Iran 'fires satellite into space'

[Jarvitä]

Well, the BBC now says the launch was only a test of the rocket and did not carry an actual satellite.

 

[SiberianTiger]

Well, the BBC now says the launch was only a test of the rocket and did not carry an actual satellite.

Hurray! We've launched our first-ever satellite!.. Oops, actuallly forgot to screw one on... :fool:

 

[dougkeenan]

That's gonna be one dull add-on.

 

[Capt. Speirs]

North Korea (apparently) has nukes, Iran (apparently) has satellite launch capability, hmm...

...and Israel has an outstanding Air Force, with no fear to use it!:beach:

 

[computerex]

That's gonna be one dull add-on.

How can launching burning candles ever be boring? :beach:

 

[Artlav]

What if they "shoot one nuke" at Israel? Then what?

It will blast Israel off the map. Almost certainly doing damage in Jordan, potentially harming people in Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
That's a lot of enemies of the same faith, so we may see a local war in the region without USA intervention...
Does Iran have anything against Israel?

What if they develop a nuclear weapon and then, some time later a nuke goes off in an American or European city, but the Iranians deny responsibility, saying that some group not connected to them did it? Than what?

Are you sure it's that easy to do? Pretty much all of the intelligence and customs workers going to be off their jobs if that happens.

Interesting scenario (in theoretical way only), is there any pre-considered scenario of what to do in such situation?
Like, if there is an active aggression -> send peacekeeping forces,
if there is a terrorist act done by somebody -> go bomb someone,
if there is a nuke went off in a major city -> ?

 

[James.Denholm]

...so we may see a local war in the region without USA intervention...

Wow, that would be a first.

 

[n0mad23]

A nuke acquired by terrorists would be far more likely to be acquired from existing stockpiles than from a nation with a fledgling nuclear program.

I'm not sure that Iran's a place that's that frightening. Ooooh, they've got SCUDs!

Historically, they're not the ones to actually start things and with the price of heroin coming from Afghanistan, they've currently got the most junkies per capita in the world.

Now if that supply is cut off....

 

[Urwumpe]

Does Iran have anything against Israel?

Of course - like all Arabian countries, except Egypt. First of all, for displacing the Palestinians after the Palestinians calculated their chances against Jews too optimistic. Next for Israel getting more land than it initially wanted in the UN partition plan. Finally for all other wars, where the united Arabian countries except the US ally Iran got themselves a pretty blood nose.

Because of this organized enragement of the Arabian people, the world is pretty much, what it is now: The UN is incapable of helping people who are really needing help, but has many special offices for "the suffering of the Palestine people" - who are actually suffering mostly under the stupidity of their leaders. The human rights council is too busy to condemn Israel for being a democracy in a region of Arabian tyrants and mad men.

And Israel relying on owning nuclear weapons as open secret.

 

[W35M4N]

The rocket technology of Iran is bought from North Korea. They work on improving it, but so far, the main purpose is as plain propaganda tool. Including the fact that they improve the press photos of launches to hide failing rockets and increase the number.

I remember, a guy on ATS (abovetopsecret.com, in case I mention it other times.) discovered that and we were all kind of surprised that it was only really reported in the news after that, I found it cool that a forum I was on may just have been the one that first discovered that it was photoshopped, though we are not sure and I doubt no one noticed it before, I think we just found it before the news broke.

 

[Urwumpe]

Well, it was very simple to spot, when you are in the rocketry business. The chance for two smoke contrails looking exactly the same is as high as winning 50 times in the lottery in a row.

For most journalists, this would just look like a smoke pile...

 

[GregBurch]

It will blast Israel off the map. Almost certainly doing damage in Jordan, potentially harming people in Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
That's a lot of enemies of the same faith, so we may see a local war in the region without USA intervention...
Does Iran have anything against Israel?

I think you're overestimating the damage that one or a few nukes launched at Israel would do. As for "what does Iran have against Israel" and -- "the same faith" -- as one of my favorite characters in Aliens said, "maybe you haven't been keeping up on current events"

[re: sneaking a nuke into the US or Europe] Are you sure it's that easy to do? Pretty much all of the intelligence and customs workers going to be off their jobs if that happens.

Actually, it wouldn't be that hard at all, for a group well organized enough to get their hands on a nuke to begin with.

Interesting scenario (in theoretical way only), is there any pre-considered scenario of what to do in such situation?
Like, if there is an active aggression -> send peacekeeping forces,
if there is a terrorist act done by somebody -> go bomb someone,
if there is a nuke went off in a major city -> ?

At least tens of thousands of pages have been written about the last scenario. If you're interested, the declassified material on the subject isn't hard to find.

A nuke acquired by terrorists would be far more likely to be acquired from existing stockpiles than from a nation with a fledgling nuclear program.

I only disagree with your adjective "far more" -- one has to balance the numbers in existing stockpiles versus the willingness of at least some within Iran to hasen the coming of the Mahdi.

I'm not sure that Iran's a place that's that frightening. Ooooh, they've got SCUDs!

They have ballistic missiles which could reach Israel. And they support Hezbollah. 1+1=2.

Historically, they're not the ones to actually start things and with the price of heroin coming from Afghanistan, they've currently got the most junkies per capita in the world.

Now if that supply is cut off....

Yes, Iran's a mess internally. So was Germany in the 1920s.

 

[DanP]

Greg,
about the effects of a nuclear attack on Israel: any nuclear attack, even if only a single, small nuclear warhead gets through the ABM defenses, would have devastating consequences. Although such a scenario would leave Israel with second-strike possiblities, long-term survival will be difficult to say the least. I completely agree with everything else you're saying, though.


Urwumpe,
it has recently been published that improved versions of the Shihab-3 missiles are likely capable of a 2000km range. In any case, I do agree that Iranian missile technology still fairly primitive and far from ICBM or orbital capability. The real question of course, is how far can we let it advance, considering Iranian nuclear ambitions?


Artlav,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Ahmadinejad_and_Israel

I slightly disagree with Urwumpe here... This is hardly about the Palestinians. Arab-Israeli relations (mind you, Iranians aren't Arabs but Persians) have past that point AT LEAST 20 years ago. Palestinian issues have always been an excuse. Those who don't want Israel to exist simply don't want it to exist. In most cases it is that simple.

 

[Urwumpe]

Urwumpe,
it has recently been published that improved versions of the Shihab-3 missiles are likely capable of a 2000km range. In any case, I do agree that Iranian missile technology still fairly primitive and far from ICBM or orbital capability.

Well, proposed improved versions can always do anything. An improved version of Orbiter will allow you to smell the sweat and bad air inside a Soyuz spacecraft.

The improved version was not flying successfully yet on both sides. I think North Korea reached 1150 km in some tests, but have not yet managed to fly over 2000 km.

The real question of course, is how far can we let it advance, considering Iranian nuclear ambitions?

As far as "fair play" can allow. We don't want them to have them, but we have only two options: Convince them that they don't want them or fight them before they have them. Both are equally valid. If the price for Iran for having those weapons is too high, they will not be able to stick to fundamental believes. A nuclear weapon does not bring food on the table.

I slightly disagree with Urwumpe here... This is hardly about the Palestinians. Arab-Israeli relations (mind you, Iranians aren't Arabs but Persians) have past that point AT LEAST 20 years ago. Palestinian issues have always been an excuse. Those who don't want Israel to exist simply don't want it to exist. In most cases it is that simple.

Without Israel, no Arab Palestinians. Antisemitism was standard in the Arabian world even before WW2, but it became official philosophy with Israels foundation - and thanks to the lack of resolve of the UN, even inofficial UN politics.

 

[ar81]

If you convince arabs that nuking Israel would make their sacred places radioactive and not healthy to visit, they probably would desist. How about that?

 

[DanP]

As far as "fair play" can allow. We don't want them to have them, but we have only two options: Convince them that they don't want them or fight them before they have them. Both are equally valid. If the price for Iran for having those weapons is too high, they will not be able to stick to fundamental believes. A nuclear weapon does not bring food on the table.

Amen to that. So far "convincing" hasn't been convincing enough, but us armchair heads of state will have to wait and see what happens in the future.

Edit: as far as I know, 2000km refers to existing Shihab-3 upgrades. Anyway, if addon developers are reading this, please don't make a sweat addon for orbiter.

 

[Urwumpe]

Edit: as far as I know, 2000km refers to existing Shihab-3 upgrades. Anyway, if addon developers are reading this, please don't make a sweat addon for orbiter.

No. I will make a Velcro Scud and let you do try to play Iran. :rofl:

 

[SiberianTiger]

Pentagon doubts Iranian rocket test succeeded

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/08/18/us.iran.rocket/index.html

"The Iranians did not successfully launch the rocket," a senior U.S. defense official told CNN Monday.
The two-stage rocket could have been capable of launching a satellite into space, but the U.S. intelligence assessment shows that the second stage "was erratic and out of control," said the official, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the intelligence.
The rocket "did not perform as designed," the official said.

 

[GregBurch]

You'd think with God on their side they could do better than Elon Musk.

 

[Jarvitä]

You'd think with God on their side they could do better than Elon Musk.

Wait, what?

I don't know about you, but I think if God was choosing here, He'd pick a peaceful company before a bunch of lunatic muslims bent on recreating Holocaust (which they don't believe happened in the first place).