Scary speculation about nukes and war with Iran:

[iconoclastic cat]

There is a very interesting and informative thread on Daily Kos about possible war with Iran. I recommend that all of you read it. In it, a poster writes this frightening idea, which is just crazy enough to work...if you're a neocon maniac:

Another sickening nuclear thought

The use of tactical nuclear weapons against military or nuclear infrastructure targets in Iran would have to be ruled out because of the outraged backlash, both domestic and international, that would result.

Not unthinkable to the warmongers though, might be the idea of tactical nuclear contamination.

In effect, using small yield nuclear bombs in unpopulated expanse of the desert to draw a nuclear contaminated line in the sand. Over this or these, the conventional forces of either Iran or Iraq could not pass.

We, of course, with our superior air transport could deliver troops safely over these new lines of demarcation. In fact, such contaminated fields could be used strategically as defense zones of the flank or rear from ground force attack.

by RickWn on Fri Aug 5th, 2005 at 13:08:53 EDT

Read the whole thread, if you can stand it. I really do think that Bushco is going to go through with it. I also suspect that if one or all of the various scandals explodes (DSM, Plame, Abu Ghraib pics/Sibel Edmonds-9/11 lawsuit, etc.), they will simply go ahead and begin bombing Iran. I really don't think they'll need another terrorist attack on the U.S. for an excuse; I bet they just do it, damn the consequences.

[wli]

1. don't forget the Iranian oil bourse (oil for euros)

[iconoclastic cat]

3. Iran rejected that today.

http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=13911373

Iran rejects 'unacceptable' EU nuclear offer
Friday, 05 August , 2005, 22:40

Tehran: Iran on Friday rejected a broad package of trade and technology incentives offered by the European Union if it agreed to abandon nuclear fuel work, a move that risks an international crisis.

"The proposals are unacceptable," nuclear negotiator Hossein Moussavian said, describing them as a "clear violation" of agreements between Iran and the European Union.

"They negate Iran's inalienable right," he said.

EU negotiators have called for an emergency meeting of the UN watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, which could refer Iran's nuclear dossier to the Security Council for possible sanctions.

[wli]

5. not related to the Iranian oil bourse that I'm aware of

Sounds like it's all nuclear.

[iconoclastic cat]

7. You're correct.

I haven't found anything pertinent to that yet.

[wli]

9. it's the petrodollar vs. petroeuro angle

Saddam did it first. Now Iran's trying it.

[FloridaPat]

2. Can't afford to make all that oil radioactive. However, even that

would bring retaliation. And with our troops over there, Iran, having been bombed with a nuclear weapon would have the right to drop one on our troops and wipe out our entire army.

Then the scenario could continue that the idiot in the WH will bomb Iran with everything we have - leaving use nuclearlly (sorry about the use of a non-word) defenseless. And Iran is chummy with Russia and China. And of course N. Korea is looking for an opening.

[The Doctor.]

4. It's what I would do...

It's very clever.

[lonestarnot]

6. Ewww I couldn't read all of it!

I had to catch my breath.... going back in!

[iconoclastic cat]

8. Some of the best stuff is in the comments.

[lonestarnot]

10. Ok I'm done... and I have to go change my diapers and get a

hambuga for lunch! I have the buga twitch!

[okieinpain]

11. yeah, that's going to stop people that have suicide bombers, stop

them dead in their tracks. yep contimained sand just blowing all over the place is a way to contain those pesky iran people.

[lonestarnot]

12. Oh yeah sure... uh hugh... that'll put the brakes on 'em.

[charlie]

13. Yeah, this'll put the brakes on that notion

From Bob Cringely, of all people:

I eventually finished the piece and decided to go see the war since I had been in Beirut and Angola, but had never seen trench warfare, which is what I was told they had going in Iran. So I took a taxi to the front, introduced myself to the local commander, who had gone, as I recall, to Iowa State, and spent a couple days waiting for the impending human wave attack. That attack was to be conducted primarily with 11-and 12-year-old boys as troops, nearly all of them unarmed. There were several thousand kids and their job was to rise out of the trench, praising Allah, run across No Man's Land, be killed by the Iraqi machine gunners, then go directly to Paradise, do not pass GO, do not collect 200 dinars. And that's exactly what happened in a battle lasting less than 10 minutes. None of the kids fired a shot or made it all the way to the other side. And when I asked the purpose of this exercise, I was told it was to demoralize the cowardly Iraqi soldiers.

It was the most horrific event I have ever seen, and I once covered a cholera epidemic in Bangladesh that killed 40,000 people.

Waiting those two nights for the attack was surreal. Some kids acted as though nothing was wrong while others cried and puked. But when the time came to praise Allah and enter Paradise, not a single boy tried to stay behind.

http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20041104.html

[Pathwalker]

14. And the wind would do what to that glowing line?

in the sand????