Latest news with #IraqWar
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
What would it take to end Iran's nuclear program? An army
Following the US strikes on Iran's nuclear program, discrepancies arise regarding the extent of the damage. While a complete obliteration is unlikely with airstrikes alone, a comprehensive dismantling would necessitate a large-scale invasion, mirroring the Iraq model. The author advocates for a diplomatic resolution, emphasizing the high costs and potential pitfalls of military intervention, drawing lessons from the Iraq War. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads In the weeks since the US attacked the Iranian nuclear program with 30,000-pound 'bunker busting' bombs and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles, we've heard wide variation in how much damage has been done Donald Trump 's claim that the US had 'obliterated' the Iranian nuclear program was widely challenged, and current assessments have broadly settled on 'severe damage' that has set back the program 12 to 24 is largely not disputed is that 800-plus pounds of enriched uranium remains somewhere in Iran; that some number of the critical enrichment machines (gas centrifuges, cascade structures, precision bearings) are likely still in Iranian hands; and, indisputably, that the scientific knowhow to produce an atomic bomb still exists in the minds of Iranian scientists, engineers and technologists who survived the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Trump met this week, they were in agreement: Iran can never be permitted to have a nuclear weapon. But from there, the beliefs diverge. Israel probably wants more strikes to find and destroy the uranium stockpile and machinery, and to assassinate leading scientists. Trump likely wants to avoid more strikes, seeking to find a diplomatic and economic solution that doesn't drag the US further into another Middle East the fact is, neither of these approaches would achieve that ultimate goal of ensuring the Tehran regime never produces a viable nuclear arsenal. So, what would it actually require? Certainly, more than the American people, their elected officials and the military would be eager to undertake any time way to think about this is to look at the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Yes, we all know it turned out that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein didn't have a nuclear weapons program. But, paradoxically, the mission intended to find it must be considered a military success in terms of achieving its objective. That effort provides a blueprint for what it would take to truly obliterate a nation's weapons research programs.I remember the invasion of Iraq clearly. Immediately after 9/11, I was promoted to a one-star rear admiral's rank and head of the Navy's new tactical antiterrorist think tank, called 'Deep Blue.' My mission was to come up with ways to defeat al-Qaeda forces who had perpetrated the attack on the our focus on finding and eliminating terrorist groups in Afghanistan, I was surprised to hear more and more discussion in the Pentagon about invading Iraq. Operational plans were underway to remove Saddam's regime, on the presumption that he had a capable program for weapons of mass destruction. That intelligence turned out to be wrong. But at the time, the objective for the military was to destroy what we believed was an extensive Iraqi nuclear program.I remember reviewing those plans, and they were far, far from a series of precision strikes. They included an initial force of more than 150,000 ground troops (US and British); another 200,000 supporting troops; almost 2,000 combat aircraft for 24,000 sorties in the first six weeks, with 65,000 airmen supporting; and more than 100 naval warships with 60,000 sailors. Several thousand highly trained special forces members were also to be engaged. Ultimately, nearly 40 nations participated in the operation that began in 2003, including a major North Atlantic Treaty Organization training mission which I would eventually plan also envisioned that Shiite Muslim militias — opposed to Saddam's Sunni-led regime — would rise up and fight alongside our forces. I recall another rear admiral speaking in football parlance that 'Shias go long,' like NFL wide thinking aside, here's the point: This was a massive undertaking that ultimately cost the US trillions of dollars, thousands of combat deaths and tens of thousands of life-changing wounds, and countless Iraqi civilian lives. It was costly, bloody and every government lab was inspected and neutralized; key scientific personnel were identified, interrogated and placed under surveillance. Machinery was destroyed and factories converted to other uses. But this required, above all, boots on the ground. It simply could not have been done in Iraq with a handful of airstrikes and clusters of Tomahawk let's look at Iran. It is nearly four times the size of Iraq, with a population roughly twice as large. Unlike the case in Baghdad, we know with absolute certainly — because of international inspectors — that Iran has an active and impressive program to build not only nuclear weapons but also ballistic missiles to deliver them. Thus, the challenge to obliterate that capability is immense, far greater than in Iraq. It would require invading Iran with hundreds of thousands of ground troops, occupying the country and systematically dismantling the we do that? Yes, but the costs would be enormous. Would the Iranian people greet us as liberators and turn their nation into a democratic beacon in a turbulent region? Uh, we heard exactly that about Iraq. Didn't work out our leaders are going to call for obliterating the Iranian nuclear program, they need to be clear-eyed. Perhaps someday an overwhelming military option may be needed, but for now let's see what we can accomplish at the bargaining table. And tell the Israelis to cool their jets, potential deal needs to include a guarantee of open inspections by international bodies anywhere, anytime; no uranium enrichment within Iran (if the regime truly wants low-enriched material for an energy program, it can come from a neutral third site); termination of long-range ballistic missile research and testing; and no further support to terrorist or proxy groups threatening the US, Arab states or return, we can offer a graduated series of steps to relieve sanctions; cooperation on peaceful nuclear power; and economic incentives — for the Europeans, a peaceful Iran could be a very attractive investment the long haul, we can always go back to the Pentagon and pull out the war plans to invade Iran — and the Tehran leadership knows it. But we shouldn't kid ourselves about what can be accomplished strictly with low-cost and low-risk airstrikes. To truly obliterate the Iranian nuclear plan would be shockingly costly and painful. Far better to try again diplomatically. The ghosts of Iraq demand no less.
