U.S. Top Officer: Closing Hormuz would be Red Line

Arutz Sheva ^ | 8/1/12 | Gil Ronen

[Eleutheria5]

Iran has the ability to temporarily block the Strait of Hormuz but the U.S. “would take action and reopen” it, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman General Martin Dempsey said Sunday, making clear to Iran that in threatening to close the straits, it is literally playing with fire. .

“They’ve invested in capabilities that could, in fact, for a period of time block the Strait of Hormuz,” Dempsey said in an interview for CBS's “Face the Nation."

“We’ve invested in capabilities to ensure that if that happens, we can defeat that.”

Blocking the strategic shipping lane linking the Gulf of Oman with the Persian Gulf would constitute a “red line” for the U.S., Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on the same program.

He assessed that Iran is preparing groundwork for making nuclear weapons someday, but is not yet building an atomic bomb. He called for continued diplomatic and economic pressure to dissuade Tehran from taking that step.

Panetta warned that a unilateral strike by Israel against Iran’s nuclear facilities could trigger Iranian retaliation against U.S. forces in the region. “We have common cause here” with Israel, he said. “And the better approach is for us to work together.”

According to AP's analysis, Panetta’s remarks "suggest the White House’s assessment of Iran’s nuclear strategy has not changed in recent months, despite warnings from advocates of military action that time is running out to prevent Tehran from becoming a nuclear-armed state."

The Obama administration has come under attack from Republican presidential hopefuls for what they say is a soft approach to Iran.....

[Eleutheria5]

I wonder if that carrier that's supposed to be steaming our way even has enough room to dock in the port of Eilat.

I wonder if General Dempsey has any relatives named Jack.

I wonder if anyone takes Leon Panetta seriously, including himself.

[Brilliant]

The question is what would it take to reopen the Strait, and would the precipitate war?

[Cicero]

Watch out, Iran! If you don't behave, Panetta will send in the Cesar Chaves:

[bigheadfred]

“We’ve invested in capabilities to ensure that if that happens, we can defeat that.”

AHA! Indirect, but still confirmation of our secret underground nuclear sub bases in F ghanistan.

[Jabba the Nutt]

Ah, don’t be like the liberals and ask the question backward. BLOCKING the strait could precipitate a war.

[RC one]

I have three words for Iran: Operation Praying Mantis

[Robert357]

Personally, my hope would be that the USA would not act unilaterally.

I would hope that a “coalition” of Oil Importing Nations, Such as Japan, various European nations, the USA and maybe even China would be asked to impose an international force that would patrol and keep the Straits open and would establish a “demilitarized zone” around the Straits that was closed to all but Coalition of Oil Importing Nations military.

My hope for this is that if Iran decided to challenge the coalition, that we and others would have a clear reason (their violation of the demilitarized zone) to bomb and destroy all Iranian military targets on a near continuous basis and go after their command and control facilities and their leadership so as to encourage regime change in Iran.

It is time the the Iran leadership got the sword they so dearly like to rattle shoved up their *@s.

[RetiredArmy]

At the first moment they block the passage, gas prices go to $50 a gallon. No oil, no gas. And we refuse to drill here because a bunch of liberal commie so called scientists say we will destroy some dirt.

[Bon mots]

[Happy Rain]

The strait is too narrow—we should bomb hell out of the eastern shores until there is more room—say an extra 800 miles...

...just for the safety of international navigation of course.

[Know et al]

The Iranian leaders know that the American military will be too busy arresting and detaining American citizens.

A war has never been averted from a position of weakness.

[Wiz]

Eilat is an ideal port to dock submarines as well, but I hear limited infrastructure for repair, and hope it will be upgraded. Submarines to operate from Eilat will allow Israel to strike Iran from the south.

[maine yankee]

General dynamics is fast tracking nuclear prowered dredging platforms for just that event.

[Ron/GA]

My understanding is that we get about 600 thousand barrels a day through the Strait of Hormuz. The price pressure we would see would be as European and Asian customers begin soliciting our supply sources to replace their halted shipments.

Of course, the price will blip based on the emotions, but that won't last... unless the Iranians are capable of doing a better job of jamming things up than anticipated.

Here is the latest data that I could find:

USA Crude Oil Imports (Top 15 Countries) (Thousand Barrels per Day)

[Eleutheria5]

That’s no question. It would take a war to reopen the straight. Period.

[GoldenPup]

Panetta warned that a unilateral strike by Israel against Iran’s nuclear facilities

Won't happen as long as Odumbo is in the white house.

[DJ Elliott]

We only sunk 1 FFG, 1 PTG, and 3 PBs in Preying Mantis.

The 8 hours war was not significant enough to be a deterant...

[Robe]

There was a You Tube clip that I loved... An American Skipper on a DD.. says on the hailing freq “Iranian Warship ! Heave to for I intend to sink YOU”

[leapfrog0202]

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[MSF BU]

Spain, France, Italy and India can all put aircraft carriers on station; let them do so.