US warships box in Iranian flotilla, delay Suez passage

DEBKAfile ^ | February 21, 2011, 4:55 PM (GMT+02:00) | DEBKAfile

[RedMDer]

USS Enterprise parked opposite Iranian flotilla at Suez Canal entrance

[DonaldC]

I am no fan of Iran, but if this article is true, I don’t see what standing we have to do this.

[Danae]

Little ant, meet big boot. Things could get crunchy and messy in this meeting.

[GladesGuru]

Linky no worky - much like DEBKA, I fear.

[OldNewYork]

Under this president? Debka.

[KansasConservative1]

DEBKA, not true.

Consider the source.

[Piranha]

I am no fan of Obama, but if this article is true, I salute him.

[Chattering Class of 58]

I’m getting a bad gateway link

http://www.debka.com/article/20692/

[Cyber Liberty]

Aw crap...it’s DEBKA.

[blackdog]

Community organizing on the open seas.

[RedMDer]

It works for me.

[jda]

So, the reported earthquake was actually Ahmadinejad crapping his pants???

[Bean Counter]

A couple of points.

1. DEBKA has never been right about anything that I am aware of.

2. That picture is of the USS Enterprise transiting the Suez Canal.

3. You do not “park” and aircraft carrier, you “anchor” it, and when you do it is basically useless for launching anything other than helicopters.

4. The US Navy would not allow any warship, much less the USS Enterprise, to come within eyesight of an enemy flotilla, much less “park opposite” one.

[Publius]

...I don’t see what standing we have to do this.

UN resolutions and sanctions. Same reasoning we used to go into Iraq.

[Evil Slayer]

According to the article....

"permitted by the last round of UN sanctions against Iran in the case of suspicious war freights"

[thackney]

the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, escorted by missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf and the fast supply ship USNS Arctic, headed south through the canal.

I am surprised an aircraft carrier will fit through the canal.

[skeeter]

Seems like an awfully valuable asset to be used in this manner in such restricted waters. I doubt it.

[Publius]

I am no fan of Obama, but if this article is true, I salute him.

If it's true, salute Bob Gates. He's the one calling the shots.

[GladesGuru]

Standing is only an issue when dealing with the rational. Moslims are not rational.

I am more concerned with the possibility of a crude nuke on one of the ships. Trading a carrier and escort ships for a couple of rats a** Iranian mini ships is hardly a valid trade, though something which Obama might well set us up for.

[Rebelbase]

From the Iranian point of view their navy has bottled up a US carrier strike force in the Suez Canal.