Video: Iran airs its version of the incident in the Straits of Hormuz Update and a clarification

It’s almost hilariously lame. You only see one of the Revolutionary Guard boats actually moving, as much of the footage consists either of long shots of US ships or close-ups of a guy on the radio. I can’t say with certainty if Radio Guy in the Iranian video is the same voice that shows up in the US video, but they do sound similar. Oddly, the Iranians left out the part about threatening to blow up the US ships. I’m sure they’re just editing for brevity’s sake.

The Iranian video is edited to make it look like their boats weren’t doing anything, just sitting around bobbing on the sea while Radio Guy tries to make contact. For comparison/contrast purposes, here’s the US version of the incident as it aired on Hannity & Colmes. Note the speeding and weaving and moving to within 100 meters or so of the US ships. Seeing Alan Colmes toss up Gulf of Tonkin as his first reaction, rather than, say, the USS Cole, to cast skepticism on the US here is just a bonus.

But I’m sure he supports the troops.

Update: ABC reports that the Navy is saying that can’t verify where the radio call threatening to blow up the US ships was coming from. The most reasonable assumption, and the one that the Navy seems to be working on, is that it came from one of the boats. But they don’t know for sure.

In yesterday’s post on the subject, I identified Joe Sestak as a retired Vice Admiral. Fox identified as such, which is why I did. But it’s not so, says CDR Salamander in an email to me.

Sestak was a Vice Admiral (VADM), a 3-star, when on active duty, but only for a short time – not long enough to retire as a VADM. He was fired from his job he now brags about by the then Chief of Naval Operations and now Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mullen. He was fired due to his “Command Climate.” In Navy talk, that means he abused his Staff and was impossible to work for and with. When he retired, he retired at the rank of Rear Admiral (RADM), 2-stars. He is, officially, RADM Joe Sestak, USN (Retired), if you don’t use his Congressional title.

Though it is considered poor form and is a gray area, due to a complicated tradition about being able to wear the highest rank you ever wore during a time of war, he can wear the highest rank he ever held, 3-stars, at parades and funerals, though he is still considered a RADM.

This is important, as by not correcting those who call him a VADM, he willingly representing the position that he holds a rank he does not. You may want to make a correction to your post; he is officially a retired RADM. Ask for his DD-214……

Good to know. I won’t identify him as a retired Vice Admiral in the future since he doesn’t deserve it. Fox ought to clarify things as well.

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