Iran Seizes 2 US Navy Boats, Crewmen For "Illegally Entering Iranian Waters"
Update: Iran plans to return the crewmen to a ship from the USS Truman carrier strike group on Wednesday.
JUST IN: Plans are in place for Iran to return U.S. sailors to U.S. Navy Wed. morning, gulf time, US defense official says - Reuters
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) January 13, 2016
JUST IN: #Iran to return detained #US sailors to a ship from USS Truman carrier strike group: US defence official
— The Straits Times (@STcom) January 13, 2016
So we suppose we can just call the sailors "State of the Union hostages". The rationale for waiting until tomorrow (i.e. until after Obama's speech): it's safer to carry out the exchange in daylight, according to an unnamed US official.
In short, the Ayatollah has just pulled off one epic publicity stunt.
* * *
Tensions were already running high between Tehran and Washington in the wake of Iran's move to test-fire a next generation surface-to-surface ballistic missile with the range to hit Israel.
And then the IRGC conducted a live-fire rocket test within 1,500 yards of a US aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz.
Now, in a further escalation, Iran has reportedly seized two US Navy ships.
- 2 U.S. NAVY BOATS IN IRANIAN CUSTODY, PENTAGON SAYS: AP
- RHODES SAYS U.S. WORKING ON RETURN OF CREW
- RHODES SAYS U.S. WORKING TO RESOLV
But nobody panic, because Iran has promised to return the crew "promptly" and as CNN adds, according to Iran the sailors are safe:
.@PressSec: "We have received assurances from the Iranians that our sailors are safe" https://t.co/GV9hdWZy3P https://t.co/1ioOtqYVH4
— CNN (@CNN) January 12, 2016
That appears to contradict a statement from Fars which says the US has "repeated" calls for the crew's release.
AP writes that the Pentagon says it briefly lost contact with two small Navy craft in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday but has received assurances from Iran that the crew and vessels will be returned safely and promptly.
Pentagon says these photos show examples of the type of craft involved in Iran incident pic.twitter.com/47ClLilOZK
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) January 12, 2016
"Riverine command boats or RCBs, are actually Swedish CB-90s and are a type of fast attack craft," WaPo notes, adding that "in a number of pictures released by the U.S. Navy, the boats are outfitted with a number of light, medium and heavy weapons including .50 caliber heavy machine guns and GAU-19 miniguns."
"RCB’s can carry contingents of infantry and special operation forces and are often crewed by sailors in Riverine squadrons, known by some as River Rats," WaPo continues. "The riverine force came of age in the Vietnam War in what was then known as the Brown Water Navy. In the 1960s and early 1970s boats such as Patrol Boat, River (from ‘Apocalypse Now’ fame) and Swift Boats were the River Rats vessels of choice."
Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook tells The Associated Press that the boats were moving between Kuwait and Bahrain when the US lost contact with them.
Cook says, "We have been in contact with Iran and have received assurances that the crew and the vessels will be returned promptly."
The crews, which total 10 Navy sailors, are being held at Farsi Island, a highly restricted island between Bahrain and Kuwait, where Iran has a naval base. US officials are saying it is unclear how the crew members ended up in Iranian waters, though Secretary of State John Kerry has kept phone contact with Iranian officials in Tehran, urging for a release. A senior official told NBC News the Iranians understand a mistake was made and have agreed to a release to come in hours.
According to AP, an anonymous senior official says Kerry "personally engaged with” Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif to work out a solution almost immediately upon hearing of the development around 12:30 pm EST.
Josh Earnest, the White House spokesperson, said the sailors will be released "promptly" and " allowed to continue their journey."
The international incident comes on the day President Obama will give his final State of the Union speech of his tenure. Obama's political opponents are capitalizing on the timing, especially since the International Spectator, citing Iran Revolutionary Guard, reports that "seized US sailors will not be released tonight or before State of the Union address."
Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) told CNN, "senior members of Barack Obama's administration are apologizing for Iran seizing two US Navy vessels and holding 10 sailors hostage. The White House tonight is a hot bed of cold feet."
Presidential candidates Dr. Ben Carson and Jeb Bush have taken to Twitter to criticize Obama's reaction. Bush called for "no more bargaining" and an immediate return home for the sailors, whereas Carson took a shot at Obama's "preparing to talk about his so called 'accomplishments'" in reference to tonight's national address.
If our sailors aren’t coming home yet, they need to be now. No more bargaining. Obama’s humiliatingly weak Iran policy is exposed again.
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) January 12, 2016
BREAKING: While POTUS is preparing to talk about his so called "accomplishments", 10 of our American sailors are being held by #Iran.
