Iran threatens action if U.S. carrier returns: IRNA

[dipsydoodle]

Last edited Tue Jan 3, 2012, 06:37 AM - Edit history (1)

(Reuters) - Iran will take action if a U.S. aircraft carrier which left the area because of Iranian naval exercises returns to the Gulf, the state news agency quoted army chief Ataollah Salehi as saying on Tuesday.

"Iran will not repeat its warning ... the enemy's carrier has been moved to the Sea of Oman because of our drill. I recommend and emphasize to the American carrier not to return to the Persian Gulf," Salehi told IRNA.

"I advise, recommend and warn them (the Americans) over the return of this carrier to the Persian Gulf because we are not in the habit of warning more than once," the semi-official Fars news agency quoted Salehi as saying.

>

Iran also said it had no intention of closing the Strait of Hormuz but had carried out "mock" exercises on shutting the strategic waterway.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/01/03/us-iran-usa-idUKTRE80208P20120103

[joshcryer]

1. Interesting. I wonder if the Republicans will use that against Obama.

That he "caved" or some shit to the Iranians, when it was only logical to remove the ship as there isn't any current need for it to be there and it can do exercises elsewhere.

[Rex]

2. Let the saber rattling begin!!!

[joshcryer]

3. Who shall do the saber rattling?

Do you expect the US to return its carrier to the vicinity as Iran does legitimate military exercises?

[Rex]

4. Both sides.

I really cannot see this turning into a ground war. We didn't attack China, we won't attack Iran either.

[joshcryer]

5. I think the US will stay out of it and let Iran do its exercises for now anyway.

I do worry about the potential for the US to put sanctions on Iran, though, because I take seriously their threat to stop the oil from flowing. And the US doesn't play well with potential blackmail threats (we chould just say "OK, we won't sanction you for now, but that's not nice," but we don't act that way).

[sulphurdunn]

30. I hope not, but

the US has every right to put a carrier in the Persian Gulf whether Iran is conducting maneuvers there or not. If the American people can keep our government from going to war with Iran, it won't be because the imbeciles who run the Iranian government didn't create endless pretexts for it.

[cpwm17]

36. As if our brutallity against the Iranian people hasn't given the Iranians a reason to respond

The US is threatening unprovoked war against Iran. As usual, the US is playing the bully role very well. The Iranians have a right to defend themselves. They aren't the bad guys - we are.

[sulphurdunn]

38. Both Iran and the US

are signatories to The Law of the Sea Convention. That convention covers the innocent passage of naval vessels. Awhile back a Chinese submarine surfaced along side a US carrier during American maneuvers on the high seas. It was not considered a provocation. If the Iranians are "good guys" the stupidest move they could ever hope to make would be to attack an American naval task force that is just as big a threat to them 300 miles off their coast as it is 13 miles.

[safeinOhio]

6. Those saber rattlers should be asked

how much they are willing to raise taxes to attack Iran and if they will have their kids be the first soldiers on the ground and first to die in Iran.

[Rex]

7. IMO the billions go to 'postering' and appearing 'menacing'.

It is my hope that America is getting very tired with ground wars in Asia...maybe we should focus on South America or those sneaky Dutch...I hear they are building another trading company!

[LongTomH]

23. They'll ask China to finance it, just like George II did with Iraqnam and Quagmiristan

Only, I'm not so sure China is willing to loan us money for a 3rd war of choice.

[OKNancy]

8. Please edit your post and provide a link

Thanks,
Nancy ( LBN Host)

[dipsydoodle]

9. Done - sorry about that

Had forgotten to add when I posted.

[DRoseDARs]

10. Iran threatens to get itself bombed back into the Stone Age. So thatd be what, last Thursday 4 them?

Seriously, Iran? Enough with the inane chest-thumping. Just stop already. It was cute when Kim Jong-il threw these adorable little tantrums. You? Not so much. None of your neighbors like you, none will support you if you interfere with their Gulf trade, none will object to the US putting a stop to that. They like their oil money WAAAY more than they like you. You know who supports you? Chavez of Venezuela. On the other side of the planet. With an even weaker military. And less global diplomatic clout.

