Remember that Marshall Islands cargo ship that the Iranian navy captured in international waters and forced to sail to port in Iran? That led to a relatively weak American response, but Iran let the ship go after its owners paid a "fine" (or a ransom if you prefer.) Both the White House and the State Department told us that the ship was just the subject of some legal disputes in Iran and the situation would never happen again. Today, we learned that, as usual, both the White House and the State Department were wrong. This morning, the Iranian navy patrol boats opened fire on a ship from Singapore that was in international waters in the Straits of Hormuz, the same place that the last ship was taken. This time, the captain of the Singapore cargo ship refused to stop and fled into the waters of the United Arab Emirates. The Iranian navy opened fire on the cargo ship and chased it into the territory of the UAE. Only when planes arrived and other ships were visible on the radar did the Iranians break off their attack and flee.
Most likely, none of the mainstream media will pay much attention to this event. Nevertheless, this is a really big story. Iran is once again making it clear that it has the ability to close the Straits of Hormuz to trade, and event which would send the oil markets into panic and, if allowed to continue, could bring about a world wide recession due to a lack of oil.
It is no coincidence that this second act of piracy by the Iranian navy in the Persian Gulf comes on the day when President Obama is holding a summit meeting at Camp David with representatives of six Arab nations whose territory border on the Persian Gulf. The naval action by Iran is the Ayatollah's way of reminding those nations at the summit from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates that America cannot be trusted to help them in a confrontation with Iran. It is the Ayatollah's way of driving a stake through the heart of any thoughts of cooperation with the USA by these Arab nations.
It is bad enough that the Arab nations have snubbed our president by refusing to send their leaders to the summit meeting. It is much worse that the Iranians are openly threatening navigation in international waters just as the conference is underway. There has to be a strong response from the USA if we are to retain these allies. Sadly, any such response would require president Obama to authorize it, and we all know that simply will not happen. Iran is using Obama's own conference against him to make the USA look weak and leaderless.
Most likely, none of the mainstream media will pay much attention to this event. Nevertheless, this is a really big story. Iran is once again making it clear that it has the ability to close the Straits of Hormuz to trade, and event which would send the oil markets into panic and, if allowed to continue, could bring about a world wide recession due to a lack of oil.
It is no coincidence that this second act of piracy by the Iranian navy in the Persian Gulf comes on the day when President Obama is holding a summit meeting at Camp David with representatives of six Arab nations whose territory border on the Persian Gulf. The naval action by Iran is the Ayatollah's way of reminding those nations at the summit from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates that America cannot be trusted to help them in a confrontation with Iran. It is the Ayatollah's way of driving a stake through the heart of any thoughts of cooperation with the USA by these Arab nations.
It is bad enough that the Arab nations have snubbed our president by refusing to send their leaders to the summit meeting. It is much worse that the Iranians are openly threatening navigation in international waters just as the conference is underway. There has to be a strong response from the USA if we are to retain these allies. Sadly, any such response would require president Obama to authorize it, and we all know that simply will not happen. Iran is using Obama's own conference against him to make the USA look weak and leaderless.
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