"Bring it on" is what that other dumbass said and apparently you haven't seen the games report of what that swarm would accomplish.

Cheetah...speaking as a Navy Reserve Captain, I can tell you that it is a 100% certainty that Iran's pathetic show of force is just that...pathetic. They are no match for us and they know it. It would be over in an hour and we would not even have to break a sweat doing it.

Any attack on Iran would take a long time. "IF" the U.S. were to attack Iran it would have to be complete. Take out all port facilities in and around the Straits. Take out all missile launching sites, take out the nuclear sites, the airforce airfields, destroy the army moral and take out all government sites.

It would have to embarrass the ruling party such that their would be a civilian revolution and deter any ideas of aggression for many years to come.

Oilman, as a Navy Reserve Captain, you would know that we would ONLY fire back if fired upon and only then with permission from the Higher Ups. By the time that happened, half the ships would be on the bottom or damaged.

Remember the Cole? Do you really think that our Pollitically Correct military leaders would risk all out war by shooting at ships dumping boxes (could be mines) into the water in front of their ships or shooting at speedboats that are on a collision course (could be suicide bombers)? BECAUSE IF YOU DO BELIEVE that we would fire on these hostile actors, you are mistaken. We would only shoot back AFTER we are attacked and that would be too late for a lot of people. Even then we would not conduct offensive operations without the Presidents OK and that will take much longer than an hour.

No secret here. We had all kinds of terrorist activities going on and we didn't do jack until after 9/11. We are not proactive, we are reactive.

Great….in this case the media were very quick to “blow up” things out of all proportion, faster than any army/navy is capable of. Iranians got the attention and publicity they were looking for and life in the Persian Gulf goes on as usual……so everyone is happy, until next time.

Remember the Cole?

The Navy definitely remembers the Cole - and trust me, they have learned from it.

Having stood watch on the 50 cal while going through the strait - we had the green light to open fire after an initial warning if a boat got too close and looked threatening. Usually, such as in the case with Green Peace people or Iranian boats just being harassing, we were told ahead of time about an approaching boat and to not open fire because it was already identified as a 'non-threat' or a 'respond in kind' only.

There were absolutely no conditions to wait for orders to fire back though, if they fired or continued hostile maneuvers after warned... we could shoot - no hesitation, unless otherwise specifically directed not to open fire.

If just one of those boats opened fire - gloves would be off across the fleet pretty much immediately.

Cheetah...speaking as a Navy Reserve Captain, I can tell you that it is a 100% certainty that Iran's pathetic show of force is just that...pathetic.

Oilman, I have no military experience, but I agree with your assessment. I do not believe that the Iranian military wishes for a direct confrontation with the U.S.. What is going on here, in my opinion, is that Iran is seeking to be as much of a pain in the butt as possible without proceeding to a shooting war, which would be a war they could not win. They wish to demonstrate to the U.S. and the world at large, that the imposition of sanctions will not be without some cost.

If that is their goal, they have at least partially succeeded. The mere threat of an Iranian blockade of the Straights of Hormuz was enough to send oil futures soaring, which ripples through the world economy. This demonstrates the power Iran has to disrupt the world, short of a shooting war.

Remember the Cole?

MOSinEUR - When recalling the attack upon the Cole, one should remember that at the time of the attack it was harbored in a friendly port, being refueled. There is a world of difference between that attack and any potential attack upon U.S. naval vessels if the Persian Gulf.

I do not believe that the flotilla of ships accompanying the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln are without standing orders as to how to proceed in the event of a perceived threat. I would also surmise that the level of threat which would trigger a direct and deadly response is much lower during these tense times. The Iranian navy apparently realizes this, as the story reports that the harassing speed boats, which typically shadow the U.S. Navy in this region are not present.

If just one of those boats opened fire - gloves would be off across the fleet pretty much immediately.

Given the politically correct ways we fight wars to avoid hurting the enemy's feelings? Yeah, right. Sure. Let's all hold our breath.

Given the politically correct ways we fight wars to avoid hurting the enemy's feelings? Yeah, right. Let's all hold our breath.

Did you just skip to the bottom of my post? Try reading the middle - it disproves your point. Navy Captains don't mess around when it comes to their ships or their crew.... when onboard and at sea, they are the #1... not even the Admiral or POTUS supercede the orders of the Captain at sea. They can 'strongly suggest'... and that's about it. Having been on several deployments with different Captains, I have yet to meet one that is more concerned with politics than they are for the welfare of their ship and crew.

