InfoAnda - U.S., allies in Gulf naval exercise as Israel, Iran face off |

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Apple to host media event September 9 | Technology | | 1 September 2009
US envoy to visit North Korea on December 8 | 19 November 2009
Nigeria detains 12 in Halliburton bribery case | | 28 November 2010

States ask FCC's OK to jam prison cell phones | 14 July 2009

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : U.S., allies in Gulf naval exercise as Israel, Iran face off |

Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Home Business Business Home Economy Technology Media Small Business Legal Deals Earnings Social Pulse Business Video The Freeland File Aerospace & Defense Markets Markets Home U.S. Markets European Markets Asian Markets Global Market Data Indices M&A Stocks Bonds Currencies Commodities Futures Funds peHUB World World Home U.S. Brazil China Euro Zone Japan Mexico Russia India Insight World Video Reuters Investigates Decoder Politics Politics Home Election 2012 Campaign Polling Political Punchlines Supreme Court Politics Video Tech Technology Home MediaFile Science Tech Video Tech Tonic Social Pulse Opinion Opinion Home Chrystia Freeland John Lloyd Felix Salmon Jack Shafer David Rohde Bernd Debusmann Nader Mousavizadeh Lucy P. Marcus David Cay Johnston Bethany McLean Anatole Kaletsky Edward Hadas Hugo Dixon Ian Bremmer Lawrence Summers Susan Glasser The Great Debate Steven Brill Jack & Suzy Welch Frederick Kempe Christopher Papagianis Mark Leonard Reihan Salam Breakingviews Equities Credit Private Equity M&A Macro & Markets Politics Breakingviews Video Money Money Home Tax Break Lipper Awards 2012 Global Investing MuniLand Unstructured Finance Linda Stern Mark Miller John Wasik James Saft Analyst Research Alerts Watchlist Portfolio Stock Screener Fund Screener Personal Finance Video Money Clip Investing 201 Life Health Sports Arts Faithworld Business Traveler Entertainment Oddly Enough Lifestyle Video Pictures Pictures Home Reuters Photographers Full Focus Video Reuters TV Reuters News Article Comments (3) Full Focus Editor's choice Our best photos from the last 24 hours. Full Article Images of August Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read Japan brandname firms shut China plants after protest violence | 12:47pm EDT Crude oil ought to be $150 per barrel: Iran 16 Sep 2012 Japan's ambassador-designate to China dies in Tokyo - ministry 16 Sep 2012 Muslim protesters rage at United States in Asia, Middle East | 12:44pm EDT Iran's Revolutionary Guards commander says its troops in Syria 16 Sep 2012 Discussed 288 U.S. ambassador to Libya, three staff killed in rocket attack 163 Egyptians angry at film scale U.S. embassy walls 124 U.S. embassies attacked in Yemen, Egypt after Libya envoy killed Sponsored Links Pictures Reuters Photojournalism Our day's top images, in-depth photo essays and offbeat slices of life. See the best of Reuters photography. See more | Photo caption Return of Occupy Protesters return to the streets to mark the one year anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Slideshow Will & Kate's Asia tour The royal couple are on a nine-day tour of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. Slideshow U.S., allies in Gulf naval exercise as Israel, Iran face off Tweet Share this Email Print Related News EU foreign policy chief to meet Iran nuclear negotiator 10:24am EDT Iran on brink of nuclear bomb in 6-7 months: Netanyahu 6:26am EDT REFILE-UPDATE 3-Netanyahu: Iran on brink of nuclear bomb in 6-7 months Sun, Sep 16 2012 Facing criticism, Netanyahu denies interfering in U.S. vote Fri, Sep 14 2012 Netanyahu deputy disagrees on setting Iran "red line" Fri, Sep 14 2012 Analysis & Opinion Iran is using oil to find gaps in international sanctions Related Topics World » Israel » Middle East Turmoil » By Sami Aboudi and Daniel Fineren DUBAI | Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:16am EDT DUBAI (Reuters) - The United States and its allies have launched a major naval exercise in the Gulf that they say shows a global will to keep oil shipping lanes open as Israel and Iran trade threats of war. Publicly announced in July, the operation, known as IMCMEX-12, focuses on clearing mines that Tehran, or guerrilla groups, might deploy to disrupt tanker traffic, notably in the Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and the Arabian peninsula. The start of the event, with a symposium for officers from more than 30 navies, came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. television viewers on Sunday that Tehran was close to being able to build a nuclear bomb; his words fuelled talk of an Israeli strike, and of Netanyahu pressuring