Posted on 01/26/2007 6:17:39 AM PST by presidio9
THE American carrier the USS John Stennis and its strike group are headed to the Persian Gulf to join another carrier group in a show of force meant to make Iran rethink its nuclear program. It may be a prelude to war. The conventional wisdom is that there are "no good options" in dealing with Iran. Most commentators see one of two scenarios, both nightmares: a large, bloody and expensive ground invasion and occupation that would cause oil to spike through the roof or a monthslong aerial bombardment of Iran's estimated 1,500 nuclear-related targets that would trigger a worldwide terrorist backlash. (Alternately, the Israelis could do it for us and set the Middle East ablaze.)
Yet there is a third option, of which our show of force with two carrier groups could be the opening move: a naval and air campaign to topple the ayatollahs without a single U.S. soldier's setting foot on Iranian soil.
This is not unprecedented. Although the public never noticed, the U.S. Navy accomplished much the same thing during the Iran-Iraq war, when Iran tried to fire on oil tankers in the Persian Gulf in 1987-8. The Navy managed both to destroy the Iranian navy and to protect shipping in the Gulf to keep the world economy stable. This time, we can finish the job we started during the so-called Tanker War.
The first step would be a U.S. naval blockade of the Straits of Hormuz backed by anti-missile Aegis class destroyers, together with a guarantee of free passage for all non-Iranian oil shipping. This would reassure the world that energy supplies would continue to flow. At the same time, airstrikes would take out Iran's air defense and anti-ship missile sites
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Interesting.
The biggest and most immediate danger is the Iranians shutting down the straits which they are excellently positioned to do. We would have to literally inundate the straits with aircraft and anti-missile vessels for a time until we were sure that they could not shut the straits down with anti-shipping missile or aircraft strikes...and that will not be an easy, or immediate task...effectively shutting down the straits while we do it.
Better do it soon; if we get a RAT successor to President Bush it will NEVER happen!
If you think the leftist whining about Iraq is intolerable, wait until we go after the mullahs!
The big problem is that Iranians are reported to have Russian made Sunburn hypersonic anti-ship missiles that are extremely difficult to intercept. With those, they could threaten not only the shipping in the gulf but even potentially the carrier battle groups operating in such constrained space.
Flame me if you wish.
A part of me wishes that Iran would attack our carrier group or finally go over the edge to provoke "retaliation" from the US.
It's not clear to me why this strategy would avoid a "worldwide terrorist backlash" that a bombing of the nuclear sites would cause, according to the author.
I would think taking out all airports and sea ports after making dust out of Tehran would be a good start
Next year we'll have an SSGN in the Gulf and everybody else can go home. :-)
A new nuclear sub? Faster, quieter, deadlier? Yes?
Trickle down annihilation works!
I don't object to the principle of your post, but highly doubt that even the massive loss of life of our servicemen or civiliians would produce the required response.
This nation's military will never again be permitted to use overwhelming force against an enemy. Just a nice video suitable airstrike on some worthless desert bunker or a few vehicles would be the sum total of our response.
Hopefully, we would not put the CSGs in the Gulf at all. My guess is that they will stand well off in the Arabian Sea where they can protect themselves, letting their aircraft and possibly SAGs mix it up close.
Umm, they're pretty fast, but they're not hypersonic or even close to hypersonic (Mach 5).
They're certainly "hyped" though - an awful lot of OHMIGOD THE USNAVY IS DOOMED articles about them from fairly clueless authors.
I've actually not seen it confirmed that Iran has them from a source I'd consider completely credible.
They're certainly a dangerous weapon, but it came into service with the Soviet Navy over 20 years ago - it's something the US Navy has been aware of and has obviously carefully studied and developed countermeasures to for two decades.
that would trigger a worldwide terrorist backlash.
And, this would be new?
Their navy will be fairly easy to take out, except the Kilo subs. Those are a threat in the confied spaces of the gulf and not easy to find until they attack. Hopefully, we would pick a time when our G2 tells us that as many of the subs can be hit on the intial day of the fighting.
If some are catagorizing this as a prelude to war with Iran...
One thing to look at is "who" is deploying in the airgroup on the Stennis...
If it is a squadron(s) who are "up" on their warfare schools, REFTRA and other preparedness training...Then if they are rated the best of the best at this particular point in the training cycle...I believe that could say a lot...
At least we will be ready to rain on Irans parade if we have to...They (Iran) have absolutely nothing that can match us in the air or even the ground...
If we really want to own it, all the President has to say is "go"...
Once again we have tried the long diplomatic approach to radical destructive islam...
Time to start talking in the only language they comprehend...
They have threatened us, they are demonstrating a will to employ (notice I said employ, not deploy...They are ready to strike) their weapons that destabilize the region...
So once again, they appear to be ready to play...Just like in 1987...We took care of them then...We can take it to them again...
I'm far from an expert, but I understand the SeaRAM neutralizes the Sunburn threat.
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