Obama says U.S. asked Iran to return captured drone

[News_Editor]

Obama says U.S. asked Iran to return captured drone

2011-12-13 06:44:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday said the U.S. government has asked Iran to return the surveillance drone which was captured by the Iranian military earlier this month.

Obama briefly addressed the sensitive issue while answering a question from a reporter during a joint press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki at the White House. "We have asked for it back," he said. "We'll see how the Iranians respond."

The U.S. president refused to further discuss the incident, and a U.S. State Department spokesman declined to say how and when the U.S. request was made. "I'm not going to comment on intelligence matters that are classified," Obama added during the news conference on Monday.

Earlier this month, the Iranian military announced that its electronic warfare unit had brought down a U.S.-built RQ-170 Sentinel stealth aircraft while it flew over the northeastern Iranian city of Kashmar, located about 225 kilometers (140 miles) away from the border with Afghanistan.

While U.S. officials have released few information about the incident, U.S. officials speaking on the condition of anonymity previously said the drone was part of a CIA reconnaissance mission for the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said the operators had lost contact with the unmanned aircraft, but Iran believes the aircraft was intentionally spying on Iran.

Last week, Iranian television broadcast images which it said shows the U.S. drone in a nearly perfect condition. Unnamed U.S. officials, after analyzing the video, said they believe the video footage is real and shows the missing U.S. drone which contains top secret technology.

Iran also announced it intends to carry out reverse engineering on the aircraft, but observers believe the drone will likely be send to China or Russia which has more advanced technology to carry out the reverse engineering.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-12-13

[maidu]

A few words from the peanut gallery to multi-billion $$ defense contractors: Figure out a way to install a self-destruct provision in your contraptions.

[Wallaby]

Did he say 'Please'?

[flying]

Hey I am sure if a Iranian spy plane was captured flying over the Pentagon the US would give it right back....no problem....honest mistake...

[phaethon]

Did he say 'Please'?

That was my first thought... doubt it.

They can always wait until it comes up on eBay and buy it back... No, wait, China can out bid them now...

It's a bitch being the world's only broke superpower.

[Steely Dan]

According to what I read Obama was presented with three plans to either recapture the drone or destroy it immediately after it was downed but said no to all of them and is now meekly asking Iran to give it back. Now Iran will probably trade it with Russia for state of the art missile systems, such dithering and incompetence from a U.S leader, without doubt even worse than Carter.

[Ulysses G.]

Obama probably should have chosen the airstrike option, but too late now.

Edited December 13, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[Wallaby]

According to what I read Obama was presented with three plans to either recapture the drone or destroy it immediately after it was downed but said no to all of them and is now meekly asking Iran to give it back. Now Iran will probably trade it with Russia for state of the art missile systems, such dithering and incompetence from a U.S leader, without doubt even worse than Carter.

Do you have some sort special clearance?

The U.S. president refused to further discuss the incident, and a U.S. State Department spokesman declined to say how and when the U.S. request was made. "I'm not going to comment on intelligence matters that are classified," Obama added during the news conference on Monday.

[flying]

According to what I read Obama was presented with three plans to either recapture the drone or destroy it immediately after it was downed but said no to all of them and is now meekly asking Iran to give it back. Now Iran will probably trade it with Russia for state of the art missile systems, such dithering and incompetence from a U.S leader, without doubt even worse than Carter.

Yes but come on now.......I am a patriot but... If my *elected* government gets caught with their pants down due to their own black op......Where is the sense/justification in any of the alternatives you mentioned?

I do not care one bit for the puppet Obama nor the village idiot who preceded him but I agree with his not adding insult to injury in this case.

Instead learn from it & dont roll the dice if you cant pay the price. Get control of what is seemingly an increase in a self governed sector of the US called the CIA.

Disallow that which is not justifiable.

This is no different than a spy getting caught. If it were reversed & a spy/drone were caught red handed in the US or Israel it would not be looked upon favorably by those countries....Perhaps even seen as an act of aggression/war.

If at that point of being caught the sponsoring government then sent in a team to rescue the spy/drone with its likely resulting damages how then would that too be seen?

I am all for properly placed patriotism but to try to justify a rescue of a spy drone at all costs is a form of blind patriotism/cheer leading that can only make the injury worse in the eyes of any thinking world.

Edited December 13, 2011 by flying

[Scott]

That was my first thought... doubt it.

They can always wait until it comes up on eBay and buy it back... No, wait, China can out bid them now...

It's a bitch being the world's only broke superpower.

Why would the US buy it back? They have others, I am sure.

[koheesti]

Losing advanced technology to the "enemy" that no one else has is A LOT different than a spy getting caught. This is the second time this year it has happened. First the tail rotor of the secret stealth helicopter, now this.

[phaethon]

Why would the US buy it back? They have others, I am sure.

It has sentimental value...

[uxno]

A few words from the peanut gallery to multi-billion $ defense contractors: Figure out a way to install a self-destruct provision in your contraptions.

BRAVO

[flying]

Losing advanced technology to the "enemy" that no one else has is A LOT different than a spy getting caught. This is the second time this year it has happened. First the tail rotor of the secret stealth helicopter, now this.

No difference in the context of my post......

Don't roll the dishonorable dice if you cannot pay the price.

There is no justification for a follow up of yet another dishonorable

act to retrieve the first.

You play the game you pay the fines if caught.

The price this time was the loss of technology.

Maybe if the CIA would quit their games they would not lose their toys?

Yes 2nd time for technology but don't forget the Raymond Davis case too.

Another case of the CIA playing their games & losing....except that time blood money

got their tool returned.

I hope we get a thinking President in the near future who returns us to

being a country others look up to.

(PS: I mean look up to in how we conduct ourselves in regards to ME Foreign policy)

Edited December 13, 2011 by flying

[koheesti]

Losing advanced technology to the "enemy" that no one else has is A LOT different than a spy getting caught. This is the second time this year it has happened. First the tail rotor of the secret stealth helicopter, now this.

No difference in the context of my post......

Don't roll the dishonorable dice if you cannot pay the price.

There is no justification for a follow up of yet another dishonorable

act to retrieve the first.

You play the game you pay the fines if caught.

The price this time was the loss of technology.

Maybe if the CIA would quit their games they would not lose their toys?

Yes 2nd time for technology but don't forget the Raymond Davis case too.

Another case of the CIA playing their games & losing....except that time blood money

got their tool returned.

I hope we get a thinking President in the near future who returns us to

being a country others look up to.

Back in the real world, when you are the USA and you lose a high-tech drone inside Iran you destroy it one way or another.

[Steely Dan]

Losing advanced technology to the "enemy" that no one else has is A LOT different than a spy getting caught. This is the second time this year it has happened. First the tail rotor of the secret stealth helicopter, now this.

No difference in the context of my post......

Don't roll the dishonorable dice if you cannot pay the price.

There is no justification for a follow up of yet another dishonorable

act to retrieve the first.

You play the game you pay the fines if caught.

The price this time was the loss of technology.

Maybe if the CIA would quit their games they would not lose their toys?

Yes 2nd time for technology but don't forget the Raymond Davis case too.

Another case of the CIA playing their games & losing....except that time blood money

got their tool returned.

I hope we get a thinking President in the near future who returns us to

being a country others look up to.

Back in the real world, when you are the USA and you lose a high-tech drone inside Iran you destroy it one way or another.

It's not as if Iran isn't owed one with the plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the U.S, cassus belli does not apply with Iran as they are forever providing new ones. Incidentally what would the difference be to the drone suddenly going up in smoke compared to the frequent and current mishaps happening with their nuclear weapons program?

[elgato]

I wonder if it was the ambassador from the "virtual embassy" that did the asking.

[Credo]

It may be a ruse. The drone may be a plant with old technology or faulty technology that the US wants them to get. At any rate, something went seriously wrong if the systems were overtaken by another gov't. It sure doesn't look like it crashed.

As far as some odious activity to retrieve it, I would be against that. It's just a piece of equipment. The technology will never be secret for very long.

[elgato]

I wonder if it was the ambassador from the "virtual embassy" that did the asking.

Oooppsss! Should read "virtual" ambassador

[flying]

At any rate, something went seriously wrong if the systems were overtaken by another gov't. It sure doesn't look like it crashed.

Actually I have long wondered when someone would pull this off.

Anyone who has toyed with RC Aviation knows these things are flying on some frequency.

I am sure the US is very advanced in protecting that frequency/signal but still there are scanners that can eventually find it. Same for any radio transmission.

At that point the remotely controlled item may be captured by the stronger(closer) signal.

Of course this is an over simplification but just trying to give an example of something I wondered.

I always thought Pakistan lacked the technology to pull it off but if they did & the drone did not have a self destruct sequence pre-programed into itself for such an event.....Then basically the new owner/controller could possibly land the drone & program a new frequency into it. If they had even more technology available they could then use it in the same manner as the US tried to.

[flying]

It's not as if Iran isn't owed one with the plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the U.S,

Not only is that silly & off topic but it is pure speculation.

If the event you mentioned was valid it would have been followed up on.

Instead it was such a preposterous supposition the world laughed it off & it quietly crept away

[flying]

Back in the real world, when you are the USA and you lose a high-tech drone inside Iran you destroy it one way or another.

Cannot agree & suggest adding insult to injury is in reality further from the *real* world with *real* consequences.

They blew it they spied they got caught.....to then turn an embarrassing act into an act of war by detonating it with the resulting possibility of killing those near it???? Well...I am glad they did not do so.

