TENSIONS WITH IRAN RISE – ANYONE SURPRISED? – AT 11:54 A.M. ET:  While we're distracted by the bizarre activity in Washington, hostile nations aren't modifying their hostility.  If only we'd stayed with Barack.  He was so good at bringing us perfect government.  We saw the oceans recede, and peace come to the world...  From AFP:   

Tehran (AFP) - A defiant Iran vowed on Saturday to press ahead with its missile programme and condemned new US sanctions, as tensions rise after the West hardened its tone against the Islamic republic.

In the latest incident, Tehran and Washington accused each other's naval forces of provocative manoeuvres in the Gulf that culminated in a US helicopter firing warning flares.

The US Navy said it had reacted to unresponsive vessels belonging to the Revolutionary Guards closing in on American ships at high speed, a charge denied by Iran which described the American move as unprovoked.

"At 4 pm (1130 GMT) on Friday, the supercarrier USS Nimitz and its accompanying warship, while being monitored by the Guards' frigates, flew a helicopter near the Resalat oil and gas platform and approached the force's ships," the Iranian paramilitary force said.

"The Americans in a provocative and unprofessional move, sent a warning message to the frigates and fired flares," it said. The Guards "ignored the unconventional move by the US ships and continued their mission".

The US Navy said its ships were on a routine patrol when an American helicopter "observed several Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval vessels approaching US naval forces at a high rate of speed".

"US naval forces attempted to establish communications, with no response from the Iranian vessels. Shortly thereafter, at a safe distance, the US helicopter deployed flares, after which the Iranian vessels halted their approach," it said.

COMMENT:  Seems like an entirely appropriate warning action by the US Navy.  The key here is not this minor incident, but Iran's refusal to curtail its missile program.  Since our nuclear deal with Iran essentially guarantees that Tehran will be free to develop nuclear weapons in the future, the building of ICBMs will allow Iran to have a delivery system already in place.  Iran will become one of the world's nuclear powers.

Nice going, Barack.  But we're sure you meant well, as you'll explain in your new $65-million book.

July 30, 2017