Iran nabs British sailors in Iraq waters

[CoLawman]

Dicey situation. It looks like the Iranians have the upper hand here. If the Brits, God love them, retaliate it is at their sailors peril. I'm waiting for Colonel Moroney to set the table on this one!

[stakk4]

Originally Posted by CoLawman

If the Brits, God love them, retaliate it is at their sailors peril.

All due respect CoLawman, but the sailors are, of course, already in peril. A strong military smackdown in retaliation may protect future servicemembers. I wonder what the world response would be if Britain's answer was "Give us back our 15 men or we'll destroy an installation with 1500 of yours." I also like to think that if, somehow, an SAS or joint rescue team found and recovered those sailors, it would make Iran look weak, incompetent, and out of their league.

[echoes]

It is at times like this that I am thankful that there are folks like SF, who are far smarter in the reality of what is happening.

This whole scenario reminds me of that old boardgame whose tag line was, "You Sunk My Battleship."

Holly

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by CoLawman

Dicey situation. It looks like the Iranians have the upper hand here. If the Brits, God love them, retaliate it is at their sailors peril.

I'd rather die as a prisoner knowing my CINC & country attempted to rescue me than sit for weeks, months or years rotting away because of some spineless president/politician doesn't possess the balls to attempt such a rescue. My .02

TS

[echoes]

Updated 11:36 AM ET March 25, 2007

http://dailynews.att.net/cgi-bin/new...39ea00&src=ap#

By PAUL AMES

BERLIN (AP) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Sunday that the 15 British sailors and marines captured by Iran as they searched for smugglers off the Iraqi coast were not in Iranian waters and warned that Britain viewed their fate as a "fundamental" issue.

[sf11b_p]

Originally Posted by Jgood

I vote for letting the Brits take Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his delegation when they come to talk to the UN.

They aren't coming, they cite the U.S. at fault for passport delays. The U.S. denies this stating only the additional passports requested were delayed at the fault of the Iranians. But what a coincidence, captured Brits, cancelled New York trip.

[Pikeman]

The Iran dilemma was one of the reasons why the USCG got deployed over there in the first place. The two Iraqi oil platforms right off the Al-Faw Penninsula had been eyed heavily by the Iranians for a long time. They would come out on a daily basis in their Boghammer gunboats and see what kind of $#!t they could get away with.

Taking it to this level is something new- but seeing what they can get away with: This is nothing new.

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by Pikeman

The Iran dilemma was one of the reasons why the USCG got deployed over there in the first place. The two Iraqi oil platforms right off the Al-Faw Penninsula had been eyed heavily by the Iranians for a long time. They would come out on a daily basis in their Boghammer gunboats and see what kind of $#!t they could get away with.

Taking it to this level is something new- but seeing what they can get away with: This is nothing new.

Who are you?

Have you posted an Introduction, or read the stickies like we ask guests to do?

TR

[Pikeman]

My bad- I went to fill my intro, right after I sent that one- not a good start to this relationship. Forgive my naivety.

[echoes]

http://dailynews.att.net/cgi-bin/new...o3v4ro0&src=ap


"Iran is isolated in the world, it has few friends," Burns said in Brussels. "Iranians have to understand they don't run the world, they don't have unlimited power, and we are sending a clear message from the rest of the world ... that we want to contain and block Iranian power, especially on the nuclear side."


Well, it seems that the "red-headed step-child" of the world is either too stupid, or to busy to care. I wonder what is going to happen now that "they" have blown off the U.N.? my .02

Holly

[Dub]

Great, now the Iraqi government we helped produce wants to negotiate with terrorists (Iran) to get the guys back. Wonderful news about the stalwart nature of those in power in Iraq...

[MoonAngel]

Found this article interesting....to say the least.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6228342.stm


Iran 'unable to take Australians'
By Frank Gardner
BBC News security correspondent



The Australians have also been patrolling northern Gulf waters
Iranian naval forces in the Gulf tried to capture an Australian Navy boarding team but were vigorously repelled, the BBC has learned.
The incident took place before Iran successfully seized 15 British sailors and Marines in March.

The lessons from the earlier attempt do not appear to have been applied in time by British maritime patrols.

The 15 Britons were searching a cargo boat in the Gulf when they were captured over a boundary dispute.

When Iranian Revolutionary Guards captured the British sailors and Royal Marines in March, it was not exactly their first attempt.

It turns out that Iranian forces made an earlier concerted attempt to seize a boarding party from the Royal Australian Navy.

The Australians, though, to quote one military source, "were having none of it".

The BBC has been told the Australians re-boarded the vessel they had just searched, aimed their machine guns at the approaching Iranians and warned them to back off, using what was said to be "highly colourful language".

The Iranians withdrew, and the Australians were reportedly lifted off the ship by one of their own helicopters.

The circumstances for the Britons in March were slightly different in that they were caught so much by surprise that, had they attempted to repel the Iranians with their limited firepower, they would doubtless have taken very heavy casualties.

But military sources say that what is of concern is that the Royal Navy did not appear to have taken sufficient account of the lessons of the Australian encounter.

In an oblique reference to the threat from Iran, Britain's First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, has recently admitted there was a need for greater strategic awareness in the northern Gulf.

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by MoonAngel

Found this article interesting....to say the least.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6228342.stm

Iran 'unable to take Australians'
By Frank Gardner
BBC News security correspondent

The Australians have also been patrolling northern Gulf waters Iranian naval forces in the Gulf tried to capture an Australian Navy boarding team but were vigorously repelled, the BBC has learned.
The incident took place before Iran successfully seized 15 British sailors and Marines in March.

The lessons from the earlier attempt do not appear to have been applied in time by British maritime patrols.

The 15 Britons were searching a cargo boat in the Gulf when they were captured over a boundary dispute.

When Iranian Revolutionary Guards captured the British sailors and Royal Marines in March, it was not exactly their first attempt.

It turns out that Iranian forces made an earlier concerted attempt to seize a boarding party from the Royal Australian Navy.

The Australians, though, to quote one military source, "were having none of it".

The BBC has been told the Australians re-boarded the vessel they had just searched, aimed their machine guns at the approaching Iranians and warned them to back off, using what was said to be "highly colourful language".

The Iranians withdrew, and the Australians were reportedly lifted off the ship by one of their own helicopters.

The circumstances for the Britons in March were slightly different in that they were caught so much by surprise that, had they attempted to repel the Iranians with their limited firepower, they would doubtless have taken very heavy casualties.

But military sources say that what is of concern is that the Royal Navy did not appear to have taken sufficient account of the lessons of the Australian encounter.

In an oblique reference to the threat from Iran, Britain's First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, has recently admitted there was a need for greater strategic awareness in the northern Gulf.

Like most iranian military, if you stand your ground they'll turn tail and run home. Glad to see the Aussie Navy won the day!

TS

[Mosby Raider]

Information was already posted.