Why is the Right calling the 15 Brits cowards?

[leftupnorth]

I've been watching MSNBC this morning and I have noticed a theme.

"Americans would have never capitulated to the Iranians like that."

What up with that?

[ingac70]

1. Big talk from assholes who never served.

They would be crying for their mommies in the same situation.

[oldcoot]

7. Exactly

I suspect most of these assholes get their information about what war is like from the movies and have never served a day in their lives. I also suspect it would take a lot less to break them.

[IndyBob]

17. Roger that

Members of the 101st Keyboard Division, Fifth Freeper Platoon have been busy. Does someone have the obligatory fat naked Freeper behind his computer picture handy to post?

[paparush]

2. Because they did not get themselves slaughterfied so's W could

launch his war, the last war, to cover all the world in shadow.

If the Brits had fired a shot, they would have gotten nice and killeded by them Iranian savages, thus opening the door for the aerial bombardment and tactical nukes.

Gas would have hit $5/gallon and Exxon would have had a RECORD Q2.

Thus, on the right, the Brits are cowards for still being alive.

[Monkeyman]

3. Because they talked

The Right thinks you should die or not say a word. evan if they did talk 24 hr's after all info is no good

[ananda]

4. one word -- ratings

BOYCOTT

[loudsue]

5. The Brits forgot to feed the chickenhawks. They were SUPPOSED to get

killed! The ratings would have skyrocketed, and we could have had a brand new war to cover. That's the only way their advertisers & media moguls are going to get even more brazillion dollars to plow back into the republican coffers. The same revolving door as our tax dollars.

They're all hogs feeding at the trough.

:kick::kick::kick:

[AnnInLa]

6. They were denied martyrs

If they Brits had opened fire on the Iranian gunboat and died in the firefight, then the rw would have had their dead martyrs. If the Brits had resisted the propaganda attempts by the Iranians, they would have been imprisoned and become live martyrs...something to fight for. As long as the wingers don't have to do the dying and become imprisoned themselves, they long for "other-people" martyrs to do their suffering for them. All of this against a nation that we are NOT at war with.

[theoldman]

8. Can you just imagine what Bush would do if he were captured?

He would pee in his pants and so would most of the morons who criticize the British. Cowards and bullies always talk big.

[WinkyDink]

47. And cry for his mama, who would ignore him, to protect her beautiful mind!

[leftupnorth]

9. Spot on, everyone!

[Cha]

10. Cause they're Chickenshithawks who

wanted a fucking war On Iran.

Like their retarded hero bush was trying to inflame the sit-ci-a-tion.

[Lisa]

11. I was watching William Bennett going on about how "disgracefully" the British had acted

Funny thing -- I must have missed the part about his own war service in a conflict zone.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. Dead "heroes" are a popular commodity for the right.

They love to build monuments to them, wave flags, get all misty eyed, and make speeches about the "noble sacrifice" the poor stooges made for nothing but the ambitions of politicians and generals.

[TwilightGardener]

13. I said this on another thread, but they didn't behave well, at least

to American military standards. When you are being attacked or kidnapped, you fight, no matter how poor the odds against you--this is what the military drums into your head. And when taken captive, you give name, rank and social security number--that's it. I am not blaming them--I'm a big chicken, myself, and thus I am not in the military, and maybe there were reasons they didn't defend themselves. But on the whole, you're supposed to go down swinging.

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. no you are not

the code has changed, and it changed after Na'am due to the studies on the stockholm syndrome

[TwilightGardener]

27. No, I'm pretty sure I'm right. If you're part of a military unit, performing a military

task, and armed combatants come for you, and you're outgunned with no option of retreat to save your men, you have to fight. That's just the way it is. Now, if you're an unarmed military member in a non-military situation being taken hostage by a terrorist, the rules change as to how you're supposed to act, and this is recent, according to my husband (military officer). But this was a state (Iran) detaining them. And though Britain and Iran are not at war, confessions and accepting gifts should not have occurred.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

41. Dude! This was Japan during WW2, not present-day civilized countries! -nt

[spoony]

16. Similarly, I can't judge them but I don't understand them.

I mean, it's one thing to cooperate whilst in their country, especially if they were being intimidated as they say, but why hold their gift bags after they leave and land on friendly soil? I just find that odd.

[LeftishBrit]

20. One crucial fact to be remembered here

Britain and Iran are not at war, much as the Right might like them to be. Yes, the Brits were detained and treated as hostages; but they were not captured by the 'enemy'. I am not in the military myself so could be wrong; but I would assume that there are different rules for those who are taken by the enemy in war, and those who are detained by a country with which one is not seeking a war.

[tammywammy]

22. I heard that last night on some show

They were saying that since they're not at war with each other that technically Geneva Conventions don't apply, therefore it may have been to the British's best advantage to do as the Iranians wanted (say whatever to get out of there).

[spoony]

49. You're right, I just supposed that when someone imprisoned you

that they'd pretty quickly start to be viewed as the enemy. Maybe it didn't seem hostile to them, I don't know.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

21. The brainwashing didn't work on some of us.

If it came to a "surrender or die" situation, I'd have proudly been waving a white flag. And, fuck the military desire for me to die as a "hero".

[malaise]

26. Young people will no longer die defending the

scoundrels that lead their countries. I agree with them 100%. Let Jenna, Barbara and BLIAR's kids defend their lies with their lives. Only fools die for the lies of their leaders.

[seaglass]

29. Well luckily they used their brains and understood that

gunfire would have created an international incident and we all know what path that would have led us down.

I applaud them for their bravery and their intelligence.

[louis-t]

33. I wouldn't give my Social Security#

Just my serial #. :eyes:

[TwilightGardener]

34. It's SSN now--they don't give serial numbers anymore!

[louis-t]

36. Really? Wow, why would anyone give their SS# out

after being captured?

