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U.S. Navy
In this picture issued by the U.S. Navy, the crew of a U.S. Coast Guard vessel provide help to Iranian mariners after their boat started taking on water.
A U.S. Coast Guard ship helped six Iranian sailors Tuesday after their cargo vessel began taking on water, marking the second time in less than a week that the American military has come to the aid of Iranians at sea.
The patrol boat Monomoy, which is assigned to Task Force 55 in the Persian Gulf (also known as the Arabian Gulf), saw distress flares coming from the dhow Ya-Hussayn during the night early Tuesday, according to a statement issued by the U.S. Fifth Fleet.
"The dhow's master requested assistance from Monomoy indicating the engine room was flooding and deemed not seaworthy," it added.
U.S. Navy
After they were rescued, the Iranian mariners were provided with Halal food in accordance with Islamic custom.
"Monomoy immediately launched their small boat and approached the Ya-Hussayn. Two persons were rescued from the vessel, and four from a life raft tied off to the dhow's stern," it said.
The statement said the men were given water, blankets, and Halal meals "in accordance with Islamic law."
The rescue was another reminder of U.S. efforts to demonstrate the humanitarian value of its naval presence in the Gulf, a strategic waterway that the Iranian government has threatened to close in retaliation for international sanctions over its nuclear program.
Last Thursday, the U.S. Navy rescued 13 Iranian fishermen who had been held captive by pirates in the northern Arabian Sea, just outside the Gulf, for more than 40 days. That happened just days after Tehran warned the United States to keep its warships out of the Gulf. The fishermen were sent on their way and the 15 pirates were taken aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis.
Dead 'without your help'
In its statement, Naval Forces Central Command quoted the dhow's owner, identified as Hakim Hamid-Awi, as telling the Americans, "Without your help, we were dead. Thank you for all that you did for us."
Iran welcomes US rescue of fisherman from pirates
One Iranian was treated for injuries that were described as "not serious" and the sailors were later transferred to an Iranian Coast Guard vessel, the statement said.
U.S. Navy Captain Edward Cashman, Commander of Task Force 55, said Monomoy had "displayed exceptional skill and professionalism during the night time rescue."
Boatswain Mate 2nd Class Emily Poole, Monomoy's medic, said they were just doing their job.
"Saving lives is the last thing you expect to do at 0300 while patrolling in the Northern Arabian Gulf, but being in the Coast Guard, that's what we are trained to do," she said, according to the statement.
A U.S. ship rescued Iranians stranded at sea for the second time in less than a week.
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Leave a Comment:
The US Navy is the finest in the world
Agree but this was a Coast Guard mission and they aren't half ass either. Go get some.
all of our military is first rate.
no one compares... it's that simple.
when we look around to a faltering society you can look past our armed forces... they are only getting better.
@alexinPA
Well that's simply because we are spending an insane amount of money on our military. The United States military budget accounts for FORTY PERCENT of the global military spending. We are spending more money then the next 30 countries COMBINED and roughly 6 times as much as China, the next largest military spender. I sure as hell hope out military is first class with that kind of spending. In fact, it should be first class by a very very very wide margin.
...than...
In the mean time, an American is being held captive and on death row for the high crime of visiting his grandparents. If Iran so much as touches 1 hair on his head, they needs to pay a severe price for doing so. Its is time the good Iranians take back their country from the imbaciles who are playing a fools game with the US and Israel. They have to realize they are going to die either fighting their lunatic leadership or us. The difference is, if they take back their country, they can restore it to however it suits them. The clock is ticking.
HardtoStarboard
You are so correct.
Leave it to the Iranians to capture college hikers and hold them as spies, capture an American Iranian citizen and hold him as a spy and sentence him to death, while our military rescues 2 Iranian ships.
Those Iranians love a good caper don't they.
Seriously, remove the clerics and Ahmadinijad. I don't care if the liberal public does it, CIA, Mossad, whatever. It HAS to be done and the world will be a better place.
These six people who were rescued are not the leadership, in fact they are as much victims of their own leaders as anyone else. We could not have behaved any differently.
