Congressman: Iran’s Treatment of U.S. Sailors Much Worse Than Reported

The nation would be shocked by the details surrounding Iran’s treatment of U.S. sailors when they were captured by Iran back in January, a member of the House Armed Services Committee said Monday after receiving a full classified briefing about the abduction.

Rep. Randy Forbes (R., Va.) told the Washington Free Beacon that the classified details are currently being withheld by the Obama administration and it could be awhile before the American public gets a full accounting of the incident.

“I’ve had a full classified briefing” from military officials, Forbes told the Free Beacon. “It could be as long as a year before we actually get that released.”

Details of the abduction are likely to start an uproar in the nation and call into question the Obama administration’s handling of the incident, which many experts say violated international and maritime law.

“I think that when the details actually come out, most Americans are going to be kind of taken aback by the entire incident, both how Iran handled it and how we handled it,” Forbes disclosed. “I think that’s going to be huge cause for concern for most Americans. That’s why I’ve encouraged members of Congress to get that briefing so they do know exactly what did take place.”

 

Capt. Gary Leigh, the commanding officer of the riverine squadron at the time of the incident, was relieved of his duties last Thursday. He was the first officer to be publicly disciplined in the wake of the debacle which according to the Navy Times, “nearly scuttled the U.S.-Iran nuclear deal at the 11th hour.”

But it was worse than that for the Obama White House. It nearly scuttled the the president’s SOTU theme of America “leading the world toward shared peace and prosperity.”

According to New York Times reporter David Samuels, the president’s Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, was furious when his media toadies refused to suppress the story which had inconveniently happened on the day of the president’s State of the Union address.

“They can’t keep it a secret for two hours?” Rhodes told Samuels, exasperated at “the break in message discipline.”

Obama at least was disciplined. He went on to deliver his SOTU speech without mentioning the unwelcome distraction from his message.

The Obama administration went on to frame the entire situation as an example of their deftness at international diplomacy.

Essentially, the White House said, two American boats simultaneously broke down and floated into Iranian waters, at which point the IRG generously towed them to Farsi Island, provided the crew shelter, and then returned them. “Ten US Navy Sailors safely returned to US custody today, after departing Iran,” reported the US Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs Office. “There are no indications that the Sailors were harmed during their brief detention…The Navy will investigate the circumstances that led to the Sailors’ presence in Iran.”

Secretary of State John Kerry then added his praise for the Iranians:

I’m very pleased that our Sailors have been safely returned to US hands. As a former Sailor myself, I know the importance of naval presence around the world and the critical work being done by our Navy in the Gulf region. I’m proud of our young men and women in uniform and know how seriously they take their responsibilities to one another and to other mariners in distress.

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter then added his voice to the chorus of love for Iran:

I am pleased that ten US Navy sailors have departed Iran and are now back in US hands. I want to personally thank Secretary of State John Kerry for his diplomatic engagement with Iran to secure our sailors’ swift return. Around the world, the US Navy routinely provides assistance to foreign sailors in distress, and we appreciate the timely way in which this situation was resolved.

Vice President Joe Biden was even more glowing:

No, there was no apology, there was [nothing] to apologize for. When you have a problem with a boat, do you apologize the boat had a problem? No, and there was no looking for any apology. This was just standard nautical practice…The Iranians picked up both boats, as we have picked up Iranian boats that needed to be rescued [and then] released them like, you know, ordinary nations would do. That’s the way nations should deal with one another. That’s why it’s important to have channels open.

Now, of course, news is leaking out that these scoundrels were lying their asses off as usual. Rep. Forbes suggests that Iran’s treatment of the U.S. sailors “may have been much worse than what has been publicly reported.”

“I think clearly there were violations of international and maritime law that took place here,” Forbes said. “We [the United States] did almost nothing in response, in fact, to have Secretary [of State John] Kerry actually thank them for releasing our sailors after they way they captured them, I think was a slap in the sailors’ face.”

It’s like the Bergdahl debacle all over again, which as you remember began with a triumphant Rose Garden announcement of Pvt. Bowe Bergdahl’s glorious release from an Taliban prison (in exchange for five Taliban commanders) and ended with an order that he face a court-martial for his disgraceful  desertion.

There is just no end to the weak, craven, and dishonest behavior of this God-forsaken administration.