UK: The Navy East of Suez

The case of five British sailors arrested by Iran points to our less than glorious policy in the region. You will remember that the crew of a fast patrol boat, including a woman, were taken by the Iranians without firing a shot ‘for fear of a diplomatic incident’ (although how they would describe their portrayal on Iranian television and the subsequent negotiations to release them I don’t know).

Then when recently the man and wife crew of a private yacht was captured by pirates we learned a lot later that a Royal Navy vessel had been ‘within 50ft’ and then yet later that it had a detachment of Commandos on it, who never received a call to do anything.

I just want it known that if I am about to be captured by someone and that a bunch of well armed soldiers is nearby, I’d like our guys to shoot the hell out of them. I don’t expect British capability East of Suez to be what it was in the 19th century but I do expect a little more vim than this.