Iran Releases Captured US Sailors After Questioning, Apology
On Tuesday evening, just prior to President Obama’s last State of the Union address, a geopolitical black swan landed on Farsi Island.
Ten US sailors and two US Navy boats were seized by Iran when they purportedly entered Iranian waters “illegally.”
The timing couldn’t have been worse.
Over the past several weeks, Obama has again come under fire for a “soft” approach to Iran after the IRGC conducted a live-fire rocket test some 1,500 yards from a US aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz. That incident led directly to calls from GOP lawmakers to slap Tehran with fresh sanctions in connection with Iran’s test-firing of two next gen surface-to-surface missiles.
On the morning the new sanctions were set to be announced, the administration got cold feet and decided the US needed “more time” to study the measures. For Republicans, the abrupt 180 was further evidence that The White House is hopelessly inept in its dealings with what the GOP still deems a pariah state.
Of course the reason the administration shied away from announcing new sanctions is that the old sanctions haven’t been lifted yet. That is, the ink on the nuclear accord is barely dry and implementation is imminent. Angering Tehran would risk undermining the whole deal and that, in turn, would jeopardize an important part of Obama’s legacy.
Thus, the President had an impossibly difficult decision to make on Tuesday evening: mention the sailors and risk escalating the conflict and turning it into a protracted spat that could both derail the nuclear deal and imperil US citizens, or don’t mention the sailors and risk looking ridiculous by discussing “improvements” in relations with Tehran just as everyone in the chamber (not to mention the millions watching at home) wondered what’s to come of the ten hostages being held on Farsi.
The President chose not to mention the incident, but nevertheless, the Ayatollah had pulled of a rather epic propaganda coup. Effectively the IRGC clouded the President’s final address to the nation and it now appears there will be no repercussions.
On Wednesday both Iranian and US officials confirmed that all ten of the sailors have been released. The sailors departed the Iranian base on Farsi Island at 0843 GMT on the same boats that brought them there, a statement from the Navy said. “There are no indications the sailors were harmed,” the Pentagon added.
Iran says the decision to free the sailors was based on a determination that they’re incursion into Iranian waters wasn’t intentional.
Iranian television aired the following images:
"There appeared to be a bit of equivocation from Iran earlier Wednesday, with Iranian officials saying talk of an imminent release was 'speculation'", The Washington Post notes, adding that "an Iranian Revolutionary Guard spokesman, General Ramezan Sharif, indicated that the Iran’s next move and its timing will be determined by an investigation."
After questioning the group, the IRGC determined that a "malfunctioning navigation device" was the cause of the "intrusion."
Here's the official word from Fars: “Following technical and operational investigations and in interaction with relevant political and national security bodies of the country and after it became clear that the US combat vessels’ illegal entry into the Islamic Republic of Iran’s waters was the result of an unpurpuseful [sic] action and a mistake and after they extended an apology, the decision was made to release them."
Right. In reality, there's no telling why the sailors were in Iranian waters - maybe it was a "mistake" or maybe not. We'll never know. What we do know is that Iran has once again embarrassed the Obama administration and this time not by "testing" a rocket or two near an aircraft carrier or launching a ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear payload to Israel, but by actually capturing US soldiers and vessels. Expect the calls to get (much) louder from Republicans for new sanctions and a rethinking of The White House's relationship with Obama's new "friends" in Tehran.
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Hey, maybe the Iranian GPS was malfunctioning (dead AA batteries in their Garmin) and the Iranians made a mistake!
Seriously, US GPS is way accurate, I've used it. Unless the Iranians use the Russian GPS satellites, how accurate are their devices?
I'd have to say the Official US Oopsie-daisy pretty much confirms they were in Iranian territory.
"Hey, pull up to that island...I gotta take a shit."
I would take any media over Israeli/Jewish/Zionist American media.
American media is the most controlled/contrived in the world, and we have become so used to it.
You can make a list, black and white, and write "good" words/ideas on one side, and "bad" words ideas on the other, and every American would know which to put on which side: Capitalism, Socialism, Communism, Muslim, rich, poor, guns, women, men, you get the point.
THIS IS CONTROLED AMERICA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvJNuwq5JUg
False Flag Gone Awry? It was supposed to be this: Iran snags sailors, Kerry talks to his "friends" in Iran and all is Ducky. Gravitas all around! And just in time for SOU! But I think it backfired and the Iranians had their own joke by demanding an apology, leaving Obama and Kerry in the wind looking like the schmoes they are.
Oh, how Reaganesque .... our Obama burlesque .... the transparency of our puppet president .... the most profound thing he does .... is play golf ?
I don't get it. Why is this such a big deal and an embarrassment for Obama? Are Imperial Troops untouchable, so when they're detained in foreign waters that is cause for Imperial Muscle flexing? Seems like Obama's "response" is perfectly adequate for the situation, while the alternative media is trying to create a storm in a teacup.
The embarrassment is less in the details of the actual event, and more in the fact that it was plotted at all.
US internal sparring playing out in a global ring.
This is all Bush's fault, he's an oilman you know.
Good for Iran, not taking the neocon bait.
I can see Rummy and Blowhard Cheney on a fishing trip:
Rummy: Hey, Dick(head), the fish don't seem to be biting today.
Cheney: Must be the bait. Break out the dynamite. We'll just blow the fuckers out of the water.
Rummy: They won't know what they don't know.
Cheney: Good one!
