15 British sailors detained by Iran...

[RightofCentremom]

<p>Hey Navy people–</p>

<p>What’s your take on this incident? Surfing favorite blog sights I came across this quote from Mark Noonan:
“What we’ve got here is an excuse for the US and Royal navies to destroy the Iranian navy (which includes Iran’s land based anti-ship cruise missiles), thus eliminating Iran’s primary threat to the world - that being Iran’s possible ability to close or constrict the Straight of Hormuz.”</p>

<p>Obviously this is in Britain’s court for us to follow, not take the lead. However, this seems a bit more than saber rattling…and coupled with Iran’s president being “denied” visa–well, just wondering?</p>

[GreatAmerican]

<p><a href=“http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/03/ap_british_sailors_iran_070323/[/url]”>http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/03/ap_british_sailors_iran_070323/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

Iran on March 24 insisted that 15 British sailors it seized had illegally entered Iranian waters, denouncing what it called a ?blatant aggression? and accusing Britain of trying to cover up an incursion into its territory.</p>

<p>The tough comment came after Britain demanded the return of the sailors and denied they had strayed into Iranian waters while searching for smugglers off Iraq?s coast.</p>

<p>Also on March 24, Germany, which holds the rotating European Union presidency, said it would demand the immediate release of sailors…

</p>

[the500000]

<p>war with iran is one its way</p>

[GreatAmerican]

<p><a href=“http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1602389,00.html?cnn=yes[/url]”>http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1602389,00.html?cnn=yes&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

The most ominous detail about Iran’s seizure of 15 British Royal Marines in the Shatt-al-Arab waterway on Friday morning is that the servicemen were reportedly taken into custody by the navy of the Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC is a powerful, separate branch of the Iranian armed forces. Soaked with nationalist ideology, it has grown into a state within a state in Iran, with its own naval, air and ground forces, parallel to official government institutions. The IRGC is directly controlled by Supreme Leader Ayatullah Ali Khamenei, the ultimate font of religious and political power in Iran…

</p>

[CWJones411]

<p>Better brush up on your Farsi…</p>

[danbrenn]

<p>No kidding, they really need to offer Pashtu and Farsi at the Academy. What would make a conflict with Iran very interesting, especially for those at and coming out of USNA is the fact that Iran has a large naval force, Including a substantial submarine fleet.</p>

[GreatAmerican]

<p><a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/03/25/iran.uk.sailors.ap/index.html[/url]”>http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/03/25/iran.uk.sailors.ap/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Sunday that the 15 British sailors and Royal Marines captured by Iran were not in Iranian waters and warned Tehran that Britain viewed their fate as a “fundamental” issue.</p>

<p>“It is simply not true that they went into Iranian territorial waters,” Blair said at a news conference in Berlin, calling the situation “very serious.”</p>

<p>“I want to get it resolved in as easy and diplomatic a way as possible,” he said, but added he hoped the Iranians “understood how fundamental an issue this is for the British government.”…

</p>

[GreatAmerican]

<p>No Americans hurt in September border attack, but 6 Iraqis still missing</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/03/ap_iran_us_standoff_070325/[/url]”>http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/03/ap_iran_us_standoff_070325/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

The U.S. military confirmed Sunday that Iranian soldiers attacked American troops working with Iraqi border guards last year in a volatile province northeast of Baghdad, showing the recent capture of 15 British forces was not the first time Iranians have taken Western forces by surprise in Iraq.</p>

<p>The British sailors and marines were seized at gunpoint Friday as they searched for smugglers off the Iraqi coast, and Iran said they had illegally entered Iranian waters. British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Sunday denied that claim and warned that Britain viewed the situation as “very serious.”…

</p>

[CWJones411]

<p>Doesn’t Iran have something like 60 F-14s?</p>

[DMeix]

<p>And zero spare parts or qualified mechanics to go with them…</p>

<p>by now they should be pretty worthless as fighters (damn…it feels almost blasphemous to say that about the '14)</p>

[GreatAmerican]

<p><a href=“http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/03/ap_show_force_gulf_070327/[/url]”>http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/03/ap_show_force_gulf_070327/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

U.S. warplanes screamed off the deck of two aircraft carriers Tuesday in the Navy’s largest show of force in the Persian Gulf since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.</p>

<p>The maneuvers, involving 15 American ships and more than 100 aircraft, were sure to exacerbate tensions with Iran, which has frequently condemned the U.S. military presence off its coastline.</p>

<p>The exercises began only four days after Iran captured 15 British sailors and marines whom it accused of straying into Iranian waters near the Gulf. Britain and the U.S. Navy have insisted the British sailors were operating in Iraqi waters…

</p>

[CWJones411]

<p>America and Britain should bomb one Iranian base until the hostages are released. This is a stress test. Iran is seeing how far they can go before the coalition decides to use some form of force. If we don’t develop a no-tolerance policy for something like this now, all of the Irans and North Koreas in the world will see how weak and empty our speeches and diplomatic talks are.</p>

[GreatAmerican]

<p>In this case, the UK blinked and decided to not use force. That call was made by the Ministry of Defense in London.</p>

<p>The Iranians didn’t start a confrontation with the US because they probably expect some type of retaliation. As Ronald Reagan said: “I am not going to tell them what I am going to do. They can use their imaginations.”</p>

[RightofCentremom]

<p>U.S. warplanes screamed off the deck of two aircraft carriers Tuesday in the Navy’s largest show of force in the Persian Gulf since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.</p>

<p>That’s VERY encouraging–even if UK “blinked”–US NAVY has their eyes wide open! </p>

<p>As far as RR’s quote–(not to get too political here, sorry) I wish more senators would allow our enemies to use their imagination–in ANY of our war plans…</p>

<p>Thank you Great American for keeping us posted to the news on this Act of War!</p>

[CWJones411]

<p>But Reagan would’ve used force if the Iranians didn’t send back the hostages as soon as his inauguration speech started. They knew that. Now Iranians know they can enter into Iraqi territory and kidnap British soldiers without any form of retaliation.</p>

[RightofCentremom]

<p>CW–
you are right about Reagan–but only if AMERICANS were kidnapped–??–Correct me if I’m wrong–but I don’t think we can do much unless the Brits engage…</p>

[fligirl89]

<p>Why is this on the USNA thread. Please take it over to the Parents area. I am here to gain insight on the Academy, not really interested in your political views that don’t have a thing to do with USNA.</p>

<p>Not saying that this is not important, just doesn’t really belong here. ok</p>

[RightofCentremom]

<p>fligirl–</p>

<p>This is a thread–which you don’t have to even click on if it is NOT important to you–but the fact that 15 sailors were kidnapped from a very important ally is actually something anyone applying to the USNA SHOULD be concerned about…</p>

<p>You are right if this is a college or university that has nothig to do with the military–but this has EVERYTHING to do with your and any applicant’s future–you really need to understand the stakes and the future of your 9 YEAR COMMITTMENT --after 4 years at this wonderful school–you and everybody else MUST serve your country and most probably in a real war. </p>

<p>I know i sound condescending–and I apologize–but war is inevitable for all military academy grads–I feel like all you guys need to pay attention to the current news and how it will affect your decisions and your future…</p>

[CWJones411]

<p>I’m not a parent. If this article was posted in the Parent’s section, I wouldn’t have come across it. This forum is not specifically designed for your own personal preferences. I ignore threads that do not concern me. I suggest you do the same.</p>

<p>RightofCentreMom- You’re right.</p>

[danbrenn]

<p>please don’t stop posting on this subject.</p>