[vyper]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3997151.stm

[q]Iran is now able to make large numbers of its medium-range Shahab-3 ballistic missile, Iranian Defence Minister Ali Shamkhani says.

He said Iran had mastered the technology and there were no limits on the volume of production.

The missile was recently upgraded to increase its range to 2,000km (1,250 miles), making it capable of travelling beyond Iran's borders. [/q]

Heh, no **** guys.

[ionia23]

I don't see what the big hoo-ha is.  If Iran wants to build deterrences, be my guest.  They're certainly entitled to.

Though deterrences from what....

[Gank]

Israeli strikes on its nuclear power plants.

[ionia23]

I'm sincerely hoping they wouldn't be that stupid.

[Rictor]

Sure they are. Its only a matter of time.

If anyone in the world needs detterence right now, its Iran.
US soldiers  on the eastern border, Afghanistan, US soldiers on the western border, Iraq, and Israeli jets within spitting distance. I dare anyone not to be paranoid in that type of situtation, especially since open threats are issuing forth from Washington almost on a daily basis.

[Gank]

Who, Israel? Course they would. your newly elected president is on the record as saying he wont tolerate a nuclear armed Iran either.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2004-11-04-iran-usat_x.htm

[ionia23]

Well, my newly elected president (whom i didn't vote for) is most definately a blowhard, but he's got enough advisors smart enough to know that if Iran arms itself with nukes a conflict would be, well, armageddon.

[Rictor]

No, if iran arms itself with nukes, there would be no conflict. Thats the whole point. Say what you will about the religious fundies in Israel, Iran and America, but none of them are going to start a war between two nuclear powers.

[Grey Wolf]

That would be three nuclear powers. Israel, Iran, and the US.

[Ghostavo]

Least hope we live to see if that's true

[Grey Wolf]

Everyone in the world except Israel and the US government acknowledges that they ahve nuclear weaponry.

[ionia23]

who, Iran?

[Rictor]

No, I think he meant they as in the uS and Israel not ackowledging that they, again US and Israel, have nukes. Which isn't quite true. The US has made no attempts to hide it, I mean they've had them for decades, and thousaands at that. But all thats known of Israel's arsenal is what Mordechai Vanunu leaked 20 years ago, and spent the better part of two decades in jail for. Though its an open secret by now..

[Grey Wolf]

No, Israel.

EDIT: Appears Rictor beat me to it. As a note, I specifically meant Israel, as everyone knows that the U.S. has nuclear weaponry, and it's an openly acknowledge fact.

[MatthewPapa]

I heard that Israel has even more Nukes than the USA now. I wouldnt at all be surprised if they just have a "kill everything that lives button" that they can press in case of an emergency. I also heard that they are stored in various places underground.

[Bobboau]

what else have you 'heard' ?

[Rictor]

I very much doubt they have more tha the US. A few hundred maybe, but the US has tens of thousands.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by MatthewPapa
I heard that Israel has even more Nukes than the USA now. I wouldnt at all be surprised if they just have a "kill everything that lives button" that they can press in case of an emergency. I also heard that they are stored in various places underground.

I doubt it.  They don't need that many.  Hell, they only need one - the world and is dog knows Israel has nukes, but not how many.  So long as Israel can convince the Arab world that any war would lead to MAD, they're pretty much safe.

[Roanoke]

anyone else think we're in a worse situation than the Cold War ?

[Clave]

http://www.cdi.org/issues/nukef&f/database/

A few hundred warheads compared to a few thousand in the US....

Not that it matters - even half a dozen nukes exploding will have serious implications for the entire planet.  You can't just nuke a country and expect the dust to stay in one place.  To use a volcano comparison, the dust from Krakatoa in the Indian Ocean travelled as far as New York.  If you throw radioactive material high enough into the atmosphere, it will circle the entire globe - then everyone gets to share a stupid death....