Another "Gulf of Tonkin Incident" coming?

 

"Evidence was still being sought on the night of August 4 when Johnson gave his address to the American public on the incident. Messages recorded that day indicate that neither President Johnson nor Secretary McNamara was certain of an attack.^[28]

Various news sources, including Time, Life and Newsweek, ran articles throughout August on the Tonkin Gulf incident.^[29] Time reported: "Through the darkness, from the West and south...intruders boldly sped...at least six of them... they opened fire on the destroyers with automatic weapons, this time from as close as 2,000 yards."^[30] Time stated that there was "no doubt in Sharp's mind that the US would now have to answer this attack", and that there was no debate or confusion within the administration regarding the incident.^[30]

The use of the set of incidents as a pretext for escalation of US involvement follows the issuance of public threats against North Vietnam, as well as calls from American politicians in favor of escalating the war.^[31] On May 4, 1964, William Bundy called for the US to "drive the communists out of South Vietnam", even if that meant attacking both North Vietnam and communist China.^[31] Even so, the Johnson administration in the second half of 1964 focused on convincing the American public that there was no chance of war between North Vietnam and the US.^" 

Wiki on Gulf of Tonkin Incident

-----------------------

 Yes, well, it was all BS, a combination of media hysteria, LBJ's innate deviousness and disrespect for the truth and an actual attack on USS Maddox by North Vietnamese gunboats.  That this attack was in response to MACVSOG infiltration of Vietnamese agents into NVN from the sea was not known to me until I wrote the last annual operations report of MACVSOG in 1973.

In 1964, Johnson used this fabrication and distortion to whip up public opinion in favor of the congressional "Gulf of Tonkin Resolution."  That resolution served much the same function for the wars in SE Asia as the current AUMF resolutions.  Having spent several years subsequent to 1964 engaged in SE Asia, I am still annoyed.

Now, we have the USS Roosevelt battle group underway deploying from the Gulf to the northern Arabian Sea to do - what?  Is it to ensure the freedom of the sea in the Bab al-Mandab Strait?  Who has threatened that freedom of passage?  Who?

Even CNN and its "flexible" consultants acknowledge the possibility of a clash at sea that could lead to the mishaps and "opportunities" that were provided by USS Maddox's brush with a few gunboats.

Whatever happens in this ongoing process, we, here, at SST should be wary.  pl  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Tonkin_incident

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Tonkin_Resolution

 

Comments

[fjdixon]

I was watching CNN & Fox yesterday and had the same thought. It was amazing that there was mention of a 'flotilla' of Iranian ships thought to be transporting weapons to the houthis with no attribution of the source of this information. Last night I had ther rather entertaining thought that perhaps this flotilla could be carrying humanitarian aid in response to the Saudi's 247 million in cash.

[FND]

One would hope that our glorious politicians understand that our presence there will be used as propaganda, whether its true or not, that we are supporting the Saudi blockade which includes a food blockade. Why not let the Saudi's and Iranians confront each other? Why put ourselves in the mess that Saudi Arabia started?

[William R. Cumming]

Thanks P.L. for the reminder.

[fjdixon]

Interesting:
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/saudi-led-coalition-declares-end-yemen-campaign-1447540394

[Charles I]

This is totally off topic except that its connected to the sea, but the juxtaposition of these two RT articles caught my now-despairing eye.

Pumps at Fukushima plant halted, toxic water leaking into ocean - TEPCO

http://rt.com/news/251637-fukushima-plant-toxic-water/

Immediately below this was reported:

1st mass-produced floating nuclear plant to power Russian Arctic in 2016

http://rt.com/news/251709-russian-arctic-nuclear-powerplant/

[Patrick Bahzad]

I've been suffering from an severe form of work-related paranoia for years and I have to admit, that when I hear news about a carrier group being sent to the Gulf of Aden for no particular reason I can see, I tend to get a bit nervous myself.
As for the Iranian navy, I hear they sent a couple of ships there, big deal ... They would be pretty f*ing stupid if they had weapons and military equipment on board.
Mostl likely scenario, US is making its presence felt in the area, as a response to Iranian "token" ships ... some cat and mouse play again like in the Gulf.
Possible scenario: a third party making use of this to orchestrate an attack on US battle group prompting a US armed response in Yemen.
Worst case scenario: provocations getting out and hand and triggering a chain reaction that would be hard to stop. In any case, an event of this magnitude would kill the agreement with Iran, so there's quite a list of players who might be tempted to play with matches in that way.

[elkern]

Looks like the KSA might declare victory and go home, which is pretty smart of them. My theory: Obama/US "suggested" this, and dispatched the Roosevelt as the biggest fig-leaf ever seen. Only "evidence" I have is a line from the MEE report saying "The coalition will continue to impose an arms embargo of Yemen...".

My theory is a whole lot nicer than Col Lang's; sure hope I'm right, but I'm not putting any money on it.

[Imagine]

I guess 300 US troops sent to the front lines of the Ukraine civil war will act as a better trip-wire. Assume 10 get KIA. Would this not justify sending in 3,000 more troops to "protect our boys", along with building massive forts there? Then 100 deaths to justify 30,000 troops? What happens next after America occupies Ukraine?

