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 â??enemy forceâ?�.

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 â??enemyâ?� 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).

The large and very advanced nature of the US Naval warships is not only directed at Iran. There is a great fear that Russia and China may oppose the naval and air/land blockade of Iran. If Russian and perhaps Chinese naval warships escort commercial tankers to Iran in violation of the blockade it could be the most dangerous at-sea confrontation since the Cuban Missile Crisis. The US and allied Navies, by front loading a Naval blockade force with very powerful guided missile warships and strike carriers is attempting to have a force so powerful that Russia and China will not be tempted to mess with. This is a most serious game of military brinkmanship with major nuclear armed powers that have profound objections to the neo-con grand strategy and to western control of all of the Middle Eastâ??s oil supply.

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 Syriaâ??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. UPDATE 8 August 2008 ~ War has broken out between Georgia and South Ossetia. At least 10 Russian troops have been killed and 30 wounded and 2 Russian fighter jets downed. American Marines, a thousand of them, have recently been in Georgia training the Georgian military forces. Several European nations stopped Bush and others from allowing Georgia into NATO. Russia is moving a large military force with armor towards the area. This could get bad, and remember it is just a strategic diversionâ?¦.but one that could have horrific effects. Link to story â??Russia sends forces into Georgia rebel conflictâ?�. FURTHER UPDATE ~ Russian military forces in active combat; now total of four Russian fighter jets reported downed. ADDITIONAL UPDATE ~ Georgia calls for US help; Russian Air Force bombs Georgian air bases. DEBKA, the Israeli strategy and military site, states that Israeli military officers are advising the Georgian armed forces in combat operations and that 1,000 Israelis are in-combat on the side of Georgia at this time.

Kuwait has activated its â??Emergency War Planâ?� 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.


Europe Business Blog
August 8, 2008

Post credible source.

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Originally Posted by Dream of the iris

Post credible source.

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Exactly what I was thinking. Been searching for 2 days looking for proof of this on another website and still cannot find a credible source other then the rantings of a conspiracy theorist blogger.

Credible or not, for me makes a lot of sense... mainly the part about the war with the Georgia being only a thing to distract Russia.
Anyway, if the usa start a new war, this time against the Iran, im deadly sure that it wont be nearly as easy as it was against Iraq... Iran has great technology on weapons, and the help of great nations as Russia and China... so it will be a far greater problem for the usa then it thinks...
And also what is the point in starting a war only some months before the presidential election? None... UNLESS the governement be deadly sure that its own candidate (McCain) will win, and thus keep the war going.
So, if this war actually start, be aware that McCain will win the election, even if the whole country vote against it. (Wasnt this way that Bush won the election the first time, against Al Gore?)

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Originally Posted by Coelho

Credible or not, for me makes a lot of sense... mainly the part about the war with the Georgia being only a thing to distract Russia.
Anyway, if the usa start a new war, this time against the Iran, im deadly sure that it wont be nearly as easy as it was against Iraq... Iran has great technology on weapons, and the help of great nations as Russia and China... so it will be a far greater problem for the usa then it thinks...
And also what is the point in starting a war only some months before the presidential election? None... UNLESS the governement be deadly sure that its own candidate (McCain) will win, and thus keep the war going.
So, if this war actually start, be aware that McCain will win the election, even if the whole country vote against it. (Wasnt this way that Bush won the election the first time, against Al Gore?)

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Hey, you make some very good points. If the war was to start before the elections im sure huge questions would come up like "Can Obama or Mccain win a war Vs. Everyone" Which is an oxymoron question because Mccain has superior military strategic knowledge. As a US Citizen I really really really hope we do not attack Iran, I hope that the problems are solved Diplomatically. Attacking Iran would spark a dominoe effect and im sure life as we know it would change for a lot of americans. I hope we dont go down that path!!!


- Rob

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Originally Posted by RobPA

Exactly what I was thinking. Been searching for 2 days looking for proof of this on another website and still cannot find a credible source other then the rantings of a conspiracy theorist blogger.

