Iran Threatens to Destroy 35 US Military Bases

In case you didn't notice, the P5+1's talks with Iran over Iran's nuclear development program have collapsed. After three meetings in Istanbul (April), Baghdad (May) and Moscow (June) made no progress whatsoever, "technical" meetings in Istanbul on Tuesday also yielded no results. It was agreed that there should be yet another "technical" meeting, but no date has been set.

Meanwhile, Tehran continues its saber rattling. Iran has threatened to sink US aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.co.il/2012/04/iran-threatens-to-sink-american.html), block the Straits of Hormuz to oil shipping (see: http://turkishcentralnews.com/archives/15293); annihilate Israel (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.co.il/2012/07/100-iranian-parliamentarians-threaten.html); and, as announced yesterday, rain missiles upon 35 US military bases (http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9103084990).

And how has Obama responded to these threats? The US has quietly moved naval and fighter jet reinforcements to the Persian Gulf. As reported by The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/03/world/middleeast/us-adds-forces-in-persian-gulf-a-signal-to-iran.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all):

"Senator John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat who is chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said that the administration must strike a fine balance between positioning enough forces to deter Iran, but not inadvertently indicate to Iran or Israel that an attack on Iran’s nuclear sites is imminent or inevitable.

. . . .

There is little evidence that the increased pressure is having the desired effect."

The increased pressure is not having the "desired effect"? Indeed, yesterday's warning that Iran will destroy 35 US military bases indicates that Tehran is becoming increasingly bellicose.

Obama has gone on record as saying that the US will not tolerate nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran (http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/03/obama-to-iran-and-israel-as-president-of-the-united-states-i-dont-bluff/253875/):

"I think that the Israeli government recognizes that, as president of the United States, I don't bluff. I also don't, as a matter of sound policy, go around advertising exactly what our intentions are. But I think both the Iranian and the Israeli governments recognize that when the United States says it is unacceptable for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, we mean what we say."

Unfortunately, Tehran appears determined to test Obama's resolve.