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Subscribe to RSSIran fired on a U.S. drone during its classified surveillance mission on Nov. 1, but the Pentagon did not disclose the incident until Nov. 8 -- perhaps giving warning to Iran that the U.S. could respond militarily, and that Iran's nuclear program will be a high priority for President Obama. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
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Two Iranian jets fired on a U.S. military drone, Pentagon officials said Thursday — the first time such an action has been acknowledged by the United States.
At 4:50 a.m. EDT on Nov. 1, an Iranian SU-25 Frog Foot jet fired on a U.S. MQ-1 Predator drone that was conducting routine surveillance in international waters over the Arabian Gulf, Pentagon spokesman George Little said. The unarmed Predator was approximately 16 nautical miles off the Iranian coast when the Iranian jet began firing and was never in Iranian airspace, he said.
But a senior defense official said two Iranian ground-attack jets were involved in the incident. The jets circled the Predator several times, firing 30-millimeter cannons at the unarmed drone.
"We don't know why," the Iranians were shooting at the drone, the official said, insisting the drone did not cross into Iranian airspace. The drone was "conducting routine maritime surveillance, watching ships," the official said.
The Iranian jets followed the Predator for several miles before turning away. The drone returned safely to base and wasn't hit by the Iranian gunfire.
President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta were notified of the incident early that morning, the Pentagon said. The White House would not comment on the incident, but a senior administration official confirmed to NBC News that Obama was told the day of the incident.
Asked whether the Iranian jet was firing warning shots, Little said the jet "fired to take it down." He would not speculate on whether this constitutes an act of war.
The United States informed the Iranians that the U.S. military will continue surveillance flights over the international waters of the Arabian Gulf. Little said that was communicated by the State Department through Swiss officials.
Asked why the incident is just being revealed now — more than one week after the incident and just two days after the presidential election — Little said that the Pentagon does not talk about classified missions. He said that the information had been leaked to the media so he is acknowledging it.
"There is absolutely no precedent" for an incident like this, he said.
The United States and its allies — concerned about what they believe is Iran’s efforts to develop a nuclear weapons program and potential threat to Israel — have imposed a series of sanctions in an effort to get Tehran to back down.
On Thursday, the State Department announced another set of U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian government officials and departments that it says have blocked the Internet and other media, and otherwise prevented freedom of information and expression among the populace.
NBC News correspondent Kristen Welker contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
The same people who sold us lies on WMD's and invaded the wrong country, let Osama Bin Laden get away and were asleep at the wheel when we got attacked on 9/11 are outraged...
You can hear dumb FUX NEWS gearing up the paranoid delusions and conspiracy theories...
Yawn...
Yeah, Clinton let Osama bin Laden get away after the Cole attack and the first attack on the WTC....remember that one...a ton of high explosives in a big yellow truck, trying to collapse one tower into the other? Called it a crime...just like Obama. Can't use the word "terrorist".
the same people newbook? The dems and reps voted on that. Also, Clinton was told of Osama's whereabout on 4 different occassions after thier first attempt on the world trade towers and chose not to pursue him. Had he, the towers would still be here. But you believe all your liberal propaganda.
That was the Mossad!
The "you can't blame Bush" folks aways blame Clinton, Carter, FDR...
It's ok to let Bush out of hiding now, Obama won...
newbook,
What a moronic concept to defend the United States of America from a terrorist attack that killed 3000 or more innocent people right? Glad you were not the POTUS on 9/11. Next you are going to tell me President Bush flew the airplanes and parachuted out just before impact to create a situation for war in Iraq and Afghanistan right?
By the way most wars or conflicts are planned years in advance. You may not think so until you study the logistics required to move 100,000 troops and their support equipment half way around the world. The battle plans for Iraq were developed during President Clinton's time.
Just what did President Obama win...another Nobel Peace Prize...or four more years of blaming eveyone not in the room for lost opportunities?
To..ooomy"""
bagdad ""
Lies
If Iran were flying a drone 16 miles from our coast, you can be certain we'd shoot it down.
Hopefully Iran's aim will improve and they won't miss next time.
The soviets had missle boats within visual range of our coast and we did nothing.
You overestimate our response...
0
skrekk,were you born stupid or did it take years to aquire that level of stupidity?If your so anti american MOVE.Try Iraq or Iran.
30mm canons fired at it and they can't hit the thing :)
D Russell, Really? Have you not seen the pictures of Obama BOWING To the Saudi Dictators?
No. but I did see a picture of GW holding hands with a Saudi king.
non story v2...they already have one of our sophisticated drones...remember?
Yes, Iran was upset about some "Big Bird Video depicting Iranians in a bad light.
Ever wonder why this happened NOVEMBER 1st, but the Obama News Network is just reporting it now?
Republicans are wondering but democrats read and understood the story. I'll bet you can find somebody to explain it to you. Maybe a high school kid in your neighborhood.
This is a short story!!! Can you really be that stupid. You are able to get on the Internet and post your comments here. I think you need an IQ of at least 90 to do that.
To..ooomy""""
#82
bush kissing saudi prince
https://www.google.com/search?q=bush+kissing+saudi+prince&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=J2a&tbo=u&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=MyWcULWIM-3p0QHS2IHYAg&ved=0CDEQsAQ&biw=1067&bih=653
"Just a drone...doesn't matter if it costs a boat load of money...nothing to see here"
- Barack Obama
Obama has turned this country into a disrespected military presence.Even the third world countries don't respect us and they know that Obama will sit on his hands and help no one but himself and his anti second ammendment cronies.I love this country and cringe at the thought of 4 more years of B--l sh-t.
