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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran | |
| Iran prepares suicide bomb boats in Gulf | |
| 2012-02-13 | |
Iran has made a series of threats in recent weeks to disrupt shipping in the Gulf or strike US forces in retaliation if its oil trade is shut down by sanctions, or if its disputed nuclear program comes under attack. “They have increased the number of submarines ... they increased the number of fast attack craft,” Vice Admiral Mark Fox told reporters. “Some of the small boats have been outfitted with a large warhead that could be used as a suicide explosive device. The Iranians have a large mine inventory.” “We have watched with interest their development of long range rockets and short, medium and long range ballistic missiles and of course ... the development of their nuclear program,” Fox, who heads the US Fifth Fleet, said at a briefing on the fleet’s base in the Gulf state of Bahrain. Iran now has 10 small submarines, he said. Military experts say the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet patrolling the Gulf — which always has at least one giant supercarrier accompanied by scores of jets and a fleet of frigates and destroyers — is overwhelmingly more powerful than Iran’s navy. But ever since Al-Qaeda suicide bombers in a small boat killed 17 sailors on board the destroyer USS Cole in a port in Yemen in 1996, Washington has been wary of the vulnerability of its huge battleships to bomb attacks by small enemy craft. Asked whether the US Navy was prepared for an attack or other trouble in the Gulf, Fox said: “We are very vigilant, we have built a wide range of options to give the president and we are ready... What if it happened tonight? We are ready today.” Asked if he took Iran’s threats seriously, Fox Said: “Could they make like extremely difficult for us? Yes they could. If we did nothing and they were able to operate without being inhibited, yeah they could close it, but I can’t see that we would ever be in that position.” He added that diplomacy should be given priority in resolving the tension. “So when you hear discussion about all this overheated rhetoric from Iran we really believe that the best way to handle this is with diplomacy... I am absolutely convinced that is the way to go. It is our job to be prepared. We are vigilant.” Contacts between the US Navy and Iranian craft in the Gulf region were routine, Fox said, referring to cases where his sailors helped Iranian ships that were in distress or threatened by pirates. In addition to commanding the Fifth Fleet, Fox is also the commander of a multinational naval task force charged with ensuring Gulf shipping routes stay open. Although most of its firepower is American, the task force also includes other Western countries and the Gulf Arab states. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #4 ROOTERS has a article about China scrambling for other oil sources to replace Iran. 20% of China's oil comes from Iran. The Saudis have some excess capacity, about 2.75 million bpd for emergencies, and by the way, Iran puts out 3.5 million bpd. I may be full of it, but Iran may be just posturing or creating a large game of chicken. The Saudis and others are not going to just stand by and let the Iranians close the straits. It comes down to pocketbooks of gulf states. If Iran attempts to pull that stunt, they are going to get their a$$es kicked. The Saudis will tell O what to do if he cannot figure it out. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2012-02-13 15:03 |
| #3 In an all-out naval engagement, most of the Iranian Navy will consist of suicide boats, just not intentional |
| Posted by: Frank G 2012-02-13 12:58 |
| #2 INDIAN DEFENCE FORUM > [Defense News] PAKISTAN PLANS TO BUILD NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINES [SSNS]. Iran's almost-BFF Pakistan. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2012-02-13 01:38 |
| #1 Some Bloggers believe or suspect that CHINA may had covertly sold the Iranians a reliable + possibly improved DF-21 ASBMS, which may explain Iran's bravado??? May hurt the USN, but won't defeat the US, which could be just enough to make casualty-mindful US Politicos back in Washington, DC all twitchy. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2012-02-13 00:33 |