If Iran were to fire upon one of our ships/carriers etc. . .. . . .What would be our response ?

Question

Somebody had a link to Al Jazeera's website on a previous question . I didn't know it was Al Jazeera, until I clicked on it. I read several posts and came to the clear conclusion that they are : Fully planning on the destruction of the U.S. - Gnashing their teeth at the first opportunity to do so - Actually think that they have enough weapons to bring us down, despite several American's posts explaining that they don't - Are clearly hoping for Iran to take-out our air-craft carriers in the Gulf, and seem to think they can.

Soooo, What do you think should be our response if they hit us ?

Answer 1

Despite the Anti-American rhetoric from Iran, it doesn't really want to have any major confrontation with the US, especially on a head-to-head basis, as militarily it is far weaker than the US.

In addition, the US has no real desire at present to send troops into Iran either (it's bad enough fighting battles in both Afghanistan and Iraq without fighting Iran also, since the best combat divisions are already tied up).

Iran is well aware that "attacking the US" would provoke a swift and powerful military response in the form of bombings and ship-launched missiles against strategic military targets in Iran, in order to prevent further Iranian attacks. The US would also ensure that Iranian nuclear facilities were well "bombed".

There would be no need for troops on the ground as the US wouldn't be seeking to invade, merely to punish.

In some ways an attack on a US ship by Iran would give the US an excuse to attack Iran and halt any nuclear intentions it had for the foreseeable future.

However, Iran is not a "helpless kitten".

When the USS Vincennes accidentally shot down an Iranian passenger plane, believing it to be a hostile jet, Iran vowed revenge - whatever it took.

Less that 6th months later Pan Am Flight 103 blew up over Lockerbie killing all 270 people on board + 11 townsfolk who were subsequently hit by the falling debris.

Although Colonel Gadaffi, who the the favorite whipping boy of the US was blamed, many intelligence agencies outside the US blamed Iran for funding the terrorists and proving the detonators.

The timing device used on the bomb was found to be similar to a batch sold to Iran 3 months earlier. 3 weeks before the bombing, West German police successful arrested several Arab terrorists who were plotting "to blow up a US plane". Two of the terrorists (now serving 20 years each in a German prison) admitted that Irananian Intelligence had supplied them with money, training and detonators.

So perhaps the real question is whether the US will cause a confrontation, either deliberably or accidentally with Iran, and how Iran, rather than the US, will react.

My guess would be a 6 or 7 suicide bombers in Times Square, Wall Street, near the Whitehouse, etc. There is a hell of a lot of "wannabe martyrs" in Iran, but they lack both the training and the funding. Iran can provide both.

Answer 2

For starters i do not think that Iran would make the first strike. I think that it is more likely to be either the US or Israel. Hypothetically if they did, i think that there would likely be strategic strikes from both Israel and the US and that that would continue until Iran was forced into submission. But again, i find it highly implausable that Iran would carry out a first strike, especially on something as strategically insignificant as an air-craft carrier, the troops in Iraq are a much better and easily explained away target.

Answer 3

The same thing we did after 9-11, only bigger and better, and more organized. I have gotten several emails about Iran's mission etc. and although I haven't gone on the Al Jazeera site, it is quite disturbing.

Answer 4

I don't think we would waste our time with "boots on the ground" or anything like that. Typical aerial bombardment of key targets.

Of course we would get the usual anti-American rhetoric.

Someone could blow up an entire city in the U.S. and we would still catch abuse for retaliating. After 9/11, I was surprised we only attacked two countries. I know some presidents that would have hit four or five!

Answer 5

I agree w/what others say we ought to do, but I don't think it's what we would do. Our culture is so tied up in knots of uncertainty on just about every front, I think whole-sale war would not be forthcoming.

In my opinion, we -- right now -- have justification & interests in flipping Tehran & squashing the juices out like a grilled burger. They've been at war with us since '79. It's about time we engage.

Answer 6

Violating 2 resolutions is nothing, Israel has violated over 60 UN resolutions (world record) and yet we still support them, and give them financial aid, more financial aid than every other country we gave financial aid to combined..... Such Hypocrites we are, Iran has violated none, but it is some how a bigger threat than Israel who has violated the most AND attacked us knowingly.

Answer 7

Immediate and total Destruction of all military and nuclear facilities, that would be my response, but probably just a bunch of complaints filed with the IMPOTENT United Nations.

Answer 8

The aftermath would be something like this:

Welcome to Iran, the worlds largest parking lot!

Answer 9

Some of us would praise Bush. Some of us would blame Bush.

Sounds like another day in paradise.

Bigger question is what are we waiting for?

Answer 10

Well actually during the Iran/Iraq war one of our carriers, shot down one of their passenger planes.

They are not going to hit us.They want us to stop meddling in their affairs. The history of Iran and the US is very interesting. We never should have backed the Shah and overthrew the government they elected.

However I will actually answer what you asked, what would happen is the draft would be re instated and we would attack Iran.