Home > Iran: Putting on the Heat

Iran: Putting on the Heat

by Open-Publishing - Wednesday 27 April 2005
7 comments

Wars and conflicts International

US and Israel covert ops against Iran
– http://www.altpressonline.com/modul...
By Grady Hawkins

As we go to press, prime minister Ariel Sharon of Israel is meeting with President George Bush at the latter¡¯s ranch in Crawford, Texas. Reportedly, Mr. Sharon shared with the president a series of secret satellite photos that revealed exactly how advanced Iranian nuclear technology has become, and how the Iranians are rapidly becoming a threat to the State of Israel. Sharon told President Bush that the Iranian nuclear enrichment program has reached a *point of no return.*

Tehran has not backed off. It has reinforced its determination to maintain its nuclear program regardless of what the United States, Israel, or the European Union demand. The United States continues to be ¡°The Great Satan¡¯ as far as the Iranians are concerned, and the destruction of the State of Israel still appears to be one of the goals of Iranian hard liners. Washington has described Iran as part of the *Axis of evil*. Clearly, another regime change is on the table.

The pressure is on. Who will blink first? The Bush administration and the Israelis are going to make sure that the Iranians attack first.
The Iranian noose is getting tighter and tighter. Tehran is being backed into a corner. Washington and Tel Aviv are upping the ante.

A look at the map shows that Iran is surrounded on four sides. The Americans are building permanent bases in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and can now launch air strikes from both east and west. To the south lies the Persian Gulf, occupied and controlled by the U.S. 5th fleet. The so-called ¡°Petrostans¡± lie to the north. Bought off by Washington, they will allow temporary bases and fly over rights as the need arises and the cash comes in. Reports have surfaced that the United States Air Force has been routinely violating Iranian air space. Unmanned Aerial vehicles have been reported on recon missions inside Iran. American fighter aircraft have been reported flying in from both Iraq and Afghanistan. Their mission is to try to get the Iranians to turn on their radar so the sites can be mapped. The Iranian air defenses forces have been ordered to shoot down any aircraft entering their airspace. Wishful thinking on the part of the Iranians perhaps, but it shows they are willing to pull the trigger if they get the chance

Sources claim that both American and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commandos have actually crossed the border and have engaged in recon missions, spying on military installations and the like. Kurdish special- forces have been reported to be helping the Americans and IDF. No contact with the Iranians has not been reported, but then there are probably no reporters embedded with these units.

More indirect threats against Tehran are also in the news. The Israeli Air Force has admitted to the Israeli press that it has modified a squadron of American F-15 eagle fighters with special long- range fuel tanks. It has also admitted to the purchase of a number of GBU-27 or GBU-28 bunker busting bombs. These are laser or satellite guided once launched from newly renamed F-15I (I for Israel) jet fighters and can penetrate at least 10 meters of earth and concrete. These aircraft have been formed into a special unit called squadron 69. A spokesman for the Israeli Air Force in an interview with Ha¡¯aretz magazine also admitted the squadron was practicing long range bombing missions. The Times of London reported in March that the cabinet of Israeli Prime Minister Sharon has given ¡®initial authorization¡± for an attack during a private meeting at his ranch.

The Sunday Times of London last month broke the story that a battalion of very secret and very elite Israeli commandos are rehearsing an attack on the Iranian nuclear facility at Natanz. Most of the men were from the Shaldag (kingfisher) battalion and working with Mossad agents. The full size mock up is located in the Negev desert. These special ops troops practice attacking from helicopters, marking targets for air strikes, and planting high-explosives on underground targets.

The Israeli Navy has not been idle, or able to keep secrets. The Israeli Navy has three Dolphin class submarines in its inventory. Built in Germany, these boats are small, fast, crewed by only 45 sailors, carry the latest electronics and are armed with torpedoes and cruise missiles. They are diesel-electric boats with a range of over 4,500 nautical miles and an endurance of more than 30 days. Operating in the relatively shallow Persian Gulf under the noses of the Iranian navy would be no problem. And there is no target inside Iran they cannot strike. The Israeli navy has been operating out of a forward operating base in the Dalak archipelago just past the Gulf of Aden in the Red Sea off the coast of Eritrea.