President Barack Obama to back Israel as Obama battles for re-election. Military officials, diplomats and analysts - as well as Iran itself - all sought to play down the significance of the timing and to stress the defensive and hypothetical aspects of the exercise, which moves on to the water from Thursday with ships from a much smaller number of nations taking part in maneuvers. However, it was a clearly deliberate demonstration of the determination on the part of a broad coalition of states to counter any attempt Iran might make to disrupt Gulf shipping in response to an Israeli or U.S. strike on its nuclear facilities - a form of retaliation Iran has repeatedly threatened. "This exercise is about mines and the international effort to clear them," Vice Admiral John Miller, commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, told officers assembled for the symposium at his fleet headquarters in Bahrain on Monday. "Represented here are the best of our individual countries' efforts dedicated to securing the global maritime commons." As well as Britain and France, the main European naval powers, a number of Middle Eastern states are taking part, along with countries from as far apart as Estonia and New Zealand. "The demining efforts are clearly in preparation for a showdown with Iran," said Hayat Alvi of the U.S. Naval War College, "Presumably in the context of either an Israeli strike targeting Iran's nuclear facilities, or some provocation that leads to an Iranian response in the Persian Gulf region." U.S. forces in the Gulf include two aircraft carriers on permanent station, though these will not take part in the latest exercise - one of dozens held by the fleet every year. For its part, Iran has said it will hold a major air defense exercise next month, showing its ability to protect nuclear sites. Western powers are also involved in planning a major naval exercise to be held in the eastern Mediterranean next month. U.S.-ISRAEL TIES Netanyahu's comments on U.S. television on the potential progress Iran might make over the next few months in enriching uranium towards the point where it would be useable in a weapon were short on detail but stressed the notion that Tehran was on the brink of a major breakthrough which Israel would not accept. Obama, who has faced criticism from Republican challenger Mitt Romney of being too soft on Iran and too hard on Israel, has stressed a desire to give international economic sanctions and diplomacy time to persuade Tehran to change tack on a nuclear strategy it says is intended only for civilian purposes. Catherine Ashton, the European Union foreign policy chief who is leading international efforts to persuade Iran to accept checks and limits on its nuclear work, will meet the chief Iranian negotiator Saeed Jalili in Istanbul on Tuesday, officials announced on Monday. The encounter follows a renewed round of discussions begun in May after over year of stalemate. With strains showing between Israel and Washington, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a powerful ally to both, said on Monday that she believed a peaceful outcome was still possible, despite skepticism from Netanyahu that diplomacy will work. "Iran is not just a threat to Israel but for the whole world," Merkel told a news conference, in remarks that echo an element of Israel's arguments. "I want a political solution and think we should act together internationally, and I believe that the room for a political solution has not been exhausted." The heat of the dispute was in evidence in Vienna, where the U.N. nuclear supervisor, the IAEA, held its annual meeting. An Iranian representative drew a link between an explosion which cut power to a uranium enrichment plant last month and a visit by U.N. inspectors. Suggesting "terrorists and saboteurs" may have infiltrated the agency, his comments recalled speculation that Western or Israeli agents have already made covert attacks. Oil prices were little changed on Monday, though tensions have spooked markets before. Iranian threats to block the waterway through which about 17 million barrels a day sailed in 2011 have grown as U.S. and European sanctions aimed at starving Tehran of funds for its nuclear program have tightened. But Iranian military officials sounded a relaxed note, reassuring their own public: "This exercise is a defensive exercise and we don't perceive any threats from it," said Mohammad Ali Jafari, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. "We are not conducting exercises in response." Anthony Skinner of the Maplecroft consultancy said the exercise would, however, remind Iran of Washington's ability to blunt its offensive capabilities: "Iran would likely