What Exactly Is The US Doing In The Persian Gulf?
The shooting down of an American drone has prompted a lot of crazy talk about war.
I listened about the United States saying Iran shot down a military surveillance drone in an unprovoked attack. I got fired up when I heard them even mentioning that war is an option.
Thursday was my anniversary. Fifty years ago yesterday was my first full day in Vietnam. I have seen war. It isn’t pretty. When folks start offering up other peoples lives, I get pissed.
It pains me when I see journalism foaming at the mouth with war mongering. Iran shot down one of our drones in international airspace. Nobody was hurt. Nobody died.
The White House and the administration have said very little that would indicate a readiness to begin military operations despite the movement of more troops to the area. But several media outlets have been hinting of war over the incident.
I recognize that saber-rattling and yellow journalism have been the hallmark of many former publishers such as Hearst, but I would have thought we had outgrown that sort of salesmanship.
Cast your memory back to 1988. Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz were at a fever pitch between Iran and the United States.
The tensions ended the lives of 290 passengers on Iran Air flight 655 when the USS Vincennes fired a Standard Missile II at the aircraft and hit it. The Iran Air A300 was in international airspace.
The U.S. paid reparations and offered an apology. I know that no amount of money can replace any of my family members.
It brings into question, just exactly what is the United States doing in the Persian Gulf? What are American interests there?
And exactly what is motivating news agencies to promote the deaths of young American servicemen and women and those in Iran?
Wouldn鈥檛 it be nice if our American government stated in plain language what our interests in the Persian Gulf are and how that benefits the American people?
I would also like to see a little less posturing by the press and more substantive reporting.
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