Iranian forces detain fifteen RN personel

[Valiant1]

I see what you're saying, but right now, like the American army, the Brits are spread thin.  Neither the US or the UK want to be in a position, which we are already, where we'll endanger more of our men.

If the Brits attack, I know the US, without question, will back them up 100%.  Speaking of the Falklands War, which I was old enough to live through and watch on a daily basis, the US gave the Brits "information" on the A-4, which helped the Brits out.  Not that they needed help shooting down the A-4 but being the closest allies, the US shared this info w/them.

 

[Globetrotter]

Yes, and they also received direct help from Chile and Brazil. The first one spying and the second one lending Ascension Island for the to land

[RecceJet]

Looks like Iran found a way to return the sailors and save face. Making it seem like a generous gesture.

[Globetrotter]

Glad to know that!!

Maybe that would lead to a "cooling" down of tensions??

[Valiant1]

Yeah, the Iranian pres had to save face because he knows real well if the Brits went in on the offensive, the Iranians would be in deep trouble.  And if the US joined in, it would be the Iranian pres sending his troops to their deaths.

[RecceJet]

I doubt even with the US that the UK would venture into any armed conflict with Iran over a matter like this. Israel made the short-sighted move of taking on Hizbollah in the form of assymmetrical warfare and got a bloody nose. I would expect Iran to fight like Hizbollah and focus on small and simple units in swarm tactics. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the doctrine of the IRGC, there is plenty of information on the net on how they have 2-man RPG launcher teams on jet-skis and motorbikes. In an urban environment in Iran, or an enclosed maritime envrironment like the Persian Gulf, swarms of small teams like this can do quite a lot of damage to a conventional armed force.

[Valiant1]

Because they're cowards...they would use innocent civilians as cover...it's a cheap and dirty tactic, no matter how effective it is...they know US and UK soldiers wouldn't shoot at civilians...and our policy has always been to shoot after being shot...well guess what...

It's time to change those tactics...if innocent civilians die (remember 9/11?) then, they'll die, that is war.  I think it's time to send the war to them...at their level.  War isn't about large divisions rumbling across the country and taking towns and cities by storm..it's a hide and seek game that's been around for a couple hundred years.

This hide and seek tactic was used by Native American Indians against the British and Colonial Americans and was quite effective.  We need to employ such tactics now and MOST IMPORTANT, KEEP THE MEDIA OUT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO REVEAL OUR TACTICS AND KILL OUR TROOPS. 

Covert ops, black ops, highly trained special forces (SAS, SEALS, DELTA FORCE) willing to risks their lives and assasins are what we need to get the job done.  Leaders like the North Korean and Iranian president need to be terminated - they are very unstable.  They talk trash but they can't back it up.  Look at the Iranian idiot president who made statements about annihilating Israel - do you think for one second Israel would allow that?  They would have no problems launching a nuke at Iran.  They have the most capable fighting force in the Middle East. 

This is how we need to fight a war now - low, down and dirty - because that's how those cowards fight now.

[Globetrotter]

Because they're cowards...they would use innocent civilians as cover...it's a cheap and dirty tactic, no matter how effective it is...they know US and UK soldiers wouldn't shoot at civilians...and our policy has always been to shoot after being shot...well guess what...

the biggest pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffftttttttttttt I have ever had to make....more or less like in Irak...

And maybe those leaders you mentioned are a.....holes, but then Bush is that too

[Gripen]

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unexpectedly announced the release of the captive servicemen and woman halfway through a long press conference on the afternoon of 4 April 2007. However the release was presented in such a way as to suggest that it was an Easter gift to the British people and not a surrender to British Government pressure and diplomacy; to this end the captives were not released to British consular officials but placed directly aboard flight BA6634 (flown by British Mediterranean Airways using Airbus A321 G-MEDL), a direct flight to the UK, on the morning of 5 April 2007, landing at about 12 noon local time. After a briefing on board at London Heathrow, the press were allowed a short photographic opportunity, before the personnel were flown directly to Royal Marines Base Chivenor in north Devon by two Royal Navy Westland Sea King helicopters for medical checkups, a full debriefing and meeting with their families.

[Webmaster]

Hey Valiant, how is this news being presented in the US?
I am wondering, because I saw one MSNBC interview with Col. J. Jacobs, he basically said the Brits were cowards and should have fought the Iranians no matter what the odds, instead of surrender without a fight. They ripped a few fragments of the press conference out of context to support the Colonel's statements. Was this an isolated view, or did more US networks/experts have this view?

[Valiant1]

Well, we Americans have a warm spot in our hearts for the Brits.  We believe, in general, that the Iranian president used the "Easter gift" idea as an excuse to save face. 

But at the same time, people here were holding their breath because if the UK went to war with Iran, we know that the US would support and follow our "mother country" and we'd fight side by side with the Brits to free their sailors.  Not that we wouldn't go in, but people here are generally disgusted with the current war in Iraq. 

We can definitely breath a sigh of relief, but the Iranian president should consider himself lucky.

GO UK!!!!!!!!

[Gripen]

I heard a while ago that the Iranians tried to detain RAN personnel.

the RAN people were inspecting a boat, and the Iranians approached. RAN retreated, and went back to the boat they were inspecting fully armed. Then the Iranians approached one of our boats, but retreated becuase the Machine Gun/s on the boat were aimed at them.

Britain shouldve done the same thing..