Free the Sailors
Readers in London may wish to check out Free the Navy, which is inviting supporters of the captive sailors to rally today at 18:45 London time.
We will be demonstrating opposite the Iranian embassy (map). The embassy overlooks Hyde Park near the junction of Prince's Gate and Kensington Road, and our protest will be on the opposite the embassy on Kensington Road (i.e. the Hyde Park side).
posted by wretchardthecat at 4/04/2007 02:51:00 AM
15 Comments:
Any bets on who shows up? Will the normal’s out number the abnormal or will the Murder cult (Islam for you deluded ones) have more members arrive to bust up the party?
My bet, less then one tenth of one percent of the population of London gives it a go, of course last time the Iranians where spotted lighted out side an embassy didn’t they shoot a police woman, just think what they might do now!
Does anyone think there might be a military operation by the brit's? I for one believe I will win the lottery before the Brit's (Tony Blair) get there nerve up then call in a favor or two from the yanks.
One imagines a massive crowd of normally well mannered Brits, led by students from Oxbridge, storming the embassy and taking its staff hostage.
No, wait, that's in bizarro world.
summignumi: it was the Libya embassy who shot up a demonstration outside in 1984, not the Iranian one. That being said, I only heard about it now and I cannot turn up (kids) :-(
Another example of Drool Britannia...the compassion of the Left....
Huh... Britain appears to have gotten off cheap:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/04/iran.sailors/index.html
"The action was a goodwill gesture for the Iranian new year, he said, adding that Iran had received a letter from Britain promising not to intrude into Iranian waters."
Granted, we don't know what backdoor deals were made, and the cost of those might indeed be ridiculous. But if - if - what's said in the story is indeed all the Brits have done, then they've gotten off remarkably cheaply.
Granted, Iran's patting themselves on the back in this incident:
"Ahmadinejad announced the amnesty at the end of a lengthy news conference on Wednesday in which he said the 15 detainees had violated Iran's territorial waters, calling their release "a gift to the British people." "
""The British government sent a letter to our Foreign Ministry and said it would not happen again. Of course, our decision had nothing to do with the letter. It's a decision made by our government to give a gift to the people of Britain," Ahmadinejad said in answer to a reporter's question."
"Iran's parliament speaker Gholamali Haddadadel told an Iranian state broadcaster's Web site that British efforts to negotiate the detainees' release were "appropriate."
"The British are trying to solve the issue of their arrested soldiers with negotiations and this is appropriate action," Haddadadel was quoted as saying.
But he added: "The British should agree to their mistake and change their behavior of before." "
... but if that's all they can get out of it, they've achieved precious little.
Translation of their statements in the CNN story: "We're right, the mighty power is wrong, we've proved it, and we're a mighty nation ourselves, capable of forgiveness and mercy."
Reality: They're wrong, they were in a weak position to begin with, with no strength other than the hope that Britain would cave, they've forced Britan to pay only tiny amounts in negative publicity, the most being a worthless message that they "won't do it again" (not that they ever did to begin with; that letter really amounts to a promise to not change any of Britain's past behavior because no border violation occurred), and they (Iran) get little in return other than some dubious "good will" in releasing prisoners they shouldn't have taken to begin with.
Well, wait... erase that. What they get in return is a lack of retaliation, something that wouldn't have happened if they hadn't taken the prisoners to begin with.
This hasn't changed anything about the issue Iran was seeking to distract from i.e. the UN sanctions on their nuclear program. Assuming there are no secret deals, Iran got a whole lot of nothing regarding their goals.
Ultimately, the question before the release was: Who'd lose worse: Britain in caving or giving up too much, or Iran in getting next to nothing for their act? I'd say Iran definitely comes out a loser in this deal. Again, assuming what's said publicly is the totality of the conditions of the sailors' release.
Peace is at hand!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Iran want to be good!!!!!!!!!!
They want peace with all people's of the world (except the zionist entity)
I am so relieved! they are going to FREE the 15 hostages....
Now the truth?
ex fbi agent kidnapped by iran, still missing
Iran is murdering americans, iraqis & brits in iraq
Iran is funding the rearming of hezbollah
Iran is helping THOUSANDS of fighters from syria and palestine (vomit) to fly from damascus to Iran to get trained
iran is still trying to get nukes
iran still going to war...
It seems to me Iran got what it needed, namely that no matter how provocative the act, Britain simply does not have the steel to respond in anyway that would represent strength. The window for Britain to respond forcefully had passed and Iran had no need to keep the sailors. So appearing magnanimous released them.
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I think the Iranians got a chit from Pelosi (Democrat Party) that can collect on in the future. If we start hearing over the next couple days that General Congresswoman Pelosi's talk with Assad had anything to do with the Iranian largesse than you can take book that have a call on the Democrats.
pelted:
Iraq needs a navy.
Chalvo: It seems to me Iran got what it needed, namely that no matter how provocative the act, Britain simply does not have the steel to respond in anyway that would represent strength.
But they will certainly have enough spine to blame the whole affair on the "aggressive, warmongering tactics of the Bush Administration in the Middle East", see if they don't! Welcome to the Soft Power universe of EUtopia, Britain. This whimper was the final nail in the coffin of your empire.
Timesonline: Iran captives ‘freed’ after costume drama:
What began as a maritime show-down in the Gulf and raised fears of a new war in the region ended yesterday with bizarre scenes of political and sartorial theatre.
On the thirteenth day of the crisis, President Ahmadinejad kept a global audience in suspense for nearly two hours with a rambling monologue about religion and Britain’s history of meddling in his country’s affairs. Then without explanation he announced that his 15 British captives would be set free as a "gift" to mark the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, Easter and for good measure the Jewish festival of Passover.
…
"Their release is a gift to the British people," he said, before going to meet his former prisoners for a friendly send-off.
Nearly two weeks ago they had been paraded on television, made to "confess" their crimes and faced being tried for illegally entering Iranian waters.
When they were presented this time, the 15 looked like a visiting football squad, decked out in two-piece suits and being presented to local dignitaries after a friendly game.
“How are you?" the President asked one serviceman, who towered over the Iranian head of state by a good foot.
“Did you enjoy your mandatory holiday?"
“We are grateful for your forgiveness," came the reply.
“Mr Ahmadinejad smiled: “You are welcome.”
Poor sailors, Iran wants war...
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
abandon your soldiers
never retaliate
raise voice then apologize
.
Pelted,
"I'm definitely not fan of Iran, but I honestly think this whole bru-ha-ha is really about establishing a geographical claim, rather than a geopolitical posture"
If that was the case, then the Iranians would have either made a complaint through the diplomatic channels, or else captured the sailors, and then let them go within a few hours/the next day, with a statement such as "The UK was operating in Iranian waters. We realize that these soldiers were only following gorders. This was a mistake on their part, and not an intentional violation of Iranian territory. Therefore we are releasing them and consider the matter closed, assuming no similar actions occur in the future."
Clearly they were posturing; showing their resolve not to comply with standard diplomacy.
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