Pentagon says ships harassed by Iran

[Aztec Warrior]

By PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press Writer

25 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - 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.

"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. forces 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."

Historical tensions between the two nations have increased in recent years over Washington's charge that Tehran has been developing nuclear weapons and supplying and training Iraqi insurgents using roadside bombs — the No. 1 killer of U.S. troops in Iraq.

In another incident off its coast, Iranian Revolutionary Guard sailors last March captured 15 British sailors and held them for nearly two weeks.

The 15 sailors from HMS Cornwall, including one woman, were captured on March 23. Iran claims the crew, operating in a small patrol craft, had intruded into Iranian waters — a claim denied by Britain. Link

[nickoli]

I dont think those actions will continue to pay off, bad habit indeed. I'm very very surprised that they were not fired upon this time. Yes very dangerous actions by the Iranians. I hope they dont keep this up and dire warnings were issued behind the scenes.

[Aztec Warrior]

Apparently the Iranians have been recorded threatening to blow up the US ships. I can't understand why the Navy didn't fire, given what happened to the US Cole and the British sailors.

"transcript of communications that passed between the two forces, but said the Iranians radioed something like "we're coming at you and you'll explode in a couple minutes."

Edited January 7, 2008 by Aztec Warrior

[GreyWeather]

^^^

Oh the originality of the M.E.

[stevewinn]

should have blew them out the water, or better still disabled the Iran boats and took them prisoner, do what they did with the Brits, fancy suits, presents and then relased them as a gift to the Iranian people, how nice,

[Moon Monkey]

Sounds like a very silly thing for the Iranians to do, maybe it was dressed up CIA and thats why they weren't blown out of the water.

[odas]

In whose waters were the Iranian ships?

Edited January 7, 2008 by odas

[AROCES]

Sounds like a very silly thing for the Iranians to do, maybe it was dressed up CIA and thats why they weren't blown out of the water.

Yup, same govt agents behind the 9/11 trying to scare the American public for election is coming soon.

[chaoszerg]

All of a sudden it is acknowledged that they have stopped their enrichment programme,so we cant use that as a excuse to go kick butt so instead all of a sudden all these little reasons keep popping up.

I think someone wants a excuse to go over to Iran. But I could be paranoid.

But if the Iranians are doing that then maybe they are asking for trouble.

I don't know but I think some one is looking for conflict.

[Aztec Warrior]

In whose waters were the Iranian ships?

The strait of Hormuz...intl waters.

Edited January 7, 2008 by Aztec Warrior

[ships-cat]

Curious....a VERY muted response from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.. I'm amazed they aren't flooding the wires services with triumphalist stories of how the IRG "saw off the ships of the Great Satan" etc etc etc.

It's almost as though they where embarrased by the affair. I wonder if a local IRG commander exceeded his orders and did INDEED challenge the US ships in international waters ?

Meow Purr.

[Stardrive]

So Unlimited, is this what you meant when you said the US would be at war with Iran on or by January 6th?

Let me take a guess... if the Iranian gunboats were successfull in their attempt to provoke an attack, that was your que to cry false flag, conspiracy and say I told you so. A reliable source gave you this information indeed. It's a dangerous game they are playing.

BTW only 378 days left of Bush being in office. They need to get busy.

[Unlimited]

So Unlimited, is this what you meant when you said the US would be at war with Iran on or by January 6th?

Let me take a guess... if the Iranian gunboats were successfull in their attempt to provoke an attack, that was your que to cry false flag, conspiracy and say I told you so. A reliable source gave you this information indeed. It's a dangerous game they are playing.

BTW only 378 days left of Bush being in office. They need to get busy.

It was close...had the US made a move i would have been right...things are happening behind the scenes..this wars close at hand..

[odas]

The strait of Hormuz...intl waters.

If this is true then the Iranians did not have the right to do what they did. Otherwise - any country in the world would do the same to protect their integrity, or?

[Stardrive]

It was close...had the US made a move i would have been right...things are happening behind the scenes..this wars close at hand..

