Previous post
Iran received a blunt warning from President Trump this morning.
I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2020
Wait what??!! Where did this come from? In the midst of the 24/7 Covid-19 Wuhan Lung Rot news, it’s understandable that news about Iran’s harassment of our U.S. Navy slipped past us.
“Eleven Iranian gunboats harassed U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships operating in the north Persian Gulf on Wednesday, the Navy said, calling Iran’s actions “dangerous and provocative.”
At one point, the Iranian vessels, from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy, came within 10 yards of the Coast Guard Cutter Maui, the Navy said.
The U.S. ships issued several warnings through bridge-to-bridge radio and horn blasts, the Navy said. After an hour, the Iranian vessels “maneuvered away from the U.S. ships and opened distance between them,” the Navy said in a statement.”
Eleven gunboats came within TEN yards of our ships.
That’s not a navigational mistake folks. Not at all. Furthermore, our ships have been in the Gulf conducting maneuvers since March. Why now the harassment? Why is Iran now attempting to flex their muscles? Don’t they, as everyone else in the world does, have enough on their plate with this virus? Evidently not. Something else is up with this new and targeted harassment. What is it?
“Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard announced enhanced capabilities for its naval fleet, including extended anti-ship missile range and faster vessels capable of outpacing its top rival, the United States.
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy commander Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri said Monday that his forces now “have a variety of surface-to-surface missiles with a range of 700 km [more than 430 miles] produced domestically.” He also touted the production of new warships, such as the 55-meter catamaran-style helicopter carrier inaugurated in 2016, along with other vessels that are said to be capable of reading speeds of up to 90 knots, or “three times faster than American vessels.”
“Wherever the Americans have been present, insecurity has arisen, and we do not know where the presence of the United States has led to security,” Tangsiri said.”
Oh, that’s not good. Not good at all. We already know that Iran is busily using all their pallets of cash to continue to fund terrorism and sneakily work on their nuclear program. Never mind that Iranian citizens have been in economic crisis for months AND are now medically compromised due to Iran’s cozy relationship with China. Nope, Iran’s priorities have always been terrorism, nukes, and continued hatred of the United States.
This has been building since last year when the U.S. nearly retaliated after Iran shot down one of our surveillance drones. This has ALSO been building given Iran tried to storm our embassy in Baghdad, and then we turned one of Iran’s major terrorists, General Qassem Soleimani, into an itty bitty heap of ash.
The Squad, all sorts of blue check liberals and failed Presidential candidates wept and blathered about impeachment distraction over Soliemani’s death. What are they doing now? Bloviating about ‘wag the dog!‘ on Twitter.
President Trump is acting recklessly proclaims Twitter blue checks! Fox News is to blame for this!
If you were wondering why President Trump, seemingly out of the blue, said he had ordered the U.S. Navy to destroy Iranian gunboats if they "harass" them, the answer, as usual, is he saw something on Fox. https://t.co/lmeT0BU9eX
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) April 22, 2020
Blame Fox and ignore that Wall Street Journal, quoted above, that reported the harassment LAST WEEK. Blame Fox and also ignore Iran’s bragging about their long-range missile capability yesterday, and continued threats to the U.S.
Let’s blame Fox News and nitpick his tweet! Yeah, that’s the ticket!
Iran is a threat. Period full stop. They aren’t letting a virus stop them from funding terror or threatening the United States every chance they get.
Ok, forgetting the obvious, which is that you don't "shoot down" boats but is he trying to start a conflict to distract from his complete and total failure on coronavirus. I won't be distracted. I will vote for @JoeBiden for President. America, are you with me? https://t.co/9kok0yqm3I
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) April 22, 2020
No Fred. This isn’t a distraction. This is a blunt and direct warning in response to targeted harassment from a regime that would do anything and everything they could to ensure the United States is no more.
President Trump isn’t going to let Iran get away with harassment. Nor will he ever let our ships be boarded and our sailors taken OFF the ship like Obama did.
President Trump issued a blunt warning to Iran today. Iran has a choice now. Heed the warning or push the envelope.
Feature Photo Credit: Official US Navy Flickr page, cropped and modified
*ASailor stands watch on a Mark VI patrol boat before a weapons sustainment exercise in the Arabian Gulf, April 16, 2020
GWB says: slipped past us.
I saw it. The video had me wondering how committed out commanders really are to post-Cole ROE. “Within ten yards” is definitely within the Shoot-to-render-inoperable distance of a moving warship. It shouldn’t require presidential OK to commit acts of self-defense.
other vessels that are said to be capable of reading speeds of up to 90 knots
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh, stop! Please! STOP! I think I tore my spleen! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
continued hatred of the United States and Israel
FIFY
and ignore that Wall Street Journal
Heck, they have to ignore the actual video evidence of the encounter. But, then, they never seem to let reality interfere with their narrative.
I won’t be distracted. I will vote for JoeBiden for President.
Well, yes, I figured that, since you’re an ideologue. Real people are not so stupid, though.
BTW, note that sailor is wearing his COVID mask… while standing watch on deck, outside, with no one else (except the photographer) within a short distance of him*. Because coronavirus. *smh*
(* I know the picture is tightly framed. But, trust me, when you’re at stations like that, there isn’t a crowd standing around at each weapon.)
SFC D says: There needs to be some answers from the commanding officers on the American vessels. As in “Why are those 11 boats still afloat”. Is JAG still writing the ROE?
Formerly known as Skeptic says: Re: “you don’t “shoot down” boats”
I’ll admit it is an unusual usage, but you know – you shoot them, they go down. He’s not exactly wrong…
I’m astonished by the video. Apparently the USN learned absolutely nothing from the defeat of USS Cole. If those boats had suddenly turned to ram there’s nothing that could have been done to stop them. USN needs to destroy any enemy vessel coming close. Tell Iran, China, and Russia.
4 Comments