Vice President Dick Cheney had at one point considered asking Israel to launch limited missile strikes at an Iranian nuclear site to provoke a retaliation

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A military response by Iran could give Washington an excuse to then launch airstrikes of its own

Globally, once our reinforcements come on scene, they would have had it, but the episode would cost us to drive them out of their defensive positions, and back into Iran. Want to bet that we would pursue them and destroy them, or stop at the border?

We would need more troops in Iraq and Kuwait than are there now to be reasonably sure of the outcome after an air strike or ten, in my opinion. An air transport surge might result in building up about twenty or thirty thousand troops over a week or two, if we had enough prepositioned arms, transport and fighting vehicles in Kuwait. That is perhaps 1 1/2 divisions, which I would suggest isn't enough to go on the offensive. I also suggest that Iran would call up their reserves, and within a week or so, they would be streaming to the border, but hopefully seriously interdicted by our air.

What if the Iranians have already called up a significant force and positioned them near the border with their transport? Again, a rapid push into Iraq might succeed in putting us on the defensive.

Their ability to reach Israel would be real slim. Iraq and Turkey are inbetween Syria/Jordan on the way to Israel. Syria/Iran don't share a common border. Look up "syria" on your google-map.

I actually did look at a map to confirm my assertions before I posted, which is why I listed a northern route flying over "Turkey & Syria", as Iranian aircraft would likely skirt the Turkish border with Iraq just long enough to enter Syrian airspace.

Michael Bernard Mukasey (born July 28, 1941). Mukasey attended the Ramaz School in Manhattan, graduating in 1959. His wife, Susan, was a teacher and headmistress of the lower school at Ramaz and both of their children (Marc and Jessica) attended the .....

I doubt you would. IF we are stretched so thin i'd bet we'd go in by air only...so if you see a couple carrier groups in that neck of the woods that's a potential indicator.

"What do the changes mean? They can either strengthen and unite us, or they can weaken and divide us. We must decide… But mark my words, unless we handle this well, immigration of this sweep and scope could threaten the bonds of our union."...

They arrested him, but he made Bail. They charged him with everything but the fall of man.

He's not going to escape this barring some miracle, so the Goldman's will gloat.

My only real question?

Be honest: How man...

We sold the Israelis KC-10 tankers. A few of those is enough, and they will be orbiting in Iraqi airspace too. So there would be gassing up before the raid, and gassing up on the return, which is SOP.

The IAF is not going to have one-way missions. their pilots and aircraft are too precious to them.

For the poorly informed, Iran has over 400 T-72s and 50 Centurions, plus 500 BMPs, a standing army of about 400 thousand, and a 2 million man reserve. These are deployed in eight armored divisions, so they are not at all truck-bound infantry. Not much against US M1A2s, but enough to overrun a lightly held position such as Basra and its surrounds, and then defend it.

Ahoy me hardy's- the typhoon be approachin' ye who lives along the Ole Gulf Coast. The land of lost treasures will be mighty stirred up over the next fortnight. Arggh - the rain be a coming from across La Floride and headin' to the bounty in the lan...

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