if the Navy did this right, they have all this recorded.

But in the end, a go away fee will be paid anyway.

And no, not defending this... but if the Navy did issue warnings, there is a chance the crew of the fishing boat did not get it... and the Cole is the reason for the trigger happiness.

In the movies it's a shot across the bow...but in real life?

Off the coast of an Arab nation how would that be done?
In English? In an Arab language In Hindu? or French???

In some combination of multiple languages? by loudspeaker, by radio?

Is there an internationally known set of flags that indicates "You're Trespassing Space I'm Defending?"

Experience in previous events has shown confusion often contributes to these things.

A message is sent to the encroaching ship, and it goes something like &quot nationality) vessel, this is (U.S. Ship), you are approaching too near to us. Change course, or you may be fired upon"

Usually delivered in English, of course, though given the locale, probably someone on hand to give it in bad Arabic as well. THis is probably a product of both confusion, and itchy triggers; it's not exactly the safest tract of ocean.

Last edited Wed Jul 18, 2012, 06:10 AM - Edit history (2)

They didn't.

The white-hulled, dark-bottomed boat appeared to be a civilian vessel powered by three outboard motors. It had no obvious military markings. The skiff was 50 feet (15 meters) long and carried no communications gear, according to the U.S. military description.
http://news.yahoo.com/indian-fisherman-no-warning-gulf-shooting-130354199.html

He said: "We had no warning at all from the ship. We were speeding up to try to go around them and then suddenly we got fired at.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/us-navy-fires-fishermen-without-warning-150801711.html

Still, that's the standard procedure.

I suppose.

In another thread you are believing one survivor against the whole ships crew.
There will be audio and video recording of the whole incident.
The boat was warned several times by different methods and when it failed to heed the warnings, it met Ma Duece.

"American Planes Hit North Vietnam After Second Attack on Our Destroyers; Move Taken to Halt New Aggression", announced a Washington Post headline on Aug. 5, 1964.

That same day, the front page of the New York Times reported: "President Johnson has ordered retaliatory action against gunboats and 'certain supporting facilities in North Vietnam' after renewed attacks against American destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin."

But there was no "second attack" by North Vietnam — no "renewed attacks against American destroyers." By reporting official claims as absolute truths, American journalism opened the floodgates for the bloody Vietnam War.

A pattern took hold: continuous government lies passed on by pliant mass media...leading to over 50,000 American deaths and millions of Vietnamese casualties.

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2261/

2nd attack was a navy lie.

around the world today I am sure the Navy has issued standing orders on dealing with situations like this. At a certain point the sequence is almost automatic and the other ship gets fired on. After the Cole bombing the Navy has taken a very defensive stance and you just can't approach a Navy ship, ignore the warnings and expect to walk away unharmed.

Even if the boat did not have radios it looks like ample warning was given. I don't understand the logic of the boat owners. Why would you attempt to closely approach a US Naval vessel for no reason.

In essence that makes this an act of terrorism.

it has to do with the fact that there is a security perimeter around any Navy vessel. you approach any Navy warship (or supply ship) at high speed and do not change course when warned to do so you will be strafed as well.

'act of terrorism'...yeah, horseshit.

sP

and, really, you're taking a quote from someone who didn't SEE anything?

you're just one of those people who believe ANYTHING the US military does is wrong...I guess that attack on the USS Cole by a small craft never really happened.

sP

...and how those "internal investigations" went down (i.e. didn't happen) I don't have much faith left that the US military would be truthful.