does Iran have allies we dont know about?

Look at all the rhetoric coming from Tehran over the past few months, the statements stating it could defeat a millitay incursion from the US. The Millitary shows and missile tests. The support of Hamas government.

To me this hints at Iran having the knowledge that it would not be alone in a fight with America, this is why tehran is not backing down to Washington, question is who is going to back them, and how worried shoud we really be?

Shouldn't worry at all. Us Brits aren't going in, let the Yanks have a go if they really want too.

[edit on 16/4/06 by stumason]

la2, do you have some news links you can share with the readers?

Thanks friend.....

I'm of the belief that Iran will have the support of "the Arab Street" but not all the Arab governments. This means trouble theatre-wide. I suppose the real questions aren't just Arab allies though but what'll Russia/China/Pakistan/India and all "the Stans" do or not do? I'd not be surprised to find a South or Central American nation or two side-up in unexpected fashion. I'd hate to be the historian who has to document this sad chronology.

V...

I would say that that is a astute analysis on the current situation. People tend to forget about the "Stans" and how precarious the House of Saud really is. All these factors really need to be looked at in the context of any sort of political and military action

I agree with V and FredT. I was thinking of what might happen among the various groups in Pakistan and Egypt if the US attacks Iran

Perhaps a lot of governments faced with a sudden upurge in the level of internal violence?

I believe that we (speaking as an American) have an excellent military, when properly led from the top and used wisely. And, as an ex-Army artillery "gunbunny" I believe we have excellent technology and capability.

But I have wondered at times lately...if this confrontation with iran goes from push to shove, and the region explodes...could we lose a substantial portion of our ground forces over there? This is without considering a major response by Russia or China.

Not saying this to sound dramatic or defeatist,...just wondering about the potential of it all.

[edit on 4/16/2006 by apocalypticon]

While I definitely share V's concern as to what the reactions of Russia, China, India and other powers in the area and around the world would be, I think I have to take a divergence on the idea of Arab allies.

From what I understand of the region, Iran is not an Arab state with the majority of their people being of Persian as opposed to Arabic descent. The information I've seen (admittedly two to three years old at this point) maintains that the Iranian people are primarily Shiite versus Sunnis in a typical Arabic nation. I think with the sectarian conflict started in Iraq as of late, this would have a considerable impact on any potential alliances. At the very least, I would like to think this would prevent the merging of insurgencies within Iraq and Iran as I have seen postulated elsewhere.

However, desperate times call for desperate measures, and so I suppose the differences could be thrown out if the situation is dire enough. Let us hope it doesn't come to such a point.

[seven]

Iraq is predominately Shia as well... Just so you know

Well played, sir. That would be the result of not checking BOTH sets of facts before posting. However, I suspect (read: hope) that bit of religious misalignment would be enough to prevent the theater-wide alliances that I hear being discussed.

Not that I favor action at this point in time by any stretch of the imagination. When the time for talk has truly passed, everyone will know it. I don't think we have reached that just yet, and the right words can work wonders sometimes.

The US can use the Kurds in the north to tame the Shia, stumason, just so you know. The Shia do not want no parts of the Kurds. All the US has to do is push for a Kurdish state, and the heat is moved to a willing and tough ally: the Kurds. Further, the Kurds extend into Iran. Now what kind of problems would that also cause for those Shia in Iran? The Kurds will recognize and support Israel. Oops, another kink in those Shia plans.






seekerof

[edit on 17-4-2006 by Seekerof]

Eeek, not thinking of unifying the Kurds are you Seeker? You should know better than that. If the ones in Iraq and Iran unify, then the ones elsewhere, say in Turkey, will rise up too. Not a good idea.

I'll take a Kurdish State, supplied by the US and others, allied with Israel, over a nuclear weaponized Iran, any day.


From globalsecurity.org:
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seekerof

I don't think Turkey will though.......

Shafting your NATO ally? How very "un-American".....

In the state of denial that Turkey is in over their own acts of genocide, is this a big lose? You are aware that the Cold War has ended? Think about why we needed Turkey in the first place. No big deal today.



NATO is outdated. Its design and use was to go against Soviet Union and the Communist Bloc. Again, its over. World politics, as with nations interests, change. Accordingly, alliance fall under the same principle.






seekerof

That may be so, but they are still a prospective EU member and a Strategic ally of the US/UK etc. Saying that "NATO is defunt so screw you" is stabbing them in the back. Typical US attitude. And you wonder why people get pissed at you guys, honestly.

Stabbing them in the back by taking 1/3rd of their country is a bit #ty, don't you think? Plus, they would hardly take it lying down and neither would the Syrians, the Iranians or Iraqis.

Seems to me that backing a Kurdish state would just push everyone, including the Westernised Turks into an alliance, rather than bolster US geopolitical strength in the area.

Sounds like a bloody stupid plan in fact, but then, wouldn't be the first....

All so the US can feel safe from the Iranian monster.....

If Iran is "flipped" or governmentally disabled, Russia's oil supply will be temporarily influenced. Depending on how willing Russia is to take this financial hit will determine if they will back up Iran.

The US is peddling into dangerous territory poking around the Middle East.

Hey stumason, if the US is as bad as you and others make it out to be, hell, I am merely playing devil's advocate here and taking a truly US radical approach. Personally and objectively, something that I think many of you really do not want to see.



Then drop the Kurdish state idea. The Kurds would still prove useful, nonetheless against the Shia and Iran, Syria, etc.



If you got the balls to start, have the balls to finish what you are going to say, k?



As a US citizen, I feel no threat whatsoever from Iran. Personally, being that you and your country will be under the Iran nuclear weapon umbrella, you had better take the issue a bit more serious then you are. Reminds me of a Chamberlain replay: nothing to worry about ladies and gentlemen..move along now....
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seekerof

[edit on 17-4-2006 by Seekerof]

You mean been peddling in dangerous Middle Eastern territory?
This has been going on for how long? About as long as when the Brits and French were peddling in the Middle Eastern territories?
Iran is no more a threat then it was when Carter was in office....





seekerof

I'm not talking about Iran, I'm talking about offending one of the powder kegs that seem to be brewing up everywhere because of the US's approach to the middle east.

I just love your idea of democracy. Your forced version of how the Middle East should be. One that must also be allied with Israel as well. What a perfect world you must be living in that you can actually have time on your hands to envision things like this for other countries and to insure the comfort and defense of Israel before your own homeland.
Hey why stop there! Why don't we go after Syria and Lebanon next and since Israel is so cramped lets just give them the middle east.
Its a shame that your concern for them is a lot greater then their concern for you. For all you know one of those hundreds of warheads they own could be aimed right at your house in the event they feel you have let them down, when they excercise the Samson Option and the countdown begins.You wont know though till its too late. The last guy that ratted them out on their secret nuclear aspirations was thrown in jail for 18 years. Try having a little chat with Mordechai Vennunu about it..oh wait they won't let you talk to him...oops