SA, Numbers do not matter, being it Russian nukes or soldiers in Chinese PLA. In the rest of the post you are talking like a kid coming up stupid facts and fictions. Russian defense and space industry is in shambles, and as we speak right now, Russia has big gaps in its nuclear defense mechanism because it does not have enough satellites in space to cover 24x7. If US had wanted, it would have brought USSR and now Russia to its knees many times before but US is much more responsible nation. The current state of beggeredness of Russia is their own fault no one elses. Russians are just a regional power with lots of land which they themselves cannot control. Hahahahahahahaha! Chinese are taking over Russian east slowly and steadily. "If the US needs to send someone into space today â they need to ask the Russians for a ride on one of their spaceships." That is because it is much cheap to do so via Russian ships. It makes economical sense when trip is not so important in security terms. Why is US opening plants in China, because labor is cheap. Get to the depth of it and make a clear understanding, you are much more wise than ranting like a kindergarden lollipop.
SouthAmerica, Fireworks Ahoy! Any comments? U.S. plans devastating bombing of Iran's nuclear sites: British paper LONDON: American military experts are reported to be drawing up plans for an attack on Iran if it does not agree to a compromise on its controversial nuclear programme, according to a leading British newspaper. In a front-page report under the headline, "U.S. prepares military blitz against Iran's nuclear sites,'' The Sunday Telegraph claimed that "devastating bombing raids'' against Iran's nuclear sites were planned as a "last resort'' to prevent Teheran from developing a nuclear bomb. The raids would be "backed'' by submarine-launched ballistic missile attacks, it said. The report quoted a senior Pentagon adviser as saying the planning went beyond just contingency assessment. "This is more than just the standard military contingency assessment... This has taken on much greater urgency in recent months,'' he said. The newspaper said the U.S. Central Command and Strategic Command planners were "identifying'' targets in Iran, assessing weapon loads and working on the logistics of launching an attack. The experts, he said, were reporting to the office of Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. It said further: "The most likely strategy would involve aerial bombardment by long-distance B2 bombers, each armed with up to 40,000 lb of precision weapons, including the latest bunker-busting devices. They would fly from bases in Missouri with mid-air refuelling.'' Though the Bush administration claims that it wants to resolve the issue through diplomatic means, it has never ruled out a military option. Hawks in the administration and hardline Republicans are reported to be pressing for a military action. "There is only one thing worse than the United States exercising a military option and that is a nuclear-armed Iran,'' said Senator John McCain, a likely Republican contender for the presidency in 2008. Britain is opposed to a military intervention fearing that it would fuel the already volatile situation in West Asia following the invasion of Iraq.
I work facing the Russian market every day and Putin just seems too illogical to be true. In fact, sometimes I think he is playing a game which is only known to him. I mean, not one person can currently predict what will happen in 2007-2008 Russia... Why has he merged the goverment with FSB/KGB? Why has he created a myriad of political fascist/racist/extreme parties which only seem to support him even though they are supposed to be against him? I want to see the Belarus elections soon, to make a better prediction.
SA -- You are quite an piece of work. One minute you are talking about the U.S. being weak (and one must conclude you were referencing conventional military strength because clearly the U.S. coud have nuked Viet Nam or Iraq into vapor, and the next minute when somenone questions your assement of Russia's military strength you change the subject to Russia's Nukes. Note to readers - this is a prime example of how the left thinks and argues. You can not even engage in constructive argument with their "authors".
