Iran: Two stories and a hostage video later - they MIGHT release ONE hostage soon.....
So the story that the Iranians gave to explain their abduction of Birtish military members changed when the british pointed out that the coordinates the Iranians gave were a mile inside Iraqi waters. The Iranians then consulted somebody who knew what coordinates were and made up a new story to support their lies. The brits on the other hand, have shown GPS readings that place the ship inside Iraqi waters. They also showed pictures of the boat from when they were searching the Iranian ship - handheld coordinate units in the picture give coordinates - STILL inside Iraqi waters.
Now the Iranians have released video with the woman sailor, saying that they were arrested for straying into Iranian waters. Clearly under duress, she tells viewers that they are being treated well and that their was no aggression involved when they were arrested (Huh? I thought beng taken at gunpoint was hostile?). She also mentioned a letter she wrote apologizing to all of Iran.
The Iranians have now said that they might release ONE of the soldiers - the woman. Britian is not going to accept that answer - its all or nothing. Tony Blair is calling for an increased response.
I see this going one of two ways - 1. The Iranians realized what they did and give back the soldiers. 2. Britain and the Us begin bombing of Iran after they completely cut it off. Hopefully the Iranians come to their senses and give back the soldiers soon. While I did not support the illegal Israeli invasion of Lebanon - this is different. A sovereign nation has illegally kidnapped another sovereign nation's soldiers.
Also read here for a very interesting analysis of the situation by an Iranian.
Comments
The problem is this - the US can only muster enough force right now to bomb them. There isn't much else we can do. A multi-front war has put a massive strain on the Army. HEll, just to get people to join - they are offer tens of thousands of dollars and thats not working!
One of my dearest friends (Oh priscilla - where are you?) will be going to boot camp in June. She was one of only FOUR that took their oaths. One of the others she went in with is a twice convicted child molestor!!!
AS an army brat - I wil support the military to my dying day. When I say that they are unprepared for a ground war in Iran its not because I don't like the military. ITs just common sense and the knowledge that comes from growing up in an army family (heck, some of those general's were my dad's classmates at West Point.)
What I see happening is the Brits parking their navy in the PErsian Gulf soon if they don'tget their people back. We may or may not help them but it will be with our navy - not our army...
From what I am reading, our naval presence is at its highest since the beginning of Iraqi Freedom.
So you are right -- currently our big stick is the navy right now.
However, I do not agree with the need for armed confrontation for 15 lives. We do not sacrifice millions of lives of citizens with bombs for 15 people. I am asking for either a covert ops, or a diplomatic solution.
Yeah...but why are so many warships in the region?
Um...we're who invaded Iraq under 29 wrong reasons and destabalized their neighboring nation of lunatics, causing 600,000 Iraqi deaths!
Our arrogance is killing us; we have worse threats harming us now than any in the middle east.
Of course, if we do attack em, can we please kick their asses? Right or wrong you don't get into a fight and rethink it over in the middle of it.