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]

Ping

[StilettoRaksha]

Ping

[reefdiver]

more of the “present” we have become familiar with.

[pabianice]

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.

Short Version: Obama has ordered our Navy not to fire back if attacked.

[SueRae]

Whoa! A lot of Iranians, many military, defected around 1979. We could be seeing a second wave.

[colorado tanker]

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.

True or wishful thinking? Anyone have inside info?

[Salvation]

**Questions Mount About Defecting Iranian Revolutionary Guard**

Wow, I had not heard this, but then I don’t have a working TV.

[Travis T. OJustice]

I’m certainly no fan of zero, but to me, this makes sense. let the candle snuff itself out, don’t throw fuel on the fire which would only serve to make the mullahs appear wise. This way, attention can remain focused on the uprisings, not a national battle against a common enemy, the USA.

[Non-Sequitur]

True or wishful thinking? Anyone have inside info?

Considering the source I'd say probably wishful thinking. But if it is true, and if those you would expect to be most loyal to the regime are talking about deserting, then it doesn't bode well for the current Iranian government.

[Kakaze]

Perhaps false information, to start the defections.

[Mark was here]

Let their hope for freedom be snuffed out? I don’t get it.

[AFreeBird]

I can appreciate having the Navy position themselves so they wouldn't necessarily have to defend themselves. It's one thing for the US civilian leadership to speak out and support freedom. It's not like it's a secret or anything, we've only been doing it for 233 years. And ZerØ has been far too timid in that regard IMO.

But having our forces engage, even defensively, Iranian assets at this particular time, would be a detriment to the freedom movement taking place in Iran. I'm not saying they shouldn't defend themselves if the situation warrants, just that they should try and avoid being in the position to have to do so.

[Travis T. OJustice]

I don’t get it.

I can tell.

[Mark was here]

Well explain your self better for dolts like me.

[PGR88]

If the Iran Gov’t is really splitting apart, the US Navy should really watch out for rogue elements launching anti-ship missiles.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***...”expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and to avoid any unnecessary escalation or confrontation” with Iranian ships or other military assets. ***

Don’t worry! Obama and friends will find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of VICTORY!

[SonOfDarkSkies]

Giving moral support to the protesters is, in no way, throwing fuel on the fire.

I agree that we should take no provocative military action yet, but the protesters need our support...they need to know we are with them.

[colorado tanker]

It’s interesting to me that they’ve sent this Basij militia into the streets instead of the Guards. It may be a lot of Guardsmen won’t fire on their own civilians. Just speculation.

[Moose4]

No, I think it’s more of a case of “don’t do anything that would make yourself a target.” He wants our assets there to steer clear and keep an eye on things, but not to put themselves in a position where I’manutjob or the mullahs could stage an attack and then scream to the world when the USN defends itself.

}:-)4