"I've never seen a provocation like this is in international waters," another military official who has served for more than 25 years said.

Might I remind this military official about USS Liberty? Or maybe your lackeys turning their guns upon you doesn't count.

Very stupid on the part of Tehran...the Iranians are lucky their boats and crew were not disintegrated...

Maybe the US should stop surrounding Iran with Military! What right does the US have to be in that region? They are doing nothing but bringing war. I can only imagine how radically & violently the US would react if it were surrounded by the Chinese or the Russians on all sides. Iran has every right to protect it's sovereignty in the region & keep hostile forces at bay.

Can anyone say Gulf of Tonkin. This is similar way the United States got into the war with North Vietnam. Iran is flexing there mini boat muscle to attempt to make us look like the aggressor. This was in international waters and thus we should use the UN to show the cause we have before us. Its easy to start a war with anyone its even harder to restrain ourselves from another one that we can not AFFORD. And Iran knows this. Iran wants to keep pushing us to make them look tough against us to there radical segment of people in there country.

Do you have any idea the price of crude would be if we drop even a single bomb on Iran. People our country has put a strangle hold on themselves due to the dependent nature we face with oil.

This is very scary turn of events people. But don't get me wrong if Iran wants to cross that line and start something with our ships. By all means make parking lots of every major miltary base they have.

But the military must keep a level head like we did during the Cuban missile crisis. We can't not afford to get into a fight with Iran. Our economy is by no means strong enough.

Wonder how Americans would feel if Iran had ships right off the coast of Florida.

Wouldn't like it would ya,

Bush is praying that he can start a war with Iran this year..He wants nothing better..This is his last year to play tin soldier..Maybe he will send Condi Rice over there and she will straighten every thing out like she has done in the past..Which is absolutely nothing, zero, nada. This is the Gulf Of Tonkin all over again..It worked for LBJ why not the Liar-In-Chief?? He is hoping anyway.

Good for us... Iran is looking to bait us into violent actions. They want us to react/attack so they can begin the next phase of the plan, which is to play the victims in an attempt to gain more international support and wage war against our troops and our country. They may have had some "behind closed doors" talks with Russia and are hoping that they will get their support. I think we just exposed them and had their plan backfire though. It will be obvious to others that Iran is playing games, so it will be tough for Iran to find the support it needs to even come close to being a real military threat for us. Next time, we won't show as much restraint, so Iran should consider itself very lucky right now. Please don't give those good ol' boys, Bush & Dick, a reason to come over and take a bit of your "texas tea". They're on the way out... they'd love a nice parting "bonus" as they exit.

There was a misprint in the story-- it was Iranian swift boats, not speedboats.

THE COLE WAS BOMBED BY A SPEEDBOAT AND IT WAS LETHAL, HOW SOON THE LIBS FORGET! CARRY ON!

Pay attention "Jazz," the US has every right to be in those waters seeing as they are INTERNATIONAL waters.

Most of you, I'd bet, have never been in the Strait of Hormuz, so you basically don't really have a cl;ear idea of what you talk about (Eric). In my experience in the Strait and Gulf, the Iranians do like to taunt and use threatening actions towards the US ships. 200 yards IS very close, btw; it is a threatening distance, and the American crew, from what I've heard, responded appropriately.

It seems the Iranian navy hasn't learned their lesson since the last bungle. I'm glad these sailors manned the guns rather than surrendering like those Brits awhile back.

We should stay away from them. We are terrorizing the rest of the world and they are starting to fight back and have been for quite some time. Don't screw this up Washington! Bring our people home.

The speed boats are controlled by the Revolutionary Guards, a militant organization that seized innocent British sailors in international waters several months ago. It is only logical that these nut-cases are testing U.S. limits as well.

The Iranian government's own propaganda calls themselves an "ascending power" and the U.S. & British "declining powers." The Revolutionary Guards may be buying into their own BS.

Sounds Like Both sides are on the
verge of War,sounds as if Bush is
wanting a reason to go to War with
Iran,Both sides seem to be getting
trigger happy,it wont be long, some one will slip and cause a major war we may not be able to win that would fire up the tMiddl east were already fighting in other places with troop shortage.

The Iranians are testing us.

Does anyone remember the USS Cole. I believe it was a speedboat packed with explosives that rammed the side. 200 yards is entirely too close. Next time i hope they blow em out of the water, and explain later.

And Rubiconski, its called "international waters" meaning our ships have every right to be there. Wake up man.

yep....this is what I expect from the "blame America first" crowd. you people just don't get it and probably never will. there are people in the world who want us dead, and that includes you.

Rubiconski....Ummmmm, the difference is the Americans are the GOOD GUYS! I know its hard to believe.....moron

The "right" Rubin? So the US should not be in that region? So how big an area should the US not be in? Does it encompass the entire Middle East? So the US should not be in International waters?
My God you are a blithering idiot. BTW Rubin the US was surrounded by Communists on all sides once. Remember West Berlin?
Seems that the Russians and East Germans were doing all the shooting.