Nothing focuses the mind like fear. What’s focusing the minds of U.S. Army leaders right now is the fear that they will be in a major war within five years. They know they’ll be fighting terrorists and insurgents for the foreseeable future, but what really preoccupies them is the likely return of large-scale conventional conflict — maybe with Russia in Eastern Europe, or Iran in the Middle East, or North Korea in Northeast Asia. Maybe in all three places.

Senior Army officials are circumspect about discussing the danger in open forums — they don’t want to advertise U.S. vulnerabilities — but it seems clear that the Obama administration’s “pivot to the Pacific” announced in 2012 has created a geopolitical vacuum stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Persian Gulf that Russia and Iran are trying to fill. Meanwhile, the unpredictable government of North Korea continues its bellicose behavior toward the South, which the U.S. is pledged to defend.


http://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2016/08/24/u-s-army-sees-major-war-within-five-years-but-lacks-the-money-to-prepare/#3e8fbc32397f

of course.
Any service will tell you what they fear in order to retain and maintain their current strength and budget

Iran vessels make 'high speed intercept' of U.S. ship: defense official

Four vessels from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) "harassed" a U.S. destroyer on Tuesday by carrying out a "high speed intercept" in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. defense official said on Wednesday.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said two of the Iranian vessels came within 300 yards of the USS Nitze in an incident that was "unsafe and unprofessional."

"The Iranian high rate of closure...created a dangerous, harassing situation that could have led to further escalation including additional defensive measures by Nitze," the official said.

The USS Nitze had to alter course in order to increase its distance from the Iranian vessels, the official said. The official said the incident could have led to a diplomat protest, but the United States does not have diplomatic relations with Iran.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran-military-idUSKCN10Z2OP

VIDEO: 

An Apache on the flight deck could help keep those Iranians away.


Coming soon to The Arabian Gulf...
https://warisboring.com/the-navys-getting-a-big-secretive-special-operations-mothership-12801da6f353#.ahav96mz5




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Iran vessels make 'high speed intercept' of U.S. ship: defense official


http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran-military-idUSKCN10Z2OP

VIDEO: 

What would happen if that was an Israeli ship.

Iran vessels make 'high speed intercept' of U.S. ship: defense official


http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran-military-idUSKCN10Z2OP

VIDEO: 

Did Heinz-Kerry send the dreaded "Sternly Worded Letter" in protest?

Did Heinz-Kerry send the dreaded "Sternly Worded Letter" in protest?

Maybe we'll not pay as much for the next ransom....

Did Heinz-Kerry send the dreaded "Sternly Worded Letter" in protest?

"what are we supposed to use, harsh language?"