Just a few months ago Tel Aviv announced that it wanted to acquire two more Dolphin class submarines to add to the fleet, adding to the threat against Iran.
Former U.N. arms inspector Scott Ritter and New Yorker investigative reporter Seymour Hersch have both reported that there may be an air strike on Iran as soon as this June.

The United States and Israel can certainly attack Iran when they feel ready. The Iranian s have a handful of F-14 Tom Cats and some front line M-29¡¯s. After the fall of the Shah, the Mullahs purged all western influence from Iran¡¯s military. All western trained pilots were retired, as well as some western technology. American and Israeli losses during a series of air strikes would be minimal.

Clearly, Washington and Tel Aviv want to stampede Tehran into attacking first. This Iranian preemptive attack would be just the excuse the Bush administration needs to launch an all out counter attack, designed to topple the Mullahs and encourage the formation of a pro-western government with no interest in changing to the euro dollar for oil transactions. Stopping Moscow from expanding its sphere of influence is another added bonus.
And the fact that Iran holds the second largest oil reserves on the planet doesn’t hurt.

Forum posts

  • The two evil warmongers are at it again. The rest of the world must isolate them and shun them as one would shun the devil himself. These two countries are addicted to violence and it is up to the rest of the civilized world to stop them.

  • Well, fascinating analysis, Mr. Hawkins. Congratulations, and I must commend you for the lack of political bias. I actually cannot tell whether you are on the side of the Iranians or the USA!

    Actually, there are several other intriguing possibilities:
    1. A Naval blockade of the Straits of Hormuz. Every oil bearing ship would be stopped in its tracks by the US Navy. This has a downside, as some of our allies need that oil. On the other hand, not too many Americans are going to fret if France has to wait in longer lines for petrol.

    2. Fomenting a revolution from within, toppling the Mullahs, and install a moderate pro-Democracy government. Question is, how to accomplish this. The Iranians want the mullahs out, but don’t have a clue how to do it without US help.

    3. Surgical air strikes on the nuclear facilities. President Hamid Karzai has indicated that he wants permanent US military presence in his country, may the Gods look upon him with grace.

    One thing is for sure, President Bush is not going to blink first. He will not allow the Iranians to get a nuclear bomb on his watch, as Clinton did with North Korea. Right under Clinton’s nose. Bush is humoring the Europeans at present, waiting for them to make utter fools of themselves in "negotiations" with the Iranians, and when we are ready, we will make our move. You, the "anti-war" movement certainly are not going to stop us from preventing the Iranians from getting a nuclear weapon with which they can then black mail the world. We will not be a party to any suicide pacts you wish to enter with the Iranians. That is your affair.

    Two events are waiting to happen also: 1, Tony Blair’s party is about to be re-elected, and 2, the French are most certainly going to vote "NON" on the European constitution. According to the Financial Times of London, over 20 polls taken indicate that up to 60% of French will vote NON, much to the chagrin of Jacques Chirac.

    • 4) Minding our own damn business and stop warmongering for the murdering bastards in office here that are busy enriching themselves through their immoral dealings with the world.

      Oh I forgot that isn’t an option until the American people stop supporting the evil fascists who have taken over their country. And that is the best option and the most Christian.

  • Yes of course. You are right. I should learn never to argue with a liberal democrat, in the mold of Michael Moore. The USA is the enemy, I forgot. You’ll have to send me back to re-education camp for more indoctrination. We need to sit back and just wait for the enemy to come and find us, leave our borders open, don’t screen anyone, god forbid we might be offending someone’s sensibilities, and let’s just hope against hope they leave us alone, right? You still can’t get over the fact that your side lost, big time, White House, Senate and H of R. Time to get over it. And judging by your comments, you are poised to lose again in 06, which is just fine by me.

