You know what?
I’m beginning to doubt ANY US vessel out there had ANY engine problems AT ALL:
With the Iran deal still iffy, their ROE were totally outlandish but iron-clad so they couldn’t shoot back under ANY case at all.
And the emboldened Iranians knew that, and boarded them, worry-free.
I think the Iranians were aware of a gulf route frequented by our Riverine guys, set a TRAP and then sprung it on us and the US side simply refused to fight back, per their strict instructions.
The whole tow line hook up was done very, very quickly. Watch and totally discount the 'Rope' was too short excuse.
US Military Riverine Command Boat Training
Worth doing a search for RCB specs to understand how heavily armed and armored they are as well as navigation and detection gear.
That makes as much sense as any of the other guesses out there. We KNOW we have not been told the truth at this point.
Engine trouble? Maybe.
I think it’s more likely someone screwed up with the navigation system and put in a course too close to Farsi and the Revolutionary Guard intercepted.
With a very limited rule of engagement and being badly outgunned they surrendered.
That look on their faces looks more like a “Man, why didn’t I double check that?”
There was no engine problem !!! They have damned ropes!! Just haul the broken boat back home. This is madness!!
A demand to surrender by another nation's warships at sea or an attempt to board a US warship without permission is by defination a hostile act
There's three ways this went down.
1. Someone on our side in the chain of command ordered this lieutenant to surrender his two boats.
2. The lieutenant was out of communications (due to jamming or malfunction) and took it upon himself to surrender without firing a shot
3. The lieutenant was in communications - was told to use his descretion - and surrendered without firing a shot
HOW those boats got to the point of confrontation (mechanical malfunction, GPS error, fuel miscalculation - accident or design ...whatever) matters less than what occured after the confrontation took place
Two US Navy vessels that possessed the means to resist surrendered to the Iranians without firing a shot
THAT is the most important fact of this incident.
It didn't matter if they were outnumbered or if they were outgunned, it didn't matter if their ships had maneuverability issues.
They were afloat - they had functioning weapons
They had the duty to defend their vessels from being boarded and taken. Either they were told to stand down and surrender by higher authority or they failed to discharge their duty as sailors in the US Navy.
There needs to be an open congressional hearing on this incident and the sailors need to pe given congressional immunity to negate the non-disclosure agreements I am sure they have been made to sign by now
There also needs to be an article 32 investigation. The officer who gave the order to surrender should face courts martial. The US Navy - surrendered two vessels without firing a shot
I like Obama less than venereal disease but he didn't surrender those boats.
A naval officer did - I'd like to know who the officer was that gave those orders