About those arms.....

So it's "we said" versus "they said."

You see, there is this ship. A Russian freighter, flying a Cypriot flag, that sailed from Iran, headed for Syria. At least that is what was originally reported by CBS News.

That same CBS News report from late January, said that the ship was stopped by the US Navy, searched and released. "The United States did as much as we could do legally," (Admiral Mike) Mullen said, adding that he would like more authority to act in such cases. "We were not authorized to seize the weapons or do anything like that."

Cut to....this week, where the ship is now anchored off the port of Limassol in Cyprus under tight security. The Cypriot government has now searched the ship, and has asked the UN for guidance.

Yesterday, according to Reuters, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said there were no arms on the ship.

So you see the problem. The US Navy says there are arms on board the ship. The Israeli media says there are arms aboard the ship, the Iranians deny there are arms on the ship, the Cypriot government searched the ship but is not saying anything.

We said, they said.

The real issue is that it is time to really clamp down on arms shipments anywhere in the world. Whether real or imagined. I realized that this is a very pollyanna-ish view, but there is nothing wrong with saying that there are certain parts of the world that just don't need arms. Call me a dreamer, but it's harder to sit down and talk than it is to pull a trigger.

There's never a pirate around when you need one

So there is this ship that is causing a lot of headaches in the Middle East. According to reports, it's a Russian cargo ship, flying a Cyprus flag, carrying Iranian arms.

Stay with me, because this is really juicy international relations stuff.

Right now, the Cypriots have detained the ship near Limassol, the port in Cyprus, per a request from the United States.

Now the Cypriots, which are currently ruled by the Communists, are searching the ship and they're doing this because they want better relations with the United States. And there is a UN resolution that prohibits arms trafficking in the area.

So what's on the ship?

According to Israel's Ha'aretz there are Iranian arms on board destined for Hamas and Gaza. Other reports say the arms are going to Syria. The Russians claim it's just cargo.

One thing that IS certain is that everyone wishes the whole situation would disappear.

Oh...we'll be following this very closely. This could turn into the first big international incident for the Obama administration.

Who wants to start a pool that the ship never makes it any further? Any takers on an "accidental sinking?"

Whaaaat? Hey, stuff happens.