Next Middle East war is comming on line fast

[Beiruty]

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/2 ... ?hpt=hp_t2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Four Navy minesweepers will be on their way to the Persian Gulf within weeks as part of an effort to boost American military capability in the region amid rising tensions with Iran, a Navy official says.

The minesweepers will be loaded onto cargo ships leaving the United States in late April, according to the Navy official.
The deployments were publicly confirmed by Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations, earlier this month in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

[G26ster]

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/2 ... ?hpt=hp_t2

Four Navy minesweepers will be on their way to the Persian Gulf within weeks as part of an effort to boost American military capability in the region amid rising tensions with Iran, a Navy official says.

The minesweepers will be loaded onto cargo ships leaving the United States in late April, according to the Navy official.
The deployments were publicly confirmed by Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations, earlier this month in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Minesweepers are defensive ships, not offensive ships. What's wrong with being prepared to clear the Strait of mines if it is mined by Iran?

[Beiruty]

Iran virtual oil embargo going into effect by July would lead to mining the straight and attacking and harassing oil tankers. This will result in the price of oil barrel to go $200-$250. US will clear the straight and escort the tankers, but price of oil would not go down. US threaten Iran with punishing attacks if the hostile activities do not stop. Iran will ignore the threat and either US would do limited strike or look weak. If the US strike, Iran will retaliate against US bases in Gulf conutrires and Afghanistan. Iran would seek help from Russia, China and India to survive. US forces are expected to have mass casualties in the 10s to 100s per day. No ground invasion, that I can see, nor Iranian ground force crossing their borders.

[G26ster]

Iran virtual oil embargo going into effect by July would lead to mining the straight and attacking and harassing oil tankers. This will result in the price of oil barrel to go $200-$250. US will clear the straight and escort the tankers, but price of oil would not go down. US threaten Iran with punishing attacks if the hostile activities do not stop. Iran will ignore the threat and either US would do limited strike or look weak. If the US strike, Iran will retaliate against US bases in Gulf conutrires and Afghanistan. Iran would seek help from Russia, China and India to survive. US forces are expected to have mass casualties in the 10s to 100s per day. No ground invasion, that I can see, nor Iranian ground force crossing their borders.

You referenced your thread title with an article about mine sweepers, not an oil embargo. So, not sending the mine sweepers will prevent all of this???

[Oldgringo]

With all due respect to you, Beiruty and family, I say nuke 'em. Allahu Akbar!

[Beiruty]

Iran virtual oil embargo going into effect by July would lead to mining the straight and attacking and harassing oil tankers. This will result in the price of oil barrel to go $200-$250. US will clear the straight and escort the tankers, but price of oil would not go down. US threaten Iran with punishing attacks if the hostile activities do not stop. Iran will ignore the threat and either US would do limited strike or look weak. If the US strike, Iran will retaliate against US bases in Gulf conutrires and Afghanistan. Iran would seek help from Russia, China and India to survive. US forces are expected to have mass casualties in the 10s to 100s per day. No ground invasion, that I can see, nor Iranian ground force crossing their borders.

You referenced your thread title with an article about mine sweepers, not an oil embargo. So, not sending the mine sweepers will prevent all of this???

No. It is cause and effect. US is trying to be ready for action, or will be caught with its pants down.

[G26ster]

Iran virtual oil embargo going into effect by July would lead to mining the straight and attacking and harassing oil tankers. This will result in the price of oil barrel to go $200-$250. US will clear the straight and escort the tankers, but price of oil would not go down. US threaten Iran with punishing attacks if the hostile activities do not stop. Iran will ignore the threat and either US would do limited strike or look weak. If the US strike, Iran will retaliate against US bases in Gulf conutrires and Afghanistan. Iran would seek help from Russia, China and India to survive. US forces are expected to have mass casualties in the 10s to 100s per day. No ground invasion, that I can see, nor Iranian ground force crossing their borders.

You referenced your thread title with an article about mine sweepers, not an oil embargo. So, not sending the mine sweepers will prevent all of this???

No. It is cause and effect. US is trying to be ready for action, or will be caught with its pants down.

I imagine Iran has been doing the same for many years. I lived in Iran for several years, and helped train the Iranian military under the Shah. All countries prepare to protect their interests. Only difference then was the biggest threat in their mind was from Iraq.

[Beiruty]

With all due respect to you, Beiruty and family, I say nuke 'em. Allahu Akbar!

