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Author Topic:   UK Soldiers Home From Iran
Chiroptera
Inactive Member


Message 2 of 14 (393727)
04-06-2007 3:48 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by berberry
04-06-2007 3:39 PM


The British sailors and marines held captive for nearly two weeks in Iran were blindfolded, bound and faced constant psychological pressure, a Royal Navy lieutenant said Friday.
Like the poor chumps in Guantanamo?
I wonder how these British sailors and marines would have reacted if they were the ones ordered to blindfold, bind, and put constant psychological pressure on those they were guarding.
I'm not saying that "tit-for-tat" is right; I just wish that outrage against inhumane treatment would be expressed a bit more consistently.
(And I'm not implying anything about your attitudes, berb -- just something for the Tal-clones to think about.)
Edited by Chiroptera, : typo

Actually, if their god makes better pancakes, I'm totally switching sides. -- Charley the Australopithecine

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by berberry, posted 04-06-2007 3:39 PM berberry has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 3 by berberry, posted 04-06-2007 3:58 PM Chiroptera has replied
 Message 10 by Coragyps, posted 04-06-2007 10:01 PM Chiroptera has not replied

  
Chiroptera
Inactive Member


Message 4 of 14 (393729)
04-06-2007 4:08 PM
Reply to: Message 3 by berberry
04-06-2007 3:58 PM


quote:
...my first reaction to those videos the soldiers made was pretty much the same as his - it was disgraceful.
While much of the country rallied behind the crew’s return, others criticized them for offering apologies where none was required”namely for appearing in videos in which they admitted and offered regrets for entering Iranian waters.
Well, it certainly was disgraceful for the Iranian military and government authorities to force the captured soldiers to make public political statements like this. I'm not sure that it's disgraceful for people who are under the control of armed people to do what they are told.
-
“They rammed our boats, and trained their heavy machine guns, RPGs, and weapons on us. Another six boats were closing in on us,” Air said. “We realized that had we resisted there would have been a major fight, one we could not have won, with consequences that would have major strategic impacts. We made a conscious decision not to engage the Iranians.”
I'm not sure that I find much fault with the behavior of these soldiers.

Actually, if their god makes better pancakes, I'm totally switching sides. -- Charley the Australopithecine

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3 by berberry, posted 04-06-2007 3:58 PM berberry has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 5 by berberry, posted 04-06-2007 4:15 PM Chiroptera has replied

  
Chiroptera
Inactive Member


Message 6 of 14 (393731)
04-06-2007 4:31 PM
Reply to: Message 5 by berberry
04-06-2007 4:15 PM


Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but it is my understanding that when the North Vietnamese were forcing American POWs to make public statements denouncing the US, the official military policy was to tell American soldiers to do what they are told by their captors; the important thing was to survive the ordeal and eventually return home.
I'm a little hesitant to say what people should do as a point of honor; honor is such a personal thing that I would feel uncomfortable attempting to insist on why I feel is right.
I would have respect for people who, as a matter of honor, would refuse to make these kinds of statements. But I also have respect for people who, in this kind of situation, did what they felt they had to in order to get through it. (By the way, I did not see any of these videos myself.)
That's how I feel about it. One could make the argument, perhaps, that people who join the Royal Marines agree to abide by a certain code of honor, but I'm not a Royal Marine and so it is not my place to criticize them for such a breech.
Edited by Chiroptera, : typo

Actually, if their god makes better pancakes, I'm totally switching sides. -- Charley the Australopithecine

This message is a reply to:
 Message 5 by berberry, posted 04-06-2007 4:15 PM berberry has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 7 by kuresu, posted 04-06-2007 4:46 PM Chiroptera has not replied

  
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