US warship heads to Yemeni waters to intercept Iranian weapons shipments

[hawker9000]

Well, Admiral, here's a link to an Associated Press report, appearing on the military.com website:

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/04/20/us-warship-sent-to-block-iran-weapons-off-yemen.html?ESRC=navy-a.nl

Noting that "The deployment comes after a U.N. Security Council resolution approved last week imposed an arms embargo on the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels. The resolution passed in a 14-0 vote with Russia abstaining.", just exactly how do overflights of the freighters by F-18s "observing their every trip to the head" (your idea of "intelligence gathering" I guess, lol) actually provide any enforcement or support of said U.N. resolution? Obviously, about the same as a Blue Angels airshow back in the States. None.

Also noting that "White House spokesman Josh Earnest would not comment specifically on any Navy movements in Yemeni waters, but said the U.S. has concerns about Iran's "continued support for the Houthis.", just what kind of support for the Houthis does a failure to board and inspect, and instead allowing said freighters to continue to port unmolested to offload their cargos, constitute? Answer: all possible; the Houthis and Iran must be very grateful at the prospect of the U.S. Navy virtually escorting these freighters instead of interdicting them!

Finally noting that "The U.S. Navy generally conducts consensual boardings of ships when needed, including to combat piracy around Africa and the region. So far, however, U.S. naval personnel have not boarded any Iranian vessels since the Yemen conflict began.", it's pretty obvious Obama is backing away from even attempting to do with respect to THIS enforcement action what is accepted as a matter or practice with others. He THOUGHT he could have some impact by merely sending ships, but is in a dither now that Iran, sooooo predictably, just continues to give him the finger (which I expect he's quite used to by now, particularly where Iran is concerned; quite a strange way to execute the office...).

But keep up that leftist lunatic anti-Obama conspiracy spin, Admiral. Bear a hand and keep that propaganda ship afloat! You did leave out the part about anyone criticizing him being a racist. Tsk, tsk. The central committee won't like that.

'Sure beats the funny papers.

Admiral! Would that be Rear Admiral Publicus?

The convoy of Iranian weapons supply ships to Yemen has long since been turned around in ignominy by the Saudi-led Arab-Indian-Pakistan coalition supported by the United States 5th Fleet headquartered in Bahrain and the news from the area on both the land and the sea is no news of significance.

The situation in the area is stable. No shooting, no blockade running, no red lines and no red lines crossed, no ships sunk, seized, boarded of necessity or otherwise. The Revolutionary Guards in Tehran have fully digested the super sized shit sandwich they had to eat and have apparently decided they don't want any more of 'em to have to eat.

This remains a potentially volatile situation and it could be escalated or explode at any time for any reason, but so far there haven't been any further incidents, much less incidents of any major importance or significance.

Neither has Prez Obama handed his sword over to the ayatollahs, the Revolutionary Guards or to anyone else. The flag is still flying over there and the losers in Tehran are licking their wounds as are the loser warmongers in these parts biting their tongues.

I reiterate the situation remains volatile and the hard-pressed militants in Tehran continue to be unpredictable. The battle in Yemen is far from over but a major factor in it, Tehran, has been humbled, humiliated, significantly stung and singed.

The effective and predictable counterweight to an exacerbation of the challenge in the region is an Arab military coalition force policing its own region supported by the former cop of the region, the United States.

Welcome to the new reality.

Carry on.

"The situation in the area is stable. No shooting, no blockade running, no red lines and no red lines crossed, no ships sunk, seized, boarded of necessity or otherwise."

Hmmm. 'Doubt crewman on the Maersk Tigris would entirely agree. Embarrassingly inaccurate, as usual. Iran, realizing the jig was up, turned around its convoy alright, and then in a nice little tit-for-tat seized a freighter in international waters in the Strait of Hormuz, a highly sensitive, highly visible, regional chokepoint. In doing so, Iran did precisely what Obama quailed from doing, and demonstrated to the entire world that the U.S. would not/could not live up to its treaty obligations (the U.S. is treaty-bound to the defense of the Marshall Islands as a protectorate, including the protection of its ships in international waters, the same as U.S.-flagged vessels). Something of a coup for Iran and an international humiliation for the US. Bravo once again to the prez; another fine job.

