Posted on 06/24/2019 8:16:12 AM PDT by Innovative
Iran’s navy chief warned the United States on Monday that Iranian forces could shoot down more surveillance drones if they violate the country’s airspace, as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Saudi Arabia for talks with Arab allies in the Persian Gulf.
“The enemy dispatched its most sophisticated . . . and most complicated surveillance aircraft” to spy on Iran, and “everyone saw the downing of the drone,” Rear Adm. Hossein Khanzadi said Monday, referring to the U.S. Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk drone shot down by Iran last week.
The incident capped a week of tensions following attacks on two commercial tankers near the Strait of Hormuz on June 13.The United States blamed the attacks on Iran, which has denied involvement.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
add russia, china,and our intel to the list involved
Sure. We should not do anything. Just wait until they nuke us. Do you think we can retaliate then, or maybe not, even then. Right?
Nothing is off the table...
It looks like Iran’s desperation is proof sanctions are working. AND our waiting until countries dependent on the oil that goes through those straights - and waiting on the county’s that SELL oil that goes through those straights - PUTS US IN A NICE SPOT - THE CATBIRD SEAT....
Let some of THE FOLKS dependent on that oil step up ... Maybe they can talk us into helping if they’re really nice about it... but this is NOT our problem.
Who would have thought that war would come down to dollars and no loss of life. We’ll see.
In fact, what we should do is fly by a large number of cheap-as-possible drones.
Once Iran starts shooting at them, load them with cheap but effective ordinance and send them in at large, easy to hit targets that Iran cannot afford to not defend - like petrochemical facilities.
Two can play at asymmetrical warfare...
And they also have the capability to in a few years have nukes, which WILL cause a ME nuclear arms race, which WILL end up in a shootout. That will most likely not be with Israel (at least initially -- they might get dragged into it, tho'), but with Saudi & friends. Also, IMO, it is more likely the shootout happens once Iran and Saudi are up to Israeli numbers of nukes (which would surely grow too). Small numbers of nukes (and delivery systems) really don't help Tehran much: The Israelis are and the Saudis (with added US and Israeli resources) would be too good at shooting down missiles a few at a time. That capability can be extended to Europe, too. For an Iranian nuclear threat to be really credible, I'd say they need 100 nukes ready to launch, minimum, and by the time they get to that, since their regional enemies won't be sitting still, double it. (This of course ignores "suitcase" bombs and the like, which is a little different matter, but if one thinks it through, such do not put Iran in a good position vs. a well nuked-up SA.)
Iran wants, essentially, a MAD capability vs. Saudi, and then leverage that in much the same way as a suicide bomber: "Give us "X" or we will blow up EVERYTHING.
This is a bit different than the threat from the Norks, where they have Seoul to blackmail, in very short range.
GOPJ, like many, does not seem to understand the implications to US of Iran's current capability (global economic chaos), if unchecked, or later on, the fallout (sort of a bad pun) of a sizeable nuclear war in the ME.
The Mullahs have not announced their strategy.
Seemingly, the entire world faults Trump for not explaining his.
Okay...what are you prepared to pay for oil?
The same rocket scientist who said words to the effect that she feared if the Norks hit us with a nuke, Trump might get us into war.
The bottom line. It really doesn't matter that the nukes are exploded in the ME, the radiation will be coming to a neighborhood to you.
I’m willing to take the treasure and blood we would have spilled in a premature war with Iran and use it to offset any increase in price.
That said,
It’s not going to be a problem since were a net exporter of energy... Meaning when prices go UP we make MORE money, not less.
Iran's not playing on the 'mighty' playing field - that's the one we're playing on. They're playing on the 'human strategy of the crazies' field.
So your example above about suitcase nukes is important.
Let's say three 'suitcase' nukes go off - two in Israel and one in Tampa. Iranian officials are in a meeting with this President or the next one or the one after that... and the Iranian official turns to the President and says, "there's nothing left of Israel so there's nothing to 'fight over' - AND we have 5 more suitcase nukes in American cities ready to explode - including one in DC if you decide to retaliate. So, Mr. President what's your decision: Peace or millions more dead Americans?
Now, just for the fun of it - let's play on the extreme strategy field for a while and come up with a solution to the above scenario...
Not as bad as sending the $$$ overseas, but still a significant economic effect.
If you say so be it, no problem. But there will be an effect.
Yeah, we care when our people die because our people have lives worth living. So do Israelis. They have lives worth living. But Iranians? Death is probably a favor when you live in a hellhole with midnight knocks...
Of course they don't mind dying in wars... they're lives are hell to start with.
That said, this crap about 'kinda fighting a war' is nuts. If we have to go to war with Iran it better be over 45 minutes after it starts. Anything less and there's no reason to bother.
Iran sinks some ships in the Straights and we wait until the world comes begging. Hat in hand. For us to do something - anything... And I mean all the countries... all of them that use oil that comes from the middle east...
Well, with the strait closed, we would have a captive market for our oil&gas, to sell to civilized friends....
Well, with the strait closed, we would have a captive market for our oil&gas, to sell to civilized friends....
They are already here thanks to the Dems and globalists and others like those who planned and screwed Sweden too.
Call me old fashioned but I do not want our country wasting another dime in the Middle East. Let the players there take care of the situation with their money and sacrifice their own.
We could play this to our benefit if not for entangling alliances that will never benefit us.
Every choice has a downside...
I can’t disagree with anything you said.
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