Looks like the Iranians put on their big boy pants again.
In what is being called a serious provocation, Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats harassed and provoked three U.S. Navy ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, officials said Monday.
U.S. forces were on the verge of firing on the Iranian boats in the early Sunday incident, when the boats ended the incident and turned and moved away, said a Pentagon official.
“It is the most serious provocation of this sort that we’ve seen yet,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record.
The incident occurred at about 5 a.m. local time Sunday as a U.S. Navy cruiser, destroyer and frigate were transiting the strait on their way into the Persian Gulf.
“Five small boats were acting in a very aggressive way, charging the ships, dropping boxes in the water in front of the ships and causing our ships to take evasive maneuvers,” the Pentagon official said.
If they think there’s going to be a repeat of the Iranians capturing British marines and sailors, only this time with American sailors as the chumps, the Iranians might want to think again.
“There were no injuries but there very well could have been,” he said, adding that the Iranian boats turned away “literally at the very moment that U.S. forced were preparing to open fire” in self defense.
He said he didn’t have the precise transcript of communications that passed between the two forces, but the Iranians radioed something to the effect that “we’re coming at you and you’ll explode in a couple minutes.”
Test run? Chest-thumping? An attempt to boost Ahmadinejad’s appeal ahead of Iranian elections, now that Khatami seems to be coming back to the fore?
And oh yeah—typical AP spin. Note the headline:
Pentagon Says Ships Harassed by Iran
I believe the proper word is “threatened.”
They should have blown those little boat’s out of the water, you don’t threathen the U.S.A..We shouldn’t have to make a call to see If we can shoot back. If that is the case then Bush should be on the boat himself..
Iranians are pressing for an incident. They must think that there is an advantage to creating one.
I really hope they do go too far and get completely blown out of the water.
I know the press will believe the smoking remains of has-been terrorists over US sailors, but I’ve long since stopped caring what the press thinks about anything.
Why can’t they say which ships were involved. My son is out there somewhere and I would like to know if his ship was involved.
Deja vu. “Gulf of Tonkin Incident”, 2 Aug 64. Jan 65; five (5) carriers deployed to Yankee Station off NVN. Briefed target, Dong Hoi. We were told we were waiting for an excuse “to do it”. 7 Feb 65; a couple of grenades/mortars lobbed into Pleiku billeting area lead to Flaming Dart I (Dong Hoi)and II bombing raids from US 7th Fleet, 7 and 11 Feb.
Could it be that GW is looking to circle the wagons? And shuffle the polls?
Ohmigod, people. How many of you morons are going to post a comment about the Gulf of Tonkin? I’m tired of approving stupid comments. Earthquake already made the case for it. I really don’t need seven more people going “Gulf of Tonkin, dude! Gulf of Tonkin!”
At least Earthquake’s comment is intelligent. Nobody else seems to be able to reproduce intelligence and a Gulf of Tonkin comment.
By the way, Earthquake, I think you’re dead wrong. The Iranians captured British sailors and Marines last year, remember? That wasn’t a Gulf of Tonkin. That was a test of the will of the Brits to fight and defend their men.
American will seems to be a bit stronger.
Reminds me of a cruise in the Gulf aboard the USS Blue (DD 744). Same situation. A year later the USS Maddox (DD 731)and the TJ, Well you know the story..
I should point out that General Giap, in his memoirs, said that North Viet Nam was within two days of surrendering when the politicians and the press caused the U.S. to stop the bombings. The use of the Viet Nam war as an analogy is usually not argued correctly.
Per the Navy press release, the ships involved were:
CG-73 USS Port Royal
DDG-70 USS Hopper
FFG-61 USS Ingraham