Rules of Engagement
Captain Chris Air:
“The Iranians are not our enemies. We are not at war with them. Our rules of engagement at that time stated that we could only use lethal force if we felt that we were in imminent danger of a loss of life. By the time the true intent of the Iranians had become apparent – and we could have legitimately fought back – it was too late for action.
“We were completely surrounded, and in addition to the loss of life, any attempted to fight back would caused a major international incident and an escalation of tension within the region. Our team had seconds to make a decision and we believe that we made the right decision. We still believe this was the right thing to do.”
The consequences of such Rules of Engagement. Lt Carman:
“On arrival at a small naval base, we were blindfolded, stripped of all our kit 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.
“The following morning we were flown to Tehran and transported to a prison where the atmosphere changed completely. We were blindfolded, our hands were bound and we were forced up against a wall. Throughout our ordeal we faced constant psychological pressure. Later we were stripped and then dressed in pyjamas. The next few nights were spent in stone cells, approximately 8ft by 6ft, sleeping on piles of blankets. All of us were kept in isolation.
And in Teheran:
All 15 prisoners, including young mother Faye Turney, heard the Revolutionary Guard cock their guns. One of the hostages screamed out: “Lads, lads, we’re going to be executed – do something.” Another was physically sick, said 21-year-old Royal Marine Joe Tindell, who believed he was hearing the sound of a colleague having his throat cut. “I assumed we were all going to be executed. We were all standing there waiting for it to happen. “I just thought that was the end of it. It was the only time in my life I really felt scared. “From there we were rushed into a room and then stuffed into a cell and didn’t see another human being for six days.”…
Their captors said the choice was clear – admit they had strayed into Iranian waters or face seven years in a Tehran jail…Leading Seaman Turney…was put in solitary confinement and, for four days, told by her jailers that the rest of the group had been sent home and she was the only captive left in Iran…
Lt Carman said: “At no time did we apologise.” He said that they always qualified their statements when interviewed, saying things like “according to the information you have presented to us”. It appears these qualifiers were edited out of the versions broadcast.
“The Iranians are not our enemies,” said Captain Air. Perhaps he and his colleagues and superiors see matters a little differently now.
April 7th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
I wonder if these revelations influence the attitudes in a British poll recently cited here. I wonder if the British public would react differently if the incident were repeated. I’m not at all confident on either point.
“The Iranians are not our enemies,” said Captain Air. Perhaps he and his colleagues and superiors see matters a little differently now.
Perhaps the captain’s statement that “The Iranians are not our enemies. We are not at war with them…” referred to the legal status as codified in the ROEs which control his behavior, not to the actual situation. However, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if his superiors, especially the political establishment, mean the statement literally.