(American Enterprise Institute) J. Matthew McInnis - Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval ships' frequent, aggressive behavior towards the U.S. Navy has hit new levels in the past few months, triggering several risky encounters in the Persian Gulf. Why have the waters in the Middle East become more dangerous recently? The IRGC wants everyone to know nothing changed after the nuclear deal. For the IRGC, our presence in the Persian Gulf is illegitimate and fundamentally not deserving of respect. Iranian naval forces are making large strides in weapons and surveillance, investing in increasingly accurate cruise missiles, sophisticated mines, midget submarines, and even a new high-speed, helicopter-carrying catamaran. The writer, a resident fellow at AEI, served as a senior analyst and in other leadership positions for the U.S. Department of Defense.
2016-10-21 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive