Iran

[13 others]

Originally Posted by cavuman1

I am fine if we and the Israelis bounce pebbles. Enough of these theocracies threatening the existence of our species.

From the perspective of a Persian in 1915, or an Iranian in 1953, who would you say was threatening your existence?
Notice any linkage between historical meddling abroad, Iran's theocracy, and today's conflict with Iran?

Wiki:
Anglo-Persian_Oil_Company
AP News:
CIA publicly acknowledges 1953 coup it backed in Iran was undemocratic as it revisits 'Argo' rescue
CIA:
Overthrow of Premier Mossadeq of Iran, November 1952-August 1953
National Potemkin Radio:
How The CIA Overthrew Iran's Democracy In 4 Days

[wondering]

Originally Posted by 13 others

From the perspective of a Persian in 1915, or an Iranian in 1953, who would you say was threatening your existence?
Notice any linkage between historical meddling abroad, Iran's theocracy, and today's conflict with Iran?

Wiki:
Anglo-Persian_Oil_Company
AP News:
CIA publicly acknowledges 1953 coup it backed in Iran was undemocratic as it revisits 'Argo' rescue
CIA:
Overthrow of Premier Mossadeq of Iran, November 1952-August 1953
National Potemkin Radio:
How The CIA Overthrew Iran's Democracy In 4 Days

The curse of oil. The camel herders would still be herding camels if it wasn´t for oil. And the West would have zero interest in the region.

[rattman]

Originally Posted by tartare

Apparently they're already working on a deeper penetrating but smaller, rocket assisted successor to the GBU-43.
I also read somewhere that there's a proven capability to land bunker buster bombs on top of one another in successive strikes to drill down to very deep targets.

There was a video where that looked like it happened in gaza. Think it was the strike where they took out the head of hamas in the bunker

[tartare]

Originally Posted by 13 others

From the perspective of a Persian in 1915, or an Iranian in 1953, who would you say was threatening your existence?
Notice any linkage between historical meddling abroad, Iran's theocracy, and today's conflict with Iran?

Wiki:
Anglo-Persian_Oil_Company
AP News:
CIA publicly acknowledges 1953 coup it backed in Iran was undemocratic as it revisits 'Argo' rescue
CIA:
Overthrow of Premier Mossadeq of Iran, November 1952-August 1953
National Potemkin Radio:
How The CIA Overthrew Iran's Democracy In 4 Days

I'll bite. Personally - yes, I get the history of great power meddling, most recently the US. Yes it's egregious and Machiavellian. Yes, Iran is a proud nation, with a young population of wonderful people, and thousands of years of history and culture
But we are where we are, and where we are is a turning point.
Although this conflict is dreadful to watch, I support Israel's action and am left open mouthed at the IAF and Mossad's execution.
I absolutely believe Iran is close to breaking out, and that there is no way it's current leadership should ever be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon. The country is led by sh!ts.
It would not surprise me in the slightest if B2s are being loaded at Whiteman right now.
Logic would suggest once Iranian Air Defences are fully suppressed, and a ballistic missile threat to US assets in the region is contained, then you send in the USAF to do what the IAF can't.
Repeatedly hit Fordow, the new complex to the South and other sites to destroy the centrifuge halls and entomb them.
Yes, it'll be messy, frightening and will change Middle East geopolitics - but what's the alternative?
A negotiated de-escalation and yet more meaningless promises from the Iranian regime?
I don't think so.

[BBadanov]

Agree tartare

The Israeli retaliations of Mossad hitting Herzbollah's pagers, and the IAF 200-ship strike against Iran on Night 1, have been brilliant executions.
How many airforces could dispatch such a strike force these days - only the US.

Let's see the Persians rise up against their Ayatollah despots.

[tartare]

From a purely selfish point of view - one of my great regrets is that I cannot yet visit Iran to learn more about the country and culture, and may not be able to for another 10-15 years at least, because it is so dangerous for westerners.
Tehran looks fascinating, surrounded by beautiful mountains, great food, literature, history. And a vibrant society, elements of which still defy the despots who rule them.
Visited Israel during the second Intifada. Jerusalem was amazing, and am simply in awe of their air force, defence industry and the Mossad.
So yes, let's hope the Persians do rise up. Maybe we will yet live to see an Iran free of theocracy.

[Asturias56]

"Let's see the Persians rise up against their Ayatollah despots."

It's a long wait - people have been hoping for that since 1979.................

[TWT]

And yes, an uprising has been tried as recently as September 2022 . The theocrats are still in charge, it didn't work out.

[ORAC]

At least 26 KC-135/KC-46 left the USA heading east yesterday. KC-46 inbound Ramstein.

Exercise Atlantic Trident starts today but is already supported by the Mildenhall tankers and European AAR resources _ and in any case would not near anywhere near this amount of assets.

[esscee]

As the US embassy in Israel has been hit, could be a "busy" time ahead.

[ORAC]

Video. Multiple different launch points.

https://x.com/sentdefender/status/1934497912593289650

​​​​​​​Amazing footage showing the launch of ballistic missiles earlier today by Iran against Israel, from the cockpit of a commercial aircraft flying over Dubai.

[tartare]

Originally Posted by Asturias56

"Let's see the Persians rise up against their Ayatollah despots."

It's a long wait - people have been hoping for that since 1979.................

True. And Hafez al-Assad seized power 10 years before that.
Regimes can be toppled. I wonder if there is a Mossad plan to target members of the Council of Guardians?
Or whether they are banking on people doing it for them?
The biggest risk I think is that the window for the US to demolish Fordow will be reasonably narrow - Israel can't sustain this tempo of operations for long.
And it's at that point we're in danger of TACO quite frankly.

[MPN11]

Originally Posted by ORAC

Video. Multiple different launch points.

Bloody Hell!

[rattman]

The tankers are starting to landing the first 3 KC-46 landed at Rammstien, some of the KC-135 landed in the UK

[petit plateau]

Originally Posted by tartare

To be carried by what?
The RAM can carry the GBU-28, but surely that's not enough to finish off Fordow.
That job would require the MOP, only carried by the B2 - and the suggestion is even that may not be up to the task.
Two lengthy EAMs broadcast in the last two days.
And Trump saying they `could' get involved.
I think there is already a plan for the US to join in and finish off the job using the MOPs - as only they can.

Not everything needs to be done from the air.

[lederhosen]

Saw some tankers arriving in Rota southern Spain as well earlier. Tension is certainly rising. If reports of a hit on the US embassy are correct then it’s not hard to imagine possible next steps.

[T28B]

From one of many news sources:

The U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv has sustained "minor damage" after an Iranian missile landed close to the building in the early hours of Monday, said the U.S. ambassador to Israel.

That would suggest that either the embassy was not targeted, or, if it was that the missile didn't quite hit the target.

[Bob Viking]

US Embassy

I’m sure there are people in both camps who wish it had hit.

BV

[CurlyB]

I am baffled with this thread...

Clear evidence that Iran aren't building nuclear weapons...

Clear evidence that it was the Americans which put an end to Iranian democracy...

Israel fired the first shot and is being led by a war criminal...

Just look at the facts! It's clearly an unjust war which we're paying for

[Asturias56]

Ahhh - if it only were so easy........................ all sides (there are never only two in the Middle East) have a lot of previous.