U.S. Navy won't tolerate 'disruption' through Strait of Hormuz

CNN.com ^ | 12/28/11 | Barbara Starr

[ColdOne]

(CNN) -- The U.S. Navy said Iran's threat to block the strategically and economically important Strait of Hormuz is unacceptable.

"The free flow of goods and services through the Strait of Hormuz is vital to regional and global prosperity," Navy 5th Fleet in Bahrain spokeswoman Cmdr. Amy Derrick Frost told reporters on Wednesday.

"Anyone who threatens to disrupt freedom of navigation in an international strait is clearly outside the community of nations; any disruption will not be tolerated."

The 34-mile-wide shipping channel leads in and out of the Persian Gulf between Iran and Oman. It is strategically important because tankers carrying oil travel through it.

[Bailee]

1 Exocet nearly sunk the USS Stark one exocet did sink the British Destroyer in the Falklands War. While the Silkworm is not as modern as the Exocet a direct hit could cause major damage.

Its looks like Iran wants a war. OBammy needs a war to help his Image.

Lord protect our sailors from harm.

[hosepipe]

[ “Anyone who threatens to disrupt freedom of navigation in an international strait is clearly outside the community of nations; any disruption will not be tolerated.” ]

OR WHAT?.............

[ScottinVA]

The U.S. Navy said Iran's threat to block the strategically and economically important Strait of Hormuz is unacceptable.

Sure. Just like Jimmy Carter said the Soviet missiles discovered in Cuba in 1979 were "unacceptable." Then, voila! The "unacceptable" became "accepted."

[ScottinVA]

This would be more convincing if it came from the White Hut, and not from the fleet. Any takers on when THAT announcement will ever be made? Anyone?

That was a trial balloon for which the White Hut can claim plausible deniability when the sneers of ridicule commence. "The Navy Department just spoke prematurely."

[Secret Agent Man]

Doesn’t it seem like it should be heavier than just 90,000 tons? Sure the hell looks heavier. Consider all the weight inside plus the planes, nuke plant, etc.

[GonzoGOP]

The idea is double hull, as in, not easily sinkable, which COULD block the strait.

When you hit it with 400 pounds of TNT single or double hull isn't going to matter much. I have attached a picture of the mine damage to the USS Tripoli back in 1991. And warships are not only double hulled, but built stronger that merchants. You set off a mine against, or worse directly under, a ship and you are going to get a big honking hole, single or double hull.


The reason tankers are hard to sink is that when in ballast the oil tanks are full of air. And it isn't just one big tank. Some of the big ships have up to 50 separate tanks. Flooding one or two isn't going to sink the ship. And damage from a contact mine tends to be localized. A magnetic mine under the keel might blow the ship in half, but even then the parts would likely float long enough to tow them out of the channel. Several tankers have broken their backs in storms and stayed afloat for days. You would probably want a big salvage tug in the convoy in case of such an emergency or in case a ship took a hit to propellers or rudder.

There are also the ballast tanks. Those are full of water, but can be pumped out to make up for buoyancy lost to other flooded spaces.

[Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek]

An interesting tagline to a recent HotAir posting:

http://hotair.com/archives/2011/12/28/saudis-to-iranian-mullahs-well-keep-pounding-sand/

And Iran itself — which has enjoyed record oil profits over the past five years but is faced with a dwindling number of oil customers — relies on the Hormuz Strait as the departure gate for its biggest client: China.

“We would be committing economical suicide by closing off the Hormuz Strait,” said an Iranian Oil Ministry official who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. “Oil money is our only income, so we would be spectacularly shooting ourselves in the foot by doing that.”

Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, a political scientist running for parliament from the camp of hard-line clerics and commanders opposing Ahmadinejad, said it is “good politics” for Iran to respond to U.S. threats with threats of its own.

“But our threat will not be realized,” Ardestani said. “We are just responding to the U.S., nothing more.”

Besides, the UAE — whose exports would be most impacted by an Iranian blockade of the strait — will shortly complete a pipeline that bypasses Hormuz altogether. They can pump 2.5 million barrels a day through the pipeline, which would more than negate Iranian action.

[Fred]

Any intel on this?

Israeli spyware sold to Iran
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/israeli-spyware-sold-to-iran-20111227-1pb26.html

Israel Didn’t Know High-Tech Gear Was Sent to Iran
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-23/israel-didn-t-know-high-tech-gear-was-sent-to-iran-via-denmark.html

Is this an old story? I have been offline for a couple of days.

[GonzoGOP]

1 Exocet nearly sunk the USS Stark one Exocet did sink the British Destroyer in the Falklands War. While the Silkworm is not as modern as the Exocet a direct hit could cause major damage.

The old silkworms aren't the problem. CIWS can swat them down with impunity. Unfortunately the Iranians license build the C-802 missile, that has nearly the same performance as the Exocet. Unlike the POS silkworms these are seriously dangerous missiles. One of them got a solid hit on an Israeli corvette off Lebanon.

Because they make them we have no idea how many they have. On the up side Iranian workmanship isn't exactly well regarded.

[Tzimisce]

OOOOOOOO - Obama’s talking tough.

That should put the fear of Obama in them.

/sarc

[milagro]

On vacation. Which may not be such a bad thing, considering how much damage they do to our nation when they do show up for work.

BTW-- LOVE your tagline!

[Jim Noble]

Need fast BBs Strait of Hormuz soonest.

[Mr. K]

How about we make it known that a 30 missile “shock and awe” dump on Ahmadinnerjacket’s locations will take place 30 seconds after they announce they will close it.

Decapitate the leadership immediately

[spokeshave]

If the net effect is to block the passage of oil tankers through the strait, whether by sunk vessels which have to be removed, or laying down mine fields which produce sunk vessels which have to be removed, or land-to-sea missile attacks which sink vessels that have to be removed, then ‘mission accomplished’ from the Iranian perspective.

Yeah.,...so when its all bottled up....just drop a nuke in the center and unblock it

[rockinqsranch]

Exactly what I was thinking. Unless it comes from the C.I.C., how can it be credible, but then with this C.I.C. it doesn’t really matter does it.

I sit corrected by myself. Shame on me for thinking.

Siiiiiiiiiiiigh!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Did they get the e-mail that Barack Hussein Obama was elected president?

[stevie_d_64]

28,000 personnel
65 aircraft
5 Frigates
3 Corvettes
26 Submarines
24 Fast Attack Craft
98 Large Patrol craft
100 patrol craft
16 Hovercraft

I think we have enough ordinance to take care of this light work...

[tsowellfan]

8 Months from now the election will only be referendum on Obama’s war with Iran. What economy???

[tsowellfan]

me thinks that Europe needs the straits open more than u.s.

Yes, in strategy. But politically Obama needs to be the US President who took us to war with US Enemy Iran.

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

Did you scroll down to see how they accumulated things?Who they bought things from?