Yes but Never Again Voulnteer Yourself
Another rescue, more propaganda photos; meanwhile an American has a death penalty in Iran.
The Coast Guard should have left those little darlings to rot.
No, they shouldn't, this is what the signed up for, this is what they trained for. Service members continue to do what they are supposed to do while politicians on both sides act like orangutangs and toss poo at each other. When the people in the Coast Guard start acting like politicians, we will have real problems.
I say they should have traded the 6 Iranian sailors for the American on death row there. If the American dies someone will be on the hotseat for not horse-trading.
HOTTICKET, absolutelyright
You people who wish to continue the playground bully form of international diplomacy are unbelievable. Every time some people in another country commit an atrocious act you believe we should stoop even lower. Does it ever occur to you that the world does not become a better place when we continue the hate and retaliation? Does "lowest common denominator" have any meaning in your world?
glopez,
Then we would be no better then the piss-ant Iranian government. It their government not their people who are POS'
So, the Great Satan rescues the sailors of Iran, whether from pirates or from sinking. Yet, our citizens are subject to whatever abuse the Iranian government wants to cobble up in the name of international politics, up to and including death. I offer that this is a perfect illustration of what differentiates the US of A from so many others. No, we are not perfect, but we try to do what's right.
Maybe a trade can be arranged for Amir Mirzaei Hekmati and the errant sailors?
Maybe, just maybe our (second) good deed towards the Iranians will cause the Iranian gov't to be humane and let the young man go - let us all pray
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
Even if the Iranian mullahs don't understand or learn the lesson.
They have to be careful. One of these times the Iranian government might use something like this to lure in US personnel and take them hostage and say they were in Iranian waters.
We value human life is why we help our enemies.
don97524
It's not the easy things that are important; it is the doing of the difficult.
Remember Raymond Davis , the CIA operative in Pakistan who was up for murder in that country. The U.S. State Dept. denied he was a CIA agent. He was just an American citizen. They denied , denied and denied until the proof came out he was a spy. As long as the Government keeps sending CIA agents into other countries around the world , there will be more charged and they could be sentenced to death depending on the laws of the country they are operating out of.
These fishermen are probably just as hard working and innocent as any American fishermen. They should not be held accountable for what that idiot that is running their country does. They are victims of his brutality for their whole lives. Go Coast Guard!
Amen! We did the right thing, although I do wonder why a Coast Guard vessel is not patrolling our coast, instead of one thousands of miles away. I also wonder why we don't suggest to the Iranian Navy that they should go ahead with their planned maneuvers, and that our Navy will stand by to rescue them whenever they get into trouble.
.
HOTTICKET-2304234
The Coast Guard should have left those little darlings to rot.
Perhaps someone may not have the same attitude towards you if ever you are on your proverbial sea stranded...... I pity you for the lack of compassion in your heart for another Human being. And I hope it's not another person like you that may come across yourself if you are ever in distress.
Guys, the US Navy is super smart and COMPLETELY confident in their power. And the entire world can see this now by this action
We're going to have to send a bill to the Iranians if we have to keep doing their Navy's job.
Maybe this is 'goodwill' payment so we can get our spy plane back...
This is the same 'Navy' that was suppose to close the Straights of Hormuz? Yea Right!
It's striCken for god's sake. Can't the msnbc.com staff hit spell check?
(And good job, Navy!)
I noticed that...there are so many errors like this, it's crazy. You'd think they'd use MS Office.
I have to agree on the first point, don't they have proof readers, or did they outsource that to China!
On the second point, this was a US Coast Guard cutter and crew, there were no Navy vessels or personnel involved. Good job Coast Guard! Continuing to do what they do best even thousands of miles from where they thought they would be serving when they signed up.
The Coast Guard was under the department of transportation until a few years back (03 I think). Now it is under the department of homeland security.
