by George Ivanov

Created on: March 06, 2008

The perils of a preventative strike against Iran's nuclear facilities are horrific and unimaginable. The peace in the Middle Easy is perilous, hinging on a hare's breadth, and it only takes a small provocation to set off chaos. Bombing Iran would only cause death and destruction on a huge scale, and be detrimental to both countries.
What does a strike against Iran involve? From a logistical standpoint, the task is not impossible. Israel has the technology and the missiles to launch and deliver a nuclear warhead to Iran's nuclear infrastructure. It can be done quickly, efficiently, and with little hassle; all that's needed is the order.

However, the implications of committing such an act are of monstrous proportions. First of all, a nuclear strike is a declaration of war by Israel, towards Iran. Throughout the former's short history of independence, every armed conflict it has been involved in, has been marked by a victory; but a nuclear war is an entire different league of fighting, because a country's first strike can also be its last. There is no officially declared proof that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, and there are even reports that enrichment of weapon-grade uranium was stopped in 2003. In practice, however, it is very probable that Iran has developed nuclear military capability, based on the fact that its domestically built Shahib missiles do have the range to reach Israel.

Now what would be consequences in the event that Israel carries out a nuclear attack? Let's consider.

First, the radiation would spread throughout the region, affecting everything in its vicinity. To give an idea of the extent of the spread of radiation, we have to assume that Israel strikes every single nuclear site that's of vital importance in Iran; that would include targets in the north and south of the country. Once the mushroom clouds dissipate, the wind will carry the fallout to southern Russia, extending north, east and west towards central Russia, Siberia, and the eastern frontiers. China will be directly affected, as there is a large portion of its population located on the southern borders of the country. Further south, the radiation cloud will spread into Afghanistan, Pakistan, and to a lesser extent in India, as well as all over the Persian Gulf. To the west, Iraq will be severely affected, especially the American forces based there. Because of its proximity to other countries in the region, the wind currents will carry radiation through the western part of the Middle

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>