The Threat level from China is considerable although not immidiate. Unless Iran could retrofit the Sizzler lauch abilties of the Sizzler and remain undetected untill the first launch there seems to be little to worry about. Are we giving this Iraqi-esque Iranian 3rd rate military and unranked Navy too much credit?
2007-03-27 04:29:10 · 7 answers · asked by ThorGirl 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Actually, the US has had difficulty in detecting subs of diesel-electric type used by Iran, especially in the shallower coastal waters. Even if the subs never have the opportunity to fire upon a US warship, assets would have to be diverted to defend against them. In recent wargames Iran did make a point of using its subs to launch its new high-speed torpedos (195 knots).
The Iranian surface fleet would pose very little threat to Allied warships in the region in the event of an all out war. A major threat would come from mines, however. Iran employes both floating and bottom sitting mines which release cluster mines when a ship passes over them.
A more immediate threat would be to shipping in the region. The mines and surface ships could inflict heavy damages on cargo shipments. This would not be limited to military cargo vessels but any vessel in the region. If you also look at the fact that any ship entering or leaving the area has to pass through the Straights of Hormuz which has a 50km chokepoint. This would make any vessel in the region at risk of land based attacks (though I consider this threat small).
It is true that Iran is not considered a major naval power, but it would uswise to discount them completely.
2007-03-27 07:02:05 · answer #1 · answered by Mohammed F 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely. But George W. sees them as an axis of evil. They, also, were not implicated with hiding terrorist. With this invasion of Iraq every thing has changed.
The undeclared war seems to have brought two countries together that were at odds with each other. Not long ago the US was helping Saddam with a war on Iran. They were giving the Iraqis advice on the ground and intelligence from their satellites. This was happening at the same time that Saddam used chemical weapons.
And what about the Iraq/Contra affair. The US supplying weapons to (the terrorists insurgences) so called freedom fighters against Nicaragua which was in a long line of countries suffering interference by the US. Of course this was supposed to be secret.
North took the fall but Reagan was fully aware of the goings on.
2007-03-27 11:33:24 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Who's giving them a lot of credit? The biggest threat from Iran is the possibility of them developing Nukes, the instability they bring to the region, and the terrorists they breed. Their military as a force is no threat to the US or any NATO member country.
2007-03-27 11:38:00 · answer #3 · answered by bmwdriver11 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Way to much,they couldn't even beat Saddam.
3 subs being shadowed by 15 destroyers, sounds like a recipe for Iranian fish food.
3 Asrocs and no more subs.
Kilo's are noisy ,easy to track.
2007-03-27 12:21:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is not Iran's military that is a concern but it's long time support of terrorism through out the middle east. IMHO we attacked the wrong enemy in 2003.
2007-03-27 13:29:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The treat is not them as a nation striking us, the treat is them selling or giving away a nuke bomb to a group so they can plant it in the US or themselves launching a missile at europe or Israel.
2007-03-27 11:40:40 · answer #6 · answered by Alex 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
maybe
2007-03-27 11:40:59 · answer #7 · answered by georgewallace78 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