That's really all I wanted to say. But I got it from this article on Iran from tomorrow's WSJ so I figured I'd post it.

Iranian Missile Test
Escalates Tensions
By CHIP CUMMINS and JAY SOLOMON
July 10, 2008; Page A1

Iran said it test-fired a series of long- and medium-range missiles, escalating the saber-rattling over its nuclear program and frustrating U.S. officials who have cited glimmers of progress in recent weeks.

A state-issued photograph showed four missiles firing simultaneously. Officials said in state media that the barrage included a new version of the Shahab-3 missile with a range of 1,200 miles, enough to hit Israel.


The Iranian missiles mark the latest in a series of conflicting signals from Tehran to confound U.S. officials. The Wednesday test appeared to be a response to Israel's reported trial run in early June for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. But it wasn't clear what message Iran wanted to send about recent United Nations efforts to jump-start nuclear talks. (Please see related articles on Iraq1 and the U.S. presidential campaign2.)

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other Washington officials responded cautiously, stressing their desire to avoid a military conflict with Iran.

The test rattled oil markets, sending crude prices higher, though they later retreated on news that U.S. gasoline inventories rose unexpectedly last week. Oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow entrance to the Persian Gulf abutting Iran, accounts for roughly 40% of all globally traded supply.


Last month, members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany offered new economic incentives in exchange for Iran freezing its uranium-enrichment activities. Top Iranian officials, such as Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, have suggested Tehran might accept the incentives as part of a new diplomatic track.

In another encouraging sign, the day-to-day commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said Wednesday that attacks involving Iranian-made rockets and mortars have fallen sharply.

Iran's shifting political factions, which include hard-line opponents of the U.S. and more moderate elements, sometimes make it hard to tell who is calling the policy shots in Tehran.

"Interpreting Iran's domestic debates is always a humbling business," said Undersecretary of State William Burns, the State Department's point man on Iran, addressing Congress. He said it's hard to tell where the recent nuclear overtures will lead, but "it is well worth the effort to explain and publicize what we are putting on the table."

Mr. Gates said the tests underscored the seriousness of Iran's long-range missile aspirations but did not bring the country any closer to a military confrontation with the West.

"I think what we're seeing is a lot of signaling," he said, adding that the administration would continue to pursue a "diplomatic and economic" approach.



Iran is currently conducting war games in the Persian Gulf, and U.S. forces just completed their own exercises there. The test-firings come amid a string of recent comments by Iranian officials that they would retaliate forcefully against any military attack on their nuclear facilities. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful and aimed at producing energy for civilian use.

U.S. military officials recently described the Israeli military exercises in early June, saying they appeared to be practice for an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities in the city of Natanz.

A senior Iranian official said earlier this week that Iran, if attacked, would retaliate against Tel Aviv and the U.S. Fifth Fleet, operating in the Persian Gulf and based in Bahrain. Iran would deliver a "crushing response," said Ali Shirazi, an aide to Iran's leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to the Iranian news agency ISNA.

Iranian officials have also warned they could retaliate against any attack by disrupting traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. The Persian Gulf is dotted with oil-producing platforms and crowded with tankers laden with crude bound for global markets. American commanders said their training exercise, which ended Tuesday, was aimed at countering threats against the Gulf's energy infrastructure.

Israeli officials responded to Wednesday's missile test by attempting to soften the tone of recent rhetoric. "Israel seeks neither conflict nor hostilities with Iran," said Mark Regev, the spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. "But the entire international community must be concerned about the Iranian nuclear program and the Iranian ballistic-missile program."


The White House called the development of ballistic missiles "completely inconsistent with Iran's obligations to the world." But it said in a statement from National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe that it remained "committed to a diplomatic path" with Iran.

Iran's response to the incentive package has been noncommittal. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, is expected to fly to Tehran to discuss the offer and Tehran's response later this month.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama said the tests showed the need for diplomacy with Iran. "We have to make sure that we are working with our allies to apply tightening pressure economically on Iran at the same time as we start engaging in the kind of direct diplomacy that can lead them to standing down on issues like nuclear weapons," Sen. Obama said in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America."

Republican candidate Sen. John McCain said in a statement that "working with our European and regional allies is the best way to meet the threat posed by Iran," and he said the tests showed the need for missile-defense systems.

The U.S. and U.N. have slapped a series of economic sanctions on Iran over its refusal to halt its nuclear program. The incentives now being offered to Tehran include help in developing Iran's civilian nuclear program and economic assistance.

They did another set of tests this morning. This is getting a little serious all of a sudden....

Do we not have a "Iran is going to cause World War 3" thread?

Discuss.

We do, but it's nothing you'd consider for anything other than laughs.

Spoiler: show

Don't fuck with Germany!

hahahhahaah

its their right to test

is it their "right" to send some of those missiles into israel?

says who? who gives them the right? because they have invisible borders and call themself a country?

but yah, test away. the minute they use one of them they will be blown off the planet.

I wasn't sure if you had been around here long enough to get that, but I'm glad you did.

I actually have no idea what you're talking about but I default to "hahahahahhaha" as to not alert anyone of my ignorance.



(the blush should be on the main page)

Every other country uses that rationalization... It's called sovereignty

The internationally recognized, sovereign government of Iran may do it wishes within the confines of it's borders. They know very well that they have the world by the balls between their ace terrorist squads and massive oil reserves, and since we didn't invade North Korea, Pakistan, India, Israel, Brazil or any of the other countries that have developed medium range nuke-capable missiles, we won't do shit here but saber-rattle.

I was personally a big fan of Obama's response. We can't win in Iraq militarily, but we sure could wipe out Iran if we wanted to.

This is somewhat true. We can't win the Iraq war unless we start fighting like a war and not a police state, though thye may not need us there much longer. Iran can be wiped off the map using conventional warfare, the US could wipe any nation of the map. The problem is that Iran can fight back, and asymmetrically pwn us.

I mean, yeah, Iran only has ICBM's. They surely couldn't do anything to us. It's not like 19 men didn't take down the world trade center and blow up the pentagon or something. Surely Iran is a pathetic state that couldn't touch us.

ICBMs aren't even needed. Short-to-medium range missiles, tipped with chemical or biological agents, could be loaded on cargo ship and fired from international waters into NYC, Philly, or Baltimore. Our missile shield won't protect us, and if they attempt an EMP, as has been rumored recently, what do we do then?

The time for tough talk with Iran was when the Shah fell. It's too late now, we are too addicted to oil, and someone in power is going to have to admit it before things escalate too far.

if the USA can, Iran is allowed

The USA also invades countries and nation builds...is that Iran's right too?

the thing is, not a single country should be allowed to invade another nation, only IF TOTALLY NECESSARY (not the case most of the times)

if the USA is doing that for decades, and nobody does anything to stop (including the american people) why the other countries cant do the same? the usa doesnt have any more right than Iran, Iraq, Brazil, Bolivia or any other fuckin nation

ok i guess theres some real bad english there, but i need to go to bed
bye bye