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Iranian military seizes two U.S. Navy boats, holds ten American sailors

Jan 12, 2016 5:16 pm By Robert Spencer

A little “Peace In Our Time” and “No Existential Threats” action for the State of the Union Address evening.

“We have been in contact with Iran and have received assurances that the crew and the vessels will be returned promptly.” In other words, “We have telegraphed our weakness to the world, but the Iranians are inclined to be magnanimous.”

iran-burning-flag

“Pentagon: 2 U.S. Navy Boats With 10 American Sailors Held by Iran Military,” by Jim Miklaszewski and Courtney Kube, NBC News, January 12, 2016:

Iranian military forces seized two U.S. Navy boats Tuesday and are detaining them on Iran’s Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf, senior U.S. officials told NBC News.

The officials said it’s unclear whether the 10 American sailors aboard two small riverine vessels had strayed into Iranian territorial waters before they were captured.

The sailors were on a training mission around noon ET when one of the boats may have experienced mechanical failure and drifted into Iranian-claimed waters, officials added. Iran’s coast guard took them into custody, although the crew has been described as being safe.

Following reports of the incident, Secretary of State John Kerry spoke with Iranian officials in Tehran by phone, attempting to secure the sailors’ release.

One senior official told NBC News the Iranians understand it was a mistake and have agreed to release the Americans in international waters within hours.

The Persian Gulf has been a flash point in the Middle East, and the incident comes on the same day President Barack Obama is set to give his annual State of the Union address.

Senior U.S. military commanders also criticized Iran last month for its “highly provocative” actions when it fired unguided rockets near U.S. ships, including the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.

Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook told The Associated Press that the boats were moving between Kuwait and Bahrain when U.S. officials lost contact with them. Farsi Island sits in the Persian Gulf in between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and is fortified by Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

“We have been in contact with Iran and have received assurances that the crew and the vessels will be returned promptly,” Cook said.

Retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey, an NBC News military analyst, said the seizure of American boats is “very bad news” and highlights how the Navy may have failed to have surveillance on its vessels.

“We simply can’t allow ground, air or naval units to be seized by a foreign hostile power,” McCaffrey said on MSNBC. “I hope they’re back real quickly. This is an affront to our military presence in the Gulf and will unsettle our allies in the region.”

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said on MSNBC that the pending release of the sailors shows how diplomacy between U.S. and Iranian officials “is working.”

“Hopefully this will be resolved, and it won’t be an issue that we’re talking about in a couple of hours,” she said.

She can hope.

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Filed Under: Featured, Iran, United States Tagged With: U.S. Navy


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Comments

  1. Gary says

    Jan 12, 2016 at 5:26 pm

    “President Obama: ‘There Are No Existential Threats’ to the United States,”

    Care to change your ‘opinion’ Mr. President?

  2. Sam says

    Jan 12, 2016 at 5:33 pm

    “Hopefully this will be resolved, and it won’t be an issue that we’re talking about in a couple of hours,” she said”

    This is so embarrassing from many angles. First it shows our lack of seriousness in military affairs, next who can respect a navy whose boats can be captured with impunity, plus our response like “please give our boats back with no attached punishment. I can go and on but one thing is sure: the damage of this Obama administration has done to our international affairs and our security is irreparable. Just watch.

  3. worldcitizen1919 says

    Jan 12, 2016 at 5:34 pm

    The Iranian despots do these kinds of things for local consumption as they fear rebellions and uprisings by the underground so are forever looking for ‘death to America’ scenarios where they can turn attention away from themselves and onto ‘the great satan’ America.

    They are likely to use it for local consumption then spit it out like gum. That’s how they usually operate.

  4. salim says

    Jan 12, 2016 at 5:38 pm

    We don’t know how exactly those boats ended in Iranian hands but we understand that Incidents like this can happen. I am far away from the gulf but can smell American weakness. Some years ago a similar incident happened to a British boat, the soldiers and their boat were returned but there was a sense of humiliation. I have a feeling those soldiers in the gulf are demoralised soldiers, even though they belong to great navies, being let down by their leaders.

  5. mortimer says

    Jan 12, 2016 at 7:31 pm

    Obama as usual is completely DELUSIONAL about Islam.

    What can be done to make him take off his IDEOLOGICAL BLINKERS?

  6. Steve L. says

    Jan 12, 2016 at 7:38 pm

    It seems our leader of this great country refuses to address this capture of our servicemen and servicewomen to save face for his presidential review of great accomplishments agenda…meanwhile having a poster child Syrian refugee on stage with him to show how great of control and diplomacy he has provided to this great nation. Really? Mr President how dumb do you think the American people are? You are self serving and doing this country and our world allies a disservice and your efforts are shameful and humiliating. I am so disgusted with your political correctness that it has become wrong in so many ways.

  7. dragaozao says

    Jan 12, 2016 at 7:53 pm

    Weakness always brings bad consequencies. USA has become weak. That’s bad for the free world, especially if we notice that almost all other democracies have been disarming while dictatorships are very well armed.

    • SoCalMike says

      Jan 12, 2016 at 9:17 pm

      The disarmament advocates can’t formulate a rational argument against you so they just roll out the usual menu of insults and smears.
      “You racist, hater, Republican, evil right winger, racist, homophobe and let’s never forget the most precious of all, Islamophobe.”

      • SoCalMike says

        Jan 12, 2016 at 9:18 pm

        I forgot misogynist.

  8. SoCalMike says

    Jan 12, 2016 at 8:36 pm

    The story line about 2 American military boats breaking down in Iranian waters is more bogus than any 3 dollar bill.
    Commercial, law enforcement and military boats don’t run on single engines.
    There’s no way 2 boats with anywhere between 4 and 8 engines on them combined broke down.
    If they did, my name is Alice.
    I’ve been running boats for a living for 14 years.
    Mike

    • Arthur says

      Jan 13, 2016 at 1:41 am

      Agreed. These “sailors” were more likely SEALS who were captured during a reconnaissance mission or perhaps getting someone out of the country. Sounds like someone leaked the operation. Obama has managed to hire plenty of suspects, too.

      Or maybe they were just filming the sequel to Argo….

      • robert says

        Jan 14, 2016 at 1:28 pm

        this sounds more like the truth. trump for president of the usa and o*leary for prime minister of canada.

  9. ballotcode says

    Jan 13, 2016 at 1:48 am

    Harry S. Truman is rolling in his grave right now.

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