. Toc: U.S. plans devastating bombing of Iran's nuclear sites: British paper LONDON: American military experts are reported to be drawing up plans for an attack on Iran if it does not agree to a compromise on its controversial nuclear programme, according to a leading British newspaper. In a front-page report under the headline, "U.S. prepares military blitz against Iran's nuclear sites,'' The Sunday Telegraph claimed that "devastating bombing raids'' against Iran's nuclear sites were planned as a "last resort'' to prevent Teheran from developing a nuclear bomb. The raids would be "backed'' by submarine-launched ballistic missile attacks, it said. The report quoted a senior Pentagon adviser as saying the planning went beyond just contingency assessmentâ¦. ******** February 14, 2006 SouthAmerica: First, the US had to attack Iraq because their nukes were almost ready and could reach the United States in a matter of 45 minutes. (That was the Iraqi fairy tale to justify the war against Iraq.) Fairy Tale # 2 It is Iranâs turn this time around â same game plan â same bullshit. I would not be surprised if the US has some high school kids preparing the presentation for Condi Rice â for her to present at the United Nations her case against Iran. On my article published the after Colin Powellâs presentation at the United Nations in 2003 â I said on my article that 15-year old high school kids today could have done a better job than he did on his presentation. If the US does attack Iran and start another war â if Americans think that Iraq is a mess today wait to see the mess snowball into something even worse in Iran. ****** The latest issue of âThe Economistâ magazine also mentioned that the US is at a loss regarding North Korea â and the magazine implies that China and South Korea should do something about. Why should China do something about to help the US? They must be enjoying when they see North Korea humiliating the United States. Not because they are communists and it is a showdown of ideologies â but instead because they are capitalists today and they are watching a major competitor being humiliated. Why should China help its competitor? The US and the British want to bring down the current regime in North Korea â and they donât have a clue on what to do to achieve their goals â new regime in North Korea and without nukes. ******** What the United States and the British are doing to build a case to attack Iran, and North Korea as they did in the case of Iraq â serve as an eye opener to the other countries around the world â it is time to everybody to start un-signing the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and everybody should realize that this horse has left the barn. It is clear to me â as a matter of fact more clear than ever - that these countries need their nuclear weapons if they want to continue independent â if they canât develop their nuclear arsenal they also will lose their independence and liberty â they will become occupied nations just like in Iraq. .
SA your wrote Why should China do something about to help the US? They must be enjoying when they see North Korea humiliating the United States. Not because they are communists and it is a showdown of ideologies â but instead because they are capitalists today and they are watching a major competitor being humiliated. Why should China help its competitor? --- Is this really your conclusion. Its about U.S.humiliation? Have you read anything about the potential destablizatin of the whole far East?
. Jem: Is this really your conclusion. Itâs about U.S. humiliation? Have you read anything about the potential destabilization of the whole Far East? *********** February 14, 2006 Southamerica: If it was about the destabilization of the entire Far East then China would do something about it â but it is not. North Korea is right next door to China â but today everybody knows who is top dog in the Far East â China has enough self-confidence on its current economic system and everybody including Japan knows who is the leader of that area of the world. North Korea and China have been friends for a long time and they are not about to start a confrontation because of North Koreaâs nuclear program â The Chinese knew all along what was going on in North Korea â if the Chinese wanted to stop the North Koreans they would have done a long time ago - since it takes a long time to develop everything that is necessary to build nuclear weapons â The Chinese had to know that North Korea was developing these nukes. North Koreaâs nukes - is a problem for the United States and not to China or South Korea. The South Koreans should endorse the North Koreans nukes because after the merge the of the two Koreas â the financial clout of the South and the nukes of the North would make for a stronger merged Korea â and also with a higher global status because they have the nukes. .
SA, Unlike the mess in Iraq, if US attacks Iran then it would only be a bombing raid via planes and submarine based missiles. No US troops will be sent to Iranian soil so US would not have any stake on ground. If Iran retaliates then that will be followed by more bombing runs and further tightening of the sanctions. The only drawback will be that Iran might try to snowball the mess in Iraq and local Iraqi (Shiaite) population will also become hostile to the US on ground. Prices of oil might shoot up but only temporarirly. Iran has a bad credit history with terrorism and it will not be allowed to have nukes.
Have you forgotten the threat to Taiwan's sovereignty. Something you were so concerned about earlier. China's agenda is not the agenda for the entire far East. You seem to forget about Japan and Malaysia. Do you think the remilitarization of Japan is a good thing? History tells us and China and a militarized Japan might not be a very stable environment. I am not claiming to know how North Korea's threat will play out. But it is clear those countries and Russia are quite concerned. They have requested the U.S. to be involved. That is our burden as the most powerful nation on earth. Something that seems to evoke envy in third world commentators.
