Iran Seizes, Then Apparently Releases 10 US Sailors
Yesterday evening and this morning, looks like a bit of drama played out. Iran’s state news claims the Iranian Revolutionary Guard seized 2 US riverine boats crewed by 10 US sailors while those boats were in the Persian Gulf. The Iranian medial also claims the sailors have now been released; however, US sources do not appear to have yet confirmed that. It’s unclear whether the two riverine boats were also released.
Prior to their release, a Revolutionary Guard spokesman said the sailors would be “debriefed”. They also accused the boats of exhibiting “unprofessional acts” and of possibly having intentionally entered Iranian waters.
The two boats apparently drifted into Iranian waters after having mechanical problems. They were enroute from Bahrain to Kuwait.
Given the fact that the POTUS gave the State of the Union address yesterday and other recent incidents between Iranian and US naval forces, does anyone out there really think the timing here was coincidental?
Category: Foreign Policy, Military issues, Navy
0bummer is likely to think, “They have our boats and will soon have nukes, but we have gay ‘marriage’ and they don’t, so I win.”
By any chance do you have a relative who graduated the US Naval Academy,worked for PP&L and was born in Schuylkill Haven, PA?
Coincidental? Uh, no.
When do we get our country back?
When do we get our country back? Simple – in one regard, on 20 Jan 17, when a new POTUS takes office (preferably not someone in the Democrap column); in the main, however, we get it back when we stop re-electing the fools who gave it away.
Another account I read had the RG spokeshole demanding the US apologize to Iran for this incident, also. Obama’s such a pussy, he’ll probably do it.
A better solution would be to have a multi-nation naval exercise right around Farsi Island.
Look at the map. That sandbar is smack dab in the middle of the Arabian Gulf. Anybody else think that the Iranians are trying to do what the Chinese are pushing in the SCS? That is, make the gulf their own private lake.
Our response should be, “Fuck you very much!”
I know, I know, but I can dream!
Well, this is IMO the only correct reply to that RG spokesman. Hopefully the senior military spokesman on site has already sent that reply. (Obligatory warning: clip is highly NSFW or for prudes, smal children, or clergy.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuUqpZgHiEE
I rather doubt anyone at State would have had the stones to send that response.
Out of all the choices, that would be mine also. The US should demand an apology for those pricks not rendering aid to a vessel in need.
My guess is that someone’s head will roll over this.
Who authorized these river craft to transit that close to the Iranian waters boundary (which we recognize) that they could have drifted out of international waters?
There is a standoff distance for US aircraft when flying near international boundaries, I have to believe that there is a similar SOP for ships.
Your correct, but they are escort patrol boats and part of their job is to keep other craft off and away from the bigger ships that they are escorting. So if they were doing this and engine failed it is possible with current that they could move into Iran’s 12 mile zone.They have accidental brushes all the time. They are small craft Mark V so it is hard for them to just throw an anchor out and stop from drifting down current.
Thanks for the insights. If they are escorting others, who generally has recovery responsibility if a craft breaks down?
I recant to the Mark V thing they were in the old SWCC boats but they do use and have the Mark V. It is a good thing they were not Mark V very advance boat but it would also have not broke down like that.
I recant the Mark V thing they were the older SWCC boats but they do have and use the Mark V. They probably would not have the same problem if they were in the Mark V.
Will the Sailors get the Heinz Kerry Riverine Boat ribbon with the Blue Falcon OLC?
Our navy rescued Iranian Navy personnel in JAN2012 and again MAR2012. Within the past couple of years, that civilian charter 737 had to make an unscheduled landing in Iran and it was full of American citizens, although it was a Dubai flagged carrier (as I recall).
For Iran to release the crew rather quickly does not surprise me. What does surprise me is the articles I have read that the boats were determined to be missing after they failed to make a rendezvous for refuel. That kind of blows my mind. At any given time I would think we have multiple air assets overhead, even to include MAC flights. I would think the Navy has something comparable to BFT. Any chance these boats were crewed by NSW types? It would make a good case to NOT have any unit tattoos I would think.
