U.S. Requests Bunker-Buster Bombs

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Kamangir
by Kamangir
25-Oct-2007
 

Bomb Iran? U.S. Requests Bunker-Buster Bombs

October 24, 2007
ABC News
Jonathon Karl

White House Bomber Request Leaves Some Wondering if U.S. Is Preparing Action in Iran.Tucked inside the White House's 196 billion dollars emergency funding request for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is an item that has some people wondering whether the administration is preparing for military action against Iran. The item: $88 million to modify B-2 stealth bombers so they can carry a newly developed 30,000-pound bomb called the massive ordnance penetrator, or, in military-speak, the MOP. The MOP is the the military's largest conventional bomb, a super "bunker-buster" capable of destroying hardened targets deep underground. The one-line explanation for the request said it is in response to "an urgent operational need from theater commanders." What urgent need? The Pentagon referred questions on this to Central Command.

ABC News called CENTCOM to ask what the "urgent operational need" is. CENTCOM spokesman Maj. Todd White said he would look into it, but, so far, no answer.

There doesn't appear to be any potential targets for a bomb like that in Iraq. It could potentially be used on Taliban or al Qaeda hideouts in the caves along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, but there would be no need to use a stealth bomber there.

So where would the military use a stealth bomber armed with a 30,000-pound bomb like this? Defense analysts say the most likely target for this bomb would be Iran's flagship nuclear facility in Natanz, which is both heavily fortified and deeply buried.

"You'd use it on Natanz," said John Pike of GlobalSecurity.org. "And you'd use it on a stealth bomber because you want it to be a surprise. And you put in an emergency funding request because you want to bomb quickly."

"It's kind of strange," Pike said. "It sends a signal that you are preparing to bomb Iran, and if you were actually going to bomb Iran I wouldn't think you would want to announce it like that."

The MOP is a massive bomb -- 20 feet long and encased in 3.5 inch thick high-performance steel. It is designed to penetrate up to 200 feet underground before exploding.

The bomb was developed by Northrop Grumman and Boeing for the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

In an interview earlier this year with Air Force Times, Bob Hastie, the manager of the MOP program explained its purpose: "We have a mission to defeat ... hard and deeply buried targets where our adversary would have the support structure for WMD-type systems."

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it's not going to happen

by Mirza DooDool khan jingooli (not verified) on Thu Oct 25, 2007 07:01 PM PDT

With russia's backing and china's interest in iran, US won't attack, mullah's will survive and continue to screw things up.
These are just games, don't believe everything you hear/see from/in the news.


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it's going to happen

by MRX (not verified) on Thu Oct 25, 2007 06:42 PM PDT

it's a matter of time. I just hope the infrastructure in iran does not suffer so much. I couldn't care less if Rev guards, basijis, mullah's and any of these cockroaches die in any bombings. let's hope more of them die from bombing and any potential revolt after the fact.


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To Abdolghader

by Mani11 (not verified) on Thu Oct 25, 2007 02:23 PM PDT

Islam was Iran's downfall. Before Islam we had a religion that served partly as the model for Judism and then Christianity and finally Islam.
Before Islam you Arabs worshiped rocks and fucked camels. Ummm, come to think of it, you still do the later. Anyway, I hate to take any more of your time. You can now go back to beating your wife.
Regards,
Mani


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Islam ? Religion of peace ?

by Mash_Ghasem (not verified) on Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:32 PM PDT

"Islam is a religion of peace and freedom..."
Only in your dream ...or may be on planet Mars.
Not on this Earth.


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to Kaveh Kir

by abdolghader soltani (not verified) on Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:18 PM PDT

Islam is a religion of peace and freedom, while
iranian culture has turned it to a violent religtion with shia/shitte.
You were barbarians before islam.


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To Abbas:

by Kaveh K (not verified) on Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:03 PM PDT

To Abbas: Do you know what Abbas mean in Arabic? Go ask from one of your Arab friends.

Iranians should actually all find out what their Arabic name mean. This is not a racial attack against Arabs.

Arabs and Iranians are fighting against backward and savage Islam as Europe fought backward Christianity.


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Mehdi

Maybe Road Construction?

by Mehdi on Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:49 AM PDT

There is an easy explanation for this. US government has a hard time constructing roads in Kansas. The people there don't want any signs of civilization. So the army has been asked to help. Why stealth bomber? Because they look cool - that's all. Why emergency funding? Well, think about it, what can be a bigger emergency than building a road in Kansas? Why things couldn't have a simple explanation? Why do we have to always think of the worst? -:)

I think what some people have suggested here is the best thing to do: wait and see what happens. Hopefully this is just a bluff. (I think these people have been playing video games too long.) Even if they attack iran, we have a solution. We wait and see what they will do next. This plan can always be used. We definitely can see that if people just wait, "some people" will reach their goals. Hmmm, I wonder who they are. Is it hard to figure out?


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There is a lot of sabor rattling

by Alborzi (not verified) on Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:32 AM PDT

There is a lot of psychological war fare going on, there is also a case of domestic (red neck/neocon) satisfaction, remember how they made a big deal about gay marriage and
constitutional amendment( it was all a charade, Cheney grand daughter has two moms), but they did bomb Cambodia in the last stage of Vietnam, so its not conclusive, but no matter Iran's actions is not very relevant and as UN was yelling stop, US attacked Iraq, so wait and see.


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kamangir

by Abbas Ahmadi (not verified) on Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:12 AM PDT

if you really believe this is going to happen then your name should be KamanKir. lol

//www.kamankir.gov


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Mullah's Army is prepared for Iranian people

by Your wake up call (not verified) on Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:56 AM PDT

See Pictures here:

//kamangir.net/


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farokh2000

Bunker Busters

by farokh2000 on Thu Oct 25, 2007 08:57 AM PDT

Don't you think the Mullahs have Internet access and read and know everything that is going on here?

These morons here are playing a very dangerous game. This is to distract and decieve the people here from their crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Obviously, they have forgotten who is the real "Terrorist".

Attacking other countries, taking over and killing innocent people is real"terrorism", not when people are fighting to get you out of their homes and lands.


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It's a bluff

by Ahmad Saedi (not verified) on Thu Oct 25, 2007 08:29 AM PDT

If they were really going to attack you wouldn't know
about it, it's just a game.
The fact that you could see such news on the internet
shows that it's just a game.
Don't worry, mullas are safe, and will stay safe,
we just have wait until the mullah fairy shows up and
magically take them away.


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