Trump to US Navy: Shoot Down and Destroy

The president has drawn a red line on Iranian harassment of US Navy personnel in the Persian Gulf. Because of this, he ordered ships to destroy any harassing boats. The message isn’t just for Iran.   

The United States will not tolerate harassment of its military assets in international waters. That’s the message President Trump sent on Wednesday. In response to dangerous Iranian harassment of US Navy and Coast Guard ships last week, the president tweeted a firm statement:

“I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea.”

The Pentagon has then applauded the move, clearly supportive of a harder line on Iran’s antics.

“The President issued an important warning to the Iranians. What he was emphasizing is all of our ships retain the right of self-defense and people need to be very careful in their interactions to understand the inherent right of self-defense,” Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist said.

Another high-ranking Pentagon official, John Hyten, also applauded the move. The vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also said he “liked that the president warned an adversary.”

“If we see a hostile act, if we see hostile intent, we have the right to respond up to and including lethal force, and if it happens in the Gulf, if it happens in any way we will respond with overwhelming lethal force if necessary to defend ourselves,” affirmed Hyten.

Rival Powers Test the US

Iran is not the only power seeking to test American mettle during the pandemic. President Trump’s message may be an indirect warning to other would-be military challengers. Along with Iran, both Russia and China have recently sought to test US resolve in the midst of the pandemic.

Despite several recent communications between Trump and Putin in April, Russian aircraft have harassed US planes twice in four days. In the most recent incident, a Russian SU-35 jet flew within 25 feet of an American plane over the Mediterranean Sea. The Navy said the the move “seriously [jeopardized] the safety of flight of both aircraft.”

US Responds in the South China Sea

The warning to Iran coincides with joint US naval exercises with Australia in the heavily contested South China Sea. China is likely trying to take advantage of America’s domestic distractions. So, it has stepped up its steady campaign to bully neighbors out their territorial waters. Its objective above all is full control of the crucial maritime zone.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently called China out for its activity. He said that “the Chinese Communist Party is exerting military pressure on Taiwan and coercing its neighbors in the South China Sea, even going so far as to sink a Vietnamese fishing vessel.”

In response to increased Chinese aggression, the US Navy also stepped up its aerial operations over the South China Sea in April. Captain Luke Frost of the USS America called the flight operations proof of an “enduring seven-decade commitment to the prosperity and security of the Indo-Pacific.”

US Pushes Back

China, Russia, and Iran tested the military’s resilience in the face of the pandemic. Just as this happens, the US starts pushing back. From stepping up South China Sea operations to drawing a red line on Iranian harassment, the message is clear; the US isn’t going anywhere. The United States is seeking to project a firm, powerful response to these challenges, and to communicate that endangering US personnel will be met with force.

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