Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran

[chiquita]

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.

Full article:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,...10,00.html

[BellisimaJ.]

Wow, that title caught my eye. :blinkie:  The Times could have phrased it a bit differently, but of course they went for the sensational. :  I would have given it a title of "Israel Plans Attack on Iran's Nuclear Facilities". Oh well......

Good catch, Chiquita.


Bolding is mine.

The Sunday Times - World

January 07, 2007

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”.

If they are planning such an attack, I feel certain that it is with US cooperation and encouragement, perhaps even US funding.
It is a thing which the US would themselves like to undertake.

[thentavius]

Wow, that title caught my eye. blinkie  The Times could have phrased it a bit differently, but of course they went for the sensational. Roll Eyes  I would have given it a title of "Israel Plans Attack on Iran's Nuclear Facilities". Oh well......

It did the same thing to me.

I said "oh, sh!t."

[kim]

The body count from the worldwide chaos that follows will eclipse the 130,000 civilians murdered as a result of Bush and Blair's Iraq folly. :

[chiquita]

The use of nuclear bunker busters to accomplish this is part of the plan. Here is an article from the washington post regarding bunker busters.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...02098.html

[mandy]

[quote author=chiquita link=topic=6564.msg39716#msg39716 date=1168203069]
The use of nuclear bunker busters to accomplish this is part of the plan. Here is an article from the washington post regarding bunker busters.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...02098.html
[/quote]

From the article:

Earth-penetrating nuclear bombs would be capable of destroying military targets deep underground, but not without inflicting "massive casualties at ground level," according to a congressionally mandated study released yesterday.

The study's findings reflect a growing scientific consensus that even relatively small nuclear "bunker-buster" weapons -- under study by the Bush administration but strongly opposed by some members of Congress and arms-control advocates -- could not be used without a high cost in human life. Such a bomb could cause more than a million deaths, depending on the yield, the report said.

[BellisimaJ.]

Okay, I don't necessarily think this is a good idea---it very likely is not. But, I do feel that I need to point to a basis for comparison (the lesser of two evils theory, persay). 
If Iran launches a nuclear weapon, which is not unlikely, I somehow think that the casualties would be far greater in number as such an attack would be designed to maximize damage and  casualties.
I  would be interested in hearing any argument to the contrary, though.

The US has already sent US forces via sea,  to the area--------this topic is likely to become more pressing, unfortunately(and our frickin admin doesn't seem to relish the use of diplomacy      ).

It is pretty scary to think about.

[chiquita]

Iran doesn't have a nuclear weapon. They aren't even close to having one. They only have uranium enrichment capabilities.
Israel does have nuclear weapons.
Consider even a limited strategic attack against Iran and the impact on the entire middle eastern region.
Also Iran has tremendous influence in Iraq with religious ties that have been in place for a very long time. That places our soldiers in even more danger.

[BellisimaJ.]

You make some good points. They aren't even close to it? I haven't been paying attention, damn me. :oops: :oops:

Well then, it is absolutely the wrong thing to do!! Boy do I feel        !!


PS//Can I do a Vital and take all the words out of my last stupid post, lol? JK, but wish I hadn't made it. :oops:

[chiquita]

[quote author=BellisimaJ. link=topic=6564.msg39737#msg39737 date=1168211859]
You make some good points. They aren't even close to it? I haven't been paying attention, damn me. :oops: :oops:

Well then, it is absolutely the wrong thing to do!! Boy do I feel        !!


PS//Can I do a Vital and take all the words out of my last stupid post, lol? JK, but wish I hadn't made it. :oops:
[/quote]

You are not stupid silly Belle. Many people believe they have a weapon, it's very similar to what was spun about the WMD's in Iraq.
No editing needed.