Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Not Exactly Expendible

We don't have many mine sweepers, relying on allied ships or our helicopters for the job. So sending four of our mine countermeasure ships--about half of them, I think--to the Persian Gulf is a big deal:


Four U.S. minesweepers have arrived in the Gulf to bolster the U.S. Fifth Fleet and ensure the safety of shipping routes, the U.S. Navy said, as an Iranian military chief suggested on Monday that Iran might try to block the Strait of Hormuz to defend its interests.

Actually, all of our MCM ships might be in the Gulf since we already had four there, it seems.

At least they are small vessels and not big expensive ships dangled out as a temptation for Iran to strike first. But we don't have many to lose.

I'd be careful about what we send into the Persian Gulf until we can pound Iran's assets from afar.