Lack of news: Military buildup in the Persian Gulf
The mainstream media have not reported that there is a buildup of US naval vessels in the Persian Gulf. There have been confirmed and unconfirmed sources that up to five (5) aircraft carrier groups are now in the Middle East region.
DEBKAfile - Three major US naval strike forces due this week in Persian Gulf
DEBKAfile's military sources have named the USS Theodore Roosevelt, the USS Ronald Reagan, and the USS Iwo Jima that are enroute to the Gulf. Already in place are the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea opposite Iranian shores and the USS Peleliu which is cruising in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
If all of this is true, there will be more than 40 carriers, warships, and submarines operating in Middle Eastern waters, and in particular, close to Iran.
Why are there so many ships in the region?
Also, third-party sources have reported that French and British ships are accompanying the USS Theodore Roosevelt to the Gulf.
Could this be a planned naval blockade of Iran in order to stop it from importing benzene and other refined oil products?
In the Jerusalem Post, the US Department of Defense have denied those reports.
Egypt's Middle Eastern Times said Kuwait had activated its Emergency War Plan after learning that a force "consisting of a US Navy super carrier battle group and is accompanied by an expeditionary carrier battle group, a British Royal Navy carrier battle group and a French nuclear hunter-killer submarine" are headed for the Middle East. Some of the ships were allegedly involved in Operation Brimstone, held in the Atlantic last week, which simulated a naval blockade of Iran.
All of this have not been reported in any mainstream news channel or web site.
Just imagine having more than 40 naval warships in the Persian Gulf. What are they doing? Some large-scale exercise? It seems quite a concern when you have that much firepower.
The sites above have guessed that the United States, aided by France, Britain, and Canada will enact a partial naval blockade of Iran. The large number of warships are there to keep the Strait of Hormuz oil route chokepoint open if Iran attempts to shut down the Strait in retailiation. Another guess is that Israel may very well prepare an attack on Iran's nuclear installations, and these naval forces are acting as back-up.
As of now, military bloggers, web sites, and other informants are trying to keep tabs on these ships and their whereabouts.
Good article on New Yorker
Comments