They're big in their mouth, but so was Iraq too
 

It's nothing wrong with Irans self confidence. The question is, are they fit for what they say, they can do?

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/iran-h...ry?id=16716804

Markus

I don't think that's the game they want to play with us. We may not have as many missles as we used to, but its foregone conclusion we could reduce their entire country to cinders (let alone a few bases) at the push of a button if we really wanted to.

They're bluffing. They may have the card but they're afraid to play it.
US would turn Iran into cinder (to quote Ducimus) and the cohones Iran has to boast around is due to the thought the US would be afraid to go into another prolonged war like Iraq and having Russia as ''friends''.

Iran can hit 35 US bases in minutes...

US can hit all of Irans bases (that they know of) in a matter of minutes, as well as all of their cities and infrastructure.

Who's going to win?

:hmmm:

I'm sure they could hit our bases. They might even cause a significant amount of damage too. After all they are located practically on Iran's doorstep.

I'd also think they will do it if they believe they can get away with it.

Military-industrial complex shareholders.

They've got a reminder either side of them just how well the US can dismantle a nations military, infrastructure and cities if it chooses to. So long as no-one falls into the trap of trying to put boots on the ground a sustained aerial bombing campaign over the space of a few months would set Irans plans back significantly, possibly even cause an Arab Spring style uprising if enough of the governments supporting base are removed.
It would need to be an all-in attack or not at all though, and I don't think those exist any more.

Touché :yep:

You are right, Iran may think this is some kind of poker game, but sooner or later USA or Israel will show their bluff.

I know exactly what's going to happen if and when USA and/or Isreal attack Iran

Iran is going to hide away most of it's military equipment. Iran will put up a weak fight, cause they know that they do not stand ONE week in a head to head with USA or Israel.

Iran sending every vessel they got against US Navy? No!
Iran sending every airfighter they got against US Navy/Airforce/Israel? No


That's way they are only bluffing.

Markus

Sorry, can't resist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQt5WPQTwN0

Technically, wouldn't Iran be the Eastwood character? The soldiers would be the figures of law and order.

I was thinking in terms of calling Irans bluff.

I know. Just yanking your chain.

I think Iran would be sensible enough to put everything deep underground in a manner which the DPRK is supposed to have done, obviously this isn't necessarily going to protect it all, depending on its depth. However US Spysat intel is pretty damn good, and they will be using all assets to detect movements into and out of these sites. So you can probably knock about 60% of them off the list. Then there's things you can't put underground, like their Kilos, nuclear power plant, infrastructure, cities, navy, some air defences, airfields. You can say goodbye to them.

The main problem here, and this is probably why the US hasn't already pre-empted Iran, aside from the obvious political and civilian backlash, is that rolling over Iran with an air-raid the likes of which the US hasn't done since Linebacker will only buy you time. Dinnerjacket (unless removed and replaced by Shah mk II) will still want his nukes, he will still have his friends in Russia and China who will get lucrative rebuilding contracts, and in about a decades time you'll be back to square one again with an Iran which is even better armed than before and which has used the interval to gain political support amongst both the world and the public of the US by painting the US as the aggressor and itself as the defenceless dove of the party.

Iran would be dumb to fire first, but there are some dumb people out there, and most of them are in politics...so you never can tell...

^:agree: