>>>>>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34092280/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/
>>>>
>>>>Rather optimistic of them to involve their airforce. When Israel goes, the Iranian airforce will be smoldering on the ground before the first bunker-buster penetrates. These guys would be punching *waaay* about their weight.
>>>
>>>Do you think today Iranians are Egypt under Naser ? Or Iraq under Saddam ?
>>>I wld suspect that the best of their airforce is hidden just as good as their nuclear facilities.
>>>
>>>I don't believe an attack on Iran would achieve anything, nor it is even going to happen.
>>
>>You may be quite right, but a "hidden" airforce isn't going to do them much good. Nuclear facilities can live underground but an airforce needs to ... well, get some air <s> They are very short on refining capacity which will limit training, their armed forces are laboring under the same kind of "commissar" system that was so deliterious to the USSR under Stalin and while not rising to Arab levels they still have the cultural disadvantage of confusing bombast with power.
>>
>>Religious fervor will provide human waves to clear mine fields but won't do much good against Israeli air power.
>>
>>I have a great deal of respect for the Iranians as a people and as a culture but I don't think they are being ruled by "the best and the brightest" ... though I suppose that means they are very much like the rest of mankind <bg>
>
>My impression that you are overemphasizing little bit 'religious' which is quiet common when it comes to Iran.
>They are religious, but they are not fanatics. If it was mullahs who command their defence (or ofensive) systems
>then war with Israel would have happened probably long time ago, but they do have some soldiers on the payroll as well. {g}
>
>What we have seen up to now is Irranian mullahs barking at Israel, and Israeli hawks barking back at Iran
>but no direct bites yet.
>
>As for Airforce, who said it have to be deep underground ? Iran is big country. Unlike flat deserts of Egypt
>there is plenty of suitable terrains where to keep defence resources. Chances of Israel finding Irranian jet fighters
>lined up like shrimps on a big silver platter are quiet slim.
>
>Situation is quiet tense but I doubt it will escallate further then much more and much louder barking.

I disagree simply because the majority of the control and power is now held by the revolutionary guards and actually supercedes the control of the clerics. At least the clerics were intelligent and educated. Many in the revolutionary guards are ignorant and actually hateful and envious of the western world for living a life that they believe can only be reached after death.