Dman - Spot on.

Mos - The Iranian Navy is a total joke. I gaurantee the Lincoln battle group was at GQ and ready with both fists high in the air...Iran with their little speed boats would not have stood a snowball's chance in hell.

Shuklack and dman, I would hope that you are correct that the Navy would not have to wait until actually attacked, but fire when perceived hostilities are about to take place. Given what I have seen in Afghanistan and Iraq about our leaders being more willing to lose troops than make a mistake and create an international incident I can only suppose what the Navy would do.

By the way, I can see shooting a 50cal in front of a speed boat, but I would hope you would use a Gatling gun if you really had to shoot it. I mean if you are going to shoot at a speed boat, make it worth the while.

Best to you.

Mos - The Iranian Navy is a total joke

It is, but it can still do some damage. The Navy has been doing excercises and wargames against an Iranian style threat (fastboats, mines, anti-ship missiles, etc)..... they can indeed do some heavy damage. The battle will be over in minutes, literally - and the Iranians wiped out.... but not without significant losses on our side. Don't underestimate asymetric warfare.

By the way, I can see shooting a 50cal in front of a speed boat, but I would hope you would use a Gatling gun if you really had to shoot it.

Not on a Carrier unfortunately, maybe one of the birds will be armed with something like it. There is the CWIS though (we call them R2-D2 because that's what they look like) which is an ultra-fast gatling of sorts... but it's computer-ran and designed to shoot down incoming anti-ship missiles. It works fairly well, but it's not full-proof.

Given the politically correct ways we fight wars to avoid hurting the enemy's feelings? Yeah, right. Sure. Let's all hold our breath.

Yes, HotTicket, when I read accounts of Osama bin Laden's slaying, I was struck by the polite demeanor of the special ops teams involved. I noted how the Pakistani government was sent engraved notices prior to the event, and how Osama bin Laden was politely asked if he minded being shot in the head.

I'm quite certain Miss Manners would have approved. lol

NEVER underestimate what your enemy is capable of and what we can (and eventually WILL) be drawn into. We are dealing with Islamofascist psychopaths who will get nukes, not sane people.

No event for which there is a potential for the loss of life should ever be welcome... no matter how lopsided the "victory" is predicted to be.

And, one thing we should have learned by is that we don't know everything and quite often, when it comes to predicting outcomes, we completely miss the boat (pun intended).

Think screaming stock market guy telling us to buy Bear stock... the "O-ring" won't be a problem at this temperature... the list is endless.

Do I think the Iranian navy stands a chance against our (and hopefully our allies) fleets? Of course not... but it was a long many years ago when some bozo stood on the deck of an aircraft carrier and declared "Mission Complete".

blog . ReadingThinkingAndWriting . com

There's a real simply solution to all of this. The EU puts an embargo in place. Iran shuts the Straits of Hormuz. We don't have to go to war at all.

Just position our ships in the Gulf of Oman and blockade the gulf by denying Iranian oil ships the ability to pass through the gulf. If we go into the straits and remove the blockade, we're at war. Why give Iran the satisfaction of making us out to be the aggressor? And if they whine that we're inciting war by blocking the Gulf, our response is "So blocking the Straights isn't a prelude to war?"

As for China getting the oil - it's going to be a beyatch transporting all that oil over land. :)

juevos!

..Woah Hoss speak English

My guess is Obama "will get into the action" when Iran forces him to do something or, in Sept of this year, just prior to the elections.

> Now maybe we can slowly build up our reputation as a nation to be RESPECTED again.

Sweet Christ. Is that a joke?

We lost respect---justifiably---by starving half a million Iraqi children to death with twelve years of sanctions, fabricating pretexts for invading Iraq, butchering untold numbers of Iraqi civilians and soldiers (whose only crime was to try to defend their nation against an illegal invasion), torturing prisoners and installing another puppet government, just to ensure that Iraqi oil would continue to be sold in Dollars.

Now we are to regain respect by doing almost exactly the same thing all over again in Iran?

Time4aPurge, It wouldn't suprise me if whatever takes place happens right before the elections, and a national state of emergency is put in place. The President then has the power to postpone the elections for at least 6 months before congress can even review it. It's never happened in our history that I know of, but then again this administration has been able to pull off a lot of things that has never happened in our history.

