Greek TV news on Israeli exercise and plans to hit Iran soon.

[JackRiddler]

Got to see some TV news from Greece tonight.

Greece added 10 of its own planes to the Israeli exercise of 100-plus planes pretending to bomb an area of Greece similar in landscape to the areas around Iranian nuclear facilities. The distance of the exercise target from Israel would correspond to a bombing run on the relevant locations in Iran, and the games included several in-flight refuelings. Greek defense types denied this was a rehearsal for Iran, pointing out that much of the route was over the sea. (Duh.....) An Israeli AF officer was more straightforward, saying that time is running out for Iran, Israel cannot wait much longer for the farce of the international blah blah let's get'em boys! The piece harped on Greece's possible exposure to "terrorism" for cooperating (somehow I think they're fine). It is certainly unusual for Greece to cooperate militarily with Israel, which has in the past done joint exercises with Turkey. The Greek TV news seems to have no doubt a hit on Iran is coming.

By my map, such a strike would have to go over Syria and Turkey or Jordan and Iraq. I'm betting the latter, though maybe not because of the likely reaction in Iraq. But Turkey didn't join the "Coalition" in 2003 and I can't see them allowing this (Syria wouldn't be asked, obviously). It's interesting that US officials were the ones who broke the story to the Times that the Israeli wargames were a rehearsal for hitting Iran. An innoculation, perhaps?

[Fovea]

1. Such a bad idea.

This is the start of a really bad period in human history, I fear.

[JackRiddler]

3. Let's hope it's the beginning of the end of that period, instead.

[Fovea]

4. Amen to that fair prayer, say I

As Big Bill Shaxper would say.

[tama]

2. Right wing gov

Greece has usually had left wing gov's, now they got right wing one. And the right wing does as allways, kisses US arse.

[JackRiddler]

5. kick

Curious.

[JackRiddler]

6. very curious...

[JackRiddler]

7. even more curious...

[jespwrs]

8. Fucking WW3.

This is going to turn out to be a U.S. proxy war via Isreal.

Shit, you think oil prices are bad now...better dust off that old bicycle.

I pray that the U.N., Europe, and Russia step up and try to stop this from happening. They should call for a total freeze of relations with Isreal and the U.S. And if the rest of the Middle East says they'll cut off the oil, that wouldn't hurt either. I know, I know-in my dreams.

[JackRiddler]

10. Unlikely to be by proxy - near-certain the US will be involved in it.

This may be the admin's choice of a back-door strategy for hitting Iran.

Post from another thread:

Iran has a big airforce... I've been thinking...

In practice, this might turn out to be another case of 1 Israeli plane downed (by accident) for 84 Syrian MiGs, like in the 1980s Lebanon conflict. Or not.

The idea of this strike is a huge risk for the Israelis, they'll be 900 miles away from their bases and require multiple re-fuelings.

Israel probably cannot burn the Iranian radar coverage with certainty.

This strike is almost certainly not going to happen without electronic and counter-C3 measures from US forces based in Iraq, and the back-up of the US allowing Israeli jets to land at US airstrips, if necessary.

Follow-ups:

leveymg (1000+ posts)

30. Iran has little in the way of combat aircraft, but they have a lot of shipping missiles
That's where the action would be.



JackRiddler (1000+ posts) Sun Jun-22-08 03:29 PM

32. Hmmm, their logo does not inspire confidence!



The wiki article on the Iranian AF is interesting in this case as a battlefield of differing perceptions and propaganda statements, so that it's been locked and large numbers of planes are listed as "alleged purchases." Do they or don't they have these planes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Republic_of_Iran_A...

You may remember the start of the Gulf War in 1991 when 120 Iraqi AF pilots defected to Iran with their planes, which Iran kept.

[NightWatcher]

9. they're just gonna circle Iran and hope that a bomb doesnt fall off the plane

swine, the lot of them

[bluesmail]

11. This coincides with the Blackhawks flying over Denver n/t

[JackRiddler]

12. Which means?

Did the USG tell the press this was a rehearsal for something?

Did the Greek TV?

Did the Israeli AF spokesman imply a hit was coming soon?

[bluesmail]

13. I wrote 'coincides'...

Please forgive I am perplexed by what you wrote, it is clear to me that perhaps the Blackhawks flying over Denver and the Middle East Mess might be connected as in...martial law..it popped into my mind. I asked a legit question, and I hope you are not trying to provoke me.. :hi:

[JackRiddler]

14. No, my misunderstanding.

I thought you were implying both were inconsequential.

I have no idea about this Blackhawks over Denver action, can you clarify? Thanks.

[bluesmail]

15. The DNC convention is in Denver, ergo Blackhawks have been

seen flying low, against airspace and Denver 'laws'. One witness in Denver said he saw two men with 'machine guns' standing on the outer rim of a Blackhawk as it flew from 'hidden' space to 'hidden' space. (sic). That is an understandable scare. Additionally there are groups like ReCreate68/Limbaugh putting their agendas out before the convention.

[readmoreoften]

16. It wasn't us! Israel did it! (oh but now we have to get involved...)

It's not that we wanted to go into Iran and start WWIII, but well, we just had to.

It was reported on Fox News that Iran started it by having a boat in Israeli airspace or by drilling off the coast of Key West, which is close to Israel. And they were drilling with the help of Mao Tse Tung and Castro financed by Hugo Chavez and the Shining Path (Huey Lewis and the News were just the opening act.) Then Mr. "I am a Dinner Jacket", who Dan Rather types have the nerve to call Ahmedinejad, said in Farsi "Israel only struck us cuz Americans were yellow bellied scaredy cat shit heads."

The Nation ran an article pointing out that you can't have a boat in airspace and that Israel is no where near Key West, but Republicans outside of Florida called the notion "Ridiculous politicizing. It doesn't matter where Key West is--Dick Cheney said it. I believe it. That settles it--and Key West is not only near Israel: it's in Israel." Floridian LGBT groups ran a counter campaign called "Key West is Not in the Middle East". Bill O'Reilly confirmed that Key West was in the Middle East and that the Homosexual Agenda has gotten so ridiculous that now "the gay" is trying to corrupt geography itself.

The New York Times mentioned that Mao Tse Tung is dead and Castro is over 80 years old. Fox News sent them anthrax and Ann Coulter set up a protest of 'the NYT traitors" with a picket line of about 12 people.

Raw Story translated Ahmedinejad's text to "This is unconcionable. The dead fill the streets of this small Iranian town. We will be avenged." However, no one but a handleful of progressive bloggers actually read the article.

Rolling Stone published an interview with Huey Lewis that vociferously denied aligning with Chavez and the Shining Path.