Source: Voice of Russia
The United States, Britain and France have begun to
deploy troops in the Gulf in a move which experts say suggests
preparations for a war with Iran. The first strikes could be carried out
at the beginning of the summer, media reports say.
According
to reports, troops are arriving at Masirah Island in Oman which is
located south of the Strait of Hormuz where a US air base is deployed.
Two American strike groups are currently stationed in the Gulf. Some
reports say that the grouping will be reinforced with one more aircraft
carrier, the destroyer Momsen and the nuclear submarine Annapolis. The
US is also enhancing its presence in Israel and Kuwait. British troops
and troops from the United Arab Emirates have been arriving in Saudi
Arabia. The main target is Iran, whose nuclear program has long been an
issue of particular concern in the West. Reports leaked out into the
press that hundreds of penetration bombs capable of destroying heavily
fortified underground bunkers have been delivered to an American base on
the British Island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
The
Strait of Hormuz, a major waterway for the transportation of Gulf oil
to regions across the world, serves as yet another pretext for going
into open confrontation. Tehran has threatened to block it, and the
allies are getting ready to strike if it keeps its word. However, none
of the countries involved is prepared for war, Vladimir Sazhin of the
Institute of Oriental Studies, says.
"All countries
involved in this conflict are facing domestic problems. An election race
has got under way in the US. Parliamentary elections in Iran have been
set for March 2nd, and presidential elections have been scheduled for
the summer of 2013. France’s presidential elections are just round the
corner, and Europe as a whole is too preoccupied with its own economic
problems to handle another war."
However, a
concentration of military forces in the Gulf creates an explosive
situation in the region. One accidental shot would be enough to trigger
fire on both sides. If that happens, Vladimir Sazhin says, the allies
will have a clear advantage.
