Posted on 07/16/2012 9:05:00 AM PDT by mojito
An American vessel fired on a boat Monday off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, killing one person and injuring three, according to a U.S. consular official in Dubai.
The official gave no further details, but it appeared the boat could have been mistaken as a threat in Gulf waters not far from Iran's maritime boundaries.
Dozens of police and other Emirati officials crowded around the white-hulled boat, which sat docked after the incident in a small Dubai port used by fishermen and sailors.
The boat appeared to be a civilian vessel about 30 feet (9 meters) long and powered by three outboard motors. Similar boats are used for fishing in the region, though Iran's Revolutionary Guard also employs relatively small, fast-moving craft in the Gulf.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
1 down, 999,999,999 to go.
Have we apologized yet?
Well done, bluejackets.
Thankfully, we have a chief executive with the right skills for this situation, as well as experience tested under actual battle conditions!
If memory serves, he already has a dozen or more apologies under his belt.
He’ll know just what to do...
fishermen?
It’s not October yet.
“Have we apologized yet?”
No phone cell service on the golf course.
if you come that close to a US Navy ship you are be definition a threat and can be shot
I am 100% certain they spent a lot of time frantically trying to signal them and contact them before shooting at them
Too bad for them, but if you are too stupid to know not to approach a US Navy Ship then you are better off dead anyway
Obama’s warming up the low bow..
If he thinks it's a threat, it dies.
Just letting the Iranian rowboat navy know, 'Don't **** with me"
Was the American vessel military or an American flagged commercial vessel?
Either Obama will publicly state the Captain "acted stupidly," as he charged in the Cambridge Police/Henry Gates incident, or the Captain will quietly resign/retire under duress.
>> Obama will publicly state the Captain “acted stupidly,”
What if the captain was a woman? Or, even more of a challenge for The One, a *lesbian*?
That would be the mother of all cognitive dissonance triggers.
>> or an American flagged commercial vessel?
Not sure those are armed well enough to sink a 30ft boat.
I’m pretty sure they’re not *supposed* to be, anyway.
Details are sketchy at the moment, but it appears to have been a US Naval vessel.
Oops, I meant Muzzies. I guess reading the whole article before posting helps.
I’m pretty sure they’re not *supposed* to be, anyway.
_____________________________________________________
They are. US flagged tankers and container ships who operate in that region have security teams on board.
Roger.
On review, the OP doesn’t say they sank the boat, just fired on it, killing a few of ‘em.
That could be accomplished with small arms fire.
Thanks and FRegards
Warm up for a Gulf of Tonkin incident
Not to worry Obama the great Bin Laden hunter is on the job.
I’m thinking it may have been commercial. If it had been Navy the AP would of went into US military bashing mode when they wrote this article.
Good pictures of some US flagged ships and security ideas.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/04/12/strange_waters?page=full#0
Another thread/article stated it was a US Navy supply vessel. Possibly a refueling tanker. That they fired a warning shot and when the approaching vessel did not change coarse, they opened fire , killing one and injuring two others.
Very cool! Tku
CNN article:
“The USNS Rappahannock, a fuel resupply ship, fired on what the officials called a “small, white pleasure craft” 10 miles from the Dubai port of Jebel Ali”
It’s USNS (United States Navy Ship) Rappahannock, a T-AO Oiler.
They are operated by Military Sealift Command with civilian crews but with a Navy detachment on board (who would have fired the .50s).
http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/ships.asp?ship=146
30’ small white boat with 3 engines = sport fisherman.
Think Hatteras with three 80 hp engines, tuna hunter, sailfish hunter, etc.
Thanks for the update.
Obama to muzzies: “Oops, we’re sorry, we thought that was an Israeli boat... we’ll buy you 100 new ones to make it up to you”.
It wasn't sunk. FTA;
Dozens of police and other Emirati officials crowded around the white-hulled boat, which sat docked after the incident in a small Dubai port used by fishermen and sailors.
I was just there a couple of weeks ago on a US flagged tanker. God bless the security teams both military and private that travel with our US flagged vessels. The civilian crews appreciate what they do.
Real hard to actually sink a (probably) fiberglass boat with non-explosive rounds.
see #21
And a proven bower, he’s actually a double threat.
We could probably add boot-licker too, but the cameras were just aimed too high.
Oh well...
Interesting- the Navy spokesman called it a “small motor vessel” and CNN a “pleasurecraft.” The power of words....
I live here right on the eastern waterfront in Bahrain. I hope no Iranian missiles start flying through my windows.
They were warned. I have not seen many fishermen in 30’ boats with THREE outboards.
I’m sure the muslim in the white hut is warming up the apologies and the cash right now as well as the inquisition and subsequent court martial for our U.S. Navy Captain of the vessel.
Mess(bull) = Get(horns);
Right, when you get a burst of .50 cal across your bow from a Navy vessel it SHOULD get your undivided attention. We only warn once. GTF away or ELSE.
I swear, that had to be a test of Navy ship defenses. Who ignores 50 cal. shots over their bow?
Think Gulf of Tonkin.
USNS Rappahanock is a US government owned vessel operated by the Navy's Military Sealift Command, using a combination civilian (civil service) and regular navy crew. The Navy MILDET has a ship security component which mans the ship's defensive weapons which includes a MA2 50-caliber machine gun.
Unless it's a Boston Whaler it's not all that hard. A number of 40 caliber holes right at the water line or just an inch or so lower and the hull will eventually slip beneath the waves unless there is a lot of pump action going. A friend of mine's dad used to carry a Holland & Holland .375 magnum in his 46' sailboat. He called it his engine room gun. It's sold purpose was to either disable the motor or sink the vessel. His Mini14 and plethora of 1911 45's also on board are for captain and crew, as needed.
Just one dead? Darn.
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