Tanker War Redux

[Anixtu]

Britain dispatches nuclear attack submarine to the gulf.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1156053/navy-nuclear-sub-gulf-iran-uk-oil-tanker-middle-east-crisis

 

Be interesting to learn if it's carrying an SOF shelter

Probably not, but I bet her weapon mix is TLAM heavy.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Yeah, thats a safe bet. I suppose they could probably crossload in Bahrain at night if they arent?

 

There is also some discussion in the media of Iranian Minisubs. Ive no idea what kind of threat they realistically produce, but I guess having an SSN on hand would be no bad thing to keep a pair of ears open.

 

There is this from earlier this year on Covert Shores that show that the ASW threat might be significantly higher than we have been lead to believe. The Taedong B in particular might fit the profile of the missile attack on the tanker that was reported a couple of weeks back.

http://www.hisutton.com/Iran_Submarine_forces.html

Edited July 21, 2019 by Stuart Galbraith

[DKTanker]

Oh, they had a plan. What they didn't have was enough resources to make it work. One more example of the FCO making promises the MOD cant cash. Something the Foreign secretary has been very open about, to be fair to him.

 

 

 

In the end, its just one more example of the utter fixation of Brexit over any other concern's. And its only going to get worse through to October, reading of the monosyllabic defective buckets of personality they are lining up to be Bojo's dream team.

 

There was no plan, not one that was given more than a second's thought. What, somebody thought Iran would simply roll over if one of their tankers was seized? Probably the same kind of people that didn't believe, or didn't want to believe, Iran was behind the earlier tanker attacks.

 

Brexit has nothing to do with Britain not being prepared for the consequences of its own foreign policy choices. If you're going to be dumb enough to pull a gun, be smart enough to pull the trigger.

[Anixtu]

1) Yeah, thats a safe bet. I suppose they could probably crossload in Bahrain at night if they arent?

 

2) There is also some discussion in the media of Iranian Minisubs. Ive no idea what kind of threat they realistically produce, but I guess having an SSN on hand would be no bad thing to keep a pair of ears open.

1) Not necessarily at Bahrain, and why at night? Locals will always know and leak.

 

2) I doubt we have any intention of parking an SSN anywhere near the SoH. The SIGINT story is a ruse to mollify the peaceniks. TLAM is a better way to deal with Yonos.

[Stuart Galbraith]

 

1) Yeah, thats a safe bet. I suppose they could probably crossload in Bahrain at night if they arent?

 

2) There is also some discussion in the media of Iranian Minisubs. Ive no idea what kind of threat they realistically produce, but I guess having an SSN on hand would be no bad thing to keep a pair of ears open.

1) Not necessarily at Bahrain, and why at night? Locals will always know and leak.

 

2) I doubt we have any intention of parking an SSN anywhere near the SoH. The SIGINT story is a ruse to mollify the peaceniks. TLAM is a better way to deal with Yonos.

 

 

Well Im not sure loading within range of Iran is a good idea anyway, but I figured their ability to pick up on it at night would be somewhat reduced.

 

And yes, I take your point.

 

 

 

Oh, they had a plan. What they didn't have was enough resources to make it work. One more example of the FCO making promises the MOD cant cash. Something the Foreign secretary has been very open about, to be fair to him.

 

 

 

In the end, its just one more example of the utter fixation of Brexit over any other concern's. And its only going to get worse through to October, reading of the monosyllabic defective buckets of personality they are lining up to be Bojo's dream team.

 

There was no plan, not one that was given more than a second's thought. What, somebody thought Iran would simply roll over if one of their tankers was seized? Probably the same kind of people that didn't believe, or didn't want to believe, Iran was behind the earlier tanker attacks.

 

Brexit has nothing to do with Britain not being prepared for the consequences of its own foreign policy choices. If you're going to be dumb enough to pull a gun, be smart enough to pull the trigger.

 

Well the plan was they would feel intimidated by our warship. Which im not saying was a good plan, but....

 

Sure it does. Its a simple bandwidth problem. Its certainly been plenty obvious for years that we dont spend enough on defence, but there recent events of Brexit (not least the Machiavellian fate of Gavin Williamson) is all evidence of the inability to think beyond that single issue. Even Salisbury was a momentary gap between thinking about Brexit.

