Now that the British sailors are free...response?
 

Now that the British hostages are to be released, what *should* Britain's naval policy be? They could continue just as before and risk another nabbing, they could back down and give the Iranian border more space, or they could step up patrols, but keep a tighter grip on their patrol boats.

A related question is not what they should do, but what they *will* do.

Personally, I'ld like to see the British government up the patrols 3 fold and bring their large boats closer in for tighter protection to their patrols. A few Lockheed FireScouts overhead within visualazation of the boarder at all times would be handly as well.

This is the second time and may not be the last time, Iran are sly wolfs be warned.

Beef up those silly ROE that they have. Bring to trial those who are responsible for the stupid ROE that have been in place until now. Incompetence should be held responsible, and then being removed from service. I tend to prioritize the focussing on the political leadership here.

The whole Iran thing really worries me. Because of Iraq and the way that's gone, I don't think Blair thinks he can count on public backing if he risks another war in the Middle East. And I think that's why there wasn't any sabre rattling going on.

The trouble is, as much as I was against the invasion of Iraq I can see Iran for what it is - a country full of nutters who are about to get nukes, and that really scares me. Also if we invade or attack there's the risk of a proper East v West scenario which scares me too.

I really have no answer to this one and that's what scares me the most.

Well, this is my response, bring our young men and women back to the UK. Let the Middle East be, because there will always be unrest in this region due mainly to religion, territory and fanatics.
Let them blow each other up, why should we be caught up in it ?!

Because as soon as some FANATICAL leader gets in charge, it will no longer be just about them, it will be about us too!!! Imagine a land where we leave Al Qeida to its devices - They eventually train and come after us over here. They will not stop. They can only be estroyed. There is no middle ground. They beleive it with all their hearts. So if you don't mind crusing down to your local cafe, and having 15 people body parts flinging blood into your soup on your night out, then let them be. If you don't like that idea, better stay on board.

-S

Skybirds' already said most of it for me.

However, Iran should be strongly warned that such behavior will NOT be tolerated again.

Drop a few JDAM's on the harbor that the Iranian Patrol Boats originated from.;)

About time.
This particular charade was allowed to continue for far too long.

What may be taken for shrewd political manoeuvring over in Iran can be generally and truthfully regarded by the rest of the world as a thinly disguised attempt at sabre rattling; that the UK should view it as anything other than the Iranian authorities thumbing their nose at the west is inconceivable.
As for the statements of the sailors and marines... well they smell of the same rotten dung as those who were paraded in front of the Arab media by Saddam, cap in hand saying how 'sorry they were and how they are that in your wisdom that you are letting us go home sir....' BS. ...Like they had any choice in the matter.

Had we kidnapped a bunch of their sailors and played them to the world press they would be calling in no uncertain terms for our collective blood.

Still, except for anyone who has been living on mars for the last 50 years or so, this is of no surprise whatsoever.

The next time this kind of 'accident' occurs (and I'm sure it will at some point) it ought to be made clear that any vessel coming within 500m of any British warship or boarding party will be assumed to be of aggressive intent and fired upon. However I seriously doubt such a ruling would come to pass, even were it to be realistically entertained by the MOD or the government.

Ah well, I suppose the unctuous wheels of diplomacy will continue to turn ever so slowly in respect of matters such as these.

Who said 500m? Try ten times that distance.

A small boat travelling at 20KT will be on them in less than one minute. There is also the problem of naval artillery, it just isn't that accurate.

That is how the Iranians captured the 15 to begin with.

The Royal Australian Navy had the same problem when the Iranians tried to do the same thing to them. The officer in charge of the party was able to call in a helicopter and extract the the boarding team by air, avoiding sapture.

The British salior didn't have that option as the helicopter had to return to be refuled.

Local air cover is nice, but if your out gunned you have to play it smart, or you and others could end up dead.:hmm:

As far as the government and Irans extremist community, this is true. However, by all accounts, the younger generation is almost pro western, and pretty disgruntled about the government in Iran, too. Theres an amazing contrast between the generations in Iran. Koppel did a very interesting program from Iran last year that portrayed this very well....

Well.. lets see. its happened twice now, and i'd be willing to bet a pretty sum that Iran have scored something out of it, something along the lines of a quiet concession in the sanctions against it, an eye turned blind to a shipload of something...

regardless, its happened twice. Chances are it'll happen again. So, you sink the Iranian ships, just as insurance:yep:. even better, sink their whole friggin navy!

The ultimate in gunboat diplomacy - you kidnap 15 soldiers, you lose 15 ships. that works for me

Really, it's the total religious devide in the country that shows the difference, not nessecarely the age/generation. A friend of mine got back from Iran last year, and nearly all of the Persian (oldies and the children) populace are either afraid or angered by the government, while the Arab populace is more slanted twoards the Government (Anti-West Arabs). I've said it a million times, and here's once more: Persians hate Arabs. Arabs hate Persians. Arabs have control over the Persians at this moment, further inflaming the hatred between the two groups.

The friend also indicated that the Arab populace was much more violent, from muggings to kidnappings.


In all, if you were to attempt a war with Iran, siding with the Persians and then (somehow) instigating a revolution will cause the country to collapse on itself.

I think the Iranians don't even have 15 ships...:|\\