If Iran nukes Israel...

[Space05us]

...will the west nuke Iran? If the west nukes Iran will Russia/China/France nuke the west?

[SlowwHand]

Possibly
No

[KrazyHorse]

Re: If Iran nukes Israel...

Originally posted by Space05us
...will the west nuke Iran? If the west nukes Iran will Russia/China/France nuke the west?

Likely no, on both counts.

The only possibility for the West to nuke Iran (as opposed to Israel nuking Iran) would be if there was reason to believe that Iran could continue to fire nukes at Israel (or others!) and Israel was unable to stop them (very doubtful; if it was a matter of operational intelligence the West would be busy providing Israel with whatever they knew about launch sites, while Israel should easily have enough missiles to knock these out).

In this unlikely case, the West (meaning the US) might torch wherever they thought missiles could come from.

In terms of revenge nukings, however, the West would almost certainly not participate. It would let Israel take out Tehran and keep its own hands clean.

[rah]

I think with Obama's desire to put Israel under the UMBRELLA means the US Would have to retaliate or all the other countries currently under the UMBRELLA would wonder if it meant anything.

[KrazyHorse]

That's why putting a country with significant nuclear capability and regional enemies under your nuke umbrella is a bad idea.

The Israelis can take care of themselves.

Nuke umbrellas are good in terms of mutual strategic defence against global enemies (NATO vs. USSR during Cold War, say) and to encourage non-nuclear nations to remain nuke-free.

[MrFun]

Re: If Iran nukes Israel...

Originally posted by Space05us
...will the west nuke Iran? If the west nukes Iran will Russia/China/France nuke the west?

France IS part of the West, you douchebag.

[Blaupanzer]

A definite "no" on France retaliating for US retaliation.
As to Russia/China, any counterstrike against US itself will lead to the depopulation of the Northern hemisphere. China is very unlikely to take that step. As to Russia, Putin has a KGB mindset and might be willing to start WW III. However, I suspect he will not, and so does the future US leadership as near as I can tell. If we guess wrong, then for Europe, Asia, and North America.

[MrFun]

So South America and Africa will be spared?

[rah]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
That's why putting a country with significant nuclear capability and regional enemies under your nuke umbrella is a bad idea.

The Israelis can take care of themselves.

Nuke umbrellas are good in terms of mutual strategic defence against global enemies (NATO vs. USSR during Cold War, say) and to encourage non-nuclear nations to remain nuke-free.

Agreed but there's been a lot of talk that Obama is thinking this in conjunction with his belief that we won't stop Iran from eventually building nukes. Additional deterence so to speak.

WHile I would want to further discourage IRAN from doing anything that stupid if they do have nukes, I'm not sure I want to have our nukes commited since I believe that it's all a game of mutual bluffing and it only takes one nut for everything to go to hell.

[Darius871]

Re: If Iran nukes Israel...

Originally posted by Space05us
...will the west nuke Iran? If the west nukes Iran will Russia/China/France nuke the west?

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?threadid=182493

[Blaupanzer]

Originally posted by MrFun
So South America and Africa will be spared?

Envision yourself as a world leader with the power to destroy all major military power centers in the world at one go in what will probably be a part of the last act in modern history. Likely not many of those targets will be below the equator. Since the world's winds circulate primarily in their own hemispheres, the fallout in the north will kill everyone north of the equator thru repeated exposure to say nothing of the original strikes themselves (that will turn hundreds of millions instantly to dust). The few blasts and fallout-laden clouds in the Southern hemisphere will disappate over time. The "nuclear winter" effect will be much greater in the North. Undoubtably there will be riots and famine and maybe some wars in the south, but in the end organized human society should prevail.

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by MrFun
So South America and Africa will be spared?

You forgot Poland Australasia.

[SlowwHand]

Originally posted by MrFun
So South America and Africa will be spared?

So what if they were? In a thousand years, the two might meet.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Dauphin


You forgot Poland Australasia.

There are no people that live down there. There's just kangaroos, koalas, and dingos.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Blaupanzer


Envision yourself as a world leader with the power to destroy all major military power centers in the world at one go in what will probably be a part of the last act in modern history. Likely not many of those targets will be below the equator. Since the world's winds circulate primarily in their own hemispheres, the fallout in the north will kill everyone north of the equator thru repeated exposure to say nothing of the original strikes themselves (that will turn hundreds of millions instantly to dust). The few blasts and fallout-laden clouds in the Southern hemisphere will disappate over time. The "nuclear winter" effect will be much greater in the North. Undoubtably there will be riots and famine and maybe some wars in the south, but in the end organized human society should prevail.

You're one scary beast.