This seems to be the year for internet pranks. Emperor Misha I put one over on his Loyal Citizenry (I'll admit it, I was taken in) that blew up on him. And now by way of Michelle Malkin I see that a company called Coptix has apparently pulled a fast one on the moonbats.Meanwhile Iran has agreed to let the British servicemembers go, due to President Ahmadinejad's magnanimity during the Easter season. He calls it a gift to the British people. He also questioned the morality of a nation that could deploy women away from their children, and pinned a medal on the Coast Guard commander that intercepted and captured the 15 servicemembers.
COAST GUARD!?!?!?!?
OK, let me get this right. An Iranian Coast Guard glass bottomed rowboat intercepted and captured 15 sailors and marines on an away team from a British destroyer?
It was bad enough when I thought it was an Iranian gunboat or destroyer that made the grab, but COAST GUARD!?!?!?!?
If I were a retired British Navy squid, I would drown myself in shame. Preferably in a tall glass of ale.
I have two questions. First question, how does any vessel from a hostile nation enter a destroyer's battlespace unopposed?
Second question, how does said enemy vessel, once it has entered the battlespace of a destroyer, manage to snatch and grab 15 sailors and Marines - MARINES, fer godsake - ROYAL F'n MARINES! - and get away unopposed?
Lord Admiral Nelson's bones must have exploded in his grave.
It would have been bad enough if it had been destroyer vs. destroyer, but even then the odds tip towards the British. They have, after all, a long history of combat on the high seas. Not to mention that there was a US carrier battlegroup in the area, and airplanes are damnably fast.
One flight of two F/A-18's loaded with 500 pounders and 20mm Vulcan cannons is enough to deter the most determined destroyer skipper, especially when that flight's friends are surely not far behind. Add to that the fact that the Hornets can also carry air-to-ground missiles, and when I was in the Gulf we often did, and you have a formidable airborne deterrence force only a quick radio call away.
But to find out it was a COAST GUARD vessel...
Britannica, Mistress of the Seas, I weep for thee.
Photo of Iranian Coast Guard boat 1608 from DBL Imaging
Hey Larry,I sent my E-mail and spent some time on your blog.The reading is fresh.I would advocate your page to my mother,but she would probably firebomb the thing if she could.Sorry tosay she actually told me out loud she is a communist.......She is a poor old dolt who blames the world for tired old litany of problems.The worst thing for her was for her two sons to raise up and become conservative men.Lots of Love...DEX
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by Dex, glad you like it. Sorry to hear about your Mom, but the sad thing is the older "they" get the more fond of security they are at the expense of liberty. My in-laws are the same way, sad to say, but so far my own parents aren't so bad.
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