1. THIS ALCOAST IS AN UPDATE FOR TEAM COAST GUARD DURING THE TRANSITION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (DOT) TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS). THIS MESSAGE INCLUDES COMMENTS AND GUIDANCE FROM DHS SECRETARY RIDGE AND INFORMATION ON THE TRANSITION OF COAST GUARD CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES FROM DOT TO DHS
My bad! I was so distracted by the bad spelling I couldn't go on. ...and I complain about proof reading! Go Coast Guard! :)
dhigginb, I fully understand. Poorly written articles drive me completely nuts. I get the feeling that a lot of these reporters are ESL, but I strongly suspect this is how they learn to write as children. It is just sad.
We were always reminded that, as United States Naval personnel that serve our country, we all were to be ambassadors of good will towards others. These sailors of the United States Coast Guard proved once again why we should be honored and above all, proud to be American.
Amen to that HippieChild!
Amen and well said!
So does this mean the Iranians won't execute the ex-Marine? We'll see how much Iran thinks about our good deeds.
this just means they will execute the rescued sailors for needing to be rescued in the first place
"Striken" is not a word.
Its MSNBC. They've never cared about quality.
So true. When you work in a field that requires you to maintain 24/7 coverage of all world events, and churn out entire articles--including research--in minutes, you should be publicly flogged and humiliated for a type-o. You are spot-on about that.
titan415, makes you wonder why these complainers continue to come here and read what MSNBC has to say....doesn't it??
Absurd, sure it is! The umpire yelled it alot at batters I faced. "Third striken' you're out!"
rabble rabble i display my intelligence by nitpicking typos rabble rabble
We keep helping them, they keep torturing our tourists. What a world.
My wife and I were tourists in Iran last month (we're American) and were treated with nothing but the utmost hospitality.
TIDubai, you just posted earlier this morning that you havent live in the US for over 10 years???
Some of them deserved to be jailed an tortured. Specifically those three "hikers", who were not spies but ignorant socialist troublemakers. Sarah Shourd comes from a lineage of card carrying communists, specifically brainwashed by her lascivious deviant mother. The Iranians should have kept her, her only future is to spawn multiple offspring from multiple daddies - just like everyone else in her disgusting mentally ill family. We should have thanked Iran for removing her aberrant DNA from the American Gene Pool.
MakesSense, the fact that he hasn't been in the US for over 10 years does not make him not an American. What's your point??
Ah, WalkWithMe is showing off your typical Teabagger/Republican hatred of America and Americans. I'm not sure why you guys hate Americans so much, but I hope one day you can accept that you hate Americans, and work on getting that anger out in a more productive way.
RPG,
I don't hate Americans, just her family. I know them personally, and they are all scum. Stupid is a stupid does.
Thank you, RealWorldProgressive, for joining us Republicans at the same level. Your stereotyping is just as disgusting as the comments to which you refer.
Actually, WalkWithMe, it's hard to disagree - you do sound like you hate Americans. It's a signature statement for our modern right - "Love everyone, as long as they are JUST LIKE ME!"
Whatever, say what you want. Everything I said about her and her family is 100% true. Have you ever heard how cops let a suspect roam freely just to see what they do afterward, what do you think is happening as I type this? We watch, we wait...
WalkWithMeInHell- no, you walk there all by yourself. My guess is you don't know her and her family since everything you post is just filled with hatred toward some person or other. How sad to be so angry for no reason.
Walkwithme - so what if everything you say is 100% true? So she is a communist. Big deal. Is she plotting to overthrow our gov't? Is she planning a murder? Who really cares about her political views except for you? That doesn't make her or her family any less human or deserving of fair treatment and a place in the US. Get over your hatred of those who are not like you.
MakesSense-3389651: You are correct, I left the USA 10 years ago and have only been back to visit. If I could buy health insurance back in Nevada, I'd go back, but nobody will sell it to me.
This has nothing to do with how I was treated in Iran as an American tourist. (I have no other passport)
And our idiot "hikers"
Obviously I had a proper Iranian visa, unlike the hikers.
Obviously I had a proper Iranian visa, unlike the hikers.
Again. This is just what we do. Don't bother thanking us, Iran, just don't knife us in the back (again).
Oh, please. How many times have the US knifed Iran in the back? Google "1953 Iranian coup d'etat" and you'll see that the US and Iran have had a long and sordid history...US foreign policy/intel missions and meddling in Iranian domestic policy for decades have certainly earned the US the title of "back stabbers."
