Panetta: U.S. 'fully prepared' for Iran challenge

ofcourse nobody suspects that US is not prepared for an assault anywhere, what people suspect is : can US win?

I hope the US comes to the realisation that this is one conflict it cannot and will not win. The US struggled in Iraq, is struggling in Afghanistan, Iran will not be the same pushover that Iraq was and given the decade plus of continuos operations the US military will be getting tired and stretched by now. Not a good situation to be in.

Cletus: I don't think the US will be crazy enough to put boots on the ground in Iran or this is going to be a slaughter. Just want to keep the straight of Hormuz opened. "Surgical" bombing here and there to keep Iran far away. Iran will not stand a chance attacking US ships but tankers will be at their mercy. Trying to sink anything coming by is the best strategy on the Iranian side. No tankers, no oil.

TumbleDry,

Yeah l dont think the US would be silly enough or have the power to invade Iran as they did Iraq, however bombing will not have the same results. It also needs to be remembered that the straits are only 50km across so that will make it easy for the Iranians to block it and as you say no tankers no oil and then watch things turn nasty.

Let Iran have their nukes ... just have them employ Homer Simpson first.

Like a game of poker.....who's reaalllly bluffing?

@Elvensilvan,

You are aware that Homer is a fictional character right? I am sure there is plenty of real life Homer Simpson caliber recruiting material among fired TEPCO management to pick from.

Is this really news, or is it just a way to keep Iran and the US in the headlines?

@SquidBert

I totally agree, but Homer does have a balanced family ... each member checks and balances each other ... which I don't think any of the TEPCO management have even in their wildest dreams or imagination.

@Elvensilvan, I don't know if I ever considered to use the word balanced to describe the Simpson family before, but I do see that you have a point there. And Homers severance package could be paid in doughnuts, which I guess also speaks in his favor.

I also just realized that I unintentionally insulted Homer with my last post, sorry about that.

We are getting out of Iraq and Afghanistan...to jump into a new mess in Iran?? Are we gonna get the same BS from FOX news about the imminent threat from those nasty weapons of mass destruction all over again??

Looks like 2012 will bring in another war...

"any Iranian effort to close the Strait of Hormuz"

Wouldn't other Middle East oil exporters be pissed about that? Heck, let them deal with it.　

"Heck, let them deal with it"

You really haven't grasped the situation, have you?

You really haven't grasped the situation, have you?

Exactly how can we possibly have another war in the mideast without the US prodding it along.

Oh boy...another war. Wait, let me get the popcorn! Seriously...are we really ready for this? Really? Okay? Hontou ni?

"Exactly how can we possibly have another war in the mideast without the US prodding it along."

Iran threatening to close the straits is the US bruising for war? OK.

You really haven't grasped the situation either, have you?

Madverts,

And why is Iran threatening to do that? Because of US threats, so who hasn't grasped the situation?

Iran's threat is a moot point because:

a) Doing so will impede exports of their only source of revenue. Oil.

b) Western powers will flatten them if they tried it.

US threats have been of sanctions targetting the despotic regime and it's nuclear weapons ambitions, not as yet, threats of physical force.

Like I said, you don't seem to have grasped the situation.

Madverts,

Ah so the US doesn't like a government or it's business inside its own borders so that gives them a right to threaten sanctions and then military action. Oh and as for your claim the the us hasn't made physical threats sending an additional carrier group to the area and saying its prepared for military action isn't threatening. Ah you Americans and your logic, no wonder you as a people are hated by so many sticking your noses into others business and trying to impose your will on all. The only thing is this time you would have your butts kicked out of the region which is why you as a nation had better hope your threats work

US can win so long as they don't go nation-rebuilding on a destroyed Iran. As they found out after Afghanistan and Iraq: winning the war is easier than winning the peace.

"h so the US doesn't like a government or it's business inside its own borders so that gives them a right to threaten sanctions and then military action."

