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Iran Gets First North Korean-Made Missiles
By ARON HELLER, Associated Press Writer1 hour, 30 minutes ago
Iran has received its first batch of North Korean-made surface-to-surface missiles that put European countries within firing range, Israel's military intelligence chief said in an interview published Thursday.
The BM-25 missiles have a range of 1,550 miles and are capable of carrying nuclear warheads, the Haaretz daily reported.
The report came as U.N. members consider slapping sanctions on Iran for refusing to halt its uranium enrichment. The United States, Israel and other Western countries say Iran is trying to get nuclear arms, but the Islamic regime says its atomic program is for civilian purposes only.
The U.N. Security Council has given Iran until Friday to stop enriching uranium, a necessary step for developing nuclear weapons. Should Iran refuse to comply, which it has indicated it will do, the Security Council is likely to consider taking punitive measures.
Israeli security officials confirmed the Haaretz report. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, who spoke to Haaretz, has warned of the new Iranian missiles in several recent interviews to the media. Iran already has missiles capable of reaching Israel, but the BM-25s are a significant upgrade over its existing top-of-the-line missiles the Shihab-4 and Shihab-3.
Those missiles spurred Israel to develop its Arrow-2 anti-ballistic missile system, which is can intercept the Iranian missiles.
Israeli concerns have been heightened in recent months by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's calls to wipe Israel "off the map."
Iran has also tested several long-range missiles in recent weeks, including a "top secret" missile capable of being fired from helicopters and jet fighters, Iranian state-run television reported.
Iran also tested the Fajr-3, a missile it said can avoid radar and hit several targets simultaneously using multiple warheads. Iran also tested what it calls two new torpedoes.
U.S. intelligence officials have said that Iran is at an advanced stage of developing a missile that can carry a nuclear warhead. The United States has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency of the details of the Iranian missile program.
On Tuesday, an Israeli satellite meant to spy on Iran's nuclear program was launched by Russia. The satellite is designed to spot images on the ground as small as 27 1/2 inches, an Israeli defense official said.
nosarcasm said:ah Israeli fear mongering. ridicilous article.
dilloduck said:Do you think Israel is warning the world they feel a need to attack or are they goading others into attacking Iran first?
jillian said:Couldn't possibly be that Iran has said it would target Israel, huh?
dilloduck said:Of course it is---I'm just asking if this article gives you the impression that Isreal is justifying an attack by them OR if they are encouraging others to defend them?
Dr Grump said:If the Israeli intel chief said what he said, then the latter IMO...
dilloduck said:Of course it is---I'm just asking if this article gives you the impression that Isreal is justifying an attack by them OR if they are encouraging others to defend them?
dilloduck said:Thats the impression I'm getting---"hurry someone--blow up Iran!"
jillian said:I agree with Dr Grump...the latter, for sure. But I doubt he'd say that includes "tactical nukes" or overly aggressive action.
nosarcasm said:oh I am sure they do, but this is a propaganda piece on AP.
I like to point that out.
Iran needs to do nothing to discredit themselves any more, their President
already threatened Israel, and Iran claimed those "wonder torpedo" exercises.
Iran develops its own 2 stage missiles. I doubt they buy NK ones.
But this article is just a propaganda note from Israel. Not news but a manipulated mishmash created to instill fear in the European reader.
Dont get me wrong I am for military action against Iran if they continue their nuke development, but I am worried that the press is used more and more by democratic governments for propaganda.
This is a development threatening the democracy in western countries per se imo.
Attack Iran if necessary out of logic and conviction, not out of fear.
dilloduck said:What kind of action to you think he is urging others to take? You can't tell me they think UN sanctions are going to help anything.
jillian said:Maybe it's something as simple as letting Israel take out their nuke sites like they did in Iraq. Of course, the U.N. whined about that, but seems more of a conservative response than nuking the place like Bush is talking about.
nosarcasm said:The US is trying to intimidate Iran with the threat of force, tactical nukes included. Iran threatens back with their "40.000" suicide bombers.
Both sides are not impressed by the other sides threats.
I have no problem with Israel laying it out like that:
Iran threatened us.
Iran develops intermediate range missiles that could hit most of Europe.
Iran wants nukes, thats why they dont give up enrichment.
Europe might be next.
The article suggested a more immediate threat. Kind of like the before the Iraq war when Cheney fearmonered about Iraqi nukes exploding in Washington. Just propaganda imo.
nosarcasm said:ok what do you read into it?
