Iran to reverse-engineer, mass produce US drone’
Senior Iranain official says Iran will soon be able to reproduce and upgrade the US RQ-170 Sentinel. Iran will reverse-engineer the US drone it captured on December 4, Iran’s Press TV quoted a senior Iranian official as saying Sunday.
Parviz Sorouri, member of the Majlis Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, said that his country will “mass produce” the drones in the near future. He also said that the Iranian version would be “of higher quality” than the original RQ-170 Sentinel, according to the Press TV report.
Souriri added that decryption of the drone was in its final stages and that soon Iran would be in posession of confidential US information.
The advanced US drone was reportedly flying a mission over western Afghanistan when it entered Iranian airspace and was intercepted.
“After it entered the eastern parts of the country, this aircraft fell into the trap of our armed forces and was downed in Iran with minimum damage,” said Revolutionary Guards Commander Ali Hajizadehhe upon the drone’s capture December 4.
“With God’s help, we were able to bring down one of America’s most advanced planes… with minimal damage,” he told the semi-official FARS news agency.
Sourouri also claimed that Iran had developed advanced capabilities in countering electronic warfare, stating that that these contributed to the identification and distruption of the US electronic system.
Last Thursday Iran’s state television published pictures and a video of a drone the Iranian military claimed it had shot down with an American flag hanging from it.
The RQ-170 Sentinel, built by Lockheed Martin, was first employed by the US Air Force in December 2009. It has a full-motion video sensor that was used this year by US intelligence to monitor al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan ahead of the raid that killed him.
Source:http://theuglytruth.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/iran-to-reverse-engineer-mass-produce-us-drone/
UAE: No Covert Aspect to Iran Nuclear Program
UAE Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
The prime minister of the United Arab Emirate (UAE) has ruled out the possibility that Iran’s nuclear program may include a covert military dimension.
"Iran is our neighbor. They are Muslim, and we lived next to each other for thousands and thousands of years. I don’t believe that Iran will develop a nuclear weapon,” Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said.
CNN quoted Al Maktoum as saying on Wednesday that “What can Iran do with a nuclear weapon? For example, will they hit Israel? How many Palestinians will die? And you think if Iran hits Israel, their cities will be safe?"
The US, Israel and their allies accuse Iran of pursuing a military nuclear program and have used this pretext to press the UN Security Council into impose four rounds of sanctions against Tehran.
On November 8, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) claimed in its latest report that Iran had engaged in activities related to developing nuclear weapons prior to 2003, adding that such activities “may still be ongoing.”
Iran dismissed the report as "unbalanced, unprofessional and prepared with political motivation and under political pressure by mostly the United States."
Tehran says that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the IAEA, it has the right to acquire and develop atomic technology for peaceful purposes.
Iran Moves Forces To War Alert
Whether it is just posturing or this time Iran feels it has little to lose, following a spate of mysterious explosions and a downed US attack drone (for those who can put 2 and 2 together), it seems that the oil-rich country is increasingly seeing war as the probable endspiel. YNet reports that Iran is "moving missiles to secret sites, Western officials tell British paper; earlier, Tehran residents reported to stockpile goods, fearing imminent strike. The commander of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards has ordered his forces to raise their operational readiness ahead of a possible war or strike on the country’s nuclear facilities, the Telegraph reported late Monday." The move is for now precautionary: "The British newspaper quoted Western intelligence sources as saying that Iran is repositioning ballistic missiles, explosives and troops into defensive positions, in order to offer a quick response in the case of an attack by Israel or the United States." And while all this is happening, Iran is busy shipping of the downed US drone to the highest regional bidder (with substantial reverse engineering skills).
Read More:http://www.zerohedge.com/news/iran-moves-forces-war-alert
Iran: We’ll fire 150,000 missiles at Israel if attacked
Iranian Defense Minister General Ahmad Vahidi said Israel would be attacked with 150,000 missiles if it launches any military action against the Islamic Republic, the Iran Independent News Service reported Sunday.
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Speaking before 50,000 army volunteers in Bushehr, the minister said "Iran is not Iraq or Afghanistan, if the Americans make the mistake and attack Iran, we will show them how to fight,” adding “Israel has to be punished for what it has done to the Muslims in Palestine and Lebanon."
However, according to Iranian news outlets Vahidi did not specify if the missiles would be fired from Iran or other locations.
On Saturday a senior commander of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard said the country would target NATO’s missile defense shield in Turkey if the US or Israel attacks the Islamic Republic.
Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the Guards’ aerospace division, was quoted by the semi-official Mehr news agency as saying the warning is part of a new defense strategy to counter what it sees as an increase in threats from the US and Israel.
Source:http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4153840,00.html
U.S. Deploys Aircraft Carrier, NATO Prepares For War
The latest multipurpose nuclear aircraft-carrier The George Bush of the US Navy has been redeployed from the Persian Gulf to the Syrian shores. The ship is capable of carrying up to 70 aircraft, including 48 attack jets. The aircraft-carrier is escorted by a group of vessels which contains a destroyer.
In this connection, experts are giving both a pessimistic and comparatively moderate prospect of developments near the Syrian sea border. Maxim Minayev from the Russian analytical Centre of Political Situations says:
“This is preparation for a military operation against Syria. These activities are reminiscent of a similar initiative when a group of NATO vessels were concentrated near Libya. Washington wants to collect a maximum dividend from the series of revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa. With this aim in mind, Washington is likely to start a military intervention even without UN sanctions. Now we are witnessing the first stage of NATO naval contingents drawing up near the Syrian shorelines.”
Oleg Kulakov, an expert in Oriental studies from the Armed Forces University, is not inclined to feel too emotional about the situation.
“The reinforcement of the US aircraft-carrier fleet in the Mediterranean is more likely to be a threat. They are building up muscle in the region and this is undoubtedly an element of strong political intimidation. Military pressure is likely to be augmented by possible diplomatic demarche. However, all this does not mean direct military intervention.”
Meanwhile, whipping up tension around Syria is taking place along different lines as well. The day before The George Bush was redeployed near the Syrian coastline, the Al-Arabiya Saudi TV channel circulated a piece of news from the Russians Are Coming! set. It reported that three Russian Navy ships entered Syrian territorial waters. The TV channel referred to a source close to Syrian top authorities.
This news published by a Saudi newspaper was carried on by the Haaretz Israeli news source and a number of other regional media. The Russian Defence Ministry did not confirm this information in a conversation with The Voice of Russia.
However, there is a Russian naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus, so it is small wonder that Russian Navy ships could be seen there. That port is the only Russian military base abroad at present. The agreement on keeping Soviet facilities there was signed by the Syrian government 40 years ago. At present there are only 50 Russian Black Sea Fleet sailors there. They have three piers, a floating repair shop, a peripherals warehouse and some utility rooms.
During last year’s campaign against Somali pirates the Russian aircraft-carrier The Admiral Kuznetsov called at the base in Tartus. The crew of The Neustrashimy destroyer spent several days at the base before their return from the Gulf of Aden to the home port of Baltiysk. There is a plan to upgrade the base in Tartus, so that it could receive heavy ships after 2012.
Gilad Atzmon: In case you don’t realise how dangerous the Israeli Lobby Is
Israeli paper Israel-Ayom reports today about a new ‘Congressional bill’ that would require the “American administration to support Israel in a move deemed necessary to defend itself against the Iranian nuclear threat.” 
Five Republican congressmen who visited Israel last week disclosed the bill.
The bill states an "expression of support for Israel’s right to defend its sovereignty and to protect the lives and safety of its citizens and use all necessary means to confront and eliminate the nuclear threat that emerges from the Islamic Republic of Iran, including use military force in the absence of other diplomatic means available in the near future. "
Read More:http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/gilad-atzmon-in-case-you-dont-realise-how-dangerous-the-isra.html
Reports: Israel, Saudis United in Desire to See Attack on Iran
Though Israel’s traditional rhetoric suggests any Arab nation is automatically at odds with their position, media reports tonight are marveling at the growing unity between Israel and the Saudi leader GCC nations in their desires to see Iran attacked.
Both Israel and the Saudis are long time enemies of the Iranian government, and even if they both came by this in very different ways it should come as no surprise that the Sunni-dominated regimes of the Gulf nations are fine with Israel attacking a major Shi’ite nation.
Of course the Israeli preference remains seeing the US starting the war, but increasingly Israel’s current far-right government is mulling attacking unilaterally. Either way, Gulf officials seem to hope starting a war with Iran will quiet their respective Shi’ite populaces, which they are convinced are being roused to protest primarily by Iran.
Which seems unlikely. If anything an unprovoked attack on Iran seems liable to rile up the Shi’ites in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, et al. all the more. It also is likely to bring neighboring Iraq’s current Shi’ite-dominated government more squarely in the camp of the Iranian government, as such an attack is likely to rouse considerable anger after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq led to nearly a decade of occupation.