Hoss it is spelled HUEVOS. And we never lost them. Obummer just doesn't know how to use them. Being a socialist and unmilitary liberal whose education is in philosophy, he doesn't know how to use the powers of the oval office.

Stesilaus, I never get a repy from people like you, but I have to ask, what part of the word are you from and do you have free access to information on the internet?

ANY FOOL that takes an honest look at the food for oil program knows that Sadam was diverting funds from the Iraqi food for oil program and building palaces with the money. French firms did the construction and Italy sold the Marble. Sadam didn't give a damn about the people, HE killed the Iraqi people.

Sadam killed over 20,000 people at Abu Grabass. Torture? Stupid and dumbass things were done, but Sadam KNEW how to torture. If you were lucky, he had you put into the wood chipper head first. Imagine going into a wood chipper feet first? Yeah, talk about torture AFTER you studied up on it a little. That is IF you are able to study.

Oh yeah...oil. It seems that the US did not get or try to get any oil contracts. So...that argument is dead. Education will set you free.

Hoss, thank you, you have reinforced the super low intelligence level of the conservatives.

Wilsonaide,

With all due respect... what are you talking about? While I would never give anyone praise for a violent act, I would at least give acknowledgement to someone who got Bin Laden... during an operation that amounted to a violation of a soverign, nuclear-armed, power by the way. So enough of the rhetoric.

And.. as your party is so quick to forget... Our Framers were progressive and highly intellectual. (and yes, I have read a ton on the founding) They would be appaled, I would wager, at the attack on "reading" and being educated that is being slung today.

Embrace ignorance? Go in with guns blazing?? Let God sort 'em out?? Barbarism. And exactly the opposite direction that the country and our civilization (look the word up) should be moving in my opinion. Evolution is not only about "the fittest"... some of the greatest steps forward took place when life got along with life... think symbiosis.

For the love of Jeff! You'd think the last decade of war would have weeded that foolish notion out and satiated some people's need to salivate over long barrels and shiny things.

Cognitoergo How do you know what my party is? When have you been proven and demonstrated as a mind reader?

I can tell by your writings and bigotry that your comments are less than worthless. This column is for thoughtful and intelligent comments, which you have quickly debased your own by not stating them but attacking another commentator first.

Regardless of what your political view had you stated your comment, opinion, facts or information, I would have looked at them on their merits.

However as you decided in your lost mind to attack first, then you have demonstrated that you are here not to comment but to attack people. I thus have the right to reply in kind.

The U.S. Seals are trained in many ways to take people alive. It has always been the opportune advantage to take the enemy leaders alive to extract information. Had you followed the operation closely the information was first released that the operation against bin Laden was a capture/kill and then the information was released that it was a purely kill operation. Completely ridiculous. Then his body was disposed of before the DNA tests were completed. Another ridiculous action. Neither of these operations were surprising as a completely incompetent president with no military background ordered them.

The U.S. has violated for the protection of its citizens many sovereign powers. (Please note the correct spelling of sovereign! You forgot the second e! You degraded your comment by not taking the time to correct spelling errors.) It makes not a bit of difference that Pakistan has the bomb. It is not going to bomb its own territory, Afghanistan or the U.S.

As you are unable to write correctly the English language and express yourself coherently, one has to guess that by framers, (please note you are not allowed to capitalize the f in framers, it is not a proper noun) you mean the framers of the Constitution of the United States ( C, U, and S can be capitalized as they are the first letter of proper nouns). The term progressive and progressivism did not enter the English language until the middle of the 19th century.

You may have read extensively, (writing the term a ton, only demonstrates your inability to express yourself coherently, a ton is a unit of weight, not applicable to describing a large quantity of literature)

but you have not absorbed, studied and assimilated the meaning of the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States and all the documents associated with those documents.

Scholars who have studied the history and writings of all the people associated with these documents have amply declared and demonstrated that they were capitalists, the majority were free masons, extremely wealthy, capitalists and definitely not interested in minorities. Slaves, indentured white people, Native Indians and women to name a few of the minorities did not have the rights of white men for whom these documents were written in favor of.

The white men who wrote and introduced ideas for The Constitution of the United States and The Declaration of Independence were among the few who could read and write at that time in the colonies and later known as The United States of America.

You have not read enough of the lives of these people who created these documents and their roles in the French and Indian Wars. These men were sadistic murderers of both whites and Native Indians. Many of the men they lead were ignorant and barbaric.

You are woefully lacking in your education. The White French introduced the tomahawk and the idea of scalping and paying a bounty. So much for your civilization.