Not so easy or US would have nuked Vietnam. There is a poor-man-nuke called Bio Wof M.D.

[Oldgringo]

Iran virtual oil embargo going into effect by July would lead to mining the straight and attacking and harassing oil tankers. This will result in the price of oil barrel to go $200-$250. US will clear the straight and escort the tankers, but price of oil would not go down. US threaten Iran with punishing attacks if the hostile activities do not stop. Iran will ignore the threat and either US would do limited strike or look weak. If the US strike, Iran will retaliate against US bases in Gulf conutrires and Afghanistan. Iran would seek help from Russia, China and India to survive. US forces are expected to have mass casualties in the 10s to 100s per day. No ground invasion, that I can see, nor Iranian ground force crossing their borders.

You referenced your thread title with an article about mine sweepers, not an oil embargo. So, not sending the mine sweepers will prevent all of this???

No. It is cause and effect. US is trying to be ready for action, or will be caught with its pants down.

I imagine Iran has been doing the same for many years. I lived in Iran for several years, and helped train the Iranian military under the Shah. All countries prepare to protect their interests. Only difference then was the biggest threat in their mind was from Iraq.

Funny you should mention Iraq, G26ster.

I still maintain that if GWB and company had minded our business at home and not gone into Iraq the second time, our economy wouldn't be in the crapper, Obama wouldn't be POTUS and Saddam would have kept his 'hood, including Iran, in order. If these muslim people want to keep killing each other, as they've been doing since the dawn of time, it's none of our business as long as they stay in their own yards while carrying out Allah's will.

[G26ster]

Funny you should mention Iraq, G26ster.

If these muslim people want to keep killing each other, as they've been doing since the dawn of time

You mean like the British against the French, or against the Spanish, or the Germans against the French and Russians, or the Russians against the Germans, and the Germans against the Poles, and the Romans, against the rest of the world, or the Japanese against the Chinese, or the Japanese against the Koreans, or the Japanese against the U.S., or the U.S. against the British, or Spain, or the Native American tribes against each other, or...? I know I left a whole bunch out, but war between nations or tribes has been going on all over the world since the dawn of time. It's certainly not unique to the Middle East.

[texasmusic]

The rest of the world likes take brakes every once in a while. (Peacetime)

[Oldgringo]

The rest of the world likes take brakes every once in a while. (Peacetime)

Thank you, texasmusic, for the clarification. Yes, other nations, operative word "nations", do take a break from killing each other from time to time.

The Arabic/Muslim tribes just seem to keep killin' each other as if they're driven by some higher power to wipe each other out. Who are we infidels to question the will of Allah?

[G26ster]

The rest of the world likes take brakes every once in a while. (Peacetime)

Thank you, texasmusic, for the clarification. Yes, other nations, operative word "nations", do take a break from killing each other from time to time.

The Arabic/Muslim tribes just seem to keep killin' each other as if they're driven by some higher power to wipe each other out. Who are we infidels to question the will of Allah?

Other than the Iran/Iraq war and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait (and other than the desire to keep attacking Israel - a non-muslim state), what Arab nations have been at war with each other since WWII?

[Beiruty]

The rest of the world likes take brakes every once in a while. (Peacetime)

Thank you, texasmusic, for the clarification. Yes, other nations, operative word "nations", do take a break from killing each other from time to time.

The Arabic/Muslim tribes just seem to keep killin' each other as if they're driven by some higher power to wipe each other out. Who are we infidels to question the will of Allah?

Old Gringo, don't fall in the trap of Stereotyping. We are all human beings and we do behave similarly. Good thing, WWI and WW2 were not started by Muslims.

And, Allah Akbar too! God's Will is supreme over all other wills.

[Oldgringo]

The rest of the world likes take brakes every once in a while. (Peacetime)

Thank you, texasmusic, for the clarification. Yes, other nations, operative word "nations", do take a break from killing each other from time to time.

The Arabic/Muslim tribes just seem to keep killin' each other as if they're driven by some higher power to wipe each other out. Who are we infidels to question the will of Allah?

Other than the Iran/Iraq war and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait (and other than the desire to keep attacking Israel - a non-muslim state), what Arab nations have been at war with each other since WWII?

A bigger question is what Arab "nations" have been/are at war against the U.S. I really don't care what they do to each other as long as they stay in their own yard while doing it.