Waste those boats. All of them.

Posted by: angryeagle at January 8, 2008 7:04 PM

No..no this a simple matter of an Iranian sailor who after a very rudimentary english lesson made a very small error...what he should have said was " I am coming at you..(I) will explode in a few minutes." I make the same mistake all the time.

Posted by: pismopal at January 8, 2008 7:14 PM

I guess we Americans are paper tigers.

Posted by: AMartinez at January 8, 2008 7:23 PM

Reading a couple of the comments at abcnews, one gets the idea that, in general, we still have a long way to go before America wakes up to the real threats facing the country. The sad thing is that Bush and his rush to war in Iraq and the perception, real or imagined, or somewhere inbetween, that he is a warmonger has damaged the public's ability to face real threats head on.

(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding?

When it is at your expense. When it is not reciprocated.

Posted by: npabga at January 8, 2008 7:25 PM

Angryeagle wrote, "Waste those boats. All of them." I concur completely. Any repetition of this testing of American patience by the lowlives who run Iran should be met with an obliterating response. After all and to paraphrase General Sheridan, the only really good radical Muslim is a dead radical Muslim.

Posted by: Wellington at January 8, 2008 7:26 PM

This looks to be an interesting week 2 in the year 2008.
Iran's little show yesterday and Hizbollah's little show from Lebanon today.
What do they have for tomorrow and to the 12th of Jan ?
Bush on his way to Israel and numerous Islamic countries and it should be eventful and chock full of news.

I wouldn't be too quick to shout for war because Russia and China won't sit on the sidelines on this one brewing with Iran.
Tribulation begins with this war.

Navy Lacks Plan to Defend Against `Sizzler' Missile
By Tony Capaccio
March 23 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Navy, after nearly six years of warnings from Pentagon testers, still lacks a plan for defending aircraft carriers against a supersonic Russian-built missile, according to current and former officials and Defense Department documents.
The missile, known in the West as the ``Sizzler,'' has been deployed by China and may be purchased by Iran. Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England has given the Navy until April 29 to explain how it will counter the missile, according to a Pentagon budget document.
The Defense Department's weapons-testing office judges the threat so serious that its director, Charles McQueary, warned the Pentagon's chief weapons-buyer in a memo that he would move to stall production of multibillion-dollar ship and missile programs until the issue was addressed.
``This is a carrier-destroying weapon,'' said Orville Hanson, who evaluated weapons systems for 38 years with the Navy. ``That's its purpose.''
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=a5LkaU0wj714&refer=home

Posted by: rocketman at January 8, 2008 7:38 PM

With all the focus on the apparent provocateurs at sea level, one wonders if it was also intended to distract from nefarious activity nearby.

Scuba jihad?

The Terror Threat From the Sea

Video of Iranian IRGC Navy Commandos planting bombs.

Posted by: justamomof4 at January 8, 2008 8:15 PM

The U.S. may think that this showing of temperance is a show of strength, but I'm sure that the whole of the middle east sees it as yet another sign of our weakness and lack of resolve.

Suppose every one of those little blue boats were packed with explosives and headed full speed straight at one of our ships. Good chance I suspect that one of them might make contact. They got pretty close. What an international embarrassment and wasteful loss of life that would be. Can't you just imagine all the investigations and Congressional hearings and speeches about how this will never happen again?

And on the ABC news site the posters have already declared this incident as a total fabrication on the part of the US, despite the video evidence.

Posted by: cumulusnine at January 8, 2008 8:19 PM

Now we're selling $20 billions of arms to the Saudis. They seem to need them to sink Iranian speedboats. Meanwhile, Condi said that since the Israelis withdrew from Gaza, they'll be willing to withdraw from Jerusalem and the West Bankas well.
Is it just me, or is there something incredibly confused about the Bush administration?

Posted by: jewdog at January 8, 2008 8:20 PM

US Navy should have blown those boats away.. IRGC playing their games again. Have to check that up to US restraint. Next time I assume and hope US will take them out quickly.