I see. So I take it the plan is for Iran to provoke the US navy into a conflict, then say it was a conspiracy by the US, play the victim and hopefully get International backing. I would say the Iranians are being quiet about it because we did'nt take the bait.

Edited January 7, 2008 by Stardrive

[Unlimited]

I see. So I take it the plan is for Iran to provoke the US navy into a conflict, then say it was a conspiracy by the US, play the victim and hopefully get International backing. I would say the Iranians are being quite about it because we did'nt take the bait.

The Iranians want war worse then bush does....he better watch out they got some tricks

[Stardrive]

Curious....a VERY muted response from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.. I'm amazed they aren't flooding the wires services with triumphalist stories of how the IRG "saw off the ships of the Great Satan" etc etc etc.

Sorry to bother you cat, but what was IFM's response?.

[Unlimited]

IMHO...Iran is a proxy of china...I think the chinese are telling them what to do...

[bee]

[it's almost as though they where embarrased by the affair. I wonder if a local IRG commander exceeded his orders and did INDEED challenge the US ships in international waters ?

I expect that there are infiltrators in all sorts of official positions that could cause a lot of trouble.

Maybe this is an example....but it is a dangerous game to play....with the lives of the Iranian people.

And with all the lives of other people East and West...who will suffer if the you-know-what hits the fan!

[ships-cat]

Sorry to bother you cat, but what was IFM's response?.

Well... most sources just say that the "IFM issued a low-key response".. or words to that effect.

The nearest thing I could find that was explicit is this, from the ContraCosta Times .. whoever they are.

But Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Ali Hosseini played down the incident, suggesting it was an issue of mistaken identity. He did not comment on the U.S. claims of the Iranian boats' actions.

"That is something normal that takes place every now and then for each party, and it (the problem) is settled after identification of the two parties," he told the state news agency IRNA.

The incident was "similar to past ones" that were resolved "once the two sides recognized each other."

All very diplomatic and understated !

Meanwhile, in the Twilight Zone....

IMHO...Iran is a proxy of china...I think the chinese are telling them what to do...

F'sure... and Olmert is channelling for Elvis.

Meow Purr

[Unlimited]

F'sure... and Olmert is channelling for Elvis.

Meow Purr

maybe they do hounddog together....

[ships-cat]

maybe they do hounddog together....

LOL... or perhaps... "In the Ghetto" ?

Meow Purr.

[Cinders]

I just read one article and this bit makes sense:

Update, 11:33 a.m. Doubts over the creditibility of the threat flowed almost as quickly as the news itself. Blake Hounshell of Foreign Policy Magazine says that “it’s a safe bet that hardliners in the Guard are seeking to create an incident on the eve of U.S. President George W. Bush’s visit to the region.” ***

Source

What I find odd is that CNN had this as "BREAKING NEWS" this morning just before they were to interview Ron Paul.

Watch or download the 2 minute "breaking news" HERE

If this occured SATURDAY, why is it BREAKING NEWS today???

Or is it planned on US NEWS NOW because it's the eve of when Bush is to visit the region or because of the eve of the NH caucuses ??

Edited January 7, 2008 by Cinders

[Stardrive]

maybe they do hounddog together....

I was thinking "a hunk a hunk of burnin love"

Thanks for the info cat.

[questionmark]

I just read one article and this bit makes sense:

Update, 11:33 a.m. Doubts over the creditibility of the threat flowed almost as quickly as the news itself. Blake Hounshell of Foreign Policy Magazine says that “it’s a safe bet that hardliners in the Guard are seeking to create an incident on the eve of U.S. President George W. Bush’s visit to the region.” ***

Source

What I find odd is that CNN had this as "BREAKING NEWS" this morning just before they were to interview Ron Paul.

Watch or download the 2 minute "breaking news" HERE

If this occured SATURDAY, why is it BREAKING NEWS today???

Or is it planned because it's the eve of when Bush is to visit the region or because of the eve of the NH caucuses ??

Nah, all casus belli went up in smoke... now we need a new one