" McInerney said a military operation against Iran ... would delay Iran's
nuclear
ambitions by at least five years"

Well, there's five years to collect a few more dividends, and, after all, you
can't take it with you..


NEWS: US general calls for massive attack on Iran in 2007

[According to the Israeli web site Ynet, Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen.
Thomas McInerney said in an interview this week that "Iran should be
attacked by fall 2007 if diplomacy fails."[1] -- Gen. McInerney said
"courage and determination" would be required to carry out a plan involving
"destroying 1,500 targets within 24 to 36 hours . . . paralyzing the Iranian
air force and the Shihab 3 missiles aimed at Israel . . . [and destroying]
the Iranian Navy . . . to prevent Tehran from blocking the Persian Gulf."
-- Since his retirement, the warmongering Gen. McInerney has "served as a
commentator for Fox News," Ynet reporter Yitzhak Benhorin noted. --MJ]

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/5182/

1.

U.S. GENERAL: STRIKES ON IRAN POSSIBLE BY 2007
By Yitzhak Benhorin

** U.S. Air Force General reveals details of possible U.S. aerial offensive
against Iran should diplomacy fail to solve dispute over Tehran's nuclear
ambition; says 'doing it alone' is not an option for Israel **

YNet
October 12, 2006

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/1,7340,L-3314171,00.html

WASHINGTON -- Is it possible to halt Iran's nuclear program by military
means? For years, this question has been asked by Israeli and U.S. military
officials.

Israel prefers Washington to act on its behalf but academics, left-wing
politicians, and experts say a military option is not on the cards for the
Bush administration because of the situation in Iraq.

But retired U.S. Lieutenant General Thomas McInerney thinks otherwise.
There is a good military solution to Iran's nukes but it requires courage
and determination to act, Mcinerney told Ynet in an interview.

McInerney served as a pilot and a strategic commander in the U.S. Air Force
for 35 years. Following his retirement in 1994 he served as a commentator
for Fox News.

McInerney said Iran should be attacked by fall 2007 if diplomacy fails.

He added that an aerial attack should be backed by a secret land operation
aimed at deposing the Ayatollahs.

McInerney said a military operation against Iran should aim at destroying
1,500 targets within 24 to 36 hours, which would delay Iran's nuclear
ambitions by at least five years.

He added that paralyzing the Iranian air force and the Shihab 3 missiles
aimed at Israel would be among the goals of a U.S. military offensive
against Iran.

He said the Iranian Navy should also be destroyed to prevent Tehran from
blocking the Persian Gulf.

OVERTHROWING THE AYATOLLAHS

The retired general estimates that such offensive would significantly
destabilize the Ayatollah's regime.

Asked whether the exiled Iranian opposition is capable of governing Iran
once the Ayatollahs are ousted, McInerney said the Iranian nation is divided
and many citizens opposed to the Ayatollahs would attempt to take power.

Over 4,300 protests took place in Iran last year, he said.

He also noted that only 51 percent of Iranians are Persians while 49 percent
belong to different ethnic groups.

He added that the Ayatollahs can be ousted if the U.S. clandestinely
supports opposition groups within Iran.

A U.S. aerial attack against Iran would involve the following stages, says
Mcinerney:

-- 60 stealth aircraft, B-2, F-117, and F-22, would take part in the initial
attack

-- The second aerial wave would involve 400 aircraft (B-52, B-1, F-15, F-16
and F-18)

-- 150 aircraft special aircraft would be dispatched for refueling and
intelligence collection missions

-- 500 cruise missiles would be fired at targets in Iran from U.S. warships

The B-2 is capable of firing 80 250-kilogram bombs at 80 different targets
simultaneously.

Diverting his attention to the importance of possessing key intelligence for
a successful assault, McInerney expressed confidence in his country's
intelligence-gathering capability.

He added however that hitting 20 to 50 percent of Iran's military targets is
enough to loosen the Ayatollahs' grab on Iran.

He noted that although Israel's military campaign had some flaws, Hezbollah
lost 25 percent of its fighters and refused to release injured figures,
signs that group is in a difficult position after the war.

Asked if 'going it alone' is an option for Israel, McInerney praised
Israel's aerial capabilities but warned that the lack of aircraft carriers
and the geographical distance make it extremely difficult for Israel to
carry out a successful offensive against Iran.

McInerney said that the Ayatollahs would seek the opportunity to leave the
country to Switzerland where they hold large accounts should military
commanders seek to overthrow them.

The general said should diplomacy fail, the U.S. would consider military
options against Tehran within a year at the latest, charging the West should
not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.

Iranian threats to launch attacks against western countries, Iraq and Israel
through sleeping terror cells proves Tehran's link to terror groups like
Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad.

He concluded that a diplomatic solution is preferable but without a serious
military option in the cards, diplomacy would fail and the U.S. should be
ready to act.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]