I could be wrong.... but exactly what sort of anti-missile defenses

[HysteryDiagnosis]

does the cruise ship ferrying American citizens to Cypress actually have? It isn't named the Lusitania is it??

http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=474
United States Entry into World War I: A Documentary Chronology of World War I
Lesson Three of Curriculum Unit:
U.S. Entry into World War I: A Documentary Chronology
Introduction
In this lesson of the curriculum unit, students reconsider the events leading to U.S. entry into World War I through the lens of archival documents.

http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/wwi/1914/armship.html

19 September, 1914
The Status of Armed Merchant Vessels

Department of State
Washington, September 19, 1914

A. A merchant vessel of belligerent nationality may carry an armament and ammunition for the sole purpose of defense without acquiring the character of a ship of war.

B. The presence of an armament and ammunition on board a merchant vessel creates a presumption that the armament is for offensive purposes, but the owners or agents may overcome this presumption by evidence showing that the vessel carries armament solely for defense.

C. Evidence necessary to establish the fact that the armament is solely for defense and will not be used offensively, whether the armament be mounted or stowed below, must be presented in each case independently at an official investigation. The result of the investigation must show conclusively that the armament is not intended for, and will not be used in, offensive operations. Indications that the armament will not be used offensively are:

1. That the caliber of the guns carried does not exceed six inches.

2. That the guns and small arms carried are few in number.

3. That no guns are mounted on the forward part of the vessel.

4. That the quantity of ammunition carried is small.

5. That the vessel is manned by its usual crew, and the officers are the same as those on board before war was declared

6. That the vessel intends to and actually does clear for a port lying in its usual trade route, or a port indicating its purpose to continue in the same trade in which it was engaged before war was declared.

7. That the vessel takes on board fuel and supplies sufficient only to carry it to its port of destination, or the same quantity substantially which it has been accustomed to take for a voyage before war was declared.

8. That the cargo of the vessel consists of articles of commerce unsuited for the use of a ship of war in operations against an enemy.

9. That the vessel carries passengers who are as a whole unfitted to enter the military or naval service of the belligerent whose flag the vessel flies, or of any of its allies, and particularly if the passenger list includes women and children.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

1. One would hope...

...that it isn't named the Achille Lauro II

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. One would hope it isn't a pawn. n/t

[TexasProgresive]

3. One could hope...

its not named the 'USS Liberty'

At 0800 hrs, 8 June, 1967, eight Israeli recon flights flew over 'Liberty,' which was flying a large American flag. At 1400 hrs, waves of low-flying Israeli Mystere and Mirage-III fighter-bombers repeatedly attacked the American vessel with rockets, napalm, and cannon. The air attacks lasted 20 minutes, concentrating on the ship's electronic antennas and dishes. The 'Liberty' was left afire, listing sharply. Eight of her crew lay dead, a hundred seriously wounded, including the captain, Commander William McGonagle.

At 1424 hrs, three Israeli torpedo boats attacked, raking the burning 'Liberty' with 20mm and 40mm shells. At 1431hrs an Israeli torpedo hit the 'Liberty' midship, precisely where the signals intelligence systems were located. Twenty-five more Americans died.

Israeli gunboats circled the wounded 'Liberty,' firing at crewmen trying to fight the fires. At 1515, the crew were ordered to abandon ship. The Israeli warships closed and poured machine gun fire into the crowded life rafts, sinking two. As American sailors were being massacred in cold blood, a rescue mission by US Sixth Fleet carrier aircraft was mysteriously aborted on orders from the White House.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig/margolis12.html

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. Ummmmm, how come this thread isn't locked now?

[TexasProgresive]

8. Why should it be locked-

It is the truth- It is not propaganda. Israel sank our ship in 1967 and knew it was ours.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

9. I thought the topic may be for the IP only.... then again, it refers

to IA, so perhaps not.

[TahitiNut]

5. If an attack on a ship carrying 500+ U.S. fleeing civilians is blamed ...

... on Hizb'allah, all hell will break loose and Junior will claim imperial powers - probably including a draft. It'd be a made-to-order "event" that'd light the fires in earnest.

[Junkdrawer]

6. That or a "Hezbollah" terror attack on US soil seems inevitable...

When I did the calculations, a terror-attack-to-justify-a-war-on-Iran seemed highly likely - with one problem: No one with any ME knowledge at all would believe that Iran would do such a thing. That was the thing that made the so-called MIHOP II scenarios unlikely.

Now, we have this massively criminal attack on Lebanon with the stated aim of the annihilation of Hezbollah. An attack by Hezbollah on the US now is highly likely and very believable. And tracing such an attack back to Iran would be child's play compared to what was done in the lead up to Iraq.

Oh, we're going to get it alright. It's now just a question of when. Anytime between now and Nov. 2.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. Exactly my point. Thank you. n/t