The Strait of Hormuz Incident

Iranian speedboats reportedly menaced U.S. warships in the Strait of Hormuz on Jan. 6. Since then, the United States has emphasized the threat posed by Iran to U.S. forces in the strait and to the transit of oil from the Persian Gulf region. The revelation of a naval threat from Iran in the Strait of Hormuz just before U.S. President George W. Bush's trip to the region was fortuitous for the United States, to say the least. Washington will use the incident to push for an anti-Iranian coalition among the Gulf Arabs, as well as to push Iran into publicly working with the United States on the Iraq problem. [more]