Post by Nugget on Aug 25, 2016 13:21:21 GMT -6
A US Navy official told CNN four Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps vessels conducted a "high-speed intercept" of the USS Nitze in waters near the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday, deeming the incident "unsafe and unprofessional."
The official said two of the vessels slowed and turned away only after coming within 300 yards of the US guided-missile destroyer as it transited international waters near the Strait of Hormuz, and only after the destroyer had sent multiple visual and audio warnings.
The incident is only the latest in a series of all-too-close encounters with Iran in the region since December. These brushes have included Iranian rocket launches, drones flying over US vessels and the capture of US sailors in January. They come against the backdrop of renewed US diplomatic contacts with Iran, which has triggered a political backlash among Iranian hardliners, including the powerful IRGC.
In the wake of Tuesday's incident, the Nitze and US Naval Forces Central Command have determined that the Iranian vessels were violating international law and maritime standards, acting dangerously and unprofessionally.
The official said two of the vessels slowed and turned away only after coming within 300 yards of the US guided-missile destroyer as it transited international waters near the Strait of Hormuz, and only after the destroyer had sent multiple visual and audio warnings.
The incident is only the latest in a series of all-too-close encounters with Iran in the region since December. These brushes have included Iranian rocket launches, drones flying over US vessels and the capture of US sailors in January. They come against the backdrop of renewed US diplomatic contacts with Iran, which has triggered a political backlash among Iranian hardliners, including the powerful IRGC.
In the wake of Tuesday's incident, the Nitze and US Naval Forces Central Command have determined that the Iranian vessels were violating international law and maritime standards, acting dangerously and unprofessionally.
I'm not the least bit surprised by Iran's aggresion, but it does give me a sick, sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
I'm not sure hwo the POTUS came to the conclusion that giving Iran 1.3 billion dollars ( in addition to the original 4 million) was the right-or safe- thing to do.
Two days after delivering $400 million in cash to Tehran to pay off a decades-old debt, the US paid $1.3 billion more to cover the interest, but Obama administration critics say the payment was essentially ransom for the release of US prisoners in January.The debt dates back to the 1970s when the government of Iran paid the United States $400 million for military equipment that was never delivered because the revolution of 1979 ousted Iran’s US-friendly Shah, turning Tehran and Washington into bitter enemies. Amid the nuclear deal negotiations, the two countries agreed that the US would return the money – with interest. The total amounted to $1.7 billion.
State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau confirmed on Wednesday that, two days after the cash delivery, the interest on the debt was paid as well. The $1.3 billion was transferred in 13 separate payments of $99,999,999.99, with the final payment amounting to about $10 million.
State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau confirmed on Wednesday that, two days after the cash delivery, the interest on the debt was paid as well. The $1.3 billion was transferred in 13 separate payments of $99,999,999.99, with the final payment amounting to about $10 million.
If 400 million tax-payer dollars had been divided among every man, woman and child in American, every one of us would be millionaires.
