The US is bringing a huge naval force into the persian gulf. Does this mean war is imminent?

Answer 1

That is usually a the sign....

Answer 2

First of all:

the US Navy has patrolled the persian gulf way before all this nonsense was happening. I know because I did 3 tours over there myself as a US sailor. One w/ the atlantic fleet based out of Norfolk, Va; the other two with the pacific fleet out of San Diego, CA.

Patrolling the gulf is something that is done routinely.

As a matter of fact, just to give you an example as late as 2004 (the last time I was there) the merchants in Bahrain , Dubai and Jebelli, loved for the fleet to drop because of the amount of money we expend on their merchandise.

So NO, I definetely do not think there is imminent war between Iran and US,(unless of course Tehran makes the mistake of attacking us directly in any way, I doubt it, they are crazy, but they are not stupid :))

However there is no doubt in my mind the US would play a support role backing up Britain, should they decide to take a tougher course of action.

So, dont worry about the fleet being there, because we've been there for a long time, the time to worry is when the planes are overhead and the troops are hitting the ground. And that sucks because by that time is too late.

Answer 3

Do you have any idea how many times the USA has done this in the last 50 years? It only means we are signaling our displeasure. Now if US and other western countries order their nationals out - then begin to believe something is up.

Answer 4

It's the equivelant of the US thumping their chests to show off their manlieness to Iran. Could lead to something. Seems like their itching for a fight these days. In a sense it is a worldwide political attempt to maintain dominance.

Answer 5

It is possible.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to make a formal statement on Tuesday or Wednesday at the end of the NoRuz holiday regarding a compromise deal to release the 15 British naval personnel. Britian may promise that the Royal Navy will never knowingly enter Iranian waters without permission. This is not the admission of a mistake or an apology that was demanded by Iran.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=D4IYRGPHZAGIJQFIQMGSFGGAVCBQWIV0?xml=/news/2007/04/01/wiran01.xml

A UK guarantee to stay permanently out of Iranian waters would exclude Britain from a Western military strike on Iran
http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=3997

Depending on the outcome of the negotiations to secure the release of the 15 British hostages, military confrontation may be on the horizon.

Iran is dealing with two issues.
o- First, Iran has captured 15 British Royal Navy personnel.
o- Second, Iran has refused to cooperate with the UNSC regarding cessation of uranium enrichment.

In addition to the British frigate HMS Cornwall, there is a multi-national strike force in the Persian Gulf. Furthermore, there are British naval vessels stationed at the Diego Garcia atoll in the Indian ocean. The British Royal Navy may take action with its Special Boat Service (SBS) , the British Royal Navy's special forces unit. The service's motto is "By Strength and Guile". It forms part of the United Kingdom Special Forces, alongside the Special Air Service (SAS), Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR), and Special Forces Support Group (SFSG).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Boat_Service

Ready to assist are the American aircraft carrier strike group Bremerton-based aircraft carrier CVN-73 USS John C. Stennis (formerly in Indian Ocean), the American aircraft carrier strike group CVN-69 USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the French nuclear carrier Charles de Gaulle and its task force are all in close appoximation in the Persian Gulf. A 3rd carrier group, the CVN-68 USS Nimitz, may also be in the Persian Gulf soon as it was scheduled for its WESTPAC07 deployment to replace the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower which was deployed December 2006.
http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=3961
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/batgru-68.htm
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070330/pl_afp/usmilitaryirannavy_070330160111;_ylt=Annlx2.rLEDDrJgz9RYaNIcUewgF
The US may have deployed 4 or 5 carrier groups in the Persian Gulf
http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20070328/62741920.html
Hmmmmm
The big "E" CVN-65 Enterprise ready strike group
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/batgru-65.htm
Maybe CVN-76 Reagan was deployed
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/batgru-76.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/where.htm
Maybe CVN-72 Lincoln?
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/batgru-72.htm
Is CVN-77 Bush ready?
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/cvn-77.htm

More details about military options can be found here:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iran-strikes.htm

On Tuesday, March 27, 2007, the two US strike groups, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS Stennis, along with guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam, conducted military exercises in the Persian Gulf. The participants included 15 warships and more than 100 aircraft..

Each carrier carries an air wing of F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet fighter-bombers, EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft, S-3 Viking refueling and anti-submarine planes, and E-2C Hawkeye airborne command-and-control aircraft.

Also taking part were six guided-missile destroyers, the Anzio, Ramage, O'Kane, Mason, Preble and Nitze; the frigate Hawes; amphibious assault ships Boxer and Bataan; and the minesweepers Scout, Gladiator and Ardent.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2007-03/28/content_838185.htm

The heavy water facility at Arak and the nuclear power plant at Bushehr near Isfahan are above ground, but Natanz is more than 50ft below and would require either a tactical nuclear missile or a conventional bunker-buster bomb to destroy it.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,1753223,00.html.

Iran's Shahab-3 ballistic missiles are capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and can be detonated by a remote-control device while still in high-altitude flight as electromagnetic pulse weapons - even one of which could knock out America's critical electrical and technological infrastructure, effectively sending the continental U.S. back to the 19th century with a recovery time of months or years. Iran will have that capability – at least theoretically – as soon as it has one nuclear bomb ready to arm such a missile
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43956
.
.



.

Answer 6

Funny, I thought we were already fighting a war over there. We are just now getting our Navy involved. Boy we got some good leadership, huh?

Answer 7

the iranians muhlas should think about this very carefully, because since we don't have the manpower to go in there, the only choice we have is to pulverize them utterly and completely.

Answer 8

Not necessarily...Probably to show support of Britain and Sabre rattling.

Answer 9

Looks to me like this is no saber rattling, it's only a matter of when

Answer 10

hahahaha

just watch the pretty boats sailing around and around.


pay no attention to the paratroopers behind you.