Five years ago, Iran captured 10 American sailors when they inadvertently entered Iranian territorial waters. They were released after 15 hours. Republicans saw the incident as a demonstration of “how little regard Iran has for America” under Obama. Trump, who was a presidential candidate at the time, stated: “Those young people were on their hands and knees in a begging position with their hands up and thugs behind them with guns, and then we talk like it’s OK. It’s not OK. It’s lack of respect.” But Obama didn’t express disapproval. Rather, he boasted that the soldiers were only released because of his administration’s “power of diplomacy and the promise of its new engagement with Iran.”
Iran is now celebrating the fifth anniversary of the incident, threatening that it is fully prepared to be “absolutely decisive and tough” in defending Iran, however “defending” might be interpreted by the Islamic regime.
Guido Steinberg of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs weighed in on Iran’s behavior in the Gulf, including its previous attacks on oil tankers. He stated that Iran “wants to show the US it is able to launch an attack on the oil trade in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.” That’s one part of it. Iran is threatened by America’s presence. Iranian Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri ranted:
The U.S. must leave the Persian Gulf region and has no option but to withdraw from the region….Americans cannot extend their stay for a long time, because the Persian Gulf belongs to Iran and the southern countries of the Persian Gulf, and is a home to us and Muslim countries on the southern rim of the Persian Gulf.
Iran has been overtly vying for regional hegemony and global dominance, and even more aggressively now as it anticipates a weak Biden presidency. It is seething with rage and consumed with a desire for revenge over the killing of Qasem Soleimani a year ago. Iran has already stated that America will bow to its regime under Biden, lift sanctions, and reinstate the nuclear deal. Iran is already dictating to the Biden administration.
“Iran Celebrates Anniversary of Capturing US Sailors with Warning,” by Tim O’Connor, Newsweek, January 11, 2021:
The head of the maritime branch of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard delivered a warning to would-be aggressors on the fifth anniversary of his country’s capture of U.S. sailors traversing the Persian Gulf, which serves today as a flashpoint for worsening tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Five years ago, the Revolutionary Guard Navy intercepted two U.S. Navy riverine boats and briefly detained the 10 sailors onboard for straying into Iranian waters off Farsi Island.
Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri recounted the international incident on Monday, maintaining that his forces “are fully prepared” to defend Iran and its borders at sea.
“If a country intends to invade or threaten our Islamic homeland, as on January 13, 2016, our answer will be absolutely decisive and tough,” Tangsiri said during a ceremony at the country’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas.
The U.S. and Iran have a long history of naval tensions in the Persian Gulf, and the comments came just a day after the Iranian commander appeared in a televised interview in which he recalled other displays of Iranian might in the region, including the June 2019 shootdown of a spy drone, a move Tangsiri referred to as “a turning point” in the country’s military history.
He demanded the Pentagon pull its forces from the region, blamed the U.S. military for causing insecurity in the region, and called for cooperation among Middle Eastern nations there.
“The U.S. must leave the Persian Gulf region and has no option but to withdraw from the region,” Tangsiri said. “Americans cannot extend their stay for a long time, because the Persian Gulf belongs to Iran and the southern countries of the Persian Gulf, and is a home to us and Muslim countries on the southern rim of the Persian Gulf.”
Tangsiri also recently participated in the unveiling of an underground missile base said to be located on the shores of the Persian Gulf. He was joined by Revolutionary Guard commander Major General Hossein Salami at the undisclosed station, where the two toured facilities described as “several kilometers long.”…
Westman says
The population of Iran is about the same as Germany in 1940 (85 million) and controlled by a man as insane with power as Adolf Hitler. Both men had/have absolute control of their nation, express(ed) grandiose notions of empire, and meddled in their geographical region to control or destroy other nations.
The US isolation after WWI allowed it to think of the German war as, “over there”, until Pearl Harbor. Today, there is no “over there” with modern technology and communications bringing everyone within reach of any advanced nation.
Other Islamic nations are watching Iran’s military evolution and the mischief making of the Khamemei Regime; finally realizing they are on Khamenei’s conquest list. They see the “Chamberlain Approach” is a failure and it might make sense to have Israel as a temporary ally in containing Iran.
It seems not a matter of if, rather when, it will require a multi-national effort to pare back the Iranian war machine. The citzens of Iran are captives to the Mullahs who terrify them with prisons and the gallows. Like Erdogan, Khamenei has taken viability out of the resistance movements. Now it seems the Biden administration is about to follow in their footsteps and imprison Americans, some justly, some not. The Liberal religion’s vociferous demands for punishment are not dissimilar to those of Iran’s Islamic Mullahs and their followers.
If history is a guide, the Biden Admin or successors, will be awakened by an Iranian-generated event that causes recrimination over the previous inaction – the only too familiar, “Why didn’t we do something sooner, before it cost so much blood and treasure?”
Infidel says
They were not celebrating this ‘anniversary’ the last 4 years of the Trump administration. So right now, they feel pretty audacious that Biden will do nothing about them!
barbaracvm1 says
They will do the same with Biden as Obama looked the other way and did nothing to protect the US. Biden is a bigger wimp than even Biden, if that is possible.
Keith O says
This is a powerful demonstration of how an enemy views your nation when they start celebrating the election of a new president. It’s almost as if they believe they have gotten their puppet installed in the seat of power.
Whilst Trump has his flaws, like any other man, Biden is simply corrupt and willing to sell out his own country to their enemies for money.
During what, I believe, will be a very short stint in the oval office he will do whatever he can to bolster his, and his cronies bank balances mostly at the expense of the American people.
There is a simple term for this, it’s called TREASON!
gravenimage says
Iran celebrates fifth anniversary of its capture of 10 American sailors with more threats
…………….
Barbarians.
Westman says
Quite, Graven. Looking forward to the first anniversary of a truly free Iran.
gravenimage says
I hope so, Westman–one day…
somehistory says
Those moslim creatures are obsessed. Obsessed with the thoughts of murder, rape, threats, terrorism and bragging about anything they have ever done in these areas Like a school yard bully who has reached the ripe old age of ….and is too old and obese to even stand steady on his feet, but still remembers and brags about the little boy who wore glasses; the little boy that he, the bully, made cry.
Obsessed because they are possessed with the devil and his minions, the demons. All these creeps can think upon is the evil they have committed and wish to commit. If they didn’t need food, water and sleep to survive, they would simply live on their hatred and the evil that they have consumed and that consumes them.
Mojdeh says
It was a drill indeed. Do not count your chickens , or celebrate those 10 officers were intel officers wanted a lot of info by the capturing them, so the mission was success…