Support NeoGAF

[MIMIC]

Iran says has military might to deter any attack

TEHRAN, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Iran has the military might to deter attacks against it, its defence minister said in remarks published on Tuesday, one day after U.S. President George W. Bush said he would not rule out military action against Iran.

Ali Shamkhani said the Islamic Republic, which has seen U.S. forces topple regimes in neighbouring Afghanistan and Iraq in the last three years, did not fear attack.

"We are able to say that we have strength such that no country can attack us because they do not have precise information about our military capabilities due to our ability to implement flexible strategies," the semi-official Mehr news agency quoted Shamkhani as saying.

[...]

Bush said on Monday that Washington would not rule out military action against Iran, which he labelled in 2002 an "axis of evil" member alongside Iraq and North Korea, if it was not more forthcoming about its suspected nuclear weapons programme.

[...]

"Iran has no fear of foreign enemies' threats...as they are very well aware that the Islamic Republic is not a place for adventurism," the ISNA student news agency quoted influential former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani as saying.

Bush's comments followed an article in the New Yorker magazine on Sunday which said U.S. commando units were conducting secret reconnaissance missions inside Iran to identify hidden nuclear and chemical sites for possible future strikes.

Reuters

Bush has already said that he can't rule out military action against Iran about their suspected nuke programs.

He needs to reconsider.

 

[gofreak]

Not ruling it out doesn't mean he's actively considering the possibility. I don't think he can rule it out if only because it represents a strong card in diplomatic negotiation.

 

[MIMIC]

Not ruling it out doesn't mean he's actively considering the possibility. I don't think he can rule it out if only because it represents a strong card in diplomatic negotiation.

Well, Bush said the exact same thing in regards to Iraq in 2002 (that he can't rule out military intervention, he wants to pursue things diplomatically, etc.)

As for North Korea, I don't think they've even hinted at EVER attacking them (but I might be wrong).

 

[Jim Bowie]

I'm actually saving money as we speak to flee to Canada in case of the draft being reimplimented. This means I have to work much harder, much faster.

 

[dem]

Im pretty sure Canada isnt safe for draft dodgers anymore...

 

[gofreak]

Well, Bush said the exact same thing in regards to Iraq in 2002 (that he can't rule out military intervention, he wants to pursue things diplomatically, etc.)

As for North Korea, I don't think they've even hinted at EVER attacking them (but I might be wrong).

I agree that Iran is more likely to suffer military action by the US sooner than N. Korea ever might. But I doubt they've clearly made up their minds about this yet. I think their hoping the fact that they say such things about Iraq before the war might now scare Iran, so it could still be purely a diplomatic/posturing stance.

Also, military action in Iran could, and probably would, be different from military action in Iraq. I think they'd play it "safe", not have a major ground offensive. It'd be a much tougher ground war than Iraq was, and the US public probably wouldn't take that (although I do begin to wonder post-November etc.)

If it does happen, though, I can foresee major problems in America.

 

[Jim Bowie]

Im pretty sure Canada isnt safe for draft dodgers anymore...

Why do you say that?

 

[Azih]

There's 2 or 3 Iraq draft dogers up here that are having a tough time of it. They're fighting their cases in court right now and the judge presiding hasn't allowed some evidence to be used (I think evidence pointing out that the Iraqi war was illegal... thus legitmising the draft dodgers).

:sigh: The current Liberal government is a pussy, I can't believe I want Cretien back.

 

[dem]

Im fairly certain Canada has an agreement with the USA that they'll send dodgers back now...


A little googling prooves me right.

"In December 2001, Canada and the US signed a “Smart Border Declaration,” which could be used to contain would-be draft dodgers. The declaration involves a 30-point plan which implements, among other things, a “pre-clearance agreement” of people entering and departing each country. "

 

[DonasaurusRex]

Bush needs to shut the fuck up this time, we dont have the right to tell another country what weapons it can have. And he sends his troops into wars and then stops halfway thru wtf is with him, either send in your army and annihilate or dont send em at all. I swear if he starts to fuck with Iran he can get SARS and die.

 

[Jim Bowie]

That's certainly troubling news. Could one perhaps enter Canada for education related purposes BEFORE having your draft number drawn without facing legal action?

This is simply out of curiosity, mind you.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Reuters

Bush has already said that he can't rule out military action against Iran about their suspected nuke programs.

He needs to reconsider.

"So, what our Iraqi Shiite brethren have been saying is, is that they're completely occupied in Iraq for at least 5 years? And he's completely blowing smoke up our skirts in that press release? Sweet. Release our own wang-waving press release! We'll show Dubya how it's really done!"

 

[Willco]

That's certainly troubling news. Could one perhaps enter Canada for education related purposes BEFORE having your draft number drawn without facing legal action?

This is simply out of curiosity, mind you.

YOU ARE GOING TO IRAN. DO NOT PASS TORONTO. DO NOT COLLECT $200 CN.

 

[Azih]

That's certainly troubling news. Could one perhaps enter Canada for education related purposes BEFORE having your draft number drawn without facing legal action?

This is simply out of curiosity, mind you.

Well there's a difference um, these guys are deserters not dodgers (they were signed up and fled). If it comes to a draft then Canadian public sympahty will probably force the Liberals to be accomodating. Like I said, the current govt are complete wusses.

 

[Doth Togo]

Im pretty sure Canada isnt safe for draft dodgers anymore...

Yep. The new draft age is either late 20s or early 30s now, men and women alike.

You do realize, however, that you could seek political asylum in Canada and avoid the draft. That being said, you'd loose your American citizenship and become a Canadian. Hell, it'd work just fine with me as I love Toronto and Vancouver.

 

[bishoptl]

My basement is FULL. Go stay at Mike_Works' apartment or something.

 

[AssMan]

Bush isn't THAT stupid to go to war with Iran........at least I hope he's not, because do you know how much america would hate him for that?

 

[Doth Togo]

Bush isn't THAT stupid to go to war with Iran........at least I hope he's not, because do you know how much america would hate him for that?

48% would hate him.

The rest would support him as it is WHAT JESUS WOULD DO.

 

[Jim Bowie]

YOU ARE GOING TO IRAN. DO NOT PASS TORONTO. DO NOT COLLECT $200 CN.

Oh well. Better brush up on my ethnic slurs, jingoistic know-how, and dying.

 

[TomthebombServo]

Yep. The new draft age is either late 20s or early 30s now, men and women alike.

You do realize, however, that you could seek political asylum in Canada and avoid the draft. That being said, you'd loose your American citizenship and become a Canadian. Hell, it'd work just fine with me as I love Toronto and Vancouver.

They could forcibly draft women now too?

And I'm almost 26, thought I was almost in the clear.

 

[Saturnman]

Draft dodgers should try their luck in Europe instead.

 

[Azih]

But Europe gets all the games and movies late.

 

[Saturnman]

This is the 21st century, Azih. People download their movies for free and before they are released.

 

[gofreak]

But Europe gets all the games and movies late.

You can always import. Cheap dollar and all makes this good. You're just a power adaptor away from timely entertainment releases!

 

[Macam]

Bush needs to shut the fuck up this time, we dont have the right to tell another country what weapons it can have.

I'd agree, but nuclear weapons is a wholly different matter, particularly with Iran. Of course, Bush holds a miserable nuclear proliferation stance with conflicting messages, not to mention an abysmal record with international relations on the whole, and that's something he has yet to remedy with any real success. I wouldn't worry too much about military action however; the situation specifically in Iran makes it difficult to even execute precise military attacks on the reported nuclear buildup and with both our military being too stretched out, a record setting deficit, and international support at one of its lowest points in recent times, the pressure will likely be too strong for the administration to even readily consider military action. Of course, Bush excels in ignoring real world data and logic, so it's not totally off the map, but I would be surprised if he resorted to military action without tremendous pressure from within Congress to rally international support and impose sincerely severe economic restrictions on the weakening state of Iran.

 

[Azih]

but I would be surprised if he resorted to military action without tremendous pressure from within Congress to rally international support and impose sincerely severe economic restrictions on the weakening state of Iran.

Man that's exactly what people were saying in the very early days of the buildup to the Iraq war :lol. Creepy.

 

[Doth Togo]

One way, or another, I'm gonna find ya... I'm gonna get ya get ya get ya get ya
One way, or another, I'm gonna see ya... I'm gonna see ya see ya see ya see ya

 

[MrAngryFace]

Then once Iran is gone we can make a giant church of GOD or whatever and all sit around and sing about how great god is despite allowing this kind of shit to happen.

Tell ya what, if I were god id come down here and hit the white house with a rolled up newspaper. "no! bad bad"

 

[Macam]

Man that's exactly what people were saying in the very early days of the buildup to the Iraq war :lol. Creepy.

I say it only given present circumstances. Despite Bush's so-called "mandate", the fact of the matter is that any sympathy and good will we had following the Afghanistan campaign has been lost and revoked because of Iraq; to repeat that mistake would be cataclysmic in my opinion. We cannot afford another unilateral war either in military terms of financial ones; it's only been by the tampering of Asian banks that the dollar hasn't slipped further against other currencies and our deficit grows with every passing day. Furthermore, despite Republicans controlling the House and Senate, moderate Republicans have recently shown to be somewhat unwilling to go along with some of the president's initiatives, so I'd be rather amazed if Bush managed to float an Iranian attack anytime soon.

Granted, to quote a bumper sticker, he is a punk ass chump, so I suppose anything could happen. Sigh.

 

[U.2.K. Tha Greate$t]

HAHAHAHA, Man is never gonna learn. Still laughing at the world for sure, it dont stop.

