Ukraine says it will be helping to open the Strait of Hormuz
Some interesting news from Ukraine:
Ukraine will supply weapons and defense technology, including systems that can help unblock the Strait of Hormuz, to Gulf countries under new agreements, President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters on March 30.
“All agreements that will be legally formalized are extremely important for our country,” Zelensky said. “Ukraine has never had such agreements with this region before.” …
“The experience of unblocking sea trade routes with the help of among other things, sea drones – could this experience help unblock the Strait of Hormuz?” Zelensky said. “They know that they can count on our expertise in this area, and we spoke in detail about sharing our experience of the Black Sea corridor and how it functions.”
If this works out as stated, it would be some rare positive fallout from the Ukraine War. It would also be another way for Ukraine to stick it to Russia, because the latter favors Iran.
I have noticed that on the American left there is widespread support for Ukraine and a widespread lack of support for Israel and the US in the Iran operation. Will this action of Zelensky’s cause some cognitive dissonance on the left?
On the other hand, on the “woke right” (if you have a better name for that group, please let me know because I’m not so keen on that one) and/or the isolationist right, both Ukraine and Israel (and Trump, at this point) are excoriated and our support for them derided. So at least there’s consistency there and they can continue to hate Zelensky.
neo:
I too have been wondering about the cognitive dissonance from the woke right regarding Ukraine assisting the US and Israel against Iran (and, cough, Russia). After all Ukraine is unredeemably corrupt, and NATO, and ….., the Jews.
Isolationist right seems good. Just out of curiosity I scanned Megyn Kelly this morning. Her guests certainly have changed, some faculty guy from Univ. of Chicago. She then went off on how Trump listened to his advisors to start the Iran war. Her guest said he has “gamblers syndrome ” where he thinks he will win all the time.
Oh my….the same mental break it seems as Tucker.
It does seem very odd for some of the same people to be all-in on the defense of Ukraine, where, all sentiment for Ukraine and against Russian imperialism aside, there is really not a direct U.S. interest, and then be opposed to the American action in Iran, where there really is a direct American interest (we’ve been threatened for decades and the acquisition of nuclear weapons would make it hard to stop the fanatic regime going forward).
Kate:
To the left helping Ukraine also meant working against Trump, because OMB generally and OMB is a Russian puppet specifically. Believers of the Russian Collusion Hoax.
To the woke right opposing help to Ukraine meant helping Russia in it’s holy war against the woke decadent west (Soros, Dravos, NATO).
Such mental gymnastics don’t matter to Ukrainians who don’t want the Holodomor to be a preview to Vlad’s plan. Extinction of a culture and people.
Yes, om, of course anyone familiar with history before one’s own adulthood knows why Ukrainians don’t want to be swallowed by the Russian bear again. The bones cry out.
What capability does Ukraine have to affect anything in the Strait of Hormuz? Their only naval presence in their own Black Sea region are autonomous drones.
”What capability does Ukraine have to affect anything in the Strait of Hormuz? Their only naval presence in their own Black Sea region are autonomous drones.”
You answered your own question. They are the world leaders both in drones and drone defense.
Ukrainian autonomous marine and submarine drones that have made the Black Sea a no go zone for the Russian navy, that have sunk Russian frigates tied up dockside in “secure harbours,” that make Russian shipping in the Black Sea very dangerous, that have made Russian shipping in the Mediterranean risky. I would say those skills are transferable to those fighting the Iranians in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea.
What instruments of war will be deployed to the Straits of Hormuz to secure it? With what tactics? To overcome what obstacles Iran has put in place?
I found this 18m video by “Navy Decoded” to be concise and informative in answering my bush league questions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDS33Q1Em7U
Let me outline the last, first, and second answers provided.
Iran has about 1,000 miles (Km?) of Southern coastline. Much of it can be used to attack ships of war as well as tankers. But the most effective kill zone is the Straits of Hormuz and the 7 islands Iran occupies there. Most of these islands are small and thought to have troops numbered in the hundreds.
But in addition, there are thought to be tunnels built there. These function like gopher holes, poking open in various places and not at all in most others. There’s no easy telling where an attack will come from.
Not mentioned is the fact that special ops forces will likely penetrate these defensive positions held by Iran well before a US assault, in order to capture enemy soldiers, secure local intel on numbers of combatants, and placements and resources.
But among the most obvious yet most hidden defenses are the MANPADS — “Man-portable air-defense systems” — that are highly portable and lethal to any low flying aircraft.
“Navy Decoded” discusses the threat, but if he includes counter-measures, this escaped me.
As discussed here for maybe two weeks, the platform ship named The Tripoli is finally in place with some 2500 Marines.
And also The Boxer, a similar ship bringing up the total number of Marines to around 5,000.
For over 40 years, Iran has placed obstacles and attack pillboxes as well as sea born mines to defeat any invasion, which is how beach landing warfare has been conducted for thousands of years.
But Iran is not prepared for a military assault that lands by the air. Both ships bring vertical take off and landing airships called the Osprey to the theater, which are also thought to be twice as fast as the helicopter attacks Iran has prepared to defeat.
Thus, surprise and speed are the US premium advantage. And in addition to these Marines there is a paratrooper force in Theater expected to also drop from the sky, once Marines narrow down the resistance.
So, what kinds of resistance will be seen in Hormuz during a US attack? Navy Decoded does not say. But I’d expect both zealous attackers and eager mass desertions for surrender. Again, Special Ops intel will determine weakness and zones of resistance.
That ends my gleanings for what is soon to come. There will be casualties. But enemy loses will also be devastating. Much more devastating.
Oh. And in news related to Ukraine helping the US and Israeli effort to defange their power, only days ago came news of IDF led assaults to eliminate Caspian Sea Ports Russia uses to deliver missiles to Iran. Another chapter explained by mil video bloggers on YT.
Oh, PS. I forgot to mention the unknown number of mini-subs Iran has left to defend these islands and Hormuz coasts. Again, not mentioned, that intel could lead to Special OPs to diminish this threat soon. Trump aims to win against this International enemy.
Neo: Dana Loesch refers to Tucker, Steve Bannon, Candace, et al as the Woke Reich. Hope this helps.
It’s no secret that Putin’s dearest wish is to recreate the old USSR, though he’s rapidly running out of time and money to do so. It doesn’t matter if Trump is in the White House or Zelenskyy is in charge of Ukraine; it’s in US interests to keep “the breadbasket of Europe” out of Russian hands. And as Om has pointed out, it’s in Ukraine’s interest to keep their country independent: nobody wants to see a second Holodomor…except possibly Putin.
I think a lot of the left’s affinity for Ukraine and disdain of Russia is a partisan hangover from the Russiagate scandal the knee jerk defenses of the Biden family corruption. Recall that in 2012, Romney was the one warning against Russia and Hillary was approving deals sent US uranium rights to Russian companies. On the left, at least, all of this changed around 2016.
It’s also relevant that Putin has tried to position himself as a defender of traditional social mores (which he really isn’t). I think that has caused many on the left to view the Ukraine war as an extension of the US culture wars.