The colour blue.

[den]

It turns out that Iranian forces made an earlier concerted attempt to seize a boarding party from the Royal Australian Navy. The Australians, though, to quote one military source, "were having none of it". The BBC has been told the Australians re-boarded the vessel they had just searched, aimed their machine guns at the approaching Iranians and warned them to back off, using what was said to be "highly colourful language".

This is why the Aussie armed forces aren't used on peace keeping missions. They shoot back. And use colourful language.

Comments

[beki.livejournal.com]

Don't forget, they swear a lot too.. oh yeah, and drink beer ;)

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

They don't swear! They use colourful language!

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

I had a mate on a supply ship during Gulf War #1. His ship carried enough jet fuel to keep the US Navy plains in the air for 4 months, so they were surrounded by a lot of US escorts. Since they were technically not a "war ship" they didn't have to wear all the protective clothing, and used this to upset the US sailors by having shirtless BBQs on the helicopter deck.

There were quite a few International Exchanges: slabs of beef for slabs of beer etc.

[hendikins.livejournal.com]

I'd expect no less from Aussie soldiers :)

[jordan179.livejournal.com]

Sounds like the British could have used some of the old Aussie spirit, then.

The argument was made that if the British had resisted, they would have been killed by an overpowering Iranian force.

First of all, this is far from obvious: we don't know what orders the Iranians had, or the state of the Iranian morale. It is quite possible that, if they had resisted, the Iranians would have backed down on standing orders to do so if resistance was encountered, or that their morale simply would have broken.

Secondly, if the British had resisted and been killed, at least they would have saved their Service's honor -- instead of being used for the enemy's purposes. There was a time when officers and men of the Royal Navy understood that.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

The Royal Marines were caught in the open in their little boats, but the Aussies went back to the ship and were picked up by helicopter. I'm sure they'd have been picked up if they were in the little boats, too. It wouldn't stop the colourful language, though.

[jordan179.livejournal.com]

The Royal Marines were caught in the open in their little boats, but the Aussies went back to the ship and were picked up by helicopter. I'm sure they'd have been picked up if they were in the little boats, too. It wouldn't stop the colourful language, though.

Two points:

1) The Royal Marines were armed. They could have resisted.

2) When the Royal Marines were captured, the Royal Navy commander on the spot could have treated this as Iran launching a war against Britain, and begun offensive operations against Iranian forces. No such operations were launched. Not even a limited one against the specific forces that had attacked the Royal Marines.

3) The situation in "2" is almost certainly the fault of the Rules of Engagement insisted upon by the British Government. Heck, the Royal Naval commander involved, an Admiral, actually boasted that he was trying to "prevent a war." The fool didn't even grasp that in doing so, he'd merely lost a small one!

[hafoc.livejournal.com]

Y'know, the Brits have lost their empire and we Yanks haven't had what it takes to build one since we hit the Pacific. We're not really good at this empire stuff.

I think it's time for youze guys to step up and establish the Australian Empire. I'd vote for you.

[henman.livejournal.com]

They aimed their machine guns and used highly colourful language - I wonder which scared the Iranians more? Probably the latter - those Aussies know a phrase or two! :)

[siouxsyn.livejournal.com]

Bloody oath they do. You don't play silly buggers with an Aussie or they'll rip your bloody arms off.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

Is that you, Aunty Jack?

[siouxsyn.livejournal.com]

You knew I'd be back.

[jim-lane.livejournal.com]

An old (retired) cop friend of mine told a tale (I believe him) of, during the Vietnam war, leading a squad of soldiers into a neighboring country where "they didn't exist" (I know of which he speaks). They were captured by a group of "charlies", and one by one, his men were tortured and killed, trying to make him (the leader) divulge critical information. The "charlies" had worked their way down to him (having killed all the others), and had him hanging upside down in a tree, beating him towards death.

And then a squad of Aussies (also in the country where "they didn't exist") came upon the scene, and the Aussies toasted the "charlies", thereby saving my friend's life.

In later years, when he became a cop here in the US, he would NEVER issue an Aussie a citation for ANYTHING. Period.

Paybacks can be forever...

[oceansedge.livejournal.com]

I love that about the Aussies and the Canucks.... all around nice guys, good for a beer and a sav, and a good time.

But for the love of Allah, don't try pushin em around... they PUSH back.