Iran seizes two US Navy boats after straying into Iranian-claimed waters

[Pimay1]

Washington and Tehran are talking on this which they had not done concerning anything for more than 30 years.

This just occurred, however there aren't any lightening bolts zapping back and forth which was the only way it used to be. We can quite thank the P5+1 and Iran successful negotiations for establishing multiple government to government relations and cooperative interaction.

Indications are that the sailors will not become an issue nor will they suffer at the hands of Iranians, despite the manglers of the Republican Guards.

Twice, in 2004 and again in 2007 Iranian navy took British sailors briefly then set them loose. The first group was treated harshly, the second group was given chocolates on their release after 13 days. I think Iran knows what it needs to do (and should do) in this very different instance and time.

Sorry to disappoint you but Iran is now saying there is no timeline for the release of the ten sailors and Tehran is now demanding an apology from the US. It wouldn't surprise me if Obama flew to Tehran, bowed before Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and apologized.

Sorry to disappoint you, but Iran has now released all 10.

Evidently Obama called the Ayatollah and apologized.

[Pimay1]

Washington and Tehran are talking on this which they had not done concerning anything for more than 30 years.

This just occurred, however there aren't any lightening bolts zapping back and forth which was the only way it used to be. We can quite thank the P5+1 and Iran successful negotiations for establishing multiple government to government relations and cooperative interaction.

Indications are that the sailors will not become an issue nor will they suffer at the hands of Iranians, despite the manglers of the Republican Guards.

Twice, in 2004 and again in 2007 Iranian navy took British sailors briefly then set them loose. The first group was treated harshly, the second group was given chocolates on their release after 13 days. I think Iran knows what it needs to do (and should do) in this very different instance and time.

Sorry to disappoint you but Iran is now saying there is no timeline for the release of the ten sailors and Tehran is now demanding an apology from the US. It wouldn't surprise me if Obama flew to Tehran, bowed before Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and apologized.

It was a fast moving story but all the same your source of news was 180-degrees opposite the facts and the realtiy.

Have gun will travel but now that the issue is closed there's no longer a need to deputize you to go over there to do any of the dreamt up bowing. Nothing wrong on the other hand with an expression of regret over an unfortunate incident such as this.

So stand down the nukes over there on the warpath right.

Good one.

[brewsterbudgen]

Washington and Tehran are talking on this which they had not done concerning anything for more than 30 years.

This just occurred, however there aren't any lightening bolts zapping back and forth which was the only way it used to be. We can quite thank the P5+1 and Iran successful negotiations for establishing multiple government to government relations and cooperative interaction.

Indications are that the sailors will not become an issue nor will they suffer at the hands of Iranians, despite the manglers of the Republican Guards.

Twice, in 2004 and again in 2007 Iranian navy took British sailors briefly then set them loose. The first group was treated harshly, the second group was given chocolates on their release after 13 days. I think Iran knows what it needs to do (and should do) in this very different instance and time.

Sorry to disappoint you but Iran is now saying there is no timeline for the release of the ten sailors and Tehran is now demanding an apology from the US. It wouldn't surprise me if Obama flew to Tehran, bowed before Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and apologized.

Sorry to disappoint you, but Iran has now released all 10.

Evidently Obama called the Ayatollah and apologized.

Zero evidence of that.

[craigt3365]

Sorry, but how can Obama be blamed for this. According to news reports, one boat became disabled and drifted into Iranian waters. I guess it's because Obama isn't a good mechanic?

Fair question: "How can Obama be blamed for this?" Well, here's how.

Iran as a sovereign nation seems clearly within their authority to act as it did regarding these vessels. As a State actor there were multiple ways this can be handled. For example: Iran could have said "The Revolutionary Guards has saved US Navy sailors who were stranded. It is with pride the Iranian Navy assisted, processed, and will repatriate these sailors. However, we caution the US that standing Navies so close to our jurisdiction can have unintended consequences. Iran will continue to honor the rule of law will protecting its vital interests."

This is not the language that has been driveling out of the Theocratic mouths of their spokespeople. One statement made clear that Iran's actions should be a message to those in Congress reviewing existing/continued sanctions. Clearly, Iran choose instead to use this pretext as a diplomatic instrument of war to pressure the United States- so clearly over its head in asserting Iran is a team player- to cower to Iranian bellicosity.

This is how it is Obama's fault. Any merchant or leader for ages could have told you entering negotiations with Persians from a position of weakness and desperation will always result in continued problems and a bad deal on your end. Brilliant negotiators and authorized with divine mandate, nothing short of stern and hard nosed diplomacy with a real possibility of military extension of that diplomacy will result... no invite... further aggression. Obama has enabled and enriched a Shiite Frankenstein in the region. This may have happened had Obama not given a way the store but my aunt also would have been my uncle if she had balls.

Seems the current relations with Iran is why this was resolved so quickly. Congrats to Obama for helping to make this happen.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/13/politics/john-kerry-iran-zarif-sailors/index.html

The official credited the relatively quick resolution of the situation to the relationship built up between the two countries over the course of the negotiations of the nuclear deal with Iran and said the situation "undoubtedly would have been more complicated to unwind," in the absence of that framework.

And while video surfaced on Iranian television purportedly showing one of the U.S. sailors apologizing for the incident, the State Department maintains Kerry never offered an apology to Zarif on behalf of the U.S. government, and merely offered explanations for how the situation unfolded.

"I don't think there's necessarily a need for any kind of apology," State Department Deputy spokesman Mark Toner told reporters Wednesday.

P.S. I'm not an Obama fan. But don't hate him either. Most politicians are....well...tough to deal with! LOL

[Chicog]

My guess is they're just giving the boats the old once over to see if there is anything worth selling to the Chinese.

It seems all they kept were a couple of satellite SIM cards.

Which might make them easy to track if they decide to use them.