These men were so intent on protecting what they owned and had, they cared not about being read or reading or education of the public. They wanted their slaves, Native Americans and women uneducated. It took amendments to The Constitution of the United States to get these people equal status with white men.

You are preaching to the choir. Take your message to the foreign governments. They want ignorant people, they go in with guns blazing, and their mistaken belief of what is a god is only to suit their purposes.

You have not looked at the U.N. report on the most corrupt countries of the world. Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan are at the bottom of the list. Iraq invaded and killed thousands of peaceful Kuwaitis. Afghanistan supplies what percentage of raw opium? How many of the military and political leaders of Pakistan are wanted for war crimes against humanity due to their three wars with India and Bangladesh? You are incredibly naive. Talking with the leaders of Syria, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan had/has been futile. The cradle of civilization in this area of the world has been wiped out by the same people who overran and destroyed the vestiges of modern civilization. Talk and negotiations were destroyed by militarism. And militarism can only be overturned by force.

Time to sink your head in that bucket of water and wash away the simple ideas you have.

You can not erase what nature has created. It is and always will be survival of the fittest. There is no symbiosis.

Take your spiel to China, Russia, the Russian satellite nations, Iran, Iraq, India, Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan, the African nations and get back to me with their answers.

Don't count your chickens before they are hatched. We are dealing with unstable religious fanatics.

Jonathan-1982062 Can you learn to think, reason, use logic and learn to write in English before you make a comment?

wilsonaide: When Iraq war was about start I would have got the same comments: think, reason, use logic and learn to write English.

When people don't have replies point by point, they talk/write like these or beat around the bush.

About writing, don't worry. I should not write the truth. Then you or some would declare: see how he is bragging!

They are good enough for text and reference books in many universities in the US and other places of the world from BS to Ph.D on one topic.

You still need to learn to think and learn to write the English language. As usual you are writing gibberish. You can't start to write about bragging, until you can express yourself clearly.

You haven't defined the word "They"! Therefore, no one can understand the tripe you are attempting to write about.

wilsonaide: Don't worry! My US publishers had very good English editors who took care of nitty issues.

They were better than your your thinking, English and logic!

Exactly why Iran needs to be stopped. They WILL light off a nuke on somebody as soon as they get one. They are too irrational in their thinking to realize that it would be a huge mistake.

Let them. Doubt they could hit us anyway. "Mutually Assured Destruction" keeps the peace, even with whakos like them.

You can blame everything happening now on two democratic presidents Carter and Clinton.

Am I the only one to see that Democratic Presidents always cause problems?

Kennedy started Vietnam when Eisenhower told him to stay out. Kennedy didn't support his Cuban invaders. Kennedy showed his weakness and let the Russians put in tactical nuclear bombs and then almost started WWIII by not quickly stopping the construction of the IBM launch sites?

Johnson fueled Vietnam with 50,000 American lives? Carter pulled the rug out from under the Shah before setting up a viable alternative. Carter showed weakness and let the Russians into Afghanistan. Carter brought on 10% inflation, record unemployment and 23% housing mortgages!

Clinton refused to get bin Laden when Sudan tried to give him bin Laden 3 times. And now Obummer is twiddling his thumbs wondering how to get the U.S. back working when he overtly demonstrates his anit business, anti free enterprise, socialistic, racists policies.

Jesus when will the people learn. You can't trust democrats!!!

Wilsonaide, you can not put this off on one party or the other. They are all about the same.

Carter took over after Vietnam and tried to get the economy under control. He took the correct position that just because someone says they are anti communist, doesn't make them any better and he pulled support. Read up on what really brought the Shaw down and it mostly had to do with the LACK of democracy and human rights. All those student around the world went from partying in the West to repression at home. Not the result the Shah expected. Of course the fanatics that took over are worse, BUT to a person being tortured by the Shah's Secret Police, he only knows that the Shaw needs to go. Read up on what Carter did to free Argentina from the murderers there. So...give old Jimmy some credit.

Regan and his boys went to Congress and said that Government control (supervision) of Wall Street was killing Free Enterprise. Well, Obama inherited that monster. Lack of supervision on Wall Street and our banks has 100% put us into this economic mess. I mean, everyone is rich when they have a credit card, but damn, it sucks when you have to pay the bill.

Am I the only one to see that Democratic Presidents always cause problems?

It's called bias, wilson.