You raise a valid point, or at least part of a valid point - the US certainly isn't blameless... we play dirty politics every bit as well as anyone else, but trying to figure out "who started it" is akin to figuring out which came first, the chicken or the egg*. BUT...
Being the first to STOP IT... stop multi-dealing, lying and posturing though... that says a lot, and a simple humanitarian mission like this is quite a gesture.
*For the record, neither the chicken nor the egg came first. It was the rooster who came first and promptly rolled over and went to sleep.
As a veteran, I couldn't be more proud of our military men & women. Politics is politics however goodwill, is human! We, the mighty USA continue the standards hooah!!
AMEN Brother
Is there a pattern developing here? Will "distressed" sailors become bait for disguised extremist kidnappers? We have seen it before. There is currently a citizen with a death sentence for "spying" in Iran.
You can be sure the CIA IS trying every method they can think of to get spies into Iran. I can't say whether this particular tourist is a spy but It is not unreasonable for Iran to be suspicious of any US citizen entering their country.
They have their standards; we have ours. We should not lower ours to match theirs, rather we should work to raise their standards of behavior.
@Robert - Nor should the US not be suspicious of ANY MUSLIM, any Asian, any Foreigner entering our country as well. Or should we just continue to stick our heads in the sand, strike the ostrich pose, and pretend people don't spy on us either.
Kind of makes you wonder about our "Pourous Borders", our "Welcome to America - Enjoy your education at our Aviation Schools" as well. Wonder what other wonderful thing will be next? Perhaps it will be the Iranian MIT Physisist Grad who heads back to his home country after his student visa expires and begins working on his Uranium Centrifuges.
@Will- That was the dumbest thing I've ever read. First of all, for your example to be close to Robert's it would be that we should be suspicious of Iranians. Remember, not every Muslim is bad, just like not every Christian who is pro life bombs abortion clinics. Any Asian? What do you have against Asians? Believe it or not, we're all foreigner's here, unless you're 100% Native American which I doubt, but wouldn't put it past you to repost and say you are just to lie.
It's sad what's going on with this FORMER Marine, but at the same time with the tensions as high as they are, it does make you wonder why he would go to Iran. I'm sure he misses his family there, but is it surprising that the Iranian's are snatching him up and claiming he's a spy? Poor judgment on his part to say the least.
Hopefully because of this and the pirate situation, Iran will be willing to release him. It does still stand to wonder if the CIA did have any involvment, as this wouldn't be the first time they've gotten involved in Iran's politics.
Coast Guard in the Persian Gulf? Talk about a misappropriation of supplies. Those guys should be back here, protecting our own country, not patrolling a war zone. Leave that to the US Navy, the best in the world.
I guess by your logic, the U.S. Airforce should stay in American Air space...
Coast Guard units serve all over the world. My uncle was in the Coast Guard during Vietnam. Even saw a little action patrolling water ways and what not.
Chris
So now we have "landlubbers" hundreds of miles from any ocean criticizing how our Navy and Coast Guard resources are deployed. Interesting.
The Coast Guard is there because by international law they are allowed to board foreign ships to do inspections the Navy is not unless they have coast guard personnel onboard to do the inspections. US Navy Ret 4 tours in the gulf.
The Iranian people are good people, thier government and religion suck. They tried to make changes and have been beaten back every time.
Damn, there we go again, doing what we do best - the right thing!
...... and that is how we should continue conducting ourselves.
It seems absurd then that this nonexistent word appears in many dictionaries.
Good job to the US Coast Guard, who by the way, are not the Navy.
Bravo to the U.S. Coast Guard, helping those in distress, regardless of race, creed or color. However, it would be much wiser to have US servicemen and women NOT in the Persian Gulf, but within the land and water borders of their own country. Not only are there many in US that could use the assistance and help, but images and news stories like this can be appropriated to justify war against Iran (or our presence in the Persian Gulf), which I do not support for myriad reasons. I find it interesting that there have been not one, but two similar stories where US military are assisting Iranians in peril...how many other times have the US military performed similar acts, but those went unreported? It would be great to hear from MSNBC about their motive.
Clue,
We tried the isolationist approach in the 1920's and 1930's, and we got Hitler and WWII in return. The world is even more complex and interwoven now than it was then, and it is critical to our national well-being that we stay engaged on the international scene. We can argue all day about what we should or should not be doing, but simply hiding behind two oceans and vulnerable neighbors won't keep us safe or prosperous. (If we want to have the resources to do good works, then we have to be prosperous. We can't do much to help the less blessed if we are struggling ourselves.)
So you would consider what countries isolationists? China? Russia? Germany? Japan? None of these countries have military bases in other nations. So how would removing our military from every other nation be an isolationist move? Please explain, the way I see it is America is being isolated by other nations because they dont want us involved in every single decision they make.
Sorry, Dave, but we'll have to agree to disagree. To justify US presence in the Persian Gulf under the guise of humanitarianism makes me shake my head in disbelief...what has our presence in the ME region over the past several decades brought the US? War...Bloodshed...The killing of innocent civilians on both sides...US Military service men and women who have suffered from separation from their families, not to mention some pretty gnarly cases of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Also, to tie what you refer to as "isolationism" as the causation of WWI and WWII is merely supposition. Correlation does not prove causation.
counting bodies,
The Russians and Chinese have presences all over the world. Not bases, but ships, mining interests and active missions to form alliances wherever they can. You think Russian and Chinese trawlers don't still shadow American battle groups on the seven seas? Don't be naive.
Clue,
I am not claiming causality. Despite the criticisms of so many, (mostly those who want a free and unfettered hand in subjugating their neighbors), US military presence has a substantial record of contributing to stability on the international scene. We have been known to sometimes err on the side of force, but that can be said of every great nation. We are in the very unusual circumstance of being the only sovereign nation with the resources and willpower to try and make things better, which I believe we try however imperfectly to do. From the view of international politics, we can't win, no matter what we do. If we go in to trouble spots to try and encourage peace, we are bullies and interventionists. If we ignore war and brutality upon neighbors, friends, key trading partners, or the weak, we are criticized as selfish and unwilling to bless the world with our riches. So, I believe we must continue to do what we, as a nation, believe to be good and in the best interests of the community of nations, and our own. There will always be bullies in the world, and while we might be accused as one by our enemies, our record as a nation suggests otherwise, despite our failings. If we truly are bullies, then explain the reconstruction of Germany and Japan, our investments in the former Soviet Union, the freedom of Venezuela's government, etc, etc. We choose to do far more good than ill, and even when things don't work out as hoped, it is not for lack of an honest desire to do what is right.
At this moment in world history, my ability to clothe, feed, and house my children, as for other parents around the world, is contingent on the uninterrupted flow of oil from the Persian Gulf to world markets (mostly the western Pacific). If a rogue nation like Iran or Saddam's Iraq significantly disrupts that flow, virtually every person on the planet will be impacted, and the deaths due to widespread starvation will be real. If we can have a mitigating influence in the region, which I believe we do, then it is worth it.
Iranian leaders notwithstanding, our military people did, and do, the right thing. Those Iranian sailors would have drowned and at that time could have cared less regarding any political differences between our countries. It's what makes the USA so great. Let's face it, sure we've done our share of wrong things in the past around the world, but for the most part, America can be counted on to do the right thing in time of need. Japan had a horrific experience with a tsunami; America, as well as most of the world, sent all kinds of different aid, relief, and people to help the poor people of Japan. I don't recall one single, Arab country sending help of any kind there. Iran claimed we exaggerated the last rescue of Iranian sailors from Somali pirates and called it a made-up, exaggerated "Hollywood" movie. Don't expect any "thank you's" this time around either. All I'll say is; GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Rescuing civilian sailors in distress is something any other ship at sea is expected to do. It doesn't mean the US is particularly virtuous. It's what any sailor of any country would do. We are not at war with Iran. We are merely being primed by the government and media to accept war when we are told it is necessary.
