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By now, just about everyone in the galaxy has seen the video of the U. S. Navy sailors, captured by Iran, on their knees in their riverine patrol boats. On their knees, hands behind their backs, heads bowed and Iranian Revolutionary Guards standing over them with weapons. The video is infuriating:
Then, this morning, we woke up to the video of the captured sailor/Marine, I do not know, apologizing and thanking the Iranians for their hospitality and assistance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0QhKVXjQds
What?! What?! Give me a minute here! I need a whiff of my smelling salts and a lie down on my fainting couch.
What the heck has happened? According to Secretary of State John F. Kerry, Iran acted beautifully. They fed our people and assisted them back to The Fleet. Are you f**king kidding me?
Secretary of State John F. Kerry is a “war hero” who has been selling our military out for more than forty years. This old chestnut is from when he testified about Vietnam War “crimes” before a Senate hearing in 1971.
So, let’s set the scenario here. Obama, Kerry and their Iranian buddies get this deal thing, that is yet unsigned. They are our buds now. We’re gonna lift sanctions, and give them buckets of money and Iran is gonna…
Well, on December 29, 2015, Iran fired a rocket near (not at, lol) our super carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Straits of Hormuz, according to the International Business Times.
Even though the missiles were not directed at the U.S. vessel, the officials said the exercise was “unnecessarily provocative and unsafe.” There had also been another U.S. vessel – the destroyer USS Buckley — in the area, as well as a French frigate and other commercial ships.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil shipping channels. The military official said the U.S. ships had been in “internationally recognized maritime traffic lane” when the Iranian navy began its live-fire exercise. Prior to the exercise, the Iranian navy announced over maritime radio its plans for missile practice.
Iran has provoked us, even though we are besties with them now. So, a couple little patrol boats have some engine trouble. Iranian Guards come out. Instead of saying, “Hey buddy, you need some help, maybe a tow.” The Iranians order our military personnel on their knees, hands behind their backs, heads bowed. Then, they capture take them into protective custody invite them over for food and beverages.
As the daughter of an inactive ready reserve (83 year old) Marine Sergeant and the mother of an active duty Army Officer, this makes me ill. I am so angry at our government I could spit.
Thanks Iran. Thanks a lot. It wasn’t enough to humiliate Barack Obama or John Kerry. They deserve it. But, our military personnel. Did you have to? And, don’t get me started on putting a hijab on the female. Grrrrr!
GWB says: Iran has a right to enforce their territorial waters. Having said that….
If they were truly there to help a drifting vessel (there are ancient maritime standards for that), they would have made some radio calls and had American forces come retrieve them.
If they were truly enforcing their territorial waters, they could have simply had them sit and wait to be picked up by American forces. No kneeling with their hands behind their heads.
What Iran was doing was 1) possibly staking their usual claim of territorial waters that go beyond what international law says about territorial waters in the Gulf, 2) testing jamming of communications and positioning systems in use on those boats (and thereby causing an international incident), and 3) rubbing the US administration’s face in their own cowardice.
I hope those sailors managed to zeroize all their crypto-equipped gear (radios, GPS). Otherwise everyone in the fleet (and the AF and Army) will probably have to get new encryption codes now, rather than the normal cycle.
Iran has committed multiple acts of piracy in the last year or so, so this is no surprise. It’s also no surprise that our sailors didn’t start a war by lighting up the Iranian boats to avoid capture – they’re smarter than that.
Sadly, it’s also not a surprise that an anti-American traitor like Kerry would kiss Iranian butt over this. He and 0bama are beholden to Valerie Jarret – an Iranian – for their daily bread.
I am an Honorably Discharged US Marine who has been around the Persian Gulf and has set foot in countries such as Kuwait, Iraq, U.A.E and Qatar to name a few. I served our country under a combat MOS as well for former military individuals who may read this comment.
I joined the Corps to fight and die for my country, I had no regard for my own safety or life for that matter when it came down to the possibility of fighting for the United States of America and her citizens freedom around the planet. I am 41yrs old now and would fight today if called on by my country.
With that being said this video I watched did not anger me in any way. I was a bit set back listening to British fellow speaking as if it was a tragedy and the biggest insult known to modern man that some US Sailors obviously lacking in experience were detained after getting lost at sea during a training exercise.
For the individual who made the comment which stated that the Sailors were correct in not shooting up the Iranians as they approached. Did you pay any attention to the video sir/mam in that the weapons had no ammunition attached to them. Those guys did not have any ammunition to shoot anyone my friend.
For everyone making the “Stuck-Up” comments which are of the attitude (who are they to detain our military) almost like, “how dare they.” Well our Military would have done the same thing. Who are you to assume a country does not have the right to protect themselves and their citizens. Those Iranian Marines did not do anything disrespectful to those Sailors. It is time for you to begin respecting the rest of the people living on this planet. Quite frankly those Sailors suck at navigation and should be disciplined along with the Sailors who are in charge of them and the skills they currently have.
For the individual who was not sure if it was Sailors and Marines you should smack yourself in the face. US Marines, from the youngest boot Private fresh out of Boot Camp on up know how to navigate the planet using maps and a compass. Therefore NO there were not US Marines on those boats. Obviously your from a socio-economic group which does not have friends from the Corps. so you can easily make such a stupid mistake as to not know the Marine Corps is the most difficult US Military branch to enter.
For those of you knocking Senator Kerry and calling him a deserter or some other simpleton remark, shut up. You are probably one of those lazy civilians who have no idea what is going on in your own community let alone to comment on something as large as the US Congress and Us President. You probably are among the countless knuckle heads who believe that your vote for the Presidential election counts. Your vote and the rest of the Common Votes are not considered unless the Electoral College ends in a tie, which has never and will never happen in this country.
With regard to the President, President Obama and the fine men who have served before him try to make things right in this country. All of them have tried, however they have 8 years at the most to try, and they are out numbered by the US Senate and the House. You people need to focus your attention on voting for your State Senators for Gods Sake. The only vote of importance you have in your life and nearly all of you have never even voted for your Senators.
The US Senator is the only individual in the government who has direct contact with the spending of local, state and federal tax dollars. The State Senators are a bunch of spoiled people who were kept secluded from the majority of US citizens their whole lives, going to 10k summer camps no one could afford except a small circle. Hell even when they went away to college they were secluded from the population locked away inside of Frats and tasked with accomplishing a bunch of stupid tasks made to keep them busy all the while being meaningless to the world except the small circle in which the live a pampered life.
In the 60’s when the entire population of the Earth wanted to move to the United States of America the majority of the Senate was made up of FORMER MILITARY. Today I think there are maybe 4-5 FORMER MILITARY Senators. We cannot be a successful country with spoiled, lost and internally evil people making decisions about our country. VOTE FOR YOUR SENATORS PEOPLE, YOU CAN FIX THIS PROBLEM WE HAVE BY VOTING THESE IDIOTS OUT OF OFFICE.
As for our president he will be looked at in 5-10 years as a brilliant man who got some great things done by slipping them past those greedy spoiled Congress members. As for our next president Hillary Clinton is going to be the president. The US President is a position used to take the attention of off these yuppy Congress Members. It works perfect considering as a culture we are taught from a young age that SCHOOL COUNCIL are all nerds and geeks and were forced to learn the CONSTITUTION AND POLITICS in 7th grade while were young dumb kids who are more interested in a date than anything else.
Our Congress controls this country and plays everyone of us like pawns. Ellectoral College elects who they are told to, and that is someone that society will argue about and will ultimately as a result pin groups of our citizens against one another. They did it with Obama and did it in style. As soon as Palin came out as the Vice Presidential partner of McCain it was a wrap. Even though Congress knows your vote wasn’t going to count they make you think it does with help from stupid or corrupt radio announcers and talk show hosts saying “get out there and vote” blah blah… and we buy it and believe we take a part in the election, keeping us busy while the Congressman are elected over and over.
Congress members can serve for YEARS 20 YEARS if they like but our president can only do 8 years at most???? How many Congressman are women?? How many are white?? “by the way I’m white for you idiots who would use this as a race ticket”
You guys need to read this and pass this information on. Stop trying to make yourselves seem so cool to everyone else, no one cares except you. We used to be a great country many people say… we still are great…. and it is because of our diversity. Pay attention to politics, these fuckers are killing our country and many of these pricks don’t even live here full time.
Each state is different, the one I am in currently is set up to make poor people poorer and prevent any family from increasing wealth, family pride, neighborhood pride, all of it. I live in a state that is doing what California did 8-10 years ago. They have made HUGE TAX BREAKS to companies in order to attract them and have to keep supplying a work force of low wage employees. This includes men and women working here under “work visas” that were sold on coming to America to work in their particular fields of study only to be tricked and stuck here broke working jobs they have never intended on working. I know of Doctors working here as Valets……… Engineers working as Valets…… WTF…. we are currently living the most amazing movie no one will ever see.
