U.S. Media Condemns Iran’s “Aggression” in Intercepting U.S. Naval Ships — in Iranian Waters

[marmar]

(The Intercept) News broke last night, hours before President Obama’s State of the Union address, that two U.S. Navy ships “in the Persian Gulf” were “seized” by Iran, and the 10 sailors on board were “arrested.” The Iranian government quickly said, and even the U.S. government itself seemed to acknowledge, that these ships had entered Iranian waters without permission, and were thus inside Iranian territory when detained. CNN’s Barbara Starr, as she always does, immediately went on-air with Wolf Blitzer to read what U.S. officials told her to say: “We are told that right now, what the U.S. thinks may have happened, is that one of these small boats experienced a mechanical problem . . . perhaps beginning to drift . . . it was at that point, the theory goes right now, that they drifted into Iranian territorial waters.”



It goes without saying that every country has the right to patrol and defend its territorial waters and to intercept other nations’ military boats that enter without permission. Indeed, the White House itself last night was clear that, in its view, this was “not a hostile act by Iran” and that Iran had given assurances that the sailors would be promptly released. And this morning they were released, exactly as Iran promised they would be, after Iran said it determined the trespassing was accidental and the U.S. apologized and promised no future transgressions.

Despite all of this, most U.S. news accounts last night quickly skimmed over – or outright ignored – the rather critical fact that the U.S. ships had “drifted into” Iranian waters. Instead, all sorts of TV news personalities and U.S. establishment figures puffed out their chest and instantly donned their Tough Warrior pose to proclaim that this was an act of aggression – virtually an act of war: not by the U.S., but by Iran. They had taken our sailors “hostage,” showing yet again how menacing and untrustworthy they are. Completely typical was this instant analysis from former Clinton and Bush Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller, now at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars:

Iran detains US sailors. Released promptly or not, a hostile act by a regime that acts w/o US cost/consequence https://t.co/0MNy0FnsjI

— Aaron David Miller (@aarondmiller2) January 12, 2016

....(snip)....

Just imagine what would happen if the situation had been reversed: if two Iranian naval ships had entered U.S. waters off the East Coast of the country without permission or notice. Wolf Blitzer would have declared war within minutes; Aaron David Miller would have sprained one his fingers madly tweeting about Iranian aggression and the need to show resolve; and Joe Scarborough would have videotaped himself throwing one of his Starbucks cups at a picture of the mullahs to show them that they cannot push America around and there “will be hell to pay.” And, needless to say, the U.S. government would have – quite rightly – detained the Iranian ships and the sailors aboard them to determine why they had entered U.S. waters (and had they released the Iranians less than 24 hours later, the U.S. media would have compared Obama to Neville Chamberlain). ...............(more)

https://theintercept.com/2016/01/13/us-media-condemns-irans-aggression-in-intercepting-us-naval-ships-in-iranian-waters/

[7wo7rees]

1. Maybe, just maybe our little boats shouldn't have been

close enough to "drift" into Iranian space. Maybe we should not be anywhere near.

[hobbit709]

4. With all the GPS and navigation equipment, how did they just happen to "drift?"

[malthaussen]

6. Mechanical breakdown, it sez here.

You may believe that or not at pleasure.

-- Mal

[hobbit709]

7. BOTH boats at the same time?

i don't believe in that kind of coincidence.

[malthaussen]

8. You know, like Nixon's tape recorders.

Although it is possible that one vessel broke down and the other violated waters trying to assist, not worrying about niceties when it came to taking care of your people. I frankly think that is the most likely, whatever they were doing that close to Iran to begin with.

-- Mal

[7wo7rees]

9. Yes, pretty sloppy. Is this the best we can do with all the

trillions we spend on being #1??

[Dretownblues]

2. Sad that

CNN cant be trusted to use common sense. Sailing in a nations waters without prior notice, will always have one result. The boat will be captured and the sailors arrested. Not too hard to understand, this would happen in the US, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, everywhere in the world.

[marmar]

3. All propaganda. All the time.

[malthaussen]

5. And then released them the next day...

... after a completely reasonable action. I think the Iranians may well be more reasonable than some of us.

-- Mal

[malaise]

10. Well when you're arrogant enough to think you can change the Atlantic OCean

The Ronald Reagan Ocean you already think you own the world and are the only sovereign nation on the planet. It is beyond sickening...it is imperialism on steroids

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027525623

[malaise]

11. So how dare you put handcuffs on our soldiers when they invade

your waters.
Remember the Iranians were the provocative ones here