Biden said that Iranian officials “realized they were there in distress and said they would release them, and released them — like ordinary nations would do.”
Does this picture look to you like what “ordinary nations” do?
“Biden: Iran didn’t want or get apology for boats incident,” by Reena Flores, CBS News, January 13, 2016:
After Iran released 10 U.S. Navy sailors from custody early Wednesday morning, some media outlets reported that the U.S. had issued an apology to Tehran in order to secure the sailors’ freedom. But Vice President Joe Biden told CBS News that there was “no apology” given.
“When you have a problem with the boat, (do) you apologize the boat had a problem? No,” Biden said in an interview with “CBS This Morning” on Wednesday. “And there was no looking for any apology. This was just standard nautical practice.”
While there was no official apology issued, Iran state television showed footage showing one U.S. sailor apologizing, calling the incident a “mistake.”
The vice president explained that the “the Iranians picked up both boats — as we have picked up Iranian boats that needed to be rescued.” Iranian officials then “realized they were there in distress and said they would release them, and released them — like ordinary nations would do.”
He added that situations like the capture of the two U.S. Navy boats were exactly “why it’s important to have channels open” with the Middle East power. That sentiment was echoed by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who tweeted Wednesday a message about the importance of diplomacy and “respect.”
With the Iran nuclear deal on the line, other U.S. officials also seemed to take a distinctively conciliatory tone in discussing the incident.
Defense chief Ash Carter issued a statement thanking Secretary of State John Kerry “for his diplomatic engagement with Iran to secure our sailors’ swift return.”
“Around the world, the U.S. Navy routinely provides assistance to foreign sailors in distress, and we appreciate the timely way in which this situation was resolved,” Carter said.
In a speech at the National Defense University in Washington Wednesday morning, Kerry thanked Iranian authorities for their cooperation and quick response.
“All indications suggest or tell us that our sailors were well taken care of, provided with blankets and food and assisted with their return to the fleet earlier today,” Kerry said, “and I think we can all imagine how a similar situation might have played out three or four years ago, and in fact it is clear that today this kind of issue was able to be peacefully resolved and officially resolved, and that is a testament to the critical role that diplomacy plays in keeping our country safe, secure and strong.”
U.S. officials were quick to assure the nation Tuesday, as the circumstances of the U.S. sailors’ detention unfolded, that Iran had indicated the boats’ crews and the vessels themselves would be returned quickly.
Iran is expected to satisfy the terms of last summer’s landmark nuclear deal within a matter of days. Once the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog agency, independently confirms that Iran has rolled back its program in line with the terms of the agreement, the U.S. and its allies will have to suspend a raft of oil and financial sanctions against Tehran. The economic sanctions have crippled Iran’s economy for years.
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Clinton on State of the Union, Sanders’ surge in pollsBiden also weighed in on the Democratic primary race, discussing a comment he made this week that front-runner Hillary Clinton was “relatively new” to the issue of income inequality.
He defended his comments, saying the context of his quote was “reshaped” in the reporting.
“Hillary has been secretary of state for almost five years before she ran for office,” the vice president said Wednesday, pointing out that her focus before then had also been national security issues. However, he called income inequality Sanders’ “wheelhouse,” adding that “Bernie has has been doing the same speech for the last 30 years” and “literally he’s never changed his position.”
He added that some of Clinton’s policies on the middle class are “very, very proactive” and that “she’s moving in the right direction.”
Just hours after President Obama’s final State of the Union address, Biden also defended the president’s speech.
He named America “by far and away the healthiest economy” and said that there was “no question, no question we are the most respected, powerful nation in the world,” referencing a much-criticized claim from the president Tuesday night.
Biden acknowledged, however, that there was “understandable frustration” with domestic problems like income disparity and wage stagnation.
Of the president’s announcement that Biden would lead a new initiative to fight for a cancer cure, the vice president said that various researchers “need someone to sort of be an organizer.”
