Ten sailors aboard two U.S. Navy boats were seized by Iran in the Gulf on Tuesday, and Tehran told the United States the crew members would be promptly returned, U.S. officials said.
"We have received assurances from the Iranians that our sailors are safe and that they will be allowed to continue their journey promptly," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told CNN.
Ah, our reset partners the Iranians! We'll see how long it takes for the release.
How on Earth did vessels going from Kuwait to Bahrain get into Iranian territorial waters on the other side of the Gulf?
Or did the Iranians come and get our boats and crews?
As to that losing contact with our boats, was there no overwatch at all for two small Navy vessels on their own? No support? No awareness of where they were?
Was this a floating Benghazi?
And this happens on the day of President Obama's presumed victory lap speech in his last State of the Union Address this night. Face it, Iran is rubbing our nose in the reset we think we've achieved with Iran.
Well, we've assumed the position. Does anybody really expect anything else?
UPDATE: It was at Farsi Island in the middle of the northern Gulf. So the boats didn't drift that far east.
But only one boat was apparently malfunctioning. Why did the other boat let it drift east and go with it? Why not attempt to tow it?
Still, regardless of that issue, why weren't other American assets watching over them in dangerous waters?
UPDATE: Iran accepted our explanation and released crews and boats.
Given the tensions, I'd have thought a drone to keep our people under observation would be a routine thing. Perhaps I expect too much.
