• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Navies of Iran, Pakistan to hold joint drill in Hormuz strait

MildSteel

MildSteel

Banned
DP Veteran
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Messages
4,974
Reaction score
1,047
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Undisclosed
This is interesting. I wonder what is the purpose of such an exercise.

Navies of Iran, Pakistan to hold joint drill in Hormuz strait | Reuters

The navies of Iran and Pakistan plan to hold joint military exercises in the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, Iran's state news agency said on Sunday.

Several Pakistani naval vessels, including a warship and a submarine, docked at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, the IRNA news agency said, citing an Iranian Navy statement.

"The most important activity of the Pakistani fleet during its stay in Bandar Abbas is to launch joint manoeuvres with selected units of Iran's Navy in eastern waters of the Hormuz Strait," Iranian Rear Admiral Shahram Irani told IRNA.

Iran's state news agency said the joint naval exercises were aimed at promoting military cooperation between Tehran and Islamabad but gave no details of the plans.

More than a third of the world's sea borne oil exports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow corridor between Iran and Oman. Western navies, led by the United States, patrol the region to ensure their safe passage.

A crude oil tanker was shot at last week as it sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, although such incidents are rare.
Click to expand...
 
This alone should be enough for Congress to immediately cease all foreign aid to Pakistan... wouldn't be such a hard choice if they didn't have Nukes though.
 
apdst said:
The purpose is to work the bugs out of a plan to close the straits.
Click to expand...

I have never heard the USS Nimitz Carrier Battle Group referred to as a "bug" before.
 
It could be two neighboring countries working out kinks in their ability to cooperate together. Could be.

The purpose is to work the bugs out of a plan to close the straits.
Click to expand...

If anything the most they could do is force the US to keep a carrier presence in the Gulf. Anything more than that and, well, it is sad to think about what would happen to the 5,000+ year old Persian culture if a finger were lifted.
 
Joby said:
It could be two neighboring countries working out kinks in their ability to cooperate together. Could be.



If anything the most they could do is force the US to keep a carrier presence in the Gulf. Anything more than that and, well, it is sad to think about what would happen to the 5,000+ year old Persian culture if a finger were lifted.
Click to expand...

To operate together is a specific operational plan, would be more like it. That's what these excercises are for.

The United States already maintains a presense in The Persian Gulf, so the plan the Iranian and Pak navies are practicing probably includes engaging American naval forces.
 
If they closed the Strait of Hormuz, they would have no outlet for their main export, oil. Their revenues would dry up. Surely the US government could get its act together to cut off all foreign aid and to dip into the strategic reserves to keep us going until the two governments saw the light and opened the Strait once again.

and, if it stayed closed long enough, the world price of oil would go up to the point that it would be economical for the US and Canada to develop those reserves. After that, we could just give the Middle East the finger and let them swim in their oil.
 
Dittohead not! said:
If they closed the Strait of Hormuz, they would have no outlet for their main export, oil. Their revenues would dry up. Surely the US government could get its act together to cut off all foreign aid and to dip into the strategic reserves to keep us going until the two governments saw the light and opened the Strait once again.

and, if it stayed closed long enough, the world price of oil would go up to the point that it would be economical for the US and Canada to develop those reserves. After that, we could just give the Middle East the finger and let them swim in their oil.
Click to expand...

It wouldn't be closed for more than 24 hours, just long enough to send a few Iranian and Pakistani boats to the bottom.
 
Dittohead not! said:
Wouldn't that block the strait?
Click to expand...

I doubt they have boats that big. The straits are 21 miles wide, at it's narrowest point, so I doubt anyone has boats that big, or enough of the to block the channel.
 
apdst said:
I doubt they have boats that big. The straits are 21 miles wide, at it's narrowest point, so I doubt anyone has boats that big, or enough of the to block the channel.
Click to expand...

Oh. I didn't know it was that big.

So, sink away.
 
Hang on aren't Pakistan and Iran opposing sects of islam? This announcement would only make sense if Pakistan followed the Shia sect of Islam.
 
Unitedwestand13 said:
Hang on aren't Pakistan and Iran opposing sects of islam? This announcement would only make sense if Pakistan followed the Shia sect of Islam.
Click to expand...

But, they're all Muslims. The, "infidels", are their common enemy.
 
The goal of the Islamists (not all Muslims) is to establish a Caliphate that would in effect be a theocracy that would force everyone to abide by their view of right and wrong. According to their worldview, freedom is evil, as it allows people to disobey the commands of Allah. In pursuit of that goal, it is the infidel who is the real enemy, not other sects of Islam. Their values are so at odds with those of most of the western democracies that it is difficult for us to even understand those values. We believe in liberty, in personal choice and responsibility. They do not. They believe that Allah must command, and everyone, but everyone must obey.
 
Unitedwestand13 said:
Hang on aren't Pakistan and Iran opposing sects of islam? This announcement would only make sense if Pakistan followed the Shia sect of Islam.
Click to expand...

apdst said:
But, they're all Muslims. The, "infidels", are their common enemy.
Click to expand...


Pakistan has complex relations with Iran

Pakistan has generally tighter relations with Saudi Arabia and the US, but due to proximity Iran and Pakistan do have some relationships.

Iran has built a natural gas pipeline to Pakistan, that Pakistan due to pressure by SA and the USA has not completed within its territory, despite a need for the gas. Pakistan does harbor Baloch terrorists who probably have had support by the US government, the Balochis have attacked Iran using Pakistan as a base. This despite the issues Pakistan has with the balochis as well
 
apdst said:
It wouldn't be closed for more than 24 hours, just long enough to send a few Iranian and Pakistani boats to the bottom.
Click to expand...

The Iranian navy isn't really the problem. Mines and land based anti-ship missiles are. Oil tankers are slow, huge, incredibly fragile and filled to the brim with flammable materials. The strait makes it impossible to hide or maneuver. Even then, the biggest problem is that civilian operators have zero tolerance for any kind of casualties.

The U.S. has the ability to force open the strait eventually if Iran tries to close it, but don't pretend that it won't be very very expensive in economic terms.
 
apdst said:
The purpose is to work the bugs out of a plan to close the straits.
Click to expand...

Let's assume that to be the case. Why would Pakistan be working with Iran to do so?
 
rathi said:
The Iranian navy isn't really the problem. Mines and land based anti-ship missiles are. Oil tankers are slow, huge, incredibly fragile and filled to the brim with flammable materials. The strait makes it impossible to hide or maneuver. Even then, the biggest problem is that civilian operators have zero tolerance for any kind of casualties.

The U.S. has the ability to force open the strait eventually if Iran tries to close it, but don't pretend that it won't be very very expensive in economic terms.
Click to expand...

We have the ability, but IMO Iran and Pakistan could be betting we don't have the balls.
 
MildSteel said:
Let's assume that to be the case. Why would Pakistan be working with Iran to do so?
Click to expand...

Power, money, prestige, a chance to hurt western countries.

Look at what's going on, all of a sudden, NK and China making a show in Asia. Russia pushing west in Europe and Iran conducting joint excersizes with Pakistan in. The Straits of Hormuz. All on the heels of a lack of backbone by the president, the purging of our general officer corps and the announcement that we're drawing our armed forces down to one of it's lowest levels in American history.
 
apdst said:
We have the ability, but IMO Iran and Pakistan could be betting we don't have the balls.
Click to expand...

Given our economic interests in the region, thats a bad bet to make.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom