Posted on 08/10/2008 6:47:22 AM PDT by Fennie
Operation Brimstone ended only one week ago. This was the joint US/UK/French naval war games in the Atlantic Ocean preparing for a naval blockade of Iran and the likely resulting war in the Persian Gulf area. The massive war games included a US Navy supercarrier battle group, an US Navy expeditionary carrier battle group, a Royal Navy carrier battle group, a French nuclear hunter-killer submarine plus a large number of US Navy cruisers, destroyers and frigates playing the "enemy force".
The lead American ship in these war games, the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN71) and its Carrier Strike Group Two (CCSG-2) are now headed towards Iran along with the USS Ronald Reagon (CVN76) and its Carrier Strike Group Seven (CCSG-7) coming from Japan.
They are joining two existing USN battle groups in the Gulf area: the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN72) with its Carrier Strike Group Nine (CCSG-9); and the USS Peleliu (LHA-5) with its expeditionary strike group.
Likely also under way towards the Persian Gulf is the USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) and its expeditionary strike group, the UK Royal Navy HMS Ark Royal (R07) carrier battle group, assorted French naval assets including the nuclear hunter-killer submarine Amethyste and French Naval Rafale fighter jets on-board the USS Theodore Roosevelt. These ships took part in the just completed Operation Brimstone...
Just guessing, but I would assume that policy is most effective regarding news the rest of the world doesn't already know. It's a bit difficult these days to sneak an armada this size into place quietly and I don't imagine our discussions here at FR impact the level of world awareness on this issue one iota.
Granted however, there are times, places and details where it's best to remain silent. I don't see this as one of those.
Further to my post. Take a look at a map? Caspian sea ports in Iran. Georgia has no border on the Caspian sea. The Russians trade with Iran via the Caspian sea with both sea routes and air routes over it.
If you haven’t noticed. Since 2001 French forces have been fighting alongside Coalition forces in the war on terror. Lots of U.S. and Coalition troops in Afghanistan have been more than pleased with French Navy and Air Force close-air support. French naval forces provide their part in Coalition task forces in the Indian Ocean as part of the war on terror.
There are multiple sources out there on this the past couple days, the Jerusalem Post being one of them. Probably we want this talked about, to flex a little.
“what ever happened to our policy of loose lips sink ships on FR?”
With modern sattelite capabilities it’s virtually impossible for a carrier battle group to go anywhere undetected. Also, even low-tech surveillance can follow the progress of a battle group, since they are slow and must necessarily transit areas that are readily viewable. For instance, a battle group pulling out of port cannot be hidden, nor can such a force go undetected steaming through, for instance, the Gibraltar Straits or the Suez Canal. Sure, such a force can get to the Arabian Sea or the northern Indian Ocean without transiting Gibraltar or Suez, or, from the other direction, the Malacca Straits, but it is very time-consuming and apt to be seen by aircraft somewhere along the route. Hell, even an airline passenger can see such an armada, and can make a casual comment about it upon landing, a comment that can be heard and passed on to inquiring minds.
Our boys at Diego Garcia should be able to handle it.
What he means is that there are lots of people here that misname a battle, front, or operation a war.
I wish we’d send barry over there to discuss this wit Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. /s
I think that you’re quite right.
Though imho, Russia and the USA are ‘merely’ two . . . complex chess pieces of the globalists . . . and have been for decades . . .
There is nothing in the major outlets about this. It came frim Liveleak which is a leakers site
The only thing that makes me doubt this report is the inclusion of French naval assets deploying to the Gulf. Come on! I’m not buying it.
Folks, this rumor was started by the ‘Bush-McChimpy wants war with Iran” crowd.
This is propaganda that was timed to draw interest in the recent Moveon.org anti-Iran war protests that failed miserably.
Please feel free to ignore it.
“Russia is invading Georgia to clear the logistical chain to Iran, in order to facilitate the supply chain to its new ally, Iran.”
Russia does not need to do that in order to get to Iran. In fact, going through Georgia is a bit out of the way (but certainly logstically desireable). Russia shares the Caspian Sea with Iran, so maritime transports can make deliveries. Also, Russia has a direct coastal route to Iran via Makhachkala south to Baki in Azerbaijan, and from there straight into Iran. Besides, by defeating Georgia Russia runs the risk of tangling with Turkey, which is a Georgian ally with a common border. And Turkey is not intimidated by Russia. I think the reason for the current Russo-Georgian conflict is far more an attempt by Russia to recover its (well, the USSR’s) lost territories, especially Georgia and the Ukraine, both of which have very strong nationalist sentiment of which Russia disapproves. Moreover, Russia is livid that both Ukraine and Georgia have strong ties to the West, and are on the agenda to become part of NATO. Russia isn’t tangling with Georgia due to any interest in Iran, but rather because of an obvious interest in Russia.
It’s common knowledge in navy towns when and where the fleet is and is going, usually in the media. There’s no way to not know where a group of carriers are.
Carriers don’t pull in, they anchor out, with lots of protection.
That was when we had a commander in thief in the WH...ROE have changed a lot....Thank You, President Bush.
Vincennes
.....Likely also under way towards the Persian Gulf is the USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) ....
When you run out of facts, speculate.
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