranian missiles...and ones with nukes on them arent a comforting idea. Indeed the question of Russian reaction to a strike on Iran would be a factor, but i dont think they're ready for forcebly standing in the face of key nations. It would only take incentives for Russia to tacitly allow such an act while they get to formally remain in disagreement with it.

You do realise that Iran doesnt have any quarrel with Europe and has no reason to want to fire missiles our way.

Its the USA thats provoking Iran to get them into some kind of conflict to justify their defence budgets.

Ever since the USA was humiliated by having its embassy occupied in Iran and its puppet Shah toppled they've dogged Iran incesantly. Wheres the brotherly sympathy of a peoples rising up against Royalty and taking their country back? The Iranians did what the Americans did against the British. How would the Americans of liked it if like we British labled the USA an Axis of Evil and lashed rhetoric on them constantly since their Independance?

The only country Iran would threaten with nukes, if they get them, is Israel. Israeli itself was given nukes by the USA which is hypocrasy. Iran knows it they have nukes and would use them so you'd most likely see a stand off in the region.

Who's the USA to say otherwise. They should quit dictating such lofty ideals as democracy and freedom and stop complaining about destabilisation until they they start practicing what they preach.

[BIG DEAL??
The USA overflew the USSR all the time, using the SR-71. Thats pretty much the same thing right?

So what you seem to be saying is that as long as the US is the perpetrator of this behaviour then that makes it OK.

It really doesnt matter considering the standard of satellite imiagery anyway. The UAV is a more tactical device and this suggests aggression on the behalf of the US as I see it.

TI have been thinking for a while. Iran was one of the closest US allies in ME. With American trained military Iran could have stopped USSR invading Afghanistan or any other country in ME. somehow this relationship breaks up and some rouge elements in Iran do the best they can to kick US out. Iran goes quite social with all the socialist talk under a religious veil. around the same time Russia invades Afghanistan and shortly after Iraq mainly using Russian made weapons invades Iran. OK that was 25 years ago and now today just go back and read this thread again!. Iran has Sunburns, s300 and mutual defence back with who?

Is Iran maybe a US defeat in cold war? I mean is there anything fishy going on here or what?

James Blonde says,

So what you seem to be saying is that as long as the US is the perpetrator of this behaviour then that makes it OK.

NO, just blast the USA why dont ya for something that has been a standard espionage tactic used by MANY nations....fly over and take pictures has been around since millitary flights began. DUH!

The drone is indeed more of a tacticle device, one which can get alot closer than a satalite to detect more than just imagery....it could detect chemicals, radiation, or any other such detectables and do this up close.
its a fancy tool in the intelligence bag of tricks.

Cazmedia, its an invasion of a sovereign nations air space and the USA would not stand for it if it happend to them.

Its true that its an old tactic and a standard one...if you are at War with a country! The USA is not at War with Iran and has no right invading their airspace.

No other country in the World has the technology to penetrate American airspace so its safe to assume that no country does that to the USA. (Unless your a rag tag bunch of Middle Eastern terrorists with a few weeks flight training under you belt I guess)

I am SO sick of the USA hypocracy ... the sooner you get rid of Bush the better ... it's just to be hoped the next guy isn't a carbon copy clone (I'm looking at you mccain).

So it's quite alright for Israel to rattle their nukes at Iran (US supplied by the way), yet when Iran makes the point of saying "hey we've got them too, how you like THEM apples", all # breaks loose.

Today an unarmed palestinian was shot dead crossing into israel. They told him to stop and when he didn't they killed him. An unarmed man. So that's the kind of "allies" the USA is willing to protect ... who scream foul everytime one of their dies, but quite happily kills their own share of the innocent, and threatens everyone else in the region with their US financed state, army, naby and airforce.

Bush, stay the # out of other countries affairs ... isn't two ongoing wars enough for you ?