U.S.-contracted ship fires toward Iranian boat

Source: Reuters

U.S.-contracted ship fires toward Iranian boat
Fri Apr 25, 2008 10:55am EDT Email | Print | Share| Reprints | Single Page| WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A ship contracted by the U.S Military Sealift Command has fired at least one shot toward an Iranian boat, a U.S. defense official said on Friday.

"It was an MSC vessel," the official said, confirming the ship fired on an Iranian boat.

Other details were not immediately available.

(Reporting by Kristin Roberts, Editing by Lori Santos)

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSWAT00939920080425


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSWAT00939920080425

here, the U.S. "contracted" ship may have clearly committed an act of war, so its not just a claim that the "other side" did so.

That they are trying to provoke the Iranians into an attack, so we would "have no choice" but to respond.

then the "contracted" ship likely fired on an Iranian boat IN IRANIAN WATERS. The U.S. has not ratified the Law of the Sea, but it does depend on it -- especially to enter the Persian Gulf. If it fired on a country's boat in that country's national waters, this is not only an act of war, it is also an egregious violation of international law, and in theory could deny U.S. access to the Persian Gulf. Of course, the U.S. uses its military might to do what it wants, ignoring international law.

I had only seen the first reference on MSNBC. Thank you for posting the links.

and we're meeting troop level requirements....ahh sure!

Only they called them the Merchant Marines in the past.

this is nothing new - the Navy has chartered civilian ships since the 60s to haul supplies, fuel and ammo. It is a lot cheaper.

Source: MSNBC

Just reported on MSNBC a US contracted ship fired a shot on an Iranian vessel.

No link yet.

---

What is a US contracted ship and what the heck is going on? It was a 20 sec. blurb and then nothing else. Has anyone else heard about this? If this is true, it certainly looks like Bushco is gunning for Iran, literally.

"You'll shoot your eye out"

Is there any word on whether or not they hit it? Can contractors now drag us into a fucking war?

under orders, but if the Iranians respond, they'll have a reason to engage?

Still bad.

Maybe it's a faith based initiative contract.

Telling, I would say.

Here we go.

since they called the Election of 2000 for Junior, why shouldn't they have that right?

:sarcasm: - just in case

to be exact. Since when has the Navy been auctioning off its own ships to corporate contractors? Jeez. The Navy just announced the contract yesterday, April 24:

"FOR RELEASE AT
5 p.m. ET No. 340-08
April 24, 2008

Contracts:

Navy

Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc., Federal Way, Wash., is being awarded a $7,903,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the six-month charter of SS Westward Venture - a U.S.-flagged and U.S.-built, contractor-owned, self-sustaining, roll-on/roll-off vessel - in support of the war on terrorism and the U.S. Central Command. The contract includes one six-month option that, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $15,765,000. Work will be performed primarily between the U.S. East Coast and the Persian Gulf, and work is expected to be completed May 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Military Sealift Command’s website, with more than 80 proposals solicited and three offers received. The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting authority (N00033-08-C-5507)."

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2008/04/dod-contracts_3760.htm

From their website, Totem Ocean Express actually ships cargo from Washington to Alaska. http://www.totemocean.com/

How they got a contract to operate armed Navy shipments to the Persian Gulf is anyone's guess. They're supremely unqualified, but there's probably a big contribution to the RNC involved.

Both the timing and announcement of the award are strange. Certainly it was already operating under a prior contract. It would be interesting to read the terms and conditions as well as review competing bids. Works out to be about $40k per day for charter? Considering expense to build and operate this seems relatively low? I'm sure there is some industry ball park figure with plus or minus based on terms/conditions.

Certainly deserves some investigation. An investigation might lead to some interesting things not obvious a first glance that could be an even bigger story.

USN personnel pulled the triggers or contractors?

Rules of Engagement? Maritime law?

If we see little mention and less investigation of this episode that will give little in surprise and much in suspicion.

This is a juicy story for some blogger. Doubt if it will be mainstream.

And the same day Gen. Patreaus is appointed head of U.S. Central Command. The contract terms are kind of odd - it's a very short period of time (six months), & the duties are quite vague. (Supporting the "War on Terror" - how?) What exactly are they shipping & where are they shipping it to? Are they shipping anything at all? Obviously they already had the contract & the ship in the Persian Gulf way before the award was announced. It doesn't sound like it's supplying Iraq, just "completing work" in the Persian Gulf. It's probably nothing, but it's at least worth looking into IMO.

