IRAN BUYS LONG-RANGE FIGHTER BOMBERS

"Iran buys... from Russia... 250 Su-30MKM warplanes and 20 IL-78 MKI fuel tankers... Iran has stipulated delivery of the first aircraft before the end of 2007. The transaction, Russia’s largest arms deal in 30 years, will endow Iran with a long-range aerial assault capability. The Sukhoi can sustain a four-and-a-half hour raid at its maximum range of 3,000 km against long-distance, marine and low-lying ground targets across the Persian Gulf and Middle East, including Israel and Lebanon.
The fuel tankers extends the Su-30MKM’s assault sustainability to 10 hours and its range to 8,000 km at altitudes of 11-13 km. The closest comparable plane in the West is the American F-15E fighter bomber. Iran’s acquisition of an exceptionally large fleet of the Russian fighter-bomber will elevate its air force to one of the two largest and most advanced in the region, alongside the Israeli Air Force...Moscow is selling Tehran the same Sukhoi model as India received earlier this year... (and) began delivering the same craft in June to Malaysia..."
--DEBKAfile (Israel), July 27, 2007
http://www.debka.com/index.php

TO BE OFFSET BY...

"The United States is reported to be preparing a major arms deal with Saudi Arabia worth $20 billion... it would include missile guidance systems, upgraded fighter jets and naval ships... part of a strategy for countering Iran's growing strength..."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6920458.stm

BUT...

"... the arms proposal to Saudi Arabia would face broad bipartisan opposition on the Hill. Despite the administration’s efforts to portray the Saudis as part of the moderate Arab world, members of Congress of both parties are increasingly skeptical..."
--DEBKAfile (Israel), July 28, 2007
http://www.debka.com/index.php

B-2 BOMBER GETS PENETRATOR BOMB FOR STRIKING NATANZ

"US Air Force B-2 Stealth bombers will soon be fitted with newly-developed 15-ton Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs... the gigantic new bunker-blaster is designed to hit fortified underground targets such as Iran’s uranium-enrichment facility at Natanz. It will be capable of drilling through many meters of earth or concrete. When it falls from a high altitude, the MOP – composed of 20% explosives, 80% hardened metal - will punch a hole in the toughest protective casing before exploding in depth. It is GPS guided."
--DEBKAfile (Israel), July 23, 2007
http://www.debka.com/index.php

IRAN TO BE PART OF ENDLESS REGIME CHANGE TREADMILL

"... The U.S. isn't massing its naval might in the Persian Gulf for nothing, nor are the daily rhetorical broadsides aimed at Iran just boilerplate. Tehran has been the target from the beginning... It is just a matter of time before an incident on the Iran-Iraq border ignites the coming conflict. That's why the administration is desperately trying to buy time and put off congressional demands that we start withdrawing from Iraq. Meanwhile, they're busy ramping up the war of words with the Iranians... Once we're stuck in the Iranian quagmire, one can easily imagine the objections to a U.S. withdrawal: just re-run the arguments made by this administration and its supporters in regard to Iraq. At that point the American people may wake up and realize that we're on an endless treadmill of "regime change" and occupation..."
http://antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=11344

INTELLIGENCE GATHERING ON IRAN

"... the sheer breadth and depth of US intelligence activities in Islamic Iran are rarely acknowledged... hundreds (possibly thousands) of Iranian expatriates in western Europe, North America and the Middle East have been effectively recruited by the CIA (and other US intelligence agencies) without their knowledge.... these people are highly educated and often come from the very top of their professions; which ranges from medicine, engineering and the law to more politically oriented careers such as journalism and political and military analysis. The great majority of these people are apolitical,... (they are made to) feel like a "consultant" rather than an "informant" or "agent".... The relationships are handled by subcontractors, and the CIA only assumes direct control when the target is either beginning to produce intelligence-quality information... or has managed to secure access to people who can..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/IG21Ak06.html

CHENEY PUSHES BUSH TO ATTACK IRAN

"Cheney pushes Bush to act on Iran... Military solution back in favour as Rice loses out... Bush is not going to leave office with Iran still in limbo... No decision on military action is expected until next year... "
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2127115,00.html

EAST COAST ENTERPRISE STRIKE GROUP DEPLOYS FOR IRAN

"... The US aircraft carrier USS Enterprise will not rotate with any of the two carriers already present in the Middle East... the Enterprise... will in fact join the USS Stennis and USS Nimitz near the shores of Iran - not replace them... The carrier which departed Norfolk Monday is heading for a six-month Middle East tour of duty with its strike group of four warships: the guided missile destroyers Arleigh Burke, Stout, James E .Williams and Forrest Sherman, as well as three more ships – and 7,500 sailors in all aboard..."
--DEBKAfile (Israel), July 12, 2007
http://www.debka.com/index.php

WESTERN POWERS WILLINGNESS TO ATTACK IRAN
(Which report is "spin"?)

As reported in the conservative site Newsmax (http://www.newsmax.com):
"Israel 'Approved' to Strike Iran... Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs said he has received approval from the U.S. and Europe for an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. "If we start military operations against Iran alone, then Europe and the U.S. will support us,” Avigdor Lieberman said following a meeting with NATO and European Union officials..."
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/7/13/100257.shtml

As reported in the Jewish news site JTA (http://www.jta.org):
"Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who visited NATO headquarters in Brussels two weeks ago, came away with the impression that Western powers are unwilling to resort to pre-emptive military strikes to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons... NATO leaders reportedly told Israel that it would have to stop Iran's nuclear program alone..."
http://www2.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/breaking/102935.html

AL QAEDA IN IRAQ THREATENS TO ATTACK IRAN

"The leader of an al-Qaida umbrella group in Iraq threatened to wage war against Iran unless it stops supporting Shiites in Iraq ..."
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/jul/09/na-al-qaida-group-in-iraq-threatens-iran-with-war/