Military "Excercises" In P.Gulf A Warm-Up For WAR With Iran
- From: luminoso@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Luminoso)
- Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 11:31:58 GMT
via cnn.com
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- The U.S. Navy on Tuesday began its
largest demonstration of force in the Persian Gulf since the 2003
invasion of Iraq, led by a pair of aircraft carriers and backed by
warplanes flying simulated attack maneuvers off the coast of Iran.
The maneuvers bring together two strike groups of U.S. warships and
more than 100 U.S. warplanes to conduct simulated air warfare in the
crowded Gulf shipping lanes.
The U.S. exercises come just four days after Iran's capture of 15
British sailors and marines who Iran said had strayed into Iranian
waters near the Gulf. Britain and the U.S. Navy have insisted the
British sailors were operating in Iraqi waters.
U.S. Navy Cmdr. Kevin Aandahl said the U.S. maneuvers were not
organized in response to the capture of the British sailors -- nor
were they meant to threaten the Islamic Republic, whose navy operates
in the same waters.
He declined to specify when the Navy planned the exercises.
Aandahl said the U.S. warships would stay out of Iranian territorial
waters, which extend 12 miles off the Iranian coast.
A French naval strike group, led by the aircraft carrier Charles de
Gaulle, was operating simultaneously just outside the Gulf. But the
French ships were supporting the NATO forces in Afghanistan and not
taking part in the U.S. maneuvers, officials said.
Overall, the exercises involve more than 10,000 U.S. personnel on
warships and aircraft making simulated attacks on enemy shipping with
aircraft and ships, hunting enemy submarines and finding mines.
"What it should be seen as by Iran or anyone else is that it's for
regional stability and security," Aandahl said. "These ships are just
another demonstration of that. If there's a destabilizing effect, it's
Iran's behavior."
*
No ... not exactly IRANs behavior.
It appears that "W" and Halliburton are going to get their
one last fling before the administration changes. They've
been hoping for a chance to bomb Iran and it now appears
they've talked a number of allies, even the French of all
people, into lending a hand.
While there will surely be few actual allied troops on the
ground, Iranian military, government and industrial targets
will be bombed into dust. Oh, and they'll probably blast those
reactors too. In any event, Iran will be set back decades and,
in theory, be unable to sponsor as much terrorism or build
nuclear devices.
In theory.
Anyway, Israel will be happy. Halliburton will be happy and
We-The-Taxpayers will have the rest of our cash removed all
in the name of 'protecting' us from a country that poses
little real threat, even to Israel.
After awhile, I suppose the "Shock & Awe" of what's happened
to our money and world reputation will finally sink in. We
probably won't see torch-weilding mobs dragging Halliburton
boardmembers and ex-administration officials out into the
streets however, we just don't DO that anymore, so the next
administration will feel safe prosecuting its new wars and
stuffing its favorite pockets - until the Chinese finally
call-in their loans. I wonder if we'll be 2nd or 3rd-world
after that happens ?
.
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