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?