ITV News
6 days ago
- ITV News
Man who punched Iraq War veteran in Stoke-on-Trent found guilty of his murder
A man who punched an Iraq War veteran three times in a street attack in Stoke-on-Trent which led to his death 10 months later, has been found guilty of his murder. Gregory Twigg, 32, landed three "powerful and cowardly" punches on medically-retired British Army veteran Lee Woodward, in the attack on the night of June 24, 2022, leaving him with severe brain damage until he died on 26 April, 2023. Twigg, who is already serving an eight-year and three-month prison sentence, after pleading guilty in September 2022 to grievous bodily harm with intent for the attack on Mr Woodward, has now been found guilty of murder. Mr Woodward's family cried and whispered "yes" as a jury of seven women and five men returned their verdict on Thursday, after two hours and 57 minutes of deliberations, at the end of a trial at Stafford Crown Court. The trial was told Mr Woodward had been on a night out with his fiancé Kate Griffin and had left a pub, in Trade Street minutes before her, when he became involved in a confrontation with the occupants of a Vauxhall Astra that had been driving past him. Twigg, who admitted he had taken cocaine and had drunk vodka and sambuca, told the trial he had become angry after Mr Woodward had allegedly sworn at and threatened him and his friends as they were driving past him on their way to a night out. The court heard the driver, Nathan Lockley, pulled the car over and a confrontation ensued, with Twigg getting out of the back seat of the vehicle and attacking Mr Woodward three times. Prosecution counsel David Mason KC said Twigg was "fired up on drink and coke and raging" when he attacked Mr Woodward, who he said posed no threat to the defendant, after the first punch left him looking "like a highly-dazed boxer". CCTV from a nearby pub showed Twigg knocking Mr Woodward, who was over six feet tall, to the ground, before a second punch knocked him into a parked car. The third punch left him unconscious in the road and Twigg fled the scene with his friends. He was arrested less than an hour later in Newcastle-under-Lyme. The trial was told Mr Woodward suffered a severe brain injury and would have required full-time care in a nursing home for the rest of his life, but he died after contracting peritonitis and pneumonia in hospital. Twigg had told the jury he never intended to cause Mr Woodward serious harm and had only wanted to give him a black eye so that he would leave him and his friends alone. He said he punched him twice more because he feared Mr Woodward was going to hit him back and he was 'devastated' that his actions had resulted in his death. In a statement, Ms Griffin had said her partner of ten years, who had been medically retired from the British Army, after suffering a back injury while on a tour of Iraq, relied on strong medication and would never have started a fight because of his back pain. Mr Mason told the court Twigg's punches were 'powerful and cowardly' and that he had intended to 'flatten Lee so he would never get up'. He said Twigg was trying to 'wriggle out' of a murder conviction by attempting to convince the jury he only wanted to give him a black eye, because he knew that by pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent in 2022, that it made him guilty of murder. Judge Roger Thomas KC thanked the jury for their hard work and told Twigg, who appeared to show no emotion in the dock, that he would be facing life imprisonment, but the minimum term would be decided when he is sentenced on September 19.
