Revolutionary Guards: Iran can penetrate Israel's Merkava tanks
Guards chief Safavi also says Iranian missiles can hit warships operating anywhere in Persian Gulf.
By ReutersTEHRAN - The Revolutionary Guards ground forces have missiles in its arsenal that could penetrate the armor plating fitted to Israel's Merkava tanks and the U.S. Abrams tanks, the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday, the day U.S. officials said they might label his forces "terrorists".
But the speech by Commander-in-Chief Yahya Rahim Safavi, according to a report carried by Iran's Fars News Agency, made no mention of the U.S. threat to brand his units.
Safavi also said Iran's missiles with a range of 2,000 km were fitted with equipment that enabled them to be remote controlled - an apparent reference to the Shahab-3 missile, which has the range to hit Israel - and that Iranian missiles can hit warships operating anywhere in the Gulf and Oman Sea.
"Our coast-to-sea missile systems can now reach the breadth and length of the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea and no warships can pass in the Persian Gulf without being in range of our coast-to-sea missiles," Safavi said in his speech, Fars reported.
Iran, locked in a standoff with Washington over its nuclear plans, has previously boasted it had missiles that could sink "big warships" in the Gulf, a region where U.S. aircraft carriers and warships operate.
The United States is seeking to isolate Iran over what it says is Tehran's bid to build nuclear weapons under cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran insists its atomic plans are directed at making electricity to preserve its oil and gas for exports.
U.S. officials said on Wednesday they may soon designate Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps a foreign terrorist organisation in a move targeting the finances of the group.
Iranian officials could not be reached for comment.
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Iranian Revolutionary Guards troops. (AP) |
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There is no way Iran will win the war with US in terms of Conventional, but Iran can repel the attack and it will coz a lot of casualties to US.
"The bottom line is unless a country wants to commit SUICIDE, nukes are totally useless." Spot on, nice to see someone if capable intelligent thought.
" About 35 warheads of 150kt yield to destroy Iran`s war infastructure will also kill 70% of Iran`s entire population in the first hour, and half the rest in a week. Israel already has all the legal and moral justification to defend itself, and as you point out, a limited air war would be quite ineffective, so there`s no alternative. Without a Tehran regime change, 5000 years of Persian history will end by 2010. WATCH." Dr. L. Brnd, you'r intelligent truly amazes me. Surely a holocaust will resolve all problems.
"since they really only destroyed two `elderly` Merkava`s in Lebanon" If only two were listed as destroyed, much more were disabled by anti-tank-weapons (and that's what counts). Also Abrams MBTs were destroyed in Iraq by IEDs. The unvulnerable tank is as much a myth as the unsinkable Titanic. Tandem hollow charge warheads have picked up much of the headway that reactive armour had gained. And as to cost-effectiveness, compare the price of a RPG-29 with that of a Merkava IV MBT ...
The world will have to take it's chances with Iran...It cannot be allowed to dictate, using the oil blackmail, what the security policy of the world is supposed to be... Just keep in mind, Iran is reliant upon the outside for everything it requires, medical, mechanical and otherwise...If the world were to suffer because of Iranian actions, Iran will suffer even more...Oil fields would be destroyed, ending Iran's source of income and contact with the outside world..The only thing she would have in ample supply would be Mullah's
"The US, if it attacked Iran, would do so only in the context of stopping Iran`s progress towards nuclear weapons. While a very limited ground operation might be part of that, most of it would be strictly air-to-ground, where your points do not apply." You really make me laugh. Have you sent a script of your plan to Teheran so that Iran is informed please to restrict itself to resist that "very limited ground operation" and to air defense? And please refrain from launching missiles against US bases and please not to attack shipping in the Gulf and please not to let loose Hizbollah against Israel and please please please ...
