The image of 10 U.S. Navy sailors kneeling, with their hands held over their heads—their Iranian captors standing over them—remains both disturbing and unexplained. Two weeks ago, in a barely noticed story, the Navy announced that it was punishing the officer in charge of the riverine boat crew training. That there were operational failures is clear: the two boats went off course and one apparently broke down. That a mid-level officer is being held accountable for training failures under his command is a testament to the culture of responsibility that brings honor—and success—to the U.S. military. But there are two bigger questions that still need to be answered: first, what were the rules of engagement that the young sailors on the boats were operating under? And second, who gave that order to surrender?