Powys County Times
6 days ago
- Powys County Times
Man who punched Iraq War veteran three times found guilty of his murder
A man who punched an Iraq War veteran three times in a street attack which led to his death 10 months later, has been found guilty of his murder. Gregory Twigg, 32, landed three 'powerful and cowardly' punches on medically-retired British Army veteran Lee Woodward, in an attack in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, on the night of June 24 2022, leaving him severely brain damaged, until he died on April 26 2023. Twigg, who is already serving an eight-year and three-month prison sentence, after pleading guilty in September 2022 to grievous bodily harm with intent for the attack on Mr Woodward, has now been found guilty of his murder. Mr Woodward's family cried and whispered 'yes' as a jury of seven women and five men returned their verdict on Thursday, after two hours and 57 minutes of deliberations, at the end of a trial at Stafford Crown Court. The trial was told Mr Woodward had been on a night out with his fiancee Kate Griffin, and had left The Liquor Vaults pub in Trade Street minutes before her, when he became involved in a confrontation with the occupants of a Vauxhall Astra that had been driving past him. Twigg, who admitted he had taken cocaine and had drunk vodka and sambuca, told the trial he had become angry after Mr Woodward had allegedly sworn at and threatened him and his friends as they were driving past him on their way to a night out. The driver, Nathan Lockley, pulled the car over and a confrontation ensued, with Twigg getting out of the back seat of the vehicle and attacking Mr Woodward three times. Prosecution counsel David Mason KC said Twigg was 'fired up on drink and coke and raging' when he attacked Mr Woodward, who he said posed no threat to the defendant, after the first punch left him looking 'like a highly dazed boxer'. CCTV from a nearby pub showed Twigg knocking Mr Woodward, who was over six feet tall, to the ground, before a second punch knocked him into a parked car. The third punch left him unconscious in the road and Twigg fled the scene with his friends. He was arrested less than an hour later in Newcastle-under-Lyme. The trial was told Mr Woodward suffered a severe brain injury and would have required full-time care in a nursing home for the rest of his life, but he died after contracting peritonitis and pneumonia in hospital. Twigg had told the jury he never intended to cause Mr Woodward serious harm and had only wanted to give him a black eye so that he would leave him and his friends alone. He said he punched him twice more because he feared Mr Woodward was going to hit him back, and he was 'devastated' that his actions had resulted in his death. In a statement, Ms Griffin had said her partner of 10 years, who had been medically retired from the British Army after suffering a back injury while on a tour of Iraq, relied on strong medication and would never have started a fight because of his back pain. Mr Mason told the court Twigg's punches were 'powerful and cowardly' and that he had intended to 'flatten Lee so he would never get up'. He said Twigg was trying to 'wriggle out' of a murder conviction by attempting to convince the jury he only wanted to give him a black eye, because he knew that by pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent in 2022, that it made him guilty of murder. Judge Roger Thomas KC thanked the jury for their hard work and told Twigg, who appeared to show no emotion in the dock, that he would be facing life imprisonment, but the minimum term would be decided when he is sentenced on September 19.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Man who punched Iraq War veteran three times found guilty of his murder
A man who punched an Iraq War veteran three times in a street attack which led to his death 10 months later, has been found guilty of his murder. Gregory Twigg, 32, landed three 'powerful and cowardly' punches on medically-retired British Army veteran Lee Woodward, in an attack in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, on the night of June 24 2022, leaving him severely brain damaged, until he died on April 26 2023. Twigg, who is already serving an eight-year and three-month prison sentence, after pleading guilty in September 2022 to grievous bodily harm with intent for the attack on Mr Woodward, has now been found guilty of his murder. Mr Woodward's family cried and whispered 'yes' as a jury of seven women and five men returned their verdict on Thursday, after two hours and 57 minutes of deliberations, at the end of a trial at Stafford Crown Court. The trial was told Mr Woodward had been on a night out with his fiancee Kate Griffin, and had left The Liquor Vaults pub in Trade Street minutes before her, when he became involved in a confrontation with the occupants of a Vauxhall Astra that had been driving past him. Twigg, who admitted he had taken cocaine and had drunk vodka and sambuca, told the trial he had become angry after Mr Woodward had allegedly sworn at and threatened him and his friends as they were driving past him on their way to a night out. The driver, Nathan Lockley, pulled the car over and a confrontation ensued, with Twigg getting out of the back seat of the vehicle and attacking Mr Woodward three times. Prosecution counsel David Mason KC said Twigg was 'fired up on drink and coke and raging' when he attacked Mr Woodward, who he said posed no threat to the defendant, after the first punch left him looking 'like a highly dazed boxer'. CCTV from a nearby pub showed Twigg knocking Mr Woodward, who was over six feet tall, to the ground, before a second punch knocked him into a parked car. The third punch left