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Iran Could Strike U.S. by 2015, U.S. Officials Say
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| LatinLover |
WASHINGTON — Iranian technology is on pace to build a long-range missile that could strike the United States within a decade, a high-level Pentagon official told FOX News.
But a successful test of a missile defense program completed last week is giving military leaders more confidence that an airborne attack from Iran can be thwarted — if the United States is able to convince Europe to go along with the plans to build an anti-missile system there against strong Russian opposition.
"Most of the intelligence experts predict that sometime before 2015, or in that time frame, the Iranians will have developed the capabilities to threaten the United States, from a missile technology perspective, "Lt. Gen. Henry Obering, chief of the U.S. missile defense program, said Tuesday in a Pentagon interview with FOX News. Of concern Obering said is Iran's ability to take shorter range technology and improving it to longer and longer ranges.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Wednesday the U.S. was in no position to start a war against Iran given its military commitment in Iraq.
Growing international political tension with Iran over its nuclear program and its role in orchestrating insurgent attacks in Iraq has given military officials here reason to step up their efforts in developing a workable missile defense system.
Right now, the administration is working on a plan to build a missile defense system to protect against Iranian weapons in friendly host countries in Europe. But those plans have been loudly criticized by Russia — which thinks the system could be used to attack their own missiles
Additionally, U.S. lawmakers have stripped $85 million from the program in their consideration of the Defense Authorization bill. Prior to its passage in the Senate Monday, lawmakers said there should be an approval from the host countries, including Poland and the Czech Republic, before that money slated for construction is authorized.
But last week's successful interceptor missile system test conducted by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency off the coast of California gave the program a needed shot of confidence. The system was designed to simulate an attack from North Korea or possibly Iran.
"It was a picture perfect intercept," Obering said. Since 2001, six out of nine test flights have been successful and three have failed. Obering said there has not been a failed intercept test in 2 1/2 years. Last year, a test did not come to completion when the test missile failed to launch properly.
The interceptor missile was fired from Alaska, flying for 24 minutes before being struck by the interceptor missile, which was fired from Vandenburg Air Base in California, and flew seven minutes. The two missiles collided over open ocean, smashing to pieces miles above.
The program has its roots in the 1980s Strategic Defense Initiative — dubbed the "Star Wars" program — started in the Reagan administration. Since 1983 it has cost $100 billion. Despite the money stripped out, the 2008 Defense Authorization bill included $8.6 billion for the program.
This missile defense system in California and Alaska is designed to protect against North Korean missiles fired from Asia. It is similar to the system that the US would like to place in Europe to protect against Iranian missiles.
The European system, Obering said, would be created specifically to intercept Iranian missiles. Obering strongly denied the Russian charge — that it could be used against them — saying the system would be too close to Russia launch points to be effective.
"The system we are fielding has nothing to do with Russia," Obering said today.
The acrimony between Americans and Russians over the antimissile system comes as Russia has been sending bomber flights over U.S. and European interests, including new reports of their bombers flying just outside U.S. airspace in Alaska seven times since July 1.
For its part, Iran isn't officially fazed by U.S. plans to defend against any missiles. In June, Iran's top nuclear negotiator called the plan "the joke of the year." |
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| venomX |
| More hype to try to justify attacking Iran. The missile defense shield is the stupidest program the US has come up with. It has poured billions of dollars into it, and it is still far from functional. Even at that, who in their right minds would start a long range missile confrontation, specially with the states. Imagine that Iran built the technology for attacking the US from long distance. Why would they attack? The US obviously has more missiles. Even if Iran had the technology, how many missiles would they have to produce and use for a succesful attack on the US? Seriously, this is nothing more than spin. I am amazed that they would sink so low to try and convince the public that attacking Iran is the way to go. The Long range missile attack threat is nothing more than a useless remnant from the cold war. |
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| Marc Summers |
| Washington can go to hell. I'm not falling for this bull, again. |
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| atbell |
From the start there are errors.
1. 2015 is now 8 years away. North Korea has been working on thier missile program for decades and still has trouble getting the things to fly over Japan. China is massive and contains many advanced research institutes. The Chinese have been working for 20 to 30 years to develop thier technology and they still have trouble hitting Florida.
Iran is further from the US then China and it's current technology might be able to fire a missle past Turkey. They don't even threaten France. Not to mention they don't have the use of geo-stationary satalites to guide thier missiles. It's unlikely that the Iranians are going to be able to attack the US with anything that isn't carried in or bought inside the country. The Iranians could probable do more damage to the US by stocking up at a gun show in Texas next week then they could investing billions of dollars and years of work in any missile program.
2. FOX news, well, if you can't see the problem with "FOX news" there's not going to be much calming you down. |
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| jonSun |
| :stongue: :stongue: |
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| Magnetonium |
Americans really really want an excuse to invade Iran. They are hoping that Iran will send A missile somewhere ;-) but that can also be arranged. :conf: |
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| jonSun |
| quote: | Originally posted by Magnetonium
[COLOR=FF7F50]
The Bush Administration really really wants an excuse to invade Iran. |
fixed. ;) |
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| Magnetonium |
| quote: | Originally posted by jonSun
fixed. ;) |
LOL, thanks, I am too dam tired ... OK, back to statistics homework .. |
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| hardcore trancer |
| OMG OMG they have the smoking gun to finally attack Iran!!:rolleyes: |
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| Lebezniatnikov |
| quote: | Originally posted by jonSun
fixed. ;) |
Haha, thanks. I was going to reply "not THIS American!" but that takes care of it nicely. |
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| Krypton |
| The neocon factions use Fox News again to spew out this propaganda. |
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| CHRles |
I'm gonna have to pretty much agree with a lot of what everyone's said here.
Iran could prolly strike at the US right now via different cells, but thats with suicide bombings. Then again, a lot of countries could do that too. Sending a suicide bomber to a crowded mall is sadly almost too easy to do in this country.
A nuclear strike by Iran on the US? I really don't think Iran is interested in that. What would be gained from it?
The only ones who would be interested in a nuclear attack on the US are the same mother******s interested in doing that to every other country. Terrorist groups from poverty-striken parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America, or even US based groups.
A terrorist group that is just after money would have less of a problem threatening a lot of countries, including Iran, with a nuclear weapon.
You look at what Lebezniatnikov posted about countries like Zimbawe or the situation in Darfur. Imagine these leaders somehow getting their hands on nuclear weapons. They could use it on their own people. Or tragically b/c half the people in those countries are dying or are refugees you could end up with terrorist groups that will feel the only way to get rid of these dictators is by dumping a nuclear bomb on the city where these dictators are based out of...and in the process wiping out whole cities in the process.
Say what you want about the US government, and about the CIA, and about the paranoia sometimes associated with our government, but this is a REAL threat that I'm glad our government is monitoring. |
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