Why didn't the British sailors fight and why did they give them selves up?

Question

The 15 sailors captured by iranian soldiers

Answer 1

The British are trained professionals, not piverteers nor adventurers working to a film script.

The Iranian Revolutionary guard have an aggressive policy, and home propaganda to establish. The British were intruding. I doubt whether this is the case.

What I fear is more probable, is that the Iranians were aware of British movements and patrolling pracitices, and had set up what is basically an ambush.

It would be naive to consider this as a dispute over territorial waters. That is a smoke screen. The Iranians want to muscle in, and get the infidel devils out.

They also know that there is an undeclared war between Britain and Iran. It would be politically inept for Britain to do so, and, even despite having the bomb probably not in the best interest of Iran either.

There will be more of these. Nipping at the heels, causing as much bother and mayhem, and knowing that without America the Roayl Navy will not fire one shot against Iran, and if they even raised their gun sights, thousands of anti-war protestors would fill the streets of London.

Eventually the Brtiish will go, but one of the reasons why they are staying there is because last time they just upped and left they left chaos and terror. Both the Americans and the British are anxious not to repeat that error.

Neither the British nor the Americans are masters there. The masters are the people of Iraq. Having planes, tanks, and ships doesn't make you master. Not all want democracy, and will fight for the rule of Allah, and to govern according to their interpretation of the Q'ran.

Answer 2

To "Frog". Our personnel were at a complete disadvantage, and HMS Cornwall was out of range. Don't know why: no doubt that will come out of the Board of Inquiry ('though whether that'll be made public is open to debate: depends on if the Gov't's culpable). Our troops still are among the best in the world, with the probable exception of the IDF, but are victims of the pathetic Government policies of John Major-Disaster and even worse, of the Blair-Faced Liar and the fiscal policies of Brown the Clown. Only a Labour Government would take us to war and CUT Defence spending while our troops are fighting! But the average Brit doesn't care so long as they have booze, soaps, sport and Page 3.
That said, we haven't lost every war we've been involved in, sans allies, over the last 150 years. France, with the largest Standing Army in the world, was overwhelmed on home soil by the Wehrmacht in just six weeks. It says something about a country when its most famous fighting force is the FOREIGN Legion. But I'm not crowing, I'm pointing out that Britain's military structure is close to the edge not just of mediocrity, but of decrepitude. I pray that something happens to shake we Brits out of our lethargy before it's too late and we lose a war.

Answer 3

I think I know why the 15 sailors themselves didn't put up much of a fight, but I have a harder time figuring why their mates on the warship HMS Cornwall didn't lift a finger for them, other than reporting the "incident" (an act of war, actually). It's shameful. The hapless captain was probably unclear on whether his precious rules of engagement would permit him to even come to the defense of his own men. Just think what this will do for recruiting! LOL...

In another century, the Royal Navy would've run out the guns in righteous anger -- and be damned to all the Mohammedans who got in the way. Nelson must be spinning in his near-forgotten grave...

Sad to see the British have sunk so low as to let Islamist thugs manhandle them however they please. I suppose this is what happens when you castrate yourself on the altar of multiculturalism. Now that the secret's out that the British nation has no balls, this is just the beginning of the global gang-rape in store for you.

Cheers.

Answer 4

For two reasons. First they were in a small craft and were surrounded by 4 lage Iranian Ships. Second, you do not provoke the situation by starting WW3. This is a matter for diplomacy. This is the second time that Iran has taken british hostages under the same circumstances. It happened when Geoff Hoon was the Defence Minister.

Answer 5

British armed forces would have been briefed for such an incident!
Some times it pays to use the brains between your ears and not your legs!
An aggressive response from British troops could have started WW3!
By the way! if it was an Iranian destroyer against 15 British troops in a rubber dingy my money would be on the Brits!

Answer 6

These sailers have something called rules of engagement. Fighting back against them, since they did not open fire on the sailors, would have beena breach of the ROE, and they probably were not very hostile towards the sailors they just said your coming with us, and thats it. Fighting would have been futile anyways and could have sparked a war if it were somehow the british sailors fault.

Answer 7

If the Iranian's tried to board my vessel in waters that did not belong to them..... and I was tooled up with machine guns and some other friends... I'd like to think I'd stand aggresively firm and resist any attempt to board us... and use defensive force against any attempted force.

However apparently they were surrounded by a few Iranian navy vessels... so that would be intimidating. The gamble is whether the Iranian Navy would be willing to kill us all and risk the wrath of UK and more importantly... the International Community.

One things for certain... the only reason I'd resist is that I wouldn't fancy the prospect of being taken in to Iran as a prisoner at this moment in time. Gotta feel bad for those sailors.

Answer 8

The Iranian boats had large caliber machine guns mounted on the bow and would have torn up the British who were armed only with hand held weapons.

Best to live and fight another day...

Answer 9

When doing a boat search you need to use both hands. Your comrade holds your gun and his/her own whilst you search.
When the poo hits the fan do you drop 1 weapon to use your own, leaving the possibility of the enemy grabbing that weapon to use on you?
Rules of engagement don't come into the equation, if a gun is pointed at you you are entitled to fire first.
As others have suggested they will also be out numbered.
Iran has done this before in the 80's and after a lot of huffing and puffing they released their "prisoners" I suspect the same will happen again.....if not, its off to war AGAIN

Answer 10

Because the Iranians out numbered them with bigger boats and bigger boats, the would not stood a chance. Suicide is not considered as useful in that sort of situation.