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Superpowerless!

A NEW WORLD ORDER … You “can’t get killed where you ain’t.” And you can’t get captured where you ain’t, either … But America – which still has dreams of being the indispensable global power – doesn’t seem to get that. The recent capture of ten U.S. Navy sailors in…

A NEW WORLD ORDER …

You “can’t get killed where you ain’t.” And you can’t get captured where you ain’t, either …

But America – which still has dreams of being the indispensable global power – doesn’t seem to get that.

The recent capture of ten U.S. Navy sailors in waters claimed by Iran is an international embarrassment.  The images of American military personnel on their knees?  It is beyond humiliating – a testament to the “New World Order” into which our nation has somehow slipped.

If this is how U.S. soldiers are treated – imagine what they will do to unarmed American citizens?

The fact the incident was ignored by U.S. president Barack Obama in his final State of the Union address (and by S.C. governor Nikki Haley, who gave the official “Republican” response to his speech) was also inexcusable.

So … what happened?

It’s not entirely clear yet …

“Either the naval leadership put these sailors in an impossible situation or the sailors are professionally incompetent,” a retired Navy commander told CNN.

We concur … albeit using a different definition, no doubt.

The “impossible situation” is the same one we see across the Middle East – and in Europe and the South China Sea.  It is America’s failure to recognize that its policy of perpetual global interventionism has failed.

Wait … are we “doves” like our hero, former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul?   No … we believe in taking aggressive action when America is threatened.  But as we’ve said repeatedly, it is not America’s job to make the world “safe for democracy.”  Or to subsidize the national defense of European nations or Israel.

Or to keep pretending our “allies” aren’t complicit in the most egregious attacks against us …

As stated previously, we simply don’t believe it makes sense to spend trillions of tax dollars (that we don’t have) on wars of occupation that have failed to do anything but make our enemies stronger and angrier at us.  Nor do we believe it makes sense to spend hundreds of billions of additional money we don’t have defending Israel and other countries while simultaneously flooding the Middle East with weapons (many of which wind up in the wrong hands).

And even if those things did fall under our job description, our country can no longer afford the price tag …

***

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73 comments

erneba January 14, 2016 at 9:11 am

A lot of unanswered questions about this situation.
Appears to be an episode from “Gilligan’s Island.”

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vicupstate January 14, 2016 at 9:44 am

Which begs the question…

Ginger or Mary Ann?

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Halfvast Conspirator January 14, 2016 at 9:59 am

yes

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Sic Semper Tyrannis January 14, 2016 at 10:03 am

Both, why not?

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sparklecity January 14, 2016 at 7:28 pm

I’ll take Mary Ann any day!!!!!
Ever see her in a bathing suit or her beauty queen pics???
hell, at my age, I’d settle for Mrs. Howell (as she was back then)!!
I remember years ago somebody told me they saw her at some award function and she was a fox (again, back around 1968….)

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idcydm January 14, 2016 at 2:27 pm

“Gilligan’s Island.”…and the cast resides on FITSNEWS.

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TroubleBaby January 14, 2016 at 9:16 am

“Wait … are we “doves” like our hero, former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul? No … we believe in taking aggressive action when America is threatened. ”

You must have a weird definition of “dove”- as Ron Paul voted for authorization of force for both Iraq & Afghanistan after 9/11. He just never wanted it to become a permanent occupation and the wording at the time limited the scope to “he(President) determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001”

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follydude January 14, 2016 at 9:20 am

… But we were really super-powerful when the Chineses forced down a US Navy EP-3, held the crew for a month and then shipped back the plane in pieces and parts, right?

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yawn January 14, 2016 at 9:45 am

Did we give the Chinese a hundred billion dollars to develop their nuclear arsenal whilst they held our troops hostage…all the while boasting of our international potency?

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stumpknocker January 14, 2016 at 9:57 am

no, we gave them trillions in trade and shipped our american jobs over to them by the millions

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Rocky Verdad January 14, 2016 at 10:56 am

Yawn get’s Bam Bam!!! Bam!!!! Total beeach slap!!!

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lorealspace January 14, 2016 at 11:38 am

Yep..Clinton just HAD to pass NAFTA…

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Rocky Verdad January 14, 2016 at 1:48 pm

NAFTA passed in 1993, it was eight years earlier.

chia January 14, 2016 at 6:20 pm

Yes…NAFTA opened the door to allow China access to markets that enabled China to become the largest economy on earth and build up their military capability…

sparklecity January 14, 2016 at 12:57 pm

I was thinking about posting about that fuck-up myself…………….
Good job pointing that out. I’ll bet hardly no one else even recalls it or even knows anything about it.

