Back in 1968, the intelligence ship USS Pueblo was seized by North Korea in international waters. The crew was held and tortured, only released after the US gave coerced admissions of spying and apologies. To this day, the Pueblo ( currently used as a museum ship in Pyongyang) remains officially a commissioned vessel in the United States Navy.
In 2001 (other things did happen that year before 9/11), a US Navy EP-3 Orion spy plane was rammed by a Chinese fighter and had to land at a Chinese base, the Chinese demanded an apology before they released the crew and plane. (Ludicrous on its face -- a lumbering, prop-driven design dating from the 1950's chasing down and ramming a jet fighter? That's like a tractor trailer chasing down and running over a Corvette in a vacant mall parking lot.)
The one thing the Chinese did that we had no right to complain about was that they returned the plane -- in crates. We'd done the same thing in 1976, when a defecting Russian pilot flew his Mig-25 to a US airbase in Japan.
At the time, I thought the Chinese might keep the Orion as a propaganda piece. Fortunately, they didn't.
Last year, when Russia invaded Georgia (the country, not the state), among other things they did was seize military materiel. Among them were four Humvees.
It must be made clear that these were United States property. They had been used during joint US-Georgian military exercises, and were being packed up to be shipped to Iraq.
And they still have them.
Further, they have no intention of returning them.
This is a gross insult. Those four vehicles were not the property of either combatant, but an officially neutral third nation -- us. And the Russians intend to keep them, proclaiming them "trophies" of their great victory.
Trophies.
Like the Pueblo.
There is absolutely no reason why the Pueblo is still afloat and in North Korean hands. It should have been retaken or destroyed, not left to serve the propaganda purposes of the two-bit tyrants of Pyongyang (father and son).
Likewise, there is absolutely no reason why the Russians should be keeping those Humvees. They weren't captured in battle. They weren't taken from the enemy. They were stolen, plain and simple, and we should not tolerate this gross insult.
It's a small matter, but small insults that go unchallenged lead to more assaults on our national sovereignty.
(Edit: links added. Sorry, I'm a bit rusty...)
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Comments (14)
What insult? Hillary hit t... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Mac Lorry | September 5, 2009 9:05 AM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
What insult? Hillary hit the Reset button, and it's supposed to work like the memory eraser from Men In Black. Are you saying it doesn't?
1. Posted by Mac Lorry | September 5, 2009 9:05 AM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on September 5, 2009 09:05
2. Posted by Corky Boyd | September 5, 2009 9:27 AM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Welcome back Jay Tee!
Wizbang is at the top of my list again>
2. Posted by Corky Boyd | September 5, 2009 9:27 AM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on September 5, 2009 09:27
3. Posted by GarandFan | September 5, 2009 9:54 AM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Not unusual for the Russians. In the latter part of WWII, two B-29's attacking Japan suffered damage and flew on into Russia as they could not make it back to their home base. The Russians disassembled one and used the other for training flights. They subsequently copied the entire design for their post-WWII bomber fleet.
3. Posted by GarandFan | September 5, 2009 9:54 AM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on September 5, 2009 09:54
4. Posted by Tregonsee | September 5, 2009 10:12 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
>>That's like a tractor trailer chasing down and running over a Corvette in a vacant mall parking lot.)
Or a Japanese Fubuki-class destroyer could run over an American PT boat. Never happen, except in the movies. !
4. Posted by Tregonsee | September 5, 2009 10:12 AM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on September 5, 2009 10:12
5. Posted by Gmac | September 5, 2009 10:43 AM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
I have seen it advocated the Pueblo be blown to hell and gone where it is just to send the NK's a message.
Captured vehicles can yield valuable information, the reverse engineering of the vehicles lets you know where your adversary is when it comes to technology.
5. Posted by Gmac | September 5, 2009 10:43 AM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on September 5, 2009 10:43
6. Posted by ODA315 | September 5, 2009 11:33 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Russians stealing? Naaahhhh, never happen.......
6. Posted by ODA315 | September 5, 2009 11:33 AM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on September 5, 2009 11:33
7. Posted by Burt | September 5, 2009 12:20 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
The most irritating thing about the Pueblo incident to me is that Jimmy Carter actually took a tour of their 'museum' when he was over there negotiating the agreement for "no Nukes" for Bill Clinton. That event was intended to be an insult to my country and he allowed it to happen. But he did get a Nobel for his efforts.
7. Posted by Burt | September 5, 2009 12:20 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on September 5, 2009 12:20
8. Posted by Grace | September 5, 2009 12:46 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Well, this should be just right up Obama's alley. He wants to make our wars into criminal prosecutions - let's see him go after these criminals who stole U.S. property.
8. Posted by Grace | September 5, 2009 12:46 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on September 5, 2009 12:46
9. Posted by CDR M | September 5, 2009 3:11 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
As for the EP-3, it was not flyable to return to base nor would the Chinese allow US techs to repair it there (not possible either) so the only option was to cut it up and load onto that Russian cargo plane. It wasn't too many pieces.
9. Posted by CDR M | September 5, 2009 3:11 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 5, 2009 15:11
10. Posted by GarandFan | September 5, 2009 7:48 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Jay Tea, next time just yell at 'em, "Get in line buddy, ya know, I DON'T MIND GOING BACK TO PRISON!
10. Posted by GarandFan | September 5, 2009 7:48 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on September 5, 2009 19:48
11. Posted by Tina S | September 5, 2009 8:37 PM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
That would be playing a losing hand with the Russians holding all the cards. The Bush administration demanded their return but Russia kept them anyway. This made Bush look weak. I don't believe there is anything that could be said or done that will get them back.
In the words of Kenny Rogers. You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away, know when to run. Obama is smart enough to know when to walk away.
11. Posted by Tina S | September 5, 2009 8:37 PM |
Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on September 5, 2009 20:37
12. Posted by ODA315 | September 6, 2009 2:44 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"In the words of Kenny Rogers. You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away, know when to run..."
Very enlightening Tina. Thank you
12. Posted by ODA315 | September 6, 2009 2:44 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 6, 2009 02:44
13. Posted by Flu-Bird | September 7, 2009 3:17 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Back when the WALKERS both father and his two sons sold american navy top secrets to the russians and when BILL CLINTON sold american military top secrets to the chi-coms for illegal campaign funds for his demacrook party TRAITORS ALL
13. Posted by Flu-Bird | September 7, 2009 3:17 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 7, 2009 15:17
14. Posted by Wordygirl | September 7, 2009 11:23 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Welcome back!!!! This is a good day for Wizbang readers!
14. Posted by Wordygirl | September 7, 2009 11:23 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 7, 2009 23:23