Middle East News
Jan 9, 2008, 20:19 GMT
Bush warns Iran about attacking US ships
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Older Talkback
Why is he warning them? Any idiot knows you'll get blown away for threatening another country's ship. Duh!! Film the backwards, inbred plonkers harrassing the ship, then blow them up. Problem solved.
Golly...guess what he'll do!?
I watched the video and found it as a joke. Five small boats with no visible arms with such a speed and still their forged voices like comming from an well isolated room (in contrast to the americans) were no threat to Americans. I would say the incident could be a great help to fuel the initiative Mr. Bush is intend to creat. If there is going to be a war it's not going to be a hit an run for any party.
@Iranian
A small boat with explosives almost sunk a US warship and killed 17 sailors. 5 small boats with explosives could certainly sink a ship. The USN knows this. Iran knows this. That is why a large part of their naval doctrine involved large numbers of small fast ships 'swarming' an enemy.
The Irainian action was definitely provocative. I'm not sure what words/threats were exchanged, but normal high seas protocal would entail that long before approaching the US ships, the speedboats would identify themselves. In any case they would NEVER approach so closely. Within a certain close radius, the ships ability to defend itself would be compromised. A captain would be negligent to ship/crew if he allowed his ship to be put in such jeopardy.
Your navy was playing a dangerous game that allowed them to assess US tactical response protocols, as well as create propaganda opportunities.
Next time they may be sunk. It would be unfortunate but they should not threaten USN ships in such close proximity.
It did say on the BBC News that the rag hats were dropping suspicious packages in he path of the US warships. They should blow them out of the water just as a precaution.
Interesting post from comment section at NY Times:
'Folks, I’ve sailed through that area, in my past life as a surface warfare officer aboard a U.S. Navy destroyer (I also stood watch as officer of the deck (OOD), the person responsible for driving the ship.)
I can tell you right now that this harassment episode is totally believable; these ships no doubt were trying to interfere with our ships’ navigation through those waters, and really put themselves in danger. The fact that our ships came close to firing really helps me understand the immediacy of the perceived threat.
What we DO need to be careful about, though, is where that “explode” comment came from. All ships at sea use a common UHF frequency, Channel 16, also known as “bridge-to bridge” radio. Over here, near the U.S., and throughout the Mediterranean, Ch. 16 is used pretty professionally, i.e., chatter is limited to shiphandling issues, identifying yourself, telling other ships what your intentions are to avoid mishaps, etc.
But over in the Gulf, Ch. 16 is like a bad CB radio. Everybody and their brother is on it; chattering away; hurling racial slurs, usually involving Filipinos (lots of Filipinos work in the area); curses involving your mother; 1970’s music broadcast in the wee hours (nothing odder than hearing The Carpenters 50 miles off the coast of Iran at 4 a.m.)
On Ch. 16, esp. in that section of the Gulf, slurs/threats/chatter/etc. is commonplace. So my first thought was that the “explode” comment might not have even come from one of the Iranian craft, but some loser monitoring the events at a shore facility. The Navy even seemed to admit as much today when they said the transmission could not be traced directly to the small boats.
So I hope everybody exercises great caution here and doesn’t jump to conclusions, given the circumstances and potential for escalation.
What I do want everybody to know is that those Navy crews are doing their damned best out there, and given the current situation/previous experience with the USS Cole, would certainly be justified in shooting at any small craft that makes aggressive runs at them, especially after being warned.
— Posted by Former SWO'
SP4: Playing Chicken with BushJan 9th, 2008 - 20:46:12
Golly...guess what he'll do!?
He'll unzip his pants, pull out his limp noodle and say: 'mine is bigger than yours.'
LOL LOL LOL There's a reason middle eastern men are so angry you know. They got the 'short' end of the stick. Ha Ha, I made a funny.
to And he'd be correct!!!
LOL LOL LOL There's a reason middle eastern men are so angry you know. They got the 'short' end of the stick. Ha Ha, I made a funny.
Not funny, until one of those shorties puts a big firecracker up yours.
The US Navy should have introduced the aggressors to some twin 50s.
The Iranians were obviously testing tactics and equipment. One thing they found out for certain; our rules of engagement are entirely too tight.
I guess you neo-cons do not get it. Let me repeat, we do not have the soldiers to start another war, I know that would not stop you idiots, but if you think Iraq has been tough take on a country 5 times the size with a worn out army. Catch a clue!
If the Yanks had blown those pieces of krap out of the water they would have made up for the humiliation of the British Navy.
Iran claims the incident to be forged by the US.Impossible ?Not at all,remember the lies from Bush and Cheney about Iraq,the trumped up charges against Iran concerning the nuclear program of that country .Bush has a history of lies ,the fact that he is so stupid as to even know what his neocon friends are doing behind his back is enough to take away his credibility once and for all.
By the way ,find out what Colin Powell's former chief of staff has to say about Bush,Cheney and their program for the USA and the world.Larry Wilkerson is the example of the honest kind of american,intelligent and attached to the real principles of democracy ,the kind of man SP4 claims not to exist;
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/7174868.stm
I am more inclined to believe the Iranians that anything that Bush’s Whitehouse puts out.
Remember the small matter of WMD.
The Americans can’t be trusted at all they have bad faith and intentions for that part of the world.
Looks as though the Americans are as courageous as them 15 Jokers Britain had in defending the Queen and the country.
When will we ever learn.
Perhaps the Greenpeace crew could have been out there between the boats and the ships to help prevent any escalation of a potential environmental disaster.
bush has almost a year to wipe out america.
so he's in no big hurry...yet
@Pperfect/others
Please people relax with your straw man 'war' argument.
This was a simple but dangerous (for Iranian sailors) provocation by Iran. They do it all the time in different contexts. Not too long ago they kidnapped 15 UK sailors. If you cannot admit this obvious point of fact, that you are completely deluded.
No one is suggesting that a war should be started over this. No one. It is just your fantasy.
All we are trying to point out is that this behavior could lead to an exchange of fire that Iran would lose. Not a war. Just broken boats and dead sailors. A USN Captain is charged first and foremost with the defense of his ship and crew cannot let potentially hostile 'Death to America' speedboats within a certain radius of his vessel. If they cross it they are dead.
Bush had nothing to do with this. You people are insane to think so. It was long over before he even heard about it.
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