Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to war we go (again)

Well, do you think us bombing Iran would start another world war?

Countdown to Armageddon:

Iran says it's installing centrifuges By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press Writer

[SIZE="1"]Iran is currently installing 3,000 centrifuges, a top lawmaker said Saturday in an announcement underlining that the country will continue to develop its nuclear program despite U.N. sanctions.

The lawmaker, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, said the installation under way at an Iranian uranium enrichment plant "stabilizes Iran's capability in the field of nuclear technology," IRNA reported.

Three inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency who arrived in Iran on Saturday are scheduled to visit the uranium enrichment plant in Natanz, Iranian state-television reported.

Iran last week barred 38 inspectors from the United Nations nuclear watchdog because they come from countries that voted for sanctions on Iran. State television did not give the nationalities of the three inspectors, and the IAEA could not immediately confirm their arrival in Iran.

Iran's announcement appears to be its latest gesture of defiance toward the international community over its nuclear program. It faces the prospect of additional United Nations sanctions unless it stops uranium enrichment by the end of a 60-day period that ends next month.

The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously in favor of economic sanctions Dec. 23 after Iran ignored an earlier deadline to halt enrichment.

Large scale use of centrifuges makes it possible to produce more enriched uranium in a shorter period.

Enriched uranium is used to fuel nuclear reactors and to make nuclear weapons. Many countries, including the United States, believe that Iran is using its nuclear program as a cover to produce an atomic weapon. Iran says its program is only for generating electricity.

Iranian officials had said in recent weeks that the country was moving toward large-scale enrichment involving 3,000 centrifuges, which spin uranium gas into enriched material.

The comments from Boroujerdi, the head of the Iranian Parliament's Foreign Policy and National Security Committee, came a day after IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei said he believed Iran planned to begin work in February on a uranium enrichment facility underground. The subterranean facility is intended to protect the nuclear project from attack.

There had been speculation the leadership might launch the project at Natanz next month to celebrate the 28th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution that brought the clerical leadership to power.

A senior State Department official warned Iran against accelerating its atomic program. "If Iran takes this step, it is going to confront universal international opposition," Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said on Friday. "If they think they can get away with 3,000 centrifuges without another Security Council resolution and additional international pressure, then they are very badly mistaken."

Iran ultimately plans to expand its program to 54,000 centrifuges.

In enrichment plants, centrifuges are linked in what are called cascades. For now, the only known assembled centrifuge cascades in Iran are above ground at Natanz, consisting of two linked chains of 164 machines each and two smaller setups.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran's decision last week to bar the entrance of IAEA inspectors from countries whose governments voted in favor the U.N. sanctions resolution was within Iran's legal rights.

"This decision is lawful and will not harm our cooperation with the IAEA," Mottaki said Saturday.[/SIZE][/SIZE]

Iran really should think twice before they defy the UN like that. The UN itself may not do anything but there are at least 4 countries in this world with enough power to make the leaders of Iran's lives a living hell. All without putting one US troop on the ground.

In all reality Israel could handle Iran with very little assistance from us. Israel could not only disrupt Iran's nuclear program but also send Iran into a civil war by disrupting the government. Iran's only strength is man power on the ground should an invasion occur. They have no means of executing an air attack on Israel as no country would grant Iran permission to fly through their airspace to reach Israel. Israel would be able to get that access through the power of the United States. Not only that but if Iran ever launched even a conventional missile at Iran it would have to fly through other countries airspace before it got to Israel, if it ever did. This would not sit well with neighboring countries especially if the missile falls short and causes civilian causalities. Iran has nothing going for them in a war against Israel and the United States.