U.S. military reports "significant confrontation" between 5 Iranian vessels...

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
Little white boxes, eh? Kinda strange. Were the boxes retrieved, or did they sink, or what? I haven't seen any more information on them, except in one or two sources.

"waht's in the box........what's in the box!!"
from the movie Seven.

sounds like the whole thing was to test the USN. not really surprised. thank god the USN didn't flich.

Holy Gulf of Tonkin Batman!

Everyone take a deep breath. Before we all start speculating about what did or did not happen and who did or did not do what it's time to carefully reflect back on the Gulf of Tonkin 'incident' that kicked-off our foray into Vietnam. I know others have said it here already but the similarities are just so close it really does oblige each of us to revisit that historic episode.

We all know there are people in our government that are desperate to start with the Iranians. And they know time is running out. But please, don't let them pull this out of the old playbook. Alot of folks seem to be willing to swallow this. As with the earlier (Tonkin) incident (also first reported by the USN), verification was impossible to come by.

We don't need this. Especially now.

This will blow over.

Someone who may or may not be affiliated with the Iranian Regime got too close and we (the U.S.) just wagged our finger at them. If something does go down we will have it all on film. We are not as barbaric as some might think.

Not knowing the content of the boxes that was tossed in the water was more worrying than anything.

Originally posted by Boone 870
Actually, the report came from the U.S. Navy, not the MSM corporate media.

As duly reported by the MSM, yeah....

Originally posted by Boone 870

Originally posted by goosdawg
Lets see what the Iranian government has to say about this incident before we talk about what could have been.

And who are you going to get that information from? Oh yeah, the MSM corporate media.

Actually, I've got a whole list of alternative, independent news sources to whom I refer before I give a moment of my time to what the MSM have to say.

Google "alternative, independent news sources" and start clicking on links, you'll find it to be quite refreshing, and once you get into them, quite disturbing, when you see what's not being reported by the MSM.

Originally posted by Boone 870
Which report from the MSM are you going to believe?

Hook, line and sinker?

Not a single bloody one...

on topic...

I'll believe this to be an act sanctioned by the Iranian government when either Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejan or Ahyatolla Khamenei announce to the world that this is so.

I mean, come on, stop and think for a minute; who stands to gain the most from a direct, military conflict with the world's current and sole "superpower?"

Certainly not Iran!

Iran will not be behind a "first strike."

Anything that appears on the surface to be such an attack will be a false flag event, IMHO.

But that's not how the MSM will report it...

JTMA508, you stole the words right out of my mouth.

I was just going to say that: GOLF OF TONKIN....I mean...STRAIGHT OF HORMUZ.

It seems this administration is just trying to find anything to show provocation, which can lead to escalation. What we really have to worry about is our own CIA financing Pakistan's ISI and 60 nuclear weapons...and it's puppet - Musharraf. Iran? What Iran?

$100,000 from ISI wired to Mohamed Atta. Connect the dots. I don't know, but Butto's assasination is starting to look like a very precise move by our own intelligence apparatus to destabilize Pakistan, or give Musharraf (its puppet) the police state they wish they had here (practice?).

[edit on 7-1-2008 by manticore]

Originally posted by tetragrammation
reply to post by yahn goodey

 

this is just plainly stupid. not all people of iran are what you call 'extremists'. (actually very few of them are) this really is pathetic way of thinking. seriously grow up.

[edit on 7-1-2008 by tetragrammation]

The "stupid" part IMO is that you do not understand that while "not all people of iran are what you call 'extremists'.", many of their leaders are. You know, the ones that push the buttons to start the wars? And it seems the non-extremist iranians haven't done much to remove them from office, now have they?

So, instead of telling another ATS member to "grow up", how about you "educate up" before posting again?

[edit on 1/7/2008 by centurion1211]

reply to post by xmotex


The US military is trying to slowly provoke an response that can be claimed to be 'warlike' from Bush's visit to Israel which I will lay a tenner on him 'doing a Sharon' on temple mount to try and incite faith-based tension in the occupied territories and beyond, to the US navy sailing deliberately too close to the Iranian shoreline to provoke a defensive-military one by Iran. Since the MSM-published intelligence report that the Iranians haven't advanced any of their nuclear-research since 2003, the WhiteHouse will have been looking at as many ways as possible to provoke any kind of action that may be deemed as 'warlike and hostile' within the loosest letter of international law to achieve the fullfilment of the empirical energy-stranglehold gameplan

Bhutto was a sacrificial lamb to the slaughter (in my opinion) to further the anti-secular agenda in Pakistan with the aim of toppling another Islamic nation, and now the 'almost-conflict' with the Republican Guard naval units in THE most sensitive geographical location.

