[THS] Report: US Warships Stationed Off Iranian Coast

[The Harder Stuff in news and commentary]

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25829.htm

Report: US Warships Stationed Off Iranian Coast

By Daniel Tencer

June 28, 2010 "Raw Story" June 27, 2010 -- -As unconfirmed reports of an imminent
Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities pick up steam in the Middle Eastern media, a
US-based strategic intelligence company has released a chart showing US naval
carriers massing near Iranian waters.

The chart, published by Stratfor and obtained by the Zero Hedge financial blog,
shows that over the last few weeks a naval carrier -- the USS Harry S Truman -- has
been positioned in the north Indian Ocean, not far from the Strait of Hormuz, which
leads into the Persian Gulf. The carrier joins the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, which
was already located in the area. The chart is dated June 23, 2010.

Reports of mass movements of Israeli and US naval warships have been circulating
through the media for weeks. On June 19, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported
that 12 US and Israeli warships were seen moving through the Suez Canal from the
Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.

And a report from the Associated Press published Saturday evening cited
"unconfirmed" reports from Israeli and Iranian media that Saudi Arabia has allowed
Israel to use its territory in preparation for an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.

"The allegation could not be independently confirmed, and the Saudis deny
cooperating with the Israeli military," AP reported.

An article in the Gulf Daily News, largely dismissed by Western observers, did not
mention any Saudi involvement but said Israel is preparing to attack Iranian targets
from the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Georgia.

The claims that Israel may be preparing for an assault on Iranian nuclear facilities
were strengthened this weekend by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who told
reporters at the G8 summit in Canada that G8 leaders "believe absolutely" that Israel
will "probably" strike Iran.

“Iran is not guaranteeing a peaceful production of nuclear power [so] the members
of the G8 are worried and believe absolutely that Israel will probably react
preemptively,” Berlusconi said, as quoted at Ha'aretz.

CIA director Leon Panetta said Sunday that Iran has enough enriched uranium to
build two nuclear bombs. In an interview on ABC's This Week, Panetta also said he
believed the recent spate of international and US sanctions against Iran will not
convince the country to change course on its nuclear program.

"Will it deter them from their ambitions with regards to nuclear capability? Probably
not," Panetta said.