Are we hours away from war with Iran??

Originally posted by blobby
sigh Blair lets us down again as usual, if Maggie T was still in we would've been bombing Iran by now into submission, but no we need to talk to the terrorists like iamanidiot Iranian president who is a terrorist don't forgot he was part of the terror group who help the USA people hostage.

It took several days for Maggie to put a task force together and another month before it was on station. Give the Government time. Beside's, it's the weekend..

Originally posted by blobby
I feel embarrassed to be British at this time, as we really seem to be light footing around and showing no old British backbone, it just amazes me how things have come to this.

We do not know what is going on behind closed doors. The fact that Blair hasn't made any comment could speak volumes. He will make a speech when he has clear options available to him. He already has had the FS Margaret Beckett demand publicly the release.

Originally posted by blobby
I really think our bombers should be in the air heading toward Tehran and warn Iran about it and give them the ultimatum return our soldiers to us before our bombers reach you and our bombers will return peacefully if not kiss Tehran goodbye.... I bet our soldiers would be returned so fast we wouldn't be able to blink before the got returned.

What bomber's?

We don't have that many aircraft on station out there and the one's we do are very likely to be shot down by Iran, giving them more hostages. We only have Tornado's and the like out there which wouldn't last too long in the air on their own.

Originally posted by blobby
Also does anyone non Western posting here understand that we British are over there under rules from the UN and that if this is not solved fast not only will it be UK vs Iran it will be UK, EU, USA, Israel VS Iran and probably Syria, and as our Empire is better we will crush your Empire into the ground. Is it true that a French aircraft carrier is moving up? oh yes France is part of EU and an ally of UK. Also the positioning of those rockets by Syria recently looks pretty suspect after this has happened doesn't it?

We shall have to see about the prospect of war. i hope we won't be so rash as Israel was last year. This is not the fault of the Iranian people, so we should work to try to avoid punishing them for their idiotic leader's actions.

Originally posted by stumason
We shall have to see about the prospect of war. i hope we won't be so rash as Israel was last year. This is not the fault of the Iranian people, so we should work to try to avoid punishing them for their idiotic leader's actions.

The longer this goes on then expect the calls for some sort of military operation to come. But it depends what Mr.Brown thinks because Blair isn't going to be here soon and you cannot go to war if the Prime Minister is about to be changed (or will Blair use this as a reason to stay longer? hmmm)

I give Iran to Friday, a week is a long time in international politics. If troops are not back in our hands, we should punish Tehran...by force if needed.

Originally posted by infinite
The longer this goes on then expect the calls for some sort of military operation to come. But it depends what Mr.Brown thinks because Blair isn't going to be here soon and you cannot go to war if the Prime Minister is about to be changed (or will Blair use this as a reason to stay longer? hmmm)

I give Iran to Friday, a week is a long time in international politics. If troops are not back in our hands, we should punish Tehran...by force if needed.

It's unusual to see you so jingoistic, infinite. I know where your coming from, mind you. I'm just not so keen on poking the hornet's nest that is Iran. If they get uppity about any action we may take, alot of poo will fly in the ME and many more will die. That's not to say their not deserving of an op to secure the relase of our guys (and girl) but we must tread carefully before acting in haste.

Blair still has 7 months left, so plenty of time to organise something. Maybe he will get his legacy after all?

Originally posted by stumason
It's unusual to see you so jingoistic, infinite. I know where your coming from, mind you. I'm just not so keen on poking the hornet's nest that is Iran. If they get uppity about any action we may take, alot of poo will fly in the ME and many more will die. That's not to say their not deserving of an op to secure the relase of our guys (and girl) but we must tread carefully before acting in haste.

Blair still has 7 months left, so plenty of time to organise something. Maybe he will get his legacy after all?

The thing is, Iran has no intention for peace and has no plans to use diplomacy to gain co-operation with the United Nations, EU, etc. Why should we keep giving them a second,third,fourth chance?

We in the UK tend to be pushed about and ignored on the international stage after Iraq and its time to show that we are serious and can operate without American influence. We've led the debate on Iran and we helped push it through the UN.

