Not a good feeling about all this. Will the British let themselves be played for 444 days, like we were, after the Teheran embassy was overrun? Are we prepared for another long series of staged demonstrations and photo ops, fruitless diplomatic wrangling, a ceaseless media circus, yellow ribbons around the old oak tree, and an assortment of clueless do-gooders making their way to Teheran on their knees, and making sure their good side is to the camera? Five will get you ten, George Galloway already has his bag packed.
So, is this a calculated move from the highest levels in response to the alleged defection/kidnapping of a top Iranian military man a couple of a weeks ago, or just some ambitious and impulsive underling taking a chance and seeing how far he can go?
How far will the Iranians go? How far will the British go? Will Ahmedinajad still be admitted to the US on his way to address the UN? How many of the UN members will break out the old knee-pads and kneel down before him, metaphorically speaking.
Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets, please. I have a feeling it is going to get kinda interesting.
(Also posted at Blogger News Network… and corrected)
Are you talking about Ali Reza Asghari? He is a retired general, and Iran’s Defense Minister, not Iraqi.
Comment by Kevin L. Connors — 20070323 @ 1510
I remember Iron Meg Thatcher sending the Brits to the South Atlantic when the Argies got covetous of the Falklands, so even in fairly recent history that nation had some nerve.
But it’s been twenty years. One has to wonder if guts is still part of the land that gave us Nelson, Wellington, Churchill and Iron Meg.
MC
Comment by mostly cajun — 20070323 @ 1909
Ahmadinejad has confirmed that he isn’t going to the UN.
I suspect that they’ll be sending in covert ops shortly; we don’t do prolonged hostage situations to the best of my knowledge. Remember the Embassy in 81? They still show documentaries about it on TV.
Comment by Moike — 20070323 @ 2142
Will the British let themselves be played for 444 days, like we were, after the Teheran embassy was overrun?
There is this much - back then we didn’t have a whole lot of forces in the area, and our guys weren’t nearly as good at missions like that as they are now.
Bets? We’ll do the diplomatic thing and get them released by talk talk talk.
But it would not surprise me if there is a some heavily armed and smart guys cutting warning orders and practicing on a mock-up of wherever the Brits are being held. Just in case.
Comment by Brian — 20070323 @ 2156
perhaps you mean REDUX?
Comment by jim` — 20070324 @ 0834
This will have to vbe solved by talk, because no other option is available to anyone, no matter how childish they (both) are acting at the moment. The odds of success in a rescue from Tehran are so low as to preclude useful probability, no matter how cool and high-speed-low-drag the guys involved are.
Beyond that, consider for a moment the history of UK involvement in Iran. Should anyone be surprised at Iranian hostility in this instance?
What I’d really like to know is how the brits, with a frigate no more than a mile away, let their boarding party get captured.
Comment by Raymond — 20070327 @ 1351
This isn’t the first instance of Iran trying to abduct coalition forces. Back in September a Cavalry unit from the 101st Airborne Division were led into an Iranian ambush by untrustworthy Iraqi Soldiers.
Comment by Danny J Norman — 20070327 @ 1908