Fuck. Iran has started "war games." Escalation may only be expected.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

I think Bush may get close to his armegeddon yet.

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=iran+war+games&btnG=Search+News

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/752617.html

Tehran holds war games


TEHRAN, Aug 19: Iranian armed forces held a massive military manoeuvre on Saturday to test new weapons and tactics against a potential enemy, state television reported.

The first stage of ‘Zolfaghar Blow’ commenced in Sistan-Baluchestan. The manoeuvres will continue in 15 other provinces.

The army’s chief commander said the country should be ready for possible attacks by the United States and Israel.

“The enemy has gone insane because of the capabilities of Lebanon’s Hezbollah. And given the insane enemy’s history, we should always be prepared,” Maj-Gen Ataollah Salehi was quoted as saying by IRNA.

“The main objective of this operation is to adopt up-to-date tactics and use new equipment to be able to respond to possible threats, enabling us to confront the enemy in several fronts in the country,” Brig-Gen Kiumars Heydari said.

According to the report, the manoeuvre tests a new anti-aircraft strategy to “make the air space insecure for the enemy,” while using different types of helicopters, fighter planes and land forces warfare. “We have been alert and watching the world’s developments and we have invested in both modern tactics and equipment,” Brig-Gen Heydari said.—AFP

http://www.dawn.com/2006/08/20/top15.htm

[Swamp Rat]

1. THEY sure are trying to make it happen.

:hide:

[kentuck]

2. How do you know?

Was it reported on American media? That alone is reason for skepticism. It is doubtful that what they are reporting is totally true.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

3. they just said it on CNN...

For what that's worth.

[pinto]

5. Thanks, disregard my post.

[pinto]

4. Just an aside. An info link would be good for discussion purposes.

Thanks.

[seemslikeadream]

7. war games

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/752617.html

Itanian TV shows 10 missiles launched
State-run TV showed 10 missiles being launched from mobile
launching pads. The missile testing came a day after Iran launched a series of large-scale military maneuvers geared at introducing the country's new defensive doctrine.

Iran said its new military exercises launched Saturday are being held in 14 of the country's 30 provinces and could last as long as five weeks.

Iran has routinely held war games over the past two decades to improve its combat readiness and to test equipment such as missiles, tanks and armored personnel carriers. But the new tests, in the wake of the Lebanon-Hezbollah fighting, seemed certain to create new tensions with the West.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

8. Sorry, just heard in on CNN... Googled and there are many sources...

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/752617.html

[Dover]

6. Iran has much to defend...... U.S./Israel/Britain have much to lose.

If you are referring to the shellings in Northern Iraq.
Turkey has joined forces with Iran and now Syria against the Kurdish PKK because the U.S. has not been willing to address their repeated requests for assistance (U.S. caught in the middle, though this Kurdish group was labeled 'terrorists' by the U.S.). In fact Iran and Turkey have been doing this shelling of Kurdish strongholds for several months already.

On edit: thanks for the links.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

9. Unfortunately, this seems to be a new development. n/t

[Dover]

11. Thanks.......just saw the link.

Not surprising. It sure seems that the U.S. et al intend to invade.

[charlie and algernon]

10. wow, just googled it, you're right

damn the msm for not covering this escalation. we truly are at the beginning a MAJOR freaking war

[Alacrat]

12. I blame bush for all of this shit

but the pres of Iran is absolutely hell bent on war. I keep thinking this will die down, but daily he throws fuel on the fire. IMO bush thinks he is the man for the job, and if he doesn't handle it, it won't be taken care of, so in his mind he is obligated to go to war. I think the world as we know it, as screwed up as it is, is going to get a whole lot worse, and we have a new baby. What kind of world will he grow up in? How do I tell him what it used to be like?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

13. Welcome to DU... Ala... From Alabama? Me too.

[Alacrat]

16. Sure am, Greetings to you also, Thank you

Where?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

18. NA n/t

[lovuian]

14. They have the money the oil and the manpower

I hope the World is ready for this...

[Taxloss]

15. "Zolfaghar Blow" is a name to conjure with.

Deviant sexual practice? Hashish variant? Who knows?

[Warpy]

17. I understand they've also been taking artillery pot shots

along the border with the Kurdish area of Iraq. That's where the escalation is really going to happen.

They've had troops massed at the border for two years, with good reason. That they haven't used them as anything but defense speaks very well of them.

[KoKo]

19. The Chimp has met his match in "Rhetoric." Once he started his Texas

Cowboy "Kill 'em" "Wanted Dead or Alive" and posted pix of Saddam's sons and the bedraggled Saddam supposedly humiliated and stuffed in a hidy hole in the desert... and then Zarqawi...the whole ME (except Israel)knew he was a Thug of the kind they could deal with without batting an eyelash. So now we have Olmert and Ahmanadinejad, Nasrallah and everyone who thinks he's a laughing stock waving their fists at him and using the same rhetorick the Chimp uses thinking he's intimidating his foes.

After watching the interview in full 90 minutes with Ahmanadinejad and Mike Wallace I got the impression that there was an "actor" sitting there who found Chimp a fool and just enjoys playing the foil to his "Emperorship."

Bush has brought out everyone to laugh and show off their military wares because he made a fool of himself and us. We will not be a voice for peace or have any diplomatic credibility in the world for decades after this Scum in the White House has left. I wonder if we will have much of anything left...but let's hope that those who taunt the Chimp have more sense. I kind of think they do, in spite of the posturing. Olmert, Blair and Bush should hang their heads in shame over their foolery.

[scarletwoman]

20. Why is practicing DEFENSIVE tactics an escalation?

The only countries openly threatening OFFENSIVE operations are the U.S. and Israel. Iran has been openly and repeatedly threatened with attack for 5 years -- why SHOULDN'T they be making defensive preparations?

WE know the neocons are itching to bomb Iran -- Iran knows it too. It's only common sense that they strengthen their defensive capabilities. Are they supposed to just let themselves be bombed without fighting back?

It is the ultimate absurdity that those who are actually doing the threatening will accuse the country being threatened of "escalation". And worse that so many people accept this inversion of reality without question.

War is peace. Defense is escalation. Geeeeze...

sw