News Iran detains 10 US sailors after ships stopped in the Gulf

[Notebook]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35295766

Iran has detained 10 US sailors after their vessels were stopped in the Gulf, a US official told the BBC.

"We lost contact with two small US naval craft en route from Kuwait to Bahrain," the official said.

He said that the Iranians informed the US that the sailors were safe and "will promptly be allowed to continue their journey".

 

[Andy44]

Just in time for Obama's state of the union address tonight...

 

[Thunder Chicken]

I can't watch state of the union speeches. My eye muscles cramp from rolling them for 2 hours straight.

Both the U.S. and Iran are testing the waters, but are keeping it contained. Somebody is going to screw up the delicate diplomatic dance between our militaries and shooting will start really soon IMO.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

I can't watch state of the union speeches. My eye muscles cramp from rolling them for 2 hours straight.

Both the U.S. and Iran are testing the waters, but are keeping it contained. Somebody is going to screw up the delicate diplomatic dance between our militaries and shooting will start really soon IMO.

IMO? Iran will cross the line first, and we'll slap them on the wrist. The U.S. public won't want another war in the Middle East so soon after the debacles in Afghanistan and Iraq.

 

[Andy44]

It's easy to assume that Iran is up to something nefarious here, but it is possible that these boats were in fact where they weren't supposed to be, doing something they weren't supposed to be doing, and got caught. Two boats with 5 guys each out in the open water, both "getting lost" sounds like SEALs or something. Who knows.

I can't read news comments on places like Yahoo about stuff like this; the sheer number of armchair generals in the US who think having a war with Iran is a good idea makes me feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

Also, I agree about the state of the union speeches. They are always horrible. I am binge-watching Dr. Who episodes instead.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Yeah, especially since this news broke only a couple hours ago and it is now not quite dawn in the Persian Gulf. A nighttime cruise in the Gulf in riverine special ops boats?

I'm sure they were just "fishing". :lol:

---------- Post added at 10:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:16 PM ----------

A couple of thoughts -

I'm wondering if these boats were a diversion for something else? Navigation error seems really unlikely with GPS - SEALS are smarter than that and can navigate a boat. Special ops boats aren't invisible, even at night. The Iranians do have radar and nightvision. It was either an abysmally stupidly planned adventure, or a diversion for something much more interesting.

Why would one plan this during the State of the Union speech? Some of the leadership in the Navy doesn't have any political savvy. I don't think this was directed from the White House, as triggering a military altercation soon after making a peace deal with Iran doesn't make sense from Obama's chair.

 

[Urwumpe]

I'm wondering if these boats were a diversion for something else? Navigation error seems really unlikely with GPS - SEALS are smarter than that and can navigate a boat. Special ops boats aren't invisible, even at night. The Iranians do have radar and nightvision. It was either an abysmally stupidly planned adventure, or a diversion for something much more interesting.

GPS does not help you when you are not using it. It is not like such small boats allow you to look at the map display all the time - if the GPS has a map display at all.

I would say, the real event is much more boring than it already is: The US Navy trained for something like deploying Marines and the Iranians simply "invited" them when they had still been in international waters. Maybe even by error - the borders in the Red Sea are largely disputed. The statements of the Iranians suggest that they are equally surprised to have US guests and try to let the situation solve itself with the minimum of damage to Iran (looking weak is also no option, especially not now). That the Iranians directly talk with Kerry about the issue suggests that they are not planning to keep the US sailors for longer than necessary - would they have planned a longer hostage keeping, like in the past, they would let the US diplomats go from level to level in Iran, starting with the doorman.

Maybe the Iranians mistook the US Navy for Saudi special forces, who knows?

 

[MaverickSawyer]

From what I've seen, they were supposed to meet a refueling ship near the island they were found near, and that they may have run out of fuel.

CNN reports that the boats may have been supposed to be refueled in the proximity of the island by a larger craft. If this report is true, and the vessel never showed up, this could explain how both boats became incapacitated.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

From what I've seen, they were supposed to meet a refueling ship near the island they were found near, and that they may have run out of fuel.

Wasn't this the plot of an episode of McHale's Navy?

 

[Notebook]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-35300019

All's well that ends well.

N.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Ahh...peace is restored...not.

Somebody in fuel logistics is going to get their torn off and thrown to the sharks for this I imagine.

 

[Urwumpe]

Ahh...peace is restored...not.

Somebody in fuel logistics is going to get their torn off and thrown to the sharks for this I imagine.

Not sure. Maybe they also had to handle problems themselves. It was sure not automatically human failure.

 

[TachyonDriver]

But Vice-President Joe Biden denied this, saying the boat had had simply a problem and there was "nothing to apologise for".

I believe Joe Biden is a complete -trumpet... Does he still think housewives should be armed with heavy double-barrelled shotguns these days?

Perhaps the American sailors were just politely apologising? It happens sometimes even when it is not that persons fault... :facepalm: