Why Have a Navy If You Are Not Willing to Use It?

Robert Frost once eloquently said, "A liberal is someone too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel." Handcuffed by political correctness, the British navy did nothing. Why have a Navy if you are not willing to use it? The British are along way from WWII and soured the sacrifies of brave soldiers such as Forest Frederick Edward Yeo-Thomas

The captain of the HMS Cornwall is Commodore Nick Lambert, a more modern sort. He did nothing as six Iranian speedboats seized the boarding party from his ship as they were leaving the freighter they had inspected in Iraqi territorial waters.

The 14 men and one woman have been taken to Tehran, where the mullahs are threatening to try them as spies.

U.S. Navy Lt. Commander Erik Horner, executive officer of the USS Underwood, which shares patrol duty in the Shatt al Arab with the HMS Cornwall, expressed surprise that the British let their sailors and marines be taken without a fight.

"U.S. Navy rules of engagement say we not only have a right to self defense, but also an obligation to self defense," LtCdr Horner told the British newspaper the Independent. "Our reaction was 'Why didn't your guys defend themselves?'

... Former British first sea lord, Admiral Sir Alan West, compared British "de-escalatory" rules and U.S. Navy rules of engagement, which spell out the obligation to self-defense."Rather than roaring into action and sinking everything in sight, we Brits try to step back and that, of course, is why our chaps were effectively able to be captured and taken away," "

The British are so sophisticated that they are willing to be captured than fire back. Firing back when you are about to be kidnapped is a long way from "sinking everything in sight"... and the British deserve an Admiral that knows the difference.