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Massive US Naval Armada Heads For Iran

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Originally Posted by Anubis10012007

Massive US Naval Armada Heads For Iran

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I know that man. I meant a CREDIBLE source. Not the Earl of Stirling :jointsmile:

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Originally Posted by RobPA

I know that man. I meant a CREDIBLE source. Not the Earl of Stirling :jointsmile:

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Why do you think this has no credibility? You expect a major media outlet to tell the truth? Hahahaha! Well I just gave you the truth so don't complain when it happens.

This is the funniest thing I've ever read. An entire armada being assembled and no where on any news site in the world other than this blog is the story being told. I'll give you this; it's imaginative!

The second-funniest thing are the geographical/marine logistics involved. The Persian Gulf is a small, narrow inland sea. It's about 990 kilometers long and 55 kilometers wide. To access it, there's a single, 21-mile wide sea passage, the Straight of Hormuz. That Gulf could no more hold or sustain an enormous multi-national armada of more than 50 aircraft carriers, submarines, frigates, carriers or destroyers than could Lake Texoma on the border of Texas and Oklahoma.

Someone would have to hire an equally huge special forces team of air- and sea-traffic controllers just to manage the gridlock and let small, manageable "armada groups" take turns coming in and out through the Straight so everyone could take a turn threatening Iran. There would be so many collisions between F18s trying to fly to and from their carriers that it'd be hard to make actual bombing sorties, and at $41 million a plane, I'm thinking it's unlikely they'd risk those pricey birds. Besides, right now with the active conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, our country doesn't have the available resources to undertake an effort of this scope. Not that it would even if it did.

This made my day. It really did. Thanks for a great laugh.

:)
Navy: Gulf exercise to boost security - Navy News, opinions, editorials, news from Iraq, photos, reports - Navy Times
Navy: Gulf exercise to boost security

The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Aug 27, 2008 14:11:22 EDT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates â?? The Navy says American, British and Bahraini ships are carrying out a five-day exercise to improve security in the Persian Gulf and better protect coalition ships against vessels â??deemed threatening.â?�

The Navy statement released Wednesday by the Bahrain headquarters of the 5th Fleet says the exercise is dubbed â??Goalkeeper.â?� It started Sunday and is led by Britainâ??s Royal Navy Commodore Peter Hudson.

Hudson is quoted as saying the maneuvers will help fine-tune skills such as â??locating and trackingâ?� vessels that threaten ships patrolling the Gulf and â??handling command-and-controlâ?� operations during a potential confrontation.

Gulf waters and the narrow Strait of Hormuz have seen close encounters between U.S. and Iranian vessels.

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Originally Posted by birdgirl73

This made my day. It really did. Thanks for a great laugh.

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Who's laughing now?? Haha! It was a real story and you denied it. When oil reaches $200 a barrel and beyond, I'm sure you will look more deeply into these matters at hand.

Navy: Gulf exercise to boost security - Navy News, opinions, editorials, news from Iraq, photos, reports - Navy Times

warning warning!

let it be known my stance, if any war is started with Iran, life of every citizen of the world will be changed to a good degree if not drastically!

that is ANY war, whether involving US forces directly or indirectly.

Reason: there is a 2 miles stretch where at least 20% of World's oil gets passed thru it. and despite what US military and intel says, Iranians can block that.

AND

Iran WILL USE ANY MEASURE available to them to defend, even if that means attacking the weakly armed oil-rich gulf states who kinda depend on US military to save their asses in such a war.

Iran only has to land less than 50 successful missiles in less tahn a 3000 mile radius from its borders to pretty much dry up mid-east oil for a very long time and drive the price to something far more expensive than $200 a barrel.

Remember that IF the islamic republic regime is attacked, they know its end of their life and rein on power, they have learned from Iraq and its bluffs. So they will go down and take everyone they can down with them and they certainly have the capability to do so. at least to hit world's oil supply

even if we can defuse their missile threat by a missile shield they have too many operatives around mid-east who will do suicide style or regular bombing attacks to cast chaos and press the enemy indirectly.


I would say WW III will take place if this war happens, it will escalate to involve more countries than just Iran, US, or Israel.

and I know for fact that Iranian people are the kind of people who despite how much they hate their regime (and are unable to change it due to fascism going on) will look @ the aggression as aggression against the nation and "Persians" and their soil and culture... they will simply defend to death!

and I don't know in such a war, we are going to be able to win all that easily or cheap. heck, it took us 2 nukes with Japan in WW II cuz they wouldnt give up, they would commit aerial suicide missions and nothing would deter them, they were ready to die... and they adored their Emperor and fought to death cuz they viewed their emperor as god and until he told them to stop they wouldnt stop. so the nuke idea did work on them. but problem with Iranians will be no 1 person can order them to stop anymore. They as a nation have only a heritage and a land left that belongs to their people and if that is to be taken away, they will have nothing to lose!


Lets use the power of "words"

I think we got diplomats that are as good as, if not better than our military people in what they do.

If we cannot hold (or increase) our power, or reach our goals by words and non-violent actions, then what different are we in comparison to Mongols, except that we live in a more technologically advanced times?

They once ruled the world from East asia to mid europe (Huns) but they failed to hold their power due to internal problems after Genghis's death and due to the brutal and violent image they had made of themselves in the world. no1 liked them!

omit "mongols" and replace with "saddam" for more potent impact, and still gets the same point across... only better.

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Originally Posted by Stoner Shadow Wolf

omit "mongols" and replace with "saddam" for more potent impact, and still gets the same point across... only better.

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oh yeah I forgot that sadly some people know too little about world history around here! ;)

YouTube - Hersh on U.S. Activity in Iran: Be Nervous




of course we're there. The American people need to wake up and take their country back.

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Originally Posted by flyingimam

oh yeah I forgot that sadly some people know too little about world history around here! ;)

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haha im just sayin... what with the way the general public is now a days, it's probably best to stick to more pressing affairs for comparisons and metaphors...

in support of my WW III argument check these out... this wont be Iraq (heck we're still stuck in Iraq)

Venezuela to host Russia navy exercise in Caribbean - Yahoo! Canada News

NewsDaily: Iran to hold three-day war games: report

both reported sep 7 2008

Damn and still nothing LOL!:S2:

this is cracking me up

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oh yeah I forgot that sadly some people know too little about world history around here!
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ask me ANYTHING on History Americal/, Europa/ Asiat

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Earl of Dirtly

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:thumbsup:

IMHO (and that is all this is...)

The situation is too dangerous to provoke Iran into closing the strait of Hormuz. It would drastically destabilise the whole region and really isn't the best idea anyone in war planning has ever had.

Playing the long game however...
Surround Iran by occupying or co-opting neighbouring nations - now there is a plan! Seems like that one is well underway. With any luck (to the west) this will happen before Iran manages to lob a nuke at Tel Aviv.

Either way - it would take more than a Naval group to control that area of the world and it would mean a huge effort on the part of the U.S with it's strategic forces to strike at all of Irans capability assets at once. Iran is a large country and has a wide array of threats which would need to be removed by a large Air/Naval campaign to ensure Iran loses the ability to shut the straight of Hormuz.

That's a LOT to ask for right now with forces commited to Iraq and Afghanistan already being stretched.

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Originally Posted by Anubis10012007

Why do you think this has no credibility?

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Because it's two years later, and none of this really happened. But thanks for asking.

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Originally Posted by andruejaysin

Because it's two years later, and none of this really happened. But thanks for asking.

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Did you really just come on here to say "I told you so!" about something that did/did not happen two years ago????

Petty.

Just stumbled upon this and found it pretty relative. Apparently this really has been in preparation.

Ongoing Iran War Preparations? Arabian Sea: Center Of West's 21st Century War

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Originally Posted by kshchrn831

Did you really just come on here to say "I told you so!" about something that did/did not happen two years ago????

Petty.

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Petty? Perhaps, but I'd rather be petty than post nonsense and then hope no one looks back later and notices.

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Originally Posted by Oxyplants

OXYPLANTS INDIA DEALS MAINLY WITH OXYGEN GAS PLANTS, NITROGEN GAS PLANTS, ACETYLENE GAS PLANTS. WE ARE RENOWNED AS THE MANUFACTURER OF OXYGEN PLANTS, NITROGEN PLANTS AND ACETYLENE PLANTS.

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If I ever decide to import welding supplies from India I'll keep you in mind. Free shipping I hope?