Wednesday, July 11, 2012

U.S. "Submersibles" To Persian Gulf


U.S. Moving Submersibles To Persian Gulf


The Navy is rushing dozens of unmanned underwater craft to the Persian Gulf to help detect and destroy mines in a major military buildup aimed at preventing Iran from closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the event of a crisis, U.S. officials said.

The tiny SeaFox submersibles each carry an underwater television camera, homing sonar and an explosive charge. The Navy bought them in May after an urgent request by Marine Gen. James Mattis, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East.

Each submersible is about 4 feet long and weighs less than 100 pounds. The craft are intended to boost U.S. military capabilities as negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program appear to have stalled. Three rounds of talks since April between Iran and the five countries in the United Nations Security Council plus Germany have made little progress.

Some U.S. officials are wary that Iran may respond to tightening sanctions on its banking and energy sectors, including a European Union oil embargo, by launching or sponsoring attacks on oil tankers or platforms in the Persian Gulf. Some officials in Tehran have threatened to close the narrow waterway, a choke point for a fifth of the oil traded worldwide.

The first of the SeaFox submersibles arrived in the Gulf in recent weeks, officials said, along with four MH-53 Sea Dragon helicopters and four minesweeping ships, part of a larger buildup of U.S. naval, air and ground forces in the region aimed at Iran.

The U.S. already has sent two aircraft carriers and a squadron of F-22 fighters to the Persian Gulf, and is keeping two U.S. army brigades in Kuwait. Though much of the buildup has been publicly acknowledged by the Pentagon, the deployment of the submersibles has not been publicly disclosed, apparently to avoid alerting Iran.

The SeaFox is small enough to be deployed from helicopters and even small rubber boats, but it also can be dropped off the back of a minesweeper. It is controlled by a fiber optic cable and sends live video back to a camera operator.

It can be used against floating or drifting mines, which Iran has used in the past. It operates up to 300 meters deep, and moves at speeds of up to six knots. But the $100,000 weapon is on a what amounts to a suicide mission. The “built-in, large caliber shaped charge” it carries destroys the mine but also the vehicle itself.


It seems that war preparations have increased significantly over the last 2-4 weeks, and that increase includes Russia, Iran and the U.S. British and French governments are also discussing sending military to the region.

One has to wonder what these countries are preparing for. Is Israeli military action being anticipated, along with a subsequent Iranian attempt to block the Strait of Hormuz? Is it being assumed that Iran will take aggressive actions due to the current sanctions? Is this due to increased tension in Syria and escalation there which could carry over to the Strait of Hormuz?

There are many other potential scenarios, but it is hard to ignore this current military build up in the region.


15 comments:

Robin said...

There appears to be an awful lot of concern over the Strait of Hormuz and free flow of oil . . .but it's surprising we're not hearing anything about Naval Ships in South America, keeping an eye on the missile launch pads Ahmadinejad had built. Am I the only one concerned oil might be the least of our worries?

Ally said...

Robin-I'm not sure how to say this but I'm gonna try. Please read between the lines. We have many brave men and women in our military! Who love this nation. But there are others....not good...plans..demise....blood sacrifice.....powers and pricipalities of darkness....preplanned....downfall.....shocking.....destruction. :( Keep eyes on Jesus!!!!! Don't worry.

Anonymous said...

i have been told that the rapture
could happen when the dow is
way up ?? I doubt that very much.

COS a 450/500 pt bulling would NOT
DOUBT be a precursor to a HUGE
RALLY.......NOT a rapture scenario.

NOT AT ALL !!!!

In any case....yeah....it's quite
understandable why people on this
BLOG are so concerned and/or
anxious for that rapture to hit.

AND YET, God's timing is NOT man's
and NEVER WILL BE.....

It's time to REALIZE that said
rapture may still BE A WAYS in
the future.

With that in mind the stock market
is down tonite....but STILL ABOVE
12, 450....

AS STATED MANY TIMES, until I see
a break of this level I am NOT
willing to fully commit to this
"wow the end is here" scenario.

WOW HOLD ON HORSY >>>>

slow down and look at all the facts
first...

Stephen >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Anonymous said...

NOT DOUBT should be NO doubt.

sorry

Stephen >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Robin said...

