Louis Roney: Far beyond the pale

Something has been bothering me. It just gnaws at me, and I’m not enough of an expert to handle it. I have no answers. To understand my limited knowledge, please let me remind you that during World War II, I was a destroyer gunnery officer.

I believe it was about January or February of last year when I read about 10 U.S. sailors and two CB90 fast attack craft that had been captured by the Iranian Navy! My head began to spin. How could this happen?

From my limited information, I gathered, one of the boats had engine failure, but why? I can’t find the answer.

CB90s were developed by the Swedish Navy and were the attack craft of choice during the Vietnam War. Did these boats run aground because they were off course? Don’t these craft have super GPS or the like on them?

Did Iran have the capability to jam the GPS or any other way to disable the craft? What jammed the boats’ computer systems? How could skilled American sailors go off course? Were they given incorrect charts? And it happened to two boats at the same time? Just tell me what are the odds of that happening?

My limited information tells me these boats are 50 feet long, fast, agile, lightweight, with a very shallow draft, and their twin water jets can quickly reach speeds of 40 knots. They carry light, medium, and heavy weapons, including 50 caliber machine guns and GAU-19 mini-guns. Also, these boats are usually launched from a Navy ship. Where was the mother ship? Some type of craft housed these boats. Who was the captain of that craft? How could advanced boats like these get stuck on an Iranian island in the Persian Gulf? And if a boat wasn’t in proper mechanical condition, why was it even launched? Why wasn’t some kind of sea or air cover nearby if these craft were in use?

One thing for sure, the Iranians captured two very advanced U.S. Naval craft. As an old Navy guy, I smell something that just isn’t kosher.

Why didn’t the press ask more pertinent questions?

And then we had Secretary of State John Kerry blubbering thanks to the brave Iranians for treating our sailors so nicely. And, of course, we were smothered with pictures of our sailors bowing humbly before the Iranian sailors whom, we assume, had saved them... Did you see our sailors saying how well they were treated in prison? One U.S. sailor said it was our own mistake. Really? How? What really happened?

I’m not sure, but don’t I remember something happening with the USA’s most advanced drone some years ago? Whatever happened with that? The military seems to be delivering our most advanced equipment to the enemy! Are there any other favors the Obama administration might do for the Iranians before leaving office? Is Congress doing anything at all about this outrage? Of course, how important is it for Obama to proffer this silliness about Putin hacking emails and political institutions’ computers to help the Trump group get elected? Come on!

And how about the idle palaver of Obama saying if he had run again he would have beaten Trump! Didn’t happen, couldn’t happen – just more Obama giving the press something to talk about instead of doing his job. Will we ever get answers? Will the military ever be military again and stop being ‘yes men?’ I’m still waiting for answers. To this proud old Navy officer, this is far ‘beyond the pale.’

And now we have President-elect Trump. Perhaps that will be the magic word for 2017. Mr. Trump has set many difficult goals for the first weeks of his administration. His promise to “make America great again” is very ambitious. Even now as president-elect he has been promised by big business that they will bring back jobs to America. He has promised to protect healthcare from government control, to stop reckless government spending, to bring back Constitutional law, to repair highway infrastructure, and to make better trade agreements just for starters. Trump has promised jobs, jobs, jobs, and lower taxes; that’s extremely important! And most importantly, to keep the Supreme Court Conservative! Be positive!

A New Year, a new President, a new opportunity.