185: Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier arrives, Gulf War?

Is the USA military going to launch a war in the Gulf region and personally intervene?

Facing this difficult choice, the President of the United States and the decision-makers in the The White House clearly hesitated!

If The Pentagon were to launch the Gulf War now and conduct military strikes against Iraq, it would first have to bear huge strategic risks on the military front.

After all, the failure of the Soviet Union and Iran's proxy war serves as a cautionary tale!

Iran's disastrous "Iron Storm" operation, launched with the full support of the Soviet Union, proved that Dragon Country, through technology export and tactical guidance, already possesses the ability to counter Superpowers' proxies!

If the USA directly participates in the war, it must project its main land, sea, and air combat forces from thousands of miles away in its homeland to the Middle East to have a chance of winning!

But in that case, the cost of war would be unpredictable!

In addition, the USA sending troops to conduct military strikes against Iraq would also face enormous political and diplomatic risks.

Even the UN framework it created would face a crisis of legitimacy.

Now that the Saddam government has successfully portrayed itself as a "victim" through public opinion warfare, if the USA directly participates in the war, it will face an international moral dilemma similar to the Viet Cong War!

Moreover, what the The White House is most worried about is the attitude of the The Kremlin!

Although the The Kremlin has just fought a proxy war with Dragon Country, which has made relations between the two sides very tense.

However, if the USA directly sends troops into the Gulf region to fight, it will inevitably make the The Kremlin feel that the The White House has greater strategic intentions in the Middle East!

It might even directly break the balance in the Middle East, leading the Soviet Union to also send troops into the Middle East!

And the The White House is somewhat worried that the The Kremlin might even change its attitude towards Iraq at that time and unite with Dragon Country to support Saddam, leaving the USA deeply mired in the Gulf War!

At that time, the Middle East would be in chaos, and the USA and the Western world could all face an uncontrollable energy crisis!

"Dragon Country's decision-makers have played a brilliant move!"

"They have accurately grasped that with the Soviet Union balancing our power, The Pentagon cannot directly send troops to fight in the Gulf region, which is why they united with Saddam to frantically expand their influence in the Middle East!"

The President of the United States stared intently at the Middle East map in the Oval Office and said expressionlessly.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of State, Minister of National Defense, Director of the CIA, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Energy, and other high-ranking officials in the office remained silent.

Dragon Country's presence in the Middle East is now a thorn in the side of the USA!

But considering the existence of the Soviet Union, they cannot directly intervene in the war!

Dragon Country, relying on its superb geopolitical tactics and strategic balance strategy, has them, two Superpowers, firmly under control!

"Let Israel make a move!"

"Fight another Middle East War!"

The Pentagon Secretary of Defense suddenly spoke after a long silence.

His words made everyone in the The White House Oval Office's eyes light up.

Israel, known as the "Little Hegemon of the Middle East," has fought four major wars with many countries in the Middle East and won all of them.

For example, in the Fourth Middle East War in 1973, Israel crushed the allied forces of Pyramid Country, Syria, Shat Country, and other countries.

And it gained a large amount of territory, as well as the Golan Heights, known as the water tower of the Middle East!

Due to being in a long-term state of war, the Israel military's combat effectiveness has always been relatively strong, and it is even equipped with a series of the most advanced Air Force equipment in the Global, such as F-15s, F-16s, and E-2 early warning aircraft!

In terms of military strength, it is much stronger than Iraq!

Since the USA cannot directly conduct military strikes, why not support Israel in launching a Fifth Middle East War to strike Iraq?

"Israel has always promoted the 'land for peace' strategy in the Middle East, meaning that Middle Eastern countries cede some territory to Israel in exchange for Israel not conducting military strikes against them."

"I think as long as we provide political and military support to Israel, they will definitely not mind taking action against Iraq!"

"Moreover, if Iraq is allowed to grow stronger in the Middle East, Saddam will sooner or later take the initiative to act against Israel, and they should have this sense of crisis..."

