Gold9472
02-20-2007, 09:28 AM
Iran exercises 'provocative'
http://www.tradearabia.com/tanews/newsdetails_snDEF_article119245.html
Posted: Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Iran could pose a greater threat to the security of the Gulf than Al Qaeda, the leader of region's US navy forces warned.
US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and US Fifth Fleet Commander Vice-Admiral Patrick Walsh said the country had been deliberately provocative in carrying out military exercises in the region - accusing the country's leadership of continuing to use aggressive language.
'We consider this moment in time unprecedented in terms of the amount of insecurity and instability that is in the region,' he said.
'When you look at the recent Iranian exercises, in the last nine months, you see the open display and the implication of the use of mines.
'You also see and hear concerns and threats about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz (a narrow strategic stretch of ocean between the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Gulf).
'What is different today to a year ago has been the number of exercises and the proximity of those exercises to the Strait of Hormuz.
'The world's economic artery funnels through this one point, so why would Iran conduct exercises in that location with all of the territorial water that is available to it unless they wanted to be provocative?
'And when you combine that with statements that have come out from the Iranian leadership that gives us great concern.'
He defined the biggest danger to stability in the region as 'anything that would threaten freedom of navigation in the Gulf and that can come from a threat to use oil as a weapon, from mines or from natural disasters'.
'There is a historic tension between Iran and the region and we recognise that,' he said. 'Iran is the concern that we all have at the moment.'
Vice-Admiral Walsh was speaking at a Press conference at the US Fifth Fleet headquarters, Juffair.
He is leaving Bahrain at the end of the month after being promoted to the post of Vice Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon.
Vice-Admiral Walsh has led navy forces since November 2005 and will be replaced by Vice-Admiral Kevin Cosgriff.
He refused to say what Iranian action could lead the country into conflict with the US and claimed the nature of US forces was defensive.
'It is not as if we are out looking for a fight, we are not patrolling Iranian waters,' he said.
'We have assumed a defensive posture here to reassure our friends and provide stability in the region. We have not experienced the targeting of US troops.
'We are watching the passage of ships in international waters and we are watching the region in terms of any targeting that would take place in countries in the region.'
Vice-Admiral Walsh declined to say if Bahrain would be at risk of an US action against Iran.
'The only way to avoid a situation (of conflict) is to be forthright, to be very straightforward and very clear and direct about what our intentions are,' he said.
He did not directly confirm media reports that the US was moving its headquarters staff in charge of managing aircraft carrier forces to Bahrain.
'There is a build-up of troops and that is in response to a renewed commitment on the part of both national and international leadership to try and bring security and stability to Iraq,' he said.
He said he understood cynicism about the US military's role in the Middle East and its intelligence information, given the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
'Having lived in the region since 2005, I can understand the concerns and the scepticism of those who live here,' he said.
'I think what they want is long-term assurances.
'What they don't want is offensive action meant to inflict some sort of damage to Iran and then a retreat because they will live with the consequences of any actions that we take.'
http://www.tradearabia.com/tanews/newsdetails_snDEF_article119245.html
Posted: Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Iran could pose a greater threat to the security of the Gulf than Al Qaeda, the leader of region's US navy forces warned.
US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and US Fifth Fleet Commander Vice-Admiral Patrick Walsh said the country had been deliberately provocative in carrying out military exercises in the region - accusing the country's leadership of continuing to use aggressive language.
'We consider this moment in time unprecedented in terms of the amount of insecurity and instability that is in the region,' he said.
'When you look at the recent Iranian exercises, in the last nine months, you see the open display and the implication of the use of mines.
'You also see and hear concerns and threats about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz (a narrow strategic stretch of ocean between the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Gulf).
'What is different today to a year ago has been the number of exercises and the proximity of those exercises to the Strait of Hormuz.
'The world's economic artery funnels through this one point, so why would Iran conduct exercises in that location with all of the territorial water that is available to it unless they wanted to be provocative?
'And when you combine that with statements that have come out from the Iranian leadership that gives us great concern.'
He defined the biggest danger to stability in the region as 'anything that would threaten freedom of navigation in the Gulf and that can come from a threat to use oil as a weapon, from mines or from natural disasters'.
'There is a historic tension between Iran and the region and we recognise that,' he said. 'Iran is the concern that we all have at the moment.'
Vice-Admiral Walsh was speaking at a Press conference at the US Fifth Fleet headquarters, Juffair.
He is leaving Bahrain at the end of the month after being promoted to the post of Vice Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon.
Vice-Admiral Walsh has led navy forces since November 2005 and will be replaced by Vice-Admiral Kevin Cosgriff.
He refused to say what Iranian action could lead the country into conflict with the US and claimed the nature of US forces was defensive.
'It is not as if we are out looking for a fight, we are not patrolling Iranian waters,' he said.
'We have assumed a defensive posture here to reassure our friends and provide stability in the region. We have not experienced the targeting of US troops.
'We are watching the passage of ships in international waters and we are watching the region in terms of any targeting that would take place in countries in the region.'
Vice-Admiral Walsh declined to say if Bahrain would be at risk of an US action against Iran.
'The only way to avoid a situation (of conflict) is to be forthright, to be very straightforward and very clear and direct about what our intentions are,' he said.
He did not directly confirm media reports that the US was moving its headquarters staff in charge of managing aircraft carrier forces to Bahrain.
'There is a build-up of troops and that is in response to a renewed commitment on the part of both national and international leadership to try and bring security and stability to Iraq,' he said.
He said he understood cynicism about the US military's role in the Middle East and its intelligence information, given the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
'Having lived in the region since 2005, I can understand the concerns and the scepticism of those who live here,' he said.
'I think what they want is long-term assurances.
'What they don't want is offensive action meant to inflict some sort of damage to Iran and then a retreat because they will live with the consequences of any actions that we take.'