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lala January 14, 2016 at 9:37 am

Hope and change…

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vicupstate January 14, 2016 at 9:43 am

So … what happened?

It’s not entirely clear yet …

Maybe that is why it didn’t make it into the speeches. It was even less clear what had happened and they were still captive when the speeches were given.

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guest January 14, 2016 at 11:17 am

I read that Pentagon communications were broken between these boats and Pentagon Pukes.

Why wasn’t Fleet in Command ? Who intervened ? Were these guys on a mission that Kerry/Obama rat them out to the Iran RG ? Why didn’t Fleet respond? If they were running the west coast they didn’t drift 40 miles east in a matter of hours.

This like Ben Ghazi stinks and CenCom and Navy know what really happened .

Obama lies and Kerry denies.

This is why those in harms way and much of the American voters don’t believe them and why Trump has traction.What does that POS Sidney Blumenfelt know about this?

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Rocky Verdad January 14, 2016 at 11:39 am

And who killed JFK, and was on the grassy knoll. And Lockerbee – that was a CIA plot to discredit Gadafi.

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Sic Semper Tyrannis January 14, 2016 at 9:49 am

In my day we never had a problem like that. The only electronic device was the radio I carried. They Proberly don’t even know what a compass is.

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Rocky Verdad January 14, 2016 at 10:55 am

(Smile) – Textign madly – my GPS is broken what do I do – LOL

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sparklecity January 14, 2016 at 12:54 pm

yeah, I was wondering about the “bug-a-boo” GPS myself
Now I could see using being stoned and floating around in a boat in the middle of the Persian Gulf back in 1974 as an excuse but not in the days of “random drug” testing if you wear green or tan baggy shit (since around the 1980’s).
Obviously they had no training in “resistance” (I really can’t go any further on that subject) but I can guarantee that a “crash course” is being held on that subject in Bahrain at this VERY minute.
You know how that work, the shit hits the fan and then “refresher/retraining” afterwards………
And yes, without a doubt I’m totally thankful that the situation ended quickly (no hooded troops being paraded around Tehran like 1979..when I learned about it, I was afraid it might come to that.)
One thing though I’d sure as hell hate to be the CPO’s on either of those boats right about now!!!!!
I for one ain’t forgetting Eagle Claw in April 1980……EVER!!!

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Sic Semper Tyrannis January 14, 2016 at 1:00 pm

My CO would run us 10 miles a day for the whole week.

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rockyverdadsuglyclan January 14, 2016 at 1:06 pm

Sure…and my momma flew jets…

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sparklecity January 14, 2016 at 1:06 pm

Something tells me those senior NCO’s would prefer running 10 miles per day for a week instead of the mother of all ass-chewings and performance evaluations they’re gonna get!!!!
I know I would if I was in their shoes!!!!!
if those NCO’s are “career” sailors, their career in the Navy just might be up a hog’s ass……..

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Sic Semper Tyrannis January 14, 2016 at 1:11 pm

Funny you said that. I’d take exercise over a front and center ass chewing anytime.

sparklecity January 14, 2016 at 7:36 pm

Me too..
Especially from “Top” during my Army years or “the Chief” during my Air Force time.
And I know one thing, I’d tell my own dear mother to kiss off before I’d say that to a Sergeant Major!!!
The only “challenge coin” I truly treasure was one from the Command Sergeant Major of the 4th Infantry Division back in the “Big Sandy” in 2005…….

Sic Semper Tyrannis January 14, 2016 at 8:14 pm

We ran a “SERE” school for awhile. A mock of downed pilot’s and airmen. We captured all of them, per the game. A full bird col wouldn’t listen and I knocked him into a bunch of thorns. His face was cut up pretty bad. I thanked God I never ran into him again. Their were only 82 thousand of us in 1982!

Sic Semper Tyrannis January 14, 2016 at 2:44 pm

A navigational error! Rut Roh. On abc.

tomstickler January 14, 2016 at 9:52 am

Must really be frustrating for chickenhawks that this incident was resolved peacefully with diplomacy rather that militarily. SOS Kerry probably was handicapped because all of his shock troops were camped out at Malheur.

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TroubleBaby January 14, 2016 at 10:00 am

I don’t think Kerry had problems myself, Iran isn’t crazy contrary to popular opinion- but I agree with most of the rest of your statement.