him unconscious in the road and Twigg fled the scene with his friends. He was arrested less than an hour later in Newcastle-under-Lyme. The trial was told Mr Woodward suffered a severe brain injury and would have required full-time care in a nursing home for the rest of his life, but he died after contracting peritonitis and pneumonia in hospital. Twigg had told the jury he never intended to cause Mr Woodward serious harm and had only wanted to give him a black eye so that he would leave him and his friends alone. He said he punched him twice more because he feared Mr Woodward was going to hit him back, and he was 'devastated' that his actions had resulted in his death. In a statement, Ms Griffin had said her partner of 10 years, who had been medically retired from the British Army after suffering a back injury while on a tour of Iraq, relied on strong medication and would never have started a fight because of his back pain. Mr Mason told the court Twigg's punches were 'powerful and cowardly' and that he had intended to 'flatten Lee so he would never get up'. He said Twigg was trying to 'wriggle out' of a murder conviction by attempting to convince the jury he only wanted to give him a black eye, because he knew that by pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent in 2022, that it made him guilty of murder. Judge Roger Thomas KC thanked the jury for their hard work and told Twigg, who appeared to show no emotion in the dock, that he would be facing life imprisonment, but the minimum term would be decided when he is sentenced on September 19.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Jury retires in trial of man accused of murdering Iraq War veteran
The jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering an Iraq War veteran by punching him in a street attack have retired to consider their verdict. Gregory Twigg, 32, denies intending to cause Lee Woodward, 39, serious injuries when he punched him three times in Trade Street, Stoke-on-Trent, on the night of June 24 2022. Medically-retired British Army veteran Mr Woodward was left brain damaged in the attack and never recovered from his injuries, dying in hospital from complications 10 months later on April 26 2023. The defendant, who was jailed for eight years and three months in September 2022 after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent for the attack on Mr Woodward, is now on trial at Stafford Crown Court accused of his murder. Twigg, previously of Blurton in Stoke-on-Trent, gave evidence on Wednesday and denied claims from prosecution counsel David Mason KC that he was 'fired up on drink and coke and raging' when he punched Mr Woodward, saying he only intended to give him a black eye. He told the jury of seven women and five men that Mr Woodward had sworn at and threatened them as the car he was a passenger in drove past him in Hill Street so his friend Nathan Lockley pulled the car over and a confrontation ensued. CCTV of the lead-up and the attack itself was played to the jury, showing Mr Woodward leaving The Liquor Vaults pub in Trade Street at around 11pm before his fiance and walking down towards Hill Street with a man who has not been identified, where he first encountered the car in which Twigg was a backseat passenger. The first punch by Twigg knocked Mr Woodward to the ground, with Ms Griffin helping her partner to his feet before the second knocked him into a parked car and the third left him unconscious in the road and he never recovered. Mr Mason told the court Twigg's punches were 'powerful and cowardly' and that he had intended to 'flatten Lee so he would never get up'. After getting back into the vehicle and leaving the scene, Twigg was arrested in Newcastle-upon-Lyme, where he had been heading for a night out, around 50 minutes later. In his closing speech to jury before they retired, Mr Mason said: 'At any stage, does Lee Woodward look like a threat to anyone? 'This man was determined to flatten Lee so he would never get up. He may have been drunk, he was on cocaine, that may have made him more aggressive. He accepted he was a bit angry – but he was raging wasn't he?' He added: 'He was determined in his agitated, angry, bouncy state, to really hurt Lee Woodward. 'You saw how angry Mr Twigg was and he wasn't going to stop until he was done, was he? 'Even after he had rendered Lee Woodward unconscious for the remainder of his life, he punches Kate Griffin. He said it was a push, not a punch – you decide, ladies and gentlemen. 'He was raging, we suggest he was unstoppable. Of course, now Lee has died, he is trying to wriggle out of a murder charge. He knows his guilty plea to grievous bodily harm with intent makes him guilty of murder. 'Now he is trying to persuade you he only meant to give him a black eye. 'He may feel bad about it now, but I suggest perhaps the person he is feeling most sorry for is himself because he knows he is guilty of murder.' Ahmed Hossain KC, defending Twigg, urged the jury to put their emotions aside and look at the evidence in a 'clinical' way. He said: 'It would be surprising if you didn't feel emotions such as anger and revulsion. We ask you to put emotions to the side, which is not easy, but experience shows that when you are deciding the facts, emotions don't help. 'I am not asking you to like Gregory Twigg and I'm certainly not asking you for any sympathy towards Gregory Twigg in his current predicament. 'Ask yourself in a really clinical way if Gregory Twigg intended to cause really serious harm. Mr Twigg is guilty of manslaughter. 'He accepts he unlawfully punched Mr Woodward, he accepts that his punches caused Mr Woodward to fall over, banging his head, and subsequently he very sadly died. 'The issue is intention.'
