Or maybe because they are near our borders and we have considerable fire power close to our borders? Our fire power far from our borders will be negligible. If the US wants to challenge the UN freedom of navigation in international waters by seizing a tanker, do you think coming up for an excuse to attack those naval assets will be difficult? You know how the US distorts reality and rotates it 180 degrees. Don't you?
So, let's say that the US attack those defenseless tankers. What prevents us from giving them a response near our borders? Are there no US ships near us or what?
You are missing the point. You have to understand the Chess board and how the chess pieces work. You are merely trying to look at the chess piece and say the chess piece can do this, without taking time to think what the board is showing you.
Why is the US doing this? Because Iran is sticking its nose to US sanctions and helping a South American country which historically has been US Backyard. It’s like US helping Azerbaijan or Afghanistan against Iran sanctions.
Is the point of this to grab the tankers?
No. The US could careless about the tankers it’s more about sending a message to the world that it doesn’t tolerate meddling in its backyard and also because US has an obsession with its rival Iran.
If US wanted they could take the tankers because they not escorted. While Iran could also do a tit for tat for in PG it’s more difficult as there active military patrols and waterway is narrow.
Now if Iran set a flotilla the whole PR gamble because much more complex and dangerous.
Thus the US would almost certainty stand down, not because it’s weak. Not because Iran can do damage. That is all irrelevant. Geopoltics is all about making moves on the chess board without throwing everything into chaos.
At the end of the day if two rational players are sitting across from each other. The player that is the US would decide that while it is easy to take the pawn off the board (seize ships) and maybe even have low consequences it is the fear of the unknown that will stop it from doing so (Iran escort)
After all, US received Iranian missile attack on a base that housed US forces. It could easily have unleashed a fierce counterattack, but it looked at the board and saw it took down a knight (Solemani) and only lost a pawn (injuries and material damage). If it continued, the fear of the unknown (escalation/war) ment it couldn’t control the movement of the board.
Hence why Iran would send a flotilla. It can read the board and understands the right move to make. It has nothing to do with distance, firepower, whose got the better ship....it’s all about the chess board.
Cuban Missile Crisis is a perfect example of the chess board.