Stephen :). Do you read these charts with the same selectivity? Picture this scenario: for some unexplainable reason, we wake up to find Futures up 400 points in overnight trading . . .as the NYSE opens, stocks are way up and remain high though the Closing Bell. And then, in the midst of rush hour that day. . .we're gloriously Raptured in the blink of an eye.

Based on history, we know the markets won't reopen the next day, following disaster (perceived by those left, when so many vanish) . . .and based on history, we know when they finally DO open, they'll drop like a rock in every country around the world that has large numbers of Christians. (the first week stocks reopened following 9/11, they dropped 1369.7 14.3%)

So what I'm trying to convey is this . . .just as there was no indication in the Dow on 9/10/01 that catastrophe would hit the market next day . . .the Rapture will occur with NO warning, whatsoever. The Rapture will likely cause the crash and not the other way around.

Anonymous said...

ok, I give up for now Robin...

BUT, what is this ?? Did you have
a VISION of all this ??

Or is this a wishful thinking scenario ??

Please tell me, cos let me tell 'ya, my Grandmother DIED WAITING FOR
this rapture on 5 JUNE 1987...

And my heart was broken.

Please INPUT THAT into your calculations...

thanks

Stephen >>>>>>>>>>>>>

Anonymous said...

Has anyone heard about the quartet proposals to finalise the peace agreement between israel-palestine at end of 2012? Is there some truth in it?

Robin said...

No, Stephen . . .not a vision, simply a possible scenario to demonstrate my point that while I definitely believe the Rapture will affect the market, I don't believe the market will affect the Rapture. It's all God's perfect timing. The ONLY reason to watch economic indicators as they relate to Bible Prophecy, is because the Bible tells us there will be inflation and a global currency . . .but those things will occur during the Tribulation and the Rapture will have already taken place. So watching the indicators . . .along with news for OTHER signs combined, gives us some indication that it's near.

BTW, markets will open significantly lower this morning.

Robin said...

Anon, what source are you referencing? The last I heard, peace talks had been shelved early this year in stalemate.

Given the buildup in the Persian Gulf, I don't think a treaty would be signed at the end of this year unless there's major war in the region first.

Anonymous said...

Robin, I can see all that u are saying BUT look at my point of view.

ok ????

THERE IS NO WAY I can make my
decisions to buy puts, ie, BET
on the downside based on what
ANYONE says about the rapture.

The coming crash MAY or MAY NOT
happen during that same period of
time. WHEN I AM dealing with
money decisions, I LOOK STRICTLY
at the wave counts.

If I were EVEN to assume that
said rapture were the reason for
the collapse, coming, then why
BOTHER even buying the puts ??

really...

i would NOT be here to enjoy the
profits.

BUT U and ANYONE else has NO IDEA
when that rapture will hit, be honest about that please....how could you ?? NO ONE KNOWS right ??
Even Jesus DOES NOT know, only the
Father, is that correct ????

That is WHY I have to use the waves
since "you never know" when it
comes to rapture timing.

AND THAT will be the way I operate.
going forward......no NEED to change it......being doing it that
way since OCT 1974.

Stephen >>>>>>>>>>>

Robin said...

Stephen, I see your point completely . . .and what im saying is, if you're watching the charts and indicators for investment purposes . . .dont run them through the Bible first. The signs were given to us so we won't be caught off guard, and as reassurance that in Christ Jesus, we will be saved from the judgements. They were NEVER, EVER intended to be used to profit financially from.

God has appointed you to be a steward of HIS money he's placed in your charge . . .and expects you to make wise decisions in its growth. Use your charts and indices toward that end . . .but not as a gauge for when the Rapture will occur.

Anonymous said...

Robin its in wikipedia look for "quartet in the middle east"
the last session they had in 23 sep 2011

Robin said...

Yes, I'm aware of what their agenda said was scheduled . . .which is what Wikipedia wrote, however, if you look for news AFTER that date, it was reported that neither side could come to an agreement.

Robin said...

http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2012/s3416750.htm

From the story:

The deadline January 26th was set by the Quartet of Middle East mediators - the United States, Europe, Russia and the United Nations - with the aim of getting direct negotiations underway to thrash out a peace deal by the end of this year.

Robin said...

Sorry, left out part :)

TANYA NOLAN: The latest deadline for peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians has passed with both sides as far apart as ever.