Reportedly, the CIA advice to the White House is that Iran still hold 70 percent of their ballistic missile capability, have restored access to damaged storage facilities and can last for months against the US blockade.
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59 days to go before peace is declared?
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But but “decimated”!
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The previous abrupt end of Operation Freedom, to escort shipping through the strait, appears to have been due to US lack of protection of Gulf Coast Countries critical infrastructure.
When the first US destroyers sailed through the strait, Iran responded with attacks on allied civilian infrastructure. These allies knew about the plan, expected Iranian retaliation and expected US responses to any threat to civilian targets.
What went down was the US avoided hitting Iran for the strikes on civilian infrastructure. Trump didn’t want to retaliate and threaten the deal. This left the Gulf Coast allies in an untenable situation, there was nothing to dissuade Iran from attacking them at will. The allies felt that Trump was throwing them under a bus for political motives, obsessed with a deal and lacking any semblance of strategy. As such, they closed their airspace to US jets, removing the air cover for the US ships.
Some form of negotiation with these allies will have taken place and the strikes we are seeing are likely related to that initial experience.
This is based on reports out of the Middle East, so not 100% reliable, but it has a feel of truth.
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Saudi official says US did not consult with kingdom before Project Freedom launched
US President Donald Trump did not consult with US ally Saudi Arabia before launching the short-lived effort to force open a shipping passage through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Saudi official who was not authorised to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
‘‘We told them that we are not part of this and that they can’t use our territories and bases for this,’’ the official told the Associated Press.
The official said Saudi Arabia sent a message to Iran that the kingdom would not be involved in US attacks related to Trump’s attempt to reopen the strait.
Trump suspended the effort, dubbed Project Freedom, during its second day on Tuesday.
Only two American-flagged merchant ships are known to have passed through the US-guarded route.
The US military said it sank six Iranian small boats threatening civilian ships.
Yeah I’m not doing work from home and home schooling again thanks. I’ll sit out the next two years.
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There is no risk of it becoming a pandemic. It’ll burn itself out pretty quickly.
It’s a bit like during 2014 with Ebola. Even if a case emerged in Australia (which it didn’t), a whole host of factors meant the risk of any sustained transmission was basically zero.
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Do these ■■■■■ have access to a dictionary or have they all been burned?
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At what point will we realise that cruises must be banned?
(Sorry, Noonan).
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At the point where we have to start using the ships as floating morgues
It’s a logical progression.
Vertical integration, I believe is the term.
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But then I find myself lamenting a “lack of a competent opposition party”. Nice fantasy, when was the last time they were competent whether in opposition or government? They remind me of another organisation presently, one with swagger and bidness acumen, floundering like an Exxon walrus
I’ve always been for using cruise ships as age care facilities. For those who are not bed ridden.
Pretty much what they are for well to do oldies. Never have to touch ground again if you don’t want.
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If only you were able to go fishing from them
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Sorry, I’ve blocked that clown.
And the Yanks always get their retaliation in first.
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