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Sunday, March 25. 2007

Talk?

What is Iran up to? Tweaking the nose of the West to prove something? Testing limits? Trying to demonstrate that the West will collapse easily? Do they want to trade personnel? Or do they want to provoke an attack? Or do they want to scare the Brits away from the Middle East? Or do they want to provoke a battle? And, more important, what is the Brit game now? More talk?

Iran has captured Brit sailors outside their waters. That is a calculated invitation - provocation -  for military reprisal. Will Tony Blair take off his skirt and put on his trousers? I know international affairs are more complex than the ordinary bar fight, but, ultimately, this is a test of resolve.  And Iran already decided that the Brits would fold, or they would not have dared this stunt. There is laughter in Tehran tonight.

Posted by The News Junkie in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects at 17:51 | Comments (8) | Trackbacks (0)

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JN-
All of your suggestions seem plausible, especially testing British-US limits at this time. With the Democratic Congress and the RINO Chuck Hagels at the legislative helm, Iran and its Third Reichian President Ahmadinejad seem to aspire to a Munich situation vis a vis Neville Chamberlain.

We should recall that the old pacifist changed his tune and later supported his country in WWII. I have my doubts about some of the septic tank swimmers that are seated on Capitol Hill. Their primary allegiance is to ensuring their parking spots at the U.S. House come January 2009.
#1 John Hetman on 2007-03-25 19:21 (Reply)
Indeed. This will be a test of whether there is any Brit mettle left. I doubt there is.
#2 BD on 2007-03-25 20:22 (Reply)
Corny of me, sparked by watching James Bond, but what I want to see is a spectacular rescue, inflicting major casualties on the Iranians, and maybe a nice little bombing raid for dessert.

Negotiate? With pirates? They kidnap Brits? Teach them never to try that again!
#3 retriever on 2007-03-25 22:56 (Reply)
I see another Embassy scenario, possibly.

Lacking in diplomatic skills, if I were Britain, I would be at war already. That is, if they know, for a fact, that their troops were in international waters. I mean really, is there any other response? But then, so should we have been in 79. We hold our sword when we should thrust it, lamentably.
#4 Luther McLeod on 2007-03-25 23:55 (Reply)
sometimes the wild exultant war whoop is the most coldly logical thing. A little crazy unpredictability is a good thing, in a conflict situation. But you gotta use it to have it.
#5 buddy larsen on 2007-03-26 00:05 (Reply)
Luther 1979 was 28 years ago, many readers were not even born then, and some of those have already compelted graduate degrees. Now, the question is this: Of those, who were born after 1979, what have they been taught about those events? Was this episode even mentioned in their education, and if so how was it presented? My guess is that most of them have no clue about the events of 1979.
#6 apple pie on 2007-03-26 00:11 (Reply)
I had an unexpected guest stop by, now I'm short for time.

But AP, you raise an excellent point. One I continually neglect. Most know nothing of those events, and remedial education does no good. It may take another such event for that lesson too be incorporated into the dialog. Unfortunate.
#7 Luther McLeod on 2007-03-26 01:14 (Reply)
I think Iran will also attempt to use this incident as another wedge to drive between the greatest of allies, USA and GB.

It will be the same story heard so many times now, i.e., Bush did it.

Divide and conquer.
#8 Patina on 2007-03-27 11:01 (Reply)

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