[Wallaby]

To go further, what if the drone was armed and Iran gained control and pointed it in the direction of....say Israel. Certainly not the kind of thing one wants to happen but that is the risk with these types of things.

PS: Tin foil hat beginning to be unwrapped.

Edited December 13, 2011 by Wallaby

[Jingthing]

I think the drones do have self destruct technology, but something went wrong.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2011/12/downed_cia_drone_was_it_rigged_to_self_destruct_.html

Whether Obama should have ordered a mission into Iran to destroy the drone is debatable and it likely will be debated. I would prefer the Iranians (and now the Russians, Chinese, North Koreans, etc.) not to have access to what the drone will tell them but it is hard for non-insiders to know whether what they will get was worth the risk starting a war with Iran ... now. Given that, I don't really get how we can be so sure it was a good or bad decision.

Edited December 13, 2011 by Jingthing

[elgato]

To go further, what if the drone was armed and Iran gained control and pointed it in the direction of....say Israel. Certainly not the kind of thing one wants to happen but that is the risk with these types of things.

PS: Tin foil hat beginning to be unwrapped.

Something like that could have serious repercussions.

[Steely Dan]

It's not as if Iran isn't owed one with the plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the U.S,

Not only is that silly & off topic but it is pure speculation.

If the event you mentioned was valid it would have been followed up on.

Instead it was such a preposterous supposition the world laughed it off & it quietly crept away

Now it's not for the world to laugh off as you put it and to presume they did is your speculation. Furthermore underlining reasons or justifications for direct action to keep the drone out of enemy hands is not imho off topic. It's not as if some kids kicked their ball over a neighbors hedge and are now asking permission to retrieve it, it is a multi-billion dollar piece of technology which may well contain information that makes any military action against Iran even more difficult.

[flying]

Now it's not for the world to laugh off as you put it and to presume they did is your speculation. Furthermore underlining reasons or justifications for direct action to keep the drone out of enemy hands is not imho off topic. It's not as if some kids kicked their ball over a neighbors hedge and are now asking permission to retrieve it, it is a multi-billion dollar piece of technology which may well contain information that makes any military action against Iran even more difficult.

I won't bother to look it up but if your interested in the general consensus you can google it.

Back when the event/claims occurred that was the general consensus of it.

As for a ball in the hedge...yes no comparison....But AGAIN....reverse the situation....

A spy or spy device if found in the US or Israel....Do they return it & say

"hey no problem..get that fixed & better luck next time"??

I think not........

Now instead Iran or who ever lost the device into Israel or the US come after it with force.....How is that taken??? Again no problem?

This thinking that not only can certain countries do no wrong but also after doing wrong do even more wrong to retrieve their wrongful toys......I just think it is really a form of blind cheer leading & should be paused while thought through.

Edited December 13, 2011 by flying

[Ulysses G.]

If the event you mentioned was valid it would have been followed up on.

Now that is "pure speculation".

[flying]

If the event you mentioned was valid it would have been followed up on.

Now that is "pure speculation".

Then where is the results?

You do understand I am speaking of a result that proved the Iranian government was behind it?

Again this is all an aside & off topic. So I will will refrain from any further pushing of it into this direction

Edited December 13, 2011 by flying

[lovetotravel]

Every country has spies and spying programs, including Iran, that great country who desires no harm to anyone:

ran's state television reported that a drone belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) had managed to spy on a US aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf waters.

http://www.google.co...82e6550f59bc689

[quote

Spy drone may provide little intelligence to Iran By KIMBERLY DOZIER, Associated Press – 5 days ago

]It unveiled its first domestically built unmanned bomber in 2010, calling the aircraft an "ambassador of death" to Iran's enemies. Two year earlier, Tehran announced it had built an unmanned aircraft with a range of more than 600 miles (1,000 kilometers), far enough to reach Israel.

And they have gotten drones before. So it's obviously an expectation on the part of the US:

In January, Tehran said two pilotless spy planes shot down over its airspace were operated by the U.S., and in July, media said Iranian military officials showed Russian experts several U.S. drones reportedly shot down in recent years.

The CIA is pretty darn sharp. Who's to say the "innards" of that drone aren't already toast? When the military does a program, they evaluate every potential risk. I'm sure this was thought of.

Iran Has America's Super Spy Drone. So What?

Getting caught every once in a while is all part of the intelligence game.

http://www.foreignpo...y_drone_so_what

It is understandable that an event with headlines that include the words "Iran," "drone," and "nuclear" generate a great deal of attention. Yet, for all the bytes and ink expended in discussing the downed Sentinel drone, it is neither surprising nor particularly revealing. As was true in 1960, the benefits of spying on Iran outweigh the dangers of the program being revealed or a downed aircraft, and are what Americans should expect from the $55 billion spent last year on national intelligence. To understand why this downed drone is such an ordinary event requires an understanding the day-to-day process of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC).