WARSHIPS IN THE PERSIAN GULF ARE EMPTY EXERCISES OF POWER

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon has announced it is sending a second aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf. As I'm writing, I see it on CNN, steaming ominously into that strategic body of water entered through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, to scare Iran out of its wits so that it will behave!

At the same time, the U.S. military is saying that it has found caches of newly made Iranian weapons in Iraq, leading Pentagon officials to believe that Tehran continues to funnel arms to the Shiite militias in Iraq. This marks a further hardening of U.S. rhetoric on Iran.

Now, if I were the admittedly strange Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, would I be scared? Or if I were an average Iranian person? Are you kidding? I'd dance around the table and have some caviar! What better event could an Iranian who already hates the United States -- or, more important, those who remain undecided -- possibly expect?

For American warships, as impressive as they have been for certain historical purposes, do not in the slightest meet the Iranian "threat" head on. They do the reverse: They strengthen the most radical mentalities of ancient Persia that remain locked in the memories of the country's history. In fact, they only strengthen perfervid anti-Western feelings.

So maybe it's time to start at the core of the problem and wonder why exactly we have such an obsession with this faraway country that, unfortunately, our leaders and thinkers seem to know so little about.

First, Democrat Hillary Clinton's words. "The fighter" minces none. Asked what she would do if that 3 a.m. call to the White House in her ads broke the story of a nuclear attack on Israel, she told ABC television: "I want the Iranians to know that if I'm the president, we will attack Iran. We would be able to totally obliterate them."

Moreover, we would also offer a security umbrella to moderate Middle Eastern regimes against Iran. "We will let the Iranians know that, yes, an attack on Israel would trigger massive retaliation," Clinton said, "but so would an attack on those countries that are willing to go under the security umbrella and forswear their own nuclear ambitions."

---EOE---

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucgg/20080501/cm_ucgg/warshipsinthepersiangulfareemptyexercisesofpower

of the potency of our fleet. That we have for years been afraid to use it is the real story.

class2068
USN, 1968-1995

but I have read from time to time that our navy fleet's defenses aren't much good against the modern crop of French, Chinese, and Russian anti-ship missiles. And that there have been no real naval battles since the Falklands for that reason.

Bringing in destroyers is a huge display of power. Just imagine how threatening it must be, to have a US destroyer moving in, turning its gun turrets on you.

But what's the point?
The Iranians probably don't scare that easily.
Just imagine how much a destroyer uses in gas to chug into the Straits of Hormuz.

An overwhelming show of force can backfire. It can have unintended consequences, like your Quarry will arm to the teeth, the Quarry's friends will shift into high gear and start arming to the teeth and all of a sudden you have hair-trigger responses.

When the Iranians severely cripple or even possibly sink one, we will feel more kinship with them then we would have normally. Instead of the feeling of "what were thinking, stupid" by antagonizing them, we will have the feeling that they attacked a more personal interest of ours.

I have been asking myself why they produced this "feel good" kinda "entertainment.

But that is the logical reason.

We need to feel a deep kinship with the young men and womaen on these floating military bases. So that if one of these ships is attacked, then we can start raiding th elfag and rallying around our President George W Bush.

And it certainly wouldn't bother the neo cons if the hair trigger mentality slips up a bit and starts a nuclear war. They will be safe inside their bunkers.

Only people it will be bad for is the average people.

It creates a certain ambiance. Without regular reinforcement, people might stop thinking it was more important than health care and education for all.

Get real

He is trying to provoke Iran into attacking one of the warships or stage an attack and make it look like Iran was responsible. I have a feeling Bush is planning another Gulf of Tonkin style excuse to start a war right before the November GE.

Godless Warmongering Bastard and "dick" are up to something.

It's more of the same intimidation techniques used on the colored people of the World by warmongering fascists. Oh no, brown skinned people in their country are trying to build a technological infrastructure using nuclear power to power their society. We can't have a self determined brown skinned people advancing themselves technologically can we? :eyes: