U.S. admiral says forces prepared to confront Iran

They simply can't afford to.

When they get pushed into a corner, they will take desperate measures. Plus, it will hurt the rest of the world too. Not only does Irans oil go through the Strait but also does Iraqs, Saudi Arabias, UAE and Kuwaits.

This will lead to a big jump in oil prices, which will further hurt the American economy and Obamas re-election hopes. Dangerous times we are living in.

" Barack Hussein is not". "I predict that Barack Husseins USA"

willi get a grip of yourself man. Bringing up Obama's middle name is a pathetic attempt at twining your radical anti-Islamic agenda with reality. The twain shall never meet. Surely there is some other website where more adapted members that share your obsession can be found? You sound a stone-trow from that nut that killed all those people in Norway.

Since when did the USA become Israel's auxilliary army?

By all means. let's please start WW3, the generals can hardly wait.

From that time, U.S. involvement in the middle east started and it's been spiraling downward ever since.

????

The CIA overthrew the Syrian government in 1948, overthrew the democratically elected Mosaddeq government of Iran in 1953, involved themselves in the Suez crisis, the Six Day War, helped make Saddam Hussein the leader of Iraq in 1968 and helped murder thousands of civilians in Black September. The US involvement in the Middle East is long and bloody.

"U.S. admiral says forces prepared to confront Iran.." fine, now wait for go-sign from Israel :(

Closing Hormuz would be suicidal for Iran, not so much militaristic (though that as well) as economically. The vast majority of Iran's own oil exports flow out of the straight. I can't believe they'd be stupid enough to shut that down, especially given - instead of in spite of - the current crippling sanctions. They simply can't afford to.

"Strait", excuse me.

"Iranian Aggression"?

It's not like Iranian ships are massing outside the Hudson river prepared to strike.

Let's at least be honest. The first shot (hopefully there won't be one) is going to be fired by the US or Israel.

This is not about Israel. This is about Iran and their words and actions. Iran simply needs to act peacefully and agree to IAEA observation and they could have all the nuclear power they want and need. If all they want is peaceful energy, that is.

" Is Israel really under threat though? " Yes it is.

The please enlighten me and the rest of the world as to why.

Iran simply needs to act peacefully and agree to IAEA observation and they could have all the nuclear power they want.

Well, Iran does agree to IAEA observation under the terms of the NPT. The IAEA carried out inspections in Iran in August and November 2011. As a signatory, Iran is allowed to enrich uranium to a certain capacity. Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano hailed Iran as a "peace-seeking" state last week.

As long as it takes......

Triumvere:

" Closing Hormuz would be suicidal for Iran, not so much militaristic (though that as well) as economically. "

You are assuming that Irans theocracy is motivated by rational thinking and aspects such as material wealth. That is a fundamentally wrong assessment.

The mullahs are acting on much deeper motive; they are acting to please god. Step back and think: Is there any rational or material reason to want to destroy Israel? If they were motivated by material reasons, they would want to trade with the Jewish state, and not to wipe out the "dirty bacteria".

Serrano:

" Are Iran's forces prepared to counter any American aggression in the area? "

What you mean "counter"? It is a hell of a lot easier to attack a couple of oil tankers than to protect every single one of the from every single dynamite-laded speedboat.

Iran does not need aircraft carriers and similar expensive gimmics shut down the world`s gas station.

Not that you would care.

Well, you dont know me or anything about my academic background - so not sure why you would cast such an aspersion.

Nobody would deny that the Middle East has not had a long and fractious past. But to say that the US has only been involved in the region for 30 years is to be very uninformed.

Iran does not need aircraft carriers and similar expensive gimmics shut down the world`s gas station.

Correct. Iran has land-based missiles that could secure the Strait. America would need to launch a major boots on the ground invasion that would make Iraq look like a summer stroll. Going to be a very expensive exercise.

@WilliB, Obama's speech was about mutual respect. The whole point was to end the needless war-mongering spree and get back to some real sense of diplomacy, let the Middle East know that we ARENT brainless cro magnon Islamophobes. Diplomacy does have its place in the Middle East. Remember by executive order, under "Barack Hussein" Bin Laden met his end. Appeasement right?

It's interesting how despite the Middle East being a far more volatile region, the Asia-Pacifi gets the most naval presence.

You can only have so many ships in the immediate area of hostilities when the Persian Gulf is involved. Any more than that and they start interfereing with each other. The Asia/Pacific zone has much more open water to cover.

I'm especially interested in hearing about the meddling of Russia and Europe

That would veer off topic. There is so much information out there for young, curious minds. You dont need some guy off the internet teaching you about Imperialism in Asia or the Tournament of Shadows (look it up, you would like it).

Fox’s command encompasses the bulk of the Middle East, including the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and a large swath of the Indian Ocean along the east African coast. There are about 25,000 sailors under his command.

It's interesting how despite the Middle East being a far more volatile region, the Asia-Pacifi gets the most naval presence.

Dentshop:

" This will lead to a big jump in oil prices, which will further hurt the American economy and Obamas re-election hopes. Dangerous times we are living in. "

Absolutely. Attac king ship ping in the Str ait of Ho rmus is an obvious reac tion by Iran. And world-wide oil pri ces will of course go throu gh the roof. So what is your preferred solution? Sa crifice Isra el and its inhabitants in exchange for ch eap oil, as long as it lasts?

Sacrifice Israel and its inhabitants in exchange for cheap oil, as long as it lasts?

Is Israel really under threat though? Israel not only has nuclear weapons but the American tax payer has just gifted Israel with a missile defence shield in case of any attack. While hundreds of thousands of Americans get by on food stamps and have their houses foreclosed, Israel gets a missile defence system that it doesnt need.

DentShop:

" Is Israel really under threat though? "

Yes it is.

I hope Iran doesn't have large eathquakes....

Japan is really pushing a us-iranian confrontation. I haven't seen any of this in the us media yet, just lots on the steps to take with Syria. When things go down with Iran, it'll likely be a lot more like Libya, not some direct Bush-style confrontation the population is against.

DentShop: Is Israel really under threat though?

Nah. They just want to steal all that Iranian oil. Anything good on TV tonight?

Are Iran's forces prepared to counter any American aggression in the area?

DentShop: The CIA overthrew the Syrian government in 1948, overthrew the democratically elected Mosaddeq government of Iran in 1953, involved themselves in the Suez crisis, the Six Day War, helped make Saddam Hussein the leader of Iraq in 1968 and helped murder thousands of civilians in Black September. The US involvement in the Middle East is long and bloody.

Oh, I think the Middle East has been doing just fine creating a long and bloody history on its own. Not that you would care.

Madverts:

" willi get a grip of yourself man. Bringing up Obama's middle name is a pathetic attempt at twining your radical anti-Islamic agenda with reality "

Obama started his office with the famous brown-nosing speech to the islamic world in Cairo, and has since gone to endlessly appease islamists and throw Israel under the bus.

Get real, open your eyes, and stop pretending Obamas foreign islamophile dhimmi policy is not a fact.

DentShop: Well, you dont know me or anything about my academic background - so not sure why you would cast such an aspersion. Nobody would deny that the Middle East has not had a long and fractious past. But to say that the US has only been involved in the region for 30 years is to be very uninformed.

Please, do tell about the region. I'm especially interested in hearing about the meddling of Russia and Europe, and of course the damage Middle Eastern countries have done to each other.

WW3 started on November 4th, 1979 when Iranian militants seized the U.S. Embassy and held more than 50 hostages for 444 days. From that time, U.S. involvement in the middle east started and it's been spiraling downward ever since.

WilliB: Actually, yes. Promising a new holocaust on Israel does qualify as aggression.

How can one compare warships just off one's coast to letters and rhetoric?

Some people just like the sound of war drums.

Never submit:

" "Iranian Aggression"? It's not like Iranian ships are massing outside the Hudson river prepared to strike. "

Actually, yes. Promising a new holocaust on Israel does qualify as aggression. And do not think for a second that Iran´s objectives stop there. Iran`s islamic regime is very clear that the "Great Satan" USA must also be destroyed. You might want to read the open letter that Ahmedinejad wrote to Bush. (I do assume you have heard of it.)

The top U.S. Navy official in the Gulf said Sunday he takes Iran’s military capabilities seriously but insists his forces are prepared

His forces might be prepared, but Barack Hussein is not. I predict that Barack Husseins USA will sit idly by while Ahmedinejad finalizes his bomb. (Not quite "idly" though... Barack will spare no effort to prevent Israel from taking out Iran`s nukes.)