"Five Iranian Weapons of War Israel Should Fear" Topic

"Israel has its hands full at the moment in Gaza. But Gaza's rockets aren't the only thing that keep Israeli strategists up at night. Last week, the nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 were extended into late November. A deal is still a very real possibility. But failure is, too. There's broad agreement across the Israeli political spectrum that letting Iran get the bomb is an unacceptable risk. Many in the Israeli national-security establishment, particularly around Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have entertained the notion of an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities if diplomacy fails and Iran makes a move toward the bomb. Iran would surely retaliate.

Iran has a problem, though. If you've looked at a map lately, the Islamic Republic doesn't share a border with the Jewish state. They're more than 550 miles apart at their closest, and the two countries' cores are nearly one thousand miles apart. That's a big challenge for Israel, whose powerful air force would have to fly to the limits of its range just to reach Iran's nuclear facilities. But it's a bigger challenge for Iran, whose air force, held back by decades of sanctions, is far too feeble to break into Israel's well-defended airspace.

Iran's response to these challenges has been to develop a range of tools, many of them underhanded, that would allow it to hit Israel back. But not all weapons are created equal. Prior lists in our "Five Weapons" series have tried to rank weapons systems not just by how advanced they are or how widely they were used. After all, an advanced weapon might be too expensive and draw resources away from other systems, reducing overall military effectiveness (see Germany in the Second World War). A ubiquitous system might not be very good, also cutting its utility. And a weapon that doesn't have a good crew behind it might as well not be good. But so many of Iran's tools are highly asymmetric and highly secretive. Their impact on the strategic balance is the only criterion we can rely on. So what can Iran count on to mitigate the risk of an Israeli strike—and to hurt Israel if it does attack?…"
Full article here
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Amicalement
Armand

Well, the title of this posting doesn't even begin to suggest that anyone at all should fear the Israelis' reported 200+ nuclear warheads.

Probably because the Israelis have never targeted civilians as a matter of course and don't advocate the destruction of another country…probably.

There are many, many people in the Middle East, and around the world, who want the conflict to continue, for various ethnic, political, economic, and religious reasons (and I lay the blame at the feet of all three Abrahamic religions).

Sadly, I think the youngest TMPer will be very old before true peace comes to that area, unless it's the peace of the grave.

@jpattern2

I suspect things will settle down as alternative energy displaces oil. Without oil money to bankroll the conflict, and with more internal strife in the countries with oil dependent economies, the whole Jew-Muslim thing won't be that important.

In general I agree, Quaker, which is one reason I strongly support alternative energy research and investment.

But the hatreds in that area stretch back long before oil was discovered. Add to the equation the Christians who are waiting for, or actively working toward, the Second Coming, and I'm not hopeful.

Still, I once felt that way about Norhtern Ireland, so . . .

Bluey Fezzy right off the bat, you guys….

If you're referring to piper909 and DN Jackson, you probably have a point. But if you're referring to Quaker and me, I disagree completely.

Neither of us is attacking one side or the other on any grounds. The ongoing strife in the Middle East is a simple (!) case of many generations of irrational human hatred, exacerbated by ethnic, political, economic, and religious differences and tensions. That's a simple fact, not an opinion, and I believe stating an opinion is the point at which a TMP discussion crosses over into Blue Fez territory.

Iran should fear the IDFs existing nuc inventory … Don't know if gaming IDF nuc strikes on Persia would be much of a game … maybe a solitaire game …

I'm surprised no one is discussing dealing with the root cause of the conflict, e.g. Iran, and all the weapons they've funneled to Hamas and Hezbollah over the years.

Seems to me that needs to be dealt with ASAP, if there is to be any peace in the region.

Iran, and all the weapons they've funneled to Hamas and Hezbollah over the years.

And money. Don't forget the money. When you're in the business of "resistance", like the leadership of Hamas and Hezbollah, there's no profit in peace.

The "Palestinians" (a people since 1947?) are, regrettably, tools at best. Very useful for regional powers to hold up as objects of pity, just as Israel acts as a great foil. Does a great job of distracting citizens in the Gulf from a wealth inequality that makes the absurd one in the US look reasonable by comparison.

jpattern2, oil has very little to do with it all. I don't see it as a factor in the rise of ISIS. Qatar and Europe are the main backers of those guys.

(Energy independence over 'alternative energy'. I'll take what works, thank you very much.)

These articles are kind of funny.

They don't add nothing new but just feed into modern internet society's obsession with lists.

Israel has enough nuclear capability to annhilate Iran. And they have enough conventional capability to destroy the Palestinians and Hezbollah if they took their gloves off (i.e. not wage war using modern rules).

Anyone who says Israel doesn't target civilians needs to watch the news. That said regulars here will be amused to know I've had two arguements on Facebook with people describing Israels' action as genocide…..

Yes, stu, and some may think the IDF learned lessons for the Nazis (!!!!) … But as I have said many times before, urban guerilla warfare is generally very costly for both sides. As I have said before, in closed terrain, none of the insurgents are wearing a uniform, shooting and explosions occuring, it's hard to be surgical. And of course as I have said before if the IDF wanted to commit genocide. With the small area the Palestinians occupy, with all the IDF firepower of all types … They could turn the place into a moonscape. Now that would be genocide. However, I'm not dismissing some IDF troops may have nothing but distain for HAMAS/Palestinians. Going back for generations. Which is accurately said for both sides generally … So it's not surprising when bullets are flying, things are blowing up, etc., some troops may not be too circumspect about shooting and blowing things when all hell breaks loose. And we also know, guerillas/insurgents/etc., freely hide among non-combatants. For a number of reasons … it's almost doctrine … This war business is messy to say the least …

I've been hearing in the media that the Gazan's have "nowhere" to hide from the onslaught.

Seems to me there are so many "attack tunnels", those are being under-utilized by them, since they are so numerous, deep (100+ feet in many cases), and lined with concrete.

A shame they didn't use all the money and concrete they've received from the USA to build underground shelters for their people, instead, like the Israelis have done.

Ah well, I guess we can just chalk that up to differing strategies, e.g. Israel wants to protect their citizens, while Hamas wants them to be at ground zero to increase their casualty count.

Seems to me the former is a bit wiser, and more humane.

Yes, it is too bad, it appears much of the money given to the Palestinians from the US and many other countries does not go to something other than trying to kill Israelis …