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flip January 14, 2016 at 10:06 am

Obama is a traitor.Who would believe this tripe? Obama has strengthened the Ayatollah and made us look weak. What his intent has been all along. Now the Pentagon is saying they may pursue charges against the sailor that apologized. Excuse me? The ones that should have charges against them are the one that cooked this up. Let’s guess who that is.

CHICKENSHITS work and advocate for Planned Parenthood.Fixed it for ya.

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Rocky Verdad January 14, 2016 at 12:09 pm

Still living in 1980 eh?

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CorruptionInColumbia January 14, 2016 at 11:25 pm

I wondered if some kind of chickenshit or other might not be brought to bear on one or more of the sailors, because they embarrassed some politician or other “higher-up”.

From what I have read elsewhere, the sailors were treated in a surprisingly humane manner as these kind of things go. I see nothing particularly bad in extending thanks, gratitude, or like sentiments toward their captors. In such instances as this, facts have little to do with what happened. It is what the one who has the drop says that is treated as truth. I realize both sides, and especially the Iranians, are gaming the propaganda angles for all they are worth. If the ranking sailor felt that an apology would keep his people alive and unharmed, then more power to him!!!! They are all alive and well and hopefully will see their families and friends again. That is what matters.

Author Donald Hamilton, through his fictional character Matt Helm once mused something in one of his books that had a lot of truth behind it. Helm was held captive by the bad guys for that particular story and was pleasant and respectful to his captors. In thought, Helm noted that it didn’t hurt in most cases to be pleasant, respectful, even a bit subservient, to those who had you decisively outnumbered, out-gunned, or otherwise at a disadvantage with potential fatal consequences. Helm further noted that while such behavior might buy you better treatment, perhaps your life, that if such time came, it made your adversary no more immune to a bullet, a stab wound, or maybe a snapped neck, than he would have been had you chosen to show him what an asshole you could be.

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Sic Semper Tyrannis January 14, 2016 at 10:07 am

Yep, they already missed out on 3.

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Halfvast Conspirator January 14, 2016 at 9:59 am

Looks like Barry has created another ISIS recruitment video

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flip January 14, 2016 at 10:17 am

Iran pushing video of our sailors on their knees and one female forced to wear a hijab!

You’re correct.’closet’ Muslim Obama, the radical Islamist sympathizer ,selling out America AGAIN.

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Rocky Verdad January 14, 2016 at 10:49 am

She wore a hat? Holy Cow!!!! When in Rome…….

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Rocky Verdad January 14, 2016 at 10:55 am

Hey, at least they ain’t standing naked with hoods on with German Shepard dogs nipping at their private parts.

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cuvinny January 14, 2016 at 10:25 am

You do know Iran is fighting ISIS right?

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flip January 14, 2016 at 10:42 am

Right.And Iran will never have nukes.Idiot.

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Rocky Verdad January 14, 2016 at 10:49 am

A very true statement, if you exclude the idiot part. I’m assuming that’s the signature?

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flip January 14, 2016 at 11:13 am

IRS

Rocky Verdad January 14, 2016 at 11:22 am

IRS is your signature. What’s that stand for – I’m Real Stupid?

flip January 14, 2016 at 11:41 am

knock knock

Rocky Verdad January 14, 2016 at 12:09 pm

Call first before coming over.

cuvinny January 14, 2016 at 10:22 am

So Obama gets his soldiers back in a couple hours makes us look weak? At least he isn’t your hero Reagan sending weapons and Ollie North over there

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flip January 14, 2016 at 11:20 am

Why wasn’t Pastor Abidini released at the same time? OH he’s a Christian hated by Obama but the deal still goes through giving millions to our enemy to build nuclear weapons.

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The Colonel (R) January 14, 2016 at 12:50 pm

Oliie sent weapons south.

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sparklecity January 14, 2016 at 7:20 pm

From the proceeds gleaned from dealing with the Iranians……….
Not to mention Reagan sending the Ayatollah a bible
Reagan was such a phoney and a fool to boot……..
if he hadn’t been suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s near the end of his term he would have been impeached…..

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sparklecity January 14, 2016 at 1:00 pm

Actually they are sailors – not soldiers..
Just pointing out a semi-minor inaccuracy but one that needs to be pointed out to the uninformed.
I know what you’re saying though…

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Daniel Boome January 14, 2016 at 1:26 pm

Iran has since released a propaganda video showing those soldiers on their knees in their humiliated state. I think the message there is clear as far as how they are portraying us, yet Obama and Kerry have apologized for the situation and thanked the Iranians for….well, I don’t know what he thanked them for exactly. But he did.