    If your side had its way, Saddam would still be torturing, killing people, dragging them out of their homes in the middle of the night, never to be seen again because they spoke out against him. Had Clinton deposed him, you’d be all in favor of it. Komrade Dan Rather lionized Clinton.
    You’re such a bunc of hypocrites. Never interviewed a single woman who accused Clinton of impropriety, yet has a vengeance against President Bush. Where was the NOW? Real ultra-liberal organization, pro Democrat, huh? I thought they were supposed to stand up for women?

    You’re so weak you don’t even know what you stand for, except abortion, euthanasia and legalized drugs, so we can have more people on crutches sucking the blood out of the rest of us working people who pay for it all. Thankfully, you’re not in control. And wait until we install John Bolton at the UN. We’re going to tear that whole America-hating, anti-semitic, terrorist haven a new ***hole.

    • Let me take a stab at this because it seems that it is a bit difficult these days to have a civil disagreement over our government’s foreign policy without decending into infantile name-calling.

      1. If you have taken the time to exmaine where American naval forces sit in that pond you would realize that they would be sitting ducks for Iranian land based missile batteries in any confrontation.

      2. Why in god’s name do you think a nation of people who have thrown off one brutal American-imposed dictator (yes the Shah was most certainly a dictator) would welcome our noble assistance in enslaveing themselves to another American-imposed puppet regime? It is to our own detriment that we think every nation on the face of this earth somehow needs our assistance in their natural political and social evolution. Where would America as a nation be if in the early 20th century some other morally superior "benevolent democracy" decided it was in American’s best interest if they interceded on the behalf of the millions of American citizen’s (Black,Native-American, etc.) who were living as second class citizens without the right to vote, subject to viscous acts of officially condoned terrorism (lynching, beatins, killings, etc.) and invaded America to hasten the installation of a more just government?. Your arrogance is evident in the statement that the Iranians want to do it (replace their government) but are clueless with benevolent America’s help. Maybe they will do it themselves, in their own way and on there own terms, without our self-interested assistance.
      I would be much more comfortable if we would just admit the truth which is; we want to kill these people and subjugate thier countries because we covet their resources( oil!) At least then the assholes that run our government would have to explain themselves as to why we are paying more now for a gallon of oil despite spending 300 billion of the U.S. taxpayers to accomplish the aforementioned goal.

      3. President Karzai? you mean the King of Kabul? He will crumble the minute U.S forces are removed, just like the puppets the Soviets installed. Histroical records ironically shows that they (the soviet puppets) were significantly more succesful in their management of the nation. I hear the poppy crop is at an all time high. So much for the war on drugs.

      The Iranians are doing exactly what they are legally allowed to do under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; they unlike the Israeli’s actually adhere to that. If our government had proof that the Iranians possesed a nuclear weapon or were close to acheiving that they would have trotted it out long time ago (remember Sec. Powell’s infamous Niger "yellow-cake" briefing?). If I were the Iranians I would be working overtime to acquire a nuclear weapon or two. They can see plainly enough what happens to a nation that cannot defend itself against U.S. agression (Irag- we knew damm well there were no WMD’s) and one that can defend itself(North Korea). Our approach is obviously quite different in each case.

      4. Lastly, your side(Reagan, Bush I) did have it their way and did allow Saddam Hussien to torture and kill. It was not until he(Saddam) threatend our source of oil that we became the self-rightous crusaders we are currently masquerading as.Do you notice how our democracy rhetoric is directed solely to the countries we want to either invade or control in some way; no pressure on Pakistan, Usbekistan, Egypt. Do you know how many loan guarantee we arranged for Saddam after he gassed the Kurds? Do you know how many times Rummy shook his hand and did business while he was the henious dictator we knew him to be? What does that make us? hypocrites?, accomplices? The reason we have such a credibility gap even with people that on the face of it should be grateful to us is becuase they see us for what we really are; a bunch of phoney, self-righteous hypocrites who would sell them to the highest bidder if the circumstances require. People judge us by how we act when there is nothing to gain, not when there is obvious self-interest motivateing our thinnly vieled push for "democracy". We don’t want democracy in the Middle East, we want governments that a beholden to us, that we can control. People will always see through our shallow self-interested aims.

