U.S. Navy's Rescue of Iranian Sailors Fraught with Irony

COMMENTARY | An incident in the Arabian Sea demonstrated how the current confrontation between the United States Navy and the Islamic Republic of Iran over access to international waters is fraught with irony.

According to CNN, a boatload of Iranian fishermen was hijacked by Somali pirates and was held as hostage, being forced to assist the brigands in their operations. A helicopter from the USS Kidd, a destroyer attached to the USS Stennis carrier battle group, spotted the boat, the Al Molai, with a pirate ship alongside. At the same time the Kidd received a distress call from the Al Molai's captain. A boarding party from the Kidd took the Al Molai back, rescuing 13 Iranian sailors, and taking 15 Somali pirates as prisoners.

The irony comes when one considers that the Stennis battle group was recently in the Persian Gulf, but has left after steaming through the Straits of Hormuz. The Iranian government warned the United States not to send any more ships into the Persian Gulf, it is presumed on pain of being attacked if they do so.

The spectacle of having a crew of their own nationals rescued from pirates who are, at least technically, brother Muslims cannot but be an embarrassment to the Islamist government in Tehran. The Tehran government implied a threat of destruction against ships of the United States Navy. One of those ships rescued a group of Iranians from captivity.

How does one explain the behavior of the country Iran has referred to as "the Great Satan" ever since the Islamic revolution of 1979? The cognitive dissonance must be thick enough to cut with a sword.

Clearly, from the point of view of the Iranian mullahs, the explanation cannot be that the United States Navy rescues victims of pirates where it can regardless of nationality. There has to be some other reason, more in keeping with America's role as enemy of all Muslims. What that might be would be fascinating to hear.

Mind, the Navy has been doing battle with pirates almost from its beginning, beginning with the Barbary Pirates during the administration of Thomas Jefferson. The operations being conducted off the Horn of Africa would be very familiar to Preble and Decatur, even if they would be amazed at the ships and other equipment being used. The action that rescued the Al Molai is in the best tradition of the Navy.

Source: U.S. Navy rescues Iranian sailors,Larry Shaughnessy, CNN, Jan 6, 2011