Quote from 377OHMS:
Iran and much of the world actually think that the hamas and hezbolla surrounding Israel represent a real military threat. What a joke.
If Israel attacked the Iranian nuke facilities Iran would unleash the rocket launching terrorists that surround Israel.
Israel would simply treat these attacks from gaza and southern lebanon as though they were attacking a real army and destroy the entire place. Southern lebanon will, this time, be cleared and become a buffer zone which Israel will not give back, sort of like the golan heights taken from Syria. It won't be given back. Thats what I call a real-estate deal.
Its high time really. Israel is actually anxious to get it all over with at this point. If Iran flips out in response and starts harrassing the USN in the Gulf the U.S. will likely take Kargh Island in response. So much for Iranian oil exports by sea. The oil will be appropriated by the U.S. and Iran will get U.N. oil-for-food etc. U.N. oil-for-food officials will drive up Manhattan real-estate prices with their oil/cash kickbacks.
Haliburton will be offerring condos on Kargh Island. Give Dubai some competition lol.

Quote from blackchip:
Couple of points -
The Olmert gov't in Israel is about to crumble due to corruption charges involving an American "businessman".
If Iran chooses it can wreck the world economy in the near term as retaliation -
Israel would immediately be attacked from the north and south. But that's just a side show.
A few of Iran's supersonic missiles sink a super tanker in the strait of hormuz and oil goes easily over $200 as millions of bbd are removed from the world markets.
The US Navy has no defense against these missiles and Iran could even attack a carrier group in the Gulf while moving the missile sites around the low hills of the coastline.
The US cannot invade Iran like it did Iraq. Iran is mountain fighting like the former Yugoslavia. Likely, no other country would help and China and Russia would side with and supply Iran.
Iran is currently cooperating to maintain relative stability in Afghanistan. If Iran is attacked, the US would probably lose Afghanistan to extremists and Pakistan is possible. The taliban are back now (you won't hear it from the US media). Of course Pakistan already has nukes.
Iraq would destabilize (more). Saudi could easily destabilize.
Effectively, Iran has a knife on the throat of the industrialized countries.
This kind of move by Bush would be an "all in" bet depending on Iran's reaction.
Quote from blackchip:
Please do go on.
Quote from 377OHMS:
Not implying some direct defense. But if Iran ever struck a USN vessel with a weapon of any kind I'm quite sure the U.S. would attack every Iranian installation within airstrike range of the carriers with conventional weapons. All Iranian Naval installations would be flattened, all radar sites, command and control infrastructure, power, civilian communications etc. There is no Iranian air force to speak of but, just the same, any runway in southern persia over 4000 ft would be cratered and seeded with dormant cluster munitions. All Iranian ports would be mined and no-fly zones would be established over most of the country and the entire gulf region.
The USAF would get involved and they are itching to kick somebodys ass.
Shall I go on?
Quote from blackchip:
Also, how will this keep Iran from tanking the world economy and oil from going over $200?
Ok. So the US/Israel starts WWIII.
Keep going.
Quote from 377OHMS:
China will not intervene nor will their oil supply be disrupted. The deal with China was cut last year. We gave up Taiwan. China agreed to force N. Korea to the table and to give lattitude in the Gulf. Iranian oil will continue to flow through Kargh, under U.S. administration. Taiwan will revert to ROC control in 20 years.
Quote from blackchip:
That's interesting. Reference or link to a reliable source?