— Dr. Ben Carson (@RealBenCarson) January 12, 2016
This marks the second time in as many weeks that the President's "soft" policy on Iran has come under fire. Following the abovementioned rocket incident GOP lawmakers called for fresh sanctions on Tehran in connection with two ballistic missile launches in October and November. The White House was apparently prepared to announce a new set of measures aimed at around a dozen individuals and companies but at the last minute, the administration backed out. Obama's cold feet came after President Rouhani ordered the defense ministry to accelerate the country's ballistic missile program in the event new sanctions were put in place.
Meanwhile, according to Iran's version of today's events, Fars News agency says US sailors picked up by Revolutionary Guard Corps, from hardline camp who are opposed to the nuclear deal. Fars adds that the sailors were detained for illegally and "intentionally" entering Iranian waters even though they knew the area well. Tehran also contends the US ships were having "technical difficulties."
Fars News says IRGC detained 10 US military personnel in 2 boats for illegally entering Iranian waters in Gulf https://t.co/daqeCflOrM
— Borzou Daragahi (@borzou) January 12, 2016
Fars says US sailors know area, carrying GPS, intentionally entered Iran's territorial waters
— Sobhan Hassanvand (@Hassanvand) January 12, 2016
Fars: Both US boats "illegally" entered 2 km into Iranian waters, and IRGC confirms this info on their GPS record. https://t.co/V266Fsx42h
— FDD's Iran Project (@FDD_Iran) January 12, 2016
Just in: Iran's Fars news agency says 10 US sailors held include one woman
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) January 12, 2016
#Iran Questions:
- Kuwait to Bahrain is 300 nautical miles. Why were US sailors traveling by small boats? Joy ride? https://t.co/xmRCY6Or36
— Tarek Fatah (@TarekFatah) January 13, 2016
And here is the full Fars statement, google translated:
According to defense Fars News Agency, Iranian Revolutionary Guards 10 US military with two boats illegally entered Iranian waters in the Persian Gulf had been detained.
According to the information received by the Fars news agency every American boat is equipped with 3 machine guns caliber 50 (one in front and two on the sides of the float).
The two vessels illegally entered and patrolled about 2 km deep inside Iranian waters, and the information recorded on their GPS device and is now in the hands of Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
The military said among the arrested were 9 men and one woman. They carried heavy weapons in their vessels.
US officials repeated calls for the release of prisoners will continue with Tehran.
So, they are prisoners, and unlike the White House tried to spin it, guests of honor?
Ironically, earlier we asked:
Is Iran going to wait until the end of the SOTU address before returning the 10 sailors?
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) January 12, 2016
We now have the answer:
BREAKING: Iranian Revolutionary Guards official says seized US sailors will not be released tonight or before State of the Union address.
— The Int'l Spectator (@intlspectator) January 12, 2016
(23 votes)
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Me either. Frankly it's past time. It's really annoying.
Speaking of policing software from the other articles, we should have an algo list all of the bottom-feeders in terms of ratings.
terrible site
Nevertheless is quite popular in ward no. 6.
On this FAKE news site...look at the "Visitors Now" count...and how many visitors so far...HAHHAAHA Really? Over 3000 visitors on at this second. Piece of shit site.
But--Nibiru... No?
i can only imagine both sides were like "FUUUUUCK" as their ships were converging
nobody wants to be the first guy to let the bullet fly & set-off WWIII
The roughnecks start polishing their truck nuts. Just need to get that 80k truck out of repo.
Special forces in transit?
Obama didn't move Bowe Bergdahl over to a Naval assignment did he?
Good thing we lifted sanctions & finished that nuclear deal... Iran is behaving so much better now.
Iran is not near you bothering...
Iran has not started any war in over 200 years
but has had plenty of dirty done to them
of course, blame quickly...kinda petty
What was that war with Iraq all about?
He said STARTED.
Iraq invaded Iran.
"
It was about Iraq attacking Iran with encouragement of Saddam's trusted ally and partner US of A.
Behold, the Russian reincarnation of Nevile Chamberlain.
You just have a very rich imagination with a low intellect.
At least our new SECNAV is on the job. And handling things that MATTER!
http://freebeacon.com/national-security/marines-slam-secnav-facebook-pol...
Now hear this.
This is the Captain speaking.
Clean sweepdown fore and aft.
Sweepers, person your brooms.
or...
ALL HANDS PERSON YOUR BATTLE STATIONS!
Nope. Doesn't work. Thousands will be killed needlessly.
With the boatswain's whistle. Still doesn't work.
