Nine U.S. warships enter Gulf for training

[cal04]

Source: Reuters

Nine U.S. military ships, including two aircraft carriers, passed through the Straights of Hormuz on Wednesday, the largest number of U.S. military vessels to enter the Gulf since 2003, the U.S. military said.

It said the ships were entering the area for training.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L23607496.htm

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. SHIIITTTTTT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Drum]

2. Hello, Five-dollar gas....

[Vilis Veritas]

17. That is kind of low...

10 bucks per gallon.

Funny note...Iran raised gas prices 25% yesterday. They now pay $0.38 per gallon.

[Acadia Blue]

26. Kucinich was on c-span today speaking about the war being only

for oil and presenting proof of it. It made me so angry. These pigs will steal all our natioinal treasury and bankrupt our country just to keep their pig friends in money. We could have spent the same money developing alternative energy. These people are murderers and criminals.

[struggle4progress]

39. Commodities: Oil rises on US warships concern

Thu 24 May 2007

LONDON (SHARECAST) - Oil prices bounced back Wednesday with US light crude oil for July delivery up 27 cents at $65.78 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Prices rose on concern about reports that US naval ships had entered Iranian waters. The news outweighed the weekly government report showing stronger refinery activity. ~snip~

http://www.sharecast.com/cgi-bin/sharecast/story.cgi?story_id=1309312

[acmavm]

3. The real beginning of the end.

We are no longer the barney bad-ass world power that we used to be. We no longer have any allies that can do us any good. And we are monetarily and morally bankrupted as a nation. So what do these idiot bastards do, go try to start another war we can't possibly win with another country.

[TrogL]

4. So how many ships are sitting in the gulf now?

Last I heard there were at least three aircraft carriers.

[FogerRox]

32. Stennis & Nimitz, the only carriers in theater

http://www.gonavy.jp/CVLocation.html

[IndianaGreen]

5. Nine U.S. warships enter Gulf for provocation

How would the typical jingoistic American feel if nine Chinese warships were to enter the Gulf of Mexico and started to conduct war exercises? I can hear Lou Dobbs blow a gasket!

[19jet54]

6. Perhaps...

... this is a normal rotation of deployed ships so those replaced can get some R&R with their families? SOP most of the time... I think 2 carrier groups is current area complement, plus the others would be normal escorts. Not sure, ship deployments/rotations are classified somewhat.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

7. yep

everybody freaked when they left port too.

Now we just have to see if one complement leaves for home or stays...

[19jet54]

28. Well...

... it is also SOP to "Showboat" or "Be Prepared" considering Lebanon's little problem & if they need assistance; the Iran stunt with British sailors/marines capture and the challenge of the seas - defiance of the UN - that is what Sea Power is all about if it is not abused. Just because a cop carries a gun, does not mean he needs to use it always? Sometimes just having the cop walk the beat keeps things quiet. Let's just hope cooler heads prevail?

[Gasping4Truth]

38. "cop"???

that is what Sea Power is all about if it is not abused. Just because a cop carries a gun, does not mean he needs to use it always?

When this "cop" has a well-known record of armed robbery and killing lots of innocents, then there are reasons to be sceptical when he puts on his uniform and gets on the street again.

[FogerRox]

33. No rotation, the Nimitz was off Somalia/Indian Ocean

& the Stennis was in the Arabian sea south of Iran. There doesn't appear to be any other carriers in theater.

[razzleberry]

8. Congress, please stop the funding .n/t

[cal04]

9. Nine US warships enter Gulf in show of force

Nine U.S. warships carrying 17,000 personnel entered the Gulf on Wednesday in a show of force off Iran's coast that navy officials said was the largest daytime assembly of ships since the 2003 Iraq war.

U.S. Navy officials said Iran had not been notified of plans to sail the ships, which include two aircraft carriers, through the Straits of Hormuz, a narrow channel in international waters off Iran's coast and a major artery for global oil shipments.