We are a bunch of CAR POOR / HOUSE POOR / NEIGHBORHOOD POOR overly worked / underpaid and completely miserable people. Military veterans are packed with LEGAL HEROINE for every issue they go to the hospital for. Ordinary citizens are tricked into doing bullshit surgeries by doctors who are trained by PHARMACUDICAL REPRESENTATIVES who sit in on operations while you are on the table and under the knife.
Doctors, Lawyers and Judges used to be our smartest and most considerate citizens. They have all been SPECIALIZED and now we have nothing but IDIOTS holding these position. I am saying I know people working as Valets who are smarter than these individuals.
We are the only thing holding this country down. We are forced to be overly busy trying to make money to buy bullshit we don’t need. Consider everything.
Kate says: Kevin
Your comment(s) were in our holding tank until I could approve because you’ve never commented here before. This is something we do with everyone who’s new to avoid spammers. So that’s why it was delayed in publishing. I did not approved your 2nd comment and I’m sure you can guess why.
You should be able to respond now immediately to anything on the blog. We ask for respectful discussions.
Great to have you here and thank you for your service!
GWB says: “Well our Military would have done the same thing.”
No. Our Coast Guard would not likely hold the crew at gunpoint, if, say, an Iranian ship wandered into our territorial waters. If the boat required force to stop, perhaps. But a disabled boat? No.
“Did you pay any attention to the video sir/mam in that the weapons had no ammunition attached to them.”
And that has relevance how? Unless you think they *should* have shot at the Iranians. (I assume you were responding to my comment above.) I said our sailors are smarter than to start a war over drifting (possibly) into foreign waters. BTW, did you not see in the one video where their small arms ammunition was clearly visible?
“Quite frankly those Sailors suck at navigation and should be disciplined along with the Sailors who are in charge of them and the skills they currently have.”
Wow, so you simply accept the Iranian explanation without caveat? How do you navigate a riverine boat when it has no power? How do you navigate using a GPS when the Iranians have jammed the signal?
“US Marines, from the youngest boot Private fresh out of Boot Camp on up know how to navigate the planet using maps and a compass.”
Really? And what landmarks do you think are on a map those folks might have used? “Chief, I see the mermaid on the big oyster shell. I think we’re supposed to turn here.”? Navigating in open waters is much different than land navigation.
“Obviously your from a socio-economic group which does not have friends from the Corps.”
Wow. Just wow.
“For those of you knocking Senator Kerry and calling him a deserter or some other simpleton remark, shut up. You are probably one of those lazy civilians who have no idea ….”
*I* didn’t call him a deserter, but a TRAITOR. And I will challenge you here and now to show that he was NOT a traitor. He colluded with our enemy during hostilities, in violation of the Sullivan Act. He slandered and libeled our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines in Congress and in other public statements. He acted to defeat our goals while in active conflict with another nation.
Your claims about the Electoral College are ignorant, and your accusations are unfounded. President 0bama is certainly NOT working for the best interests of this country – at least not if you believe in the ideals on which it was founded.
I concur on voting out almost all those currently in the Senate. They are almost entirely from the political class, and do not have the country’s best interests at heart. However, claiming they are the ones with direct “contact” with spending and taxing – the House are the only folks who can initiate a revenue bill (that would be taxes), and have much closer contact with their constituents than Senators.
“As for our president he will be looked at in 5-10 years as a brilliant man who got some great things done by slipping them past those greedy spoiled Congress members.”
No. If freedom-loving people write the histories, in 5-10 years he will be looked at in an orange jumpsuit, along with his Secretary of State (both of them). Unfortunately, since the bad guys often win, history will probably show him as the Savior of Our Great People’s Democratic Republic – much like Hugo Chavez in Venezuela.
“were forced to learn the CONSTITUTION AND POLITICS in 7th grade”
I’m thinking you need to go back to 7th grade, based on these comments.
You do make a few good points, but I think you need to take off the tinfoil, and go read the Constitution and some good (not Michael Zin) history books on how our nation was founded, how gov’t is supposed to work, and how it has gone off the rails.
Oh, and stop by here more often.
Toni Williams says: Well said GWB
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