US Diplomats Warn Airliners Risk Being ‘Misidentified’ in Persian Gulf

US "misidentified" an Iranian airliner in 1988, killing 290 people

In comments seemingly meant to add to panic in the region, US diplomats issued a new warning surrounding tensions with Iran, warning through a statement from the FAA that commercial airliners should avoid flying over the Persian Gulf, or Iraqi and Iranian airspace.

The argument presented is that the commercial airliners would risk being “misidentified” and might get targeted in the area. There was no evidence provided that this might be the case, or that Iran might be likely to make such a mistake.

There is a precedent that the US is very aware of, of course. In 1988, the USS Vincennes, a guided-missile cruiser, attacked and destroyed Iran Air Flight 655, a commercial airliner. The plane was an Airbus A300, and all 290 people aboard were killed in the US attack.

The US has never officially apologized for the attack, though they once expressed “regret” for the loss of life. Then-President George H.W. Bush said he would “never apologize for the United States – I don’t care what the facts are.” [The captain of the ship was decorated.]

Even though the Iranian airliner was broadcasting an identification as a civilian aircraft, the US warship misidentified it as a F-14. The US has nominally made improvements to its identification system to prevent such attacks. It’s not clear how confident they are in this, given the warning they made to airliners.

Source: Antiwar.com

10 Comments
  1. Undecider says

    Was it really misidentified or was there a target aboard?

  2. John C Carleton says

    This must be a veiled threat if everyone don’t get in line with Israhell’s bomb Iran hissy fit, the USA, New Khazaria’s proxy, will shoot down their airliners like the USA navy did that Iranian air liner.

    These shoot downs will be a “mistake” also.

    Too bad, so sad, they should have kissed New Khazaria’s innocent blood soaked behind.

  3. Mary E says

    The US military’s equipment can certainly see if the plane in the region of Iran or any other mideastern country is theirs or is one of the local commercial carriers!!
    The US just needs a reason to bomb anything flying in that area that isn’t one of their
    invading, intruding and trespassing war planes..
    .US: GET THE HELL OUT OF THE MIDEAST

  4. CHUCKMAN says

    I remember that disgraceful event well.

    Bush said he’d never apologize for the United States? Isn’t that a rather god-like pose to strike? I think it tells us something important. “Uber alles” stuff.

    Of course, a second horror at Lockerbie, whoever actually did it, was revenge for this, and the ship’s brave captain is really at least in part responsible for both mass killings.

    Boy, the US does decorate people for some mighty strange achievements.

    The ship’s captain being decorated for stupidly killing 290 people ranks right up there with the Medal of Freedom awarded to Madeleine “Mass Child Killer” Albright and Joe “Extrajudicial Killing Program” Biden.

    And, of course, the current warning to planes in the Persian Gulf from the American military is completely inappropriate.

    There is no state of war. The warning represents unwarranted intimidation of Iran and of peaceful civilians and businesses in the region.

    But who cares what you think? We’re America, and we do whatever we please.

    1. Mary E says

      The US has no shame, let alone regard for international law…it is a totally immoral
      government which is even attacking its own people on a daily basis!

  5. Canosin says

    makes me vomit by the unbelievably hypocrisy shown from these psychopathic degenerated pathetic and mentally sick representatives of the Divided States of Zionist America….. the wrath of the world will be cast upon these degenerated psychopathic satanists….. the wrath of all nations and people who have been bullied and suffered from these sickos….. the bill is very very long…. accumulated since past seventy years plus…… the day of reckoning is very near…..

    1. Mary E says

      Very much what we are all thinking, but you put it in the phraseology that makes it a strong statement! Good one!

      1. Canosin says

        👍

  6. JustPassingThrough says

    good idea even if it is only fear-mongering.
    the “chosen-peoples” air force won’t be able to hide behind civilian or non combatant aircraft.

  7. Séamus Ó Néill says

    “Misidentified” …..now there’s a lovely clean sanitised word for deliberately targeting and shooting down a civilian aircraft……a little bit of target practice ?

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