They'd ignore it, knowing that the U.S. isn't going to start a hot war with Iran by sinking the Behshad.

How is that different from striking a compound in Beirut? Or launching cruise missiles in Afghanistan (as Clinton did)? Those were actual sovereign territory, not international waters.

The problem is that if an adversary knows you're not going to do anything, then there is no threat. Unlike China and Taiwan, or China and the Philippines...we don't know that China won't take action. And we know Putin will take action, as he did in Crimea, and now Ukraine (in part because he knew -as Hitler did- that no one would step-up**).

They are like bullies. Sometimes you have to bloody the nose of a bully to make them leave you alone.

So, if the Behshad has no defenses, send in the SEALs. Remove everyone from the ship and sink it. Send the sailors back to Iran unharmed.

Yeah, I may have stopped being a Rep 25 years ago, but I'm still somewhat hawkish about nonsense like this.





**Though I don't think he counted on his actions resulting in the expansion of NATO, nor the international military aid support for Ukraine. A miscalculation on his part.