“We are so close to so many potential cures,” he added. Biden’s son, Beau, died of brain cancer last May.

Renee says
It looks like the men were tortured. I do not see Europeans blindfold the people that are picked up from all those boats in distress. And there are Iranians amongst them.
Bezelel says
The iranians had to make certain that they sailors weren’t rapefugees or illegal immigrants trying to sneak in. F iran, F biden, F obola and F the lie called a nuke deal. Now iran is reverse engineering our technology on the boats or maybe return them to our fleet with bombs attached. That easier than making one of theirs look like ours to slip past defenses. All in a days work, right joe?
Bezelel says
I’ve learned the boats were returned with the men. Still that means the State Dept.story is missing some key factors, like the truth. We’ll have to ask Putin to get a straight answer. The whole episode is bizarre.
worldcitizen1919 says
Iranians want nothing more than this evil regime gone and have the deepest admiration and respect for Americans especially your armed forces.
Iranians feel embarrassed and ashamed when they see Americans treated as propaganda tools. But they have to toe the line and pretend America is the great Satan and burn the flag to prove their loyalty to these crooks.
If America wanted proof of Iran’s sincerity with regards to the nuclear deal they should have demande release of all political prisoners as a proof of sincerity. If negotiators did that then they would have exposed the regimes true intentions.
So Iran signs an agreement with the world and continues to commit atrocities and that’s perfectly OK??
gravenimage says
Biden: Iran saw US boats in distress, acted “like ordinary nations would do”
…………………..
Uh…right. Iran has blindfolded these sailors, demanded they “apologize”, and accused them of “spying”, which carries the death penalty in Iran.
I’m sure a rescue by Britain or France or any other other civilized nation would have gone just the same…sarc/off
Really, how gullible do these apologists for the Mullahs believe we are?
duh_swami says
he incident smells like a dead fish. The photo confirms the doer…
duh_swami says
Oder…typo’s are us…
Spell Police says
Odor or odour???
Dumb Ass says
Join the dots . . . . . . .Let’s face it Russia has provided Iran with the same technology that disabled the USS.Donald.Cook. Iran then disabled the two runabouts, and then let them drift till inside Iranian waters, to send a clear message to the Pentagon! By playing nice & giving back the outdated technology …………………..They show that they are well adjusted Jihadists ? LOL ?
Paladin says
Ya see, there was a problem with the boat! What? There were 2 boats? Uh….
SpiritOf1683 says
So the mad mullahs merely sent the coastguard out. If you’ll believe that, you’ll believe anything. No wonder the West is doomed because it seems a sucker is born every minute, and some of them go on to high office.
Laurence says
The world has poked itself in both its own eyes; but says, no it didn’t, citing it was a fly, or bumble bee, or bird, or plane, or superman – anything but the truth of what it, itself, has done to itself. Anything, any reason, any scenario, whatsoever it does not matter, as long as it is not the truth. For the truth hurts their eyes, hurts their ears, hurts their mind. When you live in a world of lies there is little to no room for the truth. Well, to sometimes mix in half truths with the latest dish of lies is permitted and sometimes even desirable, because it may confuse some palates, and make it easier to consume all the lies. Still it is best to keep the lights down low, the booze flowing freely, and make a loud ruckus as need to. All the while, pointing the proverbial or literal finger elsewhere, anywhere, and wagging the forked tongue in that direction all the while. This Wonderland ride I’m on is making me feel queasy.
Richard says
“Biden: Iran didn’t want or get apology for boats incident,”
“The US has apologised to Iran after 10 American sailors were arrested for entering Iranian waters, the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards naval forces has said.”
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35299930
So did Biden give an apology even though they didnt ask for it?
Quran 9:29 “Fight against those who believe not in Allah, …, until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.”
So, in accordance with the “holy Quran” (according to Obama), he has never referred to the Bible as the Holy Bible, Biden and Obama are paying the Jizyah of $100 Billion to Iran with willing submission, after apologising to Iran and feeling subdued.