"Last reported at 2008-Apr-22 18:00 UTC. Time now 2008-Apr-25 17:52 UTC.
Position N 25°06', E 057°36'.
Warning: this ship's position is 2 days out of date."

So the ship goes off the radar on Apr. 22 as it heads into the Persian Gulf, the contract is announced April 24, & the unknown incident occurred April 25? Something's fishy there. Based on the other ship reports, it seems like the position should have been updated every day.

The data base here seems to be relatively up to date, depending on how complete it is in reporting all the ships in the area.

http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shiplocations.phtml

Note: You will have to click in the gulf area to see the current position report of the ships listed there.

All ships listed? The one that is not?

No positions listed for anything actually in the Persian Gulf past the straights.

I work in the cargo industry (yes we help w/military cargo, US flag only cargo) and I was thinking "what the hell is an Alaskan boat doing in the ME?" Perhaps the contract/award has something to do with the shortage of US-flag vessels? Any govt/military impelled cargo (at least for the projects we work) has to be on US-flag only carriers (which makes sense to keep the $$$ flowing here and all that, don't get me wrong, I support the program) The side effect is that we can have major trouble finding any US flagged vessels that are free or serve the routes we need. I am now even more sure the military shares this problem.

A ship contracted by the US Navy has fired warning shots in the direction of two small Iranian boats, according to US military officials.

The incident took place in the Gulf, in international waters several miles from the Iranian coast.

The vessel - the Westward Venture - was working for the US Military Sealift Command under a 65-day charter, an official told the BBC.

It was carrying military cargo to the northern Gulf region.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7367675.stm

Doubtless the children on the pedalos were considered to be a real and present danger.

I believe I will grow a third arm.

Therefor when I begin shooting warning shots at her my actions will be justified.

This administration (and those who sympathize with it) make me sick.

:grr:

After all someone was running around in wee little boats scaring our US Navy personnel aboard HUGE cargo ships. Isn't that almost as serious as nukes?

If the boats were to close then warning shots were needed to get the message across. Since they hauled ass I guess it worked.

And how many licks does it take to get to the center of at Tootsie Roll Pop?

Answer to both: The world may never know.

didn't this happen awhile back, also?

or..was that story then about an Iranian vessel
attacking a contract ship?

something familiar about this...

:mad: :puke:

enounters in the Straits
The War with Iran is definitely continuing on the Bush Agenda
They want to destroy the USA and make it part of the North American Union

But I must admit the Iranian navy is not like the Iraqi navy either
Get our Aircraft carriers freakin out of there this is a set up for destroying our carriers and closing the straits

http://youtube.com/watch?v=SOL0j0yqqMM

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1lQXt-G8iO8

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CvS6dNqET8w

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WINzQtvjnH8

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XHLFOXWuHm8

The history of America is we have shot Iranian Drones invaded the Iranian Consulate in Iraq
just a few memories plus penalized banks for doing business with Iran

It just goes on and on

Now I have to make one on us firing at their boats

Source: BBC

A ship contracted by the US Navy has fired warning shots in the direction of two small Iranian boats, according to US military officials.

The incident took place in the Gulf, in international waters dozens of miles from the Iranian coast, the US said.

The vessel - the Westward Venture - was working for the US Military Sealift Command under a 65-day charter, an official told the BBC.

The Iranaian boats withdrew soon after the warning shots were fired.

US officials say the Westward Venture used the correct measures prior to firing the shots: it sounded its horn, and gave the Iranian boats a verbal warning, before firing flares, 50-caliber machine guns and M-16s in the direction of the boats.

Shortly after the incident, a routine inquiry was made of the Westward Venture by Iranian authorities, according to US officials.

The Iranian government has denied that any of its vessels were involved in the incident.

Oil prices rose more than $3 to $119.50 a barrel in response to the incident, just short of the record $119.90 reached earlier this week.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7367675.stm

More stupid saber-rattling.

Starts on ......... (<-insert opening date here)

the E L I T E want Mo' Money. :mad:

WWIII is coming if these guys have there way
I seriously think they want to destroy USA

Fallujah I was a response to contractors getting attacked. Can the same happen with Iran?

The USN and Iran have been playing games for 25 years in the Gulf. These range from shooting events like this one, to mining international waters (iran), to full blown shooting battles. Those are still taught as textbook at Annapolis.

Everyone will disavow and nothing will come of it.