'US forces were on the verge of firing'

last SG · 2008-01-09T19:47:41+00:00

Then the Iranians will air another clip showing the American "cowards running away".

Dr Who SG

Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats harassed and provoked three US Navy ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, threatening to blow up the American vessels, US officials said Monday. They described it as a serious provocation.

US forces were on the verge of firing on the Iranian boats in the early Sunday incident, when the boats turned and moved away, a Defense Department official said. "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.

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US forces were on the verge of firing........but......
no balls to fire.......would you fire if you were commander?

would you fire if you are a scholar officer? I doubt it.......bertter safe than sorry ( I mean your coming promotion)

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1198517316850&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

allentyb_v2.01 SG

its call, rules of engagement…...................

edwin3060 SG

The Captain made what was, in hindsight, the right decision. The decision to NOT to fire required more balls than the decision to fire, because as you said, if he fired, he could just cover his ass easily by saying that they were taking aggressive action. If he didn't fire, and the Iranians really blew up his ship, and he survived, he would be court-martialed, given a dishonourable discharge, and (given the US legal system) may be sued for negligence by the kin of the deceased seamen under his command.

Sometimes doing nothing is harder than doing something.

spencer99 SG

Essentially, if i am in his position, i will follow strictly to ROE...

SpecOps87 SG

Anywhere you go…you need supportive superiors and subordinates. If he was crystal clear that ROE allows him to fire, he should fire. I would rather be charged than have my family receive a flag.

Shotgun SG

Iranian boats would have been blown out of the water before they could say "numbnuts."

The boats were probably locked in the fire control radar, just waiting for the execute signal.

The risks involved was not the survival of the US navy ships. But the series of possible events that may follow the sinking of Iranian Gunboats.

"Do not fire until fired upon."

mr_sotong SG

this shows that how ignorant your are.. Rolling Eyes

laurence82 SG

the iranian boats turned away just before the US forces going to fire

what cowardly dogs

IAF SG

really shit for brains iranian commander… almost sparked a war

LazerLordz SG

Like President, like soldier. Rolling Eyes

Fatum SG

they know the americans are a lot more trigger happy than british sailors .... Laughing

maggot SG

They took video of the incident and broadcast on Iranian TV Laughing

They turned away because they cannot get american to shoot them after trying for so long

They likely to try to get americans to shoot them again so as to get support from Arab states that the americans are the aggressor

airgrinder SG

i think the same. Think they're trying to get the US to fire on them.

Anyway, whether the US commander got balls or no balls, we can't say. The article itself would be US propaganda. Even if US have no/got balls, they'll say "on verge of firing".

chino65 SG

Maybe once the US open fire, they would not be able to hide the fact that they are actually in Iranian waters. Mr. Green

chino65 SG

The Iranian are in " boats ". The US are in " ships ".

Who are the cowards again?

spencer99 SG

Yeah lah.. the Iranians are not cowards....

actually i wonder whether this timing is related to the US elections.

laurence82 SG

then they should go ahead with their threats if they are not cowards, not rattle the sabre but not drawing it out

Laughing

Arapahoe SG

i saw the video clip was wondering what if the 5 “boat” happen to be suicide bomber and the vessel might not have enough time to react from the warning to the firing. if all 5 were to aim at a single target to achieve political goal.

tankfanatic SG

if they really attacking they would be dead...withdrawing is a smart move....anoying a destroyer using a mere boat is bravery...(plus stupidity....yet the withdrawal before the american shoot back is a smart move)

i say one beer for the iranian stunt, in america people will call that move 'cool' or 'awsome'.

wonderamazement SG

When you say "Iranian boats", i have the impression that they were in sampans... Laughing