Posted on 09/29/2012 6:36:31 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The US Navy and allies just completed a 12-day mine clearing exercise in the Strait of Hormuz. While the military avoided mentioning the standoff with Iran, the message was clear.
The allied nations were here and would do anything it takes to keep this critical 21-mile channel open.
It was August when I put up a post saying I wanted to attend this week's Persian Gulf mine clearing exercise. After reporting Iran's incessant threats to mine the Strait of Hormuz and choke the global oil supply, I wanted some reality.
I thought the words out of Iran would have a different meaning 50 miles offshore of the Islamic Republic, and would carry greater weight to the troops sailing through the Strait on a regular basis.
I expected answers. Some concrete, hang-your-hat-on opinions and experience from U.S. Naval troops that would give face to the threat.
To that end, I was disappointed. I mean, I should have known better. Known that the lower ranks are so busy performing the mission that they have little time to consider anything else. And the upper ranks aren't going to express anything outside policy: "The Iranian Navy has been nothing but professional and courteous," was the inescapable line last week.
When I asked why the enlisted troops I spoke to had little awareness of what was happening in the Gulf, one Navy Lieutenant Commander told me, "We need them to be occupied every second of every day." He was referring to keeping sailors from dwelling on home and family and preserving morale, but the effect applies to current events, as well.
Most sailors had little idea of Iran's bluster. And the few I talked to who were aware, just shrugged and laughed. "Doesn't matter much," they said. "The mission is the mission."
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No way would the American people rally around Obama. I don’t care if he actually does one right thing or not. Doesn’t change who he is.
Give me a break. This was Obamugabe posing so he can pretend like he gives a damn about our national security in the weeks before an election.
He couldn’t give two ***** about the free flow of oil at market prices.
He may have ordered the action, but it does not comport with his anti-American and anti-capitalist philosophy. Ergo, he is lying about caring about keeping Hormuz open.
Jimmy Carter had more balls than Obamugabe.
How quickly could they deploy it before being noticed and confronted?
He’s going to Vegas. Going to be there 3 days I think.
One possible solution to thousands or a million sea mines are strategically located underwater nuclear explosions. They would destroy or set off the mines while not hitting enemy territory proper.
EMP pulses from these explosions would also fry Iran’s electron defense systems.
Them we wipe the Islamic psychos out with more traditional weapons including airborne Daisy Cutters to wipe out missile swarms and missile boat fleets.
Does anyone in our military ever think outside the box anymore, or are they all so PCified that they have lost what it takes to win a war?
Col. Allen West wouldn’t fu*k around like our ball-less JCS leader Dempsey.
“Carbohydrate” vs. Hydrocarbon?
Okay. I can see that.
Wow that would be so awesome if they had a good plan like that and it worked. Can you elaborate?
Hi Tuck, you win all of the marbles,I live in Vegas, and it will be a mess. Marine One has been here for a week scouting out all of the casino’s. He will be staying out in a place called : Lake Las Vegas: it went bankrupt after three years of operation. Someone is trying to get it back open. Oh well just a little over a month and it will all be over.
In WW2, strategic bombing was ocassional used to clear paths through minefield. Then minesweepers would come in and clear out the strays that survived. Can’t give you the source but I’ve read minesweeping reports at the National Archives and it is extremely dangerous in good conditions. One sweeper was sunk by its own mine when a sudden wave threw it back into the ship (ship built by Winslow Marine & Railway Co, Eagle Harbor, Washington State).
A Daisy cutter bomb, parachute dropped, can cause a concussive explosion that has a blast radius of 900 feet (based on data from their use in So. Vietnam to clear large hilltops of No. Vietnamese forces and bunkers).
5 Daisy cutters would literally cover a mile across area if set off in a straight line.
If dropped on a missile patrol boat formation, one DC would wreck their day, forever. Even smaller JDAM missiles that are exploded over a swarm fleet could literally wipe them out (either by a massive explosive charge/charges overlapping in area, or by using the old ballbearings/flechette type materials inside the exploding warheads).
One well aimed nuclear bomb would set off an Electro-Magnetic Pulse charge that would fry Iran’s electronics at C3 and on ships, missile bases, airplanes, etc.
A well aimed nuke exploded in the front third of an Iranian air attack would wipe all of them out (probably would need several to cover a wide-range attack of over 10 miles spread).
We have nukes of all sizes and strenghts, from lowly bunker-busters to blockbusters (like the old 2,000-12,000 lb bombs of WW2 and even Tora Bora in Afghanistan). What we need is the will to use them.
Simply put, some of our older weapons systems and tactics will work just as well today (with some modification) when facing threats that Iran’s military poses. Our more modern weapons upgrades are the icing on the cake.
We have too many fancy weapons in the system and not enough of the basic ones which could be used because our enemies are often operating at the basic level.
That is why I advocate the use of napalm, esp. in the mountains and hillsides of Afghanistan. If you what the TV Cable show ‘Bomb Patrol in Afghanistan’, and look at the terrain and actual ambushes by the Taliban, you can see that the terrain is just made for napalm, esp. hillsides and mountain tops.
Nap has been around since WW2 in that form, and even the Greeks had “Greek Fire” several thousand years ago.
One needs to study military history to see how previous threats were met, and how some of the “oldies but goodies” are still adequate for today’s needs.
I hate complicated situations. Close the straight and we blow up your terminals. Without oil money Iran collapses and the populace will rise up against the mullahs.
Or sending in Don Knotts when you really need Mike Tyson.
Thanks.....filling sand bags here....sun must have addled my thinking.
YEPPER
Boy! I bet that really scared the hell out those nasty, mean Iranians!
/sarc
Underwater EMP?
EMP pulses? Redundancy alert!
I don’t suppose EMP could disable their nuke factory under the mountain, though?
just completed a 12-day mine clearing exercise in the Strait
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