If we come down hard on Iran, the government will get scared and cave in. The people of Iranian will demanded change if the threat of war is put on the table. Many Iranians voted for moderates and liberals in their local/mid term elections. The spirtual leader of Iran does not support the President and has accused him of trying to gain more power.

Plus, Iran has been a threat to Israel and has threaten to "wipe them off the map". The UK has been gaining more and more influence in Middle East now, Israel turns to us more now than America. Both Israel and Iraq need to be defended and protected from Iran.

Military action needs to be used.

Originally posted by infinite

We in the UK tend to be pushed about and ignored on the international stage after Iraq and its time to show that we are serious and can operate without American influence. We've led the debate on Iran and we helped push it through the UN.

Thing is dude, we can't actually mount any serious expedition WITHOUT America. It's the way our force structure is setup. I detailed this on one of the other Iran Captures Brit threads.

The best we can do on our own is Spec Op's to rescue them. Anything more and we at least have to have American logistical support and probably air cover. Iranian SAM's are quite capable of taking out any of the few combat aircraft we have in the Gulf.

EDIT: I might add they are quite capable of taking out most types of US aircraft too, but they have some to spare

[edit on 25/3/07 by stumason]

Originally posted by stumason
Thing is dude, we can't actually mount any serious expedition WITHOUT America. It's the way our force structure is setup. I detailed this on one of the other Iran Captures Brit threads.

The best we can do on our own is Spec Op's to rescue them. Anything more and we at least have to have American logistical support and probably air cover. Iranian SAM's are quite capable of taking out any of the few combat aircraft we have in the Gulf.

The yanks will give us support, its obvious they will. Maybe not committing imtroops, but its like we will recieve some air support, etc.

Problem regarding sending Spec Op's. Foreign Office Minister Lord Triesman believe the troops are being moved around Iran meaning that its impossible for us to know where they are. A rescue operation is going to be difficult.

Originally posted by infinite
The yanks will give us support, its obvious they will. Maybe not committing imtroops, but its like we will recieve some air support, etc.

Problem regarding sending Spec Op's. Foreign Office Minister Lord Triesman believe the troops are being moved around Iran meaning that its impossible for us to know where they are. A rescue operation is going to be difficult.

I agree there.

In fact Condoleeza Rice has flown back to the Middle East in an attempt to coordinate peace....

It's much more likely she is there to coordinate British and US forces...

Crisis combination in the Middle East

The US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has flown back to the Middle East in her latest attempt to broker peace in the region.

But with the conflict in Iraq now four years old, prospects of reaching agreements among the various factions in the Middle East appear remoter than ever.

You hear a lot of talk about war in the Middle East at the moment.

There was so much of it when I was in Beirut last month that it started me wondering. Was this what it felt like to be somewhere like Prague in about 1934?
Source: BBC NEWS

The UK and the US are the strongest of allies... always have been always will be.

What happens to one happens to both.

I would prefer if we (the UK) could keep our sovereignty but, If I had to choose between joining a united states of Europe or joining the united states of America I would choose USA every time...

All the best,

NeoN HaZe.

Remember, last time British troops were taken by Iran...I don't think the Prime Minister spoke out. He has this time.

(please correct me if I am wrong)

The British government is now taking a hardline, the Prime Minister has got involved and has declared the act as a "unjustified" and the whole incident has now be declared a "very serious situation".

It obvious that we won't go it alone. Thanks to successive governments not giving a crap about our armed forces, we do not have the manpower available at the moment to be an effective lone fighting force in Iran.

We dragged the US into Kuwait to save our oil interests, the US dragged us into Iraq, now its time we drag the US into Iran

We have always been one combined millitary force since WW2. The Anglo-American army if you wish

We can't let a nation such as Iran, the prime sponsor of terrorism, the proxy nation pulling the insurgency and civil war in Iraq, who refuses to cease its Nuclear program despite the entire UN demanding it does so, and now a nation that is dubiously capturing British military personnel who were working under the jurisdiction of the UN, get away with it, time after time. How many deadlines have passed without any serious action? They don't feel the West has the bottle.

