So the sailors/marines

[Booldawg]

Have admitted to being in Iranian waters. Regardless of whether or not this admission has been made out of duress - they were hardly mounting a major offensive against Iran, what is the penaltly for trespassing?

[DavidUK]

If the info in this link is to be believed, then it is impossible for ANYONE to know whose waters they were in:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles /news/newscomment.html?in_article_id=445896&in _page_id=1787&in_a_source=

[Gromit]

In the case of the 1000 sailors on a ship in the South Atlantic 25 years ago, which was in disputed waters, the penalty they incurred was death.

Time for a celebration!

[Octavius]

I wonder how we would feel if a boat load of armed Iranian soldiers were caught patrolling our waters, just off the coast of Southend.

[WaldoMcFroog]

I'd probably tell them to avoid the Golden Mile.

[Booldawg]

I'd probably tell them to avoid Southend.

[Octavius]

Is that one of the �Entertainment Arcades� or just a general description of the High Street after pub closing?

[WaldoMcFroog]

It's the strip of 'entertainment' - meat-market discos, (so-called) amusment arcades and pubs where you can get your face pummelled in for the price of a pint - along the seafront, including the locally imfamous 'slags wall'.

There's two roundabouts a hundred yards apart around which the local lads drive their souped up, spoilered, low-profile wheels, bass-binned tw@-mobiles all night at an average speed of about three miles an hour whilst playing house music at volumes that could crush a house brick, whilst they attempt to win the affections of the ladies seated upon the wall I mentioned earlier, so they can take them to Shoebury East Beach for 'courting'.

It's a classy place.

I just think the locals'd make minced meat of 'em. They'd be better off somewhere genteel like Bournemouth.

[Beria]

Immediate cessation of chocolate rations.

[Booldawg]

Bournemouth? Genteel? Its the stag/hen night capital of England. Iranians mounting a full amphibious assault on the town centre would look like just another bunch of drunken lads on a 'themed' night out.

[anotheoldgit]

We would most likely invite them in with open arms Octavious. Ask them if they wanted a roof over their heads? Provide them with a set of wheels and a mobile phone. Show them how to fill in their benefit forms, and then ask them if their missus, kids, parents, and grand-parents wanted to join them also.

[WaldoMcFroog]

It is genteel in comparison. If you got Brighton and Bournmouth and said they were twins, Southend is the evil one with missing teeth, violence issues and a squint.

[Octavius]

You forgot the hooked hand and club foot.

I can see that Waldo and Booldawg have identified why our coastline is safe from any Iranian amphibious assault. Let�s hope for their sake they don�t sneak up on Worthing, the OAPs would �stone� them with candy floss.

[dyli795]

anotheoldgit has it all in perfect focus to my mind. It's obvious the Irani government (what ever that is, because I don't think even THEY know!) obviously thaught it was time they got some bargaining chips in the shape of little satans soldiers, it isn't big and it isn't clever. Far from it!

[whiffey]

It's still a joke. It appeared to me and (Channel 4) that the British officers on film were grinning and having a bit of a laugh. And Jon Snow interviewing that diplomat, ffs he couldn't even speak English ! There's kids of 5 over here who can. Let's apologise, get the guys out, then wait for USA to do the proper thing.

[Whickerman]

Apparently the penalty is to be paraded like smiling gimps on tv so that people can laugh at you, and run your country down.

[maxximus]

great answers waldo, got me to laughin!

[beggarman]

The point is...OUR Sailors/Marines are employed to patrol areas of unrest...what the papers don't tell you is HMS Cornwall will have challenged the suspect boat/ship a minimum of five times. When ignored they are dutiful to approach said boat/ship to ensure it's not drugs, people trafficking etc. They were then overpowered by severe firepower. HMS Cornwall could have (and some say should have opened fire). This would have led to an even worse political situation. Rest assured the SAS are on the ground waiting for the nod should it deteriorate further, then once our BRAVE Servicepeople are recovered a whole new prospective will imerge. God Bless the brave people who protect and serve........