Iran holding 15 UK servicemen

  • Thread starter KSaiyu
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...Bush chimed-in about it this afternoon. If things continue to progress in the way that it is, I hate to say it, but we could see increased involvement in the Middle-East as a real possibility...

Its like the Persian Wars all over again!
 
KSaiyu
wtf....
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Talk about denial.... Do they think they are North Korea or something?

YSSMAN
...Bush chimed-in about it this afternoon. If things continue to progress in the way that it is, I hate to say it, but we could see increased involvement in the Middle-East as a real possibility...

Its like the Persian Wars all over again!
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I just don't understand how that could be good for Iran, but it's been looking like they want to be absolutely sure that happens. Are they counting on more American haters to rally for them? Saddam Hussein tried that once, it didn't work out too well.
 
oh bugger....

AP
TEHRAN - Iran's official Arabic language television channel aired new video Sunday showing two of the 15 captured British sailors pointing to a spot on a map of the Persian Gulf where they were seized and acknowledging it was in Iranian territorial waters.

Britain's Foreign Office immediately denounced the video, saying it was "completely unacceptable for these pictures to be shown on TV."

The captives first appeared on appeared on the state-run Arabic-language TV channel Al-Alam in separate video clips wearing military fatigues and pointing at the same map. They were talking to a camera but the channel did not air their voices. Two state-run Farsi-language TV stations later carried their voices along with the video.

The first sailor, who was identified as Royal Marine Capt. Chris Eir, said the crew were "apparently" seized "inside Iranian territorial waters." He gestured at a spot on the map beside the handwritten words "the point where intruding boats were captured."....
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It changes nothing here, but it does give more credit to the story in Iran. They could obviously use it in the future, possibly to initiate this damn trial they're talking about.
 
KSaiyu
It changes nothing here, but it does give more credit to the story in Iran. They could obviously use it in the future, possibly to initiate this damn trial they're talking about.
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It doesn't add anything to the Iranian version of events. Forcing 'confessions' out of people doesn't amount to evidence of guilt.

YSSMAN
..Bush chimed-in about it this afternoon.
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And let's hope that the US don't get any more involved in this debacle... that would suit the Iranian government perfectly. The UK have already specifically requested that the US do not get involved. Of course there are elements within the current US administration who would love to get involved for their own reasons. Let's just hope they have the common decency to respect the wishes of the UK government and stay out of it.
 
In a Monty Python-esque sort of way, yes...

Dear Mother/Father/Sibling/Spouse (delete as appropriate),

I am writing to express my deepest hellos to my friends and family back in the United Kingdom. I wish to express my sincere regret to the Iranian people for trespassing on their water in my boat with 14 other trespassers, who also wish to express their sincerest regrets to the Iranian people. I would like to point out at this stage two things. 1) Our exact location at the time of our arrest on this map that our kind Iranian hosts have erected here in our detainment block (how considerate of them to find such a large and relevant map, and at such short notice too...) and 2) That our Iranian hosts have been nothing if not downright kind and considerate to us. Darn, if I had known how kind and considerate our Iranian hosts were going to be, I'd have steered our boat into Iranian waters weeks ago! Anyhoo, we are being very well looked after, and look forward to hearing an official apology from Tony Blair to go with the 15 apologies we have already made. We would also (as a group) like to ask Tony to have a think about leaving Iraq shortly as well. What with all the fighting and all, maybe now would be a good time?

Yours Sincerely,
Faye Turney
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That is some letter.......
Touring Mars
It doesn't add anything to the Iranian version of events. Forcing 'confessions' out of people doesn't amount to evidence of guilt.
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Except to those who are looking at this with a biase. Maybe half of the Middle East. Who knows.
 
If the UK and Iran do get in to a conflict wouldn't the US have to honour it's NATO commitment and help them out?
 
Joey D
If the UK and Iran do get in to a conflict wouldn't the US have to honour it's NATO commitment and help them out?
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A commitment? I think Bush is waiting in the wing with a look like :drool: on his face. :lol:
 
a6m5
Except to those who are looking at this with a biase. Maybe half of the Middle East. Who knows.
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Yeah, that's what I was trying to get at before.

This looks like a step forward though I guess....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070402/ap_on_re_mi_ea/british_seized_iran

Ali Larijani
"We are not interested in letting this issue get further complicated," he told Britain's Channel 4 television news. "We definitely believe that this issue can be resolved and there is no need for any trial."
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Yeah they just want Britain to admit they were wrong...

That's all it has ever been about, sadly, we can ill afford to lose any more dignity.
 
ExigeExcel
Yeah they just want Britain to admit they were wrong...

