Long-range missile sites found in Iran
posted at 9:50 am on April 11, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Anyone wondering why President Bush has been so insistent on missile defense, and why NATO embraced it in its new defense doctrine, will have those questions answered in today’s Times of London. Long-range missile sites have been spotted through satellite imagery in Iran, and the construction shows potential capabilities for a 4,000-mile range. That easily puts eastern Europe within Tehran’s sights, and explains why Poland and the Czech Republic seem so enthusiastic about becoming an integral part of the defense umbrella:
The secret site where Iran is suspected of developing long-range ballistic missiles capable of reaching targets in Europe has been uncovered by new satellite photographs.
The imagery has pinpointed the facility from where the Iranians launched their Kavoshgar 1 “research rocket” on February 4, claiming that it was in connection with their space programme.
Analysis of the photographs taken by the Digital Globe QuickBird satellite four days after the launch has revealed a number of intriguing features that indicate to experts that it is the same site where Iran is focusing its efforts on developing a ballistic missile with a range of about 6,000km (4,000 miles).
A previously unknown missile location, the site, about 230km southeast of Tehran, and the link with Iran’s long-range programme, was revealed by Jane’s Intelligence Review after a study of the imagery by a former Iraq weapons inspector. A close examination of the photographs has indicated that the Iranians are following the same path as North Korea, pursuing a space programme that enables Tehran to acquire expertise in long-range missile technology.
The Iranians claim that the sites are used for commercial space projects, but Jane’s analysts say they are clearly military in nature. The sites have heavy military security and have continued to expand far past the needs of a commercial application for rocketry. They look very similar to North Korea’s existing military facilities for long-range missiles, not surprising since the Shahab-3 relies on North Korean designs for the Nodong and the Taepodong missile classes.
According to the analysis provided by the Times, the Iranians could have missiles ready in five years that could hold Europe hostage to the mullahcracy. This meets the timelines set by NATO and the US to have interceptor sites completed in Poland and the Czech Republic by 2013. It also explains why George Bush has remained steadfast on missile defense.
This isn’t an academic pursuit any longer, but a critical means to stop proliferation by making the barriers to entry so costly as to discourage it. In order to get past a missile defense like the one proposed, Iran would have to build hundreds of sites and thousands of missiles, which would be an economic impossibility. Other nations that would try to threaten the West through missiles would face the same economic hurdle with even fewer resources than Iran, and not bother to even start such a program.
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Comment pages: « 1 [2]
Perhaps I…should reconsider..?
Akzed on April 11, 2008 at 4:07 PM
moxie_neanderthal on April 11, 2008 at 4:11 PM
Given’ your anaylsis…
My thought woudl be…
What my Daddy told me…!
“Son I don’t know how to say this …except you’re a damn FOOL!
Oh well…?
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 4:25 PM
Pop’s
I’m goin’ with my first!
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 4:27 PM
SAY AGAIN!
The brevity of human discourse..!
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 4:31 PM
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 4:27 PM
I should have known: “Your bright star” …would have shown, through the foggy, foggy dawn!”
The nugget of “gold” or the diamond in the “rough” is only discovered after spending more than very little time… discovering the meaning of LOVE!
H&K’s…
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 4:49 PM
MAD only works with logical people. Terrorist and suicide bombers are not logical. They do not care if they die.
Johan Klaus on April 11, 2008 at 5:20 PM
YES! I love my HK USP!
pseudonominus on April 11, 2008 at 5:23 PM
Mon apoligies “pseudonominus” you got caught betwix posts
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 5:44 PM
Long “flat ground” walkies today…3000 meters along the creek bed…!
Hey baby! that’s almost two English mules [miles]… !
What I say?
Get out of your pajamas… Off the sofa…!and onto the road!!!
What I say…
Hey…hey…hey…WALKIES FOLKS…!
Hey…hey hey…!
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 5:51 PM
I’ll go you one further: Many of them actually WANT to die as long as they can take out a ‘non-believer’ in the process.
But don’t worry, everybody: President Obama will talk to them. Problem solved. The lions will lie down with the lambs and all will be right with the world when ObaMessiah rules.
LegendHasIt on April 11, 2008 at 5:52 PM
I’m not kiddin’ Hot Folks…!
You gotta take your finger off “da Mouse”!
You gotta pull on your “sweat suit” or jeans and…
YOU GOTTA TAKE A WALK…!
I’d hate to lose the best “foils” of all my insignificant posts to a “gosh damn” HEART ATTACK!
“Pajama’s Media” may be cute…but it ain’t necessarrialy SMART?
Really olde “friendly” soldier sends…!
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 6:06 PM
Paint “Conflict Resolution” on the side of a few 3000 lb JDAMs and Resolve this Conflict.
americaslaststand on April 11, 2008 at 6:20 PM
You are correct, Dear Sir or Madam!
No Excuse,Folks!
Actually I had imbibed two “Early Times” before I posted that absolutely reckless comment!
Since then I have traversed more than 3000 meters of rather hazardous creek side banks and feel fully confident you dear sir or madam were correct in you first analysis!