Posted by: Peaceful_Muslims? at January 8, 2008 8:48 PM

UN, IRAN IS PICKING ON US! SOB!

This is just another sigh of how our militery has become easy push overs for just about any lowlife. In the past when we had some real men in charge we would have fired some warning shots at these buggers. and after they refused to leave we would have sunk these bastards and asked questions later. Now we have to complain and whine to the UN over how iran is harresing us by showing these videos. pathetic.

Posted by: desidude at January 8, 2008 9:02 PM

I am glad that they finally release the video and audio.

Although I agree this is a sick world of diplomacy when U.S. Naval ships cannot fire upon Iranian ships, these videos will push back against Iran....a little.

Iran has a large Public Relations Spin Machine, and these videos do not help the Iranians.

The Iranians play with and use the lack of video and the language barrier as 'it did not happen', 'we did not say that'.

The average simple American can watch the video and agree that Iran was hostile.

It will also allow the U.S. Navy public scrutiny allowance at home and at the U.N. to fire on the Iranian boats the next time it happens.

We all know that the Iranians are lying and because they were trying to draw the fire of the U.S. Naval ships and cause an international incidence, since the Iranians were trying to set us up they would have only done so if they also had video running.

They would have used video of us firing on them in the MSM.

So, Iran should also turn over their video and audio. Come on Iran.....wasn't it you that said this happens all the time?

I bet it won't happen again. Because the captains have taken flak over allowing the ships to get this close in the first place, which also meant that they did not have authorization to shoot without it being cleared higher up. Thats why it took 15-20 minutes before they were prepared to fire.

But now with the release of the video, I bet the ships captains now have standing shoot orders. And the next time these boats get too close the video will end up being a little bit more exciting and something to cheer about.

Question. Since pigs are unclean to muslims, does that stand the same as shrimp, crabs and bottom fish? And if that assumption is correct, if these muslims become 'bottom fish food' does that mean they go to paradise or not?

Posted by: alaskan1000 at January 8, 2008 9:20 PM

Well, so we will sacrifice a few more sailors to explosions?
They were warned, when they approached after that they should have been wasted.
If we can't make the world love us, we can make them fear us.
/better anyway

Posted by: interestinconundrum at January 8, 2008 9:26 PM

Well, honestly, how much more are we going to take? A year ago Nancy Pelosi was whining that we just couldn't have Muslim profiling at our airports. (Whaaa!) The Muslims demand this and demand that and our leaders cave. Ahmadinejad pokes us with a stick and we're told just to put up with it because Americans are a bunch of losers. They kill our citizens (Amina and Sara) and lie about how it was a "domestic" issue.

I'm wondering when, where and who will do the reacting that we need to start happening.

You've heard of Sudden Jihad Syndrome?

How about Reacting American Syndrome?

How about Reacting-with-a-Vengeance Syndrome?

Posted by: Isabellathecrusader at January 8, 2008 9:48 PM

Isabella,

How about having a Reacting-with-a Vengeance- Episode: RAVE.

How about: Sudden-Lethal-American-Under-Going-Hatred-of-Terrorism-Everywhere-Response: SLAUGHTER.

Posted by: angryeagle at January 8, 2008 10:52 PM

There are some incredibly flaky Posters over at (A)lways (B)een (C)lueless.

Even their tiny minds cannot get their mind around the possibility that four of their fellow fishing buddies could easily be replaced with a 1000lb. Bomb.

Completely clueless about International rights of Passage in International Waters.

It is just incredible the depths of stupidity some so willingly sink to, just to prove themselves so.

In some of their expressed views. One must come to the conclusion that President Bush is so stupid. Simply because his nefarious plans are so easily figured out by them.

Posted by: flowerknife_us at January 8, 2008 10:56 PM

What would Putin do?

Sink their boats.
Take their islands.
Pump their offshore oil.
Build airstrips that can’t be sunk with missiles.

Posted by: pez at January 8, 2008 11:32 PM

There is one good reason not to respond to the Iranians. If they taunt us into a reaction, they are choosing the time and the place for the confrontation.

