Courtesy of our friends, the Russkys...

It appears that any would-be attempt at taking out Iran's nuclear capability has just gotten harder:

Iran tests Tor-M1 air defense system

TEHRAN, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Iran announced Wednesday it had run a successful test of its new Russian-supplied air defense system.

"Iran has successfully tested the Tor-M1 air defense missile system recently supplied by Russia," the RIA Novosti news agency reported from Tehran. It cited a report also published Wednesday from Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency.

The report said the tests were carried out by the hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps that controls the country's nuclear forces.

"The tests were part of military exercises that began in southern Iran Wednesday after Russia completed the delivery of 29 Tor-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran in late January under a $700 million contract signed at the end of 2005," RIA Novosti said.

The Tor-M1 is believed to be effective against attacking aircraft to an altitude of 30,000 feet, or about 6 miles. It is believed to be Russia's most advanced anti-aircraft missile defense system. Russia announced last month it had completed supplying the system to Iran under an agreed contract.

The Tor-M1 and other Russian arms and advanced technology sales to iran angered the U.S. government and it has imposed economic sanctions on the Russian government's official arms dealer Rosoboronexport and on two Russian other companies involved in the Tor-M1 deal with Iran. .

RIA Novosti described the Tor-M1 as "a high-precision missile system designed to destroy aircraft, manned or unmanned, and cruise missiles flying at an altitude of up to 10 kilometers (6 miles). It was introduced at the Russian aerospace show MAKS in 2005. Each system is equipped with eight short-range missiles, associated radars, fire control systems and a battery command post."

Kinda like giving Hannibal Lecter a home torture kit. The more I think about this, the more I think that Hal Lindsey was right:

Iran is protected by its chief nuclear suppliers in Russia, complicating the situation even more. Moscow has hundreds of billions of dollars invested in Iran's nuclear programs. Iran's nuclear facilities are crawling with Russian scientists, advisers, technicians, security personnel – and their families.

[SNIP]

The prophet Ezekiel predicted the development of a vast alliance that would include Russia, Persia (Iran) "and many people with thee" in the last days that would launch a surprise invasion of Israel. (emphases added)

So how does Israel fit into all this? A Texas oil company, Genco, recently announced the discovery of a large oil field near the Dead Sea. Israeli Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer called the strike "just the beginning."

British Natural Gas announced the discovery of a vast natural gas deposit 20 miles offshore of Tel Aviv. Initial estimates suggest some 3.5 trillion cubic feet in proved reserves.

Zion Oil has sunk eight exploratory wells, all of which have shown signs of oil and gas. Zion founder John Brown believes the amount of oil reserves hidden beneath Israel could rival that of Saudi Arabia.

A massive oil strike in Israel would completely change the balance of power in the Middle East. Such an oil- strike could potentially break the back of OPEC. It is unlikely OPEC would admit Israel as a member, regardless of how much oil she had.

That would seem to leave but one option, best expressed by my friend Joel Rosenberg's novel of the same name.

The Ezekiel Option.

You may take Russia out of the Soviet Union, but it appears you can't take the Soviet Union out of the Russkies.

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