[edit on 25-3-2007 by Peyres]

[edit on 25-3-2007 by Peyres]

Well, Iran has 60 days to comply with the new UN sanctions, if it doesn't and the British troops are still in Tehran then I feel we shall be going to war.

British Government: Patience is running thin

[Skynews]

Yes Tony Blair's just said theres no doubt at all the 15 service personnel captured were in Iraqi waters and not in Iranian waters, and that we shall see what happens in the next 2 days.

this is some of what he said:

Iran says they were trespassing in its waters, but speaking at an EU summit, Mr Blair denied this was the case.

Iran's detention of 15 Royal Navy personnel is "unjustified and wrong", Prime Minister Tony Blair has said.

"It is simply is not true that they went into Iranian territorial waters," Mr Blair said.

Listening to the words coming out of the British camp, its quite clear.

British Government is now starting to get tough with Iran, we probably were happy to admit to disputed water claims but it seems we've had enough now.

IF Iran was to put the British troops of TV, then diplomatic ties will end (Even though it looks like that way now)

Originally posted by infinite
Listening to the words coming out of the British camp, its quite clear.

British Government is now starting to get tough with Iran, we probably were happy to admit to disputed water claims but it seems we've had enough now.

IF Iran was to put the British troops of TV, then diplomatic ties will end (Even though it looks like that way now)

Ending of ties usually leads to confrontation.....

Damn and bugger it.....

Originally posted by stumason
EDIT: I might add they are quite capable of taking out most types of US aircraft too, but they have some to spare.

Iran has no confirmed S-300 batteries. As such their legacy long range SAM's in combination with a few short range tactical systems pose no significant threat to a highly coordinated coalition strike. One involving a high volume of EW/ECM, SEAD/DEAD platforms, cruise missiles and LO aircraft...

Originally posted by WestPoint23

Originally posted by stumason
EDIT: I might add they are quite capable of taking out most types of US aircraft too, but they have some to spare.

Iran has no confirmed S-300 batteries. As such their legacy long range SAM's in combination with a few short range tactical systems pose no significant threat to a highly coordinated coalition strike. One involving a high volume of EW/ECM, SEAD/DEAD platforms, cruise missiles and LO aircraft...

Really? I'm sure I read a report less than 2 weeks ago that said they have taken delivery of them.

I will investigate and get back to ya!

(Obviously if they don't, then their AA cover is alot less effective. We would still take some losses, especially the Tornado's which like to do low-level attacks)

There are reports of Iran having S-300 batteries that date back to 2001 but there are no recent confirmed accounts that they have operational systems. They did however take delivery of some Tor-M1 systems recently, those do indeed pose a threat to low level aircraft.

Ok, seems I got muddled.

They (as far as I can tell) have taken the Tor-M1's, which were meant to provide point cover for the S-300's. The deal for the S-300's was due to be signed in early march, but as yet, it is believed the Russians pulled out of that contract due to growing pressure. That is not to say the deal wont happen, but they certainly haven't got any yet.

(I'll add here that Israeli intelligence did say in 2003-2004 that they believed Iran had 2 S-300 batteries deployed around Tehran. This was unconfirmed though and it is likely these were probably operated under Russian guidance if they exist at all)

So, on the face of it, it would seem Iran has some good point air defences, but no overlapping long range missiles to improve the cover.

Problem is, those good point systems are placed around the targets that we want to attack. The Tor's are also mobile, making life that but trickier.

My opinion:

LOL Iran, America etc dont get their own way and they all go to war, Big surprise.

The leaders of every country should all go to a bar, get really drunk and have a fight after closing, the winner takes all.

I doubt this would actaully ever happen but I find it funny non the less.

And you all trust Tony Blair, who lied to the public about the WMD in Iraq, and who is about to stand down as PrimeMinister??..

God i wish i could punch all of those here on ATS who are "gearing themselves up" for yet another pointless conflict..

"yeh, lets slaughter those arabs, hell yeh!"...

And you wonder why anti-american sentiment is at an all time high!!