lwarmonger

Just looked it up... numbers I'm getting seem to be around 6 million.

Well, ultimately the navy is a luxury for Israel. They don't really need to project power, save in this isolated instance, and ultimately the army, air force, and nuclear forces are of far greater importance to their survival as a country. While I never said that they couldn't come up with the manpower, I stand by my assertion that they can get far better use of it elsewhere.

Commando

Israel does not need a carrier. Israel will soon have air bases in Oman and they can just fly over the 80 km Gulf Of Oman and they are in Iran. This means they will have direct strike power. Hence no carrier is needed.

lwarmonger

Well, the problem with foriegn bases is that the country in question can withhold permission to use them. Those gulf states walk a fine line between their people and the west, and Iran is most threatening to their security.

troung

Well one has to train crews to operate the ship, pilots to land the planes and of course get planes along with a fleet of escorts and supporting ships. Israel lacks all of those. Then one has the cost of getting all of those...

Israel has a basically coastal navy with the heaviest surface ships being overloaded corvettes.

Monk

lwarmonger and troung,

I have right from the onset agreed that you require both money and training to run an aircraft carrier. But when your national security is threatened, you have to find those 5000men, train them and come up with the money. Since failure means annihilation.

India needed AC training in the early 90's, we didn't have the money for it, we did lease the Admiral Gorshkov from the USSR for this purpose.
So Israel will have to strike a similar deal with the USA.

__________________
"Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those others that have been tried from time to time. "

"Although prepared for martyrdom, I preferred that it be postponed."

Sir Winston Churchill

Monk

The Oman base is just parking facility on payment basis. Do you actually think the Omanis would let you launch airstrikes from there on an islamic nation?

Officer of Engineers

They've got nukes. Far more cost-effective than an AC and far, far cheaper.

You still have not got it.

The US has never parted with strategic assets.

__________________
Chimo

ZFBoxcar

Population
• August 2005 est. 6,921,400
• 2003 census 6,780,000
• Density

from Wikipedia

Nukes work assuming the Iranian Ayatollah and president (who doesn't know what country Alaska is a part of) are gonna act rationally. I admit, there is a pretty decent chance that they don't want to get their country killed, but there is always a chance they would be willing to risk it "for Islam". Of course, I am not arguing Israel would be able to buy or support an AC, but some measure of security beyond nuclear deterence is necessary. Tha Arrow/Patriot defense system is a good start, but that is purely defensive. If that US army report is correct then Israel has no offensive options right now.

Mafiosi

I wonder if god is telling Mr.Bush once again to attack Iran, as with Iraq. how stupid...

Commando

Maybe he's telling the truth.

Monk

Yes. And also far more bloody.


We did lease it in the early 90's. I was also under the impression that the INS Viraat was an Aircraft carrier, secondly now the Admiral Gorshkov is being purchased and I think rechristened as the INS Vikramaditya and is expected to be operational by 2009 in time to retire the INS Viraat. You can correct me if I am wrong.

A lease is a business transaction between friendly nations.

Monk

Other than dumb fukk suicide bombers, no muslim is going to risk anything "for Islam".

Dreadnought

I cant ever recall him saying this or hearing of this please DO post a link so all of us may be enlightened.

lwarmonger

Well, during the Iran-Iraq war those Iranians sure were dropping like flies for something! Fanaticism is something that is built into Iran at the highest levels, and while Iran's president may be a weak demagogue, the men on the guardian council shouldn't be underestimated.

Commando

Im a christian and a very faithful one. Why wouldn't God talk to George Bush if such actions could end so many lives. Only the faithful will believe that it is possible and only George Bush knows and will ever know if God spoke to him. THe fact is we can't underestimate Bush's claims.