US Strikes on Iran (Operation Epic Fury)

[Thumpalumpacus]

31st MEU is still on the way too. And while the headlines have moved on, the Air Force and the Navy still have aircrew putting their asses on the line every day ... tell me again, for what? 82nd assaults Kharg, 31st secures it, and then they get to sit there under a rain of drones -- got it.

Good lord I hope it's the other way around.  The marine units have a larger force and significant amphibious and air power.  The idea of the 82nd trying to jump onto a small island covered in defenders, aa, and large industrial installations is possibly the stupidest thing I've ever heard...but in trumplandia that does almost guarantee it's the plan, I suppose.  Maybe he told Whiskey Pete it had to be the 82nd because he heard they were all american and he didn't want any pictures of mexicans raising flags in iran.  The drip drip drip makes it sound like the fabled minneappolis express, where some small portion of hooah magats volunteered themselves for this very serious duty, sir.

Yeah, the MEU is better-designed for opposed landings, but gosh, those ships take so long .... and I need my hit right-fucking-now, Peter. No, I mean right now. And you know Heggy is just the twat to toss a salute and yammer "yes sir!" before he gets back to the bar so he can tweet some good opsec dope while finishing another Cuba Libre.

[Paleophyte]

Sounds like Trumplethinskin's planning to get a lot of Americans killed storming one island so that he can declare victory. If the Iranians are savvy, they'll wait until he's in mid-parade before turning an oil tanker into a bonfire in the middle of the straits.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Sounds like Trumplethinskin's planning to get a lot of Americans killed storming one island so that he can declare victory. If the Iranians are savvy, they'll wait until he's in mid-parade before turning an oil tanker into a bonfire in the middle of the straits.

I doubt he'll commit to any assault. I agree that he wants to declare victory and get the fuck out ... and that most will see this for what it is, Trump shitting the bed yet again. We'll be left with washing the sheets one more time.

[The Grand Nudger]

In a nutshell, that's what makes the concern about a Kharg assault more credible. It's lower cost than trying to put boots into (or get boots out of) the death spiral that is the iranian interior.

It's the kind of operation we probably could pull off relatively fast, hang a big banner on an aircraft carrier, and then move on to cuba - which we're currently trying to starve into performative submission and/or as prep for near future action.

I do hope he chickens out like the draft dodger he is all the way down to his bonespurs, though.

[Paleophyte]

This one's a fascinating read: The energy crisis has only just begun

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

@Leonardo17

 I am not willing to admit that someone who says “In the Name of God the Provider and the Merciful” and then murders its own (Muslim) people with AK-47’s can win.

Well, that's just plain dumb and stupid (no offense). Anyone who can be convinced that it is their duty to kill and die for their gods could very well win. When you factor in that war criminal Pete Hegseth says they won't be allowed to surrender, you've made fanatics that much more fanatical.

History is cheek to jowl with religionists killing their own. Study up.

Boru

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

This one's a fascinating read: The energy crisis has only just begun

This bit is what far too many people fail to grasp.

"Oil only travels at the speed of a tanker," said Johnston.

Boru

[The Grand Nudger]

All snark and misgivings aside, pure speculation from publicly known info- the operation (or threat) looks like it might be something like this. MEUs launch two assaults. One utilizing the runway in Kharg, the only thing left untouched on the island. The other (probably larger) assault on the expected close command and resupply on the mainland- with the 82nd dropping into that second targets glocs, operationally “behind” that targets defense.

This keeps everyone close to air support, easy to take pics and get out, and it’s the kind of tactical operation the us has been very good at, even if we struggle at the strategic level (and there’s no strategy here anyway)

Phones are ringing off the hook here in our community. Reservists getting calls.

[Leonardo17]

Paleophyte:
 

“I've got no idea what you're saying or who you're saying it to. Please try to figure out how the quote tags work and organize this into something other than a stream of consciousness.”
 

- I have no spellcheck in the forum. The OS is spellchecking me in the default language of this computer. But let me see if I can make it better.

“This merely shows that you're too dumb to be a troll. Trump's antics with Greenland achieved nothing except to alienate allies that he now desperately needs. Greenland was never under threat of invasion by anybody and it would have triggered a full NATO response if they had. Greenland was a secure asset a long way from anybody who was going to threaten it, other than Trump. Russia has a war in Ukraine to deal with. China's on the opposite side of the globe. Who are you worried about here? Canada? Mexico? Algeria? Your theory is imbecility invented to defend an imbecile.”

 
- That’s not what I said. There are shorter sea routes in the Arctic Ocean that will become more navigable in the coming decades. I would need maps to explain this to you. But Russia has a lot of harbors along this sea routes and China has already sent 1 or 2 commercial ships to Europe through that sea route (that is shorter than the Sues canal or the Panama Canal – if your destination is the US).
 
Greenland becoming totally independent could have been a problem (what if Russians decide to land on it?). But as long as they are with Denmark, They are with Europe / They are with NATO and everything is fine. Did you get it?
 

“You think that only god people can win? How precious. I have a prediction for you. Trump's going to get bored and fuck off, leaving Iran no better off than it was despite the deaths. The Ayatollahs will win for no better reason than he's a moron and a coward.”

 
- These are all personal opinions. My theory is that there are a number of red lines that even dictatorial regimes cannot cross. See: I remember the days when Putin was seen as an authoritarian but progressive leader in the world. He even alerted the US before 9/11. He used to be an ally and a friend of the West. Then he decided he needed Crimea and all of this changed overnight.
 
In the Obama era, there were treaties and hopes for the situation of Iranians to improve. See: just 2 years ago it looked like Bashar al Assad survived the Arab spring somehow. Now it seems like he is gone for good no matter what.  

BrianSoddingBoru:
 

“Well, that's just plain dumb and stupid (no offense). Anyone who can be convinced that it is their duty to kill and die for their gods could very well win. When you factor in that war criminal Pete Hegseth says they won't be allowed to surrender, you've made fanatics that much more fanatical.
History is cheek to jowl with religionists killing their own. Study up.
Boru”

 
- I am worried about this type of Christian “Holy War” like attitudes too.
 
But we are not back to Cross vs. Crescent. When you have people who say “In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful” and do deeds that do not benefit humanity or life on this planet. You force the other side to hit you back in a similar manner.
 
And this isn’t “killing their own” they called their own people “spies or traitors working for Israel” then they killed them. They did the same to Azerbaijan. They launched several missiles on this country (allegedly for letting Israeli spies operate there and plan their missions in Iran) and their trolls on social media were spreading the message that (again) Azerbaijan was working for Israel.
 
As long are they are concerned, it’s either them or Israel. No one can keep his/her distance to both

[The Grand Nudger]

Cross V Cross and Crescent V Crescent have also always been a thing. The founder of islam was a damned warlord, and the popularizers of christianity were no slouch there either. It's not especially bad or particularly uncommon when muslims kill muslims Leo, it's business as usual. The idea that violence is better or worse if it's export or domestic is shaky in and of itself. If you believed that their or your muslimness was or even should be some sort of talisman against predation.....ya might be more like the warlords and crusaders than you think.