Rear Admiral Kevin Quinn, who is leading the group, said the ships would conduct exercises as part of a long-planned effort to reassure regional allies of U.S. commitment to Gulf security.


http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L2394066.htm

FACTBOX-The Strait of Hormuz, Iran and the risk to oil
Oil climbed towards $70 on Wednesday as U.S. warships put on a show of force off Iran's coast, coinciding with a United Nations agency report on the Islamic republic's nuclear programme.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L23698500.htm

[OregonBi]

10. Here it comes people!

WWIV and we all have a corporate media front seat at the action.
It's going to be bloody and America is about to get her ass kicked, I am sorry to say.

[DerBeppo]

14. By "it" do you mean...

a day or two of endless "sky is falling" hysteria followed by deafening silence when they leave after their training run?

If so, then yes, here it comes.

[sanskritwarrior]

15. It's like clockwork here......

we send troops and ships to replace other troops and ships in the gulf, DU freaks out for two weeks, the replacement takes place, no one mentions it again until the next wave of replacements begins and then WHAMMY: ITZ TUH WARZ WITH IRAN I TELLZ YA!!!!!!!!!!! THIZ TIMZ ITS FOR REALZ!!!!!!!!!! :eyes:

[Vilis Veritas]

27. Oh good.

No war with Iran.

Whew...

Links:

http://www.newshounds.us/2007/05/23/fear_mongoring_on_fox_again.php
http://www.atlanticfreepress.com/content/view/1633/81/
http://www.arabamericannews.com/newsarticle.php?articleid=8607
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3403605,00.html
http://english.people.com.cn/200704/29/eng20070429_370883.html

they had to lie to the world to get their war on with Iraq.

This time it will be different. Iran will be provoked. Iran IS being provoked.

Rove is insane. PNAC is Peanuts. I put nothing past the insane clown posse running the asylum.

So what if it dies down for a couple of weeks and people at DU take a breather. I for one, will take any blessed stall that happens. I hope it stalls forever. I hope diplomacy rules the day.

I hope this is all a dream...and that this time it is not for real.

[Occulus]

37. The only people I can think of who call the Cold War WWIII are conservatives.

Welcome to DU. I'll assume you're just as pissed off as the rest of us.

Question- if being pissed off is better than being pissed ON, what if you're pissed off because you're being pissed on?

[MGKrebs]

11. It also makes one wonder why the flare up in Lebanon right now.

Is anybody really clear on what the causes are for the violence there? Remember the Sy Hersch piece a couple of months ago saying that we (the US government) was secretly funding Sunni militants?
http://uruknet.info/?p=m33083&s1=h1

I believe there is also a carrier group in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Roosevelt (was recently at Italy).

The Stennis and Nimitz are in the Persian Gulf.


The Kitty Hawk is in the Pacific.
The Reagan and Eisenhower are just back from the ME.

I can't find the USS Truman.


http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/where.htm

[Sparkly]

12. AP Article on this: Navy stages show of force off Iran coast

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070523/ap_on_re_mi_ea/gulf_us_navy

Navy stages show of force off Iran coast

By BARBARA SURK, Associated Press Writer 39 minutes ago

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The U.S. Navy staged its latest show of military force off the Iranian coastline on Wednesday, sending two aircraft carriers and landing ships packed with 17,000 U.S. Marines and sailors to carry out unannounced exercises in the Persian Gulf.

The carrier strike groups led by the USS John C. Stennis and USS Nimitz were joined by the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard and its own strike group, which includes landing ships carrying members of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

The Navy said nine U.S. warships passed through the narrow Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. Merchant ships passing through the busy strait carry two-fifths of the world's oil exports.

Aircraft aboard the three carriers and the Bonhomme Richard were to conduct air training while the ships ran submarine, mine and other exercises.

The maneuvers came just two months after a previous exercise in March when two U.S. carrier groups carried out two days of air and sea maneuvers off the Iranian coast.

[Sin]

13. What would this operation be called...

O I got it "Operation Lusitania"... yea thats about right.

[lonestarnot]

16. Oh not to worry. We are there for stabilazation of the middle east by Order of de Unitary Executive

:sarcasm: For newbees.

[Vilis Veritas]

18. This is worrisome...

This goes beyond saber rattling.