Oh, and check the oil price charts beginning 28 April. A nice little spike started that day. Saaaaaay now! Doesn't IRAN sell a bit of oil every now & again? 'Guess that in addition to this latest humiliation of Obama, they actually made a dime as well.

And please. Leave off Iran's legalisms for the seizure. That crap only plays in Tehran. UNCLOS does not provide for the seizure of vessels at sea to satisfy civil claims save those involving the vessel itself. I could quote Art. 28, but you can look it up as easily as I can.

"... no ships sunk, seized ..."

[Publicus]

Well, Admiral, here's a link to an Associated Press report, appearing on the military.com website:

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/04/20/us-warship-sent-to-block-iran-weapons-off-yemen.html?ESRC=navy-a.nl

Noting that "The deployment comes after a U.N. Security Council resolution approved last week imposed an arms embargo on the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels. The resolution passed in a 14-0 vote with Russia abstaining.", just exactly how do overflights of the freighters by F-18s "observing their every trip to the head" (your idea of "intelligence gathering" I guess, lol) actually provide any enforcement or support of said U.N. resolution? Obviously, about the same as a Blue Angels airshow back in the States. None.

Also noting that "White House spokesman Josh Earnest would not comment specifically on any Navy movements in Yemeni waters, but said the U.S. has concerns about Iran's "continued support for the Houthis.", just what kind of support for the Houthis does a failure to board and inspect, and instead allowing said freighters to continue to port unmolested to offload their cargos, constitute? Answer: all possible; the Houthis and Iran must be very grateful at the prospect of the U.S. Navy virtually escorting these freighters instead of interdicting them!

Finally noting that "The U.S. Navy generally conducts consensual boardings of ships when needed, including to combat piracy around Africa and the region. So far, however, U.S. naval personnel have not boarded any Iranian vessels since the Yemen conflict began.", it's pretty obvious Obama is backing away from even attempting to do with respect to THIS enforcement action what is accepted as a matter or practice with others. He THOUGHT he could have some impact by merely sending ships, but is in a dither now that Iran, sooooo predictably, just continues to give him the finger (which I expect he's quite used to by now, particularly where Iran is concerned; quite a strange way to execute the office...).

But keep up that leftist lunatic anti-Obama conspiracy spin, Admiral. Bear a hand and keep that propaganda ship afloat! You did leave out the part about anyone criticizing him being a racist. Tsk, tsk. The central committee won't like that.

'Sure beats the funny papers.

Admiral! Would that be Rear Admiral Publicus?

The convoy of Iranian weapons supply ships to Yemen has long since been turned around in ignominy by the Saudi-led Arab-Indian-Pakistan coalition supported by the United States 5th Fleet headquartered in Bahrain and the news from the area on both the land and the sea is no news of significance.

The situation in the area is stable. No shooting, no blockade running, no red lines and no red lines crossed, no ships sunk, seized, boarded of necessity or otherwise. The Revolutionary Guards in Tehran have fully digested the super sized shit sandwich they had to eat and have apparently decided they don't want any more of 'em to have to eat.

This remains a potentially volatile situation and it could be escalated or explode at any time for any reason, but so far there haven't been any further incidents, much less incidents of any major importance or significance.

Neither has Prez Obama handed his sword over to the ayatollahs, the Revolutionary Guards or to anyone else. The flag is still flying over there and the losers in Tehran are licking their wounds as are the loser warmongers in these parts biting their tongues.

I reiterate the situation remains volatile and the hard-pressed militants in Tehran continue to be unpredictable. The battle in Yemen is far from over but a major factor in it, Tehran, has been humbled, humiliated, significantly stung and singed.

The effective and predictable counterweight to an exacerbation of the challenge in the region is an Arab military coalition force policing its own region supported by the former cop of the region, the United States.

Welcome to the new reality.

Carry on.

"The situation in the area is stable. No shooting, no blockade running, no red lines and no red lines crossed, no ships sunk, seized, boarded of necessity or otherwise."

Hmmm. 'Doubt crewman on the Maersk Tigris would entirely agree. Embarrassingly inaccurate, as usual. Iran, realizing the jig was up, turned around its convoy alright, and then in a nice little tit-for-tat seized a freighter in international waters in the Strait of Hormuz, a highly sensitive, highly visible, regional chokepoint. In doing so, Iran did precisely what Obama quailed from doing, and demonstrated to the entire world that the U.S. would not/could not live up to its treaty obligations (the U.S. is treaty-bound to the defense of the Marshall Islands as a protectorate, including the protection of its ships in international waters, the same as U.S.-flagged vessels). Something of a coup for Iran and an international humiliation for the US. Bravo once again to the prez; another fine job.

Oh, and check the oil price charts beginning 28 April. A nice little spike started that day. Saaaaaay now! Doesn't IRAN sell a bit of oil every now & again? 'Guess that in addition to this latest humiliation of Obama, they actually made a dime as well.

And please. Leave off Iran's legalisms for the seizure. That crap only plays in Tehran. UNCLOS does not provide for the seizure of vessels at sea to satisfy civil claims save those involving the vessel itself. I could quote Art. 28, but you can look it up as easily as I can.

"... no ships sunk, seized ..."

That is very little to try to run with in trying to debase the successes of the United States and the Saudi-led Arab coalition of forces in their successful repulsing of Iran at sea in the context of the Yemen conflict.

The one single incident at sea cited in the post is minor and insignificant in the whole scheme of the confrontation between the US and its ME partners in which Iran has been stood down and remains down and cowered.

The US supported blockade of Iran from Yemen is successful and ongoing. The Iranian convoy turned around and went home. All the dire imaginings and fantasy scenarios were proved to be unreal, the hope and wishes of only the Obama haters and bashers.

Iran is humbled and humiliated, as are those who wanted for purely political reasons, and ever so desperately, to see it embarrass and take down the United States and its Arab coalition partners.

The ayatollahs and the Revolutionary Guards continue to sulk in their obvious silence and inaction, as are the others elsewhere who had foolheartedly anticipated the Revolutionary Guards would do well.

Carry on.

[chuckd]

Iran has a slightly different summary of the events of last week off the shores of Yemen.

Not knowing the US ROE makes it difficult to assess who is telling the truth, although Iran has not been particularly noted for being completely transparent.

No comment on the administration's transparency.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Report: Iranian Navy Chases After U.S. Warships

BY: Adam Kredo

May 6, 2015 5:00 am

Update 5:04 P.M.: The Pentagon said Wednesday afternoon following publication of this article that it is aware of the Iranian reports, but that “no such interaction has occurred” as it was described.

_

An Iranian naval fleet chased a U.S. warship and military planes through the waters off the southern coast of Yemen late Monday in yet another provocative encounter between the two nations, according to Iranian state media reports.

A U.S. warship and several planes reportedly “changed their direction” on Monday after encountering an Iranian naval fleet during a patrol in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen, Iranian state media revealed.

The U.S. military assets fled “after they came close to an Iranian naval fleet and were warned to move away,” Iran’s state-controlled Fars News Agency reported. Iran also released video of the incident.

More here: http://freebeacon.com/national-security/report-iranian-navy-chases-after-u-s-warships/

[ScarpoFongness4U]

It is more likely the US ships decided to give a little swipe to the Iranians and then went back on course.

It is doubtful the Iranians would even have a navy ten minutes after the US decided to destroy all their ships, and even their fake ones

[Publicus]

Iran has a slightly different summary of the events of last week off the shores of Yemen.

