While they secured almost no international support, the US is still
about to launch its maritime fleet in the Persian Gulf, intended to
protect oil shipments going through the area. The move is seen further raising the stakes against Iran.
The US presented Iran as a major threat to shipping, and the perception
that the only targets Iran has are enemies like Britain who have seized
Iranian ships was a big reason most nations didn’t want to get involved.
Analysts are warning that the presence of this new fleet, and its
Iran-targeting mission risks sparking an “accidental escalation” if the
forces stumble into an unexpected situation and stumble into a fight.
They also warn it’s going to ratchet up tensions with Iran, as Iran is
likely to see it as an “offensive” fleet targeting them, and respond
before the fleet can attack any naval targets.
US Launches Persian Gulf Patrols, Raising Stakes With Iran
Analysts warn US-led fleet could blunder into conflict with Iran
Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.
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