WORLD at WAR, Official 2012 Thread (TO BE CONTINUED) Israel, Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, PA, Egypt, Libya, Pakistan, North Korea, Russia, China, U.S.

I would not post anything that was not already out on the interwebs. Too many family members past or current in the service for that.

Darby...if you remember I mentioned a couple of months ago that things were starting to pop in Africa and that we have been busy there...well, here ya go! New factions are beginning to form up.

If I do come across something important and can't find an internet link, I will send to MM or Gerry and let them decide how to proceed.

Tehran starts naval maneuvers near Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s navy has begun maneuvers in the area of the Strait of Hormuz, state TV reported. The maneuvers which began early Friday involve warships, submarines jet fighters and hovercrafts. Iran earlier warned ships to stay away from the area until January 3, and the drills will cover nearly 1 million square kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz to northern part of Indian Ocean, including the Sea of Oman. There have been no threats from Tehran lately to close the strait, where one-fifth of the world's oil passes, over Western sanctions.

Beijing sends patrol vessel to disputed South China Sea

China has dispatched a patrol vessel Haixun 21, equipped with a helipad, to the disputed region of the South China Sea. The ship departed the southern city of Haikou on Thursday, Xinhua reported. China claims most of the South China Sea is its own. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Taiwan stake similar claims in parts of the area. The Philippines objects to Chinese patrols of Philippine maritime territory. Manila said Friday it has called on China to respect the Philippines' territorial sovereignty.

[link to rt.com]

Last Edited by Ger_reG on 12/28/2012 03:00 AM

I've never seen anything on this thread that gives me pause; and I don't believe you or any of the regular posters here would post anything inappropriate...

But - I have seen things on GLP that concern me and I'm always worried about the "me too" crowd. You'll see an appropriately vague, but useful, post by someone "in the know" and then someone else posts "my cousins in the xx and they are currently on route to hell-hole y, they will be arriving around z (have your MANPADs ready)." I added the last part but you get the picture...

Speaking of MANPADs, I hope that is not the reason the Central African Republic evacuation was halted...

Here's Global Post summary of yesterday's evacuation -

US evacuates embassy in Central African Republic [link to www.globalpost.com]

Interesting tidbits on who's staying behind from CNN -

The Central African Republic government is seeking negotiations with the rebels in Libreville, Gabon, he said. In the meantime, troops from the Central African Multinational Forces were expected to arrive to bolster security in the capital, he said...

France has a permanent presence of 200 to 300 military personnel at Bangui's airport under the mandate of the Economic Community of Central African States...

Source - [link to www.cnn.com]

Last Edited by DarbyDoom on 12/28/2012 10:55 AM

I got a 6 pk too but its not that flat, kinda rounded I guess you could say and nice n cold though.

I will continue to the new thread as this is where I come to get reliable info on what going on around. I don't have info to add but I have my first nephew that is in the Navy and concerned. Thanks

And then there is this...

Chinese Hackers Suspected in Cyber Attack on Council on Foreign Relations

Computer hackers traced to China carried out an advanced cyberespionage attack against one of America’s most elite foreign policy web groups – the website of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)...

However, David Mikhail, a Council on Foreign Relations spokesman, confirmed the attack. “The Council on Foreign Relations’ website security team is aware of the issue and is currently investigating the situation,” Mikhail said in an email. “We are also working to mitigate the possibility for future events of this sort.” He provided no details...

“This was a very sophisticated attack,” said one of the specialists. “They were looking for very specific information from specific people.”...

[link to freebeacon.com]

You are a sight to behold with a ton of bravado.

R**ters has a very good summary on the last 18 months of economic warfare against Iran...

It's entitled - "Special Report: Inside the West's economic war with Iran" and it's available on their website...

Looks like Central African Republic is about to fall...

Refugees are fleeing Capitol. Regional troops will be sent to assist the 560 ECCAS forces already in the country (unspecified number; unspecified date)

[link to thestar.com.my]

[link to www.washingtonpost.com]

And then these little gems from today's R**ters article entitled - Residents flee Bangui as rebels pause for talks...

