Since May, six oil tankers have been attacked in or near the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian fingerprints are all over these maritime attacks. Many think that this could be a prelude to Iran carrying out its often-made threat to close the Strait through which flows some 30 percent of the world's seaborne oil traffic. Closing this waterway -- at least for a time -- would not be difficult. The strait is only 21-one miles wide at its narrowest point and it abuts southern Iran. Image credit: Satellites.pro It's doubtful, however, that Iran would be foolish enough to try this. Nevertheless, the Iranians might due to either a miscalculation or out of desperation as the sanctions bite harder and hadrer. Such an act would be devastating to Iran's military and economy. For then, the U.S. Navy could be taken off the leash and do what it was built to do. There's no sense in going over the various tactical ways of militarily...(Read Full Post)