Armada of Ships from 25 Nations in Straight of Hormuz

[presence]

"unprecedented show of force"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/9545597/Armada-of-British-naval-power-massing-in-the-Gulf-as-Israel-prepares-an-Iran-strike.html

naval power is massing in the Persian Gulf in the belief that
Israel is considering a pre-emptive strike against Iran
[...]
unprecedented show of force
[...]
warships from more than 25 countries

12 battleships, including ballistic missile cruisers, frigates, destroyers and assault ships
carrying thousand of US Marines and special forces. (sic)
[...]
The war games are the largest ever undertaken in the region.
[...]

They will practise tactics in how to breach an Iranian blockade of the strait and the force will also undertake counter-mining drills.

http://www.ww4report.com/node/11514

We have long been skeptical about incessant predictions from the Chicken Little crowd of an imminent US or Israeli attack on Iran. We've heard these predictions for years, and it still hasn't happened—yet none of those making the predictions ever seem to eat crow. And there has been plenty of evidence that the whole thing is a game of brinkmanship aimed at keeping Iran intimidated. But in recent weeks we have started to fear that the new circumstances in the Middle East may indeed be compelling the West towards war with Iran. Now, with two US warships headed for Libya, 25 nations led by the US are converging on the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz for naval maneuvers on an unprecedented scale.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/...-exercise.html

“focus on a hypothetical threat from an extremist organization to mine the international strategic waterways of the Middle East, including the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=54397

However if Israeli jets or missiles did strike Iran, "nothing of Israel will be left, considering its size," he warned.
[]
US military bases -- such as those in Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia --
would also be fair game for retaliation by Iranian missiles or proxy forces.
[]
“In the event of a [Israeli] military attack, there is more than [a] 50 percent chance they would attempt to close the strait or prevent others from passing through freely,”

[asurfaholic]

Nuts

This has me wondering, why doesnt Iran just give up their nuclear program? Im all for minding our own business, but obviously thats not happening. Iran could probably defend itself from an isreal attack, but if we get involved its game over for iran. We might not win, whatever that means, but iran will be left in a big pile of rubble, set back hundreds of years.

So why not just scrap the project? Pride? Knowledge that we would attack regardless?

[presence]

Liberty

[James Madison]

Nuts

This has me wondering, why doesnt Iran just give up their nuclear program? Im all for minding our own business, but obviously thats not happening. Iran could probably defend itself from an isreal attack, but if we get involved its game over for iran. We might not win, whatever that means, but iran will be left in a big pile of rubble, set back hundreds of years.

So why not just scrap the project? Pride? Knowledge that we would attack regardless?

It's hard to give up something you never had in the first place. Sort of like those 'mobile anthrax sprayers' in Iraq...

[asurfaholic]

It's hard to give up something you never had in the first place. Sort of like those 'mobile anthrax sprayers' in Iraq...

Give up development of new technology? Better? They arent denying there is a nuclear program. Why not scrap it for a chance to -not- get blown to smithereens?

[James Madison]

Give up development of new technology? Better? They arent denying there is a nuclear program. Why not scrap it for a chance to -not- get blown to smithereens?

Got me. Maybe Russia has reassured Iran they will defend them in event of attack?

[asurfaholic]

Liberty

Im all for it. But if there was a highly armoured squad of govt killers banging on my door and theres no way to fight without risking my life and possibly my family's.... Id surrender. If only to protect the family.

[asurfaholic]

Got me. Maybe Russia has reassured Iran they will defend them in event of attack?

This thought occured to me as a possibility. How strong militarily is russia? Will they be able to get to iran in a time of war?

[ClydeCoulter]

Nuts

This has me wondering, why doesnt Iran just give up their nuclear program? Im all for minding our own business, but obviously thats not happening. Iran could probably defend itself from an isreal attack, but if we get involved its game over for iran. We might not win, whatever that means, but iran will be left in a big pile of rubble, set back hundreds of years.

So why not just scrap the project? Pride? Knowledge that we would attack regardless?

Gaddafi gave up his nuclear program.

[fr33]

Im all for it. But if there was a highly armoured squad of govt killers banging on my door and theres no way to fight without risking my life and possibly my family's.... Id surrender. If only to protect the family.

I wouldn't. They shall not pass.