Military build up in Gulf of Aden

[durabone]

It seems that this missile sale may be crucial to coming events:

_http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=168714

Russia: No reason not to sell S-300 systems to Iran
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
15/02/2010 00:03

Deal not restricted by any int'l sanctions, says deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council.

Russia sees no reason to stall on the sale of its S-300 anti-missile systems to Iran, the Kremlin’s powerful Security Council said on Sunday, Reuters reported.

The possible sale of Russian air defense hardware to the Islamic Republic is a major irritant for both Israel and the United States. Both have pressed Moscow not to go ahead with a deal that could protect Iran’s nuclear facilities from air strikes

"There is a signed contract [to supply S-300 missiles] which we must implement, but deliveries have not started yet,” Vladimir Nazarov, deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council, told the Interfax news agency in an interview.

“This deal is not restricted by any international sanctions, because the talk is about deliveries of an exclusively defensive weapon,” he said.

This next story might indicate that the US understands the risks that these systems pose quite well:

How Ukraine armed the U.S. against Iran
Published 24 November, 2008, 10:37
kraine has provided the U.S. military with radar used in the S-300 air defence system. The Pentagon is concerned that Iran could acquire the Russian-produced hardware and wants to research ways of counteracting it.

The S-300 is a long-range air defence system developed by the Soviet Union in late 1970s. Armed forces of several ex-Warsaw bloc countries including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus as well as NATO members Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Greece use the system. Part of this system is the 36D6 surveillance radar (or according to the NATO disambiguation – “Tin Shield”) that performs initial identification and tracking of aerial targets at a range of up to 360 km.

Ukraine’s state arms exporter Ukrspetsexport supplied one such radar at the Pentagon’s request, reports Kommersant-Ukraine daily, citing an insider. The requested item was a modification of the 36D6 Tin Shield, which is produced locally in the city of Zaporozhye. No official comment by the company followed.

Military experts believe the American military may have taken interest in the radar after Iranian Defence Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar announced last year that the Islamic nation could buy S-300 systems from Russia.

Here we see the US placing anti-missile batteries into four nearby countries:

_http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-us-iran31-2010jan31,0,4832460.story

U.S. beefs up defenses near Iran By Julian E. Barnes
January 31, 2010
New antimissile systems are being set up in Persian Gulf countries, including early-warning radar and missile batteries. Washington emphasizes that the measures are intended to be defensive.

Reporting from Washington - The Obama administration has increased the U.S. military presence near Iran and is accelerating installation of antimissile systems in nearby countries, officials said Saturday, as the White House builds pressure for stern new sanctions against Tehran.

New air defense systems are being delivered to Persian Gulf countries, and specially-equipped cruisers -- a linchpin of the U.S. missile defense system -- are being deployed in the waters of the Persian Gulf, the officials said.

The moves are intended to reassure Gulf countries that they would be protected against possible offensive action from Tehran, which is under intensified international pressure to refrain from developing nuclear weapons.

U.S. officials stressed the defensive nature of the actions being taken throughout the region.

The partnership between the U.S. and Gulf countries, described by a senior U.S. official on Saturday, is likely to include early-warning radar systems and missile defenses that will be integrated with U.S. systems, including those on the cruisers and elsewhere.

The initiative involves the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, four countries with close military ties to the U.S.

"Iran and President [Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad have scared those on the west side of the Gulf right into our arms," said the senior official.

U.S. officials also hope the moves will alleviate concerns about Iran within Israel, which has said it has the right to launch military strikes to prevent Iranian progress toward development of weapons.

<snip>

And finally we see a {dis-info?} story where Bush described why he did not go through with the attack:

_http://rt.com/Top_News/2008-09-26/bush_saved_iran_from_israels_counter-nuke_strike__report.html

Bush’s refusal to support an attack on Iran had two main reasons, the report says. One is that Teheran was likely to retaliate both against Israel and the U.S. American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan would be the most obvious targets. There was also possibility of terror strikes on U.S. soil, probably carried out by Hezbollah supporters living among the Lebanese diaspora in Canada. Safety of shipping in the Persian Gulf would be in peril as well.

 

[thevenusian]

Just a quick note here to say that while I have had my eye on this geographical area and much concern about what is going on, I haven't had time to dig into it to the degree that you all on this thread have, and wish to express my gratitude to you, especially potamus, for doing this work. Thank you!

 

[durabone]

From above:

[quote author=potamus]Oh, one more thing. I have found a lot of local Port of Aden newspapers that suggest that the Americans are facilitating the Chinese construction of their base there.[/quote]

Ok, I finally made it back to the computer I did these searches on, and after more exhaustive searching, and I find that I made a mistake! Not the first time!! The 26th edition of Port of Aden Times has delegations from both countries in town discussing investment, but not at the same time Sorry!! To make up for it, I offer this:

_http://www.countercurrents.org/bhadrakumar180110.htm

The US has signaled that the odyssey doesn't end with Yemen. It is also moving into Somalia and Kenya. With that, the US establishes its military presence in an entire unbroken stretch of real estate all along the Indian Ocean's western rim. Chinese officials have of late spoken of their need to establish a naval base in the region. The US has now foreclosed China's options. The only country with a coastline that is available for China to set up a naval base in the region will be Iran. All other countries have a Western military presence.

 

[Danny]

What is going on in Yemen??

I have been doing some digging around on the internet because of an interview done by another website. Now I am very aware of crap being fed to us on a daily basis but am quite lacking in the skills of discernment. Getting better at it as I pour through various texts,opinions,teachings,etc.
My main concern here is this supposed anomolous activity going on in the Gulf of Aden(sic?) Does anyone have any more info or links regarding the massive build-up of warships in that region.The claim is it is to thwart the Somolian pirates and restore order.But this isnt just ANY build up. We are talking warships from almost every nation in the world that has any type of naval fleet on hand.Including our ever-infamous private security firm known as Blackwater.Allegedly they even have a ship out there.
There are claims of a "stargate" opening up or has already.
Any opinions? I, myself, do not know WHAT to believe anymore.But it sure is interesting reading and watching of videos about it.
If it is a stargate and it is for the entrance of ETs....in the words of our last dict...er president...."Bring it on!"

 

[Danny]

Re: What is going on in Yemen??

Whoops! ok found a thread. Guess I should search first before opening my yap

 

[anart]

Re: What is going on in Yemen??

Whoops! ok found a thread. Guess I should search first before opening my yap

No worries, Danny, I merged the threads.

 

[durabone]

Are the sabers rattling? Last I checked, it would be more than foolish to launch a nuke without testing the design to make sure it works first! Also, going for a missile- sized small nuke right away doesn't seem likely unless they have stolen the plans for such a device. To launch a missile without enough deterrent in place for MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) would be suicide, and result in them being bombed back to the stone ages, my guess. (Do countries like the US, Russia, etc. possess the ability to ID a warhead blast with certainly like a fingerprint?) Sad thing is this is opening the door for many types of "false-flag" events. argh.

_http://www.truthout.org/iran-may-be-seeking-nuclear-warhead-un-watchdog-says57004

Iran May Be Seeking Nuclear Warhead, UN Watchdog Says

Thursday 18 February 2010

by: Warren Strobel | McClatchy Newspapers

The United Nations' nuclear watchdog said Thursday that there are signs Iran is trying to develop a nuclear warhead that would fit atop a missile, its bluntest assertion to date questioning Tehran's claims to have an exclusively peaceful nuclear program.

In a report on Iran's nuclear activities, the International Atomic Energy Agency said it has collected "broadly consistent and credible information" about Iran's suspected military nuclear research. "Altogether, this raises concerns about the possible existence in Iran of past or current undisclosed activities related to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile," it said.

The information in question comes from European, U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies, and concerns research Iranian scientists are thought to have done on fabricating and detonating a nuclear warhead that would fit atop a ballistic missile.

The intelligence has been cited in previous media reports, but this is the first time that it has been presented in such a fashion in the Vienna-based IAEA's reports. It suggests a hardening of the agency's stance on Iran under its new director general, Japanese diplomat Yukiya Amano.

The report was issued amid heightened tensions over Iran's nuclear work. Iran said last week it had enriched uranium to a new level of purity, nearly 20 percent. The Obama administration is seeking tougher U.N. sanctions on Iran, which Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday is sliding toward "military dictatorship."

The report says that Iran provided the IAEA with scientific evidence indicating that it enriched uranium to 19.8 purity between February 9 and February 11. That is well beyond Iran's previous enrichment efforts, although still short of the roughly 90 percent pure uranium needed to fuel a nuclear weapon.

 

[durabone]

Israel unveils new drone that can fly to Gulf:

Upping the ante:

_http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8527268.stm