A spokesman for the Department of Defense brushed aside a deadline set by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to divulge the full details of how ten US sailors were captured last month in Iranian waters.
In a briefing Tuesday, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook rejected criticism lodged by the Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman. McCain claimed earlier this week the administration has been slow-walking a full debrief of the incident.
“The Navy is doing its due diligence, following its protocols with these ten sailors and with this incident in particular,” Cook said. He said questions regarding when the report will be finished should be referred to Naval authorities.
The Navy is currently probing the matter, which was resolved when the servicemen were released back into US custody just one day after their capture.
Cook also said that Secretary Ash Carter has been “satisfied” with the review process.
While attending a security conference in Germany, Sen. McCain told reporters on Sunday that if he doesn’t receive the military’s findings by March 1, he will attempt to haul the sailors before his committee.
“We’re not going to wait any longer,” the Chairman warned, “We will subpoena the individuals if we have to.”
Cook countered Tuesday, saying that when the Navy finishes its review, “they’re going to be happy to share it with Sen. McCain.”
He added that “hopefully” the release would coincide with the senator’s deadline, but that, ultimately, “we need to respect the process.”
Two naval patrol boats were detained in Iranian territorial waters off the coast of Farsi island on Jan. 12. The shipmen were released within a day, following negotiations that were eased by the detente between Washington and Iran–one created by the multilateral nuclear agreement reached between Iran, the US and the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council. US officials claimed the vessels had suffered navigational problems.
Despite the swift release, hawkish lawmakers reacted to the incident with indignation, particularly after video footage was aired by Tehran showing the sailors surrendering to members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and apologizing for the alleged mishap.
“They are now taking our American servicemen, putting them on their knees, taking off their shoes, and having them hold their hands above their head,” McCain said last month following the release of the footage. “That’s not the way the United States would have been treated under any other president that I know of.”
Secretary of State John Kerry attempted to clamp down on the outrage at the time, claiming that “all indications suggest that our sailors were well taken care of, provided with blankets and food and assisted with their return to the fleet.”
