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**BeBMan** · March 31, 2003, 18:42

Suicide.

**Ming** · March 31, 2003, 18:43

Re: What if: Syria and Iran launch a pre-emptive strike against the US

Originally posted by MOBIUS
concerted airstrikes from Syria and Iran against the supply lines would cripple the coalition.

Only if they want to lose their expensive toys... You will notice that none of the Iraq Air Force is flying... And for good reason.

Both have spent good money on their toys, and have no desire to lose them while not getting anything in return...

**GePap** · March 31, 2003, 18:45

Why give the Us an excuse to atatck back, and eventually win? Both of them would eb smarte by sitting around, undermining the Us in Iraq by proxy,a dn then just wait till the day the US inveriably pulls out. George Bush and his cronies will not be in power indefinitelly.

**Shi Huangdi** · March 31, 2003, 18:48

"What if: Syria and Iran launch a pre-emptive strike against the US"

Leftists around the world would be overjoyed.

Other then that, it would mean the eventual downfall of both of those countries. A full deployment of the US would probably eventually beat them, and US Air Superiorit would be enough to crush their forces as they tried to attack us. Plus, we have the ability to reduce both of those countries to rubble via air. And of course in a big conflict such as that use of NBC weapons becomes a possibility.

**Edan** · March 31, 2003, 18:54

Iran has too much to lose by going to war (especially with their nuke program

). It won't go to war. (And hasn't it already helped the US somewhat by stopping an Iraqi speedboat that was going to attack a US ship like the Cole was attacked?

I'm less sure about Syria, but think it's more likely they will stay out than get involved directly.

**Chemical Ollie** · March 31, 2003, 18:55

I don't think they will do it. But there will surely be many volonteers to join the "Jihad", and the Syria/Iran governments will not do more to stop them than US would do to stop American volonteers to help Canada if France (for some reason) would ever try to reclaim Quebec. 5000 Jihad fighters are already in Iraq, most of them willing to do suicide attacks.

Thank you mr Bush. As if the Arabs weren't pissed at us Westerners before, they will surely be now.

**MichaeltheGreat** · March 31, 2003, 18:58

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
"What if: Syria and Iran launch a pre-emptive strike against the US"

Leftists around the world would be overjoyed.

Hell, I'd be overjoyed, but then you probably classify me as a leftist.

{Patton mode}Let those yellow sonsa*****es attack us if they want. We'll bomb the holy hell out of them, we'll grab em by the nose, and kick them in the ass, and we'll keep on doing it until they've got no fight left in them, then we'll drive on Damascus and Tehran and teach those sonsa*****es what real war's all about.{/Patton mode}

Seriously, it'd give us an unquestionable reason to go after Syria and take care of those *******s. Iran wouldn't get in that fight, because it would be next to impossible to coordinate effectively with Iraq and Syria.

**Flubber** · March 31, 2003, 18:59

There's nothing that says that the Iraqi population and the irregulars will welcom Iranian or Syrian troops either. They could find themselves with the same problem the US has with a phanthom force snipping at them-- Reasons it won't happen

1) If Saddam is gone, many of his neighbors will be happier
2) If the US gets bloodied while degrading Iraqi power, the neighbors are happy

They could see it as win-win in which they grow in power regardless of the outcome

3. These armies would have to amass and prepare. The US MUST BE watching the whole region quite closely. The second a number of Iranian jets even seemed to be working up, they would be sent a warning. Tank movements ditto . Suprise is not possible.

4. With inferior air forces, their troops would be forced to move under hostile skies with only whatever mobile SAM coverage they bring with them. That is a recipe to lose a LOT of their forces.

5) The actual benefits are pretty nebulous. You may bloody the US. .. you may even force them backward for a bit . . . but you will likely stengthen US resolve, see a lot of your military decimated, and be seen as assisting Iraq ( and even the most ardent anti-war countries are not exactly clamoring to be their friend. YOUR REWARD . . . Saddam still strong .

**Zero** · March 31, 2003, 19:00

Re: Re: What if: Syria and Iran launch a pre-emptive strike against the US

Originally posted by Ming

Only if they want to lose their expensive toys... You will notice that none of the Iraq Air Force is flying... And for good reason.

Both have spent good money on their toys, and have no desire to lose them while not getting anything in return...

then why even invest them in the first place? That sounds like an extreme inefficiency. Does Iraq have any other potential target that wouldnt have US involvement in a scenario? If not, then as Saddam I'd just say.. "yeah **** airpower. Let me order some more hand grenades"

**Lord Merciless** · March 31, 2003, 19:01

I would be over-enjoyed if those sneaky SOBs decide to pull a Pearl Harbor. America would mobilize itself and Euros would no longer whine like mad. We'll finally have a chance to crush those fundies once and for all.

**Sandman** · March 31, 2003, 19:01

Both countries would be better advised to play it defensively. They don't have the necessary offensive punch to make victory likely, and America's 'domino' theory is looking very shaky at the moment. Afghanistan is just a mess, and Iraq will end up as an enormous Gaza strip, both totally unsatisfactory to lauch further offensive operations.

If America is stupid enough to attack, they can defend themselves well enough.

**Lancer** · March 31, 2003, 19:04

It depends. Does the US have ground forces in Kuwait able to defend the Airforce bases there against a determined rush? Could mass attacks of suicide migs knock the carriers out in the surprise opening phase?

Under the circumstances, Turkey would most certainly undergo a popular moslem fundy revolution, and the US would be deprived of its airbases there, if not getting its forces, and planes, overrun.

Of course, that's worst case.

**GePap** · March 31, 2003, 19:05

These two countries can't win militarily, but they sure can put a giant cog in the Us's political plans for the region, and that is what matters.

In general though, Iran (he look, these people can actually overthrow their own dictators!) is goign through significant political change. lets just hope the Us doesn't do something to screw with Iran and give the hardliners any excuses.

**Zero** · March 31, 2003, 19:06

Re: What if: Syria and Iran launch a pre-emptive strike against the US

Originally posted by MOBIUS

So why not fight by American rules and launch a pre-emptive strike against a dangerous potential aggressor (the US). They could potentially cut off the head of the US armed forces relatively easily by launching a full scale pincer strike against the coalition forces through sheer weight of numbers...

They ARE playing by american rule. According to the american rule, when we do it, its pre-emptive. When they do it. Its a wretched sneak attack.

Therefore they are doing whats best for them according to the rules.

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