If we use our heads and wait, we are able to choose the time and the place, and hence, will have the advantage.

Posted by: s at January 8, 2008 11:35 PM

You done got us wrong..

Ahmadinijad will say: The filthy Americans are lying once again. That son of a camel Bush will fake the tapes and make it sound like the IRG was up to no good. What we were really trying to do was get close enough to wish the US sailors a happy new year, and give them boxes of our prized pistachio nuts. That was what was in the white boxes we put in the water for them to pick up, nuts.
Our radio communication was mis-understood by the American dogs. Our dispatcher said, 'we have some nuts for you, that will blow your mind'. The stupid American pigs mistook that for, 'nuts to you', we are going to blow you up'. Then they went for their guns...Trigger happy Americans scare the hll out of us so we turned tail and ran. It was the only honorable thing to do...Death to America...next time...

Posted by: duh_swami at January 9, 2008 12:12 AM

"It will also allow the U.S. Navy public scrutiny allowance at home and at the U.N. to fire on the Iranian boats the next time it happens."
--alaskan1000

This was my first thought too. But if we have the video, and we have their threat of blowing up the ships, then it seems to me that it's more than enough justification to have opened fire on them THIS time as well as future times. And there WILL be future times. The present regime in Iran has a death wish for all.

Posted by: alexon at January 9, 2008 12:48 AM

They got pretty damn close. If Bush was itching to start a fight with Iran, how come our Navy was so restrained?

Posted by: george_rem at January 9, 2008 1:54 AM

It is at that point that a heavily accented voice can be heard over the radio, apparently coming from the Iranians. "I am coming to you," the voice says. "You will explode after a few minutes."

I watched the video 3 times and "the voice" moment was missing. Wasn't that the main point of the whole incident? Does anyone know why ABC edited out the main point of the story?

Posted by: Xero G at January 9, 2008 2:11 AM

Crappy video & audio quality. These are ships on patrol, how come they dont have the equivalent of dashboard cameras on police cars?

Posted by: george_rem at January 9, 2008 2:14 AM

all your bases are belong to us.. prepare to be assimilated..

Posted by: Allah Schmallah at January 9, 2008 2:32 AM

If we worry about what the Russians and Chinese will do before we defend ourselves then we might as well decide that we cannot do so and surrender to Iran.

Perhaps Bush Jr--what happened to this "Cowboy" persona?--can sign the surrender document aboard one of those bright-blue Iranian navy speedboats.

Was Bush Jr. so quick to attack Saddam so that no one would bring up the fact that the 9-11 attack was financed and carried out by citizens of his (and all the Bushs) "good friends and allies?"

Even the Olmert-ruled Israelis are more willling to rise to the challenge when confronted.

One hopes that the U.S. Navy will not follow the example of the UK's Royal Navy and surrender without firing a shot.

Posted by: unicorns62000 at January 9, 2008 3:53 AM

"One hopes that the U.S. Navy will not follow the example of the UK's Royal Navy and surrender without firing a shot.

Posted by: unicorns62000"

....playing the devils advocate....it has happened once, long ago.....remember the USS Pueblo..surrendered without firing a shot

....Remember the USS Liberty...which was actually attacked ...by Israel, no less...and no American bullets were fired..

....and most recently, the USS Cole...which was attacked by speedboats and damaged....and no American bullets were fired....

....there are other incidents in which the Americans, for whatever reason, have been attacked and have not returned fire.....it is about time to change that insipid policy and loosen up the rules of engagement....hostile actions deserves hostile reactions....

Posted by: exsgtbrown at January 9, 2008 6:31 AM

"As the Iranian boats get closer, the USS Hopper sounds its horns."

....the sounds of the gatling guns would have been better....

Posted by: exsgtbrown at January 9, 2008 6:34 AM

I guess we Americans are paper tigers.

Posted by: AMartinez at January 8, 2008 7:23 PM

Sad.

