But just for one point, the argument that their behavior is fine because we aren’t at war with Iran is fatuous. One’s behavior in military service is not conditioned on the state of affairs between countries. It isn’t even an issue for consideration.

If what’s been said about the Brits’ ROE is true then they really cannot be blamed for being captured. Again if it is true, ROE that send these guys out to interdict smugglers (terrorists importing IED’s into Iraq) are outrageous.

It seems we learned nothing from Vietnam. We (the US) have apparently allowed Maliki to veto our targeting enemy combatants in Baghdad (Moqtada’s army). That’s worse than Lyndon Johnson hand approving every bombing target – hell we’re letting a foreign leader do it this time. The Brits are putting servicemen and women in the line of fire with (metaphorically) empty weapons.

We cannot win this way.

That’s the title of my Townhall column this week. It’s about the British troops and their cashiering “Let’s Roll” for “Fighting Back Was not an Option.”
In the credit-where-it’s-due department, the idea for juxtaposing the two incidents came …

The Iranians, the British, the Americans, …

As a Brit, I thought we were allies with America. In it together. But the slander and abuse I see being dumped on my country and its servicemen & women, I am seriously starting to doubt that.

Dear uptight,

I have the utmost respect for your armed services and their traditions. When your country went to war with Argentina, we transfered some of our advanced munitions to your forces while underway. And most of us were glad when you reclaimed the Falkands. When your Queen stood with us after 9/11, and ordered the Guard band to play the Star-Spangled Banner, we were grateful beyond your knowing.

Do not take the criticism over this event as defamation of your country. Please.

You were with us in the Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Your country has offered us a base for our forward-based supply ships, as well as airbasing facilities at Diego Garcia. You have been a good ally of the United States and most of us here, know it.

I think most of us posting here are angry at your politicians, in the Admiralty and in the Cabinet, for THEIR failure of courage in dealing with is crisis.

I think most of us here fault the Lt commanding the boarding party for not dealing with either the capture or the incarcerationg in the best traditions of the Royal Navy. But most of us also know that junior officers make mistakes — that’s because they are young and inexperienced. Hopefully, the young Lt will be given a chance to learn and grow and is not made into the scapegoat for this incident.

I would bet that all of us know in our hearts, that Lambert must have been pounding the bulkhead with his fists (or maybe his head) in absolute frustration for being ordered to stand by and do nothing.

HMS Cornwall could have intervened; she had the power to prevent the capture; and she had the power to utterly destroy the naval base used by the Revolutionary Guards. But the politicans in London would not even let her fire a warning shot across the bows of the patrol boats once they crossed into Iraqi waters.

Finally, I think I speak for most of us Americans posting here: This incident frustrates us to no end. Just as we are frustrated that Iran is NOT being punished for being directly responsible for the deaths of 170 Americans in Iraq. Just as we are frustrated that our government is ignoring the illegal immigration problem we have. Just as we are frustrated by the political party runing Congress doing everything possible to engineer our defeat in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Please accept my apology for what you think as defamation and abuse. I believe in my heart, that it is not meant as such. If anything, consider it our lament for our ally, instead.

As a Brit, I thought we were allies with America. In it together. But the slander and abuse I see being dumped on my country and its servicemen & women, I am seriously starting to doubt that.

uptight on April 7, 2007 at 2:49 AM

Dear Ally,

Many times I’ve noticed that, of late, justified criticism is considered as lack of love–of whatever variety that love is: erotic, brotherly or spiritual. The love between Americans and Brits is of the brotherly variety, but, as with the other two types, that love does not preclude the aforementioned justified criticism. Indeed, this criticism set forth by your brothers and sisters, has a purpose: your survival and, ultimately, our own.

If you don’t understand that, here’s hoping that the vast majority of your countrymen will.

I’m sure Mahmud is happy to see your abuse and hostility, though.

Next war – try asking the French to support you.

WWII lasted 8 years, it started in 1937 when Japan attacked China and it ended in 1945 when Japan surrendered. We haven’t reached 8 years yet, much less surpassed it.

Yeah yeah, I knew some fool would go back to that, but hey, why not go back to when the Japanese attacked the Russians at Port Arthur. Be reasonable, count it from 1939 or 1941, when it truely was a World War.

Howver, one point of consideration is how the Brits were abandoned by their command ship and support which DID have the firepower to blast the Iranians into oblivion to protect their crew. Or, at the very least, warned the Brits when the Iranians were coming from very far away.

Well, at least we agree on something.

The Brit sea & ground soldiers are definitely as well armed as our sea & ground soldiers in all respects. If you ask them, they are as well trained also.

Wrong, and yes, I’ve known my share of UK fighting men during six years I lived there. They don’t pretend to have our capabilities on most levels, outside of SAS and perhaps the RN’s missile subs.

No one here or anywhere else, in their right mind, would wish death on those Brit soldiers.

Well you’re half right, no one here in “their right mind.”

帰還したイギリス兵たちのいいわけがましい記者会見が続く中、アメリカの軍人らによる１５人の臆病者行為の批判は高まっている。 「抵抗は論外だった」とクリス・エア大尉は語り「…

Their mission was “Cargo Inspection” as an ally to the United States in the Global War on Terrorism, in the “theater” of Iraq.

Let’s leave out the Iranians for a minute.

Let’s say they came across a fishing boat, approached it, borded it, searched it, opened a hatch and found a hundred bad guys with guns, bombs, and bad breath……

What would they have done then?

What would the British War Ship that sent them do?

Why are they inspecting ships again? A Holiday? A bit of ’slap and tickle’?

Hot Air has a roundup of negative reactions to the behavior of the British military hostages in Iran (also video of Col. Ralph Peters recommending a courtmartial; best line: “I’ve had ex-girlfriends treat me worse than that.”), and John Derbyshire…..

doufree on April 6, 2007 at 5:39 PM

Here is an example of what can happen when people don’t think the way you do.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rorke’s_Drift

179 Brave men defeated over 5000 of their enemy.

Using your logic, the Texan’s in the Alamo should have surrenderred to Santa Anna.

As a veteren, I find the behaviour of these brits repugnant and cowardly.

The 15 British sailors and marines were released by Iran after a “pardon” by tyrannical anti-Semite Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and have since returned to the UK.
Yet, while their safe return home is worthy of celebration, a number of the British …

The crux of the problem is their behavior while in custody of the Iranians.

That’s true, but personally I also think the problem is, why were these guys were on an operation without support? There is no way you can sneak up on someone, in a surface vessel, on the ocean, in 2007.

Now if these Iranians held in Iraq are suddenly released, then we have a whole new problem…

BTW, I assume they kept the boats and the uniforms? That could be problematic.

While reading the reports and commentary regarding the abduction of fifteen British Royal Navy/Marine service members (fourteen men and one woman) by Iran, their subsequent release and the behavior of the service members before during and after the abd…