That's all it has ever been about, sadly, we can ill afford to lose any more dignity.
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If it was just about the dignity, I actually wouldn't mind the British government sacrificing it to save their people. But officially admitting operating in Iran means that: 1) Officially adds another proof to the Middle Eastern people that the "West" is out to get them. Keep in mind that 9/11 Conspiracy theory is very valid in their minds. 2) British will end up "owing" one to Iran. It absolutely does not matter if the British were right, Iranians were wrong. Once you issue an apology, your government did indeed screw Iran. It will become a card that Iran can hold, and use against your country in the future.
 
Breaking News: President Ahmadinejad pardons the UK servicemen and has announced that they are to be freed. He has also awarded the captors of the British servicemen with medals :rolleyes: OK, so that was a jolly good laugh, now let's get back to reality...
 
Apparently they are to be freed 'as a gift to the British people' :odd: - Gee, thanks Iran. How can something you've stolen be presented back as a gift?
 
Clever PR.

Iran gets to look tough by holding the sailors hostage, then Ahmadinejad gets to look like a bloody saint by pardoning them. Everyone in the Middle East gets warm fuzzies about those strong but noble Persians.

Lots of high-fives and Hey, it's Miller Time in Tehran.

I'm sure this will be fresh on everyone's minds the next Iran wants to act naughty with their weapons smuggling or nuclear inspections. The UK gets to look like a bunch of ungrateful sons of beaches if it tries to whine to the Security Council about it.

Quick, someone get their publicist on the phone and make him a job offer.


M
 
TheCracker
Apparently they are to be freed 'as a gift to the British people' :odd: - Gee, thanks Iran. How can something you've stolen be presented back as a gift?
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As a gift to you, Dan, I have made you a new avatar. You may use it as you wish...

image.php

///M-Spec
Lots of high-fives and Hey, it's Miller Time in Tehran.
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:lol: It's Ahmadenijad Time!

Update: Article. They're free to leave... great, let's just hope they get a flight instead of jumping back in their boat!
 
Touring Mars
Breaking News: President Ahmadinejad pardons the UK servicemen and has announced that they are to be freed. He has also awarded the captors of the British servicemen with medals :rolleyes: OK, so that was a jolly good laugh, now let's get back to reality...
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Not too different from MBEs handout day then!
 
Ahem, slightly different, I think.... I'm not exactly a monarchist, but atleast the people who get MBE's have done something worthy of recognition. Ahmadinejad (try typing that after 8 pints!) is rewarding a bunch of nobodies for doing nothing for to make himself look like the dog's balls... :rolleyes:
 
Touring Mars
Ahem, slightly different, I think.... I'm not exactly a monarchist, but atleast the people who get MBE's have done something worthy of recognition. Ahmadinejad (try typing that after 8 pints!) is rewarding a bunch of nobodies for doing nothing for to make himself look like the dog's balls... :rolleyes:
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They are awarding their people for not being able to use the GPS properly? Or maybe for keeping their mouth shut about how they effed it up? :lol:

U.K. should now return the favor. Kidnap few Iranian troops from their territory, then kindly release those "tresspassers" after just few weeks!
 
...Or we could just carpet-bomb the entire area and build a Disneyland...

[/sarcasm]

There was a point in time in which I wished that there would be a war over this, but I suppose I'm happy that cooler heads prevailed. Certainly most of us don't want to see a war break out, but it was pretty clear that Iran was testing the water to see where the boundaries of the US and the UK were, and I think they've found them...

...Unfortunately, those boundaries seem to move inward a lot farther than anyone had anticipated...
 
Joey D
Disney of Arabia...doesn't sound like a magic kingdom to me.
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Yeah, but thats why we hire a PR firm from Dubai to make it super cool like their city...

We could just call it 'Aladinland' and it would be like living through the movie. But instead of magic carpets and talking parrots, we'll have Humvees and devastated city-scapes...

SWEET!

[/sarcasm]
 
YSSMAN
...Unfortunately, those boundaries seem to move inward a lot farther than anyone had anticipated...
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Inward? It looks like Iran have moved their territorial boundaries outward... 💡
 
Touring Mars
Ahem, slightly different, I think.... I'm not exactly a monarchist, but atleast the people who get MBE's have done something worthy of recognition. Ahmadinejad (try typing that after 8 pints!) is rewarding a bunch of nobodies for doing nothing for to make himself look like the dog's balls... :rolleyes:
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Plenty of stuff in common with Korea then....

If Phillip Green can get a Knighthood then it makes a mockery of our whole medal award thingmabob (can't think of the right name atm).
 

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