Coast Guard Narrowly Avoids Sparking World War III
The U.S. Coast Guard fired at an Iranian fishing boat in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday, nearly adding to a long list of global headaches for President Obama.
Fortunately, the incident ended quickly with nobody hurt, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said, according to a CNN report.
The Iranian boat had pointed a weapon at the American crew, Kirby said, prompting a single shot from the Coast Guard vessel.
"I don't know whether the shot was just a warning shot, or it hit the dhow," Kirby said, according to CNN. "In any event, it pulled away and nobody was hurt."
Kirby said the Coast Guard was performing a "routine maritime mission" in the Gulf.
According to a Department of Defense news agency report, "U.S. military rules of engagement state that unit commanders always have the inherent right and obligation to exercise unit self-defense in response to a hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent."
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This article was originally published at http://www.thewire.com/global/2014/08/coast-guard-narrowly-avoids-sparking-world-war-iii/379185/
