The Pentagon’s public affairs apparatus put on a full-court press Friday after the U.S. Navy rescued 13 Iranian fishermen from a group of suspect pirates. But for all the back-patting of U.S. efforts to save sailors even from an “axis of evil” country, it turns out the true hero in the whole incident was the quick-thinking Iranian captain.
Not always known for being forthcoming, the Pentagon press office nearly went into a shock-and-awe operation with the story, in likely recognition of the goodwill it hoped to demonstrate to the Iranian people.
Rear Adm. Craig Faller, commander of the USS John Stennis Strike Group, and Cmdr. Jennifer Ellinger, commanding officer of the USS Kidd, held a conference call with reporters that went past midnight in their time zone to discuss the incident.
The call came hours after the office of the Navy’s chief of naval information released two videos and numerous still photos of the incident.
