If Afghanistan and Iraq were the first two theaters in the war on terror, Iran today is making a bold gamble that it will not be the third as it deliberately provokes the coalition.
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran seized three British naval boats Monday, which it said had entered its waters near the Iraqi border, and arrested eight British crew.Wretchard at Belmont Club says the enemy offensive has begun:Britain reported it had "lost contact" with military personnel in the narrow Shatt al-Arab waterway between Iran and Iraq and later said they were being held by Iran.
"We can confirm that eight Royal Navy personnel from the Royal Navy training team based in southern Iraq have been detained by the Iranian authorities while delivering a boat from Umm Qsar to Basra," Britain's Ministry of Defense said.
A Defense Ministry spokesman said Britons were in the area helping to train Iraqi police.
While Tehran was deeply opposed to the U.S.-led war and occupation of Iraq, there has been little direct conflict up to now between the Shi'ite Muslim state and foreign forces along its western border.
The incident is likely to place further strain on Tehran's ties with London, which last week joined other European nations in condemning Iran for being less than fully cooperative with inspectors from the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog.
...the seizure of the Royal Navy patrol vessels is surprising because it represents a public and unilateral escalation by Iran. As a political statement, it must rank with Iranian hostage crisis of 1979, which was calculatingly delivered against a weak Jimmy Carter. It is an indication of how politically emasculated the Mullahs think the Coalition is, that they should have attempted this at all. Shortly after the conclusion of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Mullahs were practically trembling on their thrones. But now they smile; the BBC has done its work well.Lt. Smash (who has had run-in's with the captors) gives the background information you need, but don't see in most other stories.
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Comments (8)
Last week when Iran was rep... (Below threshold)1. Posted by McGehee | June 21, 2004 4:11 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Last week when Iran was reported to be massing its troops near the Iraq border, I decided that when we do pull our troops out of Iraq they should come out by way of Iran.
The idea is sounding better day by day.
1. Posted by McGehee | June 21, 2004 4:11 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 21, 2004 16:11
2. Posted by David Scott Anderson | June 21, 2004 8:06 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
LMAO. Iran should have been first on the list if you ask me.
2. Posted by David Scott Anderson | June 21, 2004 8:06 PM |
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Posted on June 21, 2004 20:06
3. Posted by Kevin | June 21, 2004 8:47 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
You're right David. When you look Objectively at the dangers possed by the 3 countries, Iran would top the list.
3. Posted by Kevin | June 21, 2004 8:47 PM |
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Posted on June 21, 2004 20:47
4. Posted by Boyd | June 21, 2004 10:43 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
While I'd tend to believe likewise, Kevin, we didn't have anywhere near the justification for invasion of Iran.
4. Posted by Boyd | June 21, 2004 10:43 PM |
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Posted on June 21, 2004 22:43
5. Posted by BoDiddly | June 22, 2004 1:43 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Throughout the history of U. S. involvement with either of these nations (Iraq, Iran), our goal has been to balance the two. We have, at different times, aided both nations (picking the weaker) when the two were in conflict, in the interests of keeping the two fairly equal in political and military strength, and therefore "in check". Now that Iraq has been hobbled militarily, if we were to withdraw, I don't believe six months would pass before an attempted Iranian takeover of the new Iraq would commence. I know it will be more fodder for the anti-Bush fanatics, but I don't see any way we can withdraw from Iraq before we take action against Iran. I don't know if their actions against the coalition comes from this knowledge--that they're next on the list regardless of their actions--or if it comes from pure stupidity. My guess is the former, and that they're betting on pressures against the U. S. from the accusations of "empire-building" to keep the coalition from acting.
5. Posted by BoDiddly | June 22, 2004 1:43 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 22, 2004 13:43
6. Posted by Brad | June 23, 2004 4:56 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard, if you were to step outside of the US for just a second you’d be bale to see that the US is not here to solve any problems, they are NOT peacekeepers. The US is our generations Nazis. They simply use A LOT more propaganda to cover everything so that the public thinks they are doing good, so far Afghanistan and Iraq have fallen under the US's control (the are in fact now US territories). The US simply puts some of ITS people in charge and says that the country is now 'liberated'. Can't you see that they make up excuses such as a country harboring terrorist, or there being weapons of mass destruction, and then no matter what anyone says(ie: the UN) they invade. Bush is an idiot, and if you believe him, then you must be an even bigger one than him.
6. Posted by Brad | June 23, 2004 4:56 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 23, 2004 16:56
7. Posted by Brad | June 23, 2004 4:57 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard, if you were to step outside of the US for just a second you’d be bale to see that the US is not here to solve any problems, they are NOT peacekeepers. The US is our generations Nazis. They simply use A LOT more propaganda to cover everything so that the public thinks they are doing good, so far Afghanistan and Iraq have fallen under the US's control (the are in fact now US territories). The US simply puts some of ITS people in charge and says that the country is now 'liberated'. Can't you see that they make up excuses such as a country harboring terrorist, or there being weapons of mass destruction, and then no matter what anyone says(ie: the UN) they invade. True that many countries pose a threat to the world, but no more than the US. Bush is an idiot, and if you believe him, then you must be an even bigger one than him.
7. Posted by Brad | June 23, 2004 4:57 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 23, 2004 16:57
8. Posted by Boyd | June 23, 2004 6:30 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Brad, I suppose it's time for you to move out of Nazi America, then. You'll be happier once you're out of this fascist state, and it will also raise the collective IQ in the US by several points.
8. Posted by Boyd | June 23, 2004 6:30 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 23, 2004 18:30