Not knowing the US ROE makes it difficult to assess who is telling the truth, although Iran has not been particularly noted for being completely transparent.

No comment on the administration's transparency.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Report: Iranian Navy Chases After U.S. Warships

BY: Adam Kredo

May 6, 2015 5:00 am

Update 5:04 P.M.: The Pentagon said Wednesday afternoon following publication of this article that it is aware of the Iranian reports, but that “no such interaction has occurred” as it was described.

_

An Iranian naval fleet chased a U.S. warship and military planes through the waters off the southern coast of Yemen late Monday in yet another provocative encounter between the two nations, according to Iranian state media reports.

A U.S. warship and several planes reportedly “changed their direction” on Monday after encountering an Iranian naval fleet during a patrol in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen, Iranian state media revealed.

The U.S. military assets fled “after they came close to an Iranian naval fleet and were warned to move away,” Iran’s state-controlled Fars News Agency reported. Iran also released video of the incident.

More here: http://freebeacon.com/national-security/report-iranian-navy-chases-after-u-s-warships/

So the thread now moves in the direction of the desperation of the right wing warmongers to publish Iran propaganda starting with the right wing media.

The reality here is that reports in Iran and at US defense blogger sites differ from the reports of the right wing media in the United States while the US MSM continues to say little or nothing of it all.

Specifically, the Iran Fars News Agency said an incident did occur.

Fars said the (billion dollar high tech) US destroyer Winston S. Churchill "abruptly changed course" and headed away from the Iranian 34th Naval Fleet (two ships!) positioned in the straits between the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. The two Iranian Naval ships were suspected of possibly trying to smuggle arms into Yemen.

The Churchill and two US Orion reconnaissance aircraft crossed the five nautical mile distance that navy ships of different countries normally keep from each other as a globally recognized practice. This brought the Churchill in a closer proximity to the Iran destroyer and helicopter carrier ship. However, Iran and the US right wing media did not report that the Churchill's sudden shifting of course as the two Iran navy ships moved close in to it caused the two Iran ships to nearly collide.

http://warnewsupdates.blogspot.com/2015/05/iran-media-us-iranian-warships-nearly.html

Given the driven nature of the extreme flying right wing to destroy Prez Obama I'm surprised not to have seen the laughable statement by the Iran Navy Commodore Mustafa Tajeddini in command the the 34th Naval Fleet, that he made in the cyber dreamworld about the retreat of the Iranian arms convoy a couple of weeks ago. Read this for a laffer....

"Tajeddini also dismissed reports in international media and by the Pentagon late last month that U.S. naval warships had forced Iranian navy vessels headed to Yemen to change their course in the Gulf of Aden. “The news reports by foreign media that we have changed our route after the US fleet’s arrival is only a media ballyhoo,” he said, adding that, “We have had communications with many naval units since we entered the Gulf of Aden, but no country has ever dared to warn the Iranian Navy.”

http://www.algemeiner.com/2015/05/05/iran-claims-navy-chased-away-us-warship-planes-in-gulf-of-aden/

Iran's own Comical Ali

Maybe the Iran Commodore of illusions can get a letter of support from 47 Republican (guard) US Senators.

[chuckd]

I find your personal insults not even worth addressing.

[ScarpoFongness4U]

I suppose the poster above doesnt think the US War ships can sink Iranians rusty naval vessels from behind?

In the mid East they say showing a man your shoes is an insult,

What then, the ass side of your carrier?

[ScarpoFongness4U]

Looks like Assad is gonna be sacrificed at the Iranian nuclear altar,

Same for Hezbollah

[BKKBobby]

Looks like Assad is gonna be sacrificed at the Iranian nuclear altar,

Same for Hezbollah

Assad is a dictator no doubt about it. By North African and Middle Eastern standards hes far from being the worst. While I dont think its fair to only call him "tough", because of all repressed, tortured and killed Syrians under his regime. I do however see the irony in hunting down and kicking out Assad, its politics, nothing else.

[Publicus]

Looks like Assad is gonna be sacrificed at the Iranian nuclear altar,

Same for Hezbollah

Assad is a dictator no doubt about it. By North African and Middle Eastern standards hes far from being the worst. While I dont think its fair to only call him "tough", because of all repressed, tortured and killed Syrians under his regime. I do however see the irony in hunting down and kicking out Assad, its politics, nothing else.

The US and Sunni Arab 'partners' are turning their attention to Iran.

The 14-0-1 vote of whole of the UN Security Council (Russia) to stop the flow of arms to Yemen is a direct statement to Iran and it is an indirect statement to Assad.

The UNSC vote set up the subsequent redeployment of the US Aircraft Carrier Theodore Roosevelt and many of its strike force of ships to support of the Arab joint Naval forces to include Pakistan and India. The message is twofold. It tells us and Assad he is effectively a goner, and it makes clear that Iran is being brought to the front burner.

Russia's vote to abstain on the UNSC Resolution tells Assad there's no one left to prop him up to the extent he needs it. The vote tells Iran its days of running loose in the sand covered schoolyard that is the ME are over.

It also says the anti-piracy campaign at sea had set the table for new and direct joint Naval operations that are state-to-state and involve weapons shipments, contradicting the Naval movement and support of terrorists, insurgents and other combatants.

[ScarpoFongness4U]

Looks like Assad is gonna be sacrificed at the Iranian nuclear altar,

Same for Hezbollah

Assad is a dictator no doubt about it. By North African and Middle Eastern standards hes far from being the worst. While I dont think its fair to only call him "tough", because of all repressed, tortured and killed Syrians under his regime. I do however see the irony in hunting down and kicking out Assad, its politics, nothing else.

The US and Sunni Arab 'partners' are turning their attention to Iran.

The 14-0-1 vote of whole of the UN Security Council (Russia) to stop the flow of arms to Yemen is a direct statement to Iran and it is an indirect statement to Assad.

The UNSC vote set up the subsequent redeployment of the US Aircraft Carrier Theodore Roosevelt and many of its strike force of ships to support of the Arab joint Naval forces to include Pakistan and India. The message is twofold. It tells us and Assad he is effectively a goner, and it makes clear that Iran is being brought to the front burner.

Russia's vote to abstain on the UNSC Resolution tells Assad there's no one left to prop him up to the extent he needs it. The vote tells Iran its days of running loose in the sand covered schoolyard that is the ME are over.

It also says the anti-piracy campaign at sea had set the table for new and direct joint Naval operations that are state-to-state and involve weapons shipments, contradicting the Naval movement and support of terrorists, insurgents and other combatants.

That's a pretty accurate review

I also believe the Iranians have shown, they are weak in battle

[Scott]

An inflammatory post and replies removed.

[hawker9000]

Looks like Assad is gonna be sacrificed at the Iranian nuclear altar,

Same for Hezbollah

Assad is a dictator no doubt about it. By North African and Middle Eastern standards hes far from being the worst. While I dont think its fair to only call him "tough", because of all repressed, tortured and killed Syrians under his regime. I do however see the irony in hunting down and kicking out Assad, its politics, nothing else.

The US and Sunni Arab 'partners' are turning their attention to Iran.

The 14-0-1 vote of whole of the UN Security Council (Russia) to stop the flow of arms to Yemen is a direct statement to Iran and it is an indirect statement to Assad.

The UNSC vote set up the subsequent redeployment of the US Aircraft Carrier Theodore Roosevelt and many of its strike force of ships to support of the Arab joint Naval forces to include Pakistan and India. The message is twofold. It tells us and Assad he is effectively a goner, and it makes clear that Iran is being brought to the front burner.

Russia's vote to abstain on the UNSC Resolution tells Assad there's no one left to prop him up to the extent he needs it. The vote tells Iran its days of running loose in the sand covered schoolyard that is the ME are over.

