would Iran be justified in attacking the USA if they are attacked?

Question

Center for Strategic and International Studies
http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/070305_iran_israelius.pdf
Iranian Retaliation Against US Strikes


1. Retaliate against US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan overtly using Shahab-3 missiles armed with
CBR warheads

2. Use proxy groups including al-Zarqawi and Sadr in Iraq to intensify the insurgency and escalate
the attacks against US forces and Iraqi Security Forces

3. Turn the Shi'ite majority in Iraq against the US presence and demand US forces to leave

4. Attack the US homeland with suicide bombs by proxy groups or deliver CBR weapons to al-
Qaeda to use against the US


5. Use its asymmetric capabilities to attacks US interests in the region including soft targets: e.g.
embassies, commercial centers, and American citizens

6. Attack US naval forces stationed in the Gulf with anti-ship missiles, asymmetric warfare, and
Mines

7. Attack Israel with missile attacks possibly with CBR warheads

8. Retaliate against energy targets in the Gulf and temporarily shut off the flow of oil from the Strait
of Hormuz

9. Stop all of its oil and gas shipments to increase the price of oil, inflict damage on the global and
US economies

Answer 1

Any country or people that is attacked is justified in self-defense. Iran has this ability. If the US or Isreal attacks Iran, we will have a very deadly situation, much worse that the fiasco in Iraq.

Answer 2

Of course they would be justified it would be war and they would have a big go at Israel as well.

1. They would use more than missiles they could directly engage on the ground in Iraq.
2. They all ready are.... not much more they can do here.
3. All ready trying this.
4. All ready trying this.
5. Not directly but would/do fund groups who all ready want to do this.
6. They would try unsuccessfully. You are assuming they would still have this capability after we attacked them.
7. Guaranteed to do this.
8. Would not.
9. No worries here.

Answer 3

What do you think they'd do, just sit there and say "oh dear"???

They'd throw everything they have and they're not as weak as Saddam was - they have money and men and the US is already stretched way too far as it is - and who knows who else would join in (my bet is nuclear armed Pakistan would fragment, the southern exSoviet republics would be in as well and the US would have NO allies - like the odds?).

It'd be nice if someone quietly had a word to the President & told him he's losing in Iraq, losing in Afghanistan and would probably lose in Iran as well - not a good legacy is it?

Do you really want another war on top of the ones already under way? Do you really want to kill millions this time?

Answer 4

All states have the right to self defence from an agressor.
I could see Iran making things pretty ugly(uglier) for the US in Iraq.
The major difference is that Iraq didn't have anyone watching their back, so they US could get away with telling people Saddam was a threat and no one was going to stick up for Iraq.
Iran has friends in powerful places, in case anyone missed Vladimir Putin showing love in Tehran recently. Also China, who owns a good chunk of the US debt.
Would be an ugly scene for the US.

Answer 5

If it is an unprovoked attack, then yes.

The odds are overwhelmingly against their making any real headway with such an attack, but I do think it is justified in that case.

Isn't it the "sneak attack" that so outraged Americans at Peral Harbor and New York? The US has on right to do that to others.



g-day!

Answer 6

If the USA attacked Iran they would be perfectly within their rights to retaliate. I don't think they have the means to launch an attack on 'the Homeland' but they could attack USA interests in their region.

Answer 7

Justified in who's eyes? In the US opinion no, as in world opinion. In the opinion of the Iran's whacked leadership, along with some other radical extreme governments might say yes! Attacking the US would not be wise, as they just need to look at their Iraqi, and Afghanistan neighbors to see what would happen to them in retaliation!!

Answer 8

if they're close enough to shoot at us, we're close enough to shoot at them. our ground forces are streched but our air forces are intact and the military always have a plan just in case. they would control the air and sea and make ground movement impossible since we can attack at day and night. also their military resources like factories and armories would be blown out. movement like hezbollah and the shites in iraq would not have enough resources to do major damage. we will get casualties but a 2 front war is hard for them since they risk a heavy chance of uniting the europeans into our side,if they decide to attack afghanistan

Answer 9

Those are all possibilities. I would think that we have learned by now, from having already attacked other countries without provocation. Yep - I WISH!

Answer 10

Havent they already tried most of this by clandestine methods and funding? Ya go ahead and tell them to shoot they best shot.