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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsArmada of international naval power massing in the Gulf as Israel prepares an Iran strike
so reports the Telegraph..
The linked page DOES have a very nice photo of the Straits of Hormuz, the famous ( or infamous) "checkpoint" for oil shipments, which Iran has threat ended to close in case of "aggression.
"through which passes around 18 million barrels of oil every day, approximately 35 per cent of the worlds oil traded by sea."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/9545597/Armada-of-international-naval-power-massing-in-the-Gulf-as-Israel-prepares-an-Iran-strike.html
So, while the WH official position is we are NOT supporting Israel's obvious intenet to strike Iran, at the same time
"warships from more than 25 countries, including the United States, Britain, France, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, will today begin an annual 12-day exercise."
(today being Sept 15 when this was written) See article for a description of some impressive firepower being assembled.
I hear the war drums banging.
arcane1
(38,613 posts)And that this year it's even been scaled down from last year. Don't let the drum-beaters try to tell us this is anything other than an annual exercise.
Viva_La_Revolution
(28,791 posts)dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)Reuters) - Warships from around the world were assembling in the Gulf on Sunday for what the U.S. military described as the most widely attended international naval exercise ever held in the Middle East.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/09/16/uk-usa-exercises-iran-idUKBRE88F0HL20120916
DonViejo
(60,536 posts)In preparation for any pre-emptive or retaliatory action by Iran, warships from more than 25 countries, including the United States, Britain, France, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, will today begin an annual 12-day exercise.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)And, besides, only rogue nations rattle their sabers.
sufrommich
(22,871 posts)I haven't been able to find one other legitimate news source making this claim.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)including Reuters...http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/17/us-iran-nuclear-navies-idUSBRE88G0VP20120917
Business Week....http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-09-16/u-dot-s-dot-leads-biggest-gulf-mine-exercise-in-signal-to-iran
CBS......http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501713_162-57510125/iran-timing-sensitive-for-us-led-gulf-exercises/
Australia's Perth News....http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1693191/US-Israeli-gap-on-Iran-nukes-widens
and here is the google search link:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&gl=us&tbm=nws&q=+naval+exercises+the+Gulf&oq=+naval+exercises+the+Gulf&gs_l=news-cc.3..43j43i400.47666.58962.0.60809.30.20.0.6.0.1.354.2804.2j15j2j1.20.0...0.0...1ac.2j1.CojMDzeCsVY