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british marines and sailors surrender to the iranians.
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 9:34 pm
by lazarus
Despite a modern frigate nearby and when operating in Iraqi waters, a party of British marines and sailors surrendered to the Iranians without a shot being fired. What do you reckon? Whatever happened to the spirit of Rorke's drift?
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 9:37 pm
by Samray
I reckon they followed orders.
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 9:56 pm
by D-Rider
Ah well, at least in future these things won't happen - we'll have an upgraded nuclear deterrent and nobody will dare to tangle with us

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 10:20 pm
by Kwackerz
Rourke's Drift was an Army thing.
They are Navy.
Go figure..
Fekkin' wooses. I mean the
whole Iranian Navy just off the port bow of the
single small insignificant RN ship and they surrendered!!? I bet they didnt even tell them to Foxtrot Oscar!
What's that all about then! (sarcasm)
Wonder if the marines had Deja Vu...

ISTR they did exactly the same thing a few years ago..
Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 10:21 am
by K_D
Suppose its easy to say 'fight to the death' if your not the one doin the dying...............
There was in all probability a sound tactical descision to surrender,possibly having something to do with fixed large calibre machine guns on armoured patrol boats vs SA80's on a RIB
Eaven the marines aint that stooopid
and being snatched two days before the UN is about to sanction Iran ...........hmmm call me cynical but i get the impression it was calculated to put some leverage on the UN........I kinda guess those guys ,or any guys in that area would have been snatched regardless of thier position.
hope they get home ok
Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 8:44 pm
by lazarus
"Suppose its easy to say 'fight to the death' if your not the one doin the dying..............." Too true
On the other hand, if they are not prepared to use the weapons they have (and dont forget there was a modern frigate there, airforce withing range and big brother from the US too) then dont put them in the position where they end up surrendering and giving an enemy extra leverage.
You can be pretty sure that the Yanks wouldnt have allowed this to happen to their men.
Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 9:05 pm
by Kwackerz
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6493391.stm
Tony's trying to flex his muscles..
*sigh*
So I'll be in Iran for this year's rally then?!
Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 9:31 pm
by lazarus
No chance Kwaks. Tony will insist that Margaret Becket invites the Iranian ambassador up to her caravan and has a frank exchange of views. That should frighten the buggers.
You're "in the job". Do you believe we have any practical physical options when the guys concenred are somewhere unknown in Iran. Or even if we knew where they were?
Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 9:37 pm
by Kwackerz
Not really. It's down to our politicians to recover those lads. Any physical action taken to get 'em out will be taken as a full on declaration of War. If they 'went missing' it would be just the same. (recovered by SAS/SBS)
Our current government managing to recover the lads? Hmm. I'd be more inclined to believe UN pressure would get em out, not our own.
15 blokes wont even register on the UN's giveafcukometer to be honest. Sanctions will go ahead and 15 families are going to be uncomfortable for a while til Iran releases them as a sign of goodwill or something.. maybe..
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:57 am
by Falcoholic
Judging by the amount of hardware being shipped through Prestwick Airport to Turkey over the last few months it looks like "we" could be in Iran shortly anyway.

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 5:08 pm
by Samray
Good to see em home.
..tho I must admit I laffed out loud to see em escorted across the tarmac at Chivenor by a copper with a rifle.
Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 5:28 pm
by Kwackerz
Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:19 pm
by snapdragon
my mate at work tells me that it would all have been fine if they hadn't given in and let the girl drive -
and when she stopped and asked for directions ---- all hell broke loose
Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:32 pm
by BikerGran
There was in all probability a sound tactical descision to surrender,possibly having something to do with fixed large calibre machine guns on armoured patrol boats vs SA80's on a RIB
Or could it have been that they really were in Iranian waters and doing anything else might have been taken as an act of war?
Cynical? Where our current government is concerned - YES!
Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:56 pm
by Kwackerz
for a while til Iran releases them as a sign of goodwill or something.. maybe..
Whoo! I predicted that!
Or maybe the Iranians read RiderSite?
Scary...