Doing anything to Iran sinks the US economy IMMEDIATELY because the US is the most dependent on cheap oil. Any attack on Iran will be answered by Iran as they have a lot more capability than most armchair generals are willing to admit. Even a little damage from Iran to other Arab countries, let alone Israel, along with damage to Iran will drive the price of oil, regardless where it is produced, through the roof. Once that happens, the US will sink into a depression worst than the "Great Depression." If the US wants to start Peak Oil devastation early, attacking Iran is a sure way to do it. BTW - even if Iran does nothing to Israel, Israel will still be devastated by the huge jump in oil prices. Sure attacking Iran with conventional or nuclear weapons is soooo easy, but the consequences are soooo bad to the attackers. Google "peak oil" to understand just how Iran has the US neutered.
to put out the fires in the Kuwaiti oil fields in the First Iraq War..Kuwait had American assistance..If Iran's fields are set afire, America won't help out..
Spyguy: Your Iranian friends will cease to exist if they opt for war. Also, I would be far less sanguine than you about the ability of Iranian emergency services to deal with casualties in the tens of millions, let alone their capacity to rebuild an infrastructure that would consist of twisted metal and burning embers. Do they even have enough hospital capacity and where and to who will they sell what is left of their oil assuming they can even extract it from their fields?
The American Navy only issues white ones.. Hezbollah's are most colorful..
Multiple people posted that the US/Israel should just nuke Iran. Obviously these delusions fools have not through the consequences. IF Israel nukes Iran, Israel ceases to exist, as it will be nuked by multiple countries, not the least of which is Pakistan. So yes, Israel would get the first hit in, but it would be literally a fiery victory as all of Israel would soon burn. There would be absolutely NOTHING the US could do to protect Israel as it would be the US/Israel against the whole world. No contest there as the world wins in the end. If the US nukes Iran then the US economy immediately goes into a crash dive as oil prices head for the sky. With Iran and Iraq off the oil market, Venezuela boycotting the US and very possibly Saudi oil off the market, the US becomes the BIGGEST LOSER. The US may not get nuked in response, but what it would be left with wouldn't be much better than being nuked. The bottom line is unless a country wants to commit SUICIDE, nukes are totally useless.
Iran isn't the biggest power in Middle East. But it rather closer to Israel, if it has nuclear weapons.
Those were the OLD model Merkava's..New are quite different..Electronic deflection and all that...Let's say the "Old" were the Model T's, new version are "Hummers".. The day Iran fires the first missle at Israel will be the day that Tehran will disappear.. Israel will use the Nukes she doesn't have.. Rest uneasy on that..
You said "we", are you French??..If not, then the word doesn't apply to you..You're safely hidden away in NY... Last war was something Israel didn't really expect, foolish as that sounds.. Now, she's ready for the next one..The UN and nobody will stop her retaliation if Hezbollah is stupid enough to start another round...There's wasn't much left of Lebanon's infrastructure last time around.... G-d forbid, if Hezbollah is stupid enough to start again, cave space will be at a premium...No man made houses, roads, electric grids will be left standing or anything else that resembles something other than sand or rocks will remain undisturbed...
So the will of the people was subverted in Iraq. Which people are those: the Shites? no. the Kurds? no. The hundreds of thousands who were slaughtered by Sadam? no. No doubt the death rate is very high in Iraq but at least everyone has a fighting chance. And the only reason for the death rate is extremism rooted in religion and delusion.
A lot of good anti-tank weapons are going to do against balistic missiles
Iranian nukes can only force one thing. No more Iran,if they try using them directly or through their proxies. Ahmadinejad is talking about a "nation of martyrs'. Normal Iranians do not want to play that game,so dream on.
Iran will be a pain in Israels and Americas butt any where it can.
The Merkavas are in use all the time,help the proletariat win NOW!
Indrajay, Before you speak you should check the internet for the Iranian (persian) treatment of Arabs in the oil rich provinces of Iran. The Iranians are deporting Arabs away from the oil and nary a word is spoken. When the Jews breath the wrong way they get accused of mistreatment towards the Palestinians, but there is little discussion about the Arabs in Iran.
