Is America About To Bomb Iran?

Tensions rise as President Trump escalates military presence in the Middle East, signalling a potential conflict with Iran over nuclear ambitions.

- JOHN DOBSON

As the world became fixated on Donald Trump's surreal chart-waving performance in the White House Rose Garden last Wednesday and the impending trade war, another war is looming; a military conflict which could be hugely more serious. Just before he spoke, Trump ordered the move of a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, amid fears that he may be gearing up to strike Iran.

From its normal patrol area in the South China Sea, the USS Carl Vinson began its journey to the Persian Gulf, where it will join its sister carrier USS Harry S Truman, possibly as early as next Wednesday. The White House has already moved six B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, a third of its fleet, to the Diego Garcia military base on the UK-controlled Chagos Archipelago. These high-tech planes can carry bunker-busting bombs, the kind necessary for the destruction of deep nuclear sites developed over the years by Iran. Also spotted by satellite imagery last week was a fleet of six Stratotanker in-flight refuelling aircraft. These would give the B2s the capability of flying to Iran, deliver their payloads and return to the Diego Garcia base, a five thousand mile trip. All this suggests that Trump is serious about getting Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions - by force if necessary.