Webloggin » Spying on Iran

Iran is claiming it shot down an American ’spy UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle’. “Fars” Iranian Agency reported this is not the first time Iranian air space has been invaded by the United States. There were similar claims by Iran this time last year. No photos, video or other ‘proof’ of the UAV has been offered, to my knowledge.

A second U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS John C. Stennis, will arrive in the Middle East in about a month, the first time since the U.S.-led Iraq war in 2003 that the United States will have two carrier battle groups in the region. Kuwait-based daily Arab Times reports that the United States might launch a military strike on Iran before April 2007,and ‘the attack would be launched from the sea, while Patriot missiles would guard all Arab countries in the Gulf.’

I’m questioning the April 2007 attack on Iran, but something is going on with the two aircraft carriers in the region. Better safe than sorry. Meanwhile, ‘the Israeli army is reported to be developing the world’s largest unmanned aerial vehicle, to be used for long-range deployment and destroying ballistic missiles as they are being launched.’ the Israel Aircraft Industries had developed Eitan, an unmanned aircraft with a 110 feet of wingspan,

… similar to a Boeing 737 passenger plane. The drone was developed for long endurance and high altitude flights. It will be equipped with several high-tech cameras and missiles that would allow it to identify and intercept long-range missiles as they are being fired on the ground. … the drone is scheduled to make its trial flights in the next few days. (source)

Israel isn’t taking any chances since Iran tested it’s Shahab-3 missiles, capable of hitting targets within 1,300 miles radius.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has suspended some technical aid projects in Iran (link requires registration) to comply with new U.N. sanctions. Former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton, feeling his freedom from the constraints of his position since resigning, is speaking out loud and clear on many topics. Bolton, an arms control expert, also called for further U.N. Security Council action against Iran for failing to stop its uranium enrichment program.