If you think a substantial number of Democratic voters would cross party lines to put ANY Republican in the White House, you need a touch of (excuse the expression) reality.
Israel would be blamed and condemned by the UN for not shooting down the incoming Iranian missles. In addition, they would have to pay reparations to the Hamas/Fatah warrior aristocracy for damage done to their military training grounds, which are used to train troops for land warfare against Israel.
Israel may have as many as 400 nuclear explosive devices, which include nuclear and thermonuclear weapon systems. These devices can be delivered by aircraft, from the ground and submarine. In addition, Israel is constructing its own anti-ballistic missle system and has an advanced Patriot ABM network.Along with Israeli intelligence satellites,Iranian attempts to launch a Pearl Harbor attack would be met by a devastating Israeli response.Let us hope that Iran chooses a path to peace an leaves thr rest of the world alone.
Iran has many problems and is well behind the west on many fronts. However, Iran is more self-sufficient, more industrialized, more independent than any country in the ME. They are setting up banks, car making plants, petrochemical plants, power stations and grids, fiber optic netwroks around the world. They are not there yet, but they are on the right track.
Israeli soldiers died for us all over the place through the Cold War as they provided our bulwark against Soviet attempts to gain a port in the easter Mediterranean and domination in the Middle East.They tested our aircraft against Russian aircraft and pilots and bested them. They did almost all our dirty work in the Middle East from the end of World War II to the end of the Cold War and I am glad that most Americans have a little more intestinal fortitude for dealing with the dangers in this world, than you seem to. While none of us wants any of our great young men and women to die,. at least we're a country that always stands up for freedom and, John, across all the military cemeteries in America, Stars of David stand as proudly as crosses marking the places where American soldiers who happened to be Jewish were laid to rest after losing their lives in the defence of America; ever since its founding.
The discussion originated with someone's claim that Iran could cause serious harm to any US air assault on Iran. You seemed to have missed that subtlety. The US, if it attacked Iran, would do so only in the context of stopping Iran's progress towards nuclear weapons. While a very limited ground operation might be part of that, most of it would be strictly air-to-ground, where your points do not apply. Harry
Our Bombers can penetrate Iranian airspace and our Nuke attack subs can sit off the iranian coast all day so whats the point of this article. It sound like my big brother can beat up your big brother BS. I am very sure Israel would not be using tanks against Iran.
The capability to hit warships in the Persian Gulf is more important than killing Merkava tanks. If Iran really does have this capability, it can close the Straights of Hormuz. A US attack on Iran would trigger this. Oil could hit $120 per barrel, according to Wall St oil traders. Gasoline in the US would hit $5 per gallon, maybe $6 or $7. This would devastate the US economy if Iran could close the Straights for any period of time. The Big 3 automakers, GM, Ford, and Chrysler, would go bankrupt, as would the auto parts industry. The rest of the US economy would suffer tremendous harm. So for me, this would be an extremely important development.
Probably thinks this is really frightenning stuff.
Iranians are like Arabs: they talk, talk, but do nothing serious.
So,Iran may be bluffing,and even if they have some great missles;our air power can knock them out with nukes;and so,there you have it that air power can do everything!!
I don't doubt the claims that a rocket can take out Israeli/American tanks. I don't know how well the Israeli Trophy system works to protect those tanks either. However, when it comes to sinking an American capital ship...If Iran sinks one or cuts off oil in the Gulf, Iran has sealed its fate.
can you believe your own words? come on! i dont know what have you been drinking but seriously, i find hard to believe someone as bright as you probably are is able to spell such a crap. be serious!
