First, watch this:

Vice President Biden actually claims that Iran behaved the way “ordinary nations” would:

One of the boats had engine failure and drifted into Iranian waters. The Iranians picked up both boats, as we have picked up Iranian boats that needed to be rescued and took them to — I’m not sure exactly where. I don’t want to misspeak here. And realized they were there and distressed, and said they would release them, and they released them like ordinary nations would do. That is the way nations should do it, and that is why it’s important should have channels open.


He continued:

Question: Should we apologize to the Iranians? Vice President Biden: No. There is no apology. There is nothing to apologize for. When you have a problem with a boat? do you apologize the boat had problems? there is no looking for an apology. this was just standard nautical practice.



Now, observe Iran’s “standard nautical practice” in action:

And this:

Or this:

In less than twenty-four hours, the Iranians succeeding in capturing two American boats, forcing American sailors to their knees, blindfolding them, recording copious amounts of propaganda footage, searching the boats, confiscating GPS equipment, and recording a classic POW “apology” video.

Given that the military’s code of conduct requires prisoners to resist providing propaganda statements, I’m curious as to how Iran was able to secure a rather abject apology so quickly. There is much we don’t yet know, but one thing is certain — the administration simply isn’t telling the truth when it says that Iran followed “standard nautical practice” for sailors in distress.