U.S., U.K. Lead 25-Nation Armada in Persian Gulf
By Jack Kenny
The New American
September 17, 2012
The United States and Great Britain are leading an armada of cruisers, aircraft carriers and mine sweepers from 25 countries for 12 days of the largest exercise of “war games” in the history of the Persian Gulf region, the Guardian of London reported over the past weekend. The multi-national naval force includes three U.S. Nimitz-class carrier groups, “each of which has more aircraft than the entire complement of the Iranian air force,” the British paper reported. They are accompanied by at least 12 battleships, including ballistic missile cruisers, frigates, destroyers, and assault ships carrying thousands of U.S. Marines and Special Forces.
The British force consists of minesweepers and a logistics vessel. The UK destroyer, HMS Diamond, one of the most powerful ships in the British fleet, will also be operating in the region, the Guardian said. The coalition forces are expected to practice tactics in breaching a potential Iranian blockade. The exercises, including minesweeping drills are in anticipation of a potential blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, which would likely occur if Israel carries out its threat to launch air strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities if Israeli or Western intelligence determines that Iran is on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon. The long-standing feud over Iran’s nuclear program has increased tensions in the region, despite Iran’s insistence that it is developing nuclear power for energy and for medical uses.
A blockade would raise havoc with world energy prices. About 18 million barrels, or a third of the world’s oil that is traded by sea, pass each day through Strait of Hormuz, which is only 21 miles wide at its narrowest point. Iran has threatened a blockade in the past in retaliation for an embargo on Iranian oil by Western nations. But the Tehran government is promising far more than a blockade if either Israel or the United States launches a military attack over the disputed nuclear sites. The commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned Sunday that “nothing will remain” of Israel if it takes military action against his country. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari said Iran’s response to any attack would begin near the Israeli border. Iran maintains close ties with militants in Gaza and Lebanon, both of which border Israel.
The Partisan Ranger Blog 
All in the Gulf. Talk about sitting targets. This is insanity. This smells of setup to me.
I agree Cousin. That water is lethal given the amount of rocketry pointing out to sea from flatbeds. I read these latest models fly at Mach 3 and even Phalanx will not counter them. Truly not a good place to be and this could be the pretext they are waiting for to start the conflagration.