by Alan Fernald

Created on: January 11, 2008   Last Updated: January 12, 2008

When five small Iranian boats charged towards three US flagged warships, a tense situation came less than sixty seconds from the American ships opening fire upon them. What is becoming apparent is that Iranian aggressiveness in the Persian Gulf is worsening the currently strained diplomatic relations between Iran and the US.

There are differing opinions on whether the Iranian aggressiveness is intended to provoke the West or if their aggression is only a response to the West's ongoing presence in the Persian Gulf. Based upon the historical precedent, the only possible conclusion is that Iran is intentionally behaving belligerently in the furtherance of their political and religious goals.

This conclusion is based upon a variety of facts and incidents found in recent history.

- In March 2007, Iran boarded and captured 15 British sailors aboard the HMS Cornwall operating under UN orders in Iraqi waters. Though later released, the sailors reported generally unpleasant conditions and high levels of coercion to force them to denounce their government.
- Iran has historically funded the group named "Hezbollah" which is infamous for its terrorist attacks against Israel.
- Iran is suspected of arming Hamas, another terrorist group infamous for their attacks against Israel.
- Senior members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard have been captured in Iraq while coordinating military attacks against the coalition forces and Iraqi people.
- Iran has provided arms to the Taliban in Afghanistan, furthering the repression and terrorism conducted by the Taliban in an effort to overthrow the legitimately elected government.
- Sitting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedenijad has denounced the state of Israel, refused to acknowledge Israel's right to exist, and denied the fact of the holocaust/attempted Genocide of the Jewish race.

It seems that nearly every power-play and conflict that occurs in or around the Middle East has the fingerprints of the Iranian President or the true power in Iran, the Ayatollah Khomeini.

The latest incident whereby Iranian gunboats made several runs simulating general small-boat attack tactics, while also dropping containers (possible explosive devices/mines) in the water around the American warships operating in international waters can only be considered a provocative act. The threatening messages received by the American ships claiming the ships would be blown up only exacerbated the situation.

Was Iran attempting to provoke an attack by the American warships? And thus create an escalation into a shooting war? Or was Iran actually hoping to succeed in an attack against these ships? An attack aborted when the Iranian boat captains realized the ships were ready, willing and capable of defending themselves.

The Middle East has long been a cauldron of war, violence and terrorism. Iran needs to look at helping find a long-term peace in the region, rather than pushing more violence on the innocent citizens. Iran, as a country claiming to be a Muslim nation, should be reaching out in peace and friendship with their neighbors, not threatening them with destruction.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1 908671.stm
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl d/middle_east/article1582544.ece
http://www.washingto npost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/28/AR200612 2800897.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/i dUSISL511020071018?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

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