BREAKING 3:13 PM ET Iran Fired on Unarmed U.S. Drone in International Airspace, Pentagon Says

[BainsBane]

No further information on the New York Times website at this time.

See this link from Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/08/us-usa-iran-drone-idUSBRE8A71C520121108

(Reuters) - Iranian warplanes fired multiple rounds at an unmanned unarmed U.S. surveillance aircraft in international airspace over the Gulf last week, but the craft was undamaged and returned safely to its base, Pentagon spokesman George Little said on Thursday.

President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta were both advised early on about the unprecedented incident, which occurred at about 4:50 a.m. ET (0850 GMT) on November 1.

Iran was later warned through diplomatic channels the United States would keep conducting surveillance flights in the region and would protect its military assets, Little said.

"The United States has communicated to the Iranians that we will continue to conduct surveillance flights over international waters over the Arabian Gulf consistent with longstanding practice and our commitment to the security of the region," Little told a Pentagon briefing.

"We have a wide range of options from diplomatic to military to protect our military assets and our forces ... and will do so when necessary," he added.

[get the red out]

1. My husband called me about that

He said he got his call on air to disagree with the local RW radio jerk who was in the process of calling for war against Iran over it.

[BainsBane]

3. just now?

The article says it occurred on Nov. 1, but somehow it's just breaking news right now.

[B2G]

4. It happened on 11/1 and is just now being reported. n/t

[redqueen]

5. They had a war scheduled and they'll be damned if they'll change their plans

just cause their 'yes man' lost!

[B2G]

12. It was an unmanned drone

in International airspace.

That's some corner they're in.

[redqueen]

15. Corner?

Was that reply meant for post #6?

Anyway whatever... Iran is on the list... expect the Wurlitzer to only get louder
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century#section_1

[B2G]

17. It was. Bad placement. :-)

[BlueStreak]

16. Let me guess, over on Faux: "What did Obama know and when did he know it?"

[Fawke Em]

25. Why would we go to war over someone shooting at an unmanned drone?

That's just stupid.

[redqueen]

31. The stated excuses for starting wars are almost always pretexts.

In this case, I would guess it would go like this: They're shooting at drones, so they must be hiding something, it must be nukes, therefore war. (This wouldn't happen after one incident. They always start pounding the war drums slowly.)

The actual reason, of course, is something else entirely.

[DURHAM D]

2. Oh shit.

[realgreen]

6. Back people into a corner, and they're going to fight back

Too bad this country didn't learn that lesson on Dec 7, 1941.

[OldDem2012]

7. And this is true because the Pentagon says it is? Really?? nt.

[B2G]

10. They have video (hasn't been aired)

Why would the Pentagon lie about it? What in the world would be gained? If the Pentagon is lying about his incident, then Obama is too. Have you seen a denial from the White House?

And what makes you think Iran isn't capable of this? Have you not listened to their rhetoric?

[OldDem2012]

26. The question you have to ask yourself is where was the drone actually located?....

....was it truly in international airspace as the Pentagon claims, or was it actually flying a recon mission in Iranian airspace? If I'm not mistaken, Iran claims a 12-mile limit outside their borders. So, where was our drone located?

Additionally, we have a very long history of flying manned and unmanned recon missions inside the airspace of foreign countries. What do you know about the recon missions we flew into the old Soviet Union in the late 1940s - early 1950s? How about the U-2 overflights of both the Soviet Union and China in the late 1950s - early 1960s? What do you know about the SR-71, the successor to the U-2? I could go on, but I think you get the point.

Remember, the NeoCons are actively pushing for a military confrontation with Iran and they have allies within the US government, US Intelligence agencies, as well as the US military.

It would not be the first time the US military/US intelligence has stretched the truth about issues like this. Do you remember the Tonkin Gulf incident, or more recently, the claims of WMDs in Iraq?

And please don't be naive...neither the military nor the intelligence apparatus tells the President everything. This allows the President to have plausible deniability in certain situations.

One last point....we have an annoying habit of attributing all kinds of terrible things to the people we intend to attack. That goes back to how we treated the Native Americans from the second our ancestors made landfall in North America. If you don't know that, then you're not much of a student of US History.

[Oubaas]

8. I Remember Something Like This...

Yeah, something like this happened in the Tonkin Gulf, didn't it?

[BainsBane]

9. The Democratic love sure didn't last long

[Ya Basta]

13. And also

in the Havana harbor 1898.

[Arkansas Granny]

11. Well, shit, here we go.

[KoKo]

14. Well...there were rumors that BiBi would wait until after the election...

[progressivebydesign]

18. Wow Cheney and his friends really WERE pissed about the other day. nt

[Avalux]

19. This isn't breaking at 3:13 ET. Fix your title. It happened on November 1st. n/t

[BainsBane]

28. But it is only being reported now

Evidently it was kept quiet for a week.

[NYC Liberal]

20. This happened over a week ago.

[Fire Walk With Me]

21. NO WAR WITH IRAN!

[HiPointDem]

22. fuck the pentagon and the warmongers

[WinkyDink]

23. No harm, no foul.It wasn't like the drone was a wedding party.

[tjwash]

24. dude...this is a week old...knock the fearmongerring crap off

[BainsBane]

27. the news is new

even though the event happened last week, it is only now being reported.

[JaneyVee]

29. NO NEED FOR WAR. DRONES ARE NOT PEOPLE. NO ONE WAS HARMED.

Imagine going to war because someone shot at a miniature remote control airplane.

[BainsBane]

30. agreed, and I don't think they will go to war. nt