Gerard Pierce: Iran, A New Challenge!

On Monday afternoon a civilian boat approached the refueling ship USNS Rappahannock about 10 miles off Dubai's Jebel Ali port, according to the Navy. The Navy said the boat's crew disregarded warnings from the US vessel, and only then did gunners fire on it with a .50 caliber machine gun. The survivors of the attack claim that no warnings were given. As typical in this kind of incident, the US ambassador gave assurances that a full investigation would be made. In 2002, the US military staged the most elaborate war games ever designed. Operation Millennium Challenge, cost about $250 million, and required two years of planning. Retired Marine commander, Lt Gen Paul Van Riper, played the role of the leader of a supposed rogue state. In the first days of the "war," Van Riper's Force Red sunk most of the US fleet. He stopped the US force from eavesdropping on his communications by eliminating the use of radio transmissions. He used couriers and signals from the minarets of mosques during the Muslim call to prayer. He armed the civilian ships and boats and deployed them near the US fleet. Faced with a demand to surrender, Force Red went on the offensive. Some fired cruise missiles from close range, sinking a carrier. At the end, most of the US fleet had been destroyed. Sixteen US warships were on the bottom of the Gulf and thousands of American sailors were dead. Naval Command "raised" the sunken ships, brought the sailors back to life, and continued with the games. Gen Van Riper discovered that his orders to his subordinates were being countermanded. He withdrew in disgust, and charged that the games were rigged to produce the desired outcome.