Obama Has Given Up On Guaranteeing Free Traverse of the Seas

The United States has enforced the free transit across the seas for centuries.

Iran is now taking piratical prizes; and Obama, you will not be surprised to hear, is okay with that.

The seizing of the Maersk Tigris wasn't just an act of piracy; it was a declaration of a new order on the seas, and Obama has, as usual, bowed to a foreign potentate.

Since World War II, the American Navy has been the guarantor of freedom of the seas for all nations and commerce. The U.S. Navy prides itself upon its annual forays into disputed waters to demonstrate that seizing ships like the Tigris means engaging American warships. But neither the White House nor the Navy declared that Tuesday’s seizure violated that basic norm. Instead, the Iranian foreign minister brazenly invoked respect for freedom of navigation. Iran flexed its muscles and America did nothing. Translation: The U.S. is a paper tiger, and Iran will seize other ships as it pleases. When a timorous America imposes no penalty for state piracy, such actions are sure to repeat. Imagine how that affects the calculus of a hundred nations and thousands of ship owners.

[T]he seizure illustrated that Mr. Obama is determined to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, regardless of what actions Iran takes.... [T[he seizure was not an accident; it was ordered by the same government with whom Mr. Obama is determined to sign a nuclear agreement. Mr. Obama could suspend negotiations, with sanctions in place, until the Tigris is released. But he will not.

I lost track of this story myself; I did not know that Iran was keeping its war booty.

A source (a French diplomat, I think) had earlier said that Obama Administration was acting as the mouthpiece for the mullahs at the nuke talks. Even here, our own government flacks on Iran's behalf, insisting that this ship was seized by the Republican Guards without the blessing of the government.

But if so-- why do they still keep it? How long does it take to communicate an order to the Guards?

So this is America, where our government lies to us on behalf of a fanatical regime of an alien religion which has sworn to destroy us.

posted by Ace at 12:50 PM

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