Obama, British Beat Drums of War

President Obama wasted no time jumping on the British bandwagon for war on Iran by applauding the latest EU sanctions, approved Monday. "These sanctions demonstrate once more the unity of the international community in addressing the serious threat presented by Iran's nuclear program," he said. "We will continue to increase the pressure unless Iran acts to change course and comply with its international obligations."

UK Defense Secretary Philip Hammond turned up the heat even higher with threats of his own, today, following up on Monday's remarks by Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague. Hammond declared that the passage of the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln into the Persian Gulf last Sunday, escorted by British and French warships, had sent "a clear signal about the resolve of the international community to defend the right of free passage through international waters." And he added that the UK is prepared to send further assets into the region.

Not only is the destroyer HMS Daring, which departed Portsmouth in the first week of January, half way to the Gulf, but another British warship, the HMS Westminster, departed Portsmouth on Jan. 21 for a 7-month deployment "east of Suez," as the British say. Hammond added that "We also maintain mine-counter measures vessels in the Gulf, which are an important part of the overall allied presence there, and of course the U.K. has a contingent capability to reinforce that presence should at any time it be considered necessary to do so."

The Ministry of Defense told the Associated Press that the Royal Navy also maintains four anti-mine vessels, two other frigates, three support ships, a survey vessel and one hunter-killer nuclear submarine in the region. All of this is in addition to two US Navy carrier battlegroups, and an amphibious ready group that are also on station in the region, not to mention air and ground forces — including 15,000 Army troops in Kuwait — also deployed in the region.

This is nothing but Middle Ages-style siege warfare, choking Iran economically and surrounding it by military forces. The danger should be obvious. Russia Today warned, Monday, that "with Washington's decision to deploy a second carrier strike group in the Gulf, the EU's attempt to pressure Iran economically could greatly increase the likelihood of all-out war in the region." RT goes on to review the US military buildup in the region and notes that Iran has been building up its own irregular warfare capabilities over the past two decades. According to Revolutionary Guard commander Brigadier General Jafaari, "The enemy is far more advanced technologically than we are, we have been using what is called asymmetric warfare methods... our forces are now well prepared for it," he said, as cited by Global Bearings. RT concludes that the EU strategy of tightening the economic noose around Iran "could spark the very conflagration it was ostensibly trying to avert."