The U.S. Secretary of State also strongly supported this plan and nodded.

As the hegemon of the Middle East, Israel can be said to be the only entity in the Middle East capable of militarily suppressing Iraq!

And more importantly, Israel is the closest ally of the USA!

The USA can provide aid with the most advanced weapons and equipment without any scruples!

"Just letting Israel act against Iraq is not enough!"

"All military aid from Dragon Country to Iraq must be cut off!"

"Deploy all four Carrier Battle Groups of the Sixth Fleet to the Gulf region to blockade the Persian Gulf!"

"Absolutely no Dragon Country weapons and ammunition can be transported to Iraq!"

"As long as we do not directly intervene in the war and blockade the Persian Gulf, cutting off Iraq's weapon and ammunition supply routes, the Soviet Union and Iran will definitely not mind making a comeback!"

"At that time, let Israel launch the Fifth Middle East War..."

The President of the United States looked solemn and issued the order.

Iraq's domestic military industry is weak, and all its weapons, ammunition, and equipment rely on Dragon Country for transportation.

The USA only needs to blockade the Persian Gulf in the name of maintaining regional peace, not allowing any ships to transport weapons and ammunition that could escalate the regional war, and then even the strongest Iraq military will be useless!

...Late May.

The situation in the Middle East deteriorated rapidly!

On the basis of the Iran-Iraq conflict, Israel suddenly announced that its ambassador to the Empire on Which the Sun Never Sets had been assassinated and pointed the finger directly at Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq.

At the same time, The Pentagon's Sixth Fleet of the USA, in the name of maintaining regional peace, was fully deployed in the Persian Gulf region!

Persian Gulf, outside the Strait of Hormuz.

The lead-gray sea surface shimmered with heat waves under the scorching sun, and the distant horizon was distorted into a blurred mirage.

Suddenly, a dark silhouette of steel emerged at the junction of sea and sky; the four Carrier Battle Groups of the USA Sixth Fleet were approaching the Persian Gulf in a combat posture!

Among the four Carrier Battle Groups, the Nimitz nuclear-powered Supercarriers led the way.

This 100,000-ton behemoth is currently the most advanced nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the Global, and on its deck, F-14 "Tomcat" and F-18 "Hornet" fighter jets are neatly arranged.

Steam catapults continuously launch fighter jets into the air, forming an uninterrupted aerial patrol network.

Behind the Nimitz nuclear-powered Supercarriers Carrier Battle Group was the USS Forrestal.

Although it has been in service for many years, it still possesses powerful deterrence after modernization, and its carrier-based E-2C "Hawkeye" early warning aircraft circles at high altitude, monitoring the electromagnetic dynamics of the entire Persian Gulf.

In addition, the USS Independence and USS Midway aircraft carriers, carrying A-6 "Intruder" attack aircraft, also all entered combat status.

In the Carrier Battle Group, Spruance-class destroyers equipped with "Harpoon" anti-ship missiles and "ASROC" anti-submarine rockets formed an anti-submarine barrier around the aircraft carriers.

Perry-class frigates were responsible for anti-submarine and air defense, with SH-60 "Seahawk" helicopters constantly taking off from the stern, searching for potential underwater threats.

Further out, Virginia-class nuclear-powered cruisers carrying cruise missiles were ready to launch precision strikes against land targets at any time!

The Sixth Fleet's E-2 early warning aircraft and F-14 fighter jets formed a combat air patrol formation that circled 24 hours a day; any aircraft attempting to approach would be locked by radar, and the F-14's "Phoenix" missile was ready to hunt targets at any time.

The Spruance-class destroyers' "Harpoon" missiles have locked onto suspicious vessels in the Persian Gulf; any oil tanker or warship attempting to forcefully break through the blockade without accepting inspection will be met with warning shots.

The clouds of war enveloped the Persian Gulf, and the ports of various countries along the coast plunged into panic, merchant ships ceased operations, and oil tankers were forced to remain idle!

The USA completely blockaded the Persian Gulf!