Posted on 03/17/2012 7:29:32 AM PDT by Strategy
The global signs of a coming military conflict with Iran continue to build, and today the U.S. Navy made clear its intentions by announcing it's sending four additional mine countermeasure ships to the Strait of Hormuz.
Stars and Stripes reports the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he's sending the mine ships in addition to four airborne mine countermeasure helicopters.
Iran has already warned that one of its first steps in closing the Strait of Hormuz, and choking off 40 percent of the world's oil supply, will be to mine the strait and deploy its fleet of small electronic submarines.
Greenert was recently aboard the USS John C. Stennis when it was tailed through the strait by the Iranians and came away from that ride thinking "[W]e could do better setting the theater. I wanted to be sure ... that we are ready..."
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
How many carriers do we have over there now within ‘shooting distance’? 3?
Im glad we only get a small portion of our oil from the middle east...
I don’t believe for one minute that 0bama is sending our Naval resources to the Persian Gulf/Straits of Hormuz for military action against Iran, he intends to use our forces as a ‘buffer’ between Israel and Iran, using our carriers to establish air superiority in the region in order to prevent Israel from carrying out any strikes against Iran.
Of course the net result will be to protect the mullahs and their little sockpuppet Ahmadinnerjacket but the stated purpose for media/global consumption is that the United States is acting as a ‘peacemaker’ in the region.
THAT is what 0bama meant about ‘having Israel’s back’, and our naval forces are the knife he’s going to stab them with.
I sincerely hope I’m wrong, but the perfidy of that Kenyan piece of sh*t has been proven time and again.
Let’s hope it is not for a war with Israel. You never know with this bunch.
How much of this is tied to the talked about release of the strategic oil reserves?
Hmmm, how convenient.
Election coming up?
Obviously a giant game of poker - throwing more chips on the table - doesn’t necessarily follow that they’re in it till the end.
Question: Isn’t it possible to prevent mining in the Straits of Hormuz in the first place? Is mining something that can be easily and quickly performed without detection?
Nothing will be done by this admin until after the election. If this guy gets re-elected, then Israel best watch it’s back instead of relying on the admins protection.
I don’t believe for one minute that 0bama is sending our Naval resources to the Persian Gulf/Straits of Hormuz for military action against Iran, he intends to use our forces as a ‘buffer’ between Israel and Iran, using our carriers to establish air superiority in the region in order to prevent Israel from carrying out any strikes against Iran.
Thank you for pointing that out. It never crossed my mind that that was a possible strategy. It does fit the mind-set of this particular administration doesn’t it?
perfidy
What a great description word. Thanks for reminding me.
Consider that there are only 4 carriers at sea right now. The Bush is undergoing sea trials in the North Atlantic. So all of the USN's aerial strike power is on station in the gulf, or headed there.
This is either a huge, expensive show of force, or something big is planned.
perfidy of that Kenyan piece of sh*t
That Keyan MUSLIM piece of sh*T - fixed it for you
Kenya and Israel are pretty tight - lot of Israelis like
to vacation there
1976 PFLP sent hit squad with Surface air missile to shot
down El Al planes - Kenya arrested them and secretly turned over to Mossad . When PFLP sent some more agents to look for them (2 Germans from Red Army) - Kenya arrested them
and turned over to Mossad Assisted Israel with Entebbe raid
Dont forget the 1998 US embassy bombing most of the casualties (over 200 dead, 5000 wounded) were Kenyans
and deploy its fleet of small electronic submarines.
—
Are they digital or analogue?
Aren’t large ship in a small pond like ducks?
While Israel might be the focus. The Gulf is the prize. Israel is a trifle compared to the wealth and resources of the GCC. Then there is Mecca and the Holy Shrines.
That is what is at stake.
Are US pilots willing to carry out those orders? Where would that leave Obama with the Jewish vote?
Has to be. It CAN'T be cheap to keep those kinds of assets deployed, and I'm SURE they wouldn't be doing it for no good reason. Ironically, if we do attack, the majority of aircraft hitting targets won't be coming from those carrier groups, it will likely be bombers coming from air bases halfway around the world.
There's one spot - between the UAE and Iran that's about 30 miles wide or so... Ships could be sunk in the shipping channel - ours or theirs. Too tight to maneuver easily - like shooting ducks in a pond.
The US Navy is being pre-positioned to shoot down IDF planes in order to protect Obama’s mooselimb brothers from further “capitalist imperalist aggression for oil”. <./alinsky sarcasm>
Thanks for the corrections and additions, you are absolutely correct.
Oh - wait, this is the same guy who used US Military might to promote and support a revolution in Libya by radical Islamists (Muslim Brotherhood), who backed the Muslim Brotherhood in overthrowing a West-friendly government in Egypt, and who has fostered further unrest throughout the region...
Thanks for broadening the issue...you are correct.
Your argument does have some merit but I prefer to believe that the GCC will ultimately be in coalition with Israel against IRAN.
They can settle their differences later after Syria and Iran are disposed.
I would suggest the buildup is to be ready for some Iranian aggressive screwup when Syria falls apart or begins to fall apart. With Syria gone, Iran is without the surrogates causing most of the problems.
March 22nd is the new moon. Just sayin’
I am surprised. The Navy never announces what it is doing.
My son was in the Navy and I never knew where he was.
That has been my assessment. I would not be surprised if the IAF goes up to hit Iran it meets the USN which gives it the choice of fighting the US or turning back, or the USN just shoots down the IAF then takes out Israeli airfields. Or maybe we will do that pre-emptively.
I hope that both of us are wrong.
No they’re not!
Senator Dan wouldn’t let them have what they “need”.
Agree 100%..... He is protecting Iran.
Even Obama wouldn’t put Israel in the position of having nuclear tipped missiles as their only option.
Patriotic commanders have probably already been replaced by “reliable” officers. This is a thing Democrat Presidents do whether they are planning a war or not. Leftists always fear and mistrust the military. Clinton did it more spectacularly than other Democrats have done and purged all the services. That is why it took so long to get traction in Iraq. There was not an experienced and competent officer corps to wage the war. The success that came after the “surge” was because a new battle experienced and competent officer corps had had time to rise in the ranks and take charge.
Yes, I do believe you're likely right about this. Iran will not be happy about the fall Of Syria....but Syria isn't going down easily. Too many imagine this will go like Libya and a grave mistake to even think similar. It's a different beast altogether....especially with China and Russia supporting Assad.
Good point. Sort of like the way GHW Bush refused to allow Israel access to the friendly IFF codes, which effectively kept Israel out of the first gulf war, even with the scud missiles falling on Israel.
Mark
Yes, yes, and unchanged.
Mining an international waterway is of course an act of war. If we had a non Muslim president he would mention that. But we don’t and he won’t. Wonder what the Rules of Engagement will be? “Don’t shoot unless they kill you first”, just like Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.
AReference your post # 40: Agree on all points.
Sadly, you are correct.
US pilots won't fire on Israeli pilots unless fire upon first.
If that is Obama's intent, he's in for one of the great embarrassments of all history.
In fact the US pilots are far more likely to fly CAP and rear guard for the Israelis.
Every time they are ordered to fire they will have a malfunction.
Obama&Cronies are inhibiting the production of oil & cheap energy in the USA. It seems as though Obama&Cronies are on the payroll of the MiddleEastOILarchies.
The OILarchies have figured out they only need to ‘pay off’ crooked politicians in the USA to stop USA oil production & get Americans to die to protect OILarchy oil in the middle-east.
The USA needs to support Israel to prevent its destruction by the OILarchies. >Hatred for Israel is encouraged by the Muslim leaders as a distraction from their own failed policies towards their own people.
It’s time to get ready for a long depression. Obama&Cronies+priorLeaders have destroyed the USA economy on purpose; we are going broke. Historically the ‘RulingClasses’ have used War, bankrupcies & inflation to >literally keep their heads on their shoulders.
He is not my President.
...the U.S. Navy made clear its intentions by announcing it's sending four additional mine countermeasure ships to the Strait of Hormuz... in addition to four airborne mine countermeasure helicopters.
Put an admiral on every ship.
It depends.
Were hostilities to ensue the CVNs will head outside the strait and linger about 100 miles out in the Arabian Sea. While air dominance is being established the US Navy would likely be replenishing the empty tubes of all escorts...refueling...
During this time there would be 2-3 subs in the Gulf along with a Surface Strike group of 4-5 Aegis Destroyers/Cruisers.
Ships today are far, far more capable than even 20 years ago. Think of them as spaceships with a bunch of very precise ordnance and sensors to support it.
For several days...as long as it took...they would undertake strike operations against targets that could restrict shipping and any supporting targets that could present a threat to these strike operations.
Then the Mine Sweeps will commence.
Entire duration: 15-20 days. 20 - 30,000 dead Iranians.
Welcome to Maritime Operations 101. This will be a challenging, but interesting course.
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