mine the Strait of Hormuz and possibly deploy suicide bombing skiffs in the event of air strikes against its nuclear facilities. "Washington wants to show that it's prepared for such an eventuality," Skinner said. "I see this exercise as part of broader initiative to sustain the pressure on Iran. Giving sanctions the time to work is clearly the preferred option for the Obama administration, at least in the medium term." Meir Javedanfar, an Iranian expert in Israel, suggested that publicity for the exercise was primarily aimed at American voters and the Israeli leadership: "This military exercise is Obama's way of showing U.S. voters, especially Israel's supporters in the U.S., and Netanyahu that when it comes to Iran, he is not only relying on talks," he said. "To show that when he said 'I have Israel's back' in March ... he meant it." In a statement, the U.S. navy recalled what it described as terrorist attacks in 2002 on the French tanker Limburg off Yemen and in 2010 on the Japanese M. Star in the Strait of Hormuz, as examples of the "hypothetical threat" to shipping in the area of the exercise, which would take place at sea in three areas, two in the Gulf and one at the mouth of the Red Sea. Western navies have also been practicing in recent years how to respond to small, fast boats, possibly crewed by suicidal assailants, which could target larger ships in the way the U.S. destroyer Cole was damaged in a Yemeni port 12 years ago. (Additional reporting by Yeganeh Torbati and Marcus George; Writing by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by David Stamp) World Israel Middle East Turmoil Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ Comments (3) dariusaria wrote: Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Back to top Reuters.com Business Markets World Politics Technology Opinion Money Pictures Videos Site Index Legal Bankruptcy Law California Legal New York Legal Securities Law Support & Contact Support Corrections Connect with Reuters Twitter Facebook LinkedIn RSS Podcast Newsletters Mobile About Privacy Policy Terms of Use AdChoices Copyright Our Flagship financial information platform incorporating Reuters Insider An ultra-low latency infrastructure for electronic trading and data distribution A connected approach to governance, risk and compliance Our next generation legal research platform Our global tax workstation Thomsonreuters.com About Thomson Reuters Investor Relations Careers Contact Us Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Monday, 17 September 2012
Libyan leader says 50 arrested in U.S. consulate attack |
Insight: China builds its own military-industrial complex |
Islamist militants attack Egypt security HQ in Sinai |
China struggles to cure the violent ills of health system |
Venezuela opposition chides Chavez over recent weeping jag |
Analysis: China hurts own credibility with Xi's vanishing act |
UK royals ready criminal complaint against photographer |
Resident Evil: Retribution swims past Finding Nemo |
Silver Linings Playbook wins top prize at Toronto fest |
The Script top UK charts with Hall of Fame |
Protests erupt in Afghanistan as Muslim anger over film simmers |
Japanese firms shut China plants, U.S. urges calm in islands row |
Suicide car bomber near Baghdad's Green Zone kills four |
Two South Africa mines reopen, situation still tense |
U.N. panel spotlights disappearances in Pakistani province |
U.N. draws up second list of Syrian war crimes suspects |
Australia's Gillard climbs back in polls a year from elections |
Troubled Iraqi border town in eye of Syrian storm |
Girl's death 24 years ago haunts quest for justice in reformist Myanmar |
Winklevoss twins invest in social network company: report |
Australia's Rip Curl says has received approaches |
Libya sacks Benghazi security chiefs after U.S. attacks |
U.S., allies in Gulf naval exercise as Israel, Iran face off |
West's rebel worries leave Syria strategy struggling |
Myanmar frees prisoners in amnesty, dissidents included |
Trial set for butler who hoped to cleanse Vatican evil |
Nigerian troops kill Boko Haram spokesman -source |
EU foreign policy chief to meet Iran nuclear negotiator |
Apple sells 2 million new phones, sets early order record |
SignalGuru app helps drivers avoid red lights |
Netflix drops after underperform rating by Macquarie |
Start-ups fight back as patent wars intensify |
Telefonica picks HP's Aurasma for augmented reality expansion |
Cyber clues link U.S. to new computer viruses |
Rihanna leads MTV Europe Music Award nominations |
UK royals ready criminal complaint against photographer |
Frail but feisty Masur opens Baltic music festival |
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01