What happened to the 85%?
wait whaaat?

Shall we start a pool on the date/time Israeli stealth's will leave a package on Iran's doorstep.

You Sir, have been warned. :eyebrow:

Voice of America
Nov 19, 2011
US to Slap Isolated Iran With New Sanctions

Woopdie dooo! Like anything has really changed. Turn the place into a parking lot. Some people cannot be negotiated with.

(yes, I realize its an immediate emotional reaction)

Yeah, careful UG. ;) If we pave the place, the more liberal minded die with the theocrats. I'd prefer we wait for the implosion of an untenable society.

lol

I usually go with 'not going to happen' since an Israeli attack on Iran has been predicted every 1 to 2 years since 2005, but the idea is becoming more and more mainstream (in discussion terms, not agreement terms). There was a recent boom in discussion of the probability and strategy behind an attack since the IAEA report came out.

If Israel does bomb Iran, I'm guessing it will be after US leaves Iraq since the Iraqis won't be able to detect Israeli planes illegally flying over their airspace (unless SA gives Israel permission).

Yes, I too am usually not paranoid/conspiratorial about such things.
But it was an article several days ago, similar to the one below,
that came to my mind when I read the "new sanctions" article.

I remember thinking, why are they making this (Israeli refusal)
public ... unless something is in the works ?
Now, announcement of the new sanctions... :3_eyes:

The Telegraph
Nov 19,2011
Israel refuses to tell US its Iran intentions

That's what I've been hearing as well. It is pretty clear that Obama is against a pre-emptive attack on Iran so if Israel wanted to go through with it, they would have to go alone. That is why they are forced to wait until after the US leaves Iraq if they can't go through SA.

The main reason why I believe Israel would not go through with an attack is that there is very little chance it will make their situation any better. But then again, I am feeling that Israel's pragmatism has been dwindling lately.

It seems as long as Iran can keep the talking (diplomacy) going,
there is not sufficient motivation to react to threats of more UN sanctions.
But when Israel starts scurrying about it does get their attention.

Reuters
By Parisa Hafezi
Tue Nov 22, 2011
Iran misjudged West's resolve in nuclear standoff

Why wait? Why should we not, say, help? Régime change can be successful... that's the lesson of the early twenty-first century.

What is it we can expect from the present Iranian government?
___ More of the same damn crap, plus undermining of democratic republics
___ Radical change and a Good Neighbor Policy

The problem with that thinking is that a counter attack by Iran would draw the US in by a MOU. Signed in 1968 and re-signed by Clinton and Netanyhau in 1998.

Maybe if Iran attacked Israel directly, which I doubt they would do. Their missile capability is extremely weak while Israel's (and the US's) is very strong. Iran would play to their strengths and use Hezbollah, Hamas, and other terrorist/insurgency cells if they decided to respond along with other non-direct methods. The US wouldn't be drawn in with an MOU if that happened.

Israel stirring up trouble? Maybe, maybe not. Turkey certainly is closer than Israel.....

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomac...-says-1.397862

Hmmm The first one I can buy was some sort of mistake or accident. Whatever.
But now another one?

A second Iranian nuclear facility has exploded,
as diplomatic tensions rise between the West and Tehran

link

Their subscription to Norton Anti-virus and Anti-spyware ran out.