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W. J. Hennigan reports at the LA Times that as diplomats rush to reach an agreement to curb Iran's nuclear program, the US military is stockpiling conventional bombs so powerful that strategists say they could cripple Tehran's most heavily fortified nuclear complexes. The bunker-busting bombs are America's most destructive munitions short of atomic weapons and at 15 tons, each is 5 tons heavier than any other bomb in the US arsenal. "The Pentagon continues to be focused on being able to provide military options for Iran if needed," says a senior US official. "We have not taken our eyes off the ball."
Obama has made it clear that he has no desire to order an attack, warning that US airstrikes on Iran's air defense network and nuclear facilities would spark a destabilizing new war in the Middle East, and would only delay Iran by several years should it choose to build a bomb. "A military solution will not fix it," says Obama. An attack "would temporarily slow down an Iranian nuclear program, but it will not eliminate it." That being said the latest iteration of the massive ordnance penetrator (MOP) was successfully tested on a deeply buried target in January at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The test followed upgrades to the bomb's guidance system and electronics to stop jammers from sending it off course. B-2 stealth bombers would be required to drop the MOP, which is designed to burrow 200 feet underground before it detonates. Multiple MOPs probably would be aimed at the same target to bore deeper and achieve maximum destruction. A US attack could spark a broader war in the world's most volatile region. Iran has hundreds of medium-range missiles capable of hitting Israel, Jordan and other American allies, according to defense intelligence estimates. "It would create huge problems," says Michael E. O'Hanlon. "That said, it's hard to rule out if talks fail."
Original Submission
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday July 11 2015, @03:22AM
The Iranians have a living fuckton of sanction money locked up, but once released, it's ripe for the spending. And the oil they have, too. It seems that Western nations have an unhealthy preoccupation with the Middle-East for some odd reason, but that once unlocked Iran's resources would usher in a new era of cooperation to alter the balance of power in the Middle-East
Come on, America, Russia, make peace with them and each other and open a mutual economic floodgate with Iran. Only then can we crush the Saudi and Israeli scum with their powerful fifth-columns infesting the Western world like cancer.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Saturday July 11 2015, @10:38AM
Oil, true for all Middle Eastern nations except Israel. America's unhealthy preoccupation with that country comes down to AIPAC [uchicago.edu]; there is no other strategic or practical reason.
The absolute best thing you as an individual can do to render the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Iran with it, irrelevant is to put solar panels on your roof and switch to an electric car. Stop consuming fossil fuels. You'll save a ton of money, make your house self-sufficient from grid instability and its supply/price shocks, and get to drive a car that's a heck of a lot more fun and relaxing than any ICE.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Saturday July 11 2015, @09:39PM
and get to drive a car that's a heck of a lot more fun and relaxing than any ICE.
Yeah, right. There's no way in hell a Nissan Leaf is fun to drive; cheap econocars like that just don't have very good performance or handling.
Now a Tesla Model S, definitely. I've driven one and they really do have great performance and handling (impressive especially considering its weight). However, you can't just run around telling people to just go buy a $108,000 car. You might as well tell everyone to just buy a Ferarri.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Sunday July 12 2015, @01:25AM
Lately I've been driving the BMW i3, which definitely costs far less than a Model S. Its acceleration is still great and it is fun to drive.
I have test-driven a Leaf, and it seemed like its acceleration was fine, roughly comparable to an ICE of that price range, except it was a linear curve and it was quiet.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Sunday July 12 2015, @11:05AM
A car that is in excess of 6 seconds 0-60 (BMW i3) is NOT fun to drive. It's a dog.
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Sunday July 12 2015, @05:32PM
I find it instantly responsive and relish the linear acceleration curve in total silence. The braking power is nice, too. There is no need to down-shift or over-rev. The past few months I have been driving the i3 on the north shore of Long Island, a relatively affluent area that's part of the wealthy town of Oyster Bay. There are many young turks in muscle cars who enjoy displays of automotive power. For fun, and to test the capabilities of the EV, I've matched them at the line a couple times and the plucky little i3 leaves them standing. (I'm not a car guy and have never given two shits about them for status, etc, so it's a little harmless exercise) Yes, the guy in the lime-green Lambo beats me but his car also costs an order of magnitude more and he looks way goofier with the wind blasting through his hairpiece.
But then, my baseline is mass-market ICEs. If yours is lime-green Lambos, yeah, you'll yawn.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Tuesday July 14 2015, @11:19PM
I don't know what you're racing against, but it sure isn't a 'muscle car', my 20 year old Vette would leave you in the dust. But I only race at the track. Only morons race on the street which tells me you haven't met a moron in a muscle car yet. The vast majority of us would just laugh at you and not even try, risking your license racing a car that slow isn't worth it.
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.