Replies to post #6909 on Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Iran test-fires new missile

Thanks, that is big. Also corresponds with Iran's war games and new sub.

pls see:
#msg-10435477

Here is more from another site.

Why do I think Russian technology is in here somewhere?

I didn't mean to take Max's reply got a little excited. What is worse - I even stole his site for this post. I am getting tacky in my old age.


Welcome

-Am

Friday, March 31, 2006

Times Online:
Iran today test-fired a new missile with the ability to avoid radar and hit several targets simultaneously, the air force chief of the Revolutionary Guards has confirmed.

Iranian television described the new weapon as a "ballistic" missile, suggesting it was of comparable range to Iran’s existing ballistic rocket, the Shahab-3, which can travel 2,000 km (1,250 miles) and reach Israel and US bases in the Middle East. The Shahab-3 is also capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

"Today, a remarkable goal of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s defence forces was realised with the successful test-firing of a new missile with greater technical and tactical capabilities than those previously produced," Gen. Hossein Salami said on state-run television.

"This missile can simultaneously hit several targets, has near stealth capabilities with a high manoeuverability, pin-point accuracy and radar avoidance features." READ MORE

Salami said the Iranian-made missile was test-fired as large military manoeuvres began in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian sea. The deployment is scheduled to last a week and will involve 17,000 members of the Revolutionary Guards as well as boats, fighter jets and helicopter gunships.

As Iran is a major oil producer, the war games have contributed to the anxiety on world oil markets over the confrontation between the UN Security Council and Iran over its nuclear programme.

Crude oil futures in London remained above US$66 a barrel on Friday as speculators expressed concern about Iran’s refusal to accept the Security Council’s call for it to cease uranium enrichment. "We’ve seen the market pause a little, but these war games in the Persian Gulf will be watched very closely for any escalation in tension," an oil broker told Dow Jones Newswires.

In Israel, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry expressed his nation’s alarm at news of the latest Iranian missile. "This news causes much concern," said the spokesman, Mark Regev, "and that concern is shared by many countries in the international community, about Iran’s aggressive nuclear weapons programme and her parallel efforts to develop delivery systems, both in the field of ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.

"The combination of extremist jihadist ideology, together with nuclear weapons and delivery systems, is a combination that no-one in the international community can be complacent about."

Iran launched an arms development programme during its 1980-88 war with Iraq to compensate for a US weapons embargo. Since 1992, Iran has produced its own tanks, armoured personnel carriers, missiles and a fighter plane.

Meanwhile, former President Hashemi Rafsanjani said that Iran is willing to sell the weapons it produces at competitive prices. Addressing tens of thousands of worshippers at Friday prayers in Tehran University, Rafsanjani said that the country’s 1980-88 war with Iraq had made it self-reliant in armaments.

"Today, our military requirements - from jet fighters to bullets - can be produced inside the country," he said. "We can provide low-priced weapons to many countries."

http://regimechangeiran.blogspot.com/2006/03/iran-test-fires-new-missile.html

[otraque]

NYT editorial page is running a paid for promotion from something called www.VelvetRevolution.us.

Headline has picture of chart showing that approval rating leaped upwards with the start of Afghan war and leaped upwards at start of the Iraq.
Then it has a banner Job Approval Down To 34%?
TIME TO START ANOTHER WAR
Then they quote a Seymour Hersh insider source "The next strategic target is Iran.It is NOT if, they are going."
Then they quote a Bush adviser that told TIME magazine "Certainly there is going to be a serious showdown on Iran.That may help his numbers a little bit"

Seymour Hersh was only been seriously wrong once,and in that case he immediately rushed out and exposed his error.
Because of my own feeling on nature of the presidency and Hersh source, i am of the feeling the decision for war has already been made.
This missile action fits into the frame work of Ahmadinejad wanting to bait Bush into attack---that he wants this.
There is no reason to fire this missile now except to provoke Bush into rash action.
And, in my view, the firing shows Ahmadinejad is calling the shots.
Think about it
If they want the U.S. to attack, what would they do; they would do exactly what they did today, to fire a missile that can evade radar detection.
When your opponent is giving you all you need to whip up the herd into, see they are dangerous, yes we support the Prez,ATTACK.
One best step back and ask why.
Ahmadinejad, i believe knows exactly what he is doing, the fish will be the ones that swallow his baited hooks, imo.