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-04-17/300-us-paratroopers-arrive-ukraine-after-russia-says-its-missiles-will-target-nato-m

[turcopolier]

elkern

"My theory is a whole lot nicer than Col Lang's" I did not speculate as to US motive for the re-deployment of the Roosevelt battle group. If this is a "fig leaf" to provide political cover for an Iranian brokered Saudi/Houthi deal I applaud that. Remember the Iranians announced the cease fire before the Saudis did so. pl

[Imagine]

Two deathly still Ukrainian POW being interviewed on why they fired GRAD rockets into a city. "We were following orders." "We were told that we were 'cannon fodder'; that if we didn't, we would be put in jail for 30 years."
https://youtu.be/p54YGQoKMm4?t=1145
Ukraine recently passed a law that officers can shoot subordinates for "insubordination", so this is credible; and jail time would be lucky... "Just following orders." So it's come to this.

Sending an army to train semi-pro skinhead anarchists how to conduct ethnic cleansing more effectively seems to violate all kinds of ethics requirements in the military. The real Ukrainian Nat Guard largely resigned when it found it was being directed to shell civilians. Our Army has responsibility regulations left over from Mai Lai to not obey direct orders that are war crimes. Will these Boy Scout values be successfully transmitted to the hooligans? Or will more effective killing be taught? Any place to lean on the Army to recognize what's going on, and fulfill its ethics obligations?

[Odin's Raven]

Maybe one of those shiny new submarines the Israelis got from the Germans, supposed to be able to fire nuclear tipped cruise missiles, might just come within range of an American aircraft carrier...and the Iranians would be blamed for any mishap.

[Babak Makkinejad]

Iran has been sending ships for years to the Gulf of Aden to combat Somali Piracy - 2 or 3 ships at a time.

[Babak Makkinejad]

Before the war, Houthis & their allies controlled 11 northern prefectures - with 153718 square kilometers of Yemen - containing 79% of the population (18.2 million).

4 weeks later, they are now in control of 256863 of Yemen (48% of its area) and 95% of the population (22 million).

They also gained control of: لحج، ضالع، ابین، بیضاء، شبوه، ‌عدن و مأرب.

I am not sure what kind of deal has been made but I cannot think it to have been to the Saudis' taste.

[kao_hsien_chih]

I'm curious. Assuming that someone accuses the Iranian warships of carrying weapons or supplies for the Houthis or whatever, would it make sense for US navy to try to board them? I see something that'd resemble the kind of situation that preceded the War of 1812: a nation's warship, I don't think, can realistically assent to being boarded by a foreign warship especially in waters not too far from their home bases. But I think at least some people in the US would find such response "unreasonable." While that may not be enough to start off shooting, that would set up a very dangerous situation, I figure.

[turcopolier]

Imagine

"Our Army has responsibility regulations left over from Mai Lai to not obey direct orders that are war crimes." It was quite cleat at the time of My Lai that what happened was illegal under US military law. pl

[BabelFish]

Every US carrier is covered by at least one or more US fast attack subs. It would be mind boggling for a false flag attack to be followed by the sinking of an Israeli sub by one of ours. The Iranians have Russian Kilo class subs. I am not sure they have the legs to operate in the Gulf of Aden. They would have to deploy from Iranian bases.

[BabelFish]

All, the last confrontation between the U.S. and Iranian naval forces, Operation Praying Mantis, was in 1988. The Iranians got beat up pretty badly. I don't see the Iranians having the assets to seriously challenge a U.S. carrier battle group outside of the Persian Gulf.

[FB Ali]

According to MK Bhadrakumar the ostensible purpose of this 'armada' will be to evacuate US citizens from Yemen, while showing the Saudis etc that the US is engaged in the area, and earning some political points for Obama.

From his piece one can surmise that it is Iran that is calling the shots in this unfolding peace process.

http://tinyurl.com/luwhxxa

[Tyler]

Sir,

Love the acerbic wit in this line:

"In 1964, Johnson used this fabrication and distortion to whip up public opinion in favor of the congressional "Gulf of Tonkin Resolution." That resolution served much the same function for the wars in SE Asia as the current AUMF resolutions. Having spent several years subsequent to 1964 engaged in SE Asia, I am still annoyed."

You must have been hell for any fools in your vicinity.

[confusedponderer]

"The coalition will continue to impose an arms embargo of Yemen"

Considering how awash Yemen appears to be in arms ... it will hardly weaken the Houthis. I saw a veritable SU-100 in one image lately, probably some left over from the Egyptian army.

What Yemen needs is water, fuel, electricity and food. Let's hope for the Houthis that isn't being embargoed, too.

[oofda]

And a recently released map of ISIS touts gains against ISIS- but fails to show ISIS gains.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/22/the-pentagon-s-isis-map-is-so-wrong.html

[William R. Cumming]

IMO the combined earthquake, tsuanami, and core-melt accident at Fukishim Da-Ichi will probably rank as the largest catastrophic event this century. Hoping so anyhow. And that events cultural impact on Japan is huge and on-going. Twice hit by nuclear disaster it will be interesting to see how Japan operates and absorbs technological change.

[The Beaver]

@ Brig Ali

Was it why the Saudis declared the end of the war on Yemen yesterday?
However, they are back with the airstrikes today according to the BBC:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-32411311

[Charles I]

that was yesterday, a day after Egypt said it would send ships to assist the bolckade:

Saudi Bombings in Yemen Resume Hours After Halt Called

http://www.newsmax.com/World/GlobalTalk/yemen-saudi-bombing-houthis/2015/04/22/id/639963/

[khalil]

it always the case , and we seen how the us aidsplane throw the weapons to ISIS in KOBANI in Syria when the Kurdish defending KOBANI ...

basically who can trust these WAR Maniacs in WDC ,,