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The most plausible explanation for the 10 riverine sailors captured by Iran
American Thinker ^ | January 17, 2016 | Thomas H. Lipscomb

Posted on 01/17/2016 6:06:27 AM PST by Travis McGee

See also: Calling BS on the official story of the Iranian capture of two US riverine boats I have separately heard from two experts, both high ranking Marines, one on active duty and the other working in DC at a foundation, the following.


 When I pressed them on the Fars News Service statement from Iran that the 10 captured on the two US vessels were all Marines, they countered: No, they are part of a Rivierine Squadron based in San Diego. Further they are support crews for SEAL missions from the US Navy and highly trained. The Iranians probably mistook “Riverine” for “Marine” in doing the story. So that explains several things. Why the captured sailors were so much more fit than the average sailor these days, and how a woman could be among them. While not special ops personnel directly engaged, they have to be extraordinarily fit and well-trained, as indeed these sailors appear to be. It also raises the question as to whether they had been on a...(Read Full Post)

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: farsiisland; iranseizesussailors
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To: Travis McGee

Its. It’s = It is.


81 posted on 01/17/2016 10:23:08 AM PST by arthurus (Het is waar. Tutti i liberali sono feccia.)
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To: Travis McGee

American Thinker is definitely not what it was. At least it hasn’t taken the Luciferian tumble that National Review has. Yet.


82 posted on 01/17/2016 11:13:37 AM PST by Psalm 144 (The mill grinds exceedingly fine.)
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To: Psalm 144

That’s why I just post my new stuff on Western Rifle Shooters Association,

http://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com/

and Gates of Vienna. They are not in it for the ad money.

http://gatesofvienna.net/


83 posted on 01/17/2016 11:16:31 AM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: Travis McGee

Random questions:

Why make the transit out of sight of the coastline?

Did the boats have very much or any ammunition?

If they were inoperable then how did they leave Iran?

With satellite recon would they not have been observable every minute? Along with the Iranian vessels?


84 posted on 01/17/2016 11:33:21 AM PST by Rockpile (GOP legislators-----caviar eating surrender monkeys.)
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To: GreyFriar

That’s right, timed perfectly for maximum Iranian leverage against Obama/Kerry, who would throw babies into a furnace to keep the nuke deal on track.


85 posted on 01/17/2016 11:57:31 AM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: Psalm 144
At least it hasn’t taken the Luciferian tumble that National Review has.

The NR started the slide into liberal hell about 10 years ago.

86 posted on 01/17/2016 12:00:53 PM PST by Grampa Dave (Obama is living proof of the disaster of not sticking to the Wisdom of our Founding Fathers!!)
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To: Rockpile

Random questions:

Why make the transit out of sight of the coastline?
>>Depends on water depth, reefs etc. The boats are jet-driven and only need 3’, so they are not very restricted. But they would not be far off the straight line I drew on the map meme. They would be in radar sight of the coast at all times, and visual sight much of the time.

Did the boats have very much or any ammunition?
Probably a basic loadout for a redployment transit. Not much. And they probably would not have belts in the belt-feds, to save the cartridges from salt spray. The ammo would be boxed up to keep it clean and nice. It’s a PITA to clean salty brass cartridge belts. Usually, in my era (80s) we would fire it off rather than clean it. We had lots more ammo.

If they were inoperable then how did they leave Iran?
>>>They were never inoperable, that is a lie. They always use two boats, for “self rescue” which is SOP. One boat goes dead in the water, the other tows it. Between them, they had four diesel engines. Before a redeployment transit, the engines would get a NASCAR-level mechanical check. They did not break down, that is a lie.

With satellite recon would they not have been observable every minute? Along with the Iranian vessels?
>>> Yes, either in real time, or on archived film they could access later. I can’t state that with certainty, but I’m guessing that all of the various platforms such as the Hawkeye radar planes from the carriers would be able to put the picture together.

My guess is our Navy knows EXACTLY where this took place, and it took place in int’l waters. The worst part is, our own POTUS and SecState are part of the lie.


87 posted on 01/17/2016 12:05:54 PM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: Texas Fossil

"Ceterum censeo 0bama esse delendam."

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)

LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

88 posted on 01/17/2016 12:15:03 PM PST by LonePalm (Commander and Chef)
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To: Travis McGee
I support your position and your synopsis of the SITREP and wonder why there was no response from Carrier Strike Group 8 (CCSG-8) or nothing from Carrier Air Wing 7 (CVW-7). CVN-75 had just entered the Gulf and were promptly harassed by Iranian patrol boats firing rockets off their bow a month earlier going though the Straights. There should have been a cap over CCSG-8 by CVW-7 and either by datalink or UHF direct request for support from either of the two USN river patrol boats. VAW-121 surely would have seen or heard what was going on in addition to HSM-72 likely also having had assets airborne. Even a ready alert could have been there in time to affect support. This whole thing is bovine excrement and this is all on Obama and Kerry and their Iranian nuclear deal and not having a Carrier Battle Group or air wing over the gulf after CVN-71 left in the summer and no presence for 5 months.

Joint Chiefs give their true feeling on the situation without poker faces.


89 posted on 01/17/2016 12:25:35 PM PST by Mat_Helm
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To: Mat_Helm

I think the routine/admin conditions redeployment of the two boats from Kuwait to Bahrain was known by Iranian intel in advance, based upon spies in our bases, watching ports, etc.

I think these sailors were ambushed mid-route, and it happened very fast. A planned ambush, executed perfectly, based on an understanding of our ROE, which they would know word by word. (Our ROE are only a secret to the American people.)

Our ROE are basically “DO NOT LOAD YOUR GUNS UNTIL YOU HAVE DIRECT ORDERS FROM HIGHER! DO NOT FIRE UNLESS FIRED UPON! CALL FOR INSTRUCTIONS FIRST, NO MATTER WHAT!”

These ROE made our sailors sitting ducks. The Iraninans correctly believed that if they laid in a fast swarming ambush, which would become a Mexican Standoff at point blank in just minutes, they would be able to force a surrender.

Which they did.

Once our boats are under their control, our soldiers held at gunpoint on their knees, the boarding party simply orders the coxswain, at gunpoint, to “Follow that boat, or we will all rape the girl and then cut her head off!” Or whatever.

The coxswain would obey. Once they are in Iranian waters, Iran controls the entire story, and we only see film that Iran wants the world to see.

And Obama and Kerry are so eager for their nuke deal to proceed, that they go along with Iran’s lie.

Just shameful for the USN, to be used like this.


90 posted on 01/17/2016 12:35:38 PM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: Travis McGee

PS: If somebody with honor and integrity in the USN leaked video of radar plots, overhead imagery etc proving that this was an act of Iranian piracy in int’l waters, it could prove damning to Obama and Kerry.


91 posted on 01/17/2016 12:38:11 PM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: Travis McGee

The Bluetails (AEW)E-2D Hawkeye would have seen everything going on and should have been able to warn the patrol boats and coordinate assets. Something failed big time to allow the Iranians to exploit the situation as you indicate. If not than this was purposefully allowed to happen. The whole thing stinks.


92 posted on 01/17/2016 12:44:44 PM PST by Mat_Helm
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To: Travis McGee

Yes...Reagan showed the Iranians that we could swat them hard at any time, and do so in a 24-36 hour period.

We did not hear much from that after that for years.

They need another very strong abject example.


93 posted on 01/17/2016 1:15:57 PM PST by Jeff Head (Semper Fidelis - Molon Labe - Sic Semper Tyrannis)
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To: VerySadAmerican

Today’s American military is riddled, thanks to the power elite and to Barry Obama, with homosexuals and assorted losers.

Of course there are many who join the military who are normal young men.

In short, this isn’t the military in which I served over sixty years ago where I was amongst mostly inductees. Now, the only way to clean up the mess that leftist and homosexual politicians have created is to reinstitute the draft and re-empower the NCO corps to crack the whip.

Drugees and malcontented youth would be re-molded into something that would begin to resemble useful.

Girls don’t belong in tanks or garbed in battle gear. They could serve in a return to the WAC.

Whenever I see, on the street or running a recruitment office, a soldier wearing camouflaged fatigues, I cringe. Apparently the only time they wear their class A’s is at bedtime.


94 posted on 01/17/2016 2:16:23 PM PST by HomerBohn (Liberals and slinkies: they're good for nothing, but you smile as you shove them down the stairs.)
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To: Grampa Dave

bookmark


95 posted on 01/17/2016 2:49:10 PM PST by silverleaf (Age takes a toll: Please have exact change)
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To: Alas Babylon!; American_Centurion; An.American.Expatriate; arthurus; ASA.Ranger; ASA Vet; Ax; ...

MI/SOCOM Ping


96 posted on 01/17/2016 4:29:48 PM PST by ASA Vet (Jus Soli + Jus Sanguinis = NBC)
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To: Travis McGee

Thanks for the earlier response.

Have to wonder what local national Coast Guards or merchant traffic saw.

Are shore based radars watching Gulf traffic? Any radars on off-shore production platforms?

Do we have SOSUS type sensors planted to record traffic?

NSA intercepts of Iran Navy transmissions?

If the Iranians planned this intercept then how would they have known about the trip?
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
No doubt enterprising American investigative journalists from Big News are leaping into action to gather the facts right now. gag-gag-spit


97 posted on 01/17/2016 5:46:34 PM PST by Rockpile (GOP legislators-----caviar eating surrender monkeys.)
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To: HomerBohn

I agree with everything you said. I can’t stand to see soldiers in “work” uniforms. When I was in we were allowed to where our dungarees to and from base if we lived off base. But we were not allowed to stop and get out of the car.


98 posted on 01/17/2016 5:59:14 PM PST by VerySadAmerican
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To: Rockpile; Texas Fossil
Yes, yes, no, no comment, they got lucky/ were opportunistic.

Hope this helps.

"Ceterum censeo 0bama esse delendam."

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)

LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

99 posted on 01/17/2016 8:07:21 PM PST by LonePalm (Commander and Chef)
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To: Travis McGee
For your reference. Your were discussed and given credit today by Jim Quinn (Warrroom).

Quinn and Rose were very popular in Pittsburgh for years. Jim was always ahead of the occupation media. They ran into trouble with Clear Channel when ex-Senator Daschle's son took over the board. It was payback time. Rose now has her own show Rose Unplugged on WPGP AM 1250 (The Answer) and Jim has found success in podcasting.
100 posted on 01/18/2016 12:31:07 PM PST by PA Engineer (Liberate America from the Occupation Media. #2ndAmendmentMatters)
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