If Bush declared war on Iran, he would use AIR power, not ground troops

[Caution]

He would use Iraq bases as staging ground for air strikes...he could pound Iran into submission using the permanent bases located in Iraq easily, particularly with the large contingent of soldiers available to cycle the aircraft for sortie after sortie.

People get fixated on the ground forces but the fact is that invasion doesnt have to happen for another year if they decide to go with an air campaign. Declare war on Iran, use it to mobilize the voters, then re-instate the draft after the election and start cycling in ground forces to Iraq for an invasion of Iran shortly thereafter.

This is uber: but people who keep sasying "with what troops" seem to miss the point of why the administration might be floating this right now.

duh edit the typo to iran

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. title typo

[THUNDER HANDS]

2. you might want to change that to IRAN

we've already attacked Iraq. For a second I thought you were just really slow.

[LittleApple81]

3. Iraq or Iran? n/t

[Guaranteed]

4. If he declared war on Iran? nt

[TrogL]

5. No, he would use nukes

See this thread http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. Yeah, I can see him doing that.

[aden_nak]

6. That was the point.

The real reason we invaded Iraq. So we could set up permanent military bases in the Middle East. Even the oil came second to this goal.

[Caution]

8. I agree.

Been saying that since the invasion. Bush and his oil cronies want a permanent military presence in the middle east in case the oil stops flowing they can simply take it on some pretext or another.

[shoelace414]

7. but what about after airstrikes.,.

and then Iran invades Iraq.

plus.. Iranian popultation would rally around their leader.

[Caution]

11. US air power would easily overpower

any invasion force into Iran. Iran uses the same outdated equipment that Hussein had. In short order there would no longer be an Iranian military, and don't forget the 135,000 soldiers full equipped and armed already in Iraq. The reason the ground situation is difficult in Iraq is because our troops are meant to be mobile. If Iran attemped an invasion they would be obliterated. The US does fine in a non-guerrila war. Inside of 6 weeks, Bush could pacify Iran, and win the election if the timing were right. It all comes down to how the public receives this latest crap about an Iran-9/11 connection. All Bush has to do is be successful up to the election. Once he won that his options are wide open.

[shoelace414]

16. ooh.. you're right

our military can defeat ANY MILITARY in a "traditional" war.

it would be so bad to invade. it would turn the iranian population against us. perhaps after August.. because you odn't roll out the new products in summer

[dmkinsey]

19. Hmm,

Wasn't that the plan against Iraq?
Air power alone won't subdue Iran any better than it subdued Iraq

[shadu]

21. Not unless the bombs are nuclear

Bush will do it if he think he can get away with it

[atreides1]

22. Actually Rumor

Rumor has it that the Russians have been selling state of the art, up to date Anti-Air Artillery to the Iranians, as well as modernized radar systems.

Add to that mix the fact that the Iranians are well armed with SSM's, and I'll bet they already have Baghdad targeted, as well as other US locations in that theater.

Iran won't invade but they can destroy a good portion of the US military located in Iraq and neighboring Gulf nations, or do you really think that the Iranians don't have agents in the countries that border them.

A large group of aircraft take off from Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, or from aircraft carriers in the Gulf region, you can bet the Iranians will know about it. And the next thing you know SSM's will be landing at US military bases all over the region. Don't count on the Turks lending a hand, as long as Iran is defending itself from a US/UK attack the Turks will remain neutral, just like they did in the invasion of Iraq.

Let's face facts we all know how paranoid Bush is and we all know that the Iraninans have been expecting the US to launch some kind of attack on them for decades, and I think while the US was paying all that attention to Iraq and Saddam, Iran was getting prepared.

Now they may not win in the end, but I'll bet they take a lot of US/UK military with them.

And that's the other thing, will the UK support an invasion of Iran, I don't think Blair is that stupid, but you never know.

Not to mention that the rest of the coalition will pull out of Iraq, because they didn't sign up for empire building.

Just other things to think about for all those who think that Iran will be another "cakewalk with flowers".

[Bridget Burke]

13. Even the majority of Iranians who want more freedom....

Would rally around their leaders. It would be the end of the liberalizing trend that does exist in Iran.

I know lots of Iranians who don't care for the current government there. But they have many relatives back home who don't deserve to be bombed.

[Racenut20]

9. More Shock & Awe ?????

[rocktivity]

12. As if he had a choice.

Here's how strapped the Bush regime is for troops:
Uncle Sam might still want him, even at 67

Seven years ago...psychiatrist Charles Ham retired from the Army...Then, the other day, he got a call telling him to report...for a physical examination.

Ham, who wore a U.S. Army uniform for 41 years, knew 5,600 veterans who recently had left the service were being called up. But he never thought he would be on the list. "You know, I'm 67 years old. Why do you need me?" Ham asked.

The caller explained the Army needed psychiatrists to counsel troops. A recent study found the suicide rate of soldiers serving in Iraq is...17.3 per 100,000 soldiers, compared with 12.8 for the Army overall. To help remedy the problem, the study recommended the Army send more mental health specialists to combat zones...


rocknation

[ewagner]

14. Oh-oh!

Did anybody bookmark that news article from over the weekend that talked about Israel finishing their first strike capability against Iran?

All this talk about Iran is not coincidence. Somebody is stirring the pot.

[htuttle]

15. Ever seen a half dozen Sunburn missiles take out 6 ships in a minute?

Keep an eye on the Persian Gulf -- you might get the opportunity to see that.

Iran is no Iraq. Their air defense hasn't been bombed three times a week for the past 10 years.

[shadu]

20. Any word on Raytheon's SeaRAM anti-missile defense?

I believe this is supposed to be the US' answer to the Sunburn.

[maggrwaggr]

17. my prediction: Bush will nuke Iran before he leaves office

which is why we need to get him out NOW

[Sagan]

18. The bombing campaign alone will bring Nazi Germany to its knees!

That never works.

[Caution]

24. Im not saying this whole thing is a cakewalk

I must have been unclear...I meant that this is the rationale and methodology that Bush could use to get us involved in another war prior to the election in order to galvanize public support behind him. The thinking amongst most people I have seen here on DU is that the military is stretched too thin, but that isn't true. The ARMY is stretched thin. We have plenty of naval and air power currently and that is precisely how the US military would approach Iran if the Bush ordered it.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

23. Israeli surrogates?

I would think it more likely that he could unleash Israel and call it an International Effort to remove an authoritarian government, destroy WMD, and all the usual patriotic blather. That it would do nothing to stop "terrorism" and, in fact, add 67 million angry Iranians to the enemies list, is of course secondary to stirring up a mindless public to "support our (or, Israel's) troops".

[Walt Starr]

25. This is the administration's "New product" set for introduction

right after Labor Day on schedule for the elections.

[Jacobin]

26. Who thinks Tony will be along for the ride on this one?

[SpiralHawk]

27. Iran's air defenses + Jolly Ollie North

Thanks to the korrupt kolonel, Ollie North, Iran has an array of our US made Hawk antiaircraft missles.

Thanks a pantload, Ollie. I'm sure our pilots will appreciate your "patriotism."

the official Iran-Contra Report

http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/walsh/chap_02.htm

"Oliver L. North, a Marine lieutenant colonel assigned to the National Security Council staff beginning in 1981 until he was fired on November 25, 1986, was the White House official most directly involved in secretly aiding the contras, selling arms to Iran, and diverting Iran arms sales proceeds to the contras. "