Not true....he'll send Hillary and she will bitch at them for days.
Citizens from the world's most developed industrialized countries were polled before the election and 80% said they would vote for Obama if they could. The world breathed a huge sigh of relief when Obama won.
Fact
To..D""""
No that was bush attacking Iraq based on lies and 9/11
Only President Obama thinks it is legal to take overseas money in an election as well as try to appease the world. Not working out so great since half of the country still thinks he is a poor excuse for a leader. The clearest example is the necessity to blame everyone not in the room for his lost opportunities. He would do well to remember who and what he represents just like our legislators in both parties.
Next
Phuck ! I'd rather be nuked! If the definition of terrorism is "committing atrocities against innocents to strike terror into the hearts of others" Then Hillary making a TV appearance is an act of terrorism.
Israel, American Zionist! We are on to your BS lies!
I for one welcome our new Iranian overlords, and volunteer myself to help round up others, to perfect the new caliphate.
Kent Brockman?
This incident happened November 1st and we are just finding out about it three days after the election?
Amazing how that works!
Find somebody who can read and understand the article and you will no longer be amazed.
Took them a week to tell us, what happens if one of the New Chinese Submarines that carry nukes fires on us, how much time will the administration give us notice then ?
Patty – if you had a top secret clearance and worked at the Pentagon, you would have heard about this immediately. But I don’t think they are hiring any imbeciles today.
All the new imbecile interviews are being conducted over at the White House to replace all the Obama appointed imbeciles that have already signaled they won't be staying for a second term.
Obama doesn't care! The middle east is about to erupt into a world war while Obama appears on The View.
We really need to impeach Obama
Because he didn't start a war?
No woodbutcher, we have to impeach him because a minority fanatical group say we have to! And they wonder why they're quickly going the way of the Dodo bird.....
"We lost an election because we're the minority. So let's impeach the winner."
All you republicans are doing is pissing people off with continued nonsense attacks. If anything the only thing you are solving is your pushing people even further away.
Aaaannnnd WW3 begins...
Again, all the conservative saber rattling. Too funny. My daddy can beat up your daddy....children are more mature than most of these folks.
No wonder Jesus hasn't come back yet, idiots just aren't worth saving...
dial up a couple of tomahawks aimed at their nuke facilities.....we won't miss
Just toss a few fire crackers :)
An unprovoked act of war and possible radioactive fallout over the Middle East. Certainly should please the 1 billion Muslims that are not necessarily our friends now. What a stupid idea.
There will be a response if there hasn't been one already. Most likely some SU-25 pilot has or soon will meet an untimely death while hunting for another drone. We just won't hear about it until it leaks as well....
Not all Predators are unarmed...that is why they are called Predators...some carry Hellfire missiles and other munitions. Maybe this one was unarmed after it fired.
Damn good thing it wasn't a Blimp. He never would of lived that one down, ha...
elmo,
Thanks for the smile.
All the story said is that two Iranian fighter pilots were so incompetent that they couldn't down an unmanned drone......and the conservatives want to go to war over that?????
exactly :) They probably have loads of spying crap here that we haven't caught yet.
They want to go to war over anything. The pilot was probably shooting at ducks.
We have done far more to Iran than they have done to us. Do a little research into the REAL reasons why they don't like or trust the US and you will see they have every right to distrust and fear the US. people need to educate themselves and stop being mindless sheep that believe everything the media and government feeds you.
Stop apologizing for the United States like Obama did. We are exceptional and perfect in every way and will never admit to making mistakes. Just ask the GOP.....
Im not apologizing, just stating a fact. Time people realize that both parties are liars and in bed together.
The USA, most "power country in the world" a Army. Navy, Air Force, USMC enough ,high tech weapons to blow up the world. So far 11 yrs gone by. We're fighting an enemy that's kicking our ass with nothing more than AK 47's & hand held rockets, & rocks! NOW we are looking at a country, Iran with more fire power. Can't wait to see how we handle this one. Maybe the US doesn't have what we had in WW I & II, BALLS!
Larry
Bush/Cheney had balls but they were dicks.
Obama will use his brain...
For what to keep his ears apart? For four years the only thing he uses his brain for is blaming everyone not in the room.
Silly americans they are just testing the water.Just wan't to see how much they get away with.They could have shot it down if they wanted.
Troll alert...
Drone was conducting normal maratime surveylance 16 miles off Iranian shore...
Drone was in international airspace...
Drone was not hit during fire...
And if you believe any of that, I've got a bridge to sell you.
And you believe it's a lie why?
What do you believe happened?
Because the US actively spies on Iran to monitor their nuclear activity, not their ships at sea (see www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/12/12/obama_on_us_drone_captured_by_iran_weve_asked_for_it_back.html)
and that monitoring often involves crossing into enemy airspace.
It would appear that a lot incidents related to this administration have no precedent such as our embassy in Libya,fast and furious, and now this provocation. You need balls and have to be able to step up to the plate.Obviously the @!$%#head ayatollah thinks he can get away with this sort of thing.
Give this a try. Google "embassy attacks" and start reading. If you can't do this, get one of the kids in the neighborhood to do it for you.
And maybe the kid can explain the difference between an embassy and a consulate to you. I'll get you started. Our embassy in Libya was not attacked.