The Iranians continue to show in numerous ways that their hostility to the U.S. has not dimmed to the slightest degree, and that any nuclear agreement with them would be foolhardy in the extreme. For Obama and Kerry, however, it is full speed ahead.
“Iran-flagged ship targets U.S. Navy with laser,” by Barbara Starr, CNN, July 9, 2015:
Washington (CNN)A U.S. Navy ship and helicopter were repeatedly targeted by a laser device on board an Iranian-flagged merchant ship beginning on Sunday in the Gulf of Aden, according to a U.S. defense official.
No U.S. personnel were hurt or equipment damaged in the incidents which ended on Wednesday, the official said.
The bridge area of the USS Forrest Sherman and one of its helicopters were targeted, the official said.
The Navy is not certain exactly what the device was, or how powerful it was, but believes it was not of industrial or military grade quality since there was no damage. The incidents are viewed at this point as harassment from the Iranians.…
cs says
Casus Belli…
Undaunted says
Absolutely.
Huck Folder says
merchant ship.
Could have been intellectually challenged moslems (excuse the tautology),
even teenagers. Now, if it was some kind of stabilized laser…
I wonder what would happen if every civilized ship now lasered every iranian
savage warship in international waters?
Next time, the Navy could reply by sweeping the bridge of the iranian vessel
with their FIFTY KILOWATT laser!
Kathy Brown, Esq. says
Just so I can understand: Are these lasers the same kind which MD’s use for surgery? I mean lasers cut obviously; but I’m guessing these are different because otherwise ‘painting the target’ would cut something up, no?
Thank you for your [patient and informative!] reply.
overwatcher1 says
A laser can be used to “paint” a target although it doesn’t cover the whole target with it’s light and targeting lasers aren’t intense enough to cut or burn the target. Think of a targeting laser as a flashlight that produces a very focused beam that, instead of illuminating the whole target, it produces an intense “dot” on it. This “dot” can be visible or invisible to your eyes unless you are viewing the target through night vision gear. The invisible lasers produce infrared light. A “smart” bomb or other types of guided munitions are designed to detect the laser spot and home in on it. An individual soldier can “paint” a target from hundreds of yards away with a laser small enough to carry in his pocket. There are lasers that are powerful enough to “paint” satellites in orbit and some of them can damage satellites with heat.
rabrooks says
Don’t know. The unshielded targeting laser from a tank can cause blindness immediately.
Brian says
And the closet Muslim Obama wants Iran to have nukes!!!! The sooner he is out of office, the better for the whole world!!!
Manuel Paleologus says
Amen brother/sister. Amen.
Angemon says
That’s the kind of crap Saddam used to pull before the second Gulf war. I suspect that like Saddam, the Iranians believe their propaganda and think their troops are better armed, better trained, and can easily defeat anyone. And they’ll keep believing it, no matter what.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/19/us-pilot-scares-iranians-top-gun-worthy-stunt-you-/
umbra says
iranian cannon fodders may believe the propaganda their leaders pump out. However, the iranian general staff knows that iranian forces would be pulverised in almost all combat scenarios against a fully committed (that excludes CIC obama) the U.S. military.
miriamrove says
Well said. M
EyesWideOpen says
In reality IRAN should be scared shitless of USA.
But they know its weak.
Powerful. But weak.
umbra says
The present iranian leadership is scared of the US military, but not the feeble US president or US congress.
noellsq says
The POTUS with his warped sense of how to deal with animals will be the end of the US , and the world as we know it. When a countries people by the millions says death to the USA and we still want to sign a bad arms deal.
duh_swami says
Never fear, Rasool Obama bin Kerry will not slow their rush to world peace, no matter how much it hurts…Meanwhile, the Ayatollah laughs…
mortimer says
Shi’ites are master of taqiyya. No communication of the mullahocracy may be taken at face value.
There is no reason to continue negotiation with those who are showing so little good faith. No deal with the mullahs will be worth anything after the ink is dry.
Voytek Gagalka says
Harassment from the Iranians? That’s it? No, sirs, AN ACT OF WAR! It is known fact that if anybody, even as for fun, points from the ground a blasting laser toward flying civilian airplane (there were such incidents of juvenile “jokes”) will be hunted down at no time by the authorities. There, however, it is de facto a war zone! If they cannot properly react for such a provocation and do something, really, why they are there in the first place?
