Issue 1:
HEAVY TRAFFIC
The Strait of Hormuz is one of
the busiest waterways in the
world. On January 6, 2008, five
Iranian boats engaged in what
the U.S. perceived as
provocative action against three
U.S. Navy vessels in the Strait
of Hormuz. The incident
heightened already existing
tensions between the two
countries. Now, lawmakers
are seeking ways to minimize the
potential for future incidents
between the two country's
military vessels in the Strait
of Hormuz. |
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THE MIDDLE EAST
The Strait of Hormuz
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The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow
body of water linking the Gulf
of Oman with the Persian Gulf.
It is a strategically important
waterway because 40-percent of
the world’s seaborne oil passes
through it. In addition to
supporting commercial interests,
U.S. naval vessels routinely
pass through it; and presently,
U.S. and Iranian military
vessels have no means of
communicating with one another. |
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Action Taken by
CBC-Member:
On Thursday, April 2, 2008,
Congressman John Conyers, Jr.
(D-Michigan),
along with Congressman Geoff
Davis
(R-Kentucky),
introduced House
Resolution 94, which
calls for the negotiation of a
naval communication protocol
agreement between the
governments of the United States
and Iran.
Congressman Conyers is Chair of
the House Committee on the
Judiciary and serves on three
subcommittees: The Subcommittee
on Commercial and Administrative
Law; The Subcommittee on Courts,
the Internet, and Intellectual
Property; and the Subcommittee
on Constitution, Civil Rights,
and Civil Liberties. |
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Statements:
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"Each week,
approximately eight U.S.
naval vessels, 250 oil
tankers, and over 100
million dead-weight tons
of cargo are shipped
through the narrow, two
mile-wide shipping
lanes. The need for a
ship-to-ship naval
communication protocol
could not be more
obvious.”
- U.S. Rep. Conyers |
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“A naval conflict in the
Strait of Hormuz would
have dire consequences
for the world’s oil
supply and the
international economy.
An average of fifteen
tankers carrying between
sixteen and seventeen
million barrels of crude
oil pass through the
Strait each day, making
these waters one of the
world’s most
strategically important
oil chokepoints. The
traffic that passes
through the Strait
comprises 20-percent of
global oil and
90-percent of the oil
exported by Persian Gulf
producers. The incident
in January 2008 in the
Strait of Hormuz between
Iranian Revolutionary
Guards and the U.S. Navy
highlights the need for
such an agreement. A
similar agreement was
implemented successfully
by the U.S. and the
Soviet Union during the
Cold War.”
- U.S. Rep. Davis |
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