Under what administration was it that the US trained/funded/armed Islamic Fundamentalists in a bid to harass the USSR in Afghanistan, basically starting the Taliban and Al-Qeada? (hint: Starts with an R)

wilsonaide

So you can't trust the democrats. So maybe you can enlighten everyone, on where the WMD's are, that Iraq had.

Tweet, read this article. Sadam played games with the Weapons Inspectors and got what he earned. A rope.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25546334/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/t/secret-us-mission-hauls-uranium-iraq/

MOSinEUR Why do you bother to write and demonstrate to the world, your utter lack of knowledge and stupidity? Nixon took over after Vietnam. Carter became president 8 years later. Carter destroyed the economy. He was as incapable as Obummer is. Under the Carter administration, we had 10% inflation, 23% mortgage rates and record unemployment.

Get together with Jonathan-1982062 go back to school, learn to read, understand and write English. Quickly learn the definitions and where political schools of thought actually are. You misused the real meaning of Communism. The word is Shah not shaw. A shaw is a small group of trees.

Shah is a word that was used formerly as a title for the hereditary monarch of Iran.

Learn to read. I said that Carter pulled the rug out from under the Shah before he forced the Shah to set the stage for the passage of power to a democratic power structure that should have been set up.

Carter was/is an idiot. Today's rulers of Iran are worse than the Shah. One bomb or the seeding of the Saudi oil fields with radioactive material will cause you to lose your job and probably your house and livelihood. Oil will go to $300 a barrel and a depression will set in.

The Shah affected his own country, but Iran can affect the world.

You haven't thought about that have you? You are a narrow tunnel minded dolt!

What the fuk are you talking about Argentina and Carter? State Department documents released on Argentina's dirty war (1976-83) show that the Argentine military believed it had U.S. approval for its all-out assault on the left in the name of fighting terrorism. This means that Carter approved of repressive use of force in Argentina.

You are an outright lunatic. Reagan was president 20 years before Obummer. People have to think for themselves. It is simple. When you borrow money for a mortgage, and look at fantastic advertisements and it looks too good to be true, then look again and take five minutes and work out the figures.

Not more than 25% of your income should go for rent of mortgage. That has always been true. With adjustable rate mortgages with teaser rates, one has to use common sense and ............get mortgage insurance. It costs a few dollars more but if you want to protect yourself use common sense.

Of course you don't have common sense. You have amply demonstrated that. Actually if there ever was created on the net a comment section based on content and intelligence, you would never be allowed to make a second comment. What you already have stated would have forbidden you to reappear with any further ridiculous statements.

Shuklack Read it was Carter. Carter and the Russians shook hands on an agreement not to interfere in Afghanistan and Russia immediately reneged and invaded. Carter gave bin Laden the first ground to air missiles. Read please. Getting tired of democrats and their lack of education and learning.

P.S. Carter was a democrat.

On July 3, 1979 United States President Jimmy Carter signed the first directive for secret aid to the opponents of the pro-Soviet regime in Kabul. http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_war_in_Afghanistan

tweet-2832581 Please explain why the Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM), which was constituted to look for WMD was terminated on December 16, 1998 upon insistence of Iraq? Had Iraq not had WMD would it not have made sense to prove to the U.N. that they had none and have the pressure taken off?

The Israelis had bombed a French-built nuclear plant near Iraq's capital, Baghdad, saying they believed it was designed to make nuclear weapons to destroy Israel.

In March 1990, a case of nuclear triggers bound for Iraq, were seized at Heathrow Airport.

After 9/11 all possibility of the fanatics using the excuse of the embargo on Iraq as an excuse to damage the U.S. was removed. The chemical WMD Iraq destroyed. The Israelis destroyed the Nuclear plant.

It was also known that in the 1980s Iraq pursued an extensive biological weapons program. This information was gathered from defecting scientists.

In March 1990, a case of nuclear triggers bound for Iraq, were seized at Heathrow Airport.

It is the world's first air strike against a nuclear plant. And you believe that the nuclear plant was not for building a bomb?

Remember Chemical Ali and his use of poisonous gas on Iranian soldiers and his own people? How do you define poison gas? WMD?

A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans.

Poison gas is not a WMD? Nuclear material is not a WMD? Libya now declares that it had Weapons of Mass Destruction in spite of Daffy's denials.

You do know that the two opposing sides during wwI agreed to stop using mustard gas? Mustard gas is a WMD.

