Iranian Warships Send Message:
By Barry Rubin
It is common today to speak of the U.S. overthrow of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein as having unintentionally made revolutionary Islamist Iran from more powerful. Will the overthrow of Egyptian dictator Husni Mubarak have a similar effect?
Here’s something that might be a sign in that direction. Two Islamic Republic of Iran warships just visited the Saudi port of Jeddah in the Red Sea. No, that wasn’t a misprint, I said “Red Sea,” and not “Persian Gulf.” This is the first time Iranian warships have been in the Red Sea, just down the coast from Israel and just across from Egypt.
Not only is this a strategic alarm bell for the United States and Israel but also for the Saudis themselves. Bereft now of their last significant Arab ally and feeling unable to depend on the United States, the Saudis are facing their worst strategic situation since the 1950s at a time when Iran is spreading its influence and racing toward nuclear weapons.
But that’s not the only kind of weapon Iran is getting. It just sank a floating target with a new missile having a 250-300 km. range with high accuracy. Called, rather significantly, “Persian Gulf” (Khalij Fars), it has a sophisticated guidance system, is based on Chinese versions, and operated by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corp (IRGC).
Defense News explains: “The implications for the U.S. Navy are serious….Iran could potentially track U.S. Navy carrier groups at long distances [and] try to target [them] without early warning. It also means that the U.S. Navy cannot consider the [Persian]Gulf as safe….
Nor the Red Sea either.
Gradually but steadily, the Iranian regime is building up its power, even aside from nuclear weapons. Though it might take many years, one day–through Iranian miscalculation or hubris–there might be a U.S.-Iran war in the Persian Gulf.
It will also make an excellent artificial reef!
I too am all in favor of the collapse of Islamist Iran. But until that happens: I do not think we are far from an Iranian navy base in the Mediterranean.
It seems to me that there is no reason for the new Hezbullah Lebanon not to welcome Iranian port facilities along its coast.
That is called projection of power!
In my view, Obama betrayed no one. The U.S. kept its nose out of it the first couple of days, then when the direction was set, encouraged Mubarek, as did many other countries, to leave. He didn’t listen, but his own military finally got through to him. Seems that his son and closest advisers were keeping him shielded from much that had been going on.
FYI: catarin has been posting comments for a few months and Vinnie for about a year. Where have you been?
Unrestrained greed and PC multiculturalism Has created a nation working diligently against her own national interests. Like recently Boeing cutting a deal with China and then cutting a thousand American jobs. China requires transferring advanced technology as a condition for these deals. One example of thousands. Then America has lost any semblance of a moral compass. America won’t implode like the USSR but she is on a steep incline for national decline.
Obama is performing pretty much along the lines I had expected of him.
It’s almost everyone else who have to date disappointed.
Vinnie you’re hopeless no matter what or how much data some of us (I) post you ignore and resume your fantasy bubble existence. Evin if you are willfully weak on the deductive thinking side of inductive thinking side of the ledger, your inductive reasoning seems o be nonexistent.
I gave you yesterday links to the latest polling of head to head presidential candidates. Appears despite all of your angst against the Black guy in the WH an overwhelming majority of Americans are not on your page. Wishful thinking is always just that. My point is : pinning all of your hopes and dreams that Onama will lose in 2012 is congruent with the most probable outcome. What would you do in such an outcome?
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess out of the public treasury. After that, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits with the result the democracy collapses because of the loose fiscal policy ensuing, always to be followed by a dictatorship, then a monarchy.
Vinnie and Catarin,
It is good to see you both here. I don’t recall seeing your names earlier. Welcome to Israpndit! As part of your initiation, I will argue a bit with what you said. Yamit will follow me, with blasphemous blithering.
Vinnie said,
“They really don’t have that much going for them, except NATIONAL WILL. They have that in abundance. We don’t have ANY.”
This is a great exaggeration. Americans have a tremendous national will. It depends on who’s channeling it. Also note that Americans are not one people: there are some ancient ideological and cultural divides, which various parties exploit to their advantage. Under the “right” leader, America could be a real unstoppable monster; but by the grace of God, we have not unified this way. The Iranians, of course, are much more divided: the two cannot be compared.
Catarin said:
“I think Obama has already gotten on top of this situation. There’s much going on that is not public knowledge. I trust Obama and Admiral Mike Mullen…”
I’ll leave that one to Yamit. He doesn’t trust anyone; but strangely, he voted for Obama. I personally do not control any of our leaders or potential leaders, nor the people who control them, bar a few. That’s why when I vote, I either vote along party lines (Our politicians really are “party” animals), or, if I have such information, for men and women of character. To mention one name, Sarah Palin is on my “hopeful” list.
As for Obama, he just betrayed America’s closest Arab ally. What makes you think he can be trusted?
I read a couple weeks ago that Iran was sending a couple ships that way and that U.S. ships would be in the area to “greet” them. Maybe ships from elsewhere also. I hope there is more news on this soon. The Suez canal is under heavy reinforcements so Iran probably will not head that way.
I think Obama has already gotten on top of this situation. There’s much going on that is not public knowledge. I trust Obama and Admiral Mike Mullen, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, to take whatever steps are necessary to keep the U.S., Israel, and the area safe. If Hezbollah makes a move against Israel, there will be retribution from the U.S. Hezbollah may be calling the shots in Lebanon but it’s not going to do them one bit of good. They are in the bull’s eye. Boom!
Turkey is the #1 Muslim power in the region. Iran’s regime may be in very big trouble soon. The youth in Iran are more moderate and pro-western than Egypt and Iran is not going to tolerate autocracy for very long when the Arabs have democracy.
No Republican has a chance in hell against Obama. My cat could beat Mitt Romney. Tucson was the game changer.
We are talking about a country here with a GDP the size of Ohio. 85% of that is based on the export of a commodity; take away oil, and Israel has a larger economy.
They have rampant inflation and unemployment. What do you expect from a country run by clerics, according to medieval precepts? I hear they just banned celebration of Valentine’s Day. Now, that’s getting their legislative priorities straight!
They really don’t have that much going for them, except NATIONAL WILL. They have that in abundance. We don’t have ANY. Amazing how much difference that makes.
Two years from now, I expect that to change. Obama will be sent packing. Whoever replaces him has GOT to be an improvement, unless it is Ron Paul. So, barring re-election of Obama or his replacement by Ron Paul, our situation in the “national will” department should improve, and Iran won’t be looking quite so scary then.
That said, if Mitt Romney wins, I’ll also be a tad worried. He’s a smart guy, and I don’t think he’s a Saudi stooge, but he does impress me as being a weasel.