Israel, US & UK Beat The Drums Of War As They Threaten Iran

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Friday November 04, 2011 14:30 by pat c

War preparations against Iran continue. In the US, legislation, which includes sanctions against Iran's Central Bank and strict curbs on official diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran, was approved unanimously by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives.

The first bill, the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Reform and Modernization Act, would impose penalties against any individual or company – foreign as well as domestic – that has facilitated the transfer of equipment that could be used in Iran's nuclear programme. It also would bar access to the U.S. of any vessels that have visited ports of any of the three countries in the last two years.

Among other provisions,the second bill would sharply reduce the president's authority to waive existing sanctions against any individual, company or country doing business with Iran; expand existing sanctions against companies that sell Iran refined petroleum to include any barter transactions; and impose sanctions against any individual, company or country that conducts a transaction with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is believed to control as much as 40 percent of the Iran's national economy.

Sanctions are war by other means.

The UK is also preparing for War against Iran.

Britain's armed forces are stepping up their contingency planning for potential military action against Iran amid mounting concern about Tehran's nuclear enrichment programme, the Guardian has learned. 

The Ministry of Defence believes the US may decide to fast-forward plans for targeted missile strikes at some key Iranian facilities. British officials say that if Washington presses ahead it will seek, and receive, UK military help for any mission, despite some deep reservations within the coalition government. 

In anticipation of a potential attack, British military planners are examining where best to deploy Royal Navy ships and submarines equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles over the coming months as part of what would be an air and sea campaign. 

They also believe the US would ask permission to launch attacks from Diego Garcia, the British Indian ocean territory, which the Americans have used previously for conflicts in the Middle East. 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/02/uk-military-iran-attack-nuclear 

Israel has successfully tested a new long range missile, the Jericho 3, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. The Israeli military also announced  that air force jets recently concluded a lengthy exercise over Sardinia, Italy, which included long-distance attacks and mid-air refuelling. The exercise involved 17 Israeli jet fighters, and was conducted together with Italian and Dutch planes. The destination enabled the jets to drill a 2,400km flight, including mid-air refuelling; impossible in Israel’s limited air space. This looks to be a dress rehearsal for attacks on Iranian targets.

However Iran has not been cowed by this display of Isreakli arrogance.  Iran’s chairman of the joint chiefs of staff Hassan Fairouz Abadi warned that Tehran would retaliate with a “surprising punishment” if Israel “pursued such a mistake”. He said Iran was taking the threat seriously, even though the likelihood of such an attack was low, and he warned their retaliation would target the US as well as Israel.