Gulf of Oman incidents

[hutchst]

Or the South Koreans in Kamchatka. I think the Russians are winning at the moment.

[NRS]

NRS said:

rxe said:

It allowed an existing programme to continue while also giving Iran the benefits of integration into the global economy.

Nuclear weapons are not what is stopping the US intervening in countries. Say (for example) that the US and Israel had a big falling out. Is the US in anyway concerned about Israeli nukes? Not in the slightest. They have no first strike capability, and no second strike capability. Would the presence of nukes in Iran stop the US doing whatever it wanted? Nope - within reason, the stuff that drops ordinance is pretty immune to nukes, so Iran could be flattened and have no way of responding.

Why do you need a ICBM or similar? You have 2 other options. First is sneaking it into the US/UK etc somehow. Quite likely to get caught, but there is always the question of "did one make it we don't know about"? Or giving it to dodgy groups to do similar. North Korea is a perfect example. Very very small chance there is a problem for US, but given the consequences then it's not worth interfering. So it does have an effect. Particularly if people think you're crazy enough to (try and) use it.

And a story today just shows what you need to do (or make others think you have done it):

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48987723

[6th Gear]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-16...

Latest development.

[PRTVR]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-49029...
Iranian forces may have captured a tanker in the Gulf.

[Ian Geary]

Things seem to have taken a definite turn for the worst, including this tanker:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/19/brit...

[tim0409]

This could escalate very quickly.

[red_slr]

Last AIS ping was 10 hours ago..

[Terzo123]

I wonder what the response will be.

[red_slr]

Terzo123 said:

I wonder what the response will be.

Not a lot. Finger pointing I suspect. I mean they abducted 15 British military bods in 07 and we did the square root of f**k all.

[petemurphy]

Send in the fleet!

Oh wait this isn’t tomorrow never dies we don’t have a fleet.

It’s on now

[Condi]

How is this (much) different from us holding one of their tankers in Gibraltar?

[abzmike]

Condi said:

How is this (much) different from us holding one of their tankers in Gibraltar?

They're baddies and we're goodies... Pretty much.

[petemurphy]

If it’s Swedish owned prob wasn’t the best time to fly with a British flag?

[Condi]

abzmike said:

They're baddies and we're goodies... Pretty much.

Um... but to them we're baddies and their goodies?

So are we just going to exchange tankers in the middle of the ocean somewhere and go on our merry ways? No as unlikely as it sounds I suspect.

[anonymous-user]

abzmike said:

Condi said:

How is this (much) different from us holding one of their tankers in Gibraltar?

They're baddies and we're goodies... Pretty much.

The one we are holding is because it is suspected of breaking sanctions of importing oil into Syria. Nothing to do with it being Iranian.

[petemurphy]

Boris will attack them with a kipper

[alfie2244]

petemurphy said:

Boris will attack them with a kipper

I doubt he will he be involved in Cobra meetings just yet?

[petemurphy]

alfie2244 said:

I doubt he will he be involved in Cobra meetings just yet?

True may has nothing to lose she may as well go out with a bang and press the red button!

[abzmike]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

If they need to they will produce a reason, which the outside won't validate.
They are pushing to see how much provocation the US will take.

[alfie2244]

petemurphy said:

alfie2244 said:

I doubt he will he be involved in Cobra meetings just yet?

True may has nothing to lose she may as well go out with a bang and press the red button!

She's no Maggie.