Should the 15 British sailors be charged

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 15 Apr 07 - 07:17 AM

"Is it true that Seaman Batchelor cried himself to sleep ... "

So what if it were true? So the guy's not some man-of-steel great war hero - so what?

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 15 Apr 07 - 07:25 AM

"Is it true that Seaman Batchelor cried himself to sleep after the Iranians called him Mr. Bean? Apparently he also complained that they took his ipod. Is this a joke?"

Was it treated as a joke when a thread was started by a miserable whinger who moaned and begged for everyone's sympathy because a kid kicked them on the knee? Far from it, I recollect that sympathy was given in bucketloads.

Words like 'Glasshouses' and 'stones' spring to mind.

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: dianavan
Date: 15 Apr 07 - 02:23 PM

I am just surprised that was all they had to say. Was there more to it? Is this the 'story' they were paid to tell?

Of course, men cry, but they don't usually sell the story to a newspaper. I also think its funny that being called "Mr Bean" is the closest thing to torture that he seemed to have experienced.

It seems hard to believe. Can this be true? Please give me more of the details. I don't have access to the English papers and I can't find the actual interviews on the net.

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 15 Apr 07 - 02:45 PM

The decision to let them sell their stories was wrong. However that decision was not the sailors' fault.

The stories clearly did not warrant the payouts but that does not in any way lessen the stress that those sailors suffered or the worry that their families had. You do not have to be tortured to suffer.

My view has always been that it was not appropriate to sell those stories. I also commented on another thread that if I had lost a loved one in Iraq then the selling of the stories would have sickened me. Other people's feelings should have been considered before this decision was taken and that does not appear to have happened.

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 15 Apr 07 - 02:51 PM

I started this thread as a bit of a lark. I thought people using this site were also having a lark.

I wasn't "having a lark" when I posted to this thread. It just isn't funny.

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: dianavan
Date: 15 Apr 07 - 03:08 PM

I agree, eanjay, that they probably suffered alot of anxiety and uncertainty. I also agree that it was probably very hard for their parents and for the parents of those whose children had sacrificed their lives. It was a very poor decision to allow their stories to be told.

When I first heard about it, I expected that their stories would be propaganda and that the government would play a censorship role in what was actually published. I even thought that the stories might be scripted. I didn't expect that they would be so foolish as to say anything that would embarrass the military or their government.

How awful. How really disgusting to think that the Iranians and most of the world are laughing at this lack of common sense and utter lack of pride. Is this what the British military is made of? I hope not. What were they thinking?

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 15 Apr 07 - 03:14 PM

Dianavan, it was a very poor decision to allow their stories to be told. I hope that it doesn't reflect on the British military because I think our forces are great. It should reflect on the British government and big changes are needed there.

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: GUEST,JED
Date: 16 Apr 07 - 01:00 PM

Maybe Des Browne is the man to be charged for allowing 2 of them to capitalise on their capture. What of the other 13 surely the government should now offer the reported £150 000 the pair received, to the others.

I notice that this thread was posted well after the service personnel were home safe and had 'kissed and told'. Ignoramous is entitled to satirise this event. If these two people out of 15 want the public gaze then they should be prepared for public disapproval.

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 16 Apr 07 - 01:16 PM

Guest, Jed - I think it was the way it reflected on the British Forces that concerned people. I, for one, lost some sympathy with those selling the stories. Also, it was unfair because some of the hostages were given a higher profile than others and so they managed to get their stories in before the ban.

The whole thing has been totally unsatisfactory and now Des Browne has told us all that it took him a whole weekend to realise the decision was wrong!

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 16 Apr 07 - 01:24 PM

Also, if he had satirised Des Browne and selling the stories that would not have been as bad as should be charged with cowardice in the face of the enemy .... that really is not on.

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: GUEST,JED
Date: 16 Apr 07 - 03:44 PM

Agreed eanjay. But 'the blood in the eye' approach got me thinking, otherwise I would have 'let it slide'. now I've listened to the debate in Commons today with some interest.

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 16 Apr 07 - 04:50 PM

I was surprised at how fast they "folded". Maybe, my thinking is influenced by those old war movies. John Wayne, for example, would have just given the Iranians his rank and army number, and then told them to sod off! I was surprised that the British press didn't turn on them.

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 16 Apr 07 - 04:55 PM

Remember: John Wayne was just an actor - who stayed home for the big show ...

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: heric
Date: 16 Apr 07 - 08:18 PM

Rowan Atkinson wouldna cried neither.

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: dianavan
Date: 17 Apr 07 - 01:56 AM

Thats very sick, heric.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Iranians would use Mr. Bean to humiliate the enemy. There's something Monty Python about the whole scene. You're right, though, Rowan Atkinson would still be wondering what happened to the ipod.

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: heric
Date: 17 Apr 07 - 10:06 AM

Rowan Atkinson should name his next film "They Call Me Mr. Bean."

Subject: RE: Should the 15 British sailors be charged
From: GUEST,JED
Date: 17 Apr 07 - 11:06 AM

At the end of JFK, Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner) says to the jury - 'the question should not be who shot the President, but why?'.
The unfortunate serviceman and woman are being deliberately used as a smokescreen for something. Des Browne should come clean, then resign.