Jack Holan says
This is unbelievable! A US Naval Warship is harassed by an Iranian Flagged Merchant Ship that even if the laser is off the shelf can blind a pilot and is severely punished in the US. The Persians will escalate and push to the point that they see we do react to test us. Anyone knowing their mentality understands it I suppose they don’t prepare our men and women properly. Assume the reverse, an American Flagged Merchant Ship taking the same aggression towards and Iranian Warship. What do you suppose their reaction will be to the aggression? What lesson is learned by the Iranians when they see our reaction and they know their own?
Joseph says
What the Iranians are doing is akin to looking down the barrel of a gun to see if it is loaded. If and when the U.S. Navy responds with a show of force they will go crying to the UN on how “evil” America is and they were just minding their own business.
You don’t wake up a sleeping tiger by poking him in the eye with a stick. Someone WILL get hurt
Lasers are used to “light up” a target for missiles or bombs and the Navy would have been justified in taking out the source of the laser emission. Another parallel to this would be pointing a gun at a police officer, loaded or not the officer has every right to shoot you.
Cecilia Ellis says
“The Iranians continue to show in numerous ways that their hostility to the U.S. has not dimmed to the slightest degree, and that any nuclear agreement with them would be foolhardy in the extreme. For Obama and Kerry, however, it is full speed ahead.”
– With thousands in the streets of Tehran chanting, “Death to Israel . . . Down with America,” the absurdity of a nuclear agreement with Iran, the primary state-sponsor of terrorism, has no equal. There is a naval term that perfectly captures this irrationality: “in extremis.” Every Officer of the Deck (OOD) Underway knows its meaning: constant bearing, decreasing range – a collision course. Such is the course on which Obama and Kerry are sailing at flank speed, and Obama unfortunately has the conn. That the United States is involved in such negotiations is, in the first place, witless. That the United States is eager to reduce sanctions against Iran in exchange for unlimited inspection commitments reflects no connection with reality. That the United States remains at this negotiating table is an unprecedented abrogation of responsibilities, the consequences of which will be endured globally. Now that is evil!
noellsq says
Congress and all the democratic ninnies and the republican ninnies and the stupid yes stupid people negotiating. Iran is going full speed ahead ,has violated previous agreements with the UN and will probably cheat if an agreement is made to their satisfaction. The world will be destroyed Israel first,then Egypt and Jordan and US next. The countries that are at the table should leave put an army together and destroy the country.
Cecilia Ellis says
Kinda makes you wonder, what is it about “Death to Israel . . .Down with America” that they (Obama and Kerry, et al.) do not understand? Iran absolutely will cheat. Their two greatest enemies are the “Great Satan” (America) and the “Little Satan” (Israel), endearing terms provided by Ayatollah Khomeini.
Kathy Brown, Esq. says
Joseph, Jack H: Thank you for your informative posts. I have no military background so I didn’t know what it meant, the ‘laser’ thing.
But since Zero’s been in OUR WH I sure know enough to pay no attention to whatever Obama’s military says.
I can’t bear to see these horribly occurrences, every day, under this monstrous man. Our whole country is depressed, clinically so, and I’m as serious as a heart attack. Why, only today I spoke to a Korean War Vet who said, ‘Well…maybe we can make it ’til he gets out…but it’ll be close.’
Almighty God, true Founder of the United States of America, have mercy on us! We deserve the chastisement we are receiving through the ungodly we have exalted-yet now, in our misery, we call upon you in fear and trembling…
Remember our fathers and grandfathers who served You in the last great War. Remember their devotion and courage, and for their sake and all who repent protect us from this evil president and all who serve him. Amen.
Joseph says
@ Kathy Brown, Esq.
When you want a bomb or missile to hit a specific target you shoot a laser at it. This is “painting the target”. The incoming missile/bomb picks up or “reads” this reflected laser light and will fly right to the source of the reflection. BOOM, no more target.
That is why this little Iranian joke is NOT FUNNY.
I hope this clears it up a little, of course it is a little more involved than that.
Feel free to ask anything anytime.
Kathy Brown, Esq. says
Thank you Joseph! That clears it up for me.
We Conservatives don’t pretend we know everything about everything, one of our many advantages over the Left.
And indeed, no, it doesn’t sound like a joke and one knew it wasn’t, or why would Iran bother? They love to show their hatred-that’s islam folks!
Jerome McGaffney says
…a softening up process; do it enough times until it becomes “routine” and when the real thing finally lights the way for a missile, US reaction time may be unfortunately too slow.