US Marines Board Iraq Tanker and Sink It

CNN ^ | November 17, 2001 | CNN Reporting

[Peach]

CNN just reported at 10:30 a.m. EST that US Marines boarded an Iraq oil tanker and based on what was found on the tanker, deliberately sank the tanker. Two US Marines are missing. There was a grahic at the bottom of the screen that stated the same thing, but now they are interviewing some politician about congressional matters. Did anyone else see this report?

[DKNY]

Thank you Peach, good post... I hadn't heard anything about it until I read your post.

[Libertarian_4_eva]

Why would we sink a tanker in the ocean with oil still on it? It would make more sense to sease it and have some free bounty then sell the tanker to someone else.

[Amerigomag]

You shouldn't receve any nasty grams. This story went the way of most on FR. You break the story with limited info and then Freepers stick with it and in less than an hour the Reuters story is posted and the picture clears up. Good work Freepers.

[debg]

it is entirely possible that the overloaded oil ship could have listed and sank...an accident as it were. the problem is HOW iraq will portray this. imo, we have been posturing to take iraq on our time, not theirs.

[Red Jones]

I would imagine that when the US navy vessel went up along side this other vessel that water turbulence caused the tanker to go down accidentally.

[Roger_W_Isom]

The BATTLE TO DESTROY IRAQ BEGINS!!!!!!

[operation clinton cleanup]

What is Iraq going to say? oops, we forgot about the sanctions? They have been shipping oil to Iran on small boats for years, inside Irans teratorial waters where U.S. ships are forbidden.

[operation clinton cleanup]

Woof Blitzer is reporting that the verticle stabelizer did NOT fall off, may have been spark in center fuel tank.

[cake_crumb]

"I did sink, and two marines are missing"

Geez, this is what comes of getting up at 4:00AM to watch a meteor shower...I didn't sink...It sank ( sinks down in desk chair in dispair over lack of typing skill )

[Don Myers]

I have heard they have to carry a lot of gear, but has it gone a little too far?

[Don Myers]

If water turbulance caused the ship to flip over, it must have really been loaded down. But if Marines were onboard when it tipped over, that doesn't sound right either. Wouldn't water turbulance have caused the ship to flip over before the Marines got onboard?

[operation clinton cleanup]

Getting the story out is more important than proper spelling, or facts. Unless you ask the critics of the PEACH!

[operation clinton cleanup]

Woof says they had bags of grain stacked on the deck to hide the real cargo, those Iraqis are just to darn slick! (for thier own good)

[airedale]

It was flying the flag of one of the other gulf states. If it's legally flagged as a countries ship it's their ship regardless of the real ownership or who owns or is getting the cargo.

You have to wonder if the Iraqi's deliberately sank it to cause the US problems in the gulf states and with other Muslim nations (idea that US is at war with Muslims not the Taliban and Al Queda)

[cake_crumb]

"...the problem is HOW iraq will portray this."

Yes, this is true. However, I'm sure our military and our government will stubbornly stick to the truth that the US military does NOT indulge in "suicide sinking". I'm sure it was accident, too.

[debg]

What is Iraq going to say? oops, we forgot about the sanctions? Sanctions? what sanctions? Saddam and cohorts will probably use this incident to ignore history and declare this an attack on Iraq. IMO, that's a given, I am just ruminating how far they will push this .

[cake_crumb]

Yes, but the Unitd States has pretty much always known that Iraq smuggles oil...thus giving the lie to Saddam's accusation that US sanctions "are responsible for the deaths of 5,000 Iraqi children."

[operation clinton cleanup]

5,000 Iraqi children?, Russia and China claimed over a million children have died, therefore the sanctions must be ended.

[Walkin Man]

Yes, but the Unitd States has pretty much always known that Iraq smuggles oil...

Right so why this boarding and "accidental" sinking now as we seem to be wrapping up the war in Afghanistan?

Saddamnned better be heading for his deepest bunker cause a $hit storm may be about to break out over Iraq!