[Phsstpok]

The Carriers in the Gulf DO NOT have to turn into the wind to either launch or recover their aircraft. THEY ARE FAST ENOUGH TO MAKE THEIR OWN WIND, if they need to.

You specifically say "in the Gulf," but I've always thought that the narrowness and shallowness of the Gulf limited what our Carriers could do in this regard.  I definitely defer to your knowledge.  It still concerns me, however.

Rather than the particular Hersh statement that "they have to" turn into the wind he may have taken a comment that the carrier will turn into the wind when not in combat (to minimize wear and tear on the planes, pilots and crewmen) and conflated it himself with the fantasies of an unprovoked American attack on Iran.

The nightmare scenario for me has been that they have a crude nuke or something they bought from the old Soviet Union stockpile, however crude, anchored to the bottom of the Straights of Hormuz and are waiting for a carrier group to be transiting.

During the peanut farmers time the commander of the task force in the Gulf was supposedly asked what would happen if Tehran executed the American hostages.  It is said that he commented only "Tehran will have a second sunrise."

If there is a direct attack on our forces in the region I'm convinced that there will be no restraint, no argument over rules of engagement.  I personally think that Hersh is right in his reporting that we are making these plans to attack Iran.  Hell, we're probably making plans to attack Long Island.  It's what the Pentagon REMFs do.  However, I also think that these plans are being fine tuned and updated much more rapidly than normal as tensions ratchet up.  We are not planning on launching an attack on Iran.  We are planning a massive and decisive response to an Iranian attack on us or our allies.  Kind of like a sub calling a "snapshot" torpedo launch.  They hit us and we want to have a big response already laid on.

[Pukin Dog]

Carriers don't ride anywhere near as low in the water as the SuperTankers that travel through the Gulf all day and night. Even Iran is not dumb enough to risk oil shipments and the Carriers don't go anywhere that the Tankers don't.

It is also okay to be 'predictable' when surrounded on all sides and above and below, by more US firepower than was used in the entire WWII.

Everything Iran has been saying about what they can do to us is pure propaganda, as though our Navy has just been sitting on their hands without solutions to what Iran can think up.

The actual best scenario is for Iran to attempt to attack one of our ships, because we will just light that country up like a candle.

[maica]

The Persian Gulf is larger than the state of Florida. Even the Strait of Hormuz is 35 miles wide.

[samantha]

You Guys are sure way over my head today. Let me say I feel as stupid as Murtha, Pelosi, Boxer, and Crew of the SS Democrat Titanic. Well, maybe not that stupid. You are excellent as Show Prep for Rush Tomorrow. He will understand a lot of this better than I, so do not forget to EMail him all your good posts.