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| Axis of Evil |
| Iraqis 'shot at Kuwaiti vessels' |
| 2002-12-03 |
| The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry has said an Iraqi ship has opened fire on two Kuwaiti coastguard patrol boats, causing them to collide. "When the two coastguard boats were on a routine patrol in the northern region near Warba island, there was an Iraqi vessel in the area which opened fire on them," the official Kuna news agency reported. A member of the coastguard was hurt when two boats collided after the attack, the agency added. Kuna's Faris Glubb told the BBC that the incident was probably the irresponsible action of an individual Iraqi commander, and is unlikely to be pursued by either side. Kuwait and Iraq have had no diplomatic relations since the Gulf War in 1991, in which US-led forces liberated Kuwait from Iraqi occupation. Iraq often accuses Kuwait of "piracy" against its shipping, while Kuwait says it has intercepted Iraqi boats carrying goods in violation of a UN embargo. A few days ago, I mentioned Iraq's tough guys getting rambunctious and blowing things for Sammy and his clique. Guess the hard boys aren't just dealing with the inspectors. But something like this could blow the cork just as easily. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #2 Steve, they did evade, one boat evaded right, and the other evaded left - right into the first boat. I'm sure they were cruising along fat, dumb and happy, confident that their Iraqi neighbors only had it in for the Americans, not them. Just like all Arab militaries, they would not have authority to fire on their own. By the time they got through to HQ, I bet the target was gone. Now, let the Iragi's try this with a U.S. ship and there will be a smoking hole in the water before the captain phones home. |
| Posted by: Steve 2002-12-04 07:44:51 |
| #1 The two boats collided? Oh my, is this the time to trot out the usual jokes about Arab military prowess? I mean, good grief, the Kuwaitis have been liberated now ten years, rebuilding their military with the best training, materials, weapons they can buy from the West, etc., etc., and the first real shooting causes the two boat commanders to go all to pieces. I'm sure their naval military advisors taught them what to do -- "evade -- follow the plan -- engage -- lock weapons -- get tone -- fire". So why didn't they? |
| Posted by: Steve White 2002-12-03 21:48:55 |