Gates says 2nd carrier in Gulf is 'reminder' to Iran

[RedEarth]

Source: AP

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday that sending a second U.S. aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf could serve as a "reminder" to Iran, but he said it's not an escalation of force.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with Mexican leaders, Gates said heightening U.S. criticism of Iran and its support for terror groups is not a signal that the administration is laying the groundwork for a strike against Tehran.

Still, he said Iran continues to back the Taliban in Afghanistan.

"I do not have a sense at this point of a significant increase in Iranian support for the Taliban and others opposing the government in Afghanistan," Gates said. "There is, as best I can tell, a continuing flow, but I would still characterize it as relatively modest."



Read more: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080430/D90BTGPO0.html

[Poll_Blind]

1. Iran reminds U.S. that Iranian Sunburn-2 missiles pointed at it "Merely forget-me-nots".

Oh, ya gotta love international politics.

PB

[bemildred]

2. A reminder to sink them first thing if anybody does something stupid. nt

[virtualobserver]

3. couldn't we just put a post-it note on their computer monitor?

[Poll_Blind]

4. .

:rofl:

PB

[lunatica]

11. LOL!

:yourock: :headbang: :rofl:

[MercutioATC]

5. Lemme get this straight. They believe that Iran has or is developing nukes...

...and they've consolidated even more of our forces in an area that Iran could nuke without any kind of sophisticated delivery system (if Iran did have nuclear weapons)...

...to serve as a "reminder".

[bemildred]

6. Yep.

:thumbsup:

[AndyTiedye]

7. A Reminder that the IRAN WAR Will Start Very Soon

:grr:

[tabasco]

8. It reminds me what a gang of criminals run the US government.

Running this country into the ground.

[ShortnFiery]

19. I hope and pray (+email) that my Senators Webb & Warner (yes, he's R, but SANE) are ON THIS?

Would you all please contact your representatives also? :hi:

[bdamomma]

22. I think all of us should call, there are many Reps and Senators

who are totally in denial that this thuggish regime we have will try to do this.

[and-justice-for-all]

9. Warmongering assholes. Fuck You Gates!

[Tiberius]

10. CBS News reports an "ultimatum" is being drafted

CBS News reported that the Pentagon has ordered new options be drawn up for attacking Iran and that the State Department has begun drafting an ultimatum that would tell Iran to stop meddling or else.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/29/eveningnews/main4056941.shtml?source=mostpop_story

[MilesColtrane]

16. Crap...

This confirms that BushCo™ considers the Iranians move to stop selling their oil in dollars a de facto declaration of war.

Iraq did the same thing in 2000.

I guess all we can do is pray the Russians stay out of it.

[Supersedeas]

12. diplomacy -- Condi style

[Dogtown]

13. Backing the Taliban

*and* arming the "insurgents"?

LET'S GET THOSE BASTARDS!!!1!

[gratuitous]

14. A reminder that we don't have any ground troops

But it's not an "escalation." How do the reporters write this shit? I mean, the administration officials have to lie, but reporters don't have to pass it along.

[Supersedeas]

24. knock knock knock -- hellooo, over here, 'Merican empirialism at your service

[Magleetis]

15. A reminder

that the shrub administration thinks violence and killing is the universal answer to all problems.

[happyslug]

17. New moon is May 5th...

2008 Moon cycles:
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_moonphases.pl?year=2008&ZZZ=END

For Air attacks, the US likes the New Moon, little or no moonlight for any Iranian to locate any attacking US Plane. Iran can use Radar, and Radar stations will be the first things hit, but Radar are "Active" sending out radar waves to bounce back to the radar set, these waves can be detected by attacking Planes and used to locate the Radar sites. Visual observation is passive, can NOT be detected by the plane, while not as effective as Radar, with modern night-sites can be effective. Minimum light do to the New Moon means minimal effectiveness of these "passive" systems. Thus the attack, if it occurs will be around the New Moon, May 5th.

Furthermore, Moon-rise starts in the early Morning on May 1st, and by May 6th Moon-rise is right after Sunrise (i.e. Moon is up over Iran during daylight hours only). Even today (April 30th) the moon does not rise over Iran till 2:02 AM. It rises later and later and you have no actual moon at night till May 5th (and then only for a few hours till later on in the week).

I do not expect an attack to May 4th, For from May th till May 8th you have no effective moon for any real length of time at night. You have little in the early morning of May 4th and a little in the early evening of May 8th, but in those four days you can wreck Iranian Air Defenses.

[ShortnFiery]

18. No dumbass! It's A SIGNIFICANT PART of the reason that Gasoline is continuing to skyrocket.

:grr:

[defendandprotect]

20. And who has Iran been attacking while we're trying to start our third war of agrression?

[Hydra]

21. Welcome to Oceana

This is not a declaration of war- we were already at war. We don't need Congressional approval, Congress already approved it.

This is not an announcement of attack. We have already attacked, and we won.

That is all.

[cliss]

23. Reality Check:

If the US thinks it can just pull up 2 destroyers up to Iran's curb and threaten that country.
You better believe, these people are going to be prepared, and trying to protect themselves.

NOW the Iranians are supporting the Taliban? This is just surreal. I've read that Iran is supporting 1)Al Qaida, 2) Shi'ites in Iraq, 3)Muqtada Al Sadr in Sadr City, 3) extremists 4) and now the Taliban?

Anyone else Mr. Gates?