Iran says advanced missiles can target any threat

[Akoto]

Source: Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iran tested its longest-range missiles Monday and warned they can reach any place that threatens the country, including Israel, parts of Europe and U.S. military bases in the Mideast. The launch capped two days of war games and was condemned as a provocation by Western powers, which are demanding Tehran come clean about a newly revealed nuclear facility it has been secretly building.

The tests Sunday and again Monday added urgency to a key meeting this week between Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany - an international front seeking clear answers about the direction of its nuclear program.

Iran's missile program and its nuclear work - much of it carried out in secrecy - have long been a concern for the United States, Israel and its Western allies. They fear Tehran is intent on developing an atomic weapons capability and the missiles to deploy such warheads, despite Iran's assurances it is only pursuing civilian nuclear power.

In the latest exercise, the powerful Revolutionary Guard, which controls Iran's missile program, successfully tested upgraded versions of Iran's medium-range Shahab-3 and Sajjil missiles, state television reported. Both can carry warheads and reach up to 1,200 miles, putting Israel, U.S. military bases in the Middle East and parts of Europe within striking distance.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_IRAN?SITE=NHPOR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[MichiganVote]

1. Nuclear war in the ME is going to occur in 5...4....3....2........

[bbinacan]

2. You dismiss so quickly?

Why?

[Old Hob]

3. Hopefully the fallout doesn't drift over here.

we dont want a bunch of these swimming around in our rivers and streams

[atreides1]

4. M.A.D

Mutual Assured Destruction!!!

[David__77]

5. Hopefully no one violates any country's territorial integrity.

Perfectly sovereign states should be free from aggression and should refrain from committing it.

[G Gordon Libby]

7. Hmmmm...

...I'm thinking of a famous Aerosmith song but I can't quite remember the title. Could you help me out?

[David__77]

8. I wouldn't know about such things.

So I wouldn't know the content of your message.

[PFunk]

9. "Living on the Edge"

I think that's the song title you were looking for. And the lyrics more than fit for todays situations.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

6. is this the WMDs all over again like Iraq?

[boppers]

10. Let's see:

False/distorted media claims about facilities and capabilities: Check.
Hints about weapons with no concrete proof: Check.
"Enemy" was hasn't directly attacked our soil: Check.
Past history of supplying them weapons: Check.
Demonization of leaders: Check.

It's looking a tad similar.

[Rebubula]

11. Difference...

...is that they are claiming to have the capability, test firing rockets and have made multiple statements of intent.

Iraq claimed there were no weapons and usually kept their head down unless prodded.

Iran, mostly Ahmadinajhad and his cronies (we had bush, they have this asshole), is making their own bed in this situation. I sympathize with their people as they are in a similar situation as we were the last 8 years - held hostage by a group of mad men.

[boppers]

13. Iran's not claiming to have nuclear weapons though?

Both Iran, and Iraq, claimed nuclear technology programs...

Test firing rockets, meh. We do that almost daily.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

12. Who is controlling this

I hope the neocons aren't back in force?
I think one has obviously to monitor the situation but Israel would be able to take of Iran anyway. So we aren't needed.