You have to remember, a lot of these are not particularly smart guys, and the immediate prospect of being out of power due to Brexit probably focuses a lot more minds than Iran. Or a least, did.

 

Its funny how our politicians keep forgetting and relearning the old lesson, you can forget about Defence, but it wont forget about YOU.

[DB]

given the previous attempted intercept, one might ask why the vessel that was captured chose to sail without an escort.

[Josh]

Britain dispatches nuclear attack submarine to the gulf.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1156053/navy-nuclear-sub-gulf-iran-uk-oil-tanker-middle-east-crisis

 

Be interesting to learn if it's carrying an SOF shelter

 

I can't imagine what an SSN could do in that situation besides SOF than would be useful.

[Josh]

given the previous attempted intercept, one might ask why the vessel that was captured chose to sail without an escort.

 

15-30 ships a day. There isn't a way to escort all of them effectively, though I suppose a couple of capable vessels could be left in or near the straight to respond in a more timely fashion. That of course puts the escort more at risk.

[Nobu]

Considering there is nothing in the Iranian Navy worth anywhere near a Royal Navy nuclear attack submarine, sending one to operate in the confined waters of Iran's front yard sounds like a risk/reward miscalculation.

[Adam_S]

Well the plan was they would feel intimidated by our warship. Which im not saying was a good plan, but....

 

Sure it does. Its a simple bandwidth problem. Its certainly been plenty obvious for years that we dont spend enough on defence, but there recent events of Brexit (not least the Machiavellian fate of Gavin Williamson) is all evidence of the inability to think beyond that single issue. Even Salisbury was a momentary gap between thinking about Brexit.

You have to remember, a lot of these are not particularly smart guys, and the immediate prospect of being out of power due to Brexit probably focuses a lot more minds than Iran. Or a least, did.

 

Its funny how our politicians keep forgetting and relearning the old lesson, you can forget about Defence, but it wont forget about YOU.

 

 

I saw the video of that radio exchange on the news this morning. I don't think the Iranians looked to be particularly intimidated by the warship while they were fast roping down onto the deck of the tanker. I hope somebody's having a good think about what to do next.

[Burncycle360]

 

Well the plan was they would feel intimidated by our warship. Which im not saying was a good plan, but....

 

Sure it does. Its a simple bandwidth problem. Its certainly been plenty obvious for years that we dont spend enough on defence, but there recent events of Brexit (not least the Machiavellian fate of Gavin Williamson) is all evidence of the inability to think beyond that single issue. Even Salisbury was a momentary gap between thinking about Brexit.

You have to remember, a lot of these are not particularly smart guys, and the immediate prospect of being out of power due to Brexit probably focuses a lot more minds than Iran. Or a least, did.

 

Its funny how our politicians keep forgetting and relearning the old lesson, you can forget about Defence, but it wont forget about YOU.

 

 

I saw the video of that radio exchange on the news this morning. I don't think the Iranians looked to be particularly intimidated by the warship while they were fast roping down onto the deck of the tanker. I hope somebody's having a good think about what to do next.

 

 

The west are the "good guys" and have to play by rules, plus an election cycle is coming up and they're pretty close to bankrupt as it is with decadence. Remember, no matter how brazen or aggressive anyone in the rest of the world is, there will be people who defend them because all fault lies on Western shoulders.

 

Besides, the Iranian administration are fundamentalist extremists, they need to let their people know they still have control lest they start getting ideas.

 

 

 

Considering there is nothing in the Iranian Navy worth anywhere near a Royal Navy nuclear attack submarine, sending one to operate in the confined waters of Iran's front yard sounds like a risk/reward miscalculation

 

Aside from Iran not having much that would be a threat to them (aside from accidentally running into a mine), the UK doesn't exactly have any conventional submarine alternatives to use. They could, I suppose, maintain a small fleet just in case they need to get into the littorals, but that costs money and they wouldn't be used most of the time. Or, according to Dingo, the UK would get into as many regional conflicts as they possibly could in order to make use of them since they exist.

 

Personally, I think the UK could do a lot worse than having a couple of Vanguard SSGNs (SOF Capable) available. A whole lot less ado / sabre rattling than a surface fleet (which the UK isn't willing to muster anyway) to maintain a quiet, loitering strike presence should a regional crisis dictate it, and it gives them a credible deterrence effect for the politicians to use as leverage since they could be anywhere (or not). It doesn't have the same flexibility of strategic bombers or carriers, but they'd be significantly less expensive for the capability they do provide.