K & R

[snappyturtle]

19. Nine U.S. Warships in Gulf for show of force

Source: Reuters

By Mohammed Abbas

ABOARD USS JOHN C. STENNIS (Reuters) - The largest daytime assembly of U.S. warships in the Gulf since the 2003 Iraq war prepared on Wednesday to hold drills off Iran's coast in a major U.S. show of force that unnerved oil markets.

U.S. Navy officials said Iran was not notified of plans to sail nine ships, including two aircraft carriers, through the Straits of Hormuz, a narrow channel in international waters off Iran's coast and a major artery for global oil shipments.

The maneuver raises pressure on the Islamic Republic, coinciding with a report by the U.N. atomic watchdog on Iran's nuclear program, which could lead to tougher sanctions.

Oil climbed towards $70 as the U.S. ships sailed into the straits, through which 40 percent of globally traded oil passes.

More....at link


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL2360749620070523?src=052307_0815_DOUBLEFEATURE_

[ShortnFiery]

20. What? Our idiot King doesn't swagger enough on his own? or is it President Cheney making threats?

:eyes:

[snappyturtle]

21. I know this is a dumb time to post with the Monica hearing on

I don't know if you've had time to look at the article but it's worth a look just to see the little picture of our big ships on the horizon. The article pointed out that this maneuver has occurred on the heels of Cheny's threats he made in a recent trip to the ME. The fleet is composed of 17,000 men and 140 aircraft. Supposedly we're there to inspect suspicious vessels (carrying nuclear materials)and to keep the Straits open for the 40% of the world's oil that passes there. We did this at night and the Iranians aren't happy. I know I'm summarizing here.....should have put this up above!

[converted_democrat]

22. K&R....N/T

[LynnTheDem]

23. Let's see what would happen if Iran (or any nation) held a "show of force"

off the US coast.

[snappyturtle]

24. I think the sharks would be circling. nt

[BikeWriter]

29. Call it what it is, sabre rattling!

[BluePatriot]

25. Wonder if this has to do with...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2854612&mesg_id=2854612

"Secret Iranian plans to ratchet up badness in Iraq"

[blues90]

30. I hate to say this and don't take this as a hope for war , however

At times I wish they would just get it over with already , if they are going to attack asthey did in Iraq then do it of shut up already .

There does not seem to be one thing going right or the way it should be .

I certainly don;t want another war however this seems to be their intent . The only thing that seems to be stopping them is timing or a valid reason . Maybe they will wait until the campaigns begin to fill their corporate owned media with the millions on tv adds then attack .

The Dems are really a huge letdown and the purse must have had the strings cut off .

People just seem to go on as usual around here and what amazes me is people talk about all the new hybrid cars and alternate fuels in a time where we seem to be sitting on a powder keg just waiting to explode .

It appears we are scattered all over the place on issues when another war will over ride all plans people and companies have .

They can't come up with a immigration plan , they can't impeach this fool bush , the dems cave into bush once again and many many more will die for nothing . What does this all mean if they attack Iran ?

[FogerRox]

31. Nimitz & Stennis transited the Gulf of Oman yesterday.

http://www.gonavy.jp/CVLocation.html

[Eugene]

34. AFP: US issues nuclear warning to Iran as armada enters Gulf

Source: Agence France-Presse

US issues nuclear warning to Iran as armada enters Gulf

by Jitendra Joshi
31 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States threatened new UN sanctions to
punish Iran's nuclear drive as it ratcheted up tensions with the biggest
display of naval power in the Gulf in years.

A bristling US armada led by two aircraft carriers steamed into waters
near Iran for exercises Wednesday, hours before UN watchdogs said Iran
was expanding its uranium enrichment program in defiance of international
sanctions.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that Iran continues
to enrich uranium -- which can provide fuel for civilian reactors but also
make nuclear bombs.

That prompted warnings from US officials of further UN punishment unless
Iran curtails its nuclear development -- which the Islamic republic insists
is devoted to civilian energy.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070524/pl_afp/irannuclearusiraqmilitary_070524020836

[BrightKnight]

35. I hope that they won't try to recomission the Turner Joy.

http://www.hnsa.org/ships/turnerjoy.htm

[Occulus]

36. SURE it was for training.

Sure it was.

Right.