Truth or Bluff?

Things in the Middle East get scarier with this latest news. Iran says they test fired a missile that can avoid radar detection.

Iran - Iran successfully test-fired a missile that can avoid radar and hit several targets simultaneously using multiple warheads, the military said Friday.

Gen. Hossein Salami, the air force chief of the elite Revolutionary Guards, did not specify the missile's range, saying it depends on the weight of its warheads.

But state-run television described the weapon as "ballistic" — suggesting it's of comparable range to Iran's existing ballistic rocket, which can travel 1,250 miles and reach arch-foe Israel and U.S. bases in the Middle East.

"Today, a remarkable goal of the Islamic Republic of Iran's defense forces was realized with the successful test-firing of a new missile with greater technical and tactical capabilities than those previously produced," Salami said on state-run television.

It showed a clip of the launch of what it called the Fajr-3, with "fajr" meaning "victory" in Farsi.

"It can avoid anti-missile missiles and strike the target," Salami said.

He said the missile would carry a multiple warhead, and each warhead would be capable of hitting its target precisely.

"This news causes much concern, and that concern is shared by many countries in the international community, about Iran's aggressive nuclear weapons program and her parallel efforts to develop delivery systems, both in the field of ballistic missiles and cruise missiles," said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev.

"The combination of extremist jihadist ideology, together with nuclear weapons and delivery systems, is a combination that no one in the international community can be complacent about," he said.

Israel has every reason to be concerned. If what Iran says is true, they have a missile known as a MIRV. Which combined with their nuclear program could give them the capability to wipe out much of Israel before that country would have a chance to retaliate.

The question is- Is what Iran's claim true? Dr. Steven Taylor at Poliblog is wondering. Why would Iran announce their test? If they really posess this ability, this is only going to make a first strike by Israel even more likely. Is Iran trying to provoke Israel in order to be able to attack back saying its self-defense? Or is Iran bluffing about the missile entirely? That would seem to be a very dangerous policy to be undertaking, but little seems rational about Iran's leadership.

I see a crisis brewing in the Middle East and my fear is the butcher bill will be worse than anything ever before in human history. God help us all.

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