Sailors read ‘retractions’ from prepared written statements
They must think we're really stupid . . .
More proof that the latest "retractions" by recently freed sailors in Britain were at least as much if not far more stage-managed than their allegedly 'coerced' apologies under Iranian captivity.
Honestly - which looks more staged - this? . . .
Or this? . . .
From left, Capt. Chris Air of the Royal Marines, Lt. Felix Carman of the Navy and Adam Sperry, a marine, Friday in Chivenor, England.
The haste with which British authorities arranged the news conference suggested that they wanted to deny Iran the propaganda victory it garnered from releasing the British personnel, who indeed affirmed that they had been in Iraqi, not Iranian waters. “I can clearly state that we were 1.7 nautical miles from Iranian waters,” Lieutenant Carman said.
Reading from a written statement, Lieutenant Carman and Royal Marine Capt. Chris Air, 25, described how two Iranian speedboats closed on two British inflatable patrol boats after the personnel had boarded an Indian-flagged vessel, seeking contraband. Theirs was the first direct explanation of why the Britons did not resist capture.
“Some of the Iranian sailors were becoming deliberately aggressive and unstable,” Captain Air said. “They rammed our boat and trained their heavy machine guns, R.P.G.’s and weapons on us. Another six boats were closing in on us,” he said, referring to rocket-propelled grenades by their initials.
“We realized that our efforts to reason with these people were not making any headway. Nor were we able to calm some of the individuals down.
“It was at this point that we realized that had we resisted there would have been a major fight, one we could not have won, with consequences that would have had major strategic impact. We made a conscious decision to not engage the Iranians and do as they asked. They boarded our boats, removed our weapons and steered the boats towards the Iranian shore.”
“Let me be absolutely clear,” Captain Air said. “From the outset it was very apparent that fighting back was simply not an option. Had we chosen to do so then many of us would not be standing here today. Of that I have no doubts.”
On Friday, the Royal Navy supported the decision not to fight. “I would not agree at all that it was not our finest hour,” Adm. Sir Jonathon Band, Britain’s most senior naval officer, told the BBC on Friday. “I think our people have reacted extremely well in some very difficult circumstances.”
At the news conference, Lieutenant Carman, reading from the same prepared statement as Captain Air, took up the story of their detention.
The group, he said, had first been taken to a small naval base where they were blindfolded, stripped of their military gear and uniforms, and “led to a room where I declared myself as the officer in charge and was introduced to a local commander.
Two hours later we were moved to a second location and throughout the night were subjected to random interrogations. The questions were aggressive and the handling rough, but it was no worse than that.”
If they lie outright - they would easily be exposed.
Instead, they just paint the atmosphere as menacingly as they can, without leaving an opportunity to be proven categorically wrong.
Iranian television showed the Britons seemingly relaxing together, but Lieutenant Carman said these images were made only in the final days of their captivity when they were allowed “to gather for a few hours together, in the full glare of Iranian media.”
“On Day 12 we were taken to a governmental complex, blindfolded and then given three-piece suits to wear,” Lieutenant Carman said.
It was only when they watched a news conference in Tehran the next day, a Wednesday, when Mr. Ahmadinejad announced they would be freed, that they realized they would finally be sent home unharmed, he said.
It wasn't when they were given the three piece suits, or the bowl of fruit, or the hot tea (and open buffet?), and Iranian sweets . . . No. They only realized they were safe when Ahmadinejad said they would go free - what a load of horse manure!
After a taste of the Dodgy Dossier, Brits are going to have try infinitely harder to convince the world that they're not simply LYING, yet again, to pave the way for more bloody war.
Truth Seeker--The iranians have been lied about since the days the CIA installed that former leader before the shah..I forget his name..When the American people elect RON PAUL for president our foreign policy will reverse and will not meddle in other countries affairs..American citizens must elect RON PAUL..
Is the humungous British flag in the background . . .
Is this all about seeing which country has the biggest flag???
I have nothing against the British people.
But, the British government has gone much too far with this garish display of mindless jingoism.
The Brits would have screamed bloody murder had Iranians forced the marines and sailors to speak in front of a ten foot tall Iranian flag.
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"Money" has no value - people do.