[TwilightGardener]

Now the Iranians can steal their identities and open credit-card accounts, LOL!

Actually, I guess this is to confirm their identity--the military uses your SSN for identity.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. chickenhawks

who would break more easily

Also chickenhawks that do not understand the code has changed from simply name, rank and serial number, to resisting as long as possible, but no shame in breaking. Just try to hold off for 72 hours

[LeftishBrit]

18. Because they wanted a war, or at least a longer propaganda-op against Iran...

and were disappointed.

Add to that that in most cases, they are not likely to have to sacrifice themselves, or watch family members doing so, for their noble macho cause.

[butterfly77]

19. I heard the talking head general on msnbc...

And he said if this were to happen with our military they would have been punished. What I take from that is that they would have called this treason as they do for those in the Democratic party who says anything against bush. They always say those who commit treason should be shot, so I guess this would have been the punishment if they would have been americans.

[malaise]

23. Because they refused to die for

BLIAR's and Bushco's propaganda.

[Cleita]

24. It seems to be an effective way for the right to take away any

heroic status these victims might have. They used the same tactic on John Kerry's purple heart. They are truly despicable pigs in the way they do this. I really don't know how to reverse the tables on them. This attack scheme of theirs seems to be very effective.

[Horse with no Name]

25. I guarantee that if it were their kids

They wouldn't give a shit what they said as long as they got to come home.
As I said before, we do NOT have honorable men running this war, I don't expect honor.
I expect them to save their asses the best they can.

[malaise]

28. 100% correct

These governments don't give a shit about the lives of anyone but themselves. Bush and Blair wanted them to die so they could kill somemore. Fugg them. I saw one Sailor hugging his wife and young children and smiled. Good for him.

[TwilightGardener]

30. As much as I would like to agree, I can't--I think the whole situation

there is as much bullshit as anybody, BUT...when you are in the military, you MUST behave according to the military's code of conduct in these situations. It may be tempting to think that Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan don't count because everyone knows it's pure crap, but our troops over there can not be allowed to let that sway their behavior under stressful conditions. Military "brainwashing", as perverse as seems to those of us who would do whatever it takes to save our own skin (myself included), exists not just to win war but for the safety, discipline, unit cohesion, and morale of the men who fight--it doesn't matter if it's WW2 or Iraq.

[Madspirit]

35. ...and YOU know...

What is the British military code of conduct you keep mentioning? Not the American one, the British one? What is it?
I am very grateful these people made it out alive and am also glad some countries actually understand negotiation...unlike America who only understands big guns and big noise and big blame.
Lee

[TwilightGardener]

39. I'm glad they're home safe, too--and again, I'm not blaming them.

I certainly don't know enough of the situation to call them cowards. I don't know how Britain's equivalent code of conduct matches up to ours. I'm just saying that the military/RW guys who are criticizing the Brits are right that if these were Americans, they would be in trouble--that's all.

[CJCRANE]

45. The Brits had two inflatables

and light hand-held weaponry. The Iranians had six boats with heavy machine guns and RPGs. Would you pick a fight with them?

The British marine commander also said that as Britain is not at war with Iran then opening fire on them would have caused an international incident.

[Unvanguard]

31. Because they're traitors who hate the troops.

Shout it from the rooftops.

[AX10]

32. because the MSM is still carrying water for the Neo-Cons.

They wanted to see a war with Iran. The Brits wouldn't allow that to happen.

[MODemocrat]

37. Pure and simple, they're goofy

They don't know shi* from shinola about anything. Most of the right has a big mouth and a tiny brain.:+ :+ :+ :+ :silly: :silly: :silly:

[muntrv]

38. These reich wingers never served in the military. They'd be pissing and

shitting on themselves 24/7 if they were in that situation.

[melody]

40. They are morons

So what else is new?

[Warpy]

42. Butbutbutbutbut that female crew member was wearing a SCARF!!!!

If that isn't proof of capitulating to an enemy, what is?

So goes the wingnut mind, such as it is.

[Fuzz]

43. Rambo fetish

[Zynx]

44. "This is SPAAAARTA!"

[Vidar]

46. It's a long American tradition, cf John Wayne shooting off his

mouth fom some plywood, Hollywood battleground set.

[WinkyDink]

48. You mean Marion Morrison, who never served a day?

"Wayne's fans have proffered a number of erroneous excuses over the years to explain away his lack of military service, but the facts are clear. The physical problems under football injury or damaged hearing were non-existent; Wayne himself never mentioned them. Others claim that Wayne was exempted from service due to his age (34) and family status. It is true that at the outbreak of World War II, Wayne was classified as 3-A (family deferment), but many of his contemporaries that signed up (like Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable, and Robert Montgomery) were older than him with families of their own. Gene Autry, who was also Wayne's age, gave an interview in 1942 that chastised Wayne for his refusal to enlist and provide an example for younger actors in Hollywood...."
http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:Zjp5mxPD9ZYJ:www.answers.com/topic/john-wayne+john+wayne+military+service&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=9&gl=us

[librechik]

50. The sailors said "We didn't want to cause an international incident"

That spoiled all the RWers plans for glory and victory in Iran (actual battle work done by others, of course)

[spanone]

51. they didn't pretend they were John Wayne.......

[KG]

52. funny, the RWers weren't whining when Bushco kowtowed in 2001 to get thier

spies back from China.

anyway, doesn't surpise me those brits didn't think what they were doing was worth dying for.

[porphyrian]

53. To distract from their own cowardice and failure. - n/t

[Beelzebud]

54. Because if they would have been there they would have taken Iran down themselves!!!111