Flotillamageddon: Iran Floats Convoy Escort Threat
Iran has warned that it could send Revolutionary Guard naval units to escort humanitarian aid convoys seeking to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza – a move that would certainly be challenged by Israel.
Any such Iranian involvement, raised today by an aide to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would constitute a serious escalation of already high tensions with Israel [...].
On Saturday, at a stellar Tocqueville Forum event at Georgetown University, Professor Robert Lieber warned a packed auditorium that Obama would likely be confronted, sooner rather than later, with a serious crisis in foreign affairs, a matter of life and death. Now, Iran is no stranger to empty bluster. But I wonder if the sour international reaction to Israel's Gaza flotilla response presents the mullahs with a unique target of opportunity -- because it puts the administration in a position it most certainly doesn't want to be in. How, indeed, would Obama respond?
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Re: Flotillamageddon: Iran Floats Convoy Escort Threat
Well, to be fair, James, all of this was predicted 18 months ago, by seer Joe Biden.
On the other hand, thinking dark thoughts, suppose Iran does escort a convoy to Gaza. And suppose there's trouble of the shooting war kind. What happens if Israel loses the exchange? And what happens if, more likely, Israel wins the exchange. I'm just thinking out loud here, and I'll probably regret it, but maybe a sharp, decisive military exchange would be useful and clarifying?
Where would the US be? Where would Obama be? For once, in the right place: on the sidelines.
May '10
Re: Flotillamageddon: Iran Floats Convoy Escort Threat
Michael Ledeen has announced himself to be a bit, shall we say, skeptical, about that particular Iranian navy threat- taking that kind of risk is not Khamenini's modus operandi:
http://pajamasmedia.com/michaelledeen/2010/06/06/iran-joins-the-flotilla-not/
Re: Flotillamageddon: Iran Floats Convoy Escort Threat
Well, Duane, if Ledeen isn't worried the Iranians are up to no good, we can probably all relax. A pity that endless empty rhetoric has such a devoted audience.
May '10
Re: Flotillamageddon: Iran Floats Convoy Escort Threat
Hmm. I am sensing a vague inference that you are not a fan....
I tend to think that one can look at all sources, the reasoning behind the views, and then weigh the conclusion. This is one more source. I'm not sure that the ad hominem dismissal is all that productive to fostering "conversation on the right."
Re: Flotillamageddon: Iran Floats Convoy Escort Threat
Ah, the old tone-not-conveying-on-the-internet problem. To put it in plain prose: Ledeen is a vigilant guy who's unafraid to reckon with the full spectrum of challenges and problems Iran can throw our way. If he thinks the mullahs are bluffing, chances are there's not much behind the rhetoric. If a big softie on Iran dismissed the threat, by contrast, I'd still worry.