Israel and Iran - Will we see air strikes soon?

Update: According to the Saudi's if Iran is allowed to continue and obtain a nuclear weapon they will be forced to as well, and will have them in a matter of weeks.

http://patdollard.com/2012/02/saudi-arabia-to-buy-nukes-from-pakistan-if-obama-lets-iran-get-bomb/

They are like children, if Iran gets a new toy Saudi Arabia wants one to.

And then next thing you know Iraq will be asking for one, and after that you have to give some to Egypt and Libya.

Sound reasoning. You have a major UK paper, a UN official in a major Israeli paper, and the world's most important intellectual on one side. On the other you have Matt. No offence to Matt, but I'm not sure how you can disregard this evidence? Is it because my name was on the post? Was it because it contradicts a more comfortable view of the events? Please, at least research some evidence to the contrary.

I am going to be absolutely frank here: I've never been a huge fan of Israel's foreign policy. I find it tends to be too aggressive in an area where tensions are running high. However, I will take the Israelis over the Iranians any day of the week.

Hey, did you know that Australia is an Islamic republic, and that Crocodile wrestling is our national sport? You have to take my word on this one, and ignore any evidence to the contrary, no matter how overwhelming. 'Cos y'know, I'm from here.


Interesting side note, the Communist party of Israel (Leninist/Stalinist) is the third largest party over there. So, there are a lot of Israelis who believe Matt is wrong.


Edit: Not that I like Iran.

This just in the Communist party of Israel just won the elections and everyone celebrated.

Name one person who would rather take a bullet than have sex...

I would.

This has been an enlitening conversation. What do you people call yourselves.

While I am totally opposed to another war, a Nuclear Iran truly is one of the greatest threats to Israel. When it comes down to it all must be done to prevent Iran from gaining a nuke. They have said various times how much they hate Jews and how they hurt our world. While these are just words they mean a lot with a nuke attached to them. As a Us citizen I stand with Israel and I support its right to halt the Iranian Nuclear Weapons Program should it continue to exist.

I never said they lacked the capability (As for nukes. I doubt their combined "regular" army could beat the US', especially not with allies involved), I said they were smart enough not to use it against the US, as the only outcome is a destroyed world.

Also, I've been thinking about this, but if Iran were to get a nuke, where would they nuke Israel? Jerusalem? I don't think the Ayatollah would (or even could) do that.

Iran might sell the nuke to terrorist organization that could use it against Israel.

(or did you mean what would they nuke? If you meant that, answer: tel aviv)

1) How do you know there is a nuclear weapons program?
2) Negotiations have started again between the IAEA and Iran, so Israel should patently hold off.
3) Iran wouldn't nuke Israel. That's just inconceivable. It would guarantee the destruction of Iran. It makes more sense that it would be for defensive purposes like its entire military doctrine of deterrence. And how it hasn't invaded another country in centuries backs this up.
4) Israel is infinitely more aggressive than Iran. Israel has nuclear weapons. Israel hasn't signed the NPT. If any state is dangerous here, it's Israel.

To answer your questions:
1. From taking physics I understand that only very specific types of materials can be used for nuclear power and nuclear bombs. While stating that it is for nuclear power, Iran has obtained the material for making bombs specifically. There is no mistaking one for the other: any basic nuclear physicist/engineer could tell the difference.
2. The IAEA is kind of a joke to be honest. I wouldn't hold my breath, but Israel should still wait until negotiations are over before acting.
3. Here's the problem. Their nuclear weapons, and Iran has been becoming more aggressive in the past years. Take their attempts to block the Straight of Hormuz: that would have been a major international crisis that easily could have lead to a war.
4. Look to your third point for the answer to this statement. Israel is more aggressive, but it hasn't used nukes.

Just today Iran announced they had a great breakthrough in their nuclear program. I highly doubt they are talking about energy.

For now.

Iran could sell it to terrorists.

Yet Israel is not gonna use their nukes anytime soon and Iran has repeatedly said they are gonna wipe Israel off the map. Yup Israel is way more aggressive.

I mainly meant the target, yes. But Israel isn't the widest country, nuking it would hurt the surrounding nations as well, I'd assume.

Also, didn't Iran launch a weather satellite? I mean, even if they don't have such a program, they're making themselves pretty damn suspicious. It's like they're provoking an attack.

Yep it would hurt the surrounding nations but most of the surrounding nations are sunni Muslim so I don't think Iran gives a shit. Especially if they give the nuke to a terrorist organization and then claim that Iran had nothing to do with the nuke.

But if they attacked Israel, they'd already be fighting the US as well. The rest of the Middle East joining in would spell disaster.