US Bunker-Busters "Not Powerful Enough Against Iran's Fortifications.....

[MMC]

The US military has concluded that its largest conventional bomb is not capable of destroying Iran's most heavily fortified underground facilities suspected to be used for building nuclear weapons, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The 13.6-ton "bunker-buster" bomb, known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, was specifically designed to take out the hardened fortifications built by Iran and North Korea, Friday's report said.

But initial tests indicated that the bomb, as currently configured, would not be capable of destroying some of Iran's facilities, either because of their depth or because Tehran has added new fortifications to protect them, the paper noted.

In a report issued in November, the International Atomic Energy Agency said intelligence from more than 10 countries and its own sources "indicates that Iran has carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear device."
It detailed 12 suspicious areas such as testing explosives in a steel container at a military base and studies on Shahab-3 ballistic missile warheads that the IAEA said were "highly relevant to a nuclear weapon programme."

Meanwhile, doubts about its bomb's effectiveness prompted the Pentagon this month to secretly submit a request to Congress for funding to enhance the bomb's ability to penetrate deeper into rock, concrete and steel before exploding, The Journal noted.
The Defense Department has spent about $330 million so far to develop about 20 of the bombs, which are built by Boeing Co., the report pointed out.
The Pentagon is seeking about $82 million more to make the bomb more effective, The Journal said.....snip~

http://news.yahoo.com/us-bunker-bust...054825605.html <<<<<More here!

So we have no clue how deep they are. Thats one thing. Second we know they have fortified whatever they do have that they know, we know of. Third they already have enough material for one or two bombs already.

If they have done the same exact thing that Pakistan did. Which is reported up on by the IAEA. Wouldnt this mean they have the material?

[Peter1469]

I don't believe that any nation has ever prevented another nation from obtaining existing technology - at least not without total destruction. I believe that the last time was in the beginning of the Iron Age- where some long extinct culture destroyed another culture in order to prevent them from making iron weapons.

[Mister D]

13.6 tons!?

[Conley]

13.6 and it still isn't big enough. Iran is just going to keep putting more concrete in or digging it deeper. This is like some kind of arms race between morons. I think instead of throwing more money into MOP development we need a smarter strategy.

[Mister D]

Hopefully, we aren't revealing all of our options in the WSfuckingJ.

[Conley]

Hopefully, we aren't revealing all of our options in the WSfuckingJ.

You are ornery this morning!

[Mister D]

You are ornery this morning!

Isn't that crazy though? I'm all for freedom of the press and of information to an extent but WTF?

[MMC]

Well they did find out that the Pentagon Secretly Contacted Congress. To Put in for that extra 82 Million.