Those Marines

I sent an Email to Andrew Stuttaford in response to his postings in the Corner at National Review Online defending the behavior of the British Marines held hostage by the Iranians.

In particular, he wrote:

"Derb, via the Yorkshire Post, here's SAS veteran Andy McNab on the behavior of those captured marines:

[He said he believed they were] "just doing their best to get by...They are intelligent people, they understand the situation, they understand they are caught in the middle on a political situation."

McNab himself was captured and tortured by the Iraqis. I suspect that he knows what the correct procedures are."

My email to Andrew was as follows (I also sent him the picture from the post immediately below this one):

Take a look at the men on the right side of this picture.

Were they violating the “rules” by looking (appropriately) dour
but not broken? Do the rules require the servicepersons to make it look like they are having a good time and to thank their captors?

If the men on the right could look dour but unbroken – couldn’t the others? Do any of the smiley ones have the sort of ashen/drawn look of persons who have been tortured (aside from their normal English pallor)?

Which group displays more honor, resolution, seriousness? Which group would you fear more to meet in combat?

Don’t go great lengths to defend the giddy ones Andrew – they are not worth it. You would be better off and retain more credibility if you pointed out that not all of the Brits acted dishonorably.

The UK's Shame (update)

Make that "the three men on the right have honor".

Also, note the interesting editing of the picture in the post below by the MSM (MSNBC in this case - though it may have obtained the picture from AP). The picture was edited to only highlight the happy hostages. It helps to only show the happy people if the tag line is "No ill will".

Is suspect that there already is some ill will between the three men on the right and the shameless hams on the left.

The UK's Shame

I've never witnessed such appalling behavior from military men and women before. Thoughout this hostage-taking the British Marines have happily participated in the humiliation of their nation. The only one with honor that I can see in the picture is the dour-looking fellow on the right. Mr. Blair, the British military has become a liability to the United States in Iraq. Please send them home now.

Update: I was too harsh on the British Military here. In retrospect, It seems that much of this bad bahavior may have been the result of poor leadership on the captured unit. Our British brothers are doing a hell of a job on the war judging by reports from the likes of Michael Yon.