PURPOSE OF THE STRIKE GROUPS

"Q: So, this means we're probably going to war?
A: Not necessarily.
Q: Really? What else could it be?
A: Oh, I don't know, preparations to enforce sanctions against Iran should they be passed?
Q: Sanctions?
A: Yeah, you know, the UN has been talking about imposing santions against Iran if they don't stop enriching uranium. And apparently there seems to be some momentum building to actually do something.
Q: Oh yeah. But why would you send a carrier battle group?
A: To impose the sanctions by denying ingress and egress to Iranian ports. Let's face it, if they can't ship oil through the Straits of Hormuz, they're out of business.
Q: So a carrier battle group could stop them from doing that?
A: Oh yeah.
Q: But I'd bet the Iranians wouldn't take it lying down, would they?
A: Probably not which is why we have tomahawk missiles. Should they attack our naval vessels, we could take out all their missile and naval sites with them.
Q: But what about the mine layers?
A: Mines are area denial weapons. Again, a good way to control ingress and egress. We can also completely bottle up their ports if necessary. It's also a good way to canalize their surface vessels and make them attack along known corridors we control. Iran has many fast attack missile boats. Ensuring we controlled the only avenues of approach would go a long way toward defeating any attacks they might mount.
Q: So this deployment probably doesn't signal an attack on Iran?
A: Nope. A single carrier group, no matter how many tomahawks it has or how hurriedly it is deployed does not mean war with anyone."
http://www.qando.net/details.aspx?Entry=4630

“... The ships will be in place to strike Iran by the end of the month. It may be a bluff. It may be a feint. It may be a simple show of American power. But I doubt it...”
-- Chris Hedges, former Middle East bureau chief for The New York Times
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/200601009_bushs_nuclear_apocalypse/