Drumbeats of War - Missiles and Subs, Missiles and Nukes
First reported by Iran, later confirmed by other sources, a US nuclear sub entered the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz earlier today.
If the US is serious about calming war fears in the region, that’s probably not the very best way to do it.
Subs fall into two major categories, missile boats (subs are called boats, not ships) and the attack subs that hunt them. The latter category also hunt ships. I bring this up because there is no significant reason for an attack sub to be wandering around those shallow Gulf waters by itself. Most of the targets are either oil tankers, which we need, or our own warships, which we usually do not sink on purpose. Granted, there is a smattering of warships from other various nations in the Gulf, but we have more than enough naval power to keep them in line, operating out of our primary regional base in Bahrain.
My conclusion is that it’s a missile boat. And probably everyone else’s. Whether that is actually true or not, the assumption of a boomer in the Gulf exacerbates the tension. There are rumors that the military option is back on the table for the US. This certainly does not disprove that rumor.
On the other side, Syrian missiles, including those in Lebanon under the immediate control of Hizballah, have been readied for on-command firing. Target is Israel. According to probably Mossad sources, they have been given updated firing solutions, which may mean either more accurate information to guide their missiles to their specific targets, or they are adjusting target priorities… perhaps based on the still ongoing Turning Point 4 war preparedness drill throughout Israel.
Their guns are cocked and their fingers are on the triggers. If Israel so much as hiccups, the war begins.
Perhaps even if they don’t hiccup. It may be the thinking of the nations to the north of Israel that it would be better to start the war before more US power arrives in the area. Or their state of ultra-,high preparedness could be, as they say, defensive in nature, fearing an attack from Israel during or right after the TP4 drill.
In any event, Korea continues to build steam toward a resumption of a conflict, simmering for more than half a century since the cease fire in 1953. Technically, North and South Korea are still at war. That may soon cease to be a technicality. And now the North may, or may not, have the capability and the will to use a nuclear weapon or two.
Which pressure cooker will blow its lid first?
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Couple this with the fact that North Korea knows we would never initiate ground operations against them because it would be too bloody (the North Koreans have one of the greatest geological advantages in the entire world), and Kim basically has free reign to do whatever he wants as long as he doesn’t cause too much damage. Then add in the 2 or 3 nukes that they have… This won’t get too far. Kim will continue to be tolerated, because he’s actually in a pretty strong position.