Posted on 11/02/2007 2:46:02 PM PDT by blam
Navy to patrol Gulf in the spring
By David Blair in Manama
Last Updated: 2:49am GMT 02/11/2007
A Royal Navy aircraft carrier will be deployed in the Gulf next spring, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
HMS Illustrious will sail for the highly sensitive waters near Iran
Illustrious will sail for the highly sensitive waters near Iran accompanied by Edinburgh, a Type 42 destroyer whose main role is providing air defence, and Westminster, a Type 23 frigate.
Two minesweepers and three support vessels from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary will complete the deployment for Operation Orion 08.
The ships will spend about six months in the Gulf, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.
Their presence may coincide with a crucial period in the West's confrontation with Iran.
Observers believe that the spring is the last possible moment for President George W Bush to order military strikes against Iran's nuclear programme. The imminence of America's presidential election may make it impossible for Washington to carry out an attack any later.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the deployment had been "planned for a while" and that British carriers were present in the Gulf last year and in 2005.
"The idea is to demonstrate our commitment to maritime security in a strategically very important part of the world."
The warships will be handled by the Navy's permanent staff of 30 based in Bahrain's capital, Manama.
If the Iranians try to abduct your sailors again, it might be a good idea to do something instead of sit there and watch.
Maybe this time Iran can take the ship with just a row boat and no weapons.
That would add a Brit carrier to ours. I doubt the British would be directly participate in a strike on Iran, but they sure would have to cover their troops in Iraq.
Click on pic for past Navair pings.
Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.
What makes you say that? It was eight heavily armed Iranian gunboats that captured the 15 Royal Navy personnel (who were stuck in an inflatable boarding craft) last time. Hardly the Royal Navy’s finest hour, but you can’t tarnish an entire service by the actions of a few men/women:
US military personnel have also been captured without a fight at sea by the Iranians.
Over two dozen US personnel in one unit refused convoy duty in Iraq a couple of years back.
I have nothing but admiration for US forces, who by all accounts have performed superbly over the last few years. I have the same high regard for British forces (the only other full fighting contributor in Iraq and Afghanistan).
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.