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Iran Ship to Gaza Cancelled
Secretary General of International Conference on Support for Palestinian Antifada, Hossein Sheikholeslam announced today that the Iranian aid ship will not go to Gaza.
IRNA reports that the aid ship was first scheduled to leave for Gaza on June 24, but Israeli restrictions caused it to be postponed to Sunday June 27. However, currently the whole trip has been cancelled.
Difficult to discern whether Iran really intended to make a run at breaking the Israeli blockade of Gaza or was merely engaging in a little scimitar rattling. Maybe Claire would know. What does seem clear, though, is that if this very same incident were to take place again in, say, 18 months or two years, after Iran had tested a nuclear weapon, it could play out a lot more ominously. Scimitar rattling is one thing, nuke rattling quite another.
Published in General
Arabs carry scimitars. Persians carry something known as a shamshir. Also sometimes (mistakenly) called a talwar or tulwar.
You’re welcome.
Peter, I’m glad I’ve convinced you that my omniscience extends to knowing just what, exactly, the Iranians really had in mind. I’d guess they sent it out just to see how the world would react. When they saw a massive American armada headed their way (accompanied by the shut-down of the Suez Canal, which historically, in this part of the world, says we mean business), they probably figured, “Well, we’re not quite ready for this yet. Let’s wait until we’ve got the nukes.”
I agree with Claire. The shift of American navy vessels into the area signaled to the Iranians that Obama does indeed intend to honor our alliance with Israel (or, at least, prefers that Israel “start” the war with a a bomber strike). In fact, this might have a been Iran’s way of testing the U.S., rather than Israel.
I don’t often get a reason to compliment Obama, but moving this show of force was a smart move.
….and a no-brainer, but we’re at the point where even no-brainers are impressive.