Chris wrote: "It is not cut and dried by any means an anybody who does not think this, is making the mistake of not learning from History." That advice applies equally to the Iranians. Shooting down one Stealth fighter (bomber, actually) is one thing. Defending against swarms of cruise missiles is quite another. I would expect the US to do as well against the Iranians as they did against the Iraqis in any aerial offensive. And as far as one person wrote about Iranian missiles, Israel has both Patriot and Israeli-made missile defense missiles. Harry
Rudy ran and won in New York as a Republican/Liberal. His domestic policy happens to be as left as any of the Dems. He won in a dem city. Why would you think Dems won't vote for him? And if you do think that, you'd be very mistaken. Many many Dems voted for him here in NYC or he would never have been Mayor. Rudy's message resonates with Americans. Maybe the far left thinks the enemy is Zionism but Americans don't buy that nonsense. They know the enemy is radical Islam and aren't afraid to say so like the Europeans.
So let them bragg. Their 2 billion anual income will be reduced to peanuts, and it's political influence from Iraq to Lebanon, from Afghanistan to Gaza will be equally dwarfed.
how in the world can we lose another war with the israelis...
Didn't I readthis week that the US is considering branding the above as a terrorst entity?
"Better check recent history before predicting future events." Checking recent history (First Iraq war) I see: - a large international community determined to end the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait. (Not so now) - Enough ground troops to defeat the Iraqi forces (not so now) - Iraq not prepared to wage asymmetrical war (not so now) - No Iraqi proxies to draw Israel into the conflict (not so now) - etc. etc.
Merkava tanks really seems to be a nightmare for the mullahs in Iran and Hezbollah. It's quite obviuous since they really only destroyed two 'elderly' Merkava's in Lebanon, using hundreds of the most sofisticated russian anti-tank missiles in their possesion... An excellent result for the Merkava, and that even without the Trophy that wasn't installed yet at the time!
What is Winning? Is it when they say ".. We give up?.." Is it a cease fire, and both sides still exist? Is it the last man standing? The Arab goal is to eliminate Israel. If they do not do this, Do they Loose? Lebenon is in shambles, is this winning? If Iran gets destroyed like Southern Lebenon was razed, it might not be called winning, but it is a good start.
I'll say it as few words as I can..Think of Hiroshima & Nagasaki, Berline & Dresden.. Wars terminated by air power..
Air power, without restraint, backed up by ground forces wins wars..Just think back to what happened to Dresen & Berlin...Carpet bombing cleanses the opposition.. Last war in Lebanon, problem was that the Chief of Staff was Air Force and didn't understand ground operations..This time around Ashkenazi is from the ground forces and know how to use airpower.. Just think of Hiroshima & Nagasaki, that was ended by air strikes..BTW, you can puzzle yourself, does Israel have nukes or not?? Think long and hard what happens if she does..
When U.S. attacks, it will be for U.S. interests.. Guiliani, you're just jealous.. JFK, Bobby K, Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson, FDR, and the bum Clinton, had it in the Oval office and when he was Gov. of Arkansas, among others, all had extra marital affairs.. All it shows is their flexibilty, and you've proven nothing at all.
"We`ve had our warships off their coasts for months now, practically begging them to start something." Why for heaven's sake should they "start something"? To give Bush an occasion to harp on the patriotic lunacy once again? It is understandable that you would like your enemy being stupid, but wishing won't do the job.
Earth to Inrajaya, come in Indrajaya. Let me be the first to welcome you back to reality. Let me deal with your points one by one. You have stated: (a) Iran is ..."a modern, advanced democracy" In fact, Iran is an anachronistic Theocracy that uses a legal code based on Sharia that is anything but modern. They mask as a democracy, though any political opposition or opposition parties are outlawed. (b) "who respect human rights". In fact Iran has one of the worst Human Rights records in the world let alone middle east. Treatment of women, political arrest and detention and state sanctioned murder as well as total lack of independence of judiciary. Not really a great record. (c) "people buying cars". Yes, unfortunately they cant buy gas as it is rationed. and the subsidy is bankrupting the country. (d) "better than Iraq, afghanistan and Egypt." Quite a group to compare. Afghanistan one of the poorest countries in the world. Iraq, at war for 25 years, and in civil war.