Posted by: Shy Guy at January 9, 2008 7:08 AM

"Well, so we will sacrifice a few more sailors to explosions?
They were warned, when they approached after that they should have been wasted.
If we can't make the world love us, we can make them fear us."

We,the US are getting a return on what we have dished out to Israel under Bush's bogus peace with Islamic terrorist Road Map.
We the bully superpower shove apeasment and retreat down Israel's throat to Islamic terrorists.
What goes around comes around !
Israel has had her sovereignty trampled by this arrogant meddler and has been restained from defeating his Palestinian terrorist's buddies as he steal's Israel's land to give to them.
If you don't think the U.S. will be repaid for this evil then you're in for a rude awakening.

Posted by: rocketman at January 9, 2008 7:13 AM

"We,the US are getting a return on what we have dished out to Israel under Bush's bogus peace with Islamic terrorist Road Map."

wow....you should have seen Jimmy Carters peace plan....

Posted by: exsgtbrown at January 9, 2008 7:31 AM

A(already)B(been)C(captured) has Played the whole thing.
The voice of that young radio operator was indeed chilling when he repeated that the guy said they were going to explode. Pray for him.

Now Iran has changed it's story from they didn't recognize the warships to the tape is faked.
I wonder where they got that idea?

I don't think most of the posters here would fault John Wayne for not shooting the bad guy in the first scene in the movie.
We would accept that he was choosing the time and place to do battle, see Sun Tzu.

Posted by: Aunt Bea at January 9, 2008 7:39 AM

If any of the media had any guts they would interview the former Navy captain who was in command of the Cole.

I haven't been able to find it but after the Cole someone sent me a comment by Pres. Bill Clinton to the effect that more palistine children die every day than the seventeen sailors.

That did not sit very well with the military. A lot of retirements followed.

Posted by: Aunt Bea at January 9, 2008 7:55 AM

"We the bully superpower shove apeasment and retreat down Israel's throat to Islamic terrorists."

...it appears to me that it is Islam , the bully religion, who demands appeasement and concessions from Israel and the Rest of the Non Muslim world....

Posted by: exsgtbrown at January 9, 2008 7:59 AM

"Israel has had her sovereignty trampled by this arrogant meddler ..."

....Israels woes are trampled by its own government and its own woeful security plans...Israel has never been obligated to accept any foreign peace proposal....

....Israel often offers the olive branch and concessions in a false hope of peace.,...and it is Islam that refuses all peace overtures and continues to attack and demand more....

....the arrogant meddler is Allah and Islam...

Posted by: exsgtbrown at January 9, 2008 8:04 AM

"What goes around comes around !"

...true, and the Muslims day is coming....

Posted by: exsgtbrown at January 9, 2008 8:07 AM

Many of you choose to ignore the part Bush plays in building his Islamic terrorist state aka,Palestine in the heart of Israel.
You choose to be blind to his constant rewarding of the Islamic terrorists ,funding arming and training them for his strange peace.

You can't be this blind or stupid ?
So I assume yours is a problem of idol worship and your shiny polished idol Bush has many stains and rust spots that you have to keep polished.
The truth will set you free from your delusion and false idol's.

....the arrogant meddler is Allah and Islam and their Bush and his Road Map which he forces down Israel's throat with imperial arrogance!

What goes around comes around !"
...true, and the end of Islam is coming when the God of Israel personally hand them their final defeat on the mountains of Israel.
Only then will Arab and Jew live in peace together

NO iSLAM ,NO PROBLEM !

'Thus says the Lord God:
"Behold, O Mount Seir, I am against you;
I will stretch out My hand against you,
And make you most desolate;
I shall lay your cities waste,
And you shall be desolate.
Then you shall know that I am the Lord.
"Because you have had an ancient hatred, and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, when their iniquity came to an end, therefore, as I live," says the Lord God, "I will prepare you for blood, and blood shall pursue you; since you have not hated blood, therefore blood shall pursue you. Thus I will make Mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it the one who leaves and the one who returns. And I will fill its mountains with the slain; on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines those who are slain by the sword shall fall. I will make you perpetually desolate, and your cities shall be uninhabited; then you shall know that I am the Lord.
"Because you have said, 'These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess them,' although the Lord was there, therefore, as I live," says the Lord God, "I will do according to your anger and according to the envy which you showed in your hatred against them; and I will make Myself known among them when I judge you. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. I have heard all your blasphemies which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, 'They are desolate; they are given to us to consume.' Thus with your mouth you have boasted against Me and multiplied your words against Me; I have heard them."