Thanks, so much; for your most astute observation!
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 6:30 PM
LevStrauss on April 11, 2008 at 2:07 PM
There is no such thing as good and evil?
Johan Klaus on April 11, 2008 at 6:40 PM
All that you have to do is listen to what the Iranian leaders say. Are thay telling the truth, lying part of the time or lying all of the time?
Johan Klaus on April 11, 2008 at 6:46 PM
My Dear departed Mother often equated that distinction as the “difference between good and evil”?
You say, again…?
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 6:47 PM
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 6:47 PM
That was a question.
Johan Klaus on April 11, 2008 at 6:49 PM
Makes your day “Johan” and my dear departed “Mom’s”
Gosh, Mehinks I’ll have to sort this out in the “wilderness”!
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 6:52 PM
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 6:47 PM
There is difinitely a difference.
Johan Klaus on April 11, 2008 at 6:52 PM
I have seen good and
I have seen evil, up close and personal.
Johan Klaus on April 11, 2008 at 6:54 PM
Real evil is sending children and mentaly impaired people on suicide missions.
Johan Klaus on April 11, 2008 at 7:03 PM
I know “shick” everybody gotta take a piss now and then…right?
So you got olde man problems, right…?
Other soldiers have said…Shick is Dah Fonzi…man”
Don’t mess wit’… Da Fonz… “dah Shick”
Get it “jerk bah”…? Yah, yah, you should!
Fonzie…Shick… same ting! Arse hole!
[slap upside dah head] physical confrontation…!
I’m not kissin’ your ring soldier…!
Where’s your boney arse been…?
HUH…?
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 7:10 PM
pseudonominus on April 11, 2008 at 4:21 PM
And the statements made by tha Iranian leaders mean nothing?
Johan Klaus on April 11, 2008 at 7:19 PM
Akzed… I knew someone would “call me out” !
Is it Yale or Harvard…Sir?
You say?
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 7:26 PM
Akzed… I should have requested “…” Sir or Madam…!
Mon apologies…!
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 7:30 PM
…shall it be guns or knifes…?
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 7:31 PM
Ever hear of the Persian Empire? They’ve said that’s where they want to go.
There is no continuity between the government and policy of Iran pre-revolution and the Mullacracy in power now. Not in intention, nor in policy, nor in their willingness to violate international norms. History has a break in it, and they’ve shown us that break with nukes, international terrorism, and the Qods Force.
You don’t have to believe them when they say they want to rule the world under the mantle of Islam, but I’d advise you to. You can judge their capabilities separately, but do judge their intentions.
njcommuter on April 11, 2008 at 7:42 PM
Mayhap a tad more water with it? :)
OldEnglish on April 11, 2008 at 7:43 PM
Sadly, some people think if the U.S. and Israel have nuclear weapons than Iran should as well.
aikidoka on April 11, 2008 at 7:45 PM
2 for 1 is a bit Scotch?
J_Gocht on April 11, 2008 at 7:54 PM
Oh!, it’s Scotch! I stand corrected, one should never add water to Scotch - absolute sacrilege! :)
OldEnglish on April 11, 2008 at 8:21 PM
By “similar in form and size” they mean that they found a 120 foot long rectangular building. Of course there has to be long range ballistic missiles inside! What else can a rectangular building be used for! Do those Iranians think we’re stupid!
dave742 on April 11, 2008 at 8:35 PM
I made a comment on Krauthhammers,Huh headlines thread this
morning!
Iran does have missisle bases,missisle launch capabilities
however;
The United States capabilities is light years so to speak
futher ahead than Iran can even imagine!
Iran so far doesn’t have:
-Silos with MERV
-stratagic Bombers
-cruise missile’s,unless China or Russia supplies them!
-Ballistic Submarine 24 Tube,MERV
-The miniturized W-88 Warhead
-Airborne Command,the ground goes south,they can lauch
from the air!
-The 747 On board Laser system
-The Ageus destroyer system,that anaylizies threats and
prioritizes the targets with said weapon systems!
It would be pure suicide for Iran,however Dinnerjacket would welcome the attack,for some idiot reason its the
only way to get the 12th Iman who is still stuck in the
well,out!
-
canopfor on April 11, 2008 at 8:36 PM
Wasn’t the wide spread world opinion that pre-WarII Germany could never be strong enough to cause any military problems? Really what could anybody fear from such a small nation? Hmmm, Japan is pretty small too.
docdave on April 11, 2008 at 10:27 PM
dave742 on April 11, 2008 at 8:35 PM
What do you think is in there?
Johan Klaus on April 11, 2008 at 11:40 PM
We have a relatively simple choice…either we continue being the World’s Police Force (which I favor) and stop bozo’s from getting nukes, OR we pick up all our marbles and come home and patiently wait for the planet to blow up.
That doesn’t seem like a tough choice to me.
bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb iran!
Tim Zank on April 12, 2008 at 12:46 PM
Johan:
Puppies
dave742 on April 12, 2008 at 9:08 PM
Comment pages: « 1 [2]