U.S. Navy Hangs Back in Persian Gulf as Questions Mount About Defecting Iranian Revolutionary Guard

Fox news ^ | June 22, 2009 | Katherine Herridge

[Jet Jaguar]

Members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard are showing "discontent" and some are "contemplating the contingency" of defying the regime in the wake of last week's disputed election, the former crown prince of Iran contended Monday.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Defense is "on edge" over the turmoil in Iran, and has directed U.S. naval assets in the Persian Gulf to be, in layman's terms, in "non-incident mode."

U.S. military commanders are said to have been instructed to be alert to any possibility of a clash with Iranian naval assets, and to position themselves in such a way as to diminish the ability of Iran to stage an incident, however small, that could be used to rally the support of the Iranian people to the regime and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose backers are accused of voter fraud in the national election 10 days ago.

A Defense Department official told FOX News that U.S. Central Command has sent a message to all Navy service members in the Persian Gulf region that they are "expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and to avoid any unnecessary escalation or confrontation" with Iranian ships or other military assets.

"Given the heightened sensitivities in Tehran we don't want to feed into what is already a very tense situation on their side," the official said.

Currently the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower in in the Northern Arabian Sea supporting Operation Enduring Freedom F-18 flight missions along with its battle group, which consists of multiple support ships. Roughly half a dozen Navy ships, including destroyers, are located in the Persian Gulf.

[Hoosier-Daddy]

My experience with Iranians as well...

[Blue State Insurgent]

Stay neutral? Against our #1 enemy? This “they’ll turn against us if we take their side” makes no sense at all. We need to be buzzing Tehran with jet fighters in a show of strength.

Let's support the rebellion and not “let a crisis go to waste”.

[Blue State Insurgent]

If the dictator sends the Revolutionary Guard against the people then we should start taking out RG barracks and assets. They are a designated terrorist group and congress has already given the military authorization to attack any terrorist group in Persian Gulf region.

[1010RD]

Correct.

[Blue State Insurgent]

From twitter. The Iranians hear them speaking Arabic. Some Palestinian Hamashole sniper shot that fifteen year old Iranian girl in the heart.

[randog]

Members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard...

Hey, I thought they were "Elite"? Or maybe that's Iraq's [former} 'Elite Revolutionary Guard'? Or maybe Revolutionary Guards are only elite when they're fighting US troops. Or perhaps the press got rid of the 'Elite' after they kept getting their asses kicked...by us...?

[Mark was here]

I agree not to give them a military reason to rally behind the flag. I question Obama being the first US president to acknowledge the Mullas as being a legit government. We should be squealing like a greased pig on behalf of the people who want free of their captors. We should not let up on moral pressure, we need to offer real assurances they won't be left holding the bag. We have to be smart and willing to chance that doing the right thing will prevail ... Like Bush did.

[redgolum]

Makes sense.
We do not have the money, troops, or will to stabilize Iran or even fight an all out war with them. The ruling class of Iran, however, needs that war to unify them.

Pull back and let things play out.

[Bigg Red]

Thanks for the info.

[Rocketwolf68]

Well, I hope they defect, and go to Europe or Brazil. Please, no more Asylum seekers here...