Iranian terror plot intercepted

[Umfriend]

If I were in their position, I'd try and get a few nukes myself. I have potential enemies ALL AROUND me, and enough of them are prepared to use convential weapons against me and if they do I'll not stand a chance.

[RedRed]

Couple of things, Ref France, Dogbert, they have been nuclear specialist countries for years. Iran is (probably) making its first. It does not have help for development from France or Britain (a-la Dimona) so it is unlikely to be able to replicate even 1970's tech at this time. A country moving from a standing start onward still takes over 10 years to build a bomb without busting its self...
Those british small yield nukes are some of the most sophisticated in the world - light (sorta), but also some of the most complicated. Small yield is almost harder to make than big one...


As per MMM, it is an ideological thing. I would also imagine that if powerful enough, and nuke enabled, they would no longer fear attack from the US. They do, and rightly.

Dr M
If you have only a few bombs (and it would take years - even with 10,000 centrifuges, as you know well to accumulate enough weapons grade Uranium) you are not going to 'lend one out' to Hezbollah or anyone else!!! Any chance it is found, and the finger points to Iran, and Iran turns to glass..... Iran would be simply crazy....

On the other hand. If they could get their hands on a Chinese or Russian bomb, then the bets might be off.

[Brian Ellis]

This thread is meaningless. It is a waste of time.

Why?

Because it is founded on pure speculation from start to finish, exacerbated by Iranophobes.

As I'm retired I have time, but do all you guys have enough spare time to propagate scuttlebutt without a gram of verifiable knowledge?

[Umfriend]

Huh? It's our favorite pastime!!

[cjolley]

... do all you guys have enough spare time to propagate scuttlebutt without a gram of verifiable knowledge?

The answer to this seems self evident.

[TransformX]

@ Brian and RedRed

And you assume Stuxnet was invented and built for nothing other than pure speculations, right? Or maybe that the A. Q. Khan is nothing other than a raving idiot and that the help N.Korea was offering to Syria (and thus more than just probably Iran) is in building animal shelters?

[Evildead666]

Stuxnet was a stupid idea, and it gave tools to the enemy. Sweet, just what we needed.

It's called not thinking things through carefully.
Iran just wants to enjoy what many 'western' civilisations have enjoyed for the past few decades.
The ability to have Nuclear power, and from that enriched plutonium for weapons.

All they want is a deterrent from invasion. With a Nuclear weapon, "they" wouldn't dare invade, in the small case the weapon actually worked, and even then, hit a target.

[Jammrock]

If Iran builds the bomb, and tries to use it, first target is Israel. No speculations there.

[Umfriend]

I guess that depends on by whom they get attacked. If the feeling is they're attacked by Suni forces it might be Saudi that gets hit.

[Evildead666]

If Iran builds the bomb, and tries to use it, first target is Israel. No speculations there.

It would be the 1st target, no doubt.

[Brian Ellis]

it gave tools to the enemy.

What enemy? I don't have one.

[Evildead666]

What enemy? I don't have one.

Their enemy. Whoever created the Stuxnet worm, have brought on the possibility of it being used elsewhere.
The sentence I used was badly phrased.

[Umfriend]

It would be the 1st target, no doubt.

So picture this:
- Iran is trying to gain more influence in Iraq (60% Shi'i?) and to get Saudi Arabia to grant Shi'i more rights.
- US has left Afghanistan and a powerfull faction emerges, Sunni, supported by Pakistan. As it comes down on the Shi'i there, Iran provides support, moral and with weapons.
- Afghanistan attacks Iran and Saudi Arabia supports other Suni action against Iran, not only as a result of internal friction with their Shi'i minority but also to get Suni rule in Iraq.

Why on earth would Iran do a nuke Israel thing then?

[TransformX]

The thing with raving lunatics (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) is that not everything they say or do makes a lot of sense, you know..

[Umfriend]

I'll accept that but then, that is an easy statement. Still, if Iran would feel threatened by forces not linked to the US, hitting Israel would not be a deterrent or retaliation. That, I'd wager, they would realise.

I think many would agree with me, why else would Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and other Suni-Arab countries be worried about Iran getting nukes? Surely not because they could be used against Israel?