There is a sense of familiarity to all of this. Iran, hostages, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad… Perhaps Mahmoud has reached the point in his life where reality has diverged so far from his youthful dreams that he must resort to the reliving of fond memories. True, there was no easy way to collect a group of American diplomats for real fun, but hey, a bunch of young British sailors? Why not?
Let us never forget who this man is and what he represents. Some American diplomats still remember his face from their long ordeal in Iran almost 30 years ago.
One problem for Mahmy this time around is the lack of a Jimmy Carter. Jimmy certainly has to be in the running for the worst President the United States has ever had. I do not think Tony Blair, whatever else you may think of him, is an incompetent fool. Neither he nor heir apparent Gordon will deal with this blatant kidnapping in such a way as to damage their political prospects for the next election.
Even if they manage to make a total bollocks of this hostage crisis and turn the public against them… David Cameron is no Ronald Reagan.
Hi Dale
The situation certainly looks like the one that ran from November 1979 to January 1981. Confusing lines of authority in Tehran and lost of cruel propaganda games played with the hostages. We may even see George Galloway or someone similar playing the Ramsey Clark role. Things do not look good.
Lets remember that in November 1979 it looked as if Howard Baker or George H, W. Bush or some one like that would win the nomination. The British Conservatives may yet find a new leader. Though that is doubtful.
Carter did not want to lose his political future over the hostages, but he did. He chose diplomacy and spent months trying to figure out a deal. The rescue operation also failed and that didn’t do him any good.
Blair and Brown must be aware of this history, but they seem determined to replay it.
Great post. Refreshing to read this as so far as all of the western press has taken Irans propaganda bait nicely and is doing their work for them. Iranians dont buy any of the BS tv appearnaces which Iran uses for its own dissidents. I think Iran wanted to improve their chances with the UN by grandstanding on a (now failed) case & shore up the support in the Arab street. They didnt do the former. Blair has to be cautious how he manages this but could well pull this off. He has brought international pressure to bear which Iran didnt expect and they now feel squeezed. He is certainly no Carter and could well play his hand very well in this. Rounding international pressure, refusing to apologise (whilst at no point ruling out military pressure). Not sure why people are so quick to slate him when so far so good. Lets not forget the timing of this. The negotiations ONLY start today after the holiday. That was also intenmtional to draw out western publicity (job well done MSM!) and round on Blair for the arab street. If western media hadnt spent the last week doing just that the situation would be even keener.
One act of war deserves another. Mine their harbors, blockage their ports and if they threaten to close the Gulf to everyone, threaten to wipe their oil industry off the map and at the same time hammer their nuclear programme en passant. I guarantee the USAF/USN will get behind that if Blair grows the balls to face the reality of who he’s dealing with.
No need to invade, just end Iran’s pretensions of developing a modern (and nuclear armed) technological state (which is something they do claim to be doing).
In a press conference on now, Iran has announced they will release the soldiers as soon as the conference is over. So, within a couple of hours they’ll be taken straight to the airport. Let’s hope so.
And everybody looks good.
The sailors come home;
Iran looks strong, but controlled and responsible.
Blair looks patient, firm and successful as a ‘world figure’.
Everybody happy.
Pee-ooo! There’s too many Pawns in my seafood salad!
If this is true. We have to be happy for the people involved, but we’ll see. This is still a major defeat for the West and for the UK and the US in particular
Hmmm, I see the US just released one of its Guantanamo prisoners (with no charges) after having kept him for 5 years.
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0401/breaking29.htm
Did Samizdata pick it up??
Methinks Samizdata preaches hypocrisy by holding Iran up to certain standards (moaning about displaying them in public) when by all accounts the US does not match up to them at all (and yes I know the US is not beholden to certain conventions blah blah).
As I mentioned on an earlier post – However repulsed I may be, I expect Iran (or Saudi) to mistreat its prisoners, I do not expect it from leading country of the free world.
Samizdata moral highground : 0
Oh fuck off AndyMo,
Are you really saying that because it’s expected it can be excused?
Are you really saying that the “Tipton” Taliban from the UK West Midlands were really in the ‘stan on a “computer course” as they claimed? I generally tend to take my computer courses in countries with electricity and ADSL. Perhaps I’m wrong and they all wanted jobs at “Difference Engine World”.
Are you truly making a moral equivalence between a rag-tag bunch of renegades who believe in executing homosexuals, repressing women, banning the flying of kites and being generally utterly obnoxious with a uniformed, organised force operating under a UN mandate in waters they were supposed to be operating in.
And at what point did two wrongs ever make a right?
(BTW – I 100% believe the UK version of that because it took the Iranianians two attempts to get their cock and bull story striaght).
There is a degree of similarity about this but surely it is more like last time the Iranians captured our service people and the after a diplomatic stand off let them go.
Hmmm… yes, seems to be eactly what happened.
Gosh. Colour me unsurprised.
But how can it be a major defeat for the West?
Tony has been enhanced as a *pretty straight sort of guy* yet again!
It’s win-wince!
From the BBC.
An unidentified crew member said: “I’d like to say that myself and my whole team are very grateful for your forgiveness. I’d like to thank yourself and the Iranian people… Thank you very much, sir.”
Mr Ahmadinejad responded in Farsi: “You are welcome.”
Britian 0 : Iran 1
AndyMo, do not be a berk. The guys held in Gitmo were guys out of uniform captured in places such as Afghanistan where anti-terrorist actions were going on. The UK military were in uniform while doing their job under the auspices of the UN. Major difference.
Will those of you in GB comment on how the sailors and marines will be received? Public celebrations and hails as heroes, military punishment for making Britain look god-awful, both, neither?
These (British) guys were pirates, pure and simple. Iran’s government is a bunch of assholular noodleheads, sure; but Britain’s isn’t any much better.
Well then with all due respect, you are a little “hard of thinking”.
The British boarding parties were inspecting ships in Iraqi waters looking for things that might be bound for the enemy Britain, the USA and the Iraqi government are fighting, and that makes them pirates? Please explain how that works. Are you suggesting the boarding parties were stealing goods from ships on the high seas? That is pretty much what it takes to be ‘pirates’.
Engage your brain AndyMo there is an war going…even if they were declared POW which would not be correct since they didnt fought with uniforms, POWs are only released at end of War or in a prisioner exchange.
I do not think Tony Blair, whatever else you may think of him, is an incompetent fool.
Not so sure about that. He sent British servicemen into harms way saddled with rules of engagement that made them sitting ducks.
Albion,
Those ships did not belong to the people boarding them without permission. Ergo: piracy.
Britain is NOT at war with Iran. Britain has no right or responsibility to patrol Iraqi waters, no matter what the puppet government it has set up has ‘requested’.
Albion and others, don’t feed the moonbats. It makes them feel welcome.