Reuters reports that Navy ship USS Mahan, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer had contact with some Iranian vessels yesterday;
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the USS Mahan established radio communication with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps boats but they did not respond to requests to slow down and continued asking the Mahan questions.
The Navy destroyer fired warning flares and a U.S. Navy helicopter also dropped a smoke float before the warning shots were fired.
The Iranian vessels came within 900 yards (800 meters) of the Mahan, which was escorting two other U.S. military ships, they said.
[,,,]
The official added that the warning shots fired on Sunday were just one of seven interactions the Mahan had with Iranian vessels over the weekend, but the others were judged to be safe.
Somehow, Reuters managed to blame Donald Trump for the more aggressive response to Iranian interference in operations in the Persian Gulf, you know even though the commander-in-chief of Naval forces is still the Nobel Prize-winning President Obama;
The incident, which occurred Sunday and was first reported by Reuters, comes as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office on Jan. 20. In September, Trump vowed that any Iranian vessels that harass the U.S. Navy in the Gulf would be “shot out of the water.”
[…]
The IRGC and Trump transition team were not immediately available for comment.
BZ. Carry on.
Warning shots my ass……BLOW THE BRIDGE OFF THOSE STINKING CANOES!!
It’s almost like 0bama is a non-entity now…
Too bad they used flares instead of HE, but…
I would prefer WP to burn their nasty goat fucking asses!
updated reports on MSN say first warning flares and smoke (from a chopper), following by three warning shots from 5 inch guns at the IRGC boats. The Captain of the USS Mahan will probably get investigated, but he was in the right.
I bet the POS POTUS peed his pants after the flares were used.
Maybe they will give him a navy Combat Action Ribbon for being the CIC during this confrontation.
I’m sure the liberal mess media is already trying to blame Trump acting like the TARDOs they’ve already proven themselves to be.
“… Trump vowed that any Iranian vessels that harass the U.S. Navy in the Gulf would be “shot out of the water.”
Sounds like a solid game plan. What’s the issue with defending ourselves in international waters?
It scares our current president and he pees his pants. That’s the issue with defending ourselves.
Yeah. You know how expensive it is to clean those Brooks Brothers suits.
The Iranians close on a US Navy vessel that is well armed. The flares and smoke are nice gestures but the Iranians knew damn well what they were doing and what they were up against. There is no need to warn. One of these times (again) the Iranians will be uncorking while we’re warning them.
The next time a US fleet transverses the Hormuz, send the IRGC joke of a Navy to Davy Jones and don’t even bother to slow down in the process.
Like swatting a mosquito.
I suppose the libs see this as another case of vets being involved in a mass shooting…
Actually, I think Trumps response to Iranian provocation and harassment is about right. Get warned off a Navy ship then get blown out of the water. Bet it wouldn’t happen too many times before the Iranians get the idea an adult is back in charge
a flare? OMG no! Not a flare!
I can just see the looks of terror on the 8th century barbarian’s faces now….
In the immortal words of Tuco…when its time to shoot–shoot–don’t talk.
Iranian ship gets too close. USNAVY ship shoots off a flare, then several more. Iranian ship gets more too close. USNAVY ship honks the warning horns, then someone gets on the loudspeaker and says “Back off, piglets” in Farsi.
The Iranian ship gets even more too close. USNavy ship sends a drone with gift-wrapped pork cutlets and a stink bomb over to the Iranian ship, and an offer for free goat prun if they go away.
Iranian ship backs off a bit, considers the offer, then charges USNavy ship again. USNavy ship fires a couple of hole-poking BATs at the Iranian ship and crew watches while Iranian ship slowly sinks and crew abandons ship.
Well, the Navy did make a good offer, didn’t they?
I did like that last sentence: Trump transit team and IRGC were not available for comment.
Let’s see how smart they are after Trump is sworn in and Mattis is confirmed. A particular quote of Mattis’ comes to mind that Iran might want to remember…
Better:
“What are you bitching about? Technically, ‘across the bow’ does include ‘through’. Now steer clear, or we will argue about ‘burning stem to stern’. Out.”
Ahem. Best:
“Admiral, with all due respect, Napalm -is- a flare.”
Living rent free in their heads. (Their=Iranians and DildoCrats, a distinction without a difference) Love it. And Trump hasn’t even been sworn in yet.
“The IRGC and Trump transition team were not immediately available for comment.”
What? Nobody thought to ask ‘Mom Pants’ about this? Last time I looked, he was still the ‘Commander’ (and I use that word advisedly) in Chief. Looks like the media world has moved on and no longer considers Oblunder as anyone important.
Alfred Thayer Mahan would be proud. You have to think those round fired were BL&P. If there is a next time, I hope they’re HE and fired for effect. Strait transits, good times.
“The history of sea power is largely, though by no means solely, a narrative of contests between nations, of mutual rivalries, of violence frequently culminating in war. The profound influence of sea commerce upon the wealth and strength of countries was clearly seen long before the true principles which governed its growth and prosperity were detected. To secure to one’s own people a disproportionate share of such benefits, every effort was made to exclude others, either by the peaceful legislative methods of monopoly or prohibitory regulations, or, when these failed, by direct violence. The clash of interests, the angry feelings roused by conflicting attempts thus to appropriate the larger share, if not the whole, of the advantages of commerce, and of distant unsettled commercial regions, led to wars. On the other hand, wars arising from other causes have been greatly modified in their conduct and issue by the control of the sea. Therefore the history of sea power, while embracing in its broad sweep all that tends to make a people great upon the sea or by the sea, is largely a military history…” Alfred Thayer Mahan.
Some reports are saying the ship fired 3 ma deuce rounds and it wasn’t 5 inch from mount 51. Too bad, that would have been three smiles in the non-skid of the foc’sle I would have gladly preserved and painted myself.
I blame the Russians…