Iran Vs UK

[Godwynn]

But then Canada never went to Iraq...

Well, the U.K. was the aggressor.

 

[Abaddon]

Hardly, i'd give that to the US.

 

[Sophie 378]

Well, the U.K. was the aggressor.

Hardly, i'd give that to the US.

That depends what timescale you're using. Apparently they still bear a tremendous grudge for the historic UK meddling, as well as the CIA's overthrow of Mossadegh.

 

[Godwynn]

Hardly, i'd give that to the US.

They surely weren't defending Iraq.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Well, the U.K. was the aggressor.

This soldier-capturing was not Pearl Harbor. Even if it were a good casus belli, it would probably be viewed in hindsight with as much understanding as the Israeli war in Lebanon last year.

 

[Fatkat]

Based on current events what do you think would happen if these 2 countries ALONE went to war over the current navy hostage crisis ? Obviously the UK have the more advanced force, however Iran would be fighting in their own backyard.. comments anyone?

Quite simply Britain would beat the crap out of Iran.

Britain has the materiel to do it with, their forces are superior in technology, training and experience. They have access to the world's finest spy services including superior satellite; their inteligence networks are light years ahead. Importantly they have a vastly superior naval force, so Britain could sit off Iran's coast and strike at their infrastructure... Iran wouldn't be able to touch Britain's supplies and logistics.

Britain's air power would be able to strike anywhere within Iraq with impunity.

Then Britain has arguably the world's finest covert and special forces. They'd be a constant nuisance and more likely a deadly strike force against key installations.

Keeping in mind that "occupation" would never be the goal - Iran's effective fighting and defence capability would be reduced to a shambolic ill-coordinated bunch of mindless lone stragglers within a matter of months. Probably weeks.

Iran's command infrastructure would be reduced to a bunch of headless chickens within a very short time - hell, even in peacetime nobody knows who actually rules the country. Factions within the country's military, political and religious groups would all soon be at each other's throats.

Their unwashed masses might very well rebel which would confuse their [leaderships] even more.

And although it wasn't asked for in the question, you could almost guarantee that the likes of Canada, Australia, New Zealand (even!) and others would be 99% guaranteed to chip in. Iran certainly wouldn't have anyone with any degree of effectiveness to call on for help.

No, emphaticaly Iran would be looking in a very sorry state after not a long time.

 

[Princeps]

Faktat, you are to assured. True, the British would be likely to win their war of aggression, but the reality is that the British would be cought in a terrible war. Unlike Saddam's Iraq, Iran's military infrastructure is relatively untouched; which means that their facilities are bunkered, they have AA defenses and so on.

Then Britain has arguably the world's finest covert and special forces. They'd be a constant nuisance and more likely a deadly strike force against key installations.

Special forces operations against heavily defended military targets is not easy - in fact, rather rare and the damange usually done by them, is minimal compared to the more conventional war that takes place.

Their unwashed masses might very well rebel which would confuse their [leaderships] even more.

Don't be stupid - British imperial aggression against their country would have contrary effect. The government would become vastly more popular.

 

[GinandTonic]

Iran is the agressor. We packed up the British Empire some time ago so any agressive response there was on the UK's part would not be Imperial. Their AA is imiterial. All we need to do is stop their oil exports and they fold. There is no question of a mass war, the question is of enforcing an embargo until they relese the hostages. Popping off some tomahawks and storm shaddows at worst. Concievably sinking their fleet in port if it looks like they might do anything.

There is simply nothing they can do about it - the ony worry is that anyone who is cornered and desperate can be dangerous.