Tactics and Strategy at the Strait of Hormuz

The Oil Drum ^ | 3/4/2012 | Luis de Sousa

[U-238]

Afonso de Albuquerque arrived at the Indian Ocean in 1506 commanding a squadron of five war vessels integrated in Tristão da Cunha's Armada. In the summer of 1507, after the conquest of Socotra, the Armada's main objective, Afonso de Albuquerque departed on his own commanding a fleet of six vessels and 500 marines to take the easternmost island at the entrance of the Persian Gulf, called by local folk Hormuz. Defeating a garrison of 15,000 men with his artillery, Albuquerque took Hormuz and commissioned the construction of a fortress. This island would eventually lend its name to one of the most important choke-points of the Indian Ocean, at the time the principal commercial pathway of commodities from Asia to Europe. With him Afonso de Albuquerque had brought from Lisbon a sealed letter appointing him as Vice-King to the East Indies, replacing Francisco de Almeida, whose strict naval prowess policy didn't impress the territory hungry King. A period of indecision ensued, with most naval officers in the region initially refusing Albuquerque's rule and Hormuz was lost. In 1515, in his final days as Vice-King, Afonso de Albuquerque stormed Hormuz once again, taking it for good without military resistance. The fortress, that lasts to this day, was finally completed, sealing the command over the commerce in the region. Beyond fortresses, the Portuguese left in Persia another lasting mark of their presence, which is the name of the currency, the rial.

[Pecos]

It’s interesting that Oman commands the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, the southern shore of the Starits of Hormuz. My memory is that after the last round of bidding, we were friendly with the Omanis. Do I have that right?

[Former Proud Canadian]

mark

[NRG1973]

Has anyone considered what might happen to oil prices if Iran were to launch about 100 missiles at Ras Tanura oil terminal in Saudia Arabia? Also if they were to launch many missiles at other oil terminals in Kuwait, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates? Likewise has anyone considered what might happen if they simultaneously launched airstrikes to bomb the BTC pipeline?

Everyone is worried about Iran trying to close the Straits of Hormuz via blockade for a few weeks, but they reality is that they could do much worse by one hour’s worth of simultaneous missile launches and air strikes on oil installations withion their reach. Doing so would probably create the right environment for the Shias in Saudi Arabia and other muslim countries to overthrow their Sunni leaders.

Think about it...

[Tainan]

If you like that site, I recommend another:

Oil Price.com

Their weekly intel reports are excellent.

[Mike Darancette]

Think about it...

It's easier than that. Iran threatens shipping and insurance companies won't insure ships traveling in the gulf region.

[Vermont Lt]

The Iranians are not idiots.

They know they cannot refine their own oil because it is too heavy. So they rattle their sabers, jack up the price of oil, and laugh all the way to the bank.

When you look ever so slightly under the surface, you will find that no country has discovered any evidence of highly enriched uranium— which leaves tell tale signs through the decomposition of the highly enriched isotopes. Even the best, most highly technological countries cannot avoid releasing those isotopes during the process.

And no one has detected these from Iran, yet.

So, who wins in this war of words? Who benefits from high oil costs and rumors of wars.

We are being played again.

Whenwill we stop getting sucked into this stuff?

[U-238]

I believe that there are scenarios that US military has taken into consideration.

[U-238]

Thanks Tainan for the information

:)

[bert]

We are friendly with all of the GCC nations.

We have troops and people scattered all over the various state except Saudi Arabia. I don’t know our precise presence there now. We have naval presence in Oman and Bahrain. We are training special forces from our presence in Qatar and have large preence in Kuwait.