[Jeff]

Well the plan was they would feel intimidated by our warship. Which im not saying was a good plan, but....

 

Sure it does. Its a simple bandwidth problem. Its certainly been plenty obvious for years that we dont spend enough on defence, but there recent events of Brexit (not least the Machiavellian fate of Gavin Williamson) is all evidence of the inability to think beyond that single issue. Even Salisbury was a momentary gap between thinking about Brexit.

You have to remember, a lot of these are not particularly smart guys, and the immediate prospect of being out of power due to Brexit probably focuses a lot more minds than Iran. Or a least, did.

 

Its funny how our politicians keep forgetting and relearning the old lesson, you can forget about Defence, but it wont forget about YOU.

Sure fine, the Brexit boogeyman is the cause of all of Britain's problems. The UK was completely unprepared for the obvious and openly stated threat by Iran and failed to inform shipping. Yes, I know, the seizing of the Iranian tanker was all Trump's fault and the UK couldn't just refuse if they thought it was daft. As I said earlier, no one seems to have been prepared for Iran to behave like Iran. They'd better have a plan now or Iran is going to have one heck of a tanker collection before too long. It would be nice if the plan were something different than the usual US does all the heavy lifting one. Especially since we don't need PG oil.

[Adam_S]

Aside from Iran not having much that would be a threat to them (aside from accidentally running into a mine), the UK doesn't exactly have any conventional submarine alternatives to use. They could, I suppose, maintain a small fleet just in case they need to get into the littorals, but that costs money and they wouldn't be used most of the time. Or, according to Dingo, the UK would get into as many regional conflicts as they possibly could in order to make use of them since they exist.

 

Personally, I think the UK could do a lot worse than having a couple of Vanguard SSGNs (SOF Capable) available. A whole lot less ado / sabre rattling than a surface fleet (which the UK isn't willing to muster anyway) to maintain a quiet, loitering strike presence should a regional crisis dictate it, and it gives them a credible deterrence effect for the politicians to use as leverage since they could be anywhere (or not). It doesn't have the same flexibility of strategic bombers or carriers, but they'd be significantly less expensive for the capability they do provide.

 

 

Wasn't one of the design goals of the latest and greatest nuke boats to be quiet enough to go into the littorals to take on SSKs?

 

If the main reason the sub is going is to provide a TLAM capability, which I suspect it may be, then it doesn't even need to go into the Gulf. The range on TLAM means that it can stand out into the Indian Ocean and still be able to hit targets in Iran.

[Stuart Galbraith]

 

Well the plan was they would feel intimidated by our warship. Which im not saying was a good plan, but....

 

Sure it does. Its a simple bandwidth problem. Its certainly been plenty obvious for years that we dont spend enough on defence, but there recent events of Brexit (not least the Machiavellian fate of Gavin Williamson) is all evidence of the inability to think beyond that single issue. Even Salisbury was a momentary gap between thinking about Brexit.

You have to remember, a lot of these are not particularly smart guys, and the immediate prospect of being out of power due to Brexit probably focuses a lot more minds than Iran. Or a least, did.

 

Its funny how our politicians keep forgetting and relearning the old lesson, you can forget about Defence, but it wont forget about YOU.

Sure fine, the Brexit boogeyman is the cause of all of Britain's problems. The UK was completely unprepared for the obvious and openly stated threat by Iran and failed to inform shipping. Yes, I know, the seizing of the Iranian tanker was all Trump's fault and the UK couldn't just refuse if they thought it was daft. As I said earlier, no one seems to have been prepared for Iran to behave like Iran. They'd better have a plan now or Iran is going to have one heck of a tanker collection before too long. It would be nice if the plan were something different than the usual US does all the heavy lifting one. Especially since we don't need PG oil.

 

 

Well lets look at the facts.

 

1 We are in a leadership contest. The PM is outgoing and is unlikely to want to make major decisions that are going to be dumped in the lap of the next incumbent. Think George Bush's decision to intervene in Somalia, dumping it in the Lap of Bill Clinton and you see my point.

