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Kirata -> The Spider and the Fly... (11/2/2011 10:43:01 PM)
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been doing his best to rally support for an attack on Iran. But, of course, he'd rather that the U.S. do it. And now there's new information that will make our Western "End Times" hawks drool.Report: IAEA 'increasingly concerned' about possible Iran nuclear arms
An International Atomic Energy Agency report, dated and leaked Friday, said Iran continues to defy U.N. resolutions aimed at curbing its nuclear program and cited "increasing" concerns it may be developing nuclear weapons...
"The agency is increasingly concerned about the possible existence in Iran of past or current undisclosed nuclear-related activities involving military-related organizations," the report states. Specifically, it cites "new information" received by the IAEA "related to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile." "The information available to the agency in connection with these outstanding issues is extensive and comprehensive and has been acquired both from member states and through its own efforts," the report adds.
Iran admitted to producing more than 4,500 kilograms of enriched uranium since 2007, almost enough to make four nuclear weapons, according to an ISIS analysis from David Albright, Paul Brannan, Andrea Stricker and Christina Walrond. In the event that the U.S. takes action, Britain expects to be asked to contribute...UK military steps up plans for Iran attack amid fresh nuclear fears
In anticipation of a potential attack [against Iran], British military planners are examining where best to deploy Royal Navy ships and submarines equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles over the coming months as part of what would be an air and sea campaign...
At the weekend, the New York Times reported that the US was looking to build up its military presence in the region, with one eye on Iran.
According to the paper, the US is considering sending more naval warships to the area, and is seeking to expand military ties with the six countries in the Gulf Co-operation Council: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. But here's what I think is the really interesting bit of news...Inside the Ring
"China continues to provide Iran with what could be considered advanced conventional weapons," the report of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission says...
The report also noted that, after Russia began cutting back arms transfers to Iran in 2008, China became the largest arms supplier to the Iranian military. Most of the weapons transfers involved sales of Chinese anti-ship cruise missiles, including C-802 missiles that China promised the United States in 1997 would not be exported to Iran.
China also built an entire missile plant in Iran last year to produce the Nasr-1 anti-ship cruise missile. Does anybody else see a game plan here? Whatever Iran may or may not be doing with regard to obtaining nuclear weapons, it's definitely seeking a confrontation and preparing for it with an arsenal of anti-ship missles. Here's the way I think it looks to play out.
The U.S. and Britain will move warships into the Persian Gulf to support and contain surgical strikes against Iran's nuclear capabilities. But, of course, the strikes will be against locations that are known and susceptible to air attack. All in all, Iran is unlikely to be badly hurt. But, it will have succeeded in drawing the U.S. and Britain into providing it with a large number of expensive targets for relatively cheap anti-ship missles, and an excuse to use them.
After littering the bottom of the Persian Gulf with U.S. and British warships, Iran will (correctly) proclaim a victory. And having demonstrated to the world that it faces a nuclear-armed adversary against which it requires a nuclear deterrance, all further attempts to prevent it from acquiring same will ring hollow.
If Iran does want nuclear weapons, it will then proceed without impediment to build (or reveal) several warheads almost immediately and establish itself as a nuclear power, in either case leaving the U.S. and Britain severely embarrassed and licking their wounds.
K.
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