'Thus says the Lord God: "The whole earth will rejoice when I make you desolate. As you rejoiced because the inheritance of the house of Israel was desolate, so I will do to you; you shall be desolate, O Mount Seir, as well as all of Edom--all of it! Then they shall know that I am the Lord."'
Ezekiel 35

Posted by: rocketman at January 9, 2008 9:01 AM

... oh, and of COURSE the whole thing is a fabrication by the American Government!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,321227,00.html

I wonder, were the hangings of those gay fellows, and the recent cross-amputations fabricated, too?

Posted by: Lori B. at January 9, 2008 9:06 AM

There is one good reason not to respond to the Iranians. If they taunt us into a reaction, they are choosing the time and the place for the confrontation.

If we use our heads and wait, we are able to choose the time and the place, and hence, will have the advantage.
by s

Like Pearl Harbor? Like Lebanon? Like 9/11?

We cannot "choose the time and the place". Anyone who even suggests such a thing is immediately branded a warmonger. There's a saying: a conservative is a liberal who's been mugged. Our history is one of waiting to be knocked over the head before we take action. In 1941 we had an electorate that wanted peace (at least non-involvement) while our leaders were itching to join the war. FDR jumped all over Pearl Harbor.

Apparently we are still reeling from 9/11 because our eyes can't see what is in front of us. See no evil, hear no evil, maybe no evil will knock down our door. The Iranians didn't attack us so obviously (!) it was a misunderstanding. It will remain so even if they sink an American ship. Either that or it will somehow become our fault.

We remain in a deep sleep and have to be awakened from our slumber by a very loud alarm clock. Obviously 9/11 wasn't it. 9/11 was little more than a tap on the shoulder.

Notice how the Iranians called this incident ordinary. To them, it's ordinary to threaten ships in international waters. We cannot act like they share our values. They don't. To them, restraint isn't reasoned and it's certainly not a sign of strength. It's a show of weakness. It only makes them bolder.

Posted by: PMK at January 9, 2008 9:06 AM

Iran says US video 'fabricated'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7178878.stm

Taqiyya on international waters? They lie. The mullahs lie. Ahmadinnerjack lies. What a bunch of lying fools.

Posted by: Battle_of_Tours at January 9, 2008 9:23 AM

Crappy video & audio quality. These are ships on patrol, how come they dont have the equivalent of dashboard cameras on police cars?

Because the Navy doesn't need daily evidence that it hasn't beaten some motorist. Personally we, the government, worry too much about what other nations think and what the UN thinks. Having evidence is irrelevant. Everyone knows how easy it is to "photoshop."

Is it just me, or is there something incredibly confused about the Bush administration?

Nothing confused by the Bush Administration. They are just following the same old discredited policy of a two state solution. The only consistency in this policy is the bureaucrats at Foggy Bottom. Time to start rethinking the Civil Service law.

Posted by: Kevin at January 9, 2008 9:31 AM

"The Muslim Game:

Many Westerners prefer to believe that all religion is either equally bad or equally good, and eagerly devour anything that seems to support this preconception. The myth usually works to Islam’s advantage as well, since it either raises it to the level of others, or brings the others down to it. To compete with Western religion, Muslims vigorously employ verse 5:32, which is the closest thing they have to the Old Testament command of ‘Thou shalt not kill.”

