Iran And The Bomb: U.S. Keeps Options Open
NPR / Mary Louise Kelly
24-Aug-2009 (26 comments)

Aside from the question of whether such an attack is remotely politically palatable for Americans at home or U.S. allies abroad, there are serious practical challenges to consider. Iran's nuclear and military facilities are spread across the country, and the nuclear sites are believed to be buried deep underground. But Wald says U.S. bombs could hit them. "There are new weapons that have been developed. They're coming along pretty quick. There's a 30,000-pound penetrator [bomb] that the Air Force is getting ready to field, that penetrates quite a bit," he says.

The bomb, known as the "massive ordnance penetrator," is designed to destroy deeply buried targets, such as hardened concrete facilities and tunnels.

But the question remains whether the U.S. knows enough about Iran's nuclear facilities to sufficiently attack and set back the program. Iran is believed to maintain undeclared, clandestine sites.

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by timothyfloyd on

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vildemose

How bizzare! but I find

by vildemose on

How bizzare!

but I find the evaporation of my comments very amusing while I explained what I meant by doosti-khaleh kherseh and even apologized for any misunderstanding...


IRANdokht

Final point

by IRANdokht on

Vidermose: all I see is what I saw before: Your insulting comments where you accused me and insulted me and finally called me paranoid and angry.All because I picked "just for Iran" to add to my post's title.

I am done with this news article at this time that it's completely derailed and became personal attacks on me.

Thank you all for reading the article and commenting. I do hope that there will be no military attack on Iranian cities and Iranian people. 

IRANdokht


vildemose

Irandokht: Do you see my

by vildemose on

Irandokht: Do you see my response where I tried to define doosti-e-khaleh kherseh and the last one when I said, there is no cure for misunderstanding given the peculiar nature of  Internet??


vildemose

I can't see it on my

by vildemose on

I can't see it on my computer. Maybe it's my computer?? I don't know how I can fix it.


IRANdokht

I see all your comments here

by IRANdokht on

I see all your comments here. I also see all my responses to them.

IRANdokht


vildemose

very interesting. I hope

by vildemose on

very interesting. I hope it's just a computer glitch that wiped out a whole slew of my comments.


vildemose

what happened to all my

by vildemose on

what happened to all my comments?


IRANdokht

are you sure this time?

by IRANdokht on

You call me khaleh kherseh and tell me that I accuse people of being MKO or Neo-cons, you insinuate that I try to support and prolong the reign of IRI by concealing the nature of the regime. You tell me that you won't stoop as low...

When I get upset because of all the insults and lies, you call me paranoid and tell me I have anger issues, then you change your mind and tell me you have no problem with me and we want the same thing?

are you sure?

IRANdokht


vildemose

Irandokht: I did not say

by vildemose on

Irandokht: I did not say that you're a supporter of IRI. I know that you are not.

We both want the same thing for Iran. So, it's really not an issue.


IRANdokht

it's IRANdokht

by IRANdokht on

You dare me to reveal who you are after I said I don't know you?

For Gawd's sake!

you think I have anger issues? read what you wrote to me, what you're insinuating and then tell me who are you to stab at people and blame them for reacting?

IRANdokht


vildemose

Irandokht: Have you thought

by vildemose on

Irandokht: Have you thought of taking some anger managment classes?? You take yourself too seriously!

I will not sink to your level and continue this silly conversation because it only feeds your anger issues and I can't have that on my conscience.

 


vildemose

Irankdokht: Why are you so

by vildemose on

Irankdokht: Why are you so offended? Why do you think you're holier than thou??

However, I dare you to publish my "previous work"?


IRANdokht

subliminal insults require no guts

by IRANdokht on

"Irandokht: you're too sensitive and perhaps paranoid and I mean that with all due respect.


I know one thing for certain, if you're really interested in Iran not getting bombed in the long run, you should not try indirectly contribute to prolonging the Islamic Republic's reign of terror by concealing the true nature of the regime.

Doosti khaleh Kherseh comes to mind.


And please don't accuse me of being a neocon, mko, or whatever...I have precious immediate family back home and that's precisely why I don't appreciate doosti-e- Khaleh Khersehah ro. "

 

Vidermouse 

"with all due respect" you sound like a scared little mouse. Don't worry, I wouldn't accuse you of anything, cause they might go to the videmouse family in Iran and ask about your whereabouts and that might make you cry...

