International waters

I wish NPR would not clean up Trump’s blurts to make them sound less deranged. That’s not their job.

NPR:

President Trump says the U.S. Navy should fire on Iranian boats if they continue to harass U.S. warships in the Gulf, a move that raises the prospect of open hostilities between the two rivals.

What Trump actually said:

He didn’t say “the Navy should,” he said he has instructed the Navy to. He didn’t say “fire on,” he said “shoot down and destroy.” He didn’t say “on Iranian boats,” he said “any and all Iranian gunboats.”

It’s a journalistic convention, I guess, to re-word/paraphrase things people say and then give the direct quote, but the convention shouldn’t be to clean up after a dangerous lunatic.

Apparently Iran and the US have been playing You Are No YOU Are for weeks (and for years, at various levels of intensity).

Last week, U.S. military ships were in the northern Persian Gulf for exercises. The U.S. warships were in international waters, though relatively close to Iran.

In other words standing just outside the fence going “Nyah nyah.”

Iran sent small boats, known as “fast boats,” toward the American warships, with one coming as close as 10 yards, according to the Navy, which released a video. The Pentagon accused Iran of sending 11 fast boats to make “dangerous and harassing approaches” to six American warships.

Who are there just minding their own business, “relatively close to Iran.” (Relative to what? NPR doesn’t say.)

These kinds of standoffs in the Gulf have been taking place for many years. The U.S. and Iran usually observe unwritten rules and the confrontations rarely escalate into actual hostilities, with occasional exceptions.

All very intelligent and productive I’m sure – but Trump is bored with that so he’s putting a foot over the line. I’m sure he’ll make an excellent wartime president.

5 Responses to “International waters”