It reads, in part:

“…if any one slew a person… it would be as if he slew a whole people; and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of a whole people…”.
(As quoted by the Fiqh Council of North America in their ultimately meaningless “Fatwa against Terrorism”)

The Truth:

Oh goodness… if only the Qur’an stopped right there! What would the world be like without large numbers of Muslims eager to commit mass murder in the name of their religion across the globe each day? Think of the lives, money and heartache that would be spared if Muhammad had commanded Muslims to cherish human life in the Judeo-Christian tradition

Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. This fragment of verse 5:32 is what Muslim apologists want non-Muslims to believe is in the Qur’an, rather than the dozens of other open-ended passages that command warfare, beheadings and torture. But even what they usually quote from 5:32 isn’t quite how it appears. Remember all those ellipses? There's something being left out.

Here’s the full text of the verse:

“On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our messengers with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.”
First, notice the gaping loophole. Killing is allowed in cases of murder or “for spreading mischief in the land.” Murder is pretty straightforward, but “spreading mischief?” If anything begged for a careful and precise explanation, this phrase certainly would. But generations of Muslims are left to apply their own interpretation of what “mischief” means. (Needless to say, the standards vary).

Secondly, note the broader context of this verse. It turns out that this isn’t a command to Muslims after all. It’s a recounting of a rule that was handed down to the Jews. It isn’t an admonition against killing. It’s an indictment against Jews for violating God’s law. “Any one” doesn’t mean “anyone,” but rather “any one” of the Jews.

Rather than encouraging tolerance, Sura 5 as a whole is actually an incitement of hatred with a hint of violence. Jews and Christians are explicitly cursed as ‘wicked’ people with ‘diseased hearts’ and as hateful ‘blasphemers’ respectively. Muhammad goes on to coyly remind his people that Allah loves those who “fight” in his service (and it’s fairly obvious who the enemy is).

Muslims also conveniently leave out the fact that the verse which follows 5:32 actually mandates killing in the case of the aforementioned “mischief.” It even suggests crucifixion and “the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides.”

With this being the best that Islam has to offer, it’s not hard to guess why the religion contributes over a thousand deadly terrorist attacks each year."

Posted by: exsgtbrown at January 9, 2008 9:38 AM

Angryeagle,

RAVE & SLAUGHTER. I like it!

Posted by: Isabellathecrusader at January 9, 2008 9:42 AM

OT

Has anyone "seen" leonthepigfarmer recently?

Posted by: Kevin at January 9, 2008 9:57 AM

You can't be this blind or stupid ?
So I assume yours is a problem of idol worship and your shiny polished idol Bush has many stains and rust spots that you have to keep polished.
The truth will set you free from your delusion and false idol's.

I don't believe you will find anyone here at JW that idolizes Bush.
I voted for him and I am very disappointed in his treatment of Israel. He ran for President as a pro-Israel candidate.

Posted by: interestinconundrum at January 9, 2008 11:57 AM

I watched Lou Dobbs the other night - after this incident and his take was that after the CNN reporter answered his question that the US Navy has classified the specifics of its rules of engagement (ROE) with Iran/Straits of Hormuz/etc, and he was critical of this classification. Basically said that if the Iranians knew how close or not how close to get to US Naval vessels, then these situations wouldn't happen in the future - so release those ROE.

Is there anyone in the US media who just once would admit that it isn't always the US fault? Just report the facts and not opinionate.

Posted by: HOV Dummy at January 9, 2008 12:02 PM

When asked what she would tell a president after an event similar to what happened in the Straits of Hormuz, Madeleine Albright's answer was "don't overreact".

Anything an American president did in this situation, short of ignoring it, would be considered an "overreaction".

Posted by: PMK at January 9, 2008 12:24 PM

IRANIAN "FAST-BOAT": "we're coming at you and you'll explode in a couple minutes."

WRONG RESPONSE: apparently confusion. (dramatization) "What should we do?" "Should we open fire or . . . or what?" "Huh?"

RIGHT RESPONSE: "You are exploding now." (with concurrent elimination of the threat) This is followed by eliminating ALL possible threats to U.S. naval vessels and their crews.
There is, however, a (sort of) precedent for bumbling by U.S. naval forces before getting down to business:

THE PESKY BARBARY PIRATES [Moslems all]

The [U.S. frigate] Philadelphia arrived on station in the Mediterranean ahead of the rest of the squadron. Its captain, William Bainbridge, unwisely set about trying to blockade Tripoli alone. On October 31, while pursuing a corsair under full sail, Philadelphia grounded on a sandbar about two miles offshore. Despite five hours of desperate work by her crew, she stuck fast. With her broadsides tilted at crazy angles, her firing was harmless to the pirates' small craft that quickly swarmed about her.

Bainbridge, after jettisoning his useless cannon, and thinking the ship's carpenter had scuttled the ship, surrendered to prevent a massacre. Three hundred and seven Americans were taken prisoner, put in chains, and forced to slave in the building of Tripoli's fortifications (Irwin, 1970).

Now for a spirit-uplifting incident following in the wake of the preceding:

[U.S. Navy Lt. Stephen] Decatur planned a raid to destroy the unlucky [U.S. frigate] Philadelphia, whom the pirates had refloated and were rigging for action against the Americans. Decatur's plan called for the use of a native vessel, and the captured ketch filled the bill.

Decatur and his small crew disguised as North Africans sailed [the captured] Barbary ketch into Tripoli harbor . . .

After the action:

As a [Mahometan] pirate reported later, the Americans "sent Decatur on a dark night, with a band of Christian dogs fierce and cruel as the tiger, who killed our brothers and burnt our ships before our eyes." Decatur's men wielded tomahawks and killed twenty pirates in as many minutes, chasing the rest over the side. Only one raider was wounded before the Philadelphia was set afire in four places. Then the Americans withdrew (Castor, 1971).

You can try and reach the original post at Islamic Danger to read the narrative of the incident and its aftermath.

If you are unable to get to that post (the blog is censored and apparently unavailable), let me know. I am in the process of transferring it to a less restricted venue (or venues). A new version of the actions against the Barbary pirates is also in preparation. It will appear at Islamic Danger to Americans if I last long enough to complete it.

Posted by: unicorns62000 at January 9, 2008 2:00 PM

Anyone remember the scene in the movie, "Master and Commander" where the officer of the watch (senior midshipman) believes he has detected a French warship in the fog-shrouded distance? Should he wake the sleeping crew by ordering beat-to-quarters, or do nothing and hope that his gut instincts are wrong?

Posted by: MP at January 9, 2008 2:18 PM

exsgtbrown

I was thinking of the very things you mentioned. I especially remember the Pueblo. The captain of that ship was told many times that North Korea would send out gunboats and harass the other lone ship that was in international waters off the coast of North Korea. But not to worry, North Korea was just “playing their usual games.” In international waters, the Pueblo was set to by four North Korea gunboats with a speed of about 40 knots. The Pueblo could only do 15 knots or less. Each gunboat had far superior fire power than the Pueblo. The gunboats were joined by two larger vessels. The Pueblo tried to vacate the area but fired upon resulting in one killed and several injured including the captain. The Pueblo had no chance but to save the rest of the crew and relent to the demands of the enemy. The crew were captives of North Korea for about one year. The Pueblo is still in a harbor in North Korea being used to show their citizens how strong and brave North Korea is and the “paper tiger’ did nothing in return. I see some mistakes that are similar with the situation with Iran. My conclusions;

1. The Pueblo should never have been sent out alone. It should have had proper protection.
2. Realize you are in hostile waters even though you may be in international waters. Be prepared to take action.
3. As with Iran - never assume it’s just their usual “games.”
4. Hostile antics are very obvious and should be taken as a call to battle.
5. Never allow them to get close. 200 yards is much too close. Torpedo range is about 2,000 yards.
6. In this situation, open fire when the enemy is within range of your guns.
7. If you are not prepared to follow these precautions - Stay out of the area.

After the captain of the Pueblo returned to the US, they suggested a court martial. At length he agreed - bring it on - and he would put everything on the table that he knew about the whole affair. They said they couldn’t do that - too many heads would roll. A mutual agreement was reached without the blame put on the captain.

The USS Cole is a prime example of the mistakes that were made. That was in hostile waters and the port was extremely hostile. The ship should be allowed to defend itself or stay out of the area.

exsgtbrown - I agree with you as I said. When it comes to these situations, it’s not some little “game” that can be played for entertainment or amusement. It’s time to prove to the enemy - “Don’t mess with me.”

Posted by: THSIMJ at January 9, 2008 2:30 PM

According to a certain poster on this page...Israel has no part in any decisions made regarding their future and all things evil that occur in Israel are the direct fault of Darth Bush. He would appear to be the dictator of Israel and is bent on its destruction. (Wotta load!)
I see the Israeli people in a different light. Strong, dedicated to keeping their people and their country safe from those who seek their destruction and quite capable of making their own decisions. In short...they are not pawns or anyones dog. I have great respect for the Israeli people and do not see them as the weaklings without will that some do.
You will not find me barking back at barking dogs, so I'll leave it at that. I'm sure to get barked at by someone though, eh?

Posted by: Alaskan at January 9, 2008 3:25 PM

Alaskan,

The Israeli people may be strong and dedicated as you say, but they must do something about their government(s).

Same old clique's been ruling the people for far too long. The way their "democracy" is structured, however, makes it impossible to have the Israeli people represented in a government that is staffed by too-large a % of corrupt self-seekers.

see The Jew in Yellow

Posted by: unicorns62000 at January 9, 2008 4:03 PM

FOX news channel had a U.S. Congressman--a retired Navy Rear admiral--on the air who defended the actions of the captains of the U.S. Navy warships menaced by the bright-blue speedboats of the Iranian navy.

I do not recall his name--he was a Democrat, however. I recall something that he had been concerned with keeping U.S. Navy vessels safe or something like that when he was on active duty.

I wonder whether he held that position during the U.S.S. Cole disaster?

That was another captain who acted with restraint. It cost the lives of 34 (if I recall correctluy) U.S. Navy personnel.

The Congressman/retired admiral brought up the point that the Iranian speedboats were nor carrying any missiles--and that the radio message "You will explode . . . " came from a shore installation, meaning that there was no immediate danger to the U.S. vessels.

Same thing could have been said about the boat the blew the hole into the Cole.

Posted by: unicorns62000 at January 9, 2008 4:14 PM

"The Congressman/retired admiral brought up the point that the Iranian speedboats were nor carrying any missiles--and that the radio message "You will explode . . . " came from a shore installation, meaning that there was no immediate danger to the U.S. vessels."

....I would advise this buffoon, that a speedboat loaded with RDX or C4 will create one heck of an explosion when it is set off....THe explosives can be set off by the operators of the boat or by a cellphone (the caller where ever he may be becomes the trigger).....now, a speedboat may not necessarily be as fast as a missile (which is good, as it actually gives the ships crew more time to locate and destroy the threat), it is certainly just as deadly as a missile...

...This congressman/retired admiral seems typical of some of the retired generals (like Just like John Murtha or Wesley Clark) or other former high ranking military types who seem to have forgotten about the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and all the great things America has done or accomplished in just 230 years...THey continue to submit to the whims of the opposing forces and to contribute to the demise of America as we now know it....

....and these types tend to be Democrat...yep...

Posted by: exsgtbrown at January 10, 2008 6:52 AM

AMERICA IN PERIL
I have been very worried about America for quite some time. But I believed that enough Americans would stand up against these forces that would bring this nation down.
I no longer think so.
In my view, Americans no longer have the resolve, the intelligence, or the desire to exercize our will to survive. We can only look at the present American presidential race for our evidence. Only at the last debate did the republican candidates mention the Reagan doctrine. But Reagan was yesterday. We are now long past that....

Apparently, few Americans have a clear vision of what we now face. And, when our politicians can fool enough of the people enough of the time, to gain power, we are doomed.

I

Posted by: n.a. palm at January 11, 2008 9:25 PM