Image Credit and Video Link: NBC NewsThe British Military - Stiff Upperlip To Jell-O Backbone
After watching the U.K. Sailor news conference on TV this morning, I'm left with a tremendous feeling of speechlessness.
What I observed was, at best, a civilian response to a military situation and the world is upside down. As the graphic from NBC News asks - "Where's The Honor?"
I understand the reality of the impression that "fighting back was not an option" but I really do not understand moving beyond Name, Rank, and Serial Number in an act-of-war military scenario.
Come on, just look at these British Military people in Iranian suits ... disgusting!
British sailors and marines waited at the airport in Tehran Thursday before boarding a commercial flight to London. Image Credit: Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesI just can't imagine being photographed this happy under these "captive" military conditions.
This from the MSNBC Website -
MSNBC News Services
Updated: 12 minutes ago
ROYAL MARINE BASE CHIVENOR, England - The 15 British sailors seized by Iran were kept blindfolded, bound and in isolation by their Iranian captors who threatened them with seven years in jail, they told a news conference Friday.
"From the outset, it was very apparent that fighting back was not an option," Capt. Chris Air said of their capture in the northern Gulf on March 23. Air said they were in Iraqi waters when seized by the Iranians.
"They rammed our boats, and trained their heavy machine guns, RPGs, and weapons on us. Another six boats were closing in on us. We realized our efforts to reason with these people were not making any headway, nor were we able to calm some of the individuals," Air said
Reference Here>>
"Nor were we able to calm some of the individuals" - Disgusting.
Again, this sounds like the recounting of an incident amongst civilians ... not a recounting of an incident involving one military hijacking another.
The British Military's only thought provided throughout the interview this morning was -- what do we do to get back home.
In this picture issued by Britain's Ministry of Defence, Royal Marine Captain Chris Air, left, leads 15 British service personnel release by Iran, across the tarmac at London's Heathrow Airport, Thursday April 5, 2007, from the British Airways aircraft which flew them from Tehran. The 15 British sailors and marines returned home after 13 days in captivity. Man in military uniform seen second from left, was part of the party who meet the 15 service personnel on their arrival. Image Credit: AP Photo/Angie Pearce
Well, they achieved their goal of coming home ... with little honor. As a former member of the U.S. Navy, I am ashamed at the level of representation to the country of England that these military personnel showed under fire.
And I am not the only one who shares this POV, this from Col. Jack Jacobs, Military analyst - MSNBC
British sailors’ conduct was a disgrace
Where is honor? Iran hostages’ handshakes, apologies are ‘reprehensible’
COMMENTARY - By Jack Jacobs - Military analyst – MSNBC - Updated: 1 hour, 32 minutes ago
The capture, internment and repatriation of the British sailors and marines can only be described as a shoddy spectacle. From start to finish, the Brits heaped nothing but ignominy on themselves, and one can recall few instances in recent memory in which a group of uniformed service members acted with less professionalism and more dishonor.
From the start, things were destined to end badly. Although the inevitable investigation by the Ministry of Defence will determine the sequence of events that led to the capture, it seems that the boarding party was not following generally accepted practices for such an operation.
Reference Here>>
Col. Jacobs goes on to quote philosopher John Stuart Mill who wrote extensively about theories of liberty. On the duty of the military to any country, Mr. Mill wrote:
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse.
The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
With that, Col. Jack Jacobs concluded his thoughts and comments about the recent acts of the British Military in Iran ... and so do we, at MAXINE!
4 comments:
"Come on, just look at these British Military people in Iranian suits ... disgusting!"
You bet, how obscene can you get!
Abu Ghraib's shots in comparison were just chicken shit !!!
And, next to Mill, Churchill must be rolling in his grave:
"We have suffered a total and unmitigated defeat. ... This is only the first sip, the first foretaste of a bitter cup which will be proffered to us year by year unless by a supreme recovery of moral health and martial vigor we arise again and take our stand for freedom." Churchill, 1938
http://jcdurbant.blog.lemonde.fr/2007/04/05/iran-shame-on-you-tony/
Been to war? Been captured? If you say no to either, then pls don't assume you would do anything other than what you are told in that situation.
We (Viet Nam era vets) have been to war and after coming home experienced a form a torture from members of our own nation ... for a bit more than a week or so.
Being in the military is more than just a job, it is a calling for people who will have their backbone and ethics tested. Plain and simple - The British Military did not pass the test.
Your questions reflect and suggest that you may have never experienced military service. If this is true, than it is those that have not can not even begin to understand what is truly at stake in a military capture situation.
Ask yourselves - What, on this Earth, is worth putting ones-self in harms way and worth fighting for if it is not for the freedom of others.
Service in the military is not just another job of which the goal and personal success is to survive and come home. It is much more than "Hey, nice suit!"
Well, Ed, you know what they say . . . don't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his suit!!
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