Black Tiger II, 2015

A Fictional February, 2015 After beating Senator Obama in the race for the White House in 2008, second-term President Ronald Taggart has maintained U. S. involvement on the ground in Iraq until early 2015, at which time the remaining U. S. ground forces are withdrawing through Kuwait. The last marines have embarked in the USS Tarawa Expeditionary Strike Group, which will soon be transiting the Strait of Hormuz to head back home. Carrier Strike Group THREE, centered on USS Carl Vinson, is finishing up a strenuous 7 month deployment and will be transiting with the Tarawa ESG. Unfortunately, the Iranians have been far more belligerent lately than in past months. Harsh economic sanctions are taking a toll, and tensions continue to rise over their ongoing nuclear program. A stagnant economy and the falling price of oil has put them in an economic quagmire. A resurgent Russia has aligned itself closely with Tehran, also beset economically by low oil prices. It is not lost on anyone that strife in the Persian Gulf is something sure to send oil prices back up- as well as a way for Russia's strongman president to make life difficult for his old nemesis, the United States, by using Iran as a proxy of sorts. In order to aid their new allies against the United States, her allies, and particularly Israel, Russia has recently engaged in a modern day lend-lease program of sorts with Iran. The Russians have provided several regiments of front line fighters to the Iranians, along with valuable AWACS assets, weapons, and the components of a world class integrated air defense system. With these tools in hand, the Iranians are ratcheting tensions to a new all time high. Earlier today, a section of Superhornets was forced to intercept and drive off Iranian MiGs that flew out over gulf waters to harrass and 'thump' a maritime patrol plane. As the excitement of the morning fades and night falls, there are growing indications that fresh trouble may be brewing...