Aces and Eights
Russian MiG-31 interceptor carrying a Kinzhal hypersonic missile.It now appears certain the United States is concentrating a huge naval force in the eastern Mediterranean, Red, and Arabian seas.
Several NATO nations are also sending warships to join this growing fleet.
Unknown numbers of US and NATO submarines are also certainly lurking in these regions.
There is already substantial US air power presence in the Persian Gulf region.
Israel is clearly working in concert with the US/NATO in whatever is brewing.
And make no mistake, something big IS brewing.
It is something I have written about for several years now, but consistently believed the Pentagon was not stupid enough to actually attempt.
As I view it, there can be only one primary target that would warrant such a large projection of military power as is underway: Iran and its allies in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.
And, as I have repeatedly argued over the years, I am convinced making war against Iran is a recipe for unforeseen disaster.
Iran wields much more military capability than is generally understood and appreciated both by western military analysts and the western populace.
There is no doubt the US/NATO/Israel, in tandem, can inflict severe damage against Iranian targets. But I am convinced they cannot do so without also incurring severe damage themselves.
Let's also not forget there is a wildcard in this game: Russia and its strategically imperative bases in Syria.
As I see it, there are two realities at work here that will necessarily come into conflict:
1) The Pentagon is almost certain to regard the Russian bases in Syria as unacceptable threats to their objectives in the region. And therefore they will seek to neutralize them.
2) The Russians will fight to retain their Syrian bases.
Having now been compelled to abandon their designs to use the #MotherOfAllProxyArmies in Ukraine to weaken Russia, the Masters of Empire would no doubt love to "change the narrative" by defeating the Russians in Syria.
Therefore I am increasingly persuaded that any massive US attack against Iranian surrogate forces in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq will almost certainly include a simultaneous attack against the Russian air and naval bases in Syria.
I believe Russian recognition of this likely move by the Americans is why Russian President Vladimir Putin — in China, no less — publicly announced 24/7 patrols of Kinzhal-armed Russian aircraft within range of the eastern half of the Mediterranean and much of the Red and Arabian seas.
The #EmpireAtAllCosts cult must have convinced themselves the Russians are bluffing, or that their capabilities are much weaker than claimed.
I am convinced both ideas are mistaken.
If the US itself is not merely bluffing, then this whole thing could get out of hand really fast.