Perhaps the plan is to make as much money as possible off vastly inflated oil prices since the news of oil breaking the $100/barrel barrier in open trading last week with a globally-public naval standoff in the worlds busiest and most sensitive shipping lane?

reply to post by goosdawg


Could you post a list of the independant news sources that you use so we can use them too?

much appreciated!

too bad we didnt blow the iranians out of the water because if they keep doing that crap i can guarantee that the shock and awe bombings of iraq will look like people playing paintball if we bombed iran.

reply to post by Swatman


yeap nothing like Shock and awe
im sure Iran would just sit back and just watch those beutiful targets in the ocean to be.

nothings that straight forward in life

and i asume you will be one of the crew members when this happens so you will also be on the recieving end when Iran and the US forces start exchanging preasents?

Here we go. Shock and awe all over again. Hey, I voted for Bush twice (shame on me). I guess I was asleep as millions of others. Now I'm awake.

Do you really think the shock and awe in Iran will be the same piece of cake in Iraq? Before, we saw the MISSION ACCOMPLISHED SIGN, that is.

Do you really think Russia and China will just sit on the sidelines this time? Think again. We are stretched to the limit and only a draft can do it if we keep the trend.

I don't know, but, something is brewing and the theory of Bush hanging on to power for a while longer than he should is starting to look like a real possibility...



[edit on 7-1-2008 by manticore]

The Iranian military has supersonic antiship cruise missles that are deployed in the south of Iran. They have sufficient range to strike almost any vessels off their shores. If they provoked an attack this would give them the opporunity they need to use them.

Sorry folks but this news story sounds very much like a prelude to ANOTHER Gulf of Tonkin.

Aside from those that have already expressed this similarity, don't the rest of you see how convenient this supposedly 'incident' is in light of current events happening in that area of the world?. Its 'too' perfect. I would not be too surprised to hear of further news reports in the coming days/weeks of further incidents like this which then leads to war on Iran..


The whole 'incident' as reported is utter rubbish.

reply to post by goosdawg

Actually, I've got a whole list of alternative, independent news sources to whom I refer before I give a moment of my time to what the MSM have to say.

What have your alternative news sources revealed about this subject so far? I will gladly read the truth if you would kindly post a link.

Extremists here Extremists there ........ Extremists everywhere

Mmmm - Media manipulation at its finest - Do you really believe what you are being told - Iranian Gunships came out to play with US - Stinks - Stinks and Stinks some more

Something is definately brewing for this to hit the "free" press - Who released and setup this display for public consumption ......

The world is not so simple as the USA vs Iran - They are probably both being used as tools for someones else's game !

Peace

PS - Shock and Awe - Is that something to be proud of ?

Update: Iran's response.

The Iranian government said Monday that the incident was "something normal" and had been resolved, The Associated Press reported. The Iranian Foreign Ministry indicated that the Iranian boats hadn't recognized the U.S. ships, according to the AP.

Iranian ships 'harass' U.S. Navy, officials say

I was also first thinking "false flag" when I read about this, but according to Iran it was a misunderstanding. At least they admit that it happened.

Originally posted by geocom

Originally posted by zerbot565
let me put it like this insted :

I'll put it this way if I was in a bar (fat chance since I don't drink) and some idiot came running up to me telling I was about to get hit I would punch him in the throat and then probably break his leg...
[edit on 1/7/2008 by geocom]

ROFL

No you wouldn't, but that was entertaining.

reply to post by RedTeam1


I've done it before when I used to drink and frequent bars I am pretty sure I would do it again thank you very much. though it was an arm that got broken and not a leg..

and now that I look back at the post it is funny to read and entertaining as well

Respectfully
GEO

[edit on 1/7/2008 by geocom]

[edit on 1/7/2008 by geocom]

reply to post by Hal9000


Well I think there's some CYA going on in Iran right now - it seems unlikely anyone with a clue about things naval wouldn't recognize a Ticonderoga CG flying the Stars & Bars 200m away

Like I said, some ideologically fervid Revolutionary Guard commander acting on his own. He may find himself looking for a new line of work, judging by the Iranian reaction...

I don't think this was a case of the USN going cowboy and provoking the Iranians (a la the Vincennes Airbus shootdown disaster.) It sounds to me like the USN commander on scene acted with great restraint in fact.

In this case, it appears the "cowboy" was the Iranian commander.


[edit on 1/7/08 by xmotex]

Originally posted by manticore
Here we go. Shock and awe all over again...Do you really think Russia and China will just sit on the sidelines this time?

History repeats itself, and all I can suggest is to look back to the late 1930's when there was the same 'credit crunch' predictions, skyrocketing energy-prices and the dissolution of empires as new nations sought to try and capitalise on the oil/gas/coal reserves around the world

...I swear the same is happening as we speak and we are only witnessing the opening salvos of a greater problem