Silence would be a good option

The mood in Britain has changed from one of genuine concern for the 15 sailors and Marines held by Iran to one of unease about their selling their story to the media. At the very least the decision to sell the stories does seem to undermine the reputation of Britain's armed forces. The Royal Navy used to be known as the Silent Service and silence would have been a good option for the 15. Instead their stories will now be splashed across tabloid front pages. Just why the Royal Navy chose to suspend its rule prohibiting media sales - taken "as a result of exceptional media interest" and with the agreement of the British Defence Secretary, Des Browne - is hard to understand. They may have thought it was good propaganda, but if so, it has backfired. Indeed the propaganda victory has gone to Iran. Whatever the 15 say, Iran can reply that they were embellishing their story to make it look good, to sell more copies.

The deal with the media has also diminished sympathy for the 15, who had been nervous of the reaction in Britain after they were seen on television in Tehran confessing to entering Iranian waters - a claim they retracted on their return. The rules prohibiting members of the British armed forces talking to the media are there for a reason. It is to make sure that the discipline and team ethos of the military, vital in times of conflict, are not sacrificed for a quick buck. Imagine if another incident occurred on the Shatt Al Arab, a not unlikely scenario considering the confusion over maritime borders. It is feasible that the public reaction in Britain would be far less sympathetic or concerned and may even be slightly cynical. That is the true measure of the damage done.