. Toc: "If the US needs to send someone into space today â they need to ask the Russians for a ride on one of their spaceships." That is because it is much cheap to do so via Russian ships. It makes economical sense when trip is not so important in security terms. Why is US opening plants in China, because labor is cheap. ********** February 15, 2006 SouthAmerica: Reply to Toc The US is outsourcing its space program to the Russians because they canât keep even the Shuttles flying â it is Boooommmm in the way up or Booooommmmm on re-entry. The American Shuttle astronauts in reality they are a modern form of an American Kamikaze â they never know if they will be able to return alive from a mission. ******** SouthAmerica: Someone above mentioned that the US could have nuked North Vietnam to win that war â but the US did not â and the US lost that war. We could have said the same thing about the Soviet Union â they could have nuked Afghanistan â but they didnât â and they lost that war. History repeats itself since most people never learn the lessons from past history. The US defeat in Iraq and Afghanistan - it will be a major blow to the United States international prestige. âIraq and Afghanistanâ might be to the United States what âAfghanistanâ was for the Russians in the late 1980âs â the end of Empire â the end of the road. So far the Iraq War (Jan. 2003 â Dec. 2005) cost the American taxpayer $ 326 billion dollars and the Bush administration is requesting another $ 120 billion to piss it away. If the rest of the world were really serious about wanting to end US involvement in the Iraq War â all they had to do is stop lending money to the United States â if Americans are so gun ho about continuing this silly war they should also pay the price. It is that simple. The Iraq civil war would continue anyway after the Americans left their country â since only after the civil war is settled with blood we will know who will be the next legitim leader of Iraq. And who knows who will end up in power? ******** toc: Unlike the mess in Iraq, if US attacks Iran then it would only be a bombing raid via planes and submarine based missiles. No US troops will be sent to Iranian soil so US would not have any stake on ground. ********** SouthAmerica: All kinds of programs on television are implying that the United States would have no alternative other than start bombing strategic locations inside Iran. If that happened and I was a member of the Iranian government I would start a major attack inside Iraq â gorilla type of warfare â now you see - now you donât. And I would also make a major effort to disrupt oil shipments from Saudi Arabia to the US. That would make oil prices to skyrocket to over $ 100 a barrel, and I would try to hold the instability as long as I could â that would push the entire global economy into a deep recession. In the mean time I would also destabilize everything inside Afghanistan â and between Iraq and Afghanistan the US government would be sorry they ever attacked Iran. If you think that the US has a mess right now in Iraq and Afghanistan â you have seen nothing yet - wait until the Iranians destabilize the rest of the Middle East. It is easy to talk tough for the television cameras to show how tough you are â but it is another thing to follow up on your threat. How many times the US government said that they would not tolerate nuclear weapons in North Korea? The North Koreans keep saying for the United States - âGet Lost.â Do you see the US doing something about it? No. Because North Korea is armed with nukes and they donât give a shit about what the United States thinks. In the other hand the US canât do a thing about North Korea â other than keep barking, and barking, and so on. ********** Jem: Have you forgotten the threat to Taiwan's sovereignty. Something you were so concerned about earlier. ********** SouthAmerica: I am not concerned about Taiwanâs sovereignty â Taiwan and China will re-merge in the future â they are already doing it one step at the time. Today, Taiwan has over $ 100 billion dollars invested inside China and if this process continues slowly over time they will continue integrating both countries in a peaceful way â Americans want to accomplish everything on a quarterly basis â but the Chinese are patient and they know how to achieve their ultimate goal â at the end of the day they need each other. ********** jem: China's agenda is not the agenda for the entire far East. You seem to forget about Japan and Malaysia. Do you think the remilitarization of Japan is a good thing? ********** SouthAmerica: China will buy and Japan and Malaysia will be happy to have a fantastic market for its products. Personally, because I live here in the USA - I would not like to see the remilitarization of Japan â because that also implies that they will try to develop nuclear weapons. But I am not worried about destabilizing Asia. I am worried that a Japan with nuclear weapons might decide to retaliate in the future against the United States. If I were a Japanese I would not forget Hiroshima and Nagasaki. ********** jem: That is our burden as the most powerful nation on earth. Something that seems to evoke envy in third world commentators. ********** SouthAmerica: Right here is the American Achilles Heal. When you think that you are stronger than you really are. If the US was â as you describe - the most powerful nation on earth â then why you need to borrow over $ 700 billion dollars from the rest of the world to be able to stay afloat economically. Why the US keeps running a deficit on its balance of trade of about $ 800 billion dollars for 2006. This is not a rich nation â that is someone with the illusion of being rich but living on borrowed money. The world is too big for any superpower to try to rule it. The reality today is that US prestige, power and clout is in decline even around the United Stateâs backyard â never mind its prestige and declining power around the rest of the world. .