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)
»
- Login or register to post comments
- Printer-friendly version
- Send to friend
- advertisements -
If you like our Navy boats, you can keep our Navy boats!
Remeber the USS Liberty? Israel tried to sink the American ship, with a raised American flag, killing two dozen servicemen and wounding another two dozen and claimed that it was an accident, when it was premeditated! Voice recordings recorded from pilots to base confirmed this later. Democrat President Johnson did nothing???
Black Goat, I mean Swan??
If you go black you never go back...
The next thing you know, this will be happening:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655
navy seals ran out of gas or whatever....arent they supposed to be dead before dishonor blah blah?
Of course if they were Iranian sailors caught on a US beach, they would be guests at Guantanamo and given a little water-boarding to clarify their thinking.
C'mon Bonzo, win this one for The Gipper!
as for Jeb Bush, who needs another Bush fucktard?
When their necks are laid to the guillotine, will they even understand why?
I'm burnt out.
Always wonder if these creeps running the show have a giant war room/chessboard where they engineer the financial and geopolitical reality that we are all faced with living in.
It is the Yinon Plan and Project for a New American Century in action, again. Chutzpah.Kol Nidre, the most 'sacred' prayer of jews who are not jews to lie to non-jews. The word of zionists of every creed, color and religion who swear allegiance to the lowly nazionists first.
The same filth that killed JFK.
they can't keep doing stick saves everyday someone might notice, this is a good diversion
And the Iranians will have those two boats reverse engineered and be producing them for the next arms show too!!!
The Old Man
Old man,
Sorry to tell you this, but in a world of asymetric warfare and other things like electronic warfare, your point is useless.
Russia has electronic warfare. So does the USA. But the USA is being played, lied to.
See the facts: expensive U.S military defeated.
Qui bono? Israhell. Get off your knees. End the Fed.
"Let me go home
Why don't they let me go home
This is the worst trip I've ever been on."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLV4_xaYynY
'There must be some kind of way out of here said the joker to the thief...'.
No way out, baby. Pain is coming. Get ready.
'Let us not talk falsely now. The hour's getting late.'
All along the watch tower. That's what soldiers do.
+1 Sloop John B. Pet Sounds.
;-)
Just think of all the fish I could catch wih that sweet little rig.
I sure hope those soldiers get back to the USA safely
then i could feed them hot soup at the homeless shelter on sunday's
Clearly they know they can push Obama around as opposed to Reagan
Stupid boy. 1913, a coup d'etat. Look it up. Stupid goy.
Reagan was part of the problem.
Here is your problem: you whine rather than trade. You bow down to political puppets, beholden to the Rothschild led City of London and its pet fiefdom Israhell.
Left, right, left right...off to war you go, munchkin. Get off your knees.
Shmuck-for-brains Reagan launched the Challenger when everybody but his handlers knew it was too cold.
American equipment sounds like JUNK.
Super power MY ASS....
It's made in China and we buy it on sale from Harbor Freight.
Actually US have super power equipment but with super dud leaders in both military and civil Government who cannot use their resources correctly.
"Speak softly but carry a big stick" - someone.
The someone was a native American, and I agree with your sentiment.
1620, Tisquantum, and all that. We live for a better day.
Trade on...
USS Liberty. USS Cole. See how demoncraps and repugnants ruin our troops and us, all for the International, now called globalisation.
Filth.
A woman scorned is a very dangerous thing. She might call on her men for defense.
Get ready to defend yourself, paper pushers. You have gone too far and insolvency is your least worry.
Jeb Bush AKA Casper Milktoast talking tough
No one of sound mind or money call would all upon the demoncraps or repugnants for defense.
Let that mutherfucker talk tough with his,own kids' lives.
That's the spirit!
Anyone who votes for war should send their first born child into the fire first. That would concentrate their minds, and make them more sincere and serious.
The US military: A bunch of clowns under the command of a bunch of clowns. The circus goes on
Says you. Time will tell when our troops come home.
All this nasty AshkeNAZI shit will end.
How did you go bankrupt, someone asked a famous American author.
Slowly at first. Then suddenly, he replied.
So it will be.
Get ready.
Wtf were there doing in Iranian waters?
What did they expect was going to happen?
So a whole diplomatic incident happens over a bunch of morons who didn't follow the sail plan.
Some video of the boats before they were captured:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbB4x4fnk-E
I thank iran, for being a gentleman and capture the US boat and Crew.
I know, Iran could have blown them to pieces and there would be no news at all. I am sure the efficient US media would have simply kept silent. there will be no story. Or probably a story where Navy soldiers disapeared in routine patrol in Afghanistan mountains.
I also thank Iranians for not using any of the US terror techniques of torture on the US soldier including the women.
Lets see---2 boats and crew close to a carrier with a shit load of options to keep this from happening--my bet is that really tough Iranian Agreement negotiator (B.Hussein) ordered a "stand down" . Wonder if that is worthy of State of the Union inclusion? New multi billion dollar destroyer breaks down and patrol boats captured and China's navy expanding at a fast pace. I smell a shovel ready jobs program coming in the defense industry. This is Iran's last chance to get away with bitch slapping us and getting away with it--just like the crap that occurred when Carter was president coming to an abrupt halt when Reagan was to take office.
I wouldnt doubt if the Iranians come out with a statement that Putin advised them to quickly release the captives and that was the advice they listened to.
I bet this whole incident was planned by the Saudis and Obama.
This gives us a chance to imagine what would happen if Trump president--or God forbid, Hillbillery
The global police from America got caught,too bad.Everybody wants to rule the world...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8L_hLS21cw
i like rocket launchers. they are more effective. https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KIo9RZrJVWnREAvmcsnIlQ;...
Speaking of memory holes and the epic short term span for retention that only American remains unsurpassed at...
Get a "load"!...
What I wouldn't give to see either the Iranians or Russians skin Mr. Clawson alive and dry the motherfucker on a meat hook and make what is left of him a leather trench coat!!!
It would be even better than what happened to Christopher Stevens being "discovered" in the Libyan safe house but alas a very, very, very distant second to it happening to Vicky Third-Reich Nuland or her boss the "Winter Soldier" Donut boy!
God Bless Mike Rivero at WhatReallyHappened.com for his archives and his "on-the-spot-memory" and his timing when we have so many moments like it in our short history!!!
Benghazi. What a load of two faced lyng bullshit, that was. And the career politicians under all colors and insolvent banks have the bare faced cheek to lie about it. The man on Main Street doesn't believe them
There is no political party with main stream support anywhere in the world.
I love how those 2 politics jump on trashing current president as if they were any more competent. If this happened to Carson he would probably take week to "research" and ask around his colleges on what to do, and Bush would stutter like a 10y kid. Not that I like Obama at all but to use random event in their tweets to boots their count is cheap and dishonest at best.
Thank God it was Iran and not Israel.... Israel would have shot them to pieces just like the Liberty!
Bahhahahah
I see what you did. :0)
GPS bought on Aliexpress.