Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell dismissed Iran’s warnings about closing the Strait of Hormuz as “idle threats,” during a small round table discussion with reporters today.
“This idle threat that they’re going to interrupt the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz is not enforceable. We have a carrier there, that will not happen,” McConnell told me. “So this is the time to squeeze the Iranians in every direction possible.”
He added that the Saudis would assist with any fallout in oil production.
“The Saudis have already indicated that whatever reduction in oil production might occur as a result of this, they’ll make up,” said McConnell.
The Senate Minority Leader’s comments put him at odds with many military experts who say the regime’s threats are a real risk. The U.S. Navy has reportedly been training for a potential clash with Iran over the strait.
McConnell also blasted Obama’s leadership on Iran, saying that the president only ordered the latest round of tough Iran bank sanctions because Senate Republicans forced him to do it. Obama was required to institute these sanctions under a bill championed by Sens. Mark Kirk and Robert Menendez.
“We forced it on him. He didn’t want the authority,” said McConnell.
He added that Obama now has “greater tools to use on the Iranians. I hope he uses them all.”
It is a question of *if* — Iran definitely *can* cause problems — an Exocet rocket — and those are 30 years old now — sank the British's HMS Scheffield during the Falkland Island war and the Iranians & Iraqis were shooting them back and forth and at assorted shipping during their war, there have got to be a few left over. nOr a few newer and more lethal toys — not to mention all the Stingers that we have missing, and all the fun stuff the former Soviet Union had. n nPut one of those in the side of an oil tanker and even if you don't sink her, even if you don't block the strait, Maritime Insurance rates will go through the roof and *that* may close the strait. And our aircraft carriers aren't as invulnerable as some would think, in theory and with some luck, Iran could sink one. n nWhat would be the US response? That is the real question — would Iran risk it?