U.S. Says Iran No Longer Helping Iraq Smuggle Oil

TEHRAN -- Iran has recently stopped allowing tankers carrying smuggled Iraqi oil to dodge international monitoring ships in the Persian Gulf by staying inside Iran's territorial waters, the DPA quoted the Pentagon as saying on Thursday.

The loss of the Iranian safe haven has led smugglers to change tactics, loading the oil from the large tankers onto smaller vessels in hopes of evading U.S. navy ships trying to enforce United Nations sanctions against Iraq, said General Richard Myers, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.

On Tuesday, Iran accepted Bush's offer of humanitarian assistance to victims of Saturday's earthquake in northern Iran.

Myers said there were "indications...fairly recently" that the smugglers are no longer using Iranian waters to evade inspection.

For years, U.S. officials have complained that tankers were able to traverse the length of the Persian Gulf by hugging Iran's long coastline while U.S. and other naval vessels enforcing the sanctions are required to remain in international waters.

Over the past week, the U.S. and allied ships have diverted 21 vessels found to be carrying Iraqi oil, Myers told reporters Wednesday at the Pentagon.

"While this is an increase, most of these vessels were dhows, not tankers," Myers said. "The owners of the tankers have resorted to trying to put the oil on the dhows, believing that these smaller vessels will have a better chance of sneaking past our maritime interception operations." Myers also reported an increase in attempts by Iraqi air defense to shoot down coalition aircraft patrolling the no-fly zone over northern Iraq.

"There have been nearly 10 separate instances over the past three days of Iraqis firing on coalition aircraft in the north,...and that's a significant number," he said.

The northern no-fly zone is patrolled by U.S. and British aircraft based in Turkey. Coalition jets struck an Iraqi air defense installation west of Mosul Tuesday after coming under anti-aircraft fire, the U.S. European command said.

I learned today about some incremental tactics that we are soon going to be employing in the Middle East.

President Bush is brilliant. Not only is he taking his time and handling the proper foreign diplomacy angles, but he is setting out on a course of gradual incrementalism against our foes that is going to cause them to twist in the wind LONG before we bring in our military.

In fact, what I have heard so far suggests that by the time Bush is done with them, they will view our military as saviors from their own predicaments.

Life is good!

"Rmember that when our stretched past the limits military is tied down in Iraq, and Korea explodes and China attacks Taiwan, knowing full well that Uncle Sam can't do a damn thing to stop them."

I disagree with your scenario.

First of all, our conventional military forces are no longer needed to defend Europe from Russia. We can easily pull our forces out of Germany to handle North Korea, Iraq, or even China over Taiwan.

Secondly, our reserves are not over-extended. Heck, we haven't even used up our draft pool.

Third, we own space no matter who does what, and where. Likewise, we can control the air anyplace in the world.

By controlling the skies, we can determine when and where each conflict is staged.

Fourth, we own the seas. Both the Middle-East and China depend upon the seas for their economies. This makes both regions completely vulnerable to the use of our sea power.

Fifth, our only credible potential enemy is China, which can field only 18 nuclear ICBM's. Sure, it has several hundred nukes, but its navy and air force can't be counted on to deliver more than what its ICBM's can carry due to our control of the sea and skies. Then too, China has to worry about India and Taiwan, both of whom have nuclear weapons of their own, and both of whom control land disputed by China.

Should we desire to escalate any conflict (rather than appear "overextended" conventionally), our nuclear, chemical, and biological arsenals can easily wipe out any and all enemies of our choosing.

First of all, our conventional military forces are no longer needed to defend Europe from Russia. We can easily pull our forces out of Germany to handle North Korea, Iraq, or even China over Taiwan. Yes, we will just use Star Trek "teleporters" to beam those divisions from Germany to Taiwan or Korea in a crisis. That should be easy in the middle of our Iraq War, transport aircraft will just be sitting idle all over the place.

Secondly, our reserves are not over-extended. WHAT!?!?

Heck, we haven't even used up our draft pool. Gee, great idea. We'll just draft kids and toss them into a war during a crisis. That should only take about a week from Momma's Boy to Front Line Troop. Great idea.

Third, we own space no matter who does what, and where. As long as China doesn't toss any EMP weapons into space, say 100 miles east of Taiwan.

Likewise, we can control the air anyplace in the world. Hmmmm.... very dicey, if Korea and Taiwan explode while we are busy in Afghanistan and Iraq.

By controlling the skies, we can determine when and where each conflict is staged. Assuming our carriers can operate in perfect safety within Sunburn supersonic sea skimming cruise missile range of China. (We have no defense.) And assuming we can find and kill ALL of China's Kilo class subs, so that we will risk bringing our carriers in range of Taiwan. If we can't, we won't, and "goodby air control".

Fourth, we own the seas. As long as we can get around the Sunburns and Kilo subs, that is. IOW, "Goodby Taiwan".

Both the Middle-East and China depend upon the seas for their economies. This makes both regions completely vulnerable to the use of our sea power.That's what the smart boys said about Japan in 1940, "no way will they attack, their economy depends on the sea lanes, and our combined Navies are too strong".

Still, they attacked Pearl Harbor, in spite of the best estimate of our brightest think tankers.

And unlike Hawaii, China considers Taiwan a "renegade province" to be brought into the fold at all costs.

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I'm going on vacation, have at it boys!

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