Iran test-fires long- and medium-range missiles

[Ladywriter 7,783]

U.S. officials, political candidates condemn exercise

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran test-fired nine long- and medium-range missiles Wednesday during war games that officials said were intended to show the country can retaliate against any U.S. or Israeli attack, state television reported. The test-firings were widely condemned in the United States, notably by the White House and the two main candidates for the presidency.

The exercise was being conducted at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which about 40 percent of the world's oil passes. Iran has threatened to shut down traffic in the strait if attacked.

Oil prices jumped on news of the missile tests, rising $1.80 to $137.84 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by afternoon in Europe.

Gen. Hossein Salami, the air force commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, said the exercise would "demonstrate our resolve and might against enemies who in recent weeks have threatened Iran with harsh language," the TV report said.

Footage showed at least six missiles firing simultaneously and said the barrage included a new version of the Shahab-3 missile, which officials have said has a range of 1,250 miles and is armed with a 1-ton conventional warhead.

That would put Israel, Turkey, the Arabian peninsula, Afghanistan and Pakistan within striking distance.

"Our hands are always on the trigger and our missiles are ready for launch," the official IRNA news agency quoted Salami as saying Wednesday.

U.S. officials told NBC News that U.S. intelligence had detected only seven Iranian missiles — six short-range and one longer-range Sahab 3. The officials said that analysts have yet to verify Iran's claim that the longer-range Sahab had a range of 12,000 miles.

they're being threatened, the tests are a logical response

they were not nuks

[slippers 3,168]

they're being threatened, the tests are a logical response

Iran has threatened Israel before but I agree with that. The US just meddles in with everyone, making things worse. ;;

[Ladywriter 7,783]

okay I'm feelin ballzy tonight... Israel starts shit and then relies on their allies mostly us to back them up. We are their army and our media is totally manipulated by them

[Zepling 100]

Ballsy: yes

Correct: I believe so.

Israel has the second largest army in the world (and have lots o' weapons) and is much more capable of holding it's own than the U.S. gives them credit for. They have more capabilities to displace others around them and instigate fights since the people they are always fighting with are much poorer and have fewer resources than them.

EX: http://www.ccun.org/News/2007/September/15%20n/10%20million%20Palestinians,%207%20millions%20of%20them%20%20refugees,%20450,000%20internally%20displaced,%20a%20new%20Badil%20report.htm

Question: Why is it a big deal Iran to be SUSPECTED of having either uranium enrichment or nukes when Israel messes with more countries more often and it is okay and encouraged by the U.S. for them (Israel) to own them? Iran talks about fucking up Israel but it has never acted on it (that I know of). Israel on the other hand, messes with other countries but it's okay for them to have anywhere from 75-200 nuclear warheads...WHAT? And what about when Israel attacked Syria because they suspected that they had a nuclear reactor site?????

The way the U.S. portrays Israeli vs. Palistinian vs. Lebanese conflict is extremely biased and omits any side of the story that isn't favorable to Israelis. WTF? A lot of people would look at what I wrote and call me anti-semitic...but I'm not in reality. I just don't think our portrayal of that situation is fair. America is hyper-sensitive about offending Israel.

EX:

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article962.shtml

But Israel submitted "Beaufort" instead -- and made the final five for this past Oscar ceremony...HUH? How come Palestine could not submit in 2002, but Israel was allowed to submit a movie in 2007. . .In 2005, Palestine's movie Paradise Now was nominated but again, why no love in 2002? Could it be because it was only a year after 2001 and we didn't want to "deal with them thar Arabs????" Hmmm.

[slippers 3,168]

I think the world finally had it and lost sympathy to Israel, and their constant bitching about holocaust, when Israel ravaged defenseless Lebanon to shreds. I hate to see violent, rising anti-semitism in Europe, though, which is happening again sadly.

http://www.adl.org/Anti_semitism/anti-semitism_global_incidents_2008.asp

[Ladywriter 7,783]

Wow talk about protesting the wrong way

I know I have had it with Israel and us constantly giving them millions, protecting their sovereignty when they swiped the land to begin with, their control of our media and politics.... grrr

I don't agree with going around pounding on anybody because of their religion but the people of Israel are just as guilty as the morons who jumped the Jewish kids in the articles.

Our military calls it blow back and thats just whats happening

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Israel could fuck up anyone in the middle east, That's why everyone talks big but does nothing. They could completely annihilate the Palestinians and push them out of the country all together if they knew there would be no repercussions. If Iran attaked Israel, Iran would be burned to the ground pretty much. They only reason this doesn't happen is because of all the Superpowers, and their interest in oil. There would be a very severe energy crisis of the middle east went into full blown war. WWI is the reason the Middle East is the way it is. After it was all said and done, a bunch of guys took a ruler and pencil and drew lines all over Mesopotamia and you have what we see on the map today.

There were so many secret agreements about who would get what between so many countries on both sides when the war was won, this was the final solution to it. Total disregard for culture and ethnicity. Iraq shouldn't even exist. The Ottoman Empire should have been allowed to collapse on itself as it eventually would have and that way countries would have formed naturally out of it.

[Ladywriter 7,783]

Sing it brother

I wonder how much less of an influence they'll have if/when we get off of fossil fuels. I doubt much will change the US is by foreign investors.

[Kite 3,263]

Israel could fuck up anyone in the middle east, That's why everyone talks big but does nothing. They could completely annihilate the Palestinians and push them out of the country all together if they knew there would be no repercussions. If Iran attaked Israel, Iran would be burned to the ground pretty much. They only reason this doesn't happen is because of all the Superpowers, and their interest in oil. There would be a very severe energy crisis of the middle east went into full blown war. WWI is the reason the Middle East is the way it is. After it was all said and done, a bunch of guys took a ruler and pencil and drew lines all over Mesopotamia and you have what we see on the map today.

There were so many secret agreements about who would get what between so many countries on both sides when the war was won, this was the final solution to it. Total disregard for culture and ethnicity. Iraq shouldn't even exist. The Ottoman Empire should have been allowed to collapse on itself as it eventually would have and that way countries would have formed naturally out of it.

i have to agree

also with reguards to Israel blowing the shit outa lebanon, i dont blame them,

if you walk up to a guy, bigger, meaner and better trained then you in the school yard, puch his gut, you dont have no right to complain after he beats you to a pulp.

Israel has one of the worlds best armies, and a weapon arsonal to arm kids who arnt even born, israel could wipe out the middle east. but for the reasons DX said they wont / cant

iran and countries dont need the US or any single country interferaring in their affairs, they need the whole world to get the united nations to actually pull thumbs outa there ass, and have some serious sit down with countries like iran and israel, and just come to an arrangement,.

no one will benefit the way things are going