2 One of those in the leadership contest is the Foreign Secretary, who is manfully trying to manage our Foreign Policy at the same time as trying to be the next PM. The candle cant burn at both ends.

3 The Chancellor is probably going to step down, based on not wanting Boris Johnson as PM, and they need him to pay any outstanding bills.

4 The Defence Secretary is a Brexiteer, who is probably as distracted as everyone else is by the leadership contest. If Hunt wins, she gets more money. If Bojo wins, she doesnt but gets the Brexit she wants.

 

All of this means at the moment we are paralyzed. I find it extraordinary that nobody outside the UK really appreciates how much bandwidth is taken up with this crap.

 

Lets look at it from the other point of view, was the USN any better prepared to deal with this crisis? No. They even got out of the maritime escort role. Was anyone else better placed? No. So we are just one among a number of nations taking their eye off the ball.

 

I will say this, its really about time Panama invested in a Navy.

Edited July 22, 2019 by Stuart Galbraith

[Stuart Galbraith]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7271067/Sleeper-cells-terrorists-inspired-attack-UK-security-sources-warn.html

Terrorists supported by Iran could strike Britain if tensions deepen between the two countries, senior intelligence sources claim.

Agencies believe that the Islamic Republic has funded sleeper cells across Europe, including in the UK.

They rank the country behind only Russia and China as in terms of the threat it poses to national security.

Amid the escalating threat, Prime Minister Theresa May announced that she will hold a meeting of Britain's emergencies committee Monday to discuss strategy.

'As well as receiving the latest updates from ministers and officials, the... meeting will discuss the maintenance of the security of shipping in the Persian Gulf,' a Downing Street spokeswoman said Sunday.

 

It comes amid heightened concerns in MI5 and MI6 sparked by Tehran's seizure of British oil tanker Stena Impero on Friday.

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is linked to radicals that are operating the terror cells, a source told the Daily Telegraph.

Counter-terror officers broke apart a cell in 2015 when they found it stockpiling explosives in London.

The source told the paper: 'Iran has Hezbollah operatives in position to carry out a terrorist attack in the event of a conflict. That is the nature of the domestic threat Iran poses to the UK.'

The Metropolitan Police and MI5 say that cells are widespread across Europe despite the 2015 disruption. They fear that cells in other European countries will be deployed to Britain.

Their thwarting of the 2015 plot only surfaced last month after authorities kept the 'proper organised terrorism' secret.

 

Agents blamed Iran for cyber attacks on the UK in 2017 when MPs and peers were hacked.

The Islamist regime is also thought to be responsible for an attack on local government networks, the Post Office and private companies last year. Those behind the attacks have links to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard

 

The Conservative Party is split on the Stena Impero affair as Iain Duncan Smith accused Theresa May of a 'major miscalculation' after she turned down help from the US. President Donald Trump pledged to offer protection to British ships in the region.

Meanwhile Chancellor Philip Hammond denied that the government had taken its 'eye off the ball' as he spoke to The Andrew Marr Show on the BBC on Sunday.

 

 

 

Iran now claims that the tanker used the exit lane to enter the gulf. Which is a complete contrast to the guff about hitting a fishing boat, which I guess a study of shiptracker would prove to be a lie.

Edited July 22, 2019 by Stuart Galbraith

[Stuart Galbraith]

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/irans-flag-hoisted-over-seized-british-tanker-in-state-tv-footage/ar-AAEEFSR?li=BBoPWjQ&ocid=UE13DHP

The Iranian flag has been hoisted over a seized British oil tanker in footage broadcast on the country's state TV.

Stena Impero was seized by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, sparking a major diplomatic crisis.

The clip appears to have been recorded in the southern port of Bandar Abbas, the Daily Mail reported.

Footage also seems to show Iranian armed forces patrolling the deck of the UK-flagged ship after it was taken.

 

How monumentally childish.

[Stuart Galbraith]

In not unrelated news...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7271681/Iran-claims-arrested-17-CIA-spies.html

Seventeen CIA spies have been arrested in Iran and some of them will face the death penalty, Tehran claimed today amid a worsening Middle East crisis.

Iran's intelligence ministry declared it had broken up an American spy ring and sentenced several of its members to death, according to state television.

'The identified spies were employed in sensitive and vital private sector centres in the economic, nuclear, infrastructural, military and cyber areas... where they collected classified information,' a spokesman said.

Washington has yet to respond but the spy claims are likely to send tensions spiralling further.

Iran has been feuding with the West for weeks over the crumbling nuclear deal and a series of threats to Middle East shipping, which heightened again last week when Tehran's revolutionary guards seized a British tanker in the Straits of Hormuz.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Some photographs of the crew in custody here.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7271815/Russia-says-Irans-tanker-position-right-Britains.html

[Anixtu]

Iran now claims that the tanker used the exit lane to enter the gulf. Which is a complete contrast to the guff about hitting a fishing boat, which I guess a study of shiptracker would prove to be a lie.

All the tracks I've seen posted online put Stena Impero on the inbound (northern, starboard) side of the Traffic Separation Scheme, which is irrelevant to Iran as the scheme is entirely inside Omani TTWs. Likewise if they'd hit a fishing vessel it would have been in Emirati, International or Omani TTWs and Iranian law doesn't apply. Their seizure of a vessel in Omani TTWs is a violation of Omani sovereignty. Oman and allies should respond accordingly.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Yes, Im really not getting quite why they feel the need to lie about it. We know why they did it, they have been bragging for weeks they were going to do it. The only ones whom seem to buy this story are Russia because Iran's arguments are based on 'ecology whereas ours are based on piracy. Not that Putin's opinion matters a damn of course. Doubtless they are not concerned about the Russian now in Iran's custody.

[Anixtu]

Doubtless they are not concerned about the Russian now in Iran's custody.

The Russians (most likely engineering officers) and most of the rest of the crew will be released, with new suits if they are lucky. If Iran persists with the "law enforcement" charade the Indian master and possibly OOW and/or other deck officers will remain in detention to face the "charges".

Edited July 22, 2019 by Anixtu

[Jeff]

 

 

Well the plan was they would feel intimidated by our warship. Which im not saying was a good plan, but....

 

Sure it does. Its a simple bandwidth problem. Its certainly been plenty obvious for years that we dont spend enough on defence, but there recent events of Brexit (not least the Machiavellian fate of Gavin Williamson) is all evidence of the inability to think beyond that single issue. Even Salisbury was a momentary gap between thinking about Brexit.

You have to remember, a lot of these are not particularly smart guys, and the immediate prospect of being out of power due to Brexit probably focuses a lot more minds than Iran. Or a least, did.

 

Its funny how our politicians keep forgetting and relearning the old lesson, you can forget about Defence, but it wont forget about YOU.

Sure fine, the Brexit boogeyman is the cause of all of Britain's problems. The UK was completely unprepared for the obvious and openly stated threat by Iran and failed to inform shipping. Yes, I know, the seizing of the Iranian tanker was all Trump's fault and the UK couldn't just refuse if they thought it was daft. As I said earlier, no one seems to have been prepared for Iran to behave like Iran. They'd better have a plan now or Iran is going to have one heck of a tanker collection before too long. It would be nice if the plan were something different than the usual US does all the heavy lifting one. Especially since we don't need PG oil.

 

 

Well lets look at the facts.

 

1 We are in a leadership contest. The PM is outgoing and is unlikely to want to make major decisions that are going to be dumped in the lap of the next incumbent. Think George Bush's decision to intervene in Somalia, dumping it in the Lap of Bill Clinton and you see my point.

2 One of those in the leadership contest is the Foreign Secretary, who is manfully trying to manage our Foreign Policy at the same time as trying to be the next PM. The candle cant burn at both ends.

3 The Chancellor is probably going to step down, based on not wanting Boris Johnson as PM, and they need him to pay any outstanding bills.

4 The Defence Secretary is a Brexiteer, who is probably as distracted as everyone else is by the leadership contest. If Hunt wins, she gets more money. If Bojo wins, she doesnt but gets the Brexit she wants.

 

All of this means at the moment we are paralyzed. I find it extraordinary that nobody outside the UK really appreciates how much bandwidth is taken up with this crap.

 

Lets look at it from the other point of view, was the USN any better prepared to deal with this crisis? No. They even got out of the maritime escort role. Was anyone else better placed? No. So we are just one among a number of nations taking their eye off the ball.

 

I will say this, its really about time Panama invested in a Navy.

