In a thoroughly frightening development, it turns out two of the greatest threats to peace and stability on the planet (behind America, that is) are cooperating with each other. That's probably mostly because nobody else will deal with either of them more than because they have any alliance or ideological affiliation (I'm pretty sure Iranians despise the godless N.Koreans). Still, it's not a good sign that Iran is getting missiles with the range to reach Israel, much less Iraq, and which can carry a nuclear payload.
Iran is reportedly stepping up development of long-range missiles. According to an intelligence report given to Reuters by a non-U.S. diplomat, Tehran is pursuing a program code-named Project 111, whose aim is to arm Iran's Shahab-3 missiles, which experts believe have a maximum range of 2,000 kilometers, with nuclear warheads. The Shahab is based on North Korea's Rodong missile technology.
[...]Reuters also said a German diplomat, citing his country's intelligence data, confirmed that Iran had purchased from North Korea 18 disassembled BM-25 mobile missiles with a range of 2,500 km, which would render them capable of reaching Israel and Turkey from Iran. Quoting Alireza Jafarzadeh, an Iranian exile in Washington, Reuters said Tehran sharply increased production of the Shahab-3 missiles from less than 20 to around 90 a year.
So, do we have any doubt that Iran isn't just developing nuclear energy? I don't think so. The US needs to do something about this right now (and that does not include giving nukes to anybody else).
2 comments:
Geez...thanks North Korea. The Iranians won't hit us, but how does anybody think Turkey, or Saudi Arabia, or Pakistan, or Russia even, will feel about missiles with that range? Nobody's going to assume that the Iranians are saving them entirely for Israel...
I know, this is yet another destabilizing influence on a region that's already troubled enough. It's not like Iran wouldn't have reason to missile people in Iraq, and that's the last thing we need.
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