Possible four US carriers very soon

It makes me chuckle to read over and over again how reliance on military might and numbers alone will make Iran fall...the one factor the war-hawks here seem to have forgotten, is tactics...it's not what cards you hold, but how you play your hand.

Iran has the ability to economically cripple the US by striking at oil-targets... blocking the Hormuz Straits with a sunken tanker, sabotaging major pipelines elsewhere in the ME and Caspian Sea region on its Northern borders (such as the newly opened Tblisi-Baku-Ceyhan line), destroying offshore deepwater tanker un/load terminals to create a vast (flammable) oil slicks in the gulf...etc

The resulting economic-shock from skyrocketing oil prices just as the US is staring a recession in the face will be one hell of a strike back

Originally posted by Zaphod58

Originally posted by on_yur_6
The IAEA found high concentrations of enriched uranium and was then kicked out just recently. Funny how a country sitting on top of some of the largest energy reserves in the world seeks to obtain nuclear technology at any cost.

Because within 10 years Iran won't have the capability to draw any oil from the ground. The equipment they're using now was bought during the era of the Shah, and is falling apart rapidly. Within 10 years it will be useless, and they can't replace it because of sanctions.

Now this is something I haven't heard yet and it's intriguing. How is it not possible for them to import oil equipment but import nuclear reactor equipment from Russia? Sanctions are just something recently enforced because of noncompliance with the UN over Iran's stance on nuclear enrichment.

Bodrul,

In a way you are right. The USA will become obsolete because of the idiots running this country and moving our industrial might overseas to empower developing nations. Currently the USA is still the most powerful as far as financial and military might. I'm not about to throw in the towel yet on my country but we are in major need of some type of change in our governement. Term limits for the lifers in Congress would be the best place to start and allow us to elect people who don't win the office because of their deep pockets but because of the exchange of ideas between candidates.

I in no way wish for anything to happen again in the ME. Like I said before it is time to pull back to our borders, protect our allies, and wait. Our ignorant leaders must return our industrial might to this country and stop selling out our country.

You think it's silly for me to wait for the world to come calling for our help again? They do it everytime something bad has happened in the last 200+ years. What country gives the most financial aid to other countries? What country funds the UN more than any other country? What country supplies the most soldiers and equipment when the UN calls for it? If we pull back I'd like to know which country will step up and take care of things when the need calls for it around the globe?

Of course we differ on many things but know I'm not for another pre-emptive strike on any country ever! But if Iran were to try and strike our Navy in the region first our sabotage the oil fields and supply to financially cripple the USA and the world for that matter, then I'm all for protecting our interests.

Let's keep an eye on what's happening and pray those in charge do the right thing for once.

Originally posted by on_yur_6
Funny how a country sitting on top of some of the largest energy reserves in the world seeks to obtain nuclear technology at any cost

Iran also has it's own deposits of Uranium, so why not take advantage of a resource within their own borders too?

Makes more sense to use those resources for domestic power production rather than waste a valuable export commodity such as oil for firing power stations.