Early January was just the first of several almost-wars between the US and Iran in 2020, with escalating tensions that time starting with the US assassination of Qassem Soleimani and resulting in Iran hitting a base in Iraq where US troops were stationed.
At the time, the two nations decided against further escalation. But while President Trump said there were 52 Iranian sites in mind, apparently including “cultural sites,” Iranian Gen. Amir Hajizadeh says that Iran had as many as 400 US targets in mind if it came to that.
Gen. Hajizadeh did not elaborate beyond that, though such targets were presumably US-linked sites in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East. Decades of US buildup in the region has no doubt created a lot of sites for opportunistic attacks.
Why the general is revealing this now isn’t entirely clear, though the US and Iran keep having escalations that could lead to similar exchanges, and this may be his way of emphasizing that Iran has some retaliatory capabilities should war erupt.
Has Trump read this? No tweets about obliteration? Or at least: “We could hit 401 Iranian sites”?
Heck go full bore – there are about eight countries that could hit enough targets with nukes to make civilization attempt to start over.
Has no-one read the script? The Iranians are supposed to gallop around the circled American war wagons while American hero warriors and sharp-shooters pick them off constantly.
That reminds me of the old-time cowboys and indians westerns, where the indians would keep riding around the circled wagon train, instead of charging it.
Perfect analogy!
That’s right John – the old Hollywood had the Indians never learning a damned thing. Reality was different – from what I know – at the Little Big Horn a whole company of white soldiers got wiped out – and the Indians lost about 8. The Indians caught on – do you think that the Iranians won’ t either?
To repeat Jim Mattis’ words, it would have been our longest and worst night we have ever had. At least 10,000 U.S. personnel were within Iranian missile range and in locations well scouted out by Iran and without any air defense systems to speak of. He says the IRGC was prepared to launch multiple volleys that night had we responded.
Not only that, but that many launches would require Iran war in return.
Just 400? Iran could do better, unless they wanted to triple up on some.