It also says the anti-piracy campaign at sea had set the table for new and direct joint Naval operations that are state-to-state and involve weapons shipments, contradicting the Naval movement and support of terrorists, insurgents and other combatants.

That's a pretty accurate review

I also believe the Iranians have shown, they are weak in battle

Iran is pretty good at breaking agreements on their own, but when they want somebody to actually die in battle these days, I believe they pay & support Hezbollah or Hamas to do it ...

[Publicus]

It's gone unnoticed that Iran did release the Maersk Tigris freighter ship under the US Marshall Islands flag and its crew after having said an outstanding financial beef against it had been settled, which is an attempt to make the Revolutionary Guards in Tehran look like they are not as stupid as they in fact are.

Iranian Navy ships yesterday fired across the bow of a Singapore flagged freighter, twice, before being chased off by coast guard vessels of the UAE. The reasons given by Tehran is that the oil-chemical tanker Alpine Eternity had banged into an Iran oil rig so the Revolutionary Guards were insisting on compensation. The Alpine Eternity with no Singaporeans or US citizens on board is in fact safely in a UAE port.

The Iranian so-called aid ship currently moving slowly and southwesterly off the coast of Oman has been advised directly by the US Navy to dock in the UN aid center in Dijibuti rather than continue on to Yemen. Despite the statement by Tehran that the aid ship would be escorted by an Iranian Navy warship, the aid ship remains alone and unescorted.

The iranian Commodore Mustafa continues to carry on with his comments, saying a "fire might start" if the US Navy moved to stop or block the Iran ship.

Meanwhile.....

3 US Navy fast patrol craft join warship to counter Iranian threat in the Straits of Hormuz

Three U.S. Navy fast patrol craft joined the destroyer Farragut Wednesday in the Straits of Hormuz to counter Iranian threats to safe passage through the waterway.

The destroyer Farragut, which entered the Straits at "best speed" following the since concluded takeover of the Maersk Tigris, was joined by the Cyclone-class patrol craft Typhoon, Firebolt and the Thunderbolt,

The USS (Admiral David G.) Farragut

Read more: http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/04/29/three-us-navy-patrol-craft-join-destroyer-to-counter-iran-in.html#ixzz3aD0RpcH0

Edited May 15, 2015 by Publicus

[ScarpoFongness4U]

the Iranians are going to make this very easy

[Publicus]

It's fairly been a sea cruise thus far for the USNavy which sent the Iranian Navy convoy of weapons ships off on a sharp 180-degree roundabout back to Iran, and which recovered the Maersk Tigris shortly after it was seized on the high seas when no one was close enough to rescue it then and there. There's a lot of sea out there but everyone knows where Iran and Tehran are.

The arrival of the Theodore Roosevelt to join ships of its Carrier Strike Force 12 has kept the dishonest men of Tehran and its Navy inactive and insignificant. The three USN fast patrol craft assigned to the destroyer Farragut form a subset of Strike Force 12 among other subsets of it. The Roosevelt and its escort missile cruiser Normandy are the core subset of it.

The destroyer USS Farragut is named after the first admiral in the history of the USN, David G. Farragut of Civil War fame whose father fought as a LT in the USN during the Revolutionary War. Admiral Farragut and Gen Ulysses S Grant turned the war in the West, especially when Adm Farragut broke through the massive naval defenses at Vicksburg on the Mississippi, soon after which his fleet seized Mobile AL which was the last Confederate port stronghold on the Gulf of Mexico.

It was during the Battle of Mobile Bay that Farragut, strapped to the high mast of his flagship with telescope, commanded his fleet to "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead."

David Farragut began his 60 year naval career in 1810 as a very underage commissioned midshipman and fought in the War of 1812 against Great Britain. The Iranian Navy knows the name by now too.

Admiral David G. Farragut, 1863.

The Admiral Farragut Military Academy in St. Petersburg FL is in his name.