"False Flag Fail", the Zionist Neo-Cons are sputtering on their murderous march to the New World Order, darn Iranians won't play their game, oh well they pulled off 911, they always have a PNAC backup plan in the works.
I seldom post on these boards, Lords knows there are not much reasons to! I have done two tours of duty in the Persian Gulf in the late 90's. As somone mentionned already, the Persian Gulf is actually a big lake. Sea State usually remains below Sea State 3, You have about 10 thousand dows working/ living permanantly at sea. Maritime traffic in the Gulf is astounding! It is also very easy to stray in one territorial waters or another if one is not careful.
I remember we got a friendly warning from an Iranian patrol boat one night that we were getting too close to their territorial waters. We turned around, and that was the end of that. Most Irania Naval officers are British trained, and thus all have a British accent. They are also very professionnal when it comes to inter-Navy dealings. I am not advocating for the Iranians, I am merely stating first hand experiance with them. It is not uncommon in the Gulf to see fast boats with arms on them. Half the time, we couldn't even tell which country they were working for. Bearing arms is juat a way of life in those parts.
I am speaking out because I find this incident to be highly plausible. The US still Operated Mark V's in the late 90's and these darn boats could travel very fast. On radar they often appeared to be where they shouldn't be...
Iran showed good judgement in not "Turking" the boats.
NATO has re-set the bar.
I am appalled by this wanton act of provocation. I have issued orders that the sailors involved be flogged and dismissed. I called the Ayatollah to apologise but he told me to piss off. I fully understand his anger and to show America's contriteness and humility I ordered the upliftment of all sanctions. I am not concerned with President Putin's sniggering. He thinks that only a strong man can impress the Iranians but he's wrong, as our steadily improving relations with Iran now show.
Taken from an earler comment, but it fits (from buzzsaw99) "that's the difference between iran and the usa. you don't see iranian gunboats in us waters "accidentally" or not. the usa claims what, a 200 mile stretch of ocean? what does iran get 200 feet?"
Actually the US is not a signatory to the Law of the Sea treaty and so claims 7 miles from our shores.
"Navigation equipment malfunction" aside say whatever the hell you want to...
They were in Iranian territorial waters probably identified many km(s) from where they were eventually seized... identified and then returned!
The Republicans or select Dems can cry all they want that this is an incident that isn't anymore!!!
Say all you want... This sure isn't the hostage crisis of '79...
This was a great show I found on YouTube, it touches on how controlled American mass media is (I suggest watching this guys show, very interesting): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvJNuwq5JUg
America, media, "right, left, and center", is all a lie. There is no true variation, they just used issues like gun control, abortion, gay rights to make the distinction, not real grand concepts like monetary policy, immigration, foreign relations, energy, and so on.
And if you put all those issues together there is only ONE group that benefits every time, Zionist Jews, period.
You can look more broadly at the media, but look at music, movies entertainment, they are all 100% manipulation. In 1996 Clinton allowed the consolidation of the entertainment industry, especially music, and you saw the Jews (sorry if that is offensive, but it is the truth) buy up all the small record labels, and consolidated them. Now if you are a rapper, you better be making songs about drugs, bitches, cops...in any branch of main stream music you won't find anyone questioning capitalism, war, work, unions, immigration...same thing in TV and movies.
Its like we live in a sliver of reality, just look at how many movies were/are made about the Holocaust, as compared to US using nuclear bombs on civilians, or Japanese American incarcerations. That is why Hollywood has such a limited scope when it comes to making movies, they have a narrative to uphold, and they are running out of material, they can only do remakes for so long.
So does Iran get to keep the boats...? I hope we gassed them up before we turned over the keys.?
Somebody notify Janes... the Iranian navy just went up 2 notches
I am pretty good at at identifying specwar guys and especially Seals. That chubby guy there makes me suspicious. Only so many people in the navy get away with being chubby. Navy intel spec-war guys who are damn good at their job would be one of those such groups.
It could be anybody but it does rather fit the pattern.
That's a hard-hulled boat, SEALs probably wouldn't be driving it. Chubby dude is the driver, not the runner.
Good point. They don't really seem seal-ish to me but I wouldn't be surprised if they were a distraction for something that was. Often you can identify those idiots by their tatoos even, because...... stupid.
Screw the Repoooblicans! If they want to fight the Persians, let them amour up and fight it themselves. They sit in the comfort of their D.C. luxury condos, send our best to fight and they don't even shed a tear for them. They get the best healthcare and benefits, and our soldiers get the shaft. So I repeat, SKA-ROOO THE REPOOO-BLICANS!!!!!!!!!
Anyone who accepts the narrative that this is a "mistake", or that these boats "broke", is a moron. Anyone who tells a tale like "...when I was in the Navy, ______ happened all the time..." is playing the part of apologist.
This is a staged happening through and through, and EVERY detail of timing, location, equipment, personnel, and photographic evidence screams this.
EVERY ONE of the images is a propaganda goldmine.
Soldiers/sailors..sloppy...on their knees...hodge-podge..."Baby" in a corner in a Hijab...lazily lounging like they're in a hookah lounge...fat-fucks...yuckin'it up...DOES ANYONE HONESTLY THINK THAT THE RANKING OFFICER WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THESE SAILORS MORE SQUARED AWAY?
Even the boat pics...non-matching (but still serious looking) US boats flanked by friggin Boston Whalers 1/3 their size.
I can't say what exactly the INTENT of the op was...but you are a complete and utter moron if you do not recognize that it was in fact and prop-op.