    • Let me take a stab at this because it seems that it is a bit difficult these days to have a civil disagreement over our government’s foreign policy with decending into infantile name-calling.

      1. If you have taken the time to exmaine where American naval forces sit in that pond you would realize that they would be sitting ducks for Iranian land based missile batteries in any confrontation.

      2. Why in god’s name do you think a nation of people who have thrown off one brutal American-imposed dictator (yes the Shah was most certainly a dictator) would welcome our noble assistance in enslaveing themselves to another American-imposed puppet regime? It is to our own detriment that we think every nation on the face of this earth somehow needs our assistance in their natural political and social evolution. Where would America as nation be if in the early 20th century some other morally superior "benevolent democracy" decided it was in American’s best interest if they interceded on the behalf of the millions of American citizen’s (Black,Native-American, etc.) who were living as second class citizens without the right to vote, subject to viscous acts of officially condoned terrorism (lynching, beatins, killings, etc.) and invaded America to hasten the installation of a more just government?. Your arrogance is evident in the statement that the Iranians want to do it (replace their government) but are clueless with benevolent America’s help. Maybe they will do it themselves, in their own way and on there own terms, without our self-interested assistance.
      I would be much more comfortable if we would just admit the truth which is; we want to kill these people and sugjugate thier countries because we covet their resources( oil!) At least then the assholes that run our government would have to explain themselves as to why we are paying more now for a gallon of oil despite spending 300 billion of the U.S. taxpayers to accomplish the aforementioned goal.

      3. President Karzai? you mean the King of Kabul? He will crumble the minute U.S forces are removed, just like the puppets the Soviets installed. Histroical records ironically shows that they (the soviet puppets) were significantly more succesful in their management of the nation. I hear the poppy crop is at an all time high. So much for the war on drugs.

      The Iranians are do exactly what they are legally allowed to do under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; they unlike the Israeli’s actually adhere to that. If our government had proof that the Iranians possesed a nuclear weapon or were close to acheiving that they would have trotted it out long time ago (remember Sec. Powell’s infamous Niger "yellow-cake" briefing?). If I were the Iranians I would be working overtime to acquire a nuclear weapon or two. They can see plainly enough what happens to a nation that cannot defend itself against U.S. agression (Irag- we knew damm well there were no WMD’s) and one that can defend itself(North Korea). Our approach is obviously quite different in each case.

      4. Lastly, your side(Reagan, Bush I) did have it their way and did allow Saddam Hussien to torture and kill. It was not until he(Saddam) threatend our source of oil that we became the self-rightous crusaders we are currently masquerading as. Do you know how many loan guarantee we arranged for Saddam after he gassed the Kurds? Do you know how many times Rummy shook his hand and did business while he was the henious dictator we knew him to be? What does that make us? hypocrites?, accomplices? The reason we have such a credibility gap even with people that on the face of it should be grateful to us is becuase they see us for what we really are; a bunch of phoney self-righteous hypocrites who would sell them to the highest bidder if the circumstances require. People judge us by how we act when ther is nothing to gain, not when there is obvious self-interest motivateing our thinnly vieled push for "democracy". We don’t want democracy in the Middle East, we want governments that a beholden to us, that we can control. People will always see through our shallow self-interested aims.

  • With the amount of pressure Israel keeps putting on the US about Iran (never forget they used to get their oil for free from them). I’ve got the horrible feeling "Iran" is going to attack us somewhere, and Israel the real culprit (they’ve done it many a time before to us, been caught and nothing happens to them, we still send them billions and honor their lobbys some of the most powerful in the US after AARP) is going to be cheerleading.

    With the amount of propaganda being distributed in the UK (mushroom pics all over) and the false infomercials (nukes from a Islam nation) being distributed to some regions of the US. It’s all coming together, it just needs that false spark, to get those nasty Arabs.

    When will America wake up?????????