Massive US Naval Armada Heads For Iran The intent is to create a US/EU naval blockade

[seemslikeadream]

http://europebusines.blogspot.com/2008/08/massive-us-naval-armada-heads-for-iran.html

Massive US Naval Armada Heads For Iran

Operation Brimstone ended only one week ago. This was the joint US/UK/French naval war games in the Atlantic Ocean preparing for a naval blockade of Iran and the likely resulting war in the Persian Gulf area. The massive war games included a US Navy supercarrier battle group, an US Navy expeditionary carrier battle group, a Royal Navy carrier battle group, a French nuclear hunter-killer submarine plus a large number of US Navy cruisers, destroyers and frigates playing the "enemy force".

The lead American ship in these war games, the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN71) and its Carrier Strike Group Two (CCSG-2) are now headed towards Iran along with the USS Ronald Reagon (CVN76) and its Carrier Strike Group Seven (CCSG-7) coming from Japan.

They are joining two existing USN battle groups in the Gulf area: the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN72) with its Carrier Strike Group Nine (CCSG-9); and the USS Peleliu (LHA-5) with its expeditionary strike group.

Likely also under way towards the Persian Gulf is the USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) and its expeditionary strike group, the UK Royal Navy HMS Ark Royal (R07) carrier battle group, assorted French naval assets including the nuclear hunter-killer submarine Amethyste and French Naval Rafale fighter jets on-board the USS Theodore Roosevelt. These ships took part in the just completed Operation Brimstone.

The build up of naval forces in the Gulf will be one of the largest multi-national naval armadas since the First and Second Gulf Wars. The intent is to create a US/EU naval blockade (which is an Act of War under international law) around Iran (with supporting air and land elements) to prevent the shipment of benzene and certain other refined oil products headed to Iranian ports. Iran has limited domestic oil refining capacity and imports 40% of its benzene. Cutting off benzene and other key products would cripple the Iranian economy. The neo-cons are counting on such a blockade launching a war with Iran.

The US Naval forces being assembled include the following:

Carrier Strike Group Nine
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN72) nuclear powered supercarrier
with its Carrier Air Wing Two
Destroyer Squadron Nine:
USS Mobile Bay (CG53) guided missile cruiser
USS Russell (DDG59) guided missile destroyer
USS Momsen (DDG92) guided missile destroyer
USS Shoup (DDG86) guided missile destroyer
USS Ford (FFG54) guided missile frigate
USS Ingraham (FFG61) guided missile frigate
USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG60) guided missile frigate
USS Curts (FFG38) guided missile frigate
Plus one or more nuclear hunter-killer submarines

Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Group
USS Peleliu (LHA-5) a Tarawa-class amphibious assault carrier
USS Pearl Harbor (LSD52) assult ship
USS Dubuque (LPD8) assult ship/landing dock
USS Cape St. George (CG71) guided missile cruiser
USS Halsey (DDG97) guided missile destroyer
USS Benfold (DDG65) guided missile destroyer

Carrier Strike Group Two
USS Theodore Roosevelt (DVN71) nuclear powered supercarrier
with its Carrier Air Wing Eight
Destroyer Squadron 22
USS Monterey (CG61) guided missile cruiser
USS Mason (DDG87) guided missile destroyer
USS Nitze (DDG94) guided missile destroyer
USS Sullivans (DDG68) guided missile destroyer

USS Springfield (SSN761) nuclear powered hunter-killer submarine

IWO ESG ~ Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group
USS Iwo Jima (LHD7) amphibious assault carrier
with its Amphibious Squadron Four
and with its 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit
USS San Antonio (LPD17) assault ship
USS Velia Gulf (CG72) guided missile cruiser
USS Ramage (DDG61) guided missile destroyer
USS Carter Hall (LSD50) assault ship
USS Roosevelt (DDG80) guided missile destroyer

USS Hartfore (SSN768) nuclear powered hunter-killer submarine

Carrier Strike Group Seven
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN76) nuclear powered supercarrier
with its Carrier Air Wing 14
Destroyer Squadron 7
USS Chancellorsville (CG62) guided missile cruiser
USS Howard (DDG83) guided missile destroyer
USS Gridley (DDG101) guided missile destroyer
USS Decatur (DDG73) guided missile destroyer
USS Thach (FFG43) guided missile frigate
USNS Rainier (T-AOE-7) fast combat support ship

Also likely to join the battle armada:

UK Royal Navy HMS Ark Royal Carrier Strike Group with assorted guided missile destroyers and frigates, nuclear hunter-killer submarines and support ships

French Navy nuclear powered hunter-killer submarines (likely the Amethyste and perhaps others), plus French Naval Rafale fighter jets operating off of the USS Theodore Roosevelt as the French Carrier Charles de Gaulle is in dry dock, and assorted surface warships

Various other US Navy warships and submarines and support ships. The following USN ships took part (as the "enemy" forces) in Operation Brimstone and several may join in:

USS San Jacinto (CG56) guided missile cruiser
USS Anzio (CG68) guided missile cruiser
USS Normandy (CG60) guided missile cruiser
USS Carney (DDG64) guided missile destroyer
USS Oscar Austin (DDG79) guided missile destroyer
USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG81) guided missile destroyer
USS Carr (FFG52) guided missile frigate

The USS Iwo Jima and USS Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Groups have USMC Harrier jump jets and an assortment of assault and attack helicopters. The Expeditionary Strike Groups have powerful USMC Expeditionary Units with amphibious armor and ground forces trained for operating in shallow waters and in seizures of land assets, such as Qeshm Island (a 50 mile long island off of Bandar Abbas in the Gulf of Hormuz and headquarters of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps).

[MercutioATC]

1. Damn...I never realized how much we likes our "guided missiles"...

[Parche]

2. DDG

Uss Halsey, Thach, and Ramage

:woohoo: :woohoo: :hi:

[seemslikeadream]

3. The Russian Navy this spring sent a major battle fleet into the Mediterranean

http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/Massive-US-Naval-Armada-He-by-Lord-Stirling-080808-541.html

The Russian Navy this spring sent a major battle fleet into the Mediterranean headed by the modern aircraft carrier the Admiral Kuznetsov and the flagship of its Black Sea Fleet, the Guided Missile Heavy Cruiser Moskva. This powerful fleet has at least 11 surface ships and unknown numbers of subs and can use the Russian naval facility at Syria's Tartous port for resupply. The Admiral Kuznetsov carries approximately 47 warplanes and 10 helicopters. The warplanes are mostly the powerful Su-33, a naval version (with mid-air refueling capability) of the Su-27 family. While the Su-33 is a very powerful warplane it lacks the power of the stealth USAF F-22. However, the Russians insist that they have developed a plasma based system that allows them to stealth any aircraft and a recent incident where Russian fighters were able to appear unannounced over a US Navy carrier battle group tends to confirm their claims. The Su-33 can be armed with the 3M82 Moskit sea-skimming missile (NATO code name SS-N-22 Sunburn) and the even more powerful P-800 Oniks (also named Yakhonts; NATO code name SS-N-26 Onyx). Both missiles are designed to kill US Navy supercarriers by getting past the cruiser/destroyer screen and the USN point-defense Phalanx system by using high supersonic speeds and violent end maneuvers. Russian subs currently use the underwater rocket VA-111 Shkval (Squall), which is fired from standard 533mm torpedo tubes and reaches a speed of 360kph (230mph) underwater. There is no effective countermeasures to this system and no western counterpart.

A strategic diversion has been created for Russia. The Republic of Georgia, with US backing, is actively preparing for war on South Ossetia. The South Ossetia capital has been shelled and a large Georgian tank force has been heading towards the border. Russia has stated that it will not sit by and allow the Georgians to attack South Ossetia. The Russians are great chess players and this game may not turn out so well for the neo-cons.

Kuwait has activated its "Emergency War Plan" as it and other Gulf nations prepare for the likelihood of a major regional war in the Middle East involving weapons of mass destruction.

The two-ton elephant in the living room of the neo-con strategy is the advanced biowar (ABW) that Iran, and to a lessor extent Syria, has. This places the motherlands of the major neo-con nations (America, France, the United Kingdom), as well as Israel, in grave danger. When the Soviet Union fell the Iranians hired as many out-of-work former Soviet advanced biowar experts as possible. In the last 15 or so years they have helped to develop a truly world class ABW program utilizing recombination DNA genetic engineering technology to create a large number of man made killer viruses. This form of weapon system does not require high tech military delivery systems. The viruses are sub-microscopic and once seeded in a population use the population itself as vectors. Seeding can be done without notice in shopping malls, churches, and other public places. The only real defense to an advanced global strategic biowar attack is to lock down the population as rapidly as possible and let those infected die off.

Unless the public gets it act together and forces the neo-cons to stop the march to yet another war in the Middle East we are apt to see a truly horrific nightmare unfold in OUR COUNTRIES.

Stirling

[RollWithIt]

6. Here's what is confusing... Bush's behavior in Beijing concerning Putin...

He was videotaped hugging Putin later yesterday, and he was videotaped and photographed sitting with Putin during the opening ceremonies this morning. WHAT THE FUCK????? That is just bizarre.

[cliffordu]

9. They're dividing up the world. No elections, the 4th Riech

[MiniMe]

4. Where are they going to put all those ships in the gulf?

Doesn't seem like there is enough room.

[RollWithIt]

7. It's bigger than you think....

Over 600 miles long with most sections over 100 miles wide. At least 600000 square miles all together.

[FogerRox]

21. Stratgeically speaking, there isnt room for one carrier group in the Gulf

One carrier can be bottled up quite easily, very bad spot, which is why we dont normally keep any carriers in the Gulf. You could throw a rock from the cliffs in Iran and hit a ship.

A US carrier, typically maintains a 200 mile security zone with its fighters (CAP, Combat Air Patrol).

[progressive_realist]

12. They wouldn't.

With three U.S. carrier fleets in the area, one would be in the Gulf, one in the Arabian Sea, and one in either the eastern Mediterranean (if Turkey allowed flyovers) or the Red Sea.

Not that I believe there is any such thing brewing, after all the false alarms we've been given.

[FogerRox]

22. CV locations

http://www.gonavy.jp/CVLocation.html

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. Well,so much for a "surprise" atack.

Operation Brimstone?
I don't even wanna start about all the connotations of that name.........

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

8. As I stated on another post today " Once again an arrogant and

aggressive USA chomping at the bit to prove that military might is the only thing it knows how to use." Peace be with us all.

[Nothing Without Hope]

10. So, are the Bushies planning a false-flag "attack" as a war pretext? n/t

[woodylennon]

11. hearings

Were there any congressional hearings, secret or otherwise about this?

[seemslikeadream]

13. "Operation Brimstone"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biCXQHexflY

[HCE SuiGeneris]

27. All to be dumped on the American taxpayer and Obama's Presidency.

F U C K

T H E S E

A - H O L E S!!!

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[blues90]

14. I really have to wonder if this is a new way of crying wolf

What I mean to say, are they trying to make this seem as if it's normal activity to the people of the US so they sort of prime the pump so this will not seem like a surprise attack when in fact that is their full intent and has been for quite some time? Is this a form of desensitizing the Masses?

[seemslikeadream]

15. World powers split over Iran sanctions

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=174891

World powers split over Iran sanctions



-- Washington says the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (5+1 group) are in disagreement over how to approach Iran.


“Now once they (other 5+1 group members) have made adequate progress or progress for them to feel comfortable to turn it over to us, those of us who are here will negotiate the exact text and timing of the vote and so on,” said the U.S. ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad on Thursday regarding the Iranian nuclear program.

“That has not happened yet. So it’s still a kind of capital to capital discussion,” he continued.

Russian ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, confirmed Thursday that Moscow does not agree with the imposition of further punitive measures against Tehran.

This is while the U.S. previously insisted that it had unanimous 5+1 group support for imposing further sanctions on Iran.

“It may well be that in the course of those discussions some members of the six raised the issue of the sanctions,” Churkin, said. “But to the best of my knowledge there has been no firm agreement or understanding or concerted work in this regard.”

Over the past week, the United States and Israel have dramatically heightened their threatening rhetoric against Iran over its nuclear activities. On Thursday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was urged to intervene and cool the situation.

According to UN spokesperson Michele Montas, the secretary-general has not yet contacted Israeli authorities to discuss the issue.

She added that the secretary-general has no plan to get involved in Security Council debates about uranium enrichment in Iran.

Asked whether the secretary-general seeks the peaceful resolution of the issue in line with the UN Charter, Montas said, “He always wants the solution to be peaceful ones. Resolution of conflicts goes through a peaceful process.” (Source: Press TV)

[seemslikeadream]

16. Israel irked over Iranian leader's planned visit to Turkey

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gmZXvPyhc-5px6LOuT-NFyR6EcuQ
Israel irked over Iranian leader's planned visit to Turkey
12 hours ago

ANKARA (AFP) — Israel has conveyed its misgivings to Turkey over a planned visit to the country by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, an Israeli diplomat said Friday.

"We are concerned about this visit because we think it is not the appropriate time to host the Iranian president," the diplomat, who asked not to be named, told AFP.

Israel voiced its concerns Thursday when the Turkish ambassador in Tel Aviv was summoned to the Israeli foreign ministry and the Israeli ambassador in Ankara visited the Turkish foreign ministry, the official said.

"It is not a good idea to give legitimacy" to a leader who has called for the destruction of Israel and denies the Holocaust, moreover at a time when Western powers are mulling fresh sanctions against Iran over its controversial nuclear programme, he said.

Non-Arab and secular Turkey has been Israel's main regional ally since 1996, when the two signed a military cooperation accord, much to the anger of Arab countries and Iran.

It is currently acting as mediator in indirect talks between Israel and its arch-foe Syria.

But mainly Muslim Turkey has recently improved ties with Iran, its eastern neighbour, and argues that its close dialogue both with the West and Tehran could be an asset for a peaceful resolution of the international standoff over Iran's nuclear programme.

Turkish officials have said Ahmadinejad will soon visit the country, without giving a date.

The visit is reportedly expected to take place on August 14.

[robertpaulsen]

17. K & R! Watch out for Cheney's Navy SEALS.

:kick:

[ddeclue]

18. Why would we be that dumb?

The Gulf is a very confined place with an even more confining straits of Hormuz to funnel all those ships through.

It would be setting ourselves up for a disaster PLUS putting our troops in Iraq at risk for an attack from Iran PLUS setting Israel up for an attack.

Even if you wanted to attack Iran, the only thing that would make sense would be an air attack by long range bombers - NOT a Naval blockade in a "bathtub"...

I really hope you are wrong about this..

[FogerRox]

24. Correct. The Gulf is "Dangerous Ground", I dare say Sun Tsu

would not choose to go to battle in an area of the enemies choosing.

[seemslikeadream]

25. I knew you would show up and calm my nerves

:hi:

now I can go to sleep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFSU7dinG0M

[seemslikeadream]

19. Iran's Time Bomb

http://www.investors.com/editorial/editorialcontent.asp?secid=1501&status=article&id=303088090545561


That's the game we're playing. Iran has doubled to 6,000 the number of high-tech centrifuges it has working to turn raw yellowcake uranium into highly refined nuclear material that can be used in a bomb. And tests of its Shahab-3 missiles, capable of reaching Europe, show Tehran is serious about its threats.

Three separate resolutions have been voted by the U.N. Security Council calling on Iran to halt its uranium-refinement program. Iran answers no and gets away with it. The reason, sad to say, is our "allies" in getting Iran's compliance are half-engaged at best.

China's daily need for oil is growing by half a million barrels a year. It's also building a blue ocean navy to rival ours. Think it wants to help?

Russia, meanwhile, has hundreds of billions of dollars worth of construction projects in Iran. And just last week, it released a strategic plan, "Concept to Develop the Russian Armed Forces until 2030," that recognizes the U.S. as the world's sole superpower and one of Russia's biggest threats.

Here are two major members of the Security Council, each viewing the U.S. as a potential foe and neither wanting to upset Iran. From them we can expect no help.

As for Europe, another new report reveals that its exports to Iran have surged 18% the past year. So much for economic sanctions the European Union claims to want.

That leaves only two serious players at the table across from Iran — the U.S. and Israel. We're already engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan, but we've reportedly sent two more aircraft carriers to the Gulf and Red Sea to join the two battle groups there now.

[seemslikeadream]

20. "UK, US plan independent Iran sanctions"

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200808090304.htm

"UK, US plan independent Iran sanctions"
LONDON (AP): Britain, the United States and their allies plan to target Iran's energy sector with tough independent sanctions in a bid to overcome opposition from China and Russia to a hardening of measures against Tehran at the U.N. Security Council, a senior British official said Friday.

The official, who demanded anonymity because of the sensitivity of ongoing negotiations, said the individual sanctions would target vulnerable areas of the Iranian economy, including the finance sector and investment in the country's oil and gas industries.

But the British official said that the measures would be in addition to _ not in place of _ a fourth set of tougher U.N. Security Council penalties, which Britain expects to be considered in New York in October or November, and European Union trade sanctions, which were tightened on Friday.

It follows Iran's stonewalling of a latest offer of incentives from the six-nation bloc of negotiators seeking to persuade Tehran to freeze uranium enrichment.



http://www.newsroomamerica.com/world/story.php?id=427465

EU Tightens Iran Sanctions
2008-08-08 12:55pm


The European Union on Friday tightened economic sanctions against Iran over the latter's nuclear enrichment program, a necessary process in a nuclear weapons program.

The new sanctions go a little beyond current UN-imposed sanctions, denying public loans or export credits to companies trading with Iran .

France, which holds the current EU presidency, said all European Union governments would watch financial companies doing business with Iran and more closely inspect ships and planes traveling to the Islamic republic.

Three days ago, the U.S. and France Iran's response to an international effort to help end a dispute over its nuclear program was insufficient.

[seemslikeadream]

23. Success of Attack on Iran's Nuclear Program Doubtful

Success of Attack on Iran's Nuclear Program Doubtful

by Jim Lobe



A military attack on Iran's major nuclear facilities by the United States or Israel would likely result only in a delay – and not a particularly significant one at that – in Tehran's ability to produce the fuel necessary to build a nuclear weapon, according to a report <.pdf> released Friday by an influential think tank on nuclear proliferation issues.

The 15-page report by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) concludes that too much is unknown about Tehran's entire program for enriching uranium and how quickly it can be reconstituted if its major known facilities were destroyed in such an attack.

"Without such information, an attack is unlikely to significantly delay Iran's mastery of enrichment with gas centrifuges" that can eventually be used to produce a nuclear bomb, the report said. Iran has long denied that its nuclear program is designed for that purpose, insisting that it is aimed exclusively at producing nuclear power for civilian use.

"Iran's decision to disperse and keep secret several of its key sites further hinders the development of a full picture of its centrifuge complex," according to the report. "Considering the modular, replicable nature of centrifuge plants, we conclude that an attack on Iran's nuclear program is unlikely to significantly degrade Iran's ability to reconstitute its gas centrifuge program."

Moreover, according to the report, the downsides of such an attack – including the possibility that it would lead to a general war spilling beyond the borders of Iran itself – suggest that the military option should be taken off the table, particularly because the continuing threat of military action by the U.S. and Israel makes it less likely that Tehran will accept a more stringent inspection regime by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"An emphasis on military responses to this conflict... has the effect of discouraging Iran from allowing more effective IAEA inspections, something necessary for the successful conclusion of a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear program," according to the report. "Iran is understandably concerned that more transparency on its part could lead to the U.S. and Israeli militaries gaining better targeting information on its nuclear program."

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. USS Hartfore (SSN768) LA Class fast attack

not a hunter killer submarine

Just a pet peeve

And if this is the case... the war will start before bush leaves the WH