Opaque Lucidity

England Expects Every Man Will Do His Duty

I've been thinking about the 15 Royal Navy sailors and marines this week. It's very easy for me to sit here and say, "I'd never let them use me like that" or "There's no way they would've taken me." The fact is that unless you've had a gun pointed at your head, you have no idea how you'd react. We'd all like to think we would react with calm, dignified, courage. We also know that not everyone would be so well put together.

I think the seizure of these sailors and marines says a great deal about the state of European defense posture in the face of Islamo-fascist terror. The Iranians have never made an attempt to grab American sailors under similar circumstances, mainly because they know that retribution would be swift and debilitating. The Royal Navy, the force that ruled the seas for more than 300 years, allowed itself to be bullied by a nation whose navy would've been ignored by Her Majesty's ships 60 years ago.

I have an immense amount of respect for our British allies, but when the face-off with Iran comes (you know it's on the way), I believe we will be staring down the barrel alone.