Iran-Israeli posturing

Memnoch

Okay, so we've seen reports in another thread about Israel's intention to station nuclear subs off of Iran's coast. A provocative measure to say the least.

Meanwhile...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/10250354.stm

In another development on Sunday, a senior Iranian military figure said the country's elite Revolutionary Guards were ready to escort aid flotillas to Gaza if ordered to by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"The Revolutionary Guards' naval forces are fully prepared to escort freedom and peace flotillas carrying humanitarian aid from all over the world to the oppressed people of Gaza," Ali Shirazi, Ayatollah Khamenei's naval representative, told Mehr news agency.

Personally, I doubt any further aid flotilla would accept an Iranian escort. But this **** is getting heated up...

meanwhile... unsurprisingly, Israel have rejected an offer by the UN to have an independent investigation panel including members from the US, Israel, Turkey and headed up by former NZ prime minister Geoffry Palmer (wtf, the dead guy from 24?)

p.s.

Perhaps we need a general ME conflict thread? I dunno.

billy the squid

Both the iranian and israeli government are in difficulty. Netinyahus crowd just scraped through in the last election and there is still tension in Iran over the green protest.

me thinks it is just bilateral willy waving, designed to appeal to their voters.

BlaasForRafa

billy the squid wrote: »

Both the iranian and israeli government are in difficulty. Netinyahus crowd just scraped through in the last election and there is still tension in Iran over the green protest.

me thinks it is just bilateral willy waving, designed to appeal to their voters.

I have to say I agree on this. I can see Israel stationing subs in the indian ocean perhaps but the persian gulf is pretty cramped and not a great place for hiding submarines.

And if Iran did try and break the blockade then they would be in a "put up or shut up" mode as they would come off second in a fight with Israel and the Iranians would lose face, what would the regime do then?

Victor

Memnoch wrote: »

Okay, so we've seen reports in another thread about Israel's intention to station nuclear subs off of Iran's coast.

But Israel doesn't have nuclear subs. Link?

Actually, the Israelis might have a legal difficulty with a militarily escorted (Iranian?) merchant ship.

Noreen1

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

I have to say I agree on this. I can see Israel stationing subs in the indian ocean perhaps but the persian gulf is pretty cramped and not a great place for hiding submarines.

And if Iran did try and break the blockade then they would be in a "put up or shut up" mode as they would come off second in a fight with Israel and the Iranians would lose face, what would the regime do then?

This is probably a stupid question, but is it possible that Iran are relying on support from other ME countries? I'm just wondering!

Noreen

BlaasForRafa

Noreen1 wrote: »

This is probably a stupid question, but is it possible that Iran are relying on support from other ME countries? I'm just wondering!

Noreen

Syria is really the only country I can think of offhand with relatively close ties to Iran although Turkey are edging closer to them. The gulf states and Egypt pretty much all dislike and fear Iran.

Clawdeeus

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

Syria is really the only country I can think of offhand with relatively close ties to Iran although Turkey are edging closer to them. The gulf states and Egypt pretty much all dislike and fear Iran.

Iraq looked like they might too when things were going completly tits up in 2007. Think that changed as it came to light how many insurgents were being supplied by Iran and as the situation calmed down.

Keep in mind that Iran is the only large country (along with Iraq) which is majority Shia; which many Sunni's see as tantamount to heresy and is ethnically Persian, old enemies of the Arabs.

The only thing that will make them see eye-to-eye is the Palestinians plight. But I dont think anyone should be fooled; there is no question that boat is ment as provocation.

Roger.Ramjet

I think that the Isreali's, the Americans, the EU governments and the majority of the Arab tin pot dictators would be only too happy for Iran to accompany a flotilla to Gaza.... would be considered a direct provocation and a perfect pretext to take out their nuclear programme... highly likely that the Iranians are just posturing....

gandalf

Roger.Ramjet wrote: »

I think that the Isreali's, the Americans, the EU governments and the majority of the Arab tin pot dictators would be only too happy for Iran to accompany a flotilla to Gaza.... would be considered a direct provocation and a perfect pretext to take out their nuclear programme... highly likely that the Iranians are just posturing....

Of course Iran are posturing. It paints them in a good light with their new friends Turkey and is a means to get closer to them and to get one up on Israel.