| ||
| | ||
| Iran Threatens to Retaliate Against U.S. Interests | ||
| ||
 | ||
| Iran has threatened to attack U.S. bases in the Middle East if the U.S. strikes its nuclear facilities. “The U.S. may initiate a devilish act, but continuing and ending that event would certainly be out of its control,” Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr said Saturday. “All U.S. bases in the region” are “within the range” of Iran’s weapons, he added. Qatar, Bahrain and Oman all host U.S. military bases that Iran could target. “The objective will be to stun the American missile defense system using dozens if not hundreds of missiles that will be launched simultaneously at certain targets,” said Adm. Ali Shamkhani, Iran’s former defense minister, to Defense News on Monday. Shamkhani directed his comments primarily to U.S. allies in the region and added that oil refineries and power stations would be targeted in addition to U.S. bases. Iran’s threats aren’t just limited to the region. Zolghadr also warned that oil prices would rise to $250 a barrel “if security in the region, the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf is disturbed” (Bloomberg, June 11). Previously, Iran has specifically threatened to jeopardize oil shipments passing through the choke point if the country were attacked. Almost a quarter of the word’s oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, which borders Iran, the second-largest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (opec). These comments from senior Iranian officials come at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the West over Iran’s nuclear program. A meeting between a senior Iranian envoy and the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (iaea) was cancelled Monday because of Iran’s refusal to provide answers about past atomic activities as promised. UN experts believe that Iran has 2,000 uranium enrichment centrifuges online and is on pace for 3,000 by July. The centrifuges would provide Iran with the necessary hardware to possibly yield enough enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb within a year. Mohamed El Baradei, the iaea director general, warned that the “current stalemate and brewing confrontation” could lead to a U.S.-Iranian war. Iran’s continued defiance of the international community, bullying and fiery rhetoric has the United Nations worried about an upcoming war, and for once the UN is right. However, it won’t be a U.S.-Iranian showdown. Biblical prophecy has much to say of a soon-coming clash between Iran and the West, but the U.S. won’t even be in the picture. For more information, read our free booklet The King of the South. ............................................................................................................. FBI director predicts terrorists will acquire nukes By Jerry Seper "Our greatest weapon is unity," Mr. Mueller said at the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism law-enforcement conference in Miami. "That unity is built on intelligence and interagency cooperation. It is built on the idea that, together, we are smarter and stronger than we are standing alone." Mr. Mueller said federal authorities, working with their counterparts overseas, must secure loose nuclear material, share intelligence about those who wish to buy and sell such material, and stop those who do -- adding that by some estimates, there is enough highly enriched uranium in global stockpiles to construct thousands of nuclear weapons. Mr. Mueller said the economics of supply and demand dictate that someone, somewhere will provide nuclear material to the highest bidder, and that material will end up in the hands of terrorists. He said the al Qaeda terrorist network has demonstrated a clear intent to acquire weapons of mass destruction, noting that Osama bin Laden sought to buy uranium in Sudan in 1993. But, he said, al Qaeda is not the only concern, adding that the United States faces threats from other terrorist cells around the world and from homegrown terrorists not affiliated with al Qaeda but who have been inspired by its message of hatred and violence. "Several rogue nations -- and even individuals -- seek to develop nuclear capabilities," he said. "Abdul Khan, for example, was not only the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb; he peddled that technology to North Korea, Libya and Iran. Khan was one of many to prove that it is indeed a seller's market in the so-called atomic bazaar." Mr. Mueller said the next terrorist attack is not a question of if, but when. While the FBI investigates all acts of terrorism in the United States, he said that the prevention of a nuclear attack is a responsibility shared by many and that the necessary coordination to meet the threat begins with training. "Together, we are training our foreign partners in WMD detection, border security, undercover investigations, nuclear forensics and crisis management. To date, we have trained more than 5,000 participants from more than 23 countries," he said. Strong intelligence, he said, is the FBI's primary asset, but standing alone is not enough. He said that if the FBI uncovers information about potential nuclear trafficking or a pending plot, it must be able to move at a moment's notice. "We cannot sit back and wait for others to act. To do so is to continue to feed the crocodile, hoping he will eat you last, as Winston Churchill once said," he said. "Our safety lies in protecting not just our own interests, but our collective interests." |
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
THREATS BY "IRAN"
