Troops sent to Isreal ...

[mapuc]

Maybe it is what it says it is, a wargame. A wargame that have the purpose to send a warning to Iran.

The time is not right yet. I don't think the american people are ready for another war yet.

Markus

[CCIP]

I think you could also interpret it a different way, and say that the US moves right now are an attempt to deter Iran and Israel from making any sudden movements. With a presence in the gulf and boots on the ground in Israel, both of those sides may be less inclined to go at each other. I think that's a much smarter move than ignoring the situation and pretending that everything is alright and no troops need to be anywhere. And if Israel is getting an itchy finger, there's no better medicine for it than some material reassurance of its security.

The reality is also that while Iran 'believes' a lot of things, they're not actually that stupid and are not in any way above or beneath realpolitik and gunboat diplomacy. They're getting another message here.

[Kaye T. Bai]

PressTV and RT have been the only ones reporting on it, so I'll take it with a grain of salt.

[mapuc]

Originally Posted by Kaye T. Bai

PressTV and RT have been the only ones reporting on it, so I'll take it with a grain of salt.

That's good, Always take a grain of salt when watching/hearing/reading the news

Markus

[Sea Demon]

Originally Posted by CCIP

I think you could also interpret it a different way, and say that the US moves right now are an attempt to deter Iran and Israel from making any sudden movements. With a presence in the gulf and boots on the ground in Israel, both of those sides may be less inclined to go at each other. I think that's a much smarter move than ignoring the situation and pretending that everything is alright and no troops need to be anywhere. And if Israel is getting an itchy finger, there's no better medicine for it than some material reassurance of its security.

I agree with this. Although I don't think boots on the ground in Israel will stop Iran from using it's proxy Hezbollah from causing trouble. Actually, I think putting troops here may provoke that action.

[CCIP]

Originally Posted by Sea Demon

I agree with this. Although I don't think boots on the ground in Israel will stop Iran from using it's proxy Hezbollah from causing trouble. Actually, I think putting troops here may provoke that action.

Who knows, though again, I honestly don't think Iran is looking for war with the US themselves. More than anything, the presence in Israel might help keep the Israelis calm is what I'm thinking. They're less likely to lash out at minor provocations by Iran and Hezbollah; otherwise if a 'big one' happens, then the US is guaranteed not to stand by idly.

Again, I think the bottom line is that neither the US nor Iran actually want this war. Israel doesn't want it either, but you can't blame them for getting nervous at the nuclear developments.

Frankly I'm not sure any of this is productive, but at this point I can see the US using every trick in the book short of actually pulling the plug on Iran themselves to prevent Israel from their near-inevitable attack on the nuke facilities. I don't think it'll work in the long term, but if the US administration is playing for time, that's all fair politics. The US will not stand idly by if and when the Iran-Israel confrontation happens. If you look at US politics right now, war in Iran would be very bad for everybody and would throw another wrench into economic recovery, not to mention the upcoming elections. It's a bad deal from every angle, for all parties involved. So of course it's militarily and politically a sensible thing for the US to do to try and stall it.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by mapuc

Maybe it is what it says it is, a wargame. A wargame that have the purpose to send a warning to Iran.

The time is not right yet. I don't think the american people are ready for another war yet.

Markus

I think the question of when time is running out over the Iranian program, is not decided by the level of American public's readiness for war, but the working results produced in Iranian laboratories.

[mapuc]

According to a danish newspaper(bt.dk) England is sending one of it's Destroyer to the gulf in the middle east.

It's the HMS Daring

Markus

[GoldenRivet]

Troubling developments, these are.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by mapuc

According to a danish newspaper(bt.dk) England is sending one of it's Destroyer to the gulf in the middle east.

It's the HMS Daring

Markus

Really? Must be something afoot then, that's the lead boat of our newest class. Top notch Anti-air system...if they can afford to load the missiles.
Looks like she was due to replace the Type-23 frigate on station in the Gulf.

Bit of an upgrade.

[vienna]

Although I don't think boots on the ground in Israel will stop Iran from using it's proxy Hezbollah from causing trouble. Actually, I think putting troops here may provoke that action.

You only have to recall the 1983 gross error of the Regan Administration in the posting of Marines/Army/Navy personnel in Beirut to see where putting boots on the ground is not always the deterrent some people would have us believe. I would be very much concerned for the safety of any U.S. troops placed in Israel with the purported intent of acting as a buffer. The Regan administration's response to the Beirut bomobing by invading Grenada 2 days later was also highly questionable, particularly since Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the bombing. What will we do if this time something if something happens to our troops?...invade Venezuela?...

[magicstix]

Originally Posted by vienna

You only have to recall the 1983 gross error of the Regan Administration in the posting of Marines/Army/Navy personnel in Beirut to see where putting boots on the ground is not always the deterrent some people would have us believe. I would be very much concerned for the safety of any U.S. troops placed in Israel with the purported intent of acting as a buffer. The Regan administration's response to the Beirut bomobing by invading Grenada 2 days later was also highly questionable, particularly since Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the bombing. What will we do if this time something if something happens to our troops?...invade Venezuela?...

The idea that the US invaded Grenada over Beirut is somewhat ludicrous. We invaded because a friendly democratic government in our backyard was overthrown by an unfriendly government in our backyard as well as the (stated) goal of protecting American medical students in the country. Whether or not one agrees with the invasion of Grenada, tying it to Beirut in some sort of Cold War conspiracy theory is disingenuous.

[Takeda Shingen]

It's budget time. Got to make sure that defense spending stays up, right? Can't have those troops coming home.