Armada of international naval power massing in the Gulf as Israel prepares an Iran strike

[dixiegrrrrl]

so reports the Telegraph..
The linked page DOES have a very nice photo of the Straits of Hormuz, the famous ( or infamous) "checkpoint" for oil shipments, which Iran has threat ended to close in case of "aggression.
"through which passes around 18 million barrels of oil every day, approximately 35 per cent of the world’s oil traded by sea."

"An armada of US and British naval power is massing in the Persian Gulf in the belief that Israel is considering a pre-emptive strike against Iran’s suspected nuclear weapons programme."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/9545597/Armada-of-international-naval-power-massing-in-the-Gulf-as-Israel-prepares-an-Iran-strike.html

So, while the WH official position is we are NOT supporting Israel's obvious intenet to strike Iran, at the same time
"warships from more than 25 countries, including the United States, Britain, France, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, will today begin an annual 12-day exercise."
(today being Sept 15 when this was written) See article for a description of some impressive firepower being assembled.

I hear the war drums banging.

[arcane1]

1. From what I understand, this "annual 12-day exercise" is exactly that

And that this year it's even been scaled down from last year. Don't let the drum-beaters try to tell us this is anything other than an annual exercise.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. yup

beat me to it.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. according to Reuters. it is the the most widely attended international naval exercise ever held

Reuters) - Warships from around the world were assembling in the Gulf on Sunday for what the U.S. military described as the most widely attended international naval exercise ever held in the Middle East.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/09/16/uk-usa-exercises-iran-idUKBRE88F0HL20120916

[DonViejo]

2. Read it but don't miss this paragraph:

In preparation for any pre-emptive or retaliatory action by Iran, warships from more than 25 countries, including the United States, Britain, France, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, will today begin an annual 12-day exercise.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. uhhh...yes, as I pointed out in bold in the OP.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Oh, hush. The ships are there so the sailors can improve their tans.

And, besides, only rogue nations rattle their sabers.

[sufrommich]

5. Is this being reported anywhere else but the Telegraph?

I haven't been able to find one other legitimate news source making this claim.

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. Here are the links which identifies several news articles about it

including Reuters...http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/17/us-iran-nuclear-navies-idUSBRE88G0VP20120917
Business Week....http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-09-16/u-dot-s-dot-leads-biggest-gulf-mine-exercise-in-signal-to-iran
CBS......http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501713_162-57510125/iran-timing-sensitive-for-us-led-gulf-exercises/
Australia's Perth News....http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1693191/US-Israeli-gap-on-Iran-nukes-widens

and here is the google search link:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&gl=us&tbm=nws&q=+naval+exercises+the+Gulf&oq=+naval+exercises+the+Gulf&gs_l=news-cc.3..43j43i400.47666.58962.0.60809.30.20.0.6.0.1.354.2804.2j15j2j1.20.0...0.0...1ac.2j1.CojMDzeCsVY

[BOG PERSON]

9. israel, either shit or get off the pot