Posted on 01/17/2016 1:57:49 PM PST by Taxman
CENTRAL VIEW for Monday, January 18, 2016
Iranian coup: A tale of two U.S. Navy vessels
Last week, the U.S. Navy dispatched two of its fearsomely armed Riverine Command Boats (RCBs) to patrol between Kuwait and Bahrain. Somehow, the RCBs were seized by the Iranian Navy; the crewmembers arrested, and -- even though the U.S. and Iran are not technically at war -- treated as Prisoners of War (POWs). How could this happen?
The Swedish-designed, U.S.- manufactured RCBs cost $2.8 million per copy. Each RCB carries six machine guns, to include a .50 caliber Gatling gun, plus grenade launchers. Covered with armor plating able to deflect AK-47 fire, the RCB’s 49.4 mile-per-hour top speed means RCBs can outrun every known surface warship.
To guard against surprise attack, RCBs carry the Sea FLIR III infrared sensor system, thermal imaging, a laser rangefinder, and long-range radar. Navigation is by a top-of-the line GPS and chart plotter system, along with traditional chart and compass back-up. The RCB’s world-wide communications gear nets with ships, aircraft, and ground forces.
Operating in pairs, the RCBs provide each other with mutual fire support. If one RCB is disabled, the other RCB can tow it to safety. Thus, the question arises: How could two RCBs lose their ability to navigate at the same time and stray into Iranian waters? And how could two world-class weapons platforms be seized by the, arguably, inferior Iranian Navy?
Apparently, one of the RCBs had a propulsion problem and radioed U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain for assistance. Congressman Louis Gohmert (R) of Texas claims the Obama White House intervened, asked the Iranian Navy to provide assistance, and ordered the U.S. 5th Fleet to stand down.
By long-standing naval custom, disabled boats found in territorial waters are rendered assistance, and simply escorted back into international waters. Their crews are not subjected to POW treatment or put on world-wide video display, looking like criminals.
But, instead of being treated as distressed vessels exercising the mariners’ right of innocent passage, the Iranians arrested the crew members, treated them as POWs, and, somehow, got the officer-in-charge to make filmed statements praising the Iranians and saying the treatment the crew received was: "Fantastic."
Absent Congressman Gohmert’s explanation -- citing White House intervention -- it appears Articles II and V of the U.S. military’s Code of Conduct were violated. Article II states: "I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist." Article V reads: "When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the best of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause."
Alternatively, could it be that the White House-imposed Rules of Engagement (ROE) robbed the RCBs of their "means to resist"? Were the RCB’s awesome weapons even permitted to be loaded? Congress should demand to see the Operations Order under which the two RCBs left Kuwait for Bahrain and demand copies of all the communications between the RCBs, U.S. 5th Fleet, and the White House. Meanwhile, the RCB crews are left twisting in the wind.
Nationally syndicated columnist, William Hamilton, is a laureate of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame, the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma University Army ROTC Wall of Fame, and is a recipient of the University of Nebraska 2015 Alumni Achievement Award. He was educated at the University of Oklahoma, the George Washington University, the Infantry School, the U.S Naval War College, the University of Nebraska, and Harvard University.
©2016. William Hamilton.
From the start I thought it was some sort of Obama-ordered set-up. Now I am more sure than ever. How does he keep getting away with this crap???
INTENTIONAL.
How is it that much of any of it has happened? It is not explainable in human terms, I don’t think.
The article saying Bibi was opposing him for U.N. Sec General didn’t really surprise me. Precedent or not, it won’t surprise me if he gets it. For more than one reason.
Set it up.
Facilitated it.
Didn’t have adequate ROE in place.
Whatever.
Ophonybama and John Effing Kerry have violated their Oath of Office numerous times in numerous ways.
They can’t get their stories straight:
Defense chief Ash Carter: US sailors made navigational error in Iran
http://bonhamjournal.com/2016/01/17/defense-chief-ash-carter-us-sailors-made-navigational-error.html
The incident, which occurred near Farsi Island, may not have been malicious. A U.S. official told The Washington Post that in fact Iran may be in possession of U.S. Navy crews because the boats broke down, or ran out of gas. The boats are small in size and apparently were within 12 nautical miles of Iranian territory when they ran into mechanical failure. Iran, lead by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, is currently holding the crews on Farsi Island.
Really? A small craft having some engine trouble and asking for assistance goes so far up the chain of command that the White House intervenes? This seems rather mundane for that.
Has this been reported anywhere else?
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.
Pathetic and weak. All of them.
This whole thing stinks to high heaven and other than Gohmert not a peep out of Congress.
First of all it wasn't an act of treason, it was a delivery...
Of what...who knows..?
The whole story makes no sense at all, so based on Obama past behavior this was a planned action to achieve some nefarious agenda...
The look on their faces says ‘we were set up’.
“Ran out of gas.” Riiiiiiiight!
They just throw different lies in many directions. It’s worked for them so far, so they just keep going.
The females looks the most distressed. Was she driving?
“I ran out of gas. I... I had a flat tire. I didn’t have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn’t come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts! IT WASN’T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD!”
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.
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