Good to see that Tony Blair and Great Britain are not backing down and caving to the Iranians
LONDON, March 28 — Britain today escalated its dispute with Iran over the capture of 15 British naval personnel by revealing charts, photographs and previously secret navigational coordinates purportedly proving that the British sailors were 1.7 nautical miles inside Iraqi waters when they were seized six days ago.
“It is now time to ratchet up international and diplomatic pressure” on Iran to demonstrate its “total isolation,” Prime Minister Tony Blair told parliament after the Royal Navy made public details of what it said was the sailors’ position when they were apprehended.
The Royal Navy rejected two sets of coordinates provided by Iran as evidence of Teheran’s claim that the British sailors had strayed into its territorial waters.
The publication of the British data followed a warning by Mr. Blair on Tuesday that the dispute would enter a “different phase” if the sailors were not released.
The only downside is that a good portion of the world will not follow suit, and Iran has not backed down to international diplomacy for decades. Nor will it now. Unlike North Korea, which plays games to get material goods and supports, Iran wants nothing we have. What they want is control of the Middle East, Israel destroyed, and to be the primary leader in the worldwide Islamic Jihad.
So, how do our good insane friends at the DU respond?
- just a question, does anyone think Blair (who is not innocent by all means) he trying to stoke a fire with Iran to "start" something.
- I expect he's been offered a massive "bonus" if he can provide the "causus belli" to get the ball rolling before any of the investigations go much farther.
- If Britain's coordinates are correct, this one's all on Iran I know I'll probably get flamed for saying this, but the Iranian gov't deserves what it may get. My heart goes out to the Iranian people. They will continue to suffer – financially and possibly militarily – because their leader is an absolute, total, certifiable nutjob. (read the next comment)
- because their leader is an absolute, total, certifiable nutjob. Right, and Bush and Blair are completely sane????
- Why is that always the knee-jerk response? Sheesh. n/t
- How many countries has Iran invaded? n/t
- AH, I hadn't thought about the 5 Iranians detained in Iraq. Now it makes more sense. Still a stupid move on the Iranians part, but more understandable. (Liberal logic)
Got that? It will be the fault of Blair, Bush, and their respective countries, not Iran, for any escallation.
Back to reality land, from the BBC
In a statement to the Commons, Mrs Beckett said: "We find it impossible to believe, given the seriousness of the incident, that the Iranians could have made such a mistake with the original coordinates."
She told MPs that Britain were suspending bilateral contacts with Iran until the navy personnel were released.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said the freeze on ties between the two countries meant that until the Britons were returned there would be "no inward or outward visits to Iran" and no UK visas would be granted to Iranian officials.
I have to wonder, what does this do to the negotiations that the EU has been involved in vis a vis Iran's nuclear ambitions? Will they continue?
WT – Just read that the Iraniacs will release the Brit female tomorrow. All women in the view of I SLAM/Islam are second hand citizens – if that. In 1979, the Iraniacs did the same release deal for the women and ‘black’ US Marines that were in Tehran’s US Embassy. The black Marines bolted too, which sickened the Corps, bigtime. This is a fact. Conservatives that respect, admire and appreciate our blessed US history over the last 230-years realize that freedom isn’t free and history often repeats itself. If I were held captive, I would hope that my country would do like Israel did last summer after three of their IDF soldiers were snatched, and 8 killed by PLO terrorists that tunneled into their Gaza territory – The Israelis leveled Lebanon’s infrastructure and bombed it into a cat litter box! Guess what? The three IDF soldiers are still missing but the PLO got their asses kicked and so did the PLO sympathizers. If Britain wants to be ‘Great’ Britain and not a paper lion anymore, release the Royal Lions Mr. Blair! Blair knows the US, Austrailia and Israel will back them 100%!
I’m sure MI6 is talking with the Mossad right now.
I jumped on board this story this morning as well. DU? Give me a break. How does one work anything out with those that look at reality through roughly the same prism as Momo and the Mullahs?
Far as I’m concerned Iran has finally made a negotiating statement in the “peaceful nukes” BS that we can understand and work with. Though it probably won’t be taken as such. Take nothing off the table, but don’t use everything on the table.
Regardless of what Blair/et al has done so far; it’s not enough and more of the same. Big talk and no real action is what they’re expecting so it plays right into their hands. Smacking a little snot out of their noses would be a surprise but still might work to their advantage/play into their hands. But I would prefer that we stand up honorably and a least be accused of being “mean” because we actually did something.