Source:http://news.antiwar.com/2011/11/06/reports-see-israel-saudis-united-in-desire-to-see-attack-on-iran/
Zionist Peres says Iran Greatest Threat to Israel
“Iran is the greatest threat faced by Israel,” Peres said on Sunday while visiting a northern Israeli village, Ha’aretz newspaper reported.
The remarks come as Peres said on Friday that an attack on Iran was becoming increasingly more likely.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Knesset last Monday in an effort to garner support for a military attack on Iran over its nuclear program.
Supported by the defense minister, Ehud Barak, and foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, Netanyahu argued that Israel should proceed with efforts to encourage the West to exert more economic and political pressure on Iran. He also emphasized that any action against Iran should be carried out in full coordination with the United States.
Israel, which is widely believed to possess over 300 atomic warheads, along with the US accuses Tehran of pursuing a military nuclear program.
Under pressure from Washington and Tel Aviv, the UN Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions against Tehran. Washington and the European Union have also adopted unilateral measures against Iran’s energy sector.
While Israel refuses to allow inspections of its nuclear facilities or to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty based on its policy of nuclear ambiguity, Iran is a signatory to the NPT and has been subjected to snap International Atomic Energy Agency inspections due to its policy of nuclear transparency.
Israel has recently test fired a new long-range missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads. The test was carried out at the Palmahim air base in central Israel.
This three-stage Jericho-3 missile, which is capable of delivering a 750-kilo warhead to a distance, is estimated to have a range of up to 10,000 kilometers.
Paradoxically, the new nuke-capable missile, which can target many parts of the globe, is not considered a threat in the eyes of the West.
Source: Rothschild Zionist Peres says Iran Greatest Threat to Israel
Syria: Next for Libya-style ‘humanitarian’ intervention?
With the destruction of Libya winding down, the Western imperialist machine is looking for the next target for destabilization and exploitation.
If John McCain, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, is any indication, it is likely the case that Syria is on the top of the list.
I have speculated about Syria being the next target for foreign military intervention under the guise of humanitarianism for several months now, dating back to early April.
The evidence for this position has only grown since then and the public statements from McCain at a meeting of the World Economic Forum in Jordan made it that much more concrete.
“Now that military operations in Libya are ending, there will be renewed focus on what practical military operations might be considered to protect civilian lives in Syria,” said McCain at the World Economic Forum meeting
The situation in Syria is far from transparent as the armed status of the “protesters” is regularly glossed over in the Western corporate media.
In the few instances in which it is mentioned, they are just labeled “opposition gunmen” then the mainstream media continues to pretend they are peaceful pro-democracy activists who are victim of an evil government.
If Americans took up guns against the United States government, you can bet they wouldn’t be characterized as peaceful pro-democracy protesters, yet when it happens in Syria they are given special status.
Furthermore, the information coming out of Syria is sketchy at best given the fact that none of it is independently verified and the vast majority comes from so-called “activists” and “human rights groups” which, like the rebels in Libya, have a strong incentive to falsify information.
AFP claims that more than 3,000 people were killed in Syrian crackdowns on pro-democracy protests, citing the United Nations. They say that this includes 187 children who have been killed since mid-March.
Like in Libya, McCain is claiming that the domestic opposition in Syria is asking for foreign military intervention.
“There are even growing calls among the opposition for some foreign military intervention. We hear these pleas for assistance. We are listening to and engaging with the (opposition) National Council,” McCain said.
Interestingly, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the Syrian opposition has called for no such thing and the Obama administration claims they do not seek to intervene in Syria militarily according to The Washington Post.
Also contrary to McCain’s claim, The Washington Post is reporting, “Most Syrian opposition groups, inside and outside Syria, also have said they oppose military intervention.
One member of Syria’s outgoing parliament, Mohammad Habash, told The Washington Post that foreign military intervention “will only bring catastrophes, wars and blood and this is what we don’t wish at all.”
Clinton did say that Washington supports regime change in Syria and “an opposition that only engages in peaceful demonstration” although the opposition is doing no such thing as of now.
McCain said that there are growing reports of defections from the Syrian military and he claims that the fact that the opposition formed the Syrian National Council points to “a new phase” in the uprising in Syria.
Read More:http://www.activistpost.com/2011/10/is-syria-next-target-for-western-libya.html
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