I don't know who you are, apparently this is a new name that you didn't use before when commenting anonymously, or you don't want people to track your previous work here and check your background. So you come in as a new ID and accuse me of backing up the IRI and "doosti khaleh kherseh" without any proof or explanation.

This is insulting, it's called baseless accusation and I am tired of people who throw insults around and spew garbage while they have no guts to prove their alleged point or reveal their own background. 

I don't appreciate the insults and what you're insinuating here! 

 

IRANdokht


vildemose

I agree with Yolanda. The

by vildemose on

I agree with Yolanda. The US or Israel have no intention of bombing Iran, simply because they have failed both in Iraq and Afghanistan and the US is broke beyond belief.

Irandokht: you're too sensitive and perhaps paranoid and I mean that with all due respect.

I know one thing for certain, if you're really interested in Iran not getting bombed in the long run, you should not try  indirectly contribute to prolonging  the Islamic Republic's reign of terror by concealing the true nature of the regime.

Doosti khaleh Kherseh comes to mind.

And please don't accuse me of being a neocon, mko, or whatever...I have precious immediate family back home and that's precisely why I don't appreciate doosti-e- Khaleh Khersehah ro.


gol-dust

Israelis/AIPAC keep barking! They can go to hell!

by gol-dust on

world needs a breather from them.


yolanda

US is too broke to...

by yolanda on

US is too broke to bomb Iran, even though they have smart bombs, brilliant bombs, and penetrator bombs! US owes China a looooooot of money and they are not doing too hot in Afghanistan either. They are talking about sending more troops to Afghanistan. I doubt they have the capability or they can afford to bomb Iran even though they wanted to. That is the reality!

   


Louie Louie

Excellent!

by Louie Louie on

Iranians get jezghaleh for a "cause" that they really don't give a s... about.


IRANdokht

vildemose I guess not...

by IRANdokht on

It doesn't specifically use those words, but that is supposed to be my interpretation of the news article so I put some facts together....

The bomb, known as the "massive ordnance penetrator," is designed to destroy deeply buried targets, such as hardened concrete facilities and tunnels.

Iran's nuclear and military facilities are spread across the country, and the nuclear sites are believed to be buried deep underground.

So I chose to emphasize  JUST FOR IRAN in the "super title" because it seems to be specifically mentioned how useful they'd be for the purpose.  I suppose I could have used another point that is also being downplayed by the advocates of the "surgical attacks on the nuclear facilities":

"From a military standpoint, this would be a sustained activity over a period of time, more like weeks and months than days,"

They're talking about pounding Iran for months, especially near the city of Isfahan, Natanz, Bushehr, Naval assets (cities near the Persian Gulf and where do you suppose the air forces are?) for a long period of months (remember Iraq war was supposed to be over in 6 weeks) with their 30000 lbs massive penetrators and...

the only thing that you see wrong with this whole article is my super title? 

 

IRANdokht


vildemose

This bomb was specifically

by vildemose on

This bomb was specifically made for Iran??

 

 I could not find that statement reading the article.


Mola Nasredeen

Irandokht,

by Mola Nasredeen on

Thanks, now I can see it.


Bavafa

Isn't this fighting

by Bavafa on

Isn't this fighting terrorism with terrorism?

It reminds me of a saying, 'you can't wash blood with blood'

Mehrdad


khaleh mosheh

Why I am not worried... At All!

by khaleh mosheh on

Our beloved supreme leader has commisioned a great weapon, Zulfikar II to be made by master blacksmiths in Qum using the latest technique of blacksmithery available in between Qom and Tehran.

For information the first version of this weapon stood the test time when it was first used 1400 years ago and I am confident that the second version will be holier as it is made for our velayteh Faqih, and will bring all 'beganegans'  (who are doing their utmost to bring our beloved system down), to their knees.  


Friend of Persians

Let's hope the Pentagon stays in its 'right mind'

by Friend of Persians on

From the NPR report:  "...Now, does anybody in their right mind want to attack Iran? No, not a
bit. But sometimes you [have to] do things you don't like to do," Wald
says."

 

I marvel at the audacity for some to be against war at one moment, or at least to be able to see its negative consequences, then seem to find a way to justify it not long after.  Or in this case, within one sentence.


IRANdokht

Thanks Mola jan

by IRANdokht on

It's fixed now. I have no idea how the link was changed!!  I apologize.

//www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?story...

IRANdokht


Mola Nasredeen

Irandokht, "Page Not Found!"

by Mola Nasredeen on

I tried to access the page but that's the message I got.