Recent news out of the Persian Gulf paints a picture of continually raising tensions between US and Iranian naval vessels as once again US Naval vessels were subject to harassment. “We’ve learned at Fox that Iranian ships have harassed another American vessel in the Persia gulf,” reported the new host of On the Record Brit Hume, as he discussed the scenario with former US Ambassador John Bolton. Even as the number Iran’s alarming provocations increase the “Big Three” networks kept it out of their morning and evening news programs Tuesday.
“That latest aggression part of a notable increase as you know Mr. Ambassador and such confrontations since that nuclear deal went into effect,” continued Hume, “Twice as many such confrontations in the first half in 2016 as compared to the first half of 2015.” Bolton didn’t mince words about the true nature behind Iran’s actions, “It’s training for the kinds of runs they would make against US naval vessels if they ever did want to engage in hostility. It’s a propaganda exercise to say the least.”
Interestingly enough, ABC did have a report of the incident published on its website Tuesday, yet made the determination it wasn’t important enough to report on air. And according to ABC:
A defense official said the Iranian fast boats emerged from behind a line of fishing boats called dhows. Three of the fast boats went around the dhows and approached the [USS] Firebolt, conducting multiple maneuvers around it for about eight minutes, coming within 500 yards of the small patrol craft.
It was also reported by ABC that another group the Iranian fast boats tried to catch up to the USS Eisenhower, but were unable to do so because of its speed. The Firebolt was directed to block the boats from approaching the carrier when one came to a halt in front of it. The US vessel took “evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision” as the vessels came within 100 years.
Bolton also took a shot at President Obama’s glorified nuclear deal with Iran, citing the president's miscalculation in trusting Iran :
This is a substantial piece of evidence that the hypothesis that the Obama administration pursued through the nuclear deal is incorrect. The nuclear deal is not changing Iran' broader international behavior in any material respect. The statistics that you just explained shows their behavior is getting worse.
Transcript below:
FNC
On the Record
September 6, 2016
7:40:11 PM EasternBRIT HUME: Let me turn to another issue in that part of the world which is— we’ve learned at Fox that Iranian ships have harassed another American vessel in the Persia gulf. A naval vessel. That latest aggression part of a notable increase as you know Mr. Ambassador and such confrontations since that nuclear deal went into effect. Twice as many such confrontations in the first half in 2016 as compared to the first half of 2015. Your thoughts?
JOHN BOLTON: Well, in the immediate circumstance this is both dangerous and reckless on their part. It’s training for the kinds of runs they would make against US naval vessels if they ever did want to engage in hostility. It’s a propaganda exercise to say the least. But I think the bigger picture is this. This is a substantial piece of evidence that the hypothesis that the Obama administration pursued through the nuclear deal is incorrect. The nuclear deal is not changing Iran' broader international behavior in any material respect. The statistics that you just explained shows their behavior is getting worse. Quite apart from the fact the nuclear deal is a wretched deal. A strategic mistake on its own.
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