That is a very simplistic view. Clearing mines to foster safe passage through the broader strait while not allowing tolls to go to Iran, seems like a sensical move.

Let’s say it before a certain canine has to, no gratuitous partisan puke..pls

From AI..."Iran claimed to have enough enriched uranium to build 11 nuclear bombs, as stated by a U.S. envoy in March 2026. They reportedly control 460 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium, which can be further enriched to weapons-grade material."

and.... "In an interview with "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said there had already been damage done to Iran's nuclear sites, and said last year's strikes on three nuclear facilities were "quite effective."

"There has been a lot of impact on the program. One cannot deny that this has really rolled back the program considerably, although, you know, I'm very skeptical about these metrics, days, minutes, months, because everything is relative," Grossi said".

Sounds like you want a 100% iron clad answer to something that most people would deem to have some margin of error because gaining cold hard facts is unachievable. Maybe if Iran would stop threating and boasting about how much HEU they have, things might be different. How long does it take to go from HEU to weapons grade?(I'll let you GoogleFu that). Can HEU be used for dirty bombs? I would hate for one of those to go off in NYC subway system even though it's only HEU at 60%.

BTW , What was the stated range of Iran missiles and what did they just demonstrate the range was on Diego Garcia. I can see how some (not an insignificant few) might want to error on the side of prudence when a country states "Death to America" , "Wipe Israel off the face of the earth", and has demonstrated a capability and quest to do so.

Ukraine has taken out numerous Russian military ships with naval drones, which are basically a Walmart kayak loaded explosives and powered by a jet ski motor. It is probably not beyond Iran’s capabilities to do the same to US warships. They certainly could sink a tanker with a sea drone. Will US sailors post videos of their multibillion dollar minesweeper sinking on TikTok? Will shipping companies risk their crews and cargo without US boots on the ground in Iran?

You are right. Much simpler to just add our mines to theirs and shut down the whole strait. When they decide they really want to sell oil again, we’ll remove ours after they remove theirs.

It then becomes a question of who can last longer: a regime that has survived 10 years of trench warfare and thirty years of economic sanctions with a secret police force that hangs 400 citizens a month or a failed US president with 70% disapproval rating facing midterm elections with oil at $300/barrel and an economy in severe recession.

There are far better/nastier elements and isotopes to use fir a dirty bomb vs U-235/233 or Pu239

So because there is something more lethal, we shouldn't be concerned about what they do have?

if we can’t outlast Iran (and China), we deserve to fail . But I’m betting we can.

America has been at war with itself for the last two decades. We’re less of a society and more a collection of independent contractors trying to make enough money to outrun all the problems that the boomers did nothing to try to solve and which we continue to not try to solve.

If you’re asking Americans to get together and face 5-6+ gallon gas with a brave face for the “greater good” it ain’t gonna happen.