Mullen: We ‘Will Have to Deal with Iran in the Very Near Future’

[JackLord]

Thats all very fair but my point is, Iran dumping the dollar plays a part in whats driving this situation. I didn't say Iran is interested in the Euro but in removing the dollar, replacing it with other currencies such as the yen, ruble and rial.

Only recently did Iran ask Japan to pay for its oil services in the yen and they complied.

All I'm saying is Iran is slowly ousting the dollar, Americans obviously don't want that and they are scared, also these 'facilities' didn't exactly spring up over night, the programme itself as existed since the fifties, also they do have a nuclear power plant Bushehr I, it will be operational by march this year or so i read and delivering its nations power by march 2009

[BBKing]

War Nerd interviewed, asked about Iran:

I used to be sure there'd be an attack. I said there would and that's one prediction of mine that hasn't come true. What seems to've happened is that the US Military was so angry about the way they'd been misused in Iraq and hated the Bush Administration foreign policy team so much that they started pulling every bureaucratic trick in the book to harass and interdict plans for the Iran attack. In the meantime Iraq went so bad so fast that it actually hurt their morale. Not the real crazies, nothing could affect people like Cheney or Fieth, but they're not getting a lot of cooperation these days.

They are crazy though. They really are. The military keeps telling them there are no good targets, there's nothing to hit, it's all spread out and disguised. But Cheney might do it to show that he could, to prove that the executive branch can do whatever the hell it wants.

Fascinating interview too.

http://bloodandtreasure.typepad.com/...late.html#more

[frogstamper]

Originally Posted by BBKing

Er, Iran doesn't actually have a nuclear plant, they've got some enrichment facilities.

As for Israel bombing it, for one thing there are a number of them (Osirak was six aircraft on one site, five of which hit it), for another they're (post-Osirak) obviously not sitting there on the surface saying 'Bomb Me', they're underground and thirdly Israel didn't have long-range bombing aircraft back in 2003. Their defence needs have hitherto been pretty exclusively based on a radius of a few hundred miles (they don't have much air-to-air refuelling for the same reason). They do now have F-16I and F-15I bombers which can reach Iran, but still only about the western half.

Iran isn't so much interested in the Euro as in China and India, which are very hungry for gas and oil and not too bothered with defending Israel. Holding stuff in Euros, however, is just sensible policy at the moment. I wish we were in it, frankly, with trips to Ireland and Greece coming up.

I seem to remember a while ago it being made public that Israel purchased a consignment of US Bunker Busters, which short of a nuke would be the only weapon capable of destroying an hardened under-ground facility. I haven't heard much since then on the subject, but it would not surprise me if the Israeli's with a tacit nod from Washington, were to launch a strike before the Bush administration leave power.

[ginge51]

When does Bush leave office?

[BBKing]

When does Bush leave office?

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blbushclock.htm

[tweetypie/8]

Originally Posted by ginge51

When does Bush leave office?

not soon enough ginge.