 

[DCharlie]

"Yep. The new draft age is either late 20s or early 30s now, men and women alike."

it always baffled me....

Bush was insistant that there wasn't going to be a draft, yet despite that assurance, lifted the draft age to 30-something.

No draft... but increase the draft age?? *rubs chin*

The US military is stretched as it is - adding Iran in there would be a nightmare.
Also, i don't think the US public would take kindly to the casualty figures - remember , Iran apparently has nukes. So i'm pretty sure that a good few thousand US troops will be lost if they are deployed. Hell, in a slightly worrying move, what if Iran say "oh, fuck this - with all the US troops amased in Iraq, lets make the ultimate sacrifice for Allah (of the Iraqi people) and just nuke everyone in Iraq."

Think about it - they could theoretically wipe out the majority of the US army.

But Bush being the utter genius that he is as probably thought about this though right? RIGHT???

Either that or he knows they don't have any nukes and is just being the lying fuck he was over Iraq.... again.

 

[Malleymal]

honestly where is the information on the draft age being raised??? I never heard this and was happy that i was inching close to 26... I dont get how there was no chance of there being a draft, but now a law was passed to make the age higher.... Im not going...

 

[Shinobi]

"In December 2001, Canada and the US signed a “Smart Border Declaration,” which could be used to contain would-be draft dodgers. The declaration involves a 30-point plan which implements, among other things, a “pre-clearance agreement” of people entering and departing each country. "

Boy...the timing for that deal was pretty conveniant wasn't it?

And BTW, there's plenty of room in my basement for draft dodgers. Just bring a hot American girl or two up with you. And be prepared to deal with some mice.

 

[Macam]

The US military is stretched as it is - adding Iran in there would be a nightmare.
Also, i don't think the US public would take kindly to the casualty figures - remember , Iran apparently has nukes. So i'm pretty sure that a good few thousand US troops will be lost if they are deployed. Hell, in a slightly worrying move, what if Iran say "oh, fuck this - with all the US troops amased in Iraq, lets make the ultimate sacrifice for Allah (of the Iraqi people) and just nuke everyone in Iraq."

Think about it - they could theoretically wipe out the majority of the US army.

That's not a realistic option. Utilizing a nuclear weapon, or even threatening to by Iran, would suggest that they have successfully developed a nuclear weapon, something that has not been confirmed and that they've only been actively pursuing; we should be careful not to confuse the two. Moreover, the sheer consequences of using a nuclear weapon would not only pave the way for a return use of force of the same caliber, but the economic sanctions that would occur, let alone the use of force in turn, would effectively destroy Iran. It is not the corrupt government officials that often make the "ultimate sacrifice for Allah (God, etc.)" but rather the poor and disenfranchised or religious radicals.

Bush is not wrong for not ruling out military action, but it's certainly ill advised at this point.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Bush is not wrong for not ruling out military action, but it's certainly ill advised at this point.

Exactly. Although thousands reside next door in Iraq; they are in no position to do anything to Iran.

Also, you have to factor in the Hardliner variable. The Iranian clerics are very mindful that with each passing year, the youth grow in number and exposure to Western ideas. Releasing newsbites like this rallies the troops, no?

 

[NLB2]

If the US goes to war with Iran without any direct attack on the US or foreign US assets by Iran, Bush will get a bullet in his head.

Sure, killing Bush may not solve anything, but he will surely be assasinated.

 

[Socreges]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/994298.cms

MOSCOW: Russia defended its nuclear partner Iran on Tuesday, saying Tehran's nuclear programme was entirely peaceful, a day after Washington said it would not rule out military force against the Islamic Republic.

Russia and the United States are at odds over Moscow's construction of a nuclear power plant in southern Iran. Washington believes Tehran is seeking nuclear weapons and could use Russian technology to acquire an atom bomb.

US President George W Bush said on Monday he would not rule out military action against Iran if it was not more forthcoming about its suspected nuclear arms programme.

But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed worries that Iran - a key nuclear energy market for Russia in the Middle East - had a secret nuclear arms programme.

"I have no grounds to believe that the situation will get out of control and that the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme will be changed," he was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency on Tuesday.

"Russia and Iran have a specific dialogue going on to make sure Iran's nuclear programme stays entirely peaceful and raises no questions," he said.

Russia started building the Bushehr nuclear reactor for Iran in the early 1990s but the $1-billion project has dragged on for more than a decade for technical and political reasons.

So, if it's so peaceful, then why exactly are they holding anything back?

 

[Mandark]

And BTW, there's plenty of room in my basement for draft dodgers. Just bring a hot American girl or two up with you. And be prepared to deal with some mice.

An American pacifist, in order to avoid the draft, flees to Canada. But the only person offering to give shelter is taking women only. So he must assume the identity of a woman, all the while deflecting his host's advances and avoiding the mounties!

Tell me that's not a goldmine waiting to happen.

 

[Shinobi]

:lol Not quite what I had in mind...