Iran... ok, now we have a problem.

[bluesdave]

Originally Posted by richlevy

With us juggling Iraq and Afghanistan, I hope the British aren't expecting a lot of help from the US.

Rich, the US is not the only country to have troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Sure you have the majority, but you *are* the world's greatest military power. Bush could not have gone into Afghanistan and Iraq without British support, so you guys do owe them support, and recognition. Blair is on the way out, so this is why British troops are being reduced - note: not withdrawn. You can hate Bush all you like, but please remember that British troops have died supporting their country's ally, the USA.

[Undertoad]

The Times "How Britons were conned by Iranian gunboat trick" summarizes how Iran was able to do what they did. Their subtitle for the article is: "The speed and cunning shown by the Revolutionary Guards suggests that their action was premeditated."

It was a carefully planned ambush:

The speed and cunning shown by the Revolutionary Guards has raised suspicions that their action was premeditated. A senior military officer described it as “deliberate”.

It took only three minutes for the Iranians, moving at 40 knots, to move from their legitimate positions monitoring shipping in their waters to come alongside the British last Friday morning.

The sailors and marines from HMS Cornwall were in the Gulf, working under a United Nations mandate to protect Iraq from smuggling and threats to the oil industry, when an Indian-flagged vessel came under suspicion.

It was in shallow waters and the Cornwall was unable to go alongside without grounding. A boarding party jumped into two ribbed inflatable boats, or RIBs, and set out to investigate.

A helicopter hovered to observe the boarding but, after confirming that the Indian vessel was peaceful and friendly, returned to the ship. The Cornwall stayed in contact with the two launch boats via a communications link providing a GPS satellite position.

After the successful boarding of the innocent Indian vessel, the Britons began returning to their RIBs. At that moment one Iranian patrol vessel came alongside, adopting a friendly posture. As a second Iranian vessel arrived, the Revolutionary Guards turned aggressive.

The story goes on. Iran gave a set of coordinates for where the incident took place. Brits mapped it and pointed out that it was in Iraqi waters.

Iran then said "oh never mind, that first set was a mistake, here are the REAL coordinates," and sent a second set of coordinates which was in Iranian waters.

But by then the Brits had flown over the still-stationary Indian vessel, with a GPS unit; they released a picture of the result to show where it took place, in clearly Iraqi territory.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

The Times "How Britons were conned by Iranian gunboat trick" summarizes how Iran was able to do what they did. Their subtitle for the article is: "The speed and cunning shown by the Revolutionary Guards suggests that their action was premeditated."

It was a carefully planned ambush:...

Same thing discussed from a strategic perspective in:
Options limited in Iran stand-off

It's not a major problem when observing from a strategic objective. But it could become major and problematic as defined here. Deja vue a silly spy plane incident when some wanted a boogey man and therefore war with China.

[TheMercenary]

Does anyone here really think that the US is going to enter a war with Iran over 6 British sailors? I am a strong supporter of US-UK ties on many levels. But does anyone really think this is some kind of plan by Blair and Bush to start a war with Iran????

[elSicomoro]

I don't know what to think when it comes to Bush anymore.

[Happy Monkey]

Um, there weren't even six British sailors captured by Saddam. Just an old grudge.

And there's an even older grudge against Iran. Ironically, the one that caused us to prop up Saddam in the first place.

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Does anyone here really think that the US is going to enter a war with Iran over 6 British sailors? I am a strong supporter of US-UK ties on many levels. But does anyone really think this is some kind of plan by Blair and Bush to start a war with Iran????

Well the US didn't mind getting inolved in a dispute over a couple of border guards in Lebanon. What's the difference? Who is a more important ally is probably more the question.

[piercehawkeye45]

I heard that this could be about a prisoner exchange too. I forget if it was from here or somewhere else...

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

I heard that this could be about a prisoner exchange too. I forget if it was from here or somewhere else...

Yea, we have captured and detained a number of Iranian's suspected of supplying the insurgency with weapons and training, just like they have been doing in Lebanon.

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/new...p?storyid=9633

[DanaC]

Rich, the US is not the only country to have troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Sure you have the majority, but you *are* the world's greatest military power. Bush could not have gone into Afghanistan and Iraq without British support, so you guys do owe them support, and recognition. Blair is on the way out, so this is why British troops are being reduced - note: not withdrawn. You can hate Bush all you like, but please remember that British troops have died supporting their country's ally, the USA.

Thanks. I know we all bitch, both American and British dwellars, about the war; but we have lost a number of young soldiers in Iraq fighting that war, several of them from my own area. I am totally aganst the war in Iraq and have been from the start, but not because I don't want british soldiers to die and don't mind American soldiers dying. Mistake though I firmly believe it was to invade Iraq, and no matter how fervently I believe the American President persuaded/led my own country into an illegal, or at the very least ill-advised, war, the fact remained we stood with America. From the first reports of the 9/11 attacks right through to the decimation of Baghdad and beyond. You dragged us into this, and because we see where it is going and because our politicians can no longer sell us a broken and tarnished vision and start to reduce our involvement, you say fuckem?

My God, this 'special relationship', shoulder-to-shoulder friendship with America was worth mortgaging what little goodwill we had left with the rest of the world eh?

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by DanaC

My God, this 'special relationship', shoulder-to-shoulder friendship with America was worth mortgaging what little goodwill we had left with the rest of the world eh?

Well anytime you all would like to just start to go it alone without US support I am all for it. How about we break realations and see where that gets both our countries?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

Well the US didn't mind getting inolved in a dispute over a couple of border guards in Lebanon. What's the difference? Who is a more important ally is probably more the question.

Is this one of those, "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem", accusations?

[Aliantha]

Nope, it was a response to Mercenary's post.

[tw]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Well anytime you all would like to just start to go it alone without US support I am all for it. How about we break realations and see where that gets both our countries?

Notice classic symptoms of - the underlying principles behind - 'big dic' thinking. "Screw you. You cannot live without us."

Do we call it selfishness, egotism, tactlessness, rudness, impudence, or simple disrespect? Probably all. All is probably necessary to know things without first learning facts. To know things only because TheMercenary has a political agenda that justifies all and that makes him so predictable.

What has TheMercenary just posted to DanaC? In simplest terms: "fuck you - I am an American".

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by tw

Notice classic symptoms of - the underlying principles behind - 'big dic' thinking. "Screw you. You cannot live without us."

Do we call it selfishness, egotism, tactlessness, rudness, impudence, or simple disrespect? Probably all. All is probably necessary to know things without first learning facts. To know things only because TheMercenary has a political agenda that justifies all and that makes him so predictable.

What has TheMercenary just posted to DanaC? In simplest terms: "fuck you - I am an American".

Still thinking about those "Big Dicks", but you can't answer a simple question about your own experiences. Ok. Carry on...