Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community

US Navy Conducts a Dress Rehearsal for Operation Iranian Freedom

by Steven D
Tue Mar 27th, 2007 at 08:57:31 AM EST

Things aren't going well back in Washington. It's all Alberto Gonzales and the fired US attorneys, 24/7 on the cable news channel. What can the administration do to change the conversation? How about sending the US Navy to engage in a few maneuvers off the coast of Iran?

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The U.S. Navy on Tuesday began its largest demonstration of force in the Persian Gulf since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, led by a pair of aircraft carriers and backed by warplanes flying simulated attack maneuvers off the coast of Iran.
The maneuvers bring together two strike groups of U.S. warships and more than 100 U.S. warplanes to conduct simulated air warfare in the crowded Gulf shipping lanes.

Ah, the joys of flying simulated bombing runs against Middle Eastern nations we don't like. I'm sure that will do wonders for the delicate diplomatic efforts that are supposedly ongoing to get Iran to stop enriching uranium. It's just a game after all. Nothing to get your knickers all in a twist. Just a few hundred or so fly boys having fun with their warplanes in the most critical region of the world. I'm sure no one in Iran would conceive of it as a possible threat. Or would they? (cont.)

U.S. Navy Cmdr. Kevin Aandahl said the U.S. maneuvers were not organized in response to the capture of the British sailors _ nor were they meant to threaten the Islamic Republic, whose navy operates in the same waters.
He declined to specify when the Navy planned the exercises. [...]
Overall, the exercises involve more than 10,000 U.S. personnel on warships and aircraft making simulated attacks on enemy shipping with aircraft and ships, hunting enemy submarines and finding mines.
"What it should be seen as by Iran or anyone else is that it's for regional stability and security," Aandahl said. "These ships are just another demonstration of that. If there's a destabilizing effect, it's Iran's behavior."

Yes, we are engaging in provocative military maneuvers suggestive of an all out air strike against Iranian military and civilian targets, in order to stabilize the region. And it comes just days after Iran captured 15 UK sailors for allegedly intruding into Iranian territorial waters. What a coincidence.

And some people still think Bush doesn't want a war with Iran? He's practically salivating at the chance. Rally round the President boys! Can't hold no oversight hearings in a time of war! That would be tantamount to ... (I'll let you fill in the blank).

US Navy Conducts a Dress Rehearsal for Operation Iranian Freedom | 8 comments (8 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: US Navy Conducts a Dress Rehearsal for Operati (4.00 / 7)

Thanks for posting on the topic here. I just finished ysbee's depressing entry over at kos.

by ask on Tue Mar 27th, 2007 at 09:10:31 AM EST

Re: US Navy Conducts a Dress Rehearsal for Operati (4.00 / 7)

The worst part of a possible war with Iran is that not only have they wanted one for some time now, but events in Washington may soon force their hand to "wag the dog" and send in the bombers and cruise missiles. How else they gonna change the news cycle?

A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward. Franklin D. Roosevelt

by Steven D on Tue Mar 27th, 2007 at 09:19:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: US Navy Conducts a Dress Rehearsal (4.00 / 7)

Threaten Iran, my goodness gracious no course not....we're just bringing some stability to the region cause ya know we are so well liked over there, I do declare whateveh would give anyone any idea otherwise.

Or I could rephrase that and just say what a bunch of stupid pricks.

'Poverty is the worst form of violence'--Gandhi

by chocolate ink on Tue Mar 27th, 2007 at 09:35:15 AM EST

Re: US Navy Conducts a Dress Rehearsal for Operati (4.00 / 7)

I think it's safe to say that if a declared enemy was engaged in military maneuvers just off our coast, we would interpret it as provocation. There's a reason the Soviets didn't hold massive maneuvers within sight of NYC -- it would have been tantamount to an act of war.

---Cthulhu for President: Why vote for the lesser evil?

by eodell (eodell at naqada dot org) on Tue Mar 27th, 2007 at 10:44:06 AM EST

Re: US Navy Conducts a Dress Rehearsal (4.00 / 5)

"What it should be seen as by Iran or anyone else is that it's for regional stability and security," Aandahl said. ...

Peace through war. It would make for a memorable t-shirt, no?

Oh, there you are, Perry. -Phineas -SLB-

by boran2 (blogistan@yahoo.com) on Tue Mar 27th, 2007 at 10:52:42 AM EST

WARNING: Tin Foil Hat material to follow (4.00 / 4)

The naval exercises have been scheduled for months, I think. At least I seem to remember reading that there were some planned. They're usually pretty complicated, I think, and take a while to plan.

So, here it is- the 15 Britons were sent out on a mission to be captured when we knew we would have these planes and boats blowing stuff up off the coast. Just, you know, to add that certain spice to proceedings.

Whaddaya think? Just ask yourself "how crazy are we?" It's a fun game!

The more control, the more that requires control. This is the road to chaos. -Frank Herbert, The Dosadi Experiment

by chimneyswift on Tue Mar 27th, 2007 at 11:49:23 AM EST

Russian Foreign Minister slams BushCo (4.00 / 3)

seems the belicose actions of BushCo™ are pushing Russia, as well as China, into a more agressive posture regarding the continuing sabre rattling at Iran.

chimpy can't be happy about this....and where's ms. rice, btw?

MOSCOW - Russia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday criticized the United States for what it called over-reliance on force and warned Washington against military action against Iran.
[...]
Russia criticized what it called "the creeping American strategy of dragging the global community into a large-scale crisis around Iran," saying that Iran helps maintain stability in Afghanistan and Central Asia.
[..]
AP via yahoo

the revolution will not be televised...

by dada on Tue Mar 27th, 2007 at 01:08:14 PM EST

Been Expecting This... (4.00 / 4)

to happen for a while now. Tinfoil is no longer necessary. I think the only thing that's been stopping them is the folks at the Pentagon, who don't see a winning scenario in tactical nuclear war.

You and Steve Gilliard have been right about so many things for so long, that I'm really afraid now. I miss Steve so much. I hope we don't have too much bad news for him when he recovers.

by merciless on Tue Mar 27th, 2007 at 01:41:43 PM EST

US Navy Conducts a Dress Rehearsal for Operation Iranian Freedom | 8 comments (8 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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