What were they doing in Iranian coastal waters?
I know! They got lost! Couldn't tell east from west, left from right etc. Budget cuts you see.
what the hell were Iranian coastal waters doing having the sheer nerve to flow under American vessels?
Not in Iranian costal waters. They were taken to a small island roughly 70 miles off of the Iranian coast. If they count 20 miles around this island it would make Iran's costal waters 80 miles deep, which it is not. If the riverine boat broke down it could quite easily have drifted into that ring arounfd that island but nowhere near the actual coast of Iran.
"As many as 10 U.S. Navy sailors were detained - at least temporarily - Tuesday by Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces when the two vessels they were in became disabled and drifted into Iranian territorial waters."
WHAT A CO-INKY DINK! Two boats broke down at the same time and accidentally drifted into Iranian waters!!! Hopefully the Iranians brought some ether and some jumper cables.
I wonder if they asked "are you detaining me?"
If true, back in the day, that would be called an act of war.
But Barack Hussein has fired every commander who would know what to do.
Easy, there, Tex. In Iranian territorial waters it is no such thing. In international waters it's murky depending on what the boats were up to.
Well, the US supported the Turk's 'defense' of their territory when they attacked the Russian planes. They certainly couldn't object to Iran smoking a small naval crew that did the same thing.
The acts of war are pretty much 100% from the US side. Decades of sanctions and threats and espionage, and more recently cyberwar and assassinations. Iran's level of restraint is really quite amazing in context.
On the other hand, if this happened off either of the two main Coasts of America, and we're talking about 2 Iranian boats "seized", most likely they wouldn't be seized but vaporized. Put your fucking egos on the bank burners and leave the area NOW, US Navy.
No...we would welcome these scared refugees and give them healthcare a home and an EBT card. Welcome home...and welcome to the FSA
McCain will be singing
Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iranhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-zoPgv_nYg
John McCain's chart-topping single "Bomb Iran"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2kyXN4ZVQg
no other country ever seems to do this
Yankee go fucking home.
Maybe Hillary had another Ambassador on the boat they wanted to get rid off
Maybe Bullshit-barry can fly to Iran and suck off a few of the Ayatolas in exchange for more cooperation.
Our gay muslim occupant in the white house...
Time to appoint Trump and get rid of this muslim embarrassment cocksucker.
Why do I get the feeling that Ensign Charles Parker was at the helm? McHale's got his work cut out for him in this episode.
Apparently they were 'disabled' and 'drifted' into Iranian waters. Guess them Russian jets been buzzing about again....
I wonder if these two "US Navy Boats" even exist?
Yeah, what is it? A "ship" is not a fuckan "boat".
Isn't a "boat" a sub?
Good point. I'm willing to bet they don't. And you will never get the truth from this illegal regime.
WTF?!?!?! I worked with the U.S. Navy in Bahrain for over 20 years and can state that there is no "F"ing way they "lost contact" with their vessels. All USN vessels operating in the AG (Arabian Gulf) are equipped with AIS and other transponders for this very reason.
If this story contains a SHRED of TRUTH it would be that IRAN has disabled the vessals electronically - Iran has the technology to turn ANY US naval vessal into a 'Floating Bathtub' - It was IRAN'S technology that was used to disable the Donald Cook !
Iran's technology by way of whom...?
who else besides Russia or China?
Best scenario -Israel stole it from us, sold it to China who sold it to iran.
Most likely scenario:
- theory developed by some underpaid Russian scientist.
- idea stolen by Lockheed Martin from scientific journal article that was about to be published but was rejected by CIA editor/referee plant.
- Lockheed Martin fleshes out the theory and proposes $10Bn secret contract with the US Navy to build 100 of these
- Item goes over budget and will cost $170Bn for ten. Navy pare down their contract to build 4.
- Lockheed ends up later and overbudget - but manages to build *TWO* for $80Bn
- AIPAC convinces US Senators Israel not having one is an existential threat so one of these is shipped to Israel.
- Israel "accidently" loses theirs
- What actually happens is that after reverse engineering it, they conclude that while it "seems" to work, it is actually a worthless piece of shit so they sell it to the Chinese for $1 million
- The Chinese are secretly actually buying it at the behest of the Russians
- Russians get the Lockheed version and discover the US Navy version got the original theory wrong because of a missing minus sign in the equations.
- Russians throws away 95% of Lockheeds design and using the now better developed theory come up with something simpler and more effective for $500K
- Iranians buy one, are impressed, and negociate to start manufacturing them under license for $50K each
That is hilarious.
It cam from the space aliens who are anti-American.