No, they are Riverine RVGRUP craft that belong to NECC not NSW. They can do combat ops and are trained to do some offensive combat missions. Yes they have a system like BFT. Don’t know why that didn’t set anything off. They do some work with SWCC so they could have been doing that type of exercise but they usually do escort missions.
Thank you for the informed comments Master Chief.
GDC, I’m just a Chief but a real one not like the other guy in FL.
I just wanted to put that out there.
Everyone always has this NSW thing with the Navy.
When there are also special ground and other mission sets out there that support and do small unit warfighting.
Navy Expeditionary Combat Command covers all that for the Navy and has operational control for them and lends them out to combatant commanders.
NSW on the other hand operationally belongs to SOCOM or JSOC.
Now I will say you may be on to something because they do drop off SOF unit’s just not NSW.
Sorry about the mistake in rank. I try to follow the bouncing ball, and thought I had seen you previously addressed and MC. So thank you Chief. (I hope I got it right this time or I am going to give up).
Since your first comment in reply to mine, I went to the Navy NECC page and learned quite a bit. I also read up an SWCC. I like to learn. Thank you for the pointers.
The Navy only has one set of true killers SEAL’s. However it does have several force multipliers and force enablers out there. I think the reason EOD left NSW and went under NECC is they are the big boy’s on the block not the step child they were under NSW. Plus with Riverine they have their own SWCC
Media is saying a mechanical malfunction caused the boats (not ships, as some nautically challenged folks are reporting) to drift into Iranian waters.
ONE boat losing power I can see, with the second rendering aid to take it in tow, and running out of time.
BOTH boats losing power is a whole different ball game, and smacks of either incompetence or sabotage.
That’s the thing that got me. Also, why were there no radio messages sent from the boats to command?
It wasn’t the first time Iran was holding US citizens hostage during a State of the Union speech. You would have thought however that the current occupant of the Whitehouse would have mentioned it…
Just saw the video of our Navy personnel on their knees, hands on their heads surrendering to Iranian forces. Somebody should be fired over this!
And the one female with her hair covered.
But John F’ing Kerry has thanked Iran for their help in a letter.
I know the Command Master Chief of there higher (NECC) and he couldn’t say much. He is fucking pissed.
I can imagine he would be. He probably wants to stomp the shit out of the person in charge of that patrol.
I know him and would say hell yes if he could he would fly there and come here WTF. He is higher command but I know he was on the phone with the COC.
To be a fly on the wall for that conversation.
I’d like to help the good MC.
These fuckers should never have been allowed to close the boat.
I get too angry to comment very much about things like that, so I’ll just say this: if I were in charge, somebody here would get fired, and somebody over there would die.
Well I guess Obama cancelled ” Don’t give up the ship”
Why are the crew all in T-Shirts and not a uniform jacket with rank, name, etc.? Is that SOP or did the ragheads make them remove them?
No while they are operating small boats they need to be in KIT but can have T-shirts on. Nothing wrong in the way they were dressed because they were working you can work with T-shirts on. I would bet that when the Iranians came over the leading Petty Officer told them to de-kit so they would not look aggressive.
SEABEECPO, is it SOP to carry passports on these small boat patrols?
Yes the redone or government ones. They move in-between several different countries and would need in case they have to pull in for emergencies and also if need to try to escape on land. When ever we do CA missions in third world counties we had them and sometimes we didn’t come in that way but had them if we needed to get out and that is why you have a set of civilian clothes with you also. It’s a basic E/V Technique.
If I was wearing uniform with rank and unit, I think I’d be inclined to have a burn party before accepting the Iranian hospitality. Let Allah figure it out for them.
I thought it was a war crime to publish humiliating pictures of detainees or does that only Apply to the USA and Israel
I think you just answered your own question.
Just an embarrassing situation all around. But it pretty much sums up Obama’s time in office. It was nice to see Young Frankenstein’s doppelgänger, John Kerry, saying such nice things about Iran.
Then there’s this:
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/01/13/iran-violates-geneva-convention-by-putting-sailors-on-tv/
“State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner declined to answer at a Wednesday briefing whether Iran had violated the Geneva Convention, saying the videos might not be authentic.”
Mark “Not Authentic” Toner- Faq-heem.