US to deploy Marines on commercial tankers to deter Iranian seizures

France 24 ^ | August 3, 2023 | News Wires

[ro_dreaming]

Isn’t that against maritime law, though, to put armed combatants on a civilian ship?

[al baby]

A10 warthogs the pilots would love it

[Angelino97]

Why didn’t you use your other user name.

Sorry, no other user name.

Why? Do you have more than one?

[MeganC]

“No matter who owns it, it’s not ours.”

It’s an international waterway. No one owns it. Including Iran.

[Alberta's Child]

It’s an international waterway. No one owns it. Including Iran.

Under whose definition?

At its narrowest point the Strait of Hormuz is only 21 miles wide, which means it lies within the 12-mile territorial waters limit of either Iran (on the north side of the strait) or Oman (on the south side). The 12-mile territorial limits of the two countries overlap in that narrow part of the strait — which is one element of the territorial dispute over the strait.

Under the current U.N. Convention on Open Seas, the Strait of Hormuz is considered international waters because it connects two bodies of water (the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman) that have large expanses of open water outside the 12-mile territorial limit of any nation.

As far as this discussion goes, the problem is that two prominent nations have refused to ratify the U.N. Convention. One is Iran. The other is the United States.

[MarMema]

Including the US.

[philman_36]

I know.

[NautiNurse]

Good points.

[NautiNurse]

Will the Marines be armed and have permission to fire?

Armed, fire if fired upon, but with what types of arms? The whole scheme sounds half-baked.

[Paul R.]

There have to be plenty of private security companies that can do this.

Not so many private security companies have destroyers and jet fighters as backup.

Well, there is one that might, except Yevgeny Prigozhin is kinda' busy these days, and his relationship with Pooty is not what it once was.

[Paul R.]

It seems to me the defenders would have to at least have Stingers and Javelins (can be reconfigured to hit choppers and boats). And authority to call in air support if needed.

IF we are gonna do it, gotta have some teeth to it.

[NautiNurse]

We can hope the brass ordering U.S. Marines to defend commercial vessels will provide adequate weapons for defense. These days, I’m not so sure.

[Texan4Life]

This sounds the premise for the movie “Countdown To Looking Glass.”