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Rocky Verdad January 14, 2016 at 5:13 pm

Ever see people who accidently enter the United States in Texas and Arizona – usually on their knees until they are searched.

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Rocky Verdad January 14, 2016 at 10:54 am

Colonel – please provide us with your invaluable insight. In the meantime, I would restate what we know, they either had a navigational issue, or mechanical issue. The Iranian Navy found them in Iranian territorial waters, and took possession of the vessels and the crew. They followed normal protocal for taking the vessels, and searching the crew. When that was concluded the crew was taken to the nearby island to sort it out, provided them dinner and breakfast, some really good coffee, and then released them and their vessels to return to their journey. Because Iranian law requires women to cover their hair, the female sailor was nicely provided a scarf to comply with Iranian law, within Iranian territory. I hear the dinner was quite tasty.

It could have been as simple as “starboard? What one is that? Left or right?”

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Rocky Verdad January 14, 2016 at 10:59 am

This is a tale of our castoways, they’re hear for a couple hours,
Standed on their little boats, engines out of power……
The ships set sail on a sunny day, from little ole Kuwait,
After they entered Iranian land, they were held and then they ate,
Hummus, some apples, and chicken stew, a grand ole time was had,
Then set free to sail on home, the Right Wing guys got mad, the Right Wing guys got mad………….

Dang I’m good. I could be a writer.

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sparklecity January 14, 2016 at 7:29 pm

You got my vote!!!!

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jerret January 14, 2016 at 11:06 am

Nothing says superpower status like being forced to bow down and wear a hijab…I wonder, were they forced to face Mecca?

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Manray9 January 14, 2016 at 11:13 am

So we should nuke Iran because our naval small craft violated their waters? I can assure you if an Iranian naval vessel violated our waters we would do the same — but then again, we’re over there and they’re not over here.

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jed January 14, 2016 at 11:59 am

No…let’s just give then 100 billion to develop their own nukes instead…

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Manray9 January 14, 2016 at 12:36 pm

We didn’t “give” them anything. We lifted sanctions freeing their assets.

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Burningspeare January 14, 2016 at 11:52 am

It appears that these heavily armed sailors would rather crawl in shame than battle it out with the war tested Iranian Revolutionary Guard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnJBQAbzuP4

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Burningspeare January 14, 2016 at 12:51 pm

Sacrificial lambs? Obviously a Naval Commander sent these kids on a one-way mission, hoping to humiliate Obama. But these seasoned warriors in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard did not fall into the gambit.

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Daniel Boome January 14, 2016 at 1:37 pm

This doesn’t make a lick of sense.

Gohmert says that Kerry knew about the boats in distress, and for some reason called Iran to help, not our own Navy.

This “help” that Iran gave was to arrest our sailors, take them captive (generating pictures and video of the surrender for propaganda purposes), confiscate their boats, weapons, boots, etc. Then, to top if off, they throw a Muslim headscarf over our female sailor.

The White House immediately comes out and says, “We do not see this as hostile intent, they’ve been well treated, and we’ve received assurances that they will be released.”

And we’re going to be releasing $150 billion dollars to this same government next week? I’m supposed to believe this was a coincidence or misunderstanding? Really?

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Rocky Verdad January 14, 2016 at 5:15 pm

I wouldn’t listen to anything Goemert says – You asperged my asparagus.

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Marie Barf January 14, 2016 at 2:51 pm

This picture perfectly encapsulates the Obummer years. On our knees, in full surrender. Effing completely pathetic.

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lou January 14, 2016 at 4:38 pm

Hope and change..welcome to fundamental transformation!

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sparklecity January 14, 2016 at 7:24 pm

Yeah, like the time he had those Somilia pirates whacked and then there’s that little private party where Osama’s face was blown off
Again for the umpteenth time I’m not an “Obammer” supporter but I do support the truth..(wherever it goes and no matter who is involved)

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vietnamvet January 14, 2016 at 5:48 pm

You do know that Trump was clearly a draft dodger during Viet Nam–multiple times.

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shem January 14, 2016 at 6:17 pm

Just like Bill? Who can blaim them? Gore and Bush had wealthy parents who muscled them out of harm’s way…

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Old Coot January 15, 2016 at 6:13 pm

This post nails it. I would ask question a different way. Why are soldiers still dying in Afghanistan, and what exactly is our mission there?

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