UPDATED: How will we handle the upcoming Iran Navy incursion on US Territorial waters?
The Iranian Navy has a "fleet" in route to US territorial waters right now (Atlantic side) in response to our warships operating in the Persian Gulf. Their fleet is going to "send us a message". 10 FEB UPDATE: TODAY THE IRAN GOVERNMENT RELEASED A VIDEO SIMULATION SHOWING THAT THEIR NAVAL SHIPS CAN RELEASE ARMED DRONES AGAINST TARGETS IN ISREAL AND THE US, AND SHOWING SIMULATED HITS ON PUBLIC AREAS. THE VIDEO, ALTHOUGH AMATEURISH BY OUR STANDARDS, WAS A VERY HAM-HANDED SIGNAL INDICATING THAT THE THREAT POSED BY IRANIAN WARSHIPS IN ROUTE TO US WATERS WAS NOT TO BE IGNORED.
Who handles the message? the Navy or the Coast Guard? The Iran Navy capabilities in comparison to either the USN or USCG are laughable, but they do have submarines, they can interdict civilian traffic, they can infiltrate and land people and material, and they can electronically eavesdrop and interfere. Do we handle them the way we handle the Chinese and Russians?
Would like to hear from our Navy and Coasties on this one!
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Sir; as an Airborne Ranger I like your answer! As a military diplomat, my first recommendation to the SecDef or President would be to seize the ships, if possible.
Entering US waters in and of itself is a hostile act. However, their "fleet" is still incredibly small as a military threat, and the US doesn't want to look like a bully on the world stage. If, during the course of seizing the Iranian ships, they resisted or fired shots, then the USCG and (if needed) the USN go into combat mode.
One last thing: We have to keep in mind that the mission of their "fleet" may be to provoke a military action so that the Iranian regime has justification for some kind of terrorism in the Gulf or elsewhere.
CPT Miller: There is great merit in your post. I wonder if our current civilian leadership has the disposition for that kind of decision?
Oh, let me add one thing, as a question moderator I sometimes have to play both sides of a point. Would we be seen as a bully? Heck, a lot of the world already thinks we are bullies. To them I say - Too bad. We are America and I can't hear your whining over my freedom and awesomeness. As a 48 I have to give a more "measured" and professional opinion.
However, the second they show signs of threat (which they won't) we will just have to kill them until they die from it.
MSG; you have just cleverly summed up the international laws of the sea and the diplomatic tactic of reciprocity.
Let's go back to October of 1962. The US puts missiles in Turkey (I'm not touching you!). The USSR reciprocates by putting missiles in Cuba (I'm not touching you!). The US Navy blockades Cuba (I'm not touching you and nobody else is, either). Now that was a nuclear war threat. The question is: what is the threat? What will happen when we kill them until they die from it?
I like your post!
As far as them sailing ships here, they rarely leave the Persian Gulf.
Lets see if they can find their way here first. In a stunning reversal of history, they may actually land in India and call everyone there Americans.
In reference to the threat, well, as usual nobody can give an honest answer as to how far advanced their nuclear program is (not that they couldn't just obtain from another country).
I don't think sinking of their ship (in our waters) would be enough to cause that level of response. I am sure the posturing period afterwards would be remarkable, but ultimately that would be the worst of it.
We wouldn't start a ground war with them because we just responded to their actions and they have enough to worry about over there to try to bring war here.
MSG; you have a gift for prose!
I believe that they actually sent a couple of warships through the Suez to Syria in 2012. That may be their largest naval venture since Sinbad.
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Sandy, I like this answer! It gives what action we should do and assigns the responsibility for action on the USCG.
The touchy part of this whole thing is (a) will the Iranians deliberately or inadvertently violate the 200NM line; and (b) if they do, will they resist the instructions and boarding of the USCG teams? These are rhetorical questions of course, but nothing good is going to come of this seaborne Iranian venture.
Even though this comment by 1LT Sandy sounds rational and the best way to approach this. Let's not forget that before 911, threats to attack the USA were known similar to this.
That was not know by many and those who heard it kind of brushed it off. Until 911 became a reality. This ship is not coming here close by our waters because they are training, and according too the story, this was made know way before this ship sailed. It was know that Iran had this planed for some time. Same as before 911. But fact is the intentions are not fully know, until they arrive CNN finds out and makes it new media so the Iranians can hear it first hand.