...The Central African Republic is one of a number of nations in the region where U.S. Special Forces are helping local forces try to track down the Lords Resistance Army...

...French nuclear energy group Areva mines the Bakouma uranium deposit in the CAR's south - France's biggest commercial interest in its former colony...

Let's hope this is not repeat of Bamako, where are special forces guys end up dead and then defamed by their own government...

Why do our special forces always seem to be in countries with uranium mines?

Just wondering...

Last Edited by DarbyDoom on 12/28/2012 08:06 PM

to make sure it doesn't end up in the wrong hands

You don't say...(sorry I have to un-flip my obnoxious switch)

It's worth noting that the uranium/special forces link (if the link is real and not false correlation) is not like the 1970s Cold War fight over access to natural resources - it involves the smaller producers.

Background - In 1970s parts of Africa (e.g. Congo) were vitally important to US b/c they were the only places outside of Soviet sphere of influence that produced key natural resources.

Canada is 2nd largest uranium producer in world; Australia is 3rd. Several former Soviet republics are in top 10... So access isn't an issue (for either of the old Cold War sides)

The fight appears to be over producers who are not in the top 10 (e.g. CAR).

So, presuming that uranium is an issue - we are fighting shadow wars not to keep vital source available, but to keep the non-vital sources safe...

I walked right into that one, see I wasn't lying about my ability to annoy or otherwise repel the opposite gender

It's not your fault...I (totally) set you up by asking the question

AND

Brainy people are supposed to wear clothes...Have you ever seen Stephen Hawking in a thong? (Don't answer - especially If the answer is yes)

lol not answering but giving you a hint since I still have my eyesite. That is so not true about the brainey people...smart people can be hot looking too.

This may be a little off topic, but aren't there usually a lot more ships flowing through the Strait?? I thought somebody here may know...

[link to www.marinetraffic.com]

** you might need to zoom out when the screen loads

Last Edited by novamom on 12/28/2012 10:31 PM

We were off-topic...

I'm seeing a number of ships near the coast of UAE (Abu Dhabi & another area)...none in actual Straits...

But I have absolutely no frame of reference to determine whether that is usual or not...

I just remember looking at this several times in the past and there being ships/tankers out the wazoo.. at least 5 times what is showing up. Perhaps it's the time of morning and/or day.

On average 36 oil tankers pass in one day.. which seems about right, but there still seems to be no near as many ships as usual. who knows.. I just thought it seemed strange.

[link to www.niacouncil.org]

I don't think Obummer has the balls to attack Syria and Iran. He just won't do it.

There could be a random reason; refinery closures; timing...

Two reasons -

Iraqi Kurds have shut down supply over dispute w/ Iraqi central gov't - that must greatly decrease flow of tankers through Straits...and

Iranian Oil sanctions are being phased in & have really started to take a bite...I know tankers carrying Iranian oil can no longer get insurance which must have ended tanker shipments from Iran...

So take Iranian oil (2nd largest producer) & big part of Iraqi oil out of Gulf - what left. I think Saudi oil goes through pipelines...

Ahh, I wasn't thining from that angle~ long day

Russian FM Lavrov said on Saturday that there was “no possibility” that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria could be persuaded to leave and that the opposition’s insistence on his departure as a precondition for peace talks would only cost “more and more lives of Syrian citizens” — suggesting slender hope for a breakthrough in negotiating an end to a conflict that has already killed more than 40,000...

[link to www.nytimes.com]

As I recall there is a big Iranian Navel exercise in the Straits this weekend which started on the 28th and they warned off all foreign ships especially the USN.

That sounds like a winner... Wouldn't want your tanker traversing a sea of hyped-up Iranian sailors...

yes, most ships for the past day have been moored…

miss you guys

DailyMail has a story on the British guy who "disappeared" in Mauritania - sounds like a potential Darwin Award winner...

[link to www.dailymail.co.uk]

He was going to walk across the desert into Mali to join the Jihad...He was rescued 12 miles outside of town...

What were the chances he would make it? Maybe they should have just let him go.

The tagging of marine travel is volunteer. The strait could be flooded with them for all we know.