U.S. Sends Warships to Iran, Pre-Election Attack Possible
Even as North Korea conducted a nuclear weapons test, setting-off worldwide condemnation, the Bush administration had deployed a naval strike group to the Straits of Hormuz off the Iranian coast. The war ships, scheduled to arrive in the Straits on Oct. 21, include the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier U.S.S. Eisenhower, a cruiser, destroyer, frigate, submarine and supply ship. The mission of this armada is not known, but there are reports that angry naval officers within the Eisenhower Strike Group have told antiwar retired officers that their ships are being sent to launch a military attack against Iran.
There is no confirmation that President Bush has ordered such an attack and it could be a bluff designed to intimidate Iran. But if an October attack is carried out, the timing suggests that influencing the outcome of the November congressional election -- where Republicans are on the ropes -- may be a primary strategic goal. Critics warn that such a U.S. pre-emptive strike against Iran's nuclear research facilities would likely set off a wider war inside Iraq and throughout the Middle East, where Iran's allies are capable of launching counterattacks against U.S. targets.
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