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Home Front: WoT
WHAT HAPPENED OFF FARSI ISLAND?
2016-01-19
[Spectator] In that confused environment, when Iran is characterized as a friend rather than an enemy, it's understandable -- but not forgivable -- for someone like Lt. Nartker to misunderstand his duties. Again, I'm not going to condemn him for surrendering if he was unable to resist. But how are we training our sailors and officers at this point?
Naval Academy grads are seldom complete bumblers or idiots. If you'll permit me to donn my tin foil hat I might suggest that good Lt. Nartker was delivering something on board the boats, but we'll likely never know.
Only a real and public investigation will reveal that answer. And I'll bet no such investigation will be done.
I think we know how our people were trained. And I think our people know what is expected of them should they ever be seized by a hostile power. We clearly need an investigation and I agree that it likely won't ever happen. But part of the point of an investigation is to ensure that every person in uniform knows what they're supposed to do in the event of capture.
Posted by:Blossom Unains5562

#8  It hasn't nearly so much to do with spinelessness as the fact that the president simply ignores them while employing his phone and his pen, it seems to me. Nor will that change so long as the bureaucrats of the executive branch obey orders.
Posted by: trailing wife   2016-01-19 21:58  

#7  That's achieved nothing during the Obama Tyranny. Congress and the courts are essentially spineless and grovel at his feet.
Posted by: Silentbrick   2016-01-19 21:54  

#6  Congress can hold hearings ....
Posted by: Sven the pelter   2016-01-19 15:06  

#5  The trail after the boats were intercepted will lead to the White House and Susan Rice/ValJar. What the Lt did and said we're ordered I suspect. The back channel call to Teheran's to warn about the sanctions being frozen prompted the quick release.
The bigger question is what was being done before they were intercepted.
Posted by: NoMoreBS   2016-01-19 14:12  

#4  Blossom - crying, expressing feelings, are GOOD things, & selected for in our sensitive society; why should the Navy be different?
Posted by: Glenmore   2016-01-19 13:50  

#3  The US Navy is Combat Ineffective
Posted by: Blossom Unains5562   2016-01-19 13:48  

#2  Iran: ‘American Sailors Started Crying After Arrest’
Posted by: Blossom Unains5562   2016-01-19 13:43  

#1  Given that the Iranians had them on their knees, it suggests that the Iranians were prepared to fight. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have approached the American boat unless they felt confident they could win. So there were going to be deaths had there been a fight. I'd rather they surrender as they did and live to fight another day. Were the Americans out of comm range? They didn't call for help or to relay their status. I saw a walkie talkie on one guy's belt. How far can that reach? The other boat only? I have a feeling maybe there was an "EMP" or other similar disabling strike? If there was an EMP strike, how did the commander call for the other boat to surrender? Could such a lack of communication led to the need for a surrender at gunpoint? Were the boats towed home or driven?

We all know what happens with investigations. We'll have to wait for someone to go public after they get pi$$ed off at this administration. Probably a few months away.
Posted by: gorb   2016-01-19 13:27  

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