The 15 British soldiers

I was happily working some days ago when a friend of mine who works for BBC popped up in chat and it was the moment when I heard the news of captivity of the British army personnel. At first I thought this would be like the last one and they would be released soon but now that after a long busy week, I finally get the chance of writing, this incident made yet another negative headline against Iran.

I can not believe these guys in Iranian administration! What are they trying to achieve keeping these guys? And these video and letter releases! They always do this in case of political activists but how they thought it may work for the Brits?….I don’t know and probably will never know. I just hope that this does not result any more stupid military chain reaction. Iran is afraid...it is cornered politically and militarily..I think this is a panic reaction.

None of the governments should expect the other to accept the proposed position of the boats by one another. This border line for Iran, Iraq and Kuwait over there has been a major dispute for a long time.

This Iranian administration is not very rational. Don't poke it lik this...I should say this to the Iranian government too. These guys who are surrounding us are not that rational eaither...do not poke them like this.

Comments

[a Duoist]

The Iranian government certainly must defend and protect its territorial waters. But the ownership of the waters in question have been in dispute for centuries, and even the first set of co-ordinates released by the Iranian government put the British into Iraqi waters, as the British claim. Then the Iranian government submitted a revised set of co-ordinates which suddenly put the British inside Iranian waters. Which set of Iranian co-ordinates is to be accepted as true, the initial set or the revised set?

It doesn't matter. The history in Europe in dealing with fascism makes clear, 'truth' is manipulated in behalf of the cause. Theofascism in Iran continues to escalate tensions, and this latest tension with Britain is but a prelude of many more to come. The entire world is learning once again that by its nature, fascism seeks confrontation.

[lottali]

I think you hit on something interesting. This idea of parading people who have been arrested, and airing videotaped "confessions" is common in Iran...maybe they have no idea how it is seen by much of the outside world...then again, can they really be this naive?

Of course, we have also seen the US do some of this in Iraq and elsewhere in recent years. But that is "different" (or so the US officials would say).

[Phred]

I think it's time Mrs. Behi visited you in Tripoli. At least through the month of April.

[Don Cox]

Nobody is getting very upset about this kidnapping, because it is the kind of thing we all expect from the Iranian government.

It is no different from the US Embassy hostage crisis. We expect to see false "confessions" aired on TV.

I was glad to see the Prime Minister of Iraq pointing out that these servicemen are in Iraq at the invitation of the elected Iraqi government.

The incident that was really offensive was the murder of Steven Vincent.

[Ewan Watt]

"None of the governments should expect the other to accept the proposed position of the boats by one another. This border line for Iran, Iraq and Kuwait over there has been a major dispute for a long time."

Excellent point. Great blog by the way!

[Matt D]

Iran is a country of deep roots and the people there should realize most Brits and Americans do not want war mongering to continue in the Mid-East. My uncle is from Tehran and moved to the US after the revolution of 1979. He still has family in Iran and acknowledges the hardline government is not necessarily a government of the people. Just as the United States does not necessarily have a government of the people. To make this point, we voted in Al Gore as President in 1998 with the popular vote, but the electoral college gave GW the nod and the win. Once we Americans realize we should resort to other means and ways in our dealings with the Middle East and the use of force will only further our detachment to governments there in the region. Our forefathers made some unwise decisions relating to Israel and Palestine, and fixing those decisions are incredibly tough. I thought when G Bush promised liberation to the Palestine people, it would signal a potential change and start of a more trusting environment, but that has yet to materialize. I am glad there are Iranians who give a sane voice from inside Iran. I am only answering with an equally sane view from The United STates. Some future time, I hope there will be a world left to still be able to discuss forums from such distances as here. It is a shame there are so many "gods" in this world as seen by various religions. I guess what it boils down to that most religions agree on is a common "creator." Peace to you.

[Hassan Pierre]

Iran has the full right to arrest the Britons as they belived they entered in the Iranian waters. On the other hand, Americans have no an iota of rights to arrest Iranian dipolmats in Iraq. Simply, Americans and Brits hit Iran is because they hate Iran having Islamic Republic!!!! because they really belive in their selfish and naive thinking that democracy is the best form of goverment. Because they really belived that democracy is the goverment of Christianity and by replacing Islamic Republic with democracy it is just the same as "Christianizing Iran and the whole middle east!!! For you information, USA and British are the modern crusading idiots who love to hear Jesus being tortured and killed rather than being save by Allah and never been crucified!!!!

[ben hill]

If their millitary, US, English and friends enter other teritory, they will denied it, and the intruder should be release

if we are enter US, english and friends not legally, even only 0.000000000000001 Cm, they will issue this as teritory attack, and they will burn our country