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U.S. bombs Iranian nuclear sites

bbc.co.uk

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Re: U.S. bombs Iranian nuclear sites

#731

Post by ben_w »

epolanski wrote: post #537
cakealert wrote: post #465

Iran never had the deterrent North Korea had. And by being a theocracy they heavily skewed any threat calculus against themselves. What they were doing, inching towards nukes, was a horrible move. In their position, you either sprint covertly and not play at all. I suspect that after their nuclear program was discovered and set back they fell victim to the sunk cost fallacy and convinced themselves they could repurpo…

> Iran never had the deterrent North Korea had. I feel very conflicted about what's happening. On one side it is clear that no country should give up their WMD projects. You lack that deterrent you get attacked, as simple as that. Libya, Syria, Iraq gave up their WMD projects eventually got bombed/attacked. > What happened today likely saved millions of Iranian lives. That's speculation. Since you name NK that's a cl…

> That's speculation. Since you name NK that's a clear example of a country having nuclear deterrent actually saving the region from a conflict.

So, I have an honest (non rhetorical) question: Was NK saved more by having their own nukes, or by sharing a land border with China who has nukes and doesn't want the US getting involved in the area?

Re: U.S. bombs Iranian nuclear sites

#732

Post by Findecanor »

tptacek wrote: post #23

I think Netanyahu belongs in prison, and Trump, the less said the better, but: couldn't have happened to a nicer unauthorized weapons-grade uranium enrichment facility dug into the side of a mountain hours outside of population centers. If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading up on the GBU-57 "bunker buster" bomb, because it is some Merrie Melodies Acme brand munitions. It's deliberately as heavy as they c…

> I think Netanyahu belongs in prison

For those who didn't know: There are multiple charges of corruption against him, which he is probably guilty of. But as long as he can lead Israel in a state of emergency, he can have those delayed, or perhaps even work around them.

This new war against Iran also diverts attention away from what is happening in Gaza. The starvation has entered a new critical phase. The populace has been concentrated, so they can no longer work the fields. The number of sites that are handing out food aid have been greatly reduced, and dozens of people are killed every day by Israeli soldiers while they are trying to get to the sites.

Re: U.S. bombs Iranian nuclear sites

#733

Post by amelius »

Findecanor wrote: post #732
tptacek wrote: post #23

I think Netanyahu belongs in prison, and Trump, the less said the better, but: couldn't have happened to a nicer unauthorized weapons-grade uranium enrichment facility dug into the side of a mountain hours outside of population centers. If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading up on the GBU-57 "bunker buster" bomb, because it is some Merrie Melodies Acme brand munitions. It's deliberately as heavy as they c…

> I think Netanyahu belongs in prison For those who didn't know: There are multiple charges of corruption against him, which he is probably guilty of. But as long as he can lead Israel in a state of emergency, he can have those delayed, or perhaps even work around them. This new war against Iran also diverts attention away from what is happening in Gaza. The starvation has entered a new critical phase. The populace h…

ICC also has an arrest warrant against Netanyahu.

Re: U.S. bombs Iranian nuclear sites

#734

Post by ujkhsjkdhf234 »

Before the election, I had conservatives telling me that Trump is anti-war and the world will be more stable under him. The war in Ukraine he promised to end is still ongoing, Gaza is still being bombed to nothing, and now US is kicking off war against Iran. I don't understand how you all keep falling for it.

Re: U.S. bombs Iranian nuclear sites

#735

Post by zac23or »

austin-cheney wrote: post #705

I see a lot of nonsense in the comments. Here are the facts: 1. Iran may or may not have been building a nuclear weapon. US intelligence says they were at least 3 years away. 2. Iran did not attack Israel. Israel attacked Iran. 3. Iran did not attack the US. The US bombed Iran only because Israel asked the US to do so.

> Iran did not attack Israel. Israel attacked Iran.

Hamas, Houthis and Hezbollah are supported by Iran.

Re: U.S. bombs Iranian nuclear sites

#736

Post by christophilus »

v5v3 wrote: post #721

I am confused. Iran knew USA would come along one day, and they knew the max capability of the bombs they would drop. So why did they not go a lot deeper/reinforce to a level where the b52 payloads cannot reach.

How do we know they didn’t? I’d be surprised if this is actually one and done.

Re: U.S. bombs Iranian nuclear sites

#737

Post by quonn »

epolanski wrote: post #537
cakealert wrote: post #465

Iran never had the deterrent North Korea had. And by being a theocracy they heavily skewed any threat calculus against themselves. What they were doing, inching towards nukes, was a horrible move. In their position, you either sprint covertly and not play at all. I suspect that after their nuclear program was discovered and set back they fell victim to the sunk cost fallacy and convinced themselves they could repurpo…

> Iran never had the deterrent North Korea had. I feel very conflicted about what's happening. On one side it is clear that no country should give up their WMD projects. You lack that deterrent you get attacked, as simple as that. Libya, Syria, Iraq gave up their WMD projects eventually got bombed/attacked. > What happened today likely saved millions of Iranian lives. That's speculation. Since you name NK that's a cl…

> You lack that deterrent you get attacked, as simple as that

No you don't, unless you're a dictatorship (including all the examples you gave).

Re: U.S. bombs Iranian nuclear sites

#738

Post by samrus »

czhu12 wrote: post #611
jameslk wrote: post #508

This is not the end. This is the beginning of another Iraq war, set up exactly the same way: claiming, with dubious proof, an imminent risk from weapons of mass destruction. Iran’s options here are to bomb US bases, which are a lot closer by, mine the Strait of Hormuz, blow up oil infrastructure in nearby countries who are harboring US bases. This might risk Iran a much larger war but the alternative of doing nothing…

I could be wrong in the end, but my read is that there really isn't the appetite anywhere near the levels during post 9/11 or cold war to enter a war. Not in the US, and likely not in Iran either. Its hard to think of a full scale war that was started by the U.S. that didn't have popular approval at the time it was launched.

that read would have predicted the US not bombing not bombing iran, and yet here we are. the current administration doesnt care what people want. trumps own base is against and they'll still do it. the "nothing ever happens" bet is not looking likely. with the calculus trump and netenyahu have shown, this looks like its heading towards US boots in iran

Re: U.S. bombs Iranian nuclear sites

#739

Post by kkarakk »

v5v3 wrote: post #721

I am confused. Iran knew USA would come along one day, and they knew the max capability of the bombs they would drop. So why did they not go a lot deeper/reinforce to a level where the b52 payloads cannot reach.

pretty basic - they know they have no chance of hiding from the US. so they go plausibly in reach but outside of being casually bombed by missiles from israel. the moment they go deep US will go after them hard.

Re: U.S. bombs Iranian nuclear sites

#740

Post by ExoticPearTree »

PeterHolzwarth wrote: post #533
jameslk wrote: post #508

This is not the end. This is the beginning of another Iraq war, set up exactly the same way: claiming, with dubious proof, an imminent risk from weapons of mass destruction. Iran’s options here are to bomb US bases, which are a lot closer by, mine the Strait of Hormuz, blow up oil infrastructure in nearby countries who are harboring US bases. This might risk Iran a much larger war but the alternative of doing nothing…

Dubious proof?! Iran has been blatantly pursuing nuclear weapons for decades - and the west (along with much of the rest of the world and the middle east) has been working to counter it the whole time. Remember that in the middle east, Iran is considered a dire enemy.

> Remember that in the middle east, Iran is considered a dire enemy.

It's a dire enemy because they're Shia and the rest (with some exception in Eastern Saudi Arabia) are Sunni.

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