British Sailors seized by Iran.

[plan_D]

Iran nabs British sailors in Iraq waters - Yahoo! News

This is unbelievable. The British government are nowhere near being firm enough. In the days of Empire this would be a declaration of war.

 

[timshatz]

You can bet if the Brits grabbed a bunch of Iranian Sailors, there would be protest, burnings of flags and riots in the streets. Iranians are throwing their weight around and getting away with it.

What a crock.

 

[plan_D]

Iran has no weight that's the worst part about it. The British government is so touchy, feely that it won't do anything about it. It's made an empty demand to the Iranian government, it will not follow anything up and it will be up to the Iranians to hand them over when they get their publicity.

In the Thatcher days, the British government would have demanded them back or there would have been a Royal Navy task force on its way. Good thing about Thatcher, she didn't screw around.

Only 40 years before Thatcher, anything like this happening would have resulted in British forces piling into Iran.

 

[mkloby]

You boys over better inflate your balls marc... I was amazed when I saw that. They should try their best to get your sailors back - then it's on. Iran needs a hurting.

 

[Matt308]

I reluctantly agree, mkloby. They need an ass whooping. And quick. It's the only thing these 4th century morons respect. The sword.

 

[Glider]

I am willing to bet the Captain was almost crying with frustration over the rules of engagement had was having to operate under.

 

[Matt308]

15 sailors. Claim is that they were a boarding party checking a freighter suspected of carrying cars (to Iraq?). They were surrounded by Iranian navy boats, arrested and taken back to the Motherland. Likely this will be resolved peacefully, but the Brits should take a piece of their hide in return. Give them a 4hr ultimatum or the bombing begins.

 

[Concorde247]

Iran are definately cruisin' for a bruisin' - Lucky for them unfortunately for us our governments weak as water!

 

[timshatz]

It's amazing that the Captain of the RN ship let it go/or had ROE that made him let it go. An officer letting his men get captured and stand by watching? Nah, that can't be.

Can it?

 

[Matt308]

Well The Guardian says they were released. The NYTimes (liberal rag piece of ****) indicates otherwise.

Iran frees eight British sailors | Iran | Guardian Unlimited

Iran Detains British Sailors in Waters Off Iraq - New York Times

 

[Gnomey]

BBC NEWS | UK | UK sailors captured at gunpoint

No indication of release on the BBC either. I agree with what has been said, in times past there would of been a task force on the way to blast the sh*t out of them, now it is just someone from the foreign ministry who asks nicely if we can have them back. Iran needs to be taught a lesson and taught it quickly and the only real way it seems is going to be with explosives and armour...

 

[Erich]

I think it's high time for tea in Tehran boyz ..........

 

[pbfoot]

Shades of the USS Pueblo

 

[joebong]

Shades of the USS Pueblo

Hope "M.O.D" will not let this decay into a "Peublo like" fiasco.
Godspeed to their safe return.

 

[lesofprimus]

Iran needs to be taught a lesson and taught it quickly and the only real way it seems is going to be with explosives and armour...

Doesnt ur country have ship launched cruise missles Gnomey???? Ol' Blair needs to drop in some SAS and get some...

 

[mkloby]

Doesnt ur country have ship launched cruise missles Gnomey???? Ol' Blair needs to drop in some SAS and get some...

I would be personally embarressed if a similar situation happened to the US and we stood by and did nothing.

For the brits: do the majority of the British realize how weak a "non-response" would make them look internationally? What's actual public sentiment in the UK - not the media reported sentiment?

 

[trackend]

My opinion is that at the moment the right action is being taken charging in with all guns blazing is a last resort not a first if re patriating the personel without a big stick works then I feel thats fine.
The whole thing should not of happened in the first place. if the vessel was not in Iranian waters as is claimed ( I cant believe their GPS is that bad) then they should have the right to prevent boarding IE: blow the crap out of anyone attempting it, the politicians are and always have been a thorn in the side of the forces although they instigate actions they tend to start dictating operational policies and that is just making the job harder still.
Locating and rescuing captured personel requires planning and I am sure that this is currently in action so if required a ready to deploy team will be gend and tooled up. The regiment have a rota of stand too so I suspect a team will already be within the zone of conflict.
But as I say I would prefer a peaceful solution.

 

[mkloby]

My opinion is that at the moment the right action is being taken charging in with all guns blazing is a last resort not a first if re patriating the personel without a big stick works then I feel thats fine.
The whole thing should not of happened in the first place. if the vessel was not in Iranian waters as is claimed ( I cant believe their GPS is that bad) then they should have the right to prevent boarding IE: blow the crap out of anyone attempting it, the politicians are and always have been a thorn in the side of the forces although they instigate actions they tend to start dictating operational policies and that is just making the job harder still.
Locating and rescuing captured personel requires planning and I am sure that this is currently in action so if required a ready to deploy team will be gend and tooled up. The regiment have a rota of stand too so I suspect a team will already be within the zone of conflict.
But as I say I would prefer a peaceful solution.

See - that's the attitude that I believe is dangerous. I believe you're right with the initial response. Try to get your sailors back. However, if Britain has absolutely no response and shows not a bit of bravado - that emboldens those that will do her harm - with no fear of reprisals. There should should be a task force steaming towards Iran right now.

 

[Nonskimmer]

Better yet, a Vanguard class ballistic missile submarine.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Iran needs to be tought a lesson. First thing should be to get those sailors back but in some kind of lesson needs to be tought or they will think they can do something like that again.

I say send some cruise missiles and knock out there nuke plant. Tell them next time it is Tehran.