And Israel, how about you just sit this one out and not do anything stupid, m'kay? Leave it alone. There's plenty of stupid floating around in the Gulf already without you fucking things up.

I miss Persia.

[jimlup]

11. Interesting that they are saying things they can't hold to...

The US will almost certainly ignore this. That means that Iran will have to back down. The US views the Persian Gulf as International Waters and considers itself in charge of them. The US will thus ignore this threat. Iran is making a strategic mistake by issuing a "warning" like that. I'm surprised that they are that naive.

Don't get me wrong - if I were the naval admiral in charge of moving a carrier into the Persian Gulf - I'd be more than ready to react if provoked.

[ellisonz]

12. +1

[FreakinDJ]

13. I don't think Iran is going to come out on top of this

I would expect the Carrier to lay back - allow time for diplomacy to take place

The return with a supplamented operational force

I think they know exactly what they are getting into there

[CJvR]

14. Ohhh!

An angry termite, how frightening - to a straw of grass!

[SmittynMo]

15. Let's get the hell out and let them self destruct.

We need another war like we need another hole in our heads. Get the hell out, and stay out. Take care of business at home first. A good offense starts with a good defense.

[ronnie624]

29. It's unlikely they will self-destruct.

Their biggest problems for the last several decades have eminated from foreign intervention.

[Lasher]

16. Iran wants to be like China, throwing their weight around in the South China Sea.

They are not China and the Persian Gulf is not the South or East China Sea.

We should be mindful, however, that they could possibly sink a US carrier if it comes within range of their land based missiles.

[cstanleytech]

17. True they could sink one of the carriers in theory and in theory

their ports could be hit by an airstrike rendering them useless but of course thats all theory.

[Hugabear]

18. They don't like our imperialism? Tough shit!

Don't they know that the Persian Gulf belongs to the US?

[vminfla]

20. Iran does not like competing imperialism

It is Iran with their Hezbollah proxies in Syria and Lebanon that want to be the imperialist force in the region. They do not like the "competitition".

[ronnie624]

35. Iranians have to live in the region.

Iran does not maintain economic and military dominance outside its borders. It has been a target of imperialist forces from thousands of miles away for decades. It finances Hezbollah in a weak attempt to deter attacks from others.

[think]

19. "I am coming to you" :

&feature=related

[vminfla]

21. US Navy should set it to music like this

[Muskypundit]

22. Empty. Just like every other iranian threat.

[bemildred]

24. Hmmm. They must have an election coming up.

[Kolesar]

25. No kidding

The bluster is for domestic consumption.
Tyrants need their enemies.

[indepat]

26. One wonders why Iran is so sadistically aching to be taught a

good lesson.

[LongTomH]

28. Actually, I think the word is 'masochistically' as in "masochistically aching to be taught.."

...a good lesson" Which reminds me of an old joke:

"Who is the true sadist?"

"The true sadist is the one who, when a masochist begs: 'Beat me! Beat me'" just stands with arms folded and says "No!"

That really is how Obama should treat the Iranians: "Excuse me, did you say something?"

[indepat]

34. Masochistically for sure

[harun]

27. Can't imagine why Iran wouldn't want U.S. war ships on their front door...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655



The number of ignorant hawks posting replies is disappointing.

[sulphurdunn]

31. Iran's doorstep

extends 12 nautical miles from its coast. The Straight of Hormuz is 34 miles wide at its narrowest point. The Persian Gulf is an extension of the Indian Ocean, bordered by 5 nations besides Iran and is considered an international body of water. The shooting down of Flight 655 by the US Navy, the Iranian attacks on the USS Stark or the mining of the Straight are, premeditated or otherwise, irrelevant to that.

[Adsos Letter]

37. +1

[EX500rider]

39. USS Stark was fired on by the Iraqi's n/t

[sulphurdunn]

40. Yes.

you are right. I stand corrected.

[L0oniX]

33. You never know who here holds stocks in military supply corps or even works for one.

[L0oniX]

32. The news has gottin out that it's easy to make the USA spend itself into oblivion.

[Bucky]

41. I didn't know "IBTL" could apply to the Strait of Hormuz