# What will happen to the British sailors that "cooperated"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 6, 2007, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-british-sailors-that-cooperated/398927 "2007-04-06T01:35:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-british-sailors-that-cooperated/398927/61 "2007-04-07T14:48:50Z")
Chief Pedant - as I understand it, the Iranian forces didn’t just pop up and say “give us your vessel”; they said “you made a mistake and entered our territorial waters.” To take a recent example, when [Switzerland accidentally invaded Liechtenstein](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6415531.stm) ([bbc.co.uk](http://bbc.co.uk)), if a policeman from Liechtenstein had showed up and told the brave Swiss fighting men “you need to follow me to the nearest police station and explain yourselves”, I think the right behaviour would be for the soldiers to obey the orders of the representative of the law in the country in which they unwittingly found themselves, rather than overpowering him and running off. When I say the right behaviour I don’t just mean morally correct, I mean the behaviour consistent and conforming to military codes of conduct. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-british-sailors-that-cooperated/398927/62 "2007-04-07T15:06:25Z")
[QUOTE=Arnold Winkelried] I would assume that this is the expected behaviour when you are engaged by the forces of another country with which you are not at war. [/QUOTE] If they weren’t at war, then obviously they were in no danger of being killed, were they? I’ve been wondering, here - where was their chain of command in all this? Did they radio in as soon as the Iranians showed up? Did they wait for orders? Did they actually receive an order to surrender - or did they receive an order _not_ to surrender? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-british-sailors-that-cooperated/398927/63 "2007-04-07T15:13:50Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] I’ve been wondering, here - where was their chain of command in all this? [/QUOTE] I wonder what happened, too. All though I can’t imagine Hornblower letting his people be captured, I’m sure things were done properly; it is after all the Royal Navy. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2007, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-british-sailors-that-cooperated/398927/64 "2007-04-08T11:34:04Z")
[QUOTE=Martha] > [@jjimm](#): > > I wouldn’t be surprised if at least the woman was approached by Max Clifford and ended up becoming a minor celebrity. Nah, she blew her chances by… smoking on camera. [/QUOTE] Not over here - it’s no big deal still. Anyway, it’s not often that I’m totally, 100% right, but in this case I am. The Beeb just interviewed Max Clifford on the radio, and he is indeed [representing some of the sailors](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6536203.stm). ---
**Author:** ![Elsie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b2d939/32.png) [@Elsie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elsie)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2007, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-british-sailors-that-cooperated/398927/65 "2007-04-08T11:38:11Z")
I can see the bird in the hijab on Celebrity Big Bruvver quite soon - prob in a phone vote with Saddam’s daughter. ---
**Author:** ![Elsie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b2d939/32.png) [@Elsie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elsie)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2007, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-british-sailors-that-cooperated/398927/66 "2007-04-08T12:59:38Z")
This had me rolling around on the floor: > [@](#): > > The MoD said: “Serving personnel are not allowed to enter into financial arrangements with media organisations. However, in exceptional circumstances — such as the awarding of a Victoria Cross or events such as those in recent days — permission can be granted by the commanding officer and the MoD.” > [@](#): > > One of the hostages, Dean Harris, 30, an acting sergeant in the Royal Marines, told a Sunday Times reporter yesterday: “I want £70,000. That is based on what the others have told me they have been offered. I know Faye has been offered a heck more than that. I am worth it because I was one of only two who didn’t crack.” [Rule Britannia, Britannia rules the airwaves.](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1626726.ece) 'kin brilliant 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FRDE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e68b1a/32.png) [@FRDE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FRDE)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2007, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-british-sailors-that-cooperated/398927/67 "2007-04-08T13:27:04Z")
It is just free enterprize propaganda - quite smart as publicists will keep the story in the red tops far longer than ‘official sources’ Quite smart, the reeds bend with the wind. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2007, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-british-sailors-that-cooperated/398927/68 "2007-04-08T14:40:38Z")
Christ alive. I’m not big on patriotism and all that, but this whole thing is making me ashamed to be British. I fail to see how “the story will get out anyway” justifies the MoD appearing to endorse the ludicrous idea that the captured sailors are somehow heroes. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2007, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-british-sailors-that-cooperated/398927/69 "2007-04-08T16:25:10Z")
[QUOTE=Elsie] This had me rolling around on the floor: [Rule Britannia, Britannia rules the airwaves.](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1626726.ece) 'kin brilliant 😃 [/QUOTE] So what is funny about it? If I was offered £70,000 then I’d take it, and so would you [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-british-sailors-that-cooperated/398927.md?page=3)