Where's Winston?

New York Post ^ | April 3, 2007 | Ralph Peters

[Truth29]

WHERE'S WINSTON?

IT'S IRAN 15, BRITS 0 IN THE GULF

April 3, 2007 -- THE greatest shock from the Middle East this year hasn't been terrorist ruthlessness or the latest Iranian tantrum. It's that members of Britain's Royal Marines wimped out in a matter of days and acquiesced in propaganda broadcasts for their captors. Jingoism aside, I can't imagine any squad of U.S. Marines behaving in such a shabby, cowardly fashion. Our Marines would have fought to begin with. Taken captive by force, they would've resisted collaboration. (snip)

You could put a U.S. Marine in a dungeon and knock out his teeth, but you wouldn't knock out his pride in his country and the Corps. "Semper fi" means something. And our Aussie allies would be just as tough. What on earth happened to the Royal Marines? They're members of what passes for an elite unit. Has the Labor government's program to gut the U.K. military - grounding planes, taking ships out of service and deactivating army units - also ripped the courage from the breasts of those in uniform?

The female sailor who broke down first and begged for her government to surrender was pathetic enough. But when Royal Marines started pleading for tea and sympathy . . . Ma, say it ain't so!

Meanwhile, back at No. 10 "Downer" Street, British politicians are more upset that President Bush described their sailors and Marines as "hostages" than they are with the Iranians. Okay, Lord Spanker and Lady Fanny - what exactly are those sailors and Marines? Package tourists? Naturally, the European Union has praised Britain's "restraint." We've now got another synonym for cowardice.

(snip)

John Bull has been cowed. By a pack of unshaven thugs. And the Britannia that ruled the waves is waving goodbye.

[TBP]

I’m guessing that the HMS Cornwall didn’t put one across the bow of the Iranians because “Topsy” Turney had recently given birth to a baby girl and Political Correctness strikes again.

So it's better to have her taken hostage, so the Mad Mullahs can rape her?

[TBP]

"Pretty sad to think that the last real warriors fighting under the Union Jack are soccer hooligans."

Maybe the British military should draft them.

[Lurking in Kansas]

How quickly these folks have forgotten the Hainan Island incident in April 2001 -- in which the crew of a U.S. E-3 surveillance aircraft was detained for ten freakin' days by the Chinese government over something that involved far less hostility than this.

This is different. The U.S. aircraft was a frickin’ E-3 and not in a war zone. You’re comparing apples to oranges.

[Alberta's Child]

That’s exactly my point. Even under those relatively benign circumstances the Chinese still held them for ten days.

[Rutles4Ever]

If you ask me, it looks like they’re not exactly getting tortured over there. They don’t defend themselves, they issue propaganda confessions at the drop of a hat...

There really isn’t anything left to say at this point. Their nation is teetering if this is all they’ve got at this point.

[FoxInSocks]

Bump for later . . .

[gpapa]

Thanks BluH2o. I was not aware of that.

[uksupport1]

I agree. Ralph Peters is an absolute idiot. Perhaps we Brits should have written pieces such as this when US troops refused convoy duty in Iraq:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/10/20/iraq.reservist/index.html

Or when the US bugged out of Somalia, Beirut, Vietnam etc. This man is insulting every British soldier serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is not fit to tie the boot-laces of British personnel. Obviously, his journalism is so shabby that he deems fit to neglect the dozens of gallantry awards given to British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As to giving up without a fight-we are are not at war with Iran. Furthermore, these personnel were climbing down a boarding ladder into two inflatible craft when surrounded by Iranian speedboats. I would like to see Ralph ‘Rambo’ Peters reaction in such circumstances. The commander obvioudly took the decision to try and de-escalate the situation. If it is deemed that he took the wrong call, he’ll be disciplined on return to Britain. If the Iranians had been Iraqi insurgents, I’m sure that the British would have defended themselves resolutely.

Name, rank and number are the domain of the POW. British troops have been told to go along with the Iranian propaganda, because the wider world knows that it is utter nonsense anyway. In one of the recent vids the British sailor looks like he’s taking the whole exercise for what it is- a joke.

I would like to see Mr. Peters make his comments to face of serving Royal Marines. Presumably he’ll still be saying ‘semper fi’ as his teeth are knocked out?

[BluH2o]

Name, rank and number are the domain of the POW. British troops have been told to go along with the Iranian propaganda, because the wider world knows that it is utter nonsense anyway.

The British have had no contact with hostages, they've taken it upon themselves to apologies to the Iranians for something they didn't do. When the hostages are released I suspect there will be ramifications ... as in less than honorable discharges for the lower ranks and career ending court martial for the officers.

[monkeywrench]

"Or when the US bugged out of Somalia, Beirut, Vietnam etc"

Liberals were in charge. You'll find no end to the criticizing on this site. It happens when weak men are in charge.

"As to giving up without a fight-we are are not at war with Iran"

Taking your troops in international waters was an act of war. Apparently they're at war with you, and you don't seem to recognize it.

[jordan8]

I guess we can’t all be tigers like Ralph.

[Billthedrill]

I've given up trying to follow Ralph Peters' progress with respect to Iraq - one minute he's all gung-ho and the next he's a bitter critic of how Bush screwed the whole thing up. He is consistent in support of the troops but beyond that there's no telling what position he's going to take.

This one is a case in point. We have no idea how much the videos are a product of clever Iranian propaganda and how much a reflection of a "surrender" on the part of the hostages. We do know that the rules of engagement left them vulnerable and their commander powerless to help them short of disobeying a direct order. Those should be addressed. We don't know anything beyond that, and to declare that they've surrendered and collaborated while they're still in captivity and helpless to defend themselves is frankly an act of cowardice. Peters knows better.

[FightThePower!]

The UK and their marines are a bunch of useless worthless pathetic losers. I look forward to them being taken over by their native Muslim population.