British Sailors Captured by Iran

A number of British sailors were taken by Iranian Soldiers from their boat in the Persian Gulf yesterday. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinijad has announced on Iranian National Radio that these British sailors were caught in Iranian waters (a lie), and that they have been detained by the Iranian government as foreign spies.

If these men were Israelis, there would already be missiles in the air. As they are British, we shall see.

I am curious about the way that Britain will handle this. If it were our guys, Bush would be all about sending in the Teams (at a minimum) to rescue them. The Brits may or may not have the stomach for this situation at the moment.

From a soldier's standpoint, I feel for the British sailors. I hope that they are retrieved unharmed by whatever means necessary. I hope that the US military will help in any way possible.

You see, loyalty is a rare thing in government these days. I know that my guys would break some rules (and teeth) to try to rescue me. The reason that they would have to do this is that my government would probably "take the high road" and work on a diplomatic solution. Remember those soldiers who were captured in Bosnia a few years back? Jessie Jackson had to get those guys back. If I am a prisoner of war and they let Jessie freakin Jackson work out my release, I will crawl from Arkansas to DC on my hands and knees to tell the SecDef to kiss my brown ...well, you get the picture.

As a soldier, I will do things that I may disagree with, meaning that I will follow all of my lawful orders even if I do not agree with the politics behind the action. I will slog through mud, go without bathing, suffer as I must in order to accomplish the mission at hand. I will fight to my dying breath, if I must, because that is my job. My country owes me the training and equipment to do the job. And some support. If I am captured, I will do what I can to escape, withhold information, etc. I would ask, as a personal favor (and a show of respect for soldiers everywhere) that my government actually do something to come find me, time and resources permitting.

I would hate to be an infidel in Muslim hands, waiting for diplomacy to prevail...