Iran's Shahab-3 missiles launch from an undisclosed location. (AP Photo/Sepah News)
The meaning of Iran's missile tests
What happened
Iran fired a fresh volley of test missiles overnight, according to Iranian news reports Thursday, a day after the test firing of a long-range Shahab-3 and other missiles in the Persian Gulf region. (CNN.com)
What the commentators said
“Without question, this latest round of saber-rattling wasn't just routine defense drills,” said Peter Brookes in the New York Post. It was meant to “posture and provoke,” and this “chest-beating” proves that Iran’s mullahs have no intention to abandon their quest for a nuclear bomb.
It’s hard to read the mixed signals from Tehran, said David Ignatius in The Washington Post. Even as the Iranians “brandish the weapons of war,” they are “signaling that they want talks with the West—and hinting that they are ready for a serious dialogue with the Great Satan in Washington.”
Honestly, does anyone really believe that Iran’s missiles aren’t already a threat? said The Wall Street Journal in an editorial. “Iran may already have the capability to target the U.S. with a short-range missile by launching it from a freighter off the East Coast.” And these latest tests show the U.S. and Europe need to get serious about deploying an antimissile system with global reach.
Let’s play into Iranian hardliners’ hands by inflaming the situation with “loose threats,”said the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in an editorial. The world should certainly use sanctions and incentives to get Iran to stop enriching uranium, but intelligence reports say it has already suspended its nuclear weapons program. "As bleak as the situation looks, Iran can still be brought in from the cold.”
Comment on this article
Recent comments | 2 total
Let us all take a realistic look at Iran. They are one of the oldest and most established civilizations on the planet. The powers in control of that state, and that is not "I'm a dinner jacket", have no intention of seeing their country destroyed like their neighbor Iraq. For some reason the talking heads in the U.S. just cannot stand when little guys like Iran act as we do. We have invading armies to their East and West, and our joined at the hip ally, Israel, is posturing to attack them. We have not condemned Israel for their war mongering, yet we come unglued by Iran testing missles that certainly would be used by them if they are unilaterally attacked by the U.S. or Israe. Imagine if China invaded Canada and Mexico how we would feel about it? I keep hearing people call Iran another Germany from the late 1930's. We should all step back and take a deep breath and look at this situation and use actions and facts to define it. Who has Iran attacked in the last 60 years? Do they really have a military budget that rivals us or even Israel? The answers are no one and NO! If only that were true of the U.S. and Israel. We have a current President that has continually threatened Iran and we have another Presidential canidate that has adopted a Beach Boys tune to let Iran know he is also spoiling for a chance to Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran. The U.S. spends one hundred times as much on the ability to kill and threaten the rest of the planet as Iran. This all about oil, oil companies, and our military industrial complex that wishes to get even more money from the tax paying citizens of this once great country. What we need is real leadership in this country. Someone that will address our energy problems, healthcare deficiencies, lack of a real safety net for all workers, and then provide security and freedom for all. The blueprint for this man should be modeled after Dwight D.Eisengower. Finally, I will add, meaning no disrespect to John McCain, that he is no Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Really now! Grab the rein's and stop this run-away rhetoric. Under threat of an attack, a clearly inferior military show some spunk in saying they will not take an attack lying down. If Iran attacked the US or Isreal, they would probably cease to exist under a rain of nuclear weapons. They know this. They still must maintain their own status as an independent nation. I thinks some of these Wall Street Journal Hawks need a cold shower!! Dan
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