When and where Iraq disposed of its WMD only the allies know.

However bin Laden listed three reasons for 9/11.

1.) Kill Americans

2.) American support for Israel

3.) The embargo on Iraq

The only direct permanent action that America could do against the insane Muslims was to remove the embargo on Iraq. It could not 100% stop the killing of Americans. It could not stop supporting Israel but it could stop the embargo on Iraq.

I personally believe that George Bush invaded Iraq to get rid of Saddam, stop any future construction of WMD and to try and set up a secular Muslim democracy on the same status as Turkey.

Now, tweet, with this burr in the U.S. side after 9/11 what would you have done?

Judson, if you get a chance, look at a map and see who would have to allow the Israelis to use their air space.

If the Israelis wanted to practice shooting at ships, they have the Mediterranean to practice on. They don't need the US for permission to do anything.

I don't think the big oil companies will let that happen. Disgusting how they are always complaining about how hard of a time they are having, yet year after year, they set new record profits.

DAMN IT GOMEZ ADDAMS, THAT IS THE PROBLEM!!! All Americans can think about is cheap gas. What does that get us? Constant conflict. How about this....do like the Germans and pay 85cents a liter in tax on gas? Yeah, you got it around $8 a gallon. What will you get?

People will be forced to buy fuel efficient cars. Detroit will either get on the fuel efficient band wagon or be bought of by the likes of Toyota.

Non perishable products will be shipped by train and not trucks.

The Government (yup the evil Government) will be forced to support alternate form of energy, such as photo voltaic and wind as well as improve our electric grid.

But no...not to worry, we will burn up the last natural reserve to make sure that we get you that "cheap gas".

Really, isn't it time we moved into the future?

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-04/record-gasoline-grips-europe-while-california-faces-4-a-gallon.html

I'm with MOS on this one - change can be painful, but it must be made in order to cross that threshold.

But if history taught us anything, the only time change can be pushed through is during a crisis. There is a term for it: "Shock Doctrine" - politicians love it, and in a nation of spoiled brats - it's basically the only thing that works.

Shuklack, when you get to places like Germany, you will notice that there are photo voltaic cells covering just about every barn and about half the houses. Wind mills dot the hills and there is a huge expansion in wind planned as Germany is going to shut down its nuke plants.

America has such a huge potential, but we lack the will. All we can think about is "Capitalism" and what the followers of that system fail to remember was back when America was a much more Capitalist country with very little government supervison, raw sewage was dumped in the rivers or big ditches, tainted food was the norm, striking workers could be shot by the company security men and poor people died in the streets.

Yup, people just don't study the history of the United States. Perhaps that is the price of living so good for so long. The Spoiled Brats are too lazy to study and end up being Sheeple.

Yup, people just don't study the history of the United States. Perhaps that is the price of living so good for so long.

It's the classic "Good Ol' Days" fallacy. The past tends to get painted with a golden brush, and people forget the old hardships - and especially forget that many of the problems today existed in the "Good Ol' Days" as well. People insist on harkening back to a period which didn't really even exist, and in doing so ignore the lessons learned which only serves to regress what few improvements have been made.

nevermind

Probably a good indicator as to why there is such an increase in libertarians and Ron Paul supporters.

That's OK, you want the US to protect your oil imports, all by ourselves, right? No help from the people who benefits. Fine, we will pull out, and you can do without your oil. Suits me just fine. You got carriers also, put yours into harms way.

Oh Sally, you’re a little off the mark, but it’s not shocking really, you see the Royal Navy does patrol international waters just like the US does (of course with a much smaller fleet we cannot be everywhere at once like you seem to want to be) so I have no doubt that us and the rest of Europe and any other nation that uses the Strait of Hormuz for oil traffic will act to keep it open. I however was talking about a war (or regime change as it would be) and in that case that is something The British people do not what another one of, especially since it is America who seems to be the one calling for this war and not us (for example Iran barely gets mentioned in the media over here) as A we cannot afford it and B we are sick of having our soldiers killed for what pretty much amount to American wars.

poodlefan...I suggest you go tend to your flock of poodles. The only nation rattling their sabers here is Iran and we called thier bluff. Plain and simple. STFU with your conspiracy theories already.

Wow....that is a heck of an upgrade from 450 to 550 rounds a minute.

Hauling all that ammo would suck, but putting something like that at a Combat Out Post along with Fire Finder Radar would really go along way to stopping dipsticks from lobbing RPGS at the COP.