Iranian threat defined

Washington Times ^ | 6-19-06 | William L. Stearman

[JZelle]

A largely overlooked article in the Sunday Telegraph (London), datelined Washington April 12, 2006, should have been a wake-up call for our top policymakers. This piece convincingly described Iran's alarming potential for seizing control of the Persian Gulf. The probable Iranian conviction they have this ability must no doubt be perceived by them as greatly strengthening their position on nuclear development. There are, however, measures, noted below, we could and should quickly take to counter this Iranian threat. As the Sunday Telegraph notes,

[conservativewasp]

I don't think the Iranians could close the Straits as easily as this article would have you believe. That said, a couple of battleships with 9, 16" guns each, can make a coastline awfully quiet. As I recall they can reach 20 some miles inland. During Gulf War One we were using early drones for targeting and BDA. I'll never forget the pics of an Iraqi waving a white flag so as to surrender to a drone.

[pabianice]

Just one of our Ohio-class SSGNs could destroy Iran's capability to block anything. The problem is having the will to use it.

[Freeport]

Crank up the Iowa class battleships per the article, move B-1B's and B-2's to Diego Garcia and take out the coastal defense stations now.

The axiom: "Civil Engineers create targets for Aerospace Engineers" is in effect....

[agere_contra]

I hope the Iranians try to block the straits. It gives us causus belli.