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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: 1) by tftp on Saturday July 11 2015, @05:51AM
People will pretend that the US will fight Iran, but it's highly unlikely: they'll actually fight back. It will be like the 4th of July, except instead of hearing fireworks outside, you'll hear bombs from Iran.
In no way I'm trying to advocate such a war. However I am unsure how exactly Iran will manage to bomb the USA. Even if you mean IEDs, access to explosives within the USA is highly controlled. If Iran has enough agents inside the country - which is not likely - they won't be able to do much. Short of Iran getting a nuke, this will be a one-sided, remotely executed destruction of Iranian cities. Iran won't be able to do anything except blocking the Strait of Hormuz. This will boost the oil price, and US oil companies will applaud this final service that the dying state of Iran had unwittingly provided to them.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 11 2015, @08:49AM
Ah that makes me all warm and gooey inside. Is there nothing that bombs can't fix? :hearts:
(Score: 2) by deimtee on Saturday July 11 2015, @12:11PM
Maybe not the US mainland, but they have a twentieth century military and could probably hit some of these: http://www.converge.org.nz/abc/pr37-1721_files/image002.jpg [converge.org.nz]
If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.