Quote Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh
Well, our deployments commonly include two nearby -- a fact known to the Iranians. Deploying the third would be more of a saber-rattling move therefore, so the "intimidation" angle is a possibility.

If CENTCOM was telling NCA that "if you do this you had better not do it half-assed and this would be" then CENTCOM was probably providing sage advice.

I very much hope that SECDEF and CENTCOM both pressure NCA to:

a) avoid violence unless absolutely essential, and

b) if decided that it is essential, then use it in a decisive fashion.


Point B may, or may not, be possible given the overall goal set and the forces available to the USA at current deployment conditions.
I agree Seamus with 95% of your post,with the exception of the 3rd deployment. I just dont see it being a decisive intimidator given that 2 are there now, along with 150k+ ground troops in the adjoining countries.

Apparantly centcom thought the same thing.