 

 

So then don't take an action you know the Iranians will respond aggressively to. Look at what's going on in the US, and yet we can manage to get out of bed in the morning. It's a bullshit excuse for gross incompetence. As for everyone else, I've said just that, no one seems to have been ready. Well, they'd better be now because Iran is feeling their oats.

[Stuart Galbraith]

 

 

 

Well the plan was they would feel intimidated by our warship. Which im not saying was a good plan, but....

 

Sure it does. Its a simple bandwidth problem. Its certainly been plenty obvious for years that we dont spend enough on defence, but there recent events of Brexit (not least the Machiavellian fate of Gavin Williamson) is all evidence of the inability to think beyond that single issue. Even Salisbury was a momentary gap between thinking about Brexit.

You have to remember, a lot of these are not particularly smart guys, and the immediate prospect of being out of power due to Brexit probably focuses a lot more minds than Iran. Or a least, did.

 

Its funny how our politicians keep forgetting and relearning the old lesson, you can forget about Defence, but it wont forget about YOU.

Sure fine, the Brexit boogeyman is the cause of all of Britain's problems. The UK was completely unprepared for the obvious and openly stated threat by Iran and failed to inform shipping. Yes, I know, the seizing of the Iranian tanker was all Trump's fault and the UK couldn't just refuse if they thought it was daft. As I said earlier, no one seems to have been prepared for Iran to behave like Iran. They'd better have a plan now or Iran is going to have one heck of a tanker collection before too long. It would be nice if the plan were something different than the usual US does all the heavy lifting one. Especially since we don't need PG oil.

 

 

Well lets look at the facts.

 

1 We are in a leadership contest. The PM is outgoing and is unlikely to want to make major decisions that are going to be dumped in the lap of the next incumbent. Think George Bush's decision to intervene in Somalia, dumping it in the Lap of Bill Clinton and you see my point.

2 One of those in the leadership contest is the Foreign Secretary, who is manfully trying to manage our Foreign Policy at the same time as trying to be the next PM. The candle cant burn at both ends.

3 The Chancellor is probably going to step down, based on not wanting Boris Johnson as PM, and they need him to pay any outstanding bills.

4 The Defence Secretary is a Brexiteer, who is probably as distracted as everyone else is by the leadership contest. If Hunt wins, she gets more money. If Bojo wins, she doesnt but gets the Brexit she wants.

 

All of this means at the moment we are paralyzed. I find it extraordinary that nobody outside the UK really appreciates how much bandwidth is taken up with this crap.

 

Lets look at it from the other point of view, was the USN any better prepared to deal with this crisis? No. They even got out of the maritime escort role. Was anyone else better placed? No. So we are just one among a number of nations taking their eye off the ball.

 

I will say this, its really about time Panama invested in a Navy.

 

 

So then don't take an action you know the Iranians will respond aggressively to. Look at what's going on in the US, and yet we can manage to get out of bed in the morning. It's a bullshit excuse for gross incompetence. As for everyone else, I've said just that, no one seems to have been ready. Well, they'd better be now because Iran is feeling their oats.

 

 

Its not a bullshit excuse Jeff, you wanted an explanation of whats happening, I gave you one. Im not excusing it, its unacceptable performance for whatever reason. But there is a reason for it, there is disarray because there isnt a functioning Government at the moment.

 

On the positive side, Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign secretary, has announced he is going to go to 2.5 percent of GDP and give Scotland more ship building contracts. Which is great news, although the chances of him getting in a place to do anything about it is nil according to the pundits.

[Tim the Tank Nut]

You could just blow the captured tanker in place...

Either by UDT team or missle.

It's your boat so scuttle it.

 

I know where there is a loaded replacement...

[Stuart Galbraith]

If they offload the crew, i think that would be the ideal solution personally.

 

Im not sure an exchange would work, because the Iranian tanker is much older and much bigger. But still, the owners could probably sell it or break it for scrap and make their money back. But there is some precedent for it. After WW1 we impressed German liners that were part of war reparations. Its not often realized but the ship Empire Windrush, that brought a lot of Jamaican's to the UK in the late 40's, was also an impressed German troop transport.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMT_Empire_Windrush

 

Of course its a highly aggressive solution, but I think to be honest, we are going to be heading in that direction whatever happens. They may decide to blow it up themselves just to make a point.