Rob W 0 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Anyone think this is a bridge too far??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyluke 2 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Definitely. Whatever happened to the offical secrets act? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Patrokles Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Fair play, for a '6 figure sum,' I'd tell tales on my employers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasepud 59 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Fair play, for a '6 figure sum,' I'd tell tales on my employers. I think the point being made is in this case they were given permission to sell them. Somethings amiss there, what could the MOD have to gain by allowing this? My own view is that these stories will all say what a terrible place Iran is, how disgracefully they were treat etc, nothing gets Joe Burn-em-all Publics back up more than some Johnny Foreigner treating our own badly. Give it two weeks and the concensus of opinion will be nuke Iran. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob W 0 Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share Posted April 9, 2007 Apaprently the head of the Army has said it won't happen on his patch............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazarus 0 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Its all propaganda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rikko 20 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Definitely. Whatever happened to the offical secrets act? There is no threat to national security from this, so the official secrets act has nowt to do with it. I had to sit through a lecture on security markings and this wouldn't fall under the lowest of them. As for the sale i don't have a problem with it, if it was a civilian selling his story no one would care. So why should they be any different just because they were in the armed forces... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 175 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Its all propaganda. Exactly, had the Iranians not won the PR battle, the MOD would have ensured this was all kept under wraps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob W 0 Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share Posted April 9, 2007 Mike Aston, whose son Corporal Russell Aston was one of six military policemen killed by a mob in Iraq in 2003, said he was "absolutely amazed" by the decision. He told the BBC: "It beggars belief. On the day that they were released four servicemen and women were killed in Iraq. That's four grieving families who have to watch the television to see other families celebrating. "I'm very pleased that they've been released. But I think the circumstances really needed to be low key, not high key. And to actually now go round and sell their story I think it's tacky and it's sordid". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 11122 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 you really think they won the PR battle? I'm not saying the Brits did either mind, but surely that press conference was seen as transparent by everyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 175 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 you really think they won the PR battle? I'm not saying the Brits did either mind, but surely that press conference was seen as transparent by everyone? I think the Iranians came out of it with more credibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob W 0 Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share Posted April 9, 2007 you really think they won the PR battle? I'm not saying the Brits did either mind, but surely that press conference was seen as transparent by everyone? they were after impressing the home audience TBH I understand from my mates (yanks, Brits, Indians and Arabs) in the Middle East that no-one believes a word of either side TBH - both sets of serial liars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 11122 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 see that's the arrogance of the west, I had thought the Iranian PR machine to be a more blunt and unsubtle instrument than the Brits' .. even as I type that I feel ashamed and that I should surrender any notion I had of objectivity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellsy 0 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Sometimes i wish i would be captured and then realised so i could 'sell my story' for a some mega bucks. I need some coinage at the moment... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyluke 2 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Fucking hell, it hasn't taken the greedy twats long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Anyone think this is a bridge too far??? Probably, but on the other hand if it gets the story of how they were ACTUALLY treated out there (ie. very, very badly) by the Iranians before for everyone forgets and just doesn't care, then it maybe for the best. For example who here knows how badly the 2004 hostages were treated in Iran? No one I bet, yet they were forced into mock executions and all sorts of nasty stuff in their captivity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellsy 0 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Fucking hell, it hasn't taken the greedy twats long. Put a jihad on them? Durka durka durka Im kidding for those serious people out there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMoog 0 Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I think the whole thing's shown the British forces as a bit soft and stupid sadly. Firstly the hostages shouldn't have given the Iranians anything other than their name, rank and number. Secondly this whole business of the ex-hostages selling their stories is a joke, treating it like some sort of compo is even worse! Military personnel are paid a wage and take up the job knowing the risks, if they think they should be getting compo then they shouldn't be doing the job in the first place. War and confrontation isn't a soap opera it's serious, putting our personnel in the media admitting they were scared etc makes our forces look weak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob W 0 Posted April 10, 2007 Author Share Posted April 10, 2007 the Iranians have run rings round us President Dinner Jacket must be in stitches............... even he couldn't have bet on all the meeja outcry about "Big Brother"............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyluke 2 Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I think the whole thing's shown the British forces as a bit soft and stupid sadly. Firstly the hostages shouldn't have given the Iranians anything other than their name, rank and number. Secondly this whole business of the ex-hostages selling their stories is a joke, treating it like some sort of compo is even worse! Military personnel are paid a wage and take up the job knowing the risks, if they think they should be getting compo then they shouldn't be doing the job in the first place. War and confrontation isn't a soap opera it's serious, putting our personnel in the media admitting they were scared etc makes our forces look weak. Spot and on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I think the whole thing's shown the British forces as a bit soft and stupid sadly. Firstly the hostages shouldn't have given the Iranians anything other than their name, rank and number. Secondly this whole business of the ex-hostages selling their stories is a joke, treating it like some sort of compo is even worse! Military personnel are paid a wage and take up the job knowing the risks, if they think they should be getting compo then they shouldn't be doing the job in the first place. War and confrontation isn't a soap opera it's serious, putting our personnel in the media admitting they were scared etc makes our forces look weak. Spot and on. I dunno, letting them get taken makes us look weak. Them playing along with the Iranians (despite being understandable due to the pressure the Iranians were putting on them - who really would not "admit" to stuff if you're getting mock executions and being told you'd be at best imprisoned for years if you didn't?) made us look weak. Now although selling the stories is pretty crappy (especially when there are bodies being flown home from Iraq and Afghanistan) it's probably long past where them telling the world how they were actually treated and how they felt because of this really makes any difference in that context. It's probably no coincidence that UK forces were targeted by the Iranians for their little media stunt in the first place. Wonder if we’ve learnt our lesson this time or whether the next time Iran want a bit more leverage they’ll do the same yet again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMoog 0 Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Our troops should have a no surrender policy, if the Iranians had then been stupid enough to try and start something it'd have caused armed conflict of a bigger scale and they would have lost. I doubt they'd have been as eager to try it on for a poxy media stunt if they thought there would be any serious come back on their actions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob W 0 Posted April 10, 2007 Author Share Posted April 10, 2007 Can I put your name forward for the British Invasion Force??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 11122 Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Can I put your name forward for the British Invasion Force??? I hear an Adam West Batman style " " when I see this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Our troops should have a no surrender policy, if the Iranians had then been stupid enough to try and start something it'd have caused armed conflict of a bigger scale and they would have lost. I doubt they'd have been as eager to try it on for a poxy media stunt if they thought there would be any serious come back on their actions. In all honesty the reason they do surrender in such a situation is a pretty sensible one..... but it's only sensible so long as Iran doesn't use it as a free way to get a nice propaganda coup whenever it feels like it. By all accounts the standing orders and methods are being looked at, although I think part of it is that they are operating under a specific UN mandate which hamstrings them in many ways (kinda like it did to UN troops in Bosnia and such). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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