Indrajaya is moving to Iran very soon, he is packing!!! I never seen any goods made in Iran ever.
Iran claims to have rockets that go fly thousands of miles...With but a slight improvement, start ducking..You're next in line..
U;S. won't let Iran threaten shipping and the oil supply. Stealth bombers are virtually undetectable..Iran can't defend against what they can't see.. Don't be so eager, sitting safe and snug in for the next war..You'll smell the fumes dust off the ashes no matter where you hide...
Iran is preparing for a war that will not occur.
Is it realistic to think the Israelis will just sit around waiting to be nuked by Iran, and then respond with limited air strikes??? After Iran has publicized its intention to destroy Israel (even if peace is reached with the Arab world), violating the NPT to enrich uranium with stolen technology to do it? After Iran, with no legitimate grievance against Israel (800 miles away) bombed the Israeli embassy and Jewish center in Argentina and used Lebanon surrogates to launch massive unprovoked rocket attacks against Israelis? There will be no waiting, and no limited war. About 35 warheads of 150kt yield to destroy Iran's war infastructure will also kill 70% of Iran's entire population in the first hour, and half the rest in a week. Israel already has all the legal and moral justification to defend itself, and as you point out, a limited air war would be quite ineffective, so there's no alternative. Without a Tehran regime change, 5000 years of Persian history will end by 2010. WATCH.
The Iraqi air defences in 1991 were brought off the shelf from the then Soviet Union. I would presume Russia and Iran will have learnt some lessons from that confraglation. Lessons which were prehaps given to the Serbs. Who managed to shoot down a Stealth fighter. It is not cut and dried by any means an anybody who does not think this, is making the mistake of not learning from History.
Israel will be blamed. So what else is new?
Why is it that the Revolutionary Guards never talk about alternatives to violence? Is this the methodology of Islamofacists?
Its ironical that anyone or country never brags about it. in Poker when you bluff you lose money in war you lose lives.
Venezuela would not give up US sales in order to make nice with a destroyed Iran. Chavez need the old greenbacks to finance his projects in Venezuela as well as his attempted common market in Latin America.The US would have to tighten its belt and pay a higher price for gasoline, if its foreign sources of petroleum were effected by a strike against Iran.Our economy is strong enough to tolerate a military strike against Iran's nuclear production.
Since one would have to subtract nearly all Democrats from the people who are for Rudy, 52% is an absurdly high figure.
I think American soldiers should invade Iran and die for the same of Israel just like they did in Iraq. Jewish boys will stay home, enjoy the Sabbath at the expense of Uncle Sam, while U.S. soldiers give up their lives for the sake of Israel. Makes perfect sense!!!
High unemployment rate. Oil industry in shambles. Can Iranian government save its own country?
spyguy wrote: "Sure the US/Israel can bomb Iran for weeks at a time, but they will lose a lot of planes." In the first Iraq war, Iraq was strong military power, with impressive air defenses. The US lost a handful of planes while thorougly dismantling Iraqi air defenses. Better check recent history before predicting future events. Harry
Right now the US is dependent upon oil from a good friend of Iran in Venezuela, which might just dry up if the US attacks its partner, and by attacking the #2 oil producer in the world, the US could plunge into a deep recession, if not depression. The US cannot survive without cheap oil as we have squandered our money on wars rather than building new electric high speed rail systems etc., so they could survive with ox carts and camels long enough for us to be economically destroyed and incapable of war. GW Bush is leading the US to its own destruction.
Whether the boast is empty or justified, Iran makes its intentions and objectives absolutely plain. The US can still stamp on them and even send their industry and military complex back to the middle ages.Israel on its own can probably stop or substantially slow their nuclear ambitions but they lack the size and strength to take them apart to the point where they will no longer constitute a threat. If the US hesitates for too long their boasts could really become justified. Imagine if they had nuclear tipped missiles. Too horrible to contemplate. Despite the cost now, it will prevent a higher cost later. Defang this terrorist monster as soon as possible.
The iranian armed forces appear to be fighting the last Lebanon war in which they had some minimal success against mid level Israeli armor (Merkava III). Since then the Israeli armed forces have been modifying their armored vehicles with the Trophy active protection system which makes them for all intent a purposes invulnerable to anti-tank weapons. If the Iranian/Syrian/Hizbullah armed forces are foolish enough to provoke another armed conflict with aforwarned angry Israel, then the just might get their butts kicked and their armed forces obliterated.
If the Iranians can hit Israeli tanks, Israeli nukes can do some damage to Iran, too. Spyguy misunderstands this. Israel & Iran are separated by a lot of land, it's not like a geurilla war where the jihadis have an advantage. When there's space between two countries, whoever has better firepower wins, hands-down.
Iran can certainly defend itself quite well from any US or Israeli aggression, but I doubt any will come from the US as we are already over extended and desperately need Iranian help in Iraq if US ever expects to get out. And after its second defeat in Lebanon, I doubt that Israelis could even consider trying to attack Iran on its own. So with all the rhetoric from both sides aside, I don't think the US will meddle with Iran unless we want to spend every dime of our treasury rebuilding the ME instead of our own ailing bridges and infrastructure.
has it struck you that the only way to deal with iran is with atomic weapons delivered by missiles from the usa !! tht iran will get no chance to do anything at all! i wonder how many are already armed with neutron warheads ?
JACKAL - that "gutter" man Rudy Guiliani last time I looked (according to Gallup) had 52% of Americans supporting him ... so much for your "gutter" eh?
Now Mr Revolutionary Guard leader, I don't think you have thought this through properly!!
"Air power wins wars" Wendy Oh really..tell that to the American troops on the ground in Iraq
The next wars with Israel will be decided by missiles. To stop the missiles Israeli soldiers will have to take the ground. That will include the use of the Merkava Tank. They are already blowing Abrams and Challenger 2 tanks up in Iraq. American Air power is not helping there to stop the violence is it?
Unless you have an impervious missile shield (which Israel does not), a preemptive missile attack would trump both.
Sure the US/Israel can bomb Iran for weeks at a time, but they will lose a lot of planes and Iran will still cause major devastation in Israel. How many dead Israelis are an acceptable price to pay for the privilege of bombing Iran? And there is no possibility of "winning" an invasion. Iran has ~500k well trained and equipped troops and 30 MILLION men and women capable of killing invaders. It is time for all this foolish talk of "teaching Iran a lesson" to stop because if it doesn't a very large number of extremely stupid Americans and Israelis are going to die along some Iranians. Israel needs to face reality, Iran will get nukes and Israel will be forced into humiliating peace talks where they will lose a lot. Starting a war with Iran will just quicken Israel's demise.
You would assume that even the Mad Mullahs and Mighty Mouth are aware that they would only get one chance to do this.
These cute little yellow bootie-men may bluster and boast all they wish. They'll all of them be smoldering like pork roast before the year is up.
The leaders of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard should rent the movie Alexander to get a glimpse of what will happen to their prized fighting force if it meets with a modern army. Iran is a 2-d world country with a failing economy and growing social problems. It needs to fight a war like a hole in the head. The only thing the Guards are good for is terrorism and intimidation of civilian populations. They are a similar lot to those of Iraq’s elite Republican Guard, a bunch of thugs who had folded up immediately after facing the real army.
"Air power wins wars" You couldn't have said anything more stupid ... were you fast asleep last summer when Israel found out that air power could not even stop constant missile firing, let alone win the war???
We already know that Iran is supplying the Iraqi terrorists with advanced armor-piercing IED's and other similar weapontry. The only additional fact that this article supplies is that now they are admitting to owning such types of weapontry, another fact against Iran that they are supplying the Iraqis.
But they dont have the guts.We've had our warships off their coasts for months now, practically begging them to start something. The bearded "Gilligan" leading Iran has no cajones just a loud mouth.
Next time a US tank suffers a penetrating missile, we're know exactly who will pay the tab.
I just don't understand those mean Revolutionary Guards. Can't they pick on something bigger than a Merkava. Everyone I know is outraged at the brutal behavior of these Islamist hegenomists. I'm going to write an article about them and make sure my friends all assure that we are just not going to allow these bullies to have their way. There day is coming because all over the world people are saying we've had enough of this Jihadist apartheid oppression. I'm taking them to the ICJ or the ICW or the ILO or the IOU or something!!!
and Israel can reduce Tehran and most of Iran into smoking, glowing rubble if it wants to. so there....
Air power wins wars.If there is a war between Iran and Israel airpower will decide it, not tanks.
I know I'm shivering with fear ... how about you?
Iran cannot even provide enough Gasoline to its population ...( the Iraninan people went crazy when gas was being rationed) ...how is it going to cope ( and how are the Iranian people going to react) when its economic fabric is really torn asunder?
.. just read the recent gutter views of US preseidential candidate Rudi Guliani in 'foreign affairs' magazine - a jewish propaganda magazine. By the way, i would recommend you to see the gutter personal profile of Guliani. He was making sex with his secretary in his Mayor Office in New York while the mother of his children was waiting for him at home.
Well what good are these weapons systems when both the United States and/or Israel have the capacity to destroy the Iranian Economic & Social infrastructure, ( their Factories & Manufacturing plants, their Bridges & Tunnels , their Electical generating capacity and their fuel & gasoline distribution system, their food distribution system...) What are they going to do when Iran's economic & social structure collapses? ... Are they going ask their people to go live in the Desert or Mountains and sing praises to the Ahmedanidjad and the Ayatollahs?
One would expect that Iran has weapons to defeat the Merkava tank, since Hizbollah has already done it. I don't see how Iran is likely to enounter this tank though. I have come to believe that America is likely to attack Iran at some point and is slowly building the case. Common sense and the will of the people will be subverted as was done in Iraq. There are people who get rich from wars and there are people who get rich from oil. These are the people that will determine the direction that the nation will take.
It seems that the Revolutionary Guard has some nasty weapons in it's armoury - so what? It's (almost)inevitable in warfare that even the most incompetent and disorganised opponents can land a few sucker punches and deliver a few nasty suprises. It doesn't mean they will survive to celebrate for long. The Revolutionary Guard may yet find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place, namely the US military and their own people. I wouldn't give much for their chances as it will be death by exploding technology or death by bloodthirsty mob/tribunal. If they are foolish enough to attack Israel or America they will be introduced to a level of force they have previously only seen in cartoons. Don't bother running you'll only die tired.
Palestinians,and soon! It can't fight a battle on 3 fronts:Hamas,Hezbollah & Iran!
I thought that there had to be some "New" in News? Some substance, something important or heretofore unknown, in progress, or recent event. There is nothing new or noteworthy in this 'news'. No matter how much the Grand Panjandrum of the Devolutionary Guards wanted to get some press.
Barney Rubble.
Step by step, Iran is becoming invencible. New jets, new anti-tanks weapons, a huge arsenal. NOt only in military terms, but also cultural and in the plan of ideas: a modern, advanced democracy, who respect human rights within a propoer East-face. It has worked, people are happy enjoyng holidays, buying cars, going to universities. Isnt it better than Afhganistan, Iraq, Egypt? And more, it has a full support of Third World countries...
In tank warfare, as in national defense in general, it is about the balance between offense and defense. It is necessary to strike the enemy and strike him hard, while minimizing (not eliminating) his abilitiy to strike you. When Iran fought Iraq, the ability of iraqi army to strike iranian targets was very limited. If Iran were to fight US or even Israel, there is no place in Iran that cannot be hit and hit hard. It would be a bloody battle, but in the end, the number of iranian deaths would be horrifying.
Its time for the Jewish lobby in the States to send Americans to fight Iran to protect Israel.