About the \"gift\" and the \"free lunch\"

About the \"gift\" and the \"free lunch\"

www.nypost.com

The once-proud Brit military has collapsed to a sorry state when its Royal Marines surrender without a fight, then apologize to their captors (praising their gentle natures!) while criticizing their own country. Pretty sad to think that the last real warriors fighting under the Union Jack are soccer hooligans.

(visit the link for the full news article)

We'll need to wait until the marines are back home before we know with what currency UK paid for the release,but there is no such thing as free lunch...
There are many questions that need to be answered:
-Was UK humiliated?
-How can be that all the crew member "confess" in couple of days? - (nice suits by the way)
-Do the Royal Navy need to change the rules of engagement and maybe disband this unit?
-Will Tehran pay for not following the Geneva Convention? (especially regarding the religios believes of the female soldier)
-What the americans promised too - one iranian "diplomat" was freed,but now that Iran has succeed to have an direct diplomacy with US (next week in Istambul) we'll wait to see if their nuclear program will be "legalized" too?
-Now that the UK can't do they job in patroling the Iraqi territorial waters without the permission of Iran, are they too out of the possible US led strike against Iran if it's needed in order to halt their nuclear program?

www.nypost.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 4-4-2007 by ZMax]
www.telegraph.co.uk.../opinion/2007/04/05/dl0501.xml

[edit on 4-4-2007 by ZMax]

[edit on 4-4-2007 by ZMax]

[edit on 4-4-2007 by ZMax]

Originally posted by ZMax
We'll need to wait until the marines are back home before we know with what currency UK paid for the release,but there is no such thing as free lunch...

The UK most likely did'nt do anything, except be diplomatic, personally I think Iran released them because they think it will make them look better to the rest of the world.

-Was UK humiliated?

No, plain and simple.

-How can be that all the crew member "confess" in couple of days? - (nice suits by the way)

Well, when your life is being threatened and you're being forced to say
it, it is'nt very surprising.


I was going to respond to more, but I honestly don't have the patience
at the moment.

Originally posted by ZMax
-Was UK humiliated?

No. Embarressed maybe. Pissed off, yes.

Originally posted by ZMax
-How can be that all the crew member "confess" in couple of days? - (nice suits by the way)

They didn't. The letters were obviously fake as the way they were written is not the way a Brit would write. They were so obviously under coersion and even when the video's with the maps were released, they were obviously heavily edited and no sound was heard.

Originally posted by ZMax
-Do the Royal Navy need to change the rules of engagement and maybe disband this unit?

Disband what? Change the ROE definately, but disband what unit? Don't be such a fool.

Originally posted by ZMax
-Will Tehran pay for not following the Geneva Convention? (especially regarding the religios believes of the female soldier)

Not entirely sure the conventions apply, considering they weren't POW's. Also, asking her to wear a headscarf is not infringing on her beliefs.

Originally posted by ZMax
-What the americans promised too - one iranian "diplomat" was freed,but now that Iran has succeed to have an direct diplomacy with US (next week in Istambul) we'll wait to see if their nuclear program will be "legalized" too?

The nuclear issue is unrelated to this.

Originally posted by ZMax
-Now that the UK can't do they job in patroling the Iraqi territorial waters without the permission of Iran, are they too out of the possible US led strike against Iran if it's needed in order to halt their nuclear program?

What makes you think that? All that will happen now is the ROE will change so this does not happen again.

Thank you for your replies...

By disband unit - I mean not the whole navy,just the unit...

Geneva Con applies not only to POW but also for any encounter between two armed forces in any time in any place,no matter if there is a war or not if one of the sides don't accept war...And by personal opinion attacking with 4 speed boats in iraqi waters (it was response to the intrusion-yes right the iranians have 4 speed boats ready all the time with RG soldiers) is an act of war (UK walked under the table on that one, in different times we now what RNavy was doing)...
It just makes me wonder when Iran has the bomb what tricks they are going to pull,because then "48 hour ultimatum" will not work...

Originally posted by ZMax
Thank you for your replies...

By disband unit - I mean not the whole navy, just the unit...

Thats like saying "Get rid of the whole of the USMC due to a few of thier members getting into a single incident".

Not going to happen.

The only part of yor post i think i'd agree with is that the Brits should review the ROE, if indeed this was the reason those sailors hands wer tied.

CX.

that author of the article Ralph Peters is really fanning the embers
and trying his darnest to stoke up a fire,

I say, do what one needs to do and survive,
the royal marines didn't sign papers or take an oath to volunteer as martyrs...
or to unneccessarily bring force & torture onto their person
by 'spitting in the Iranian eye', as the author seems to suggest

good gosh, maybe this is a faux piece, so Ralph can get in good with the administration & the neocons by feighning the hawkish attitude...
then surprising them with an expose'....... naw,
what you see is what you get, another armchair general