BREAKING NEWS: U.S military-contracted ship fires on Iranian boat

[kpete]

BREAKING NEWS: U.S military-contracted ship fires on Iranian boat, U.S. defense official tells Reuters

just now on MSNBC

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A ship contracted by the U.S Military Sealift Command has fired at least one shot toward an Iranian boat, a U.S. defense official said on Friday.

"It was an MSC vessel," the official said, confirming the ship fired on an Iranian boat.

Other details were not immediately available.

(Reporting by Kristin Roberts, Editing by Lori Santos)

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSWAT00939920080425

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Here we go!! Impeach the f***king idiots NOW!!

[L. Coyote]

2. "U.S. defense official tells Reuters"

but, does anyone still believe them?

You can't "Gulf of Tonkin" us like in the old days!

[kpete]

11. sharp

even this early in the morning Coyote?

kp

[NightWatcher]

3. "military contracted"? so Blackwater is trying to start the next war?

[mcctatas]

6. Is there nothing these mofo's won't out-source?

:grr:

[redqueen]

15. If they are... would anyone be surprised?

[The Stranger]

4. What is an "MSC" vessel?

Is it related to "MSNBC"?

[NightWatcher]

8. U.S Military Sealift Command= support servics boat

they carry everything from fuel to food and other supplies. Often contracted near theater of operations based from other "friendly" ports.

[Turbineguy]

10. MSC stands for

Military Sealift Command. These are generally auxiliary vessels such as unrep oilers, cargo ships and research vessels. They are manined by civilian mariners. Some have a military detachment on board but these are mostly for communications purposes.

Some vessels are run directly by the US Government under the Dept of the Navy, some are run by private contractor who also run containerships and such.

They are non-combatant vessels.

[Xithras]

18. Jargon aside. It's a cargo ship. MSC is the federal arm of the Merchant Marines

They're considered valid military targets in wartime.

[Turbineguy]

5. MSC ship?

I'd say that would be small arms fire.

[LakeSamish706]

7. It sounds like this happened yesterday! n/t

[0007]

9. Who would have ever thought that we would resort to Japanese tactics?

The hoof beats become loud & clear....

[DinahMoeHum]

13. "Japanese tactics"? Gulf of Tonkin (Revisited) is more like it.

n/t

[Purveyor]

12. CNBC is credited this incident for todays nearly $3.00 increase in the price of crude oil. eom

[bdamomma]

14. oh shit.

what the hell is a MSC vessel.

Cheney must be in his glory.

[zanne]

16. It was just a warning flare.

http://chinadaily.com.cn/world/2008-04/12/content_6611986.htm

[jpljr77]

17. I think that was a different incident. Check the date on that story. nm