Iran shoots down two spy drones in Gulf

[Ziggy Stardust]

I'm still semi-confused.

 

[Cutlass]

Probably because it's so stupid to provoke the US like that - especially when a large number of their allies are already screaming in their ears to declare war on Iran - that even the Iranians have more sense than to try it.

I don't think the Iranians have any reason to fear an attack by the US unless they did a hell of a lot more than shoot down a drone. They know we're overextended.

 

[Patroklos]

The assets we would use to attack Iran are not overextended int he slightest, unless you think we will be invading Iran.

 

[Cutlass]

Well bombing them wouldn't actually accomplish jack.

 

[MobBoss]

I don't think the Iranians have any reason to fear an attack by the US unless they did a hell of a lot more than shoot down a drone. They know we're overextended.

By all means, explain to me how our navy or air force is currently over-extended.

Well bombing them wouldn't actually accomplish jack.

You dont think that would set their program back a few years? Seriously?

 

[RedRalph]

you don't think it would be insanely counterproductive? seriously?

 

[MobBoss]

you don't think it would be insanely counterproductive? seriously?

That wasnt the question.

 

[Flying Pig]

I don't think the Iranians have any reason to fear an attack by the US unless they did a hell of a lot more than shoot down a drone. They know we're overextended.

All countries' armed forces keep quite a lot of slack in the system. For example, the British would be quite unwilling to take on another mission at the moment; because about a tenth of the army is committed to operations and we don't want to have a situation in which we're making people do long tours without adequate rest in between, so we say that we have two 'deployable' divisions. Were there a need to use them, however, we actually have seven divisions, and that's before we consider that the territorials don't generally group into formations but provide replacements for regular units, so if they were called up en masse that could add another division again... so even though there's 8 divisions that the Queen can call upon should it be required, we still don't commit more than one or two to anything under usual circumstances.

Same goes for the yanks - if they needed to attack Iran, they'd have to dig into the 'contingency fund' of troops, but for a short while this could be managed.

you don't think it would be insanely counterproductive? seriously?

It would set their programme back, whether that's worth doing with the other consequences is another matter

 

[Shekwan]

In the old days during the cold war, Soviet Bears flew down the eastern seaboard to Cuba and back, monitoring American communications and radars, etc.

I knew you could train a bear to ride a bicylce but to fly a plane? The Soviets really were magnificent bastards.