<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'> Six hundred Iranian Shihab-3 missiles are pointed at targets throughout Israel, and will be launched if either Iran or Syria are attacked, an Iranian website affiliated with the regime reported on Monday. </p><div class="ph_1"> Behind a poster of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reading: "Missile maneuver of the Great Prophet," Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards tests the long-range Shihab-3 missile in a central desert area of Iran.</p></div> "Iran will shoot at Israel 600 missiles if it is attacked," the Iranian news website, Assar Iran, reported. "600 missiles will only be the first reaction." </p> According to the report, dozens of locations throughout Iraq, which are being used by the US Army, have also been targeted. </p> The Shihab missile has a range of 1,300 km, and can reach anywhere in Israel. </p> On Sunday, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said that the nuclear Iranian crisis forces the world "to prepare for the worst," and said that in this case it "is war." </p> Kouchner emphasized, however, that negotiations should still be the preferred course of action. </p> Kouchner, quoted by French daily Le Figaro, added that "Iran does whatever it pleases in Iraq ... one cannot find in the entire world a crisis greater than this one." </p> In response to Kouchner's comments, Iran's state-owned news agency accused France of pandering to the interests of the United States. </p> "The new occupants of the Elysee (Presidential palace) want to copy the White House," the IRNA news agency said in an editorial. The editorial added that French President Nicolas Sarkozy was taking on "an American skin." </p> Kouchner's statements came just hours after US Defense Secretary Robert Gates reiterated the Bush administration's commitment, at least for the time being, to using diplomatic and economic means to counter the potential nuclear threat from Iran. </p> </div></p> Source</p>
As soon as Iran unveiled the Shihab-3 it was only a matter of time until an announcement like this was forthcoming. Naturally, Iran is also aware that Israel's response to such an attack would be of an exponential magnitude. The real question is whether it's merely brinksmanship on Iran's part, or part of the quasi-Messianic disregard for diplomacy that make Ahmadinejad and the upper echelons of the Revolutionary Guard so dangerous...
At first glance this doesn't seem like a big deal. What country wouldn't retaliate if it got attacked? </p> Comparitvely, if Iran said on the website that they would not only use missles, but would commence a full scale occupation if attacked, they'd be the USA.</p>
Look carefully. Iran didn't specify that it would fire missiles into Israel if Israel attacked, but rather, it would fire on Israel if anyone attacks Iran. That's what's called trying to hold a nation as a hostage. Not quite comparable to US actions.
Attacking Israel would be the stupidest thing Iran could do besides directly attacking the United States. The Israelis have nuclear weapons, they have gone to war over less things in the past and they really don't care what the world thinks as proved by past engagements. If Iran launches a missle at Israel, that would be signing their death warrant. Period.
Good point AEM, I overlooked that.</p> Perhaps the Iranians overrate the negative image Americans place on the war? While I'm personally on the fence about this war, I would support a war against Iran if it was caused by an attack on Israel. </p>
Wow, <font size="-1"><font size="-1">Ahmadinejad is ignorant. Israel will turn his country into a complete mess, and if they don't get it done, the United States will turn the entire area of Iran into a parking lot. </font></font>