@Robert, thank you, well put.
@AJ: the continuum of media manipulation has worked well on you...you speak like the good little drone you are! Of course, I applaud the US Coast Guard for doing their job; but I condemn the media for spinning this story to suit the needs of the US gov't, and I think we all know the media is acting in the interests of the war machine. NO WAR AGAINST IRAN
Well aren't you just a sweetheart? Here I am just trying to express my pride in being an American and now I find out I'm nothing more than just a brainwashed drone! Well, good morning to me.
sorry for the rudeness. all i ask is that we be extremely discerning and critical of the media's motives. they (the media) are prepping us and manipulating us for war, just like pre-2003 when bush did his thing in iraq. that's all. have a great day.
Clue,
I agree with you in principle about not wanting war. But, what do we do when somebody (like Al Queda, or a future Iran) declares or imposes war upon us? I hope our government will be able to protect us and those interests which are critical to our well-being. In the mean time, I hope we can be successful in dissuading others from making war on us. Sometimes good works are enough. Sometimes it takes serious deterrence. And sometimes it means keeping weapons which truly are a threat out of the hands of those who we know wish to destroy us. I would rather explain and take responsibility for a mistake which results in a few deaths, versus pick up the pieces of a million Americans killed by a nuclear or biological weapon.
Interesting timing these heartfelt rescues............ I smell a RAT!
..... and I see a tin foil bonnet.
Don: I enjoyed your insult.... thanks for the smile! :D)
P.S. Tinfoil hat.... bonnet works better?
do onto others as you would want them to do onto you.It is the same here in the USA,people in government only want to act tough.The military in the USA can react to any situation with class and precision.Our only hope is the rest of the world follows.
Good deal Coast Guard!
But you should have fed them the pork chops you were grilling on the back deck.
Hey,, they might have liked them.
Surah 2:174 states:
Given the unpopularity of the Iranian regime, we might have the beginnings of a new method of defection on our hands...
But I think the US is being very clever by taking the high road. The average Iranian has a lot of respect and admiration for the US, much less for their own government, and after the Arab Spring, it makes more sense to stay on the side of the mass popular opinion than it does to play tit-for-tat with the regime over a few drifting fishermen...
Hold up there, double D:
"The average Iranian has a lot of respect and admiration for the US" and "it makes more sense to stay on the side of the mass popular opinion"
Your comments sound arrogant and orientalist and reeks of Western hubris. Sure, the average Iranian citizen appreciates American citizens like they appreciate any other citizens from any other country, but be aware they are probably some of the most educated and well informed population in the ME region, especially their youth demographic. They are highly critical of US foreign policy within the region; in fact, I'd say the "mass popular opinion" of the average Iranian is that they do not appreciate nor support any kind of military action against their country. In all honesty, Iranian youth (who account for 70% of the population) could run circles around the average American citizen's education in terms of their knowledge of international policy and politics and government.
The majority of the Iranian population are very well aware of the 1953 coup d'etat in Iran and the US intel's instigation of the coup. In light of that, I can safely say that the average Iranian does not respect nor admire US foreign policy, though they appreciate and respect PEOPLE and CULTURES of all countries, not just the US.
Gee, I wonder if he's Iranian???
nope, just well-informed.
Strictly your inflated opinion.
More Iranians that will end up being executed. =/
It so much fun reading posts by some these FAR right wing nut jobs like Obama Lies. Bet your Birther as well. As for WalkWithMeInHell, its a shame that MSNBC has no standards for what can be posted on this site. Sounds like you are real jack-a$$ for posting something so ignorant and including nothing but lies. Do you feel good about your pittyful self now that you posted your complete and total lies on this site.
Adam - yes it is fun and interesting to read the commentary by our fellow citizens - I often have to take a breath and remember that we are many - and here in this free country we allow the differing opinion, even though it is something that we would spend our lives fighting against. Our diversity is our strength and our curse - I will say that I believe, strongly, that when push comes to shove, those same commentators speaking ill, would defend their country - because they in their hearts realize that this country is the only place on the planet to live - God bless America
Get a life dude