Russian military intelligence services are reporting a flurry of activity by U.S. Armed Forces near Iran's borders, a high-ranking security source said Tuesday.

"The latest military intelligence data point to heightened U.S. military preparations for both an air and ground operation against Iran," the official said, adding that the Pentagon has probably not yet made a final decision as to when an attack will be launched.

He said the Pentagon is looking for a way to deliver a strike against Iran "that would enable the Americans to bring the country to its knees at minimal cost."

He also said the U.S. Naval presence in the Persian Gulf has for the first time in the past four years reached the level that existed shortly before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
Col.-Gen. Leonid Ivashov, vice president of the Academy of Geopolitical Sciences, said last week that the Pentagon is planning to deliver a massive air strike on Iran's military infrastructure in the near future.

A new U.S. carrier battle group has been dispatched to the Gulf.

The USS John C. Stennis, with a crew of 3,200 and around 80 fixed-wing aircraft, including F/A-18 Hornet and Superhornet fighter-bombers, eight support ships and four nuclear submarines are heading for the Gulf, where a similar group led by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has been deployed since December 2006.

The U.S. is also sending Patriot anti-missile systems to the region.

Whether or not the Russians are reading too much into it is too much to say. I would not doubt that the American military will definitely present a show of force in order to try and coerce Iranian cooperation in releasing the British prisoners.

It is of some concern to many people that the current U.S. administration will try and 'force the action' with Iran, in order to begin another round of unilateral regime-change. There is no authorization to do such a thing, but this is the kind of event that would allow the U.S. to take military action in Iran, as authorized by NATO Charter Article 5 which reads:

Article 5
The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

Don't doubt for a second that the taking of hostages to put on trial for espionage will not be seen as an act of war.

The end of the article that talks about the U.S. carrier force that's in the region, and I'd like to expound upon that for a moment. As I've mentioned before, I was a fairly senior enlisted person in the Navy until recently so its kind of my subject. All of what I'm to tell you is common knowledge.

Each carrier can hold around 80 fixed-wing aircraft, which includes the FA-18 Hornet, a fighter/attack plane, and the EA6B Prowler, which is electronic reconnaisance and jamming. Also in the region would be any number of LHD or LSD carriers, which are primarily used for Marine helicopters and for amphibious landing craft. There would be up to maybe 2000 Marines on each of those.

Another thing to keep in mind is that with a Naval force like the one assembled in the region, there will be any number of vessels capable of delivering Tomahawk cruise missles. There are usually several guided-missle Cruisers, as well as Aegis-Destroyers. Submarines also have that capability, but there are progressively less of those in service than there used to be.

What I'm telling you is, and what the Russian article I posted should tell you, is that this is starting to look like the beginning of something new and horrible. It can start quickly, and when it does, we'll be able to unleash massive amounts of firepower.

I'm concerned that it looks like something may actually happen. God help us.