Gee whiz you haven't much of a clue as to what is going on over there. It is their nuclear program the reason the sanctions have been put in place, despite sweetners from all negotiating parties to give them nuclear power without having the option of making a bomb at short notice.

"Oh and as for your claim the the us hasn't made physical threats sending an additional carrier group to the area and saying its prepared for military action isn't threatening."

This is all after the Iranian threats of shutting the Strait of Hormuz.....you cannot be that ill-informed you are surely being obtuse.

"Ah you Americans and your logic, no wonder you as a people are hated by so many sticking your noses into others business and trying to impose your will on all."

Horrible aren't we. Heh. I'm quite glad Western powers are doing all they can to stop the nutters in Iran having a nuclear weapon.

Cletus: Ah you Americans and your logic, no wonder you as a people are hated by so many...

Oh the buttons we can press...heh I hope you have CNN in your apartment. It's going to be a hell of show in 2012!

Fully prepared for what? Spend more money? One of the biggest causes of U.S. soaring debt and economic insecurity ends up being Pentagon spending. The budget for the Pentagon consumes more than half of U.S. discretionary spending. We have seen countless stories of U.S. taxpayer dollars going unaccounted for in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have had countless high profile hearings on contractor fraud and the lack of oversight at the Department of Defense. So what we have is the U.S. financing war on borrowed money. The soaring debt and these two wars, the war in Iraq and war in Afghanistan. Between 2003 to present, the U.S. debt increased by almost $4 trillion. A quarter of that debt is directly attributed to the war in Iraq. The cost of the war in Afghanistan has been over $500 billion to date. U.S. is spending so much money on defense, that is affecting the ability to be able to provide for the American people at home. And we have to start taking care of things here at home.

What will we sacrifice? Will we sacrifice the education of our children for these wars? Will we sacrifice Social Security for these wars? Will we sacrifice Medicare or Medicaid for these wars? Will we sacrifice our infrastructure for these wars? Or will we say the war in Iraq was based on lies? Will we say that Afghanistan is a hopeless, corrupt mess and it's time to bring our troops home, and then begin to use the resources of our country, those resources that are hard-earned taxpayer dollars, use that money for things here at home? Let's have that debate as we talk about cutting the military budget.

Madverts

Gee whiz you haven't much of a clue as to what is going on over there. It is their nuclear program the reason the sanctions have been put in place, despite sweetners from all negotiating parties to give them nuclear power without having the option of making a bomb at short notice.

Gee Whiz!!! seriously who says that anymore. Havent heard that since l was in primary school. But on a serious note your whole argument seems based on telling everyone else with a differing opinion that they dont have much of a clue which tends to say a lot about your argument in general.

This is all after the Iranian threats of shutting the Strait of Hormuz.....you cannot be that ill-informed you are surely being obtuse.

And why have the Iranians threatened to shut the straits? Because of US threats, so l will simplify it for you. The US threatens sanctions, Iran threatens to shut the straights, Us threatens with increased military presence. Surely even you can grasp that logic.

Horrible aren't we. Heh. I'm quite glad Western powers are doing all they can to stop the nutters in Iran having a nuclear weapon.

Just out of curiosity who in the past 50 years has Iran invaded? What external countries have they attacked? So its not ideal if they have a nuclear weapon but is it any worse than some of the other nations with them like Israel, Pakistan etc oh thats right they are your allies silly me. Personally l think if the US attacks Iran we will see a very different outcome to what you are expecting and it wont be very nice for all of us. But you Americans must have your rightious wars so good luck maybe you could finish your other unfinished business firs though.

Cletus: So its not ideal if they have a nuclear weapon

Yeah, it's not ideal. Kind of like when I get my slacks from the cleaners and they fold them to put them into a bag. Not really ideal, but I live with it. Good point.

Fully prepared? Obama sent Iran a letter saying the US will not initiate force. He pre-emptively surrendered.