The country that brought you Admiral Lord Nelson, The Duke of Wellington, the RAF pilots, the Knights of the Round Table is now exhibiting the rebirth of a Neville Chamberlain-like appeasement policy.
‘Peace in our time.’ Chamberlain declared just before the blitz.
The fact of the matter is that the British involvement in Iraq has been anemic at best. They contributed a token number of Soldiers, were assigned the least dangerous areas of operations and put into place rules of engagement that assured their personnel would not come into harms way unless by the most remote chance.
While any coalition military death is tragic, it should be noted that the British have suffered about 200 tragic deaths in this war. Their military has operated in the background while the United States military has done the heavy lifting.
Their last military victory, the Falkland Islands, was celebrated as a great British military success. The fact remains that this victory was over what amounts to a banana republic.
It’s hard to identify the exact point in time at which the British lost their stiff upper lip. Even worse, there appears to be no other remaining stiff anatomical body parts. Do you need any other proof than that their so-called assault troops contained a female whom the males made no attempt to defend knowing she was being taken into a captivity under Shar’ia law.
We will not see Prince Harry making an appearance in a ‘combat unit’ in Iraq after this. Until now it was relatively safe for the Brits in Iraq. It’s obvious now that even for the British, this isn’t a game of drop the hanky. They surely can’t send the prince into a situation in which the British Soldiers are functioning under rules of engagement that leave them high and dry should they happen to encounter an enemy combatant.
It’s fortunate that our response to their crisis in the 1940s was not as anemic as their response to our time of need today.
A further explanation of their delicate handling of this crisis is that they are afraid of upsetting their own muslim population.
So the question remains, what will Britain do? There are those who say they do not want to ’start a war with Iran’. Iran is already at war with Britain. Will the roar of the British lion return, or will they have to settle for a meow.
Never have so many appeased so much to so few. It’s a bloody shame.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EU Referendum is following this story closely.
Left in the humiliating position of having nothing in the locker with which to take on the Iranians after their abduction of our service personnel, our esteemed government has been running, cap in hand, to the United Nations Security Council for a resolution condemning Iran’s action.
For all we got for our efforts, though, we need not have bothered. The mighty mouse groaned and heaved and delivered what Reuters called “a watered-down statement” which merely expressed “grave concern” at the detention of the 15 British crew members, calling on Tehran to allow “consular access” to them.
Michelle Malkin calls it a national humiliation.
Simply put, I would like the UK with our support to “get their pecker up,†and keep a “stiff upper lip.â€Â
Verum Serum and A Blog for All have updates.
Brit & Grit is keeping up with this situation and wonders some of the same things many others have been wondering.
What is the UK government doing about this issue? Secondly, where are the human rights campaigners, such as Amnesty International and the UN, when citizens of a Western country are abused in this manner?
Others: No Man’s Blog, Cop the Truth, Crimson Blog, Wizbang, Hot Air
Previous:
- Tony Blair Warns Iran to Release British Sailors and Marines
- US Troops Would Have Fought Iranian Captors
- Britain Demands Iran Free Seized Sailors
Open posts: STACLU, Nathan Bradford, Right Truth Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, The Virtuous Republic, Perri Nelson’s Website, Shadowscope, The Amboy Times, Leaning Straight Up, Rightlinx, third world county, Woman Honor Thyself, stikNstein… has no mercy, , Pirate’s Cove, The Right Nation, Dumb Ox Daily News, Right Voices, Blog @ MoreWhat.com, The Random Yak, A Blog For All, 123beta, basil’s blog, Phastidio.net, The Bullwinkle Blog, Cao’s Blog, , Conservative Cat, Conservative Thoughts, Diary of the Mad Pigeon, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, The World According to Carl, and High Desert Wanderer, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
Disclaimer: trackbacks to this post do not necessarily represent the opinions or standards of the Blue Star Chronicles.






More Agitprop Released By Iran…
The British continue to stand by their evidence and assertions that their forces were inside Iraqi waters when the incident occurred, and the Iranians continue to trot out the sailors and Marines who are under duress and were likely coerced to make s…..
I hate to say this but, it’s pretty much ‘pot meets kettle’ with US calling THEM anything, I am shocked that they haven’t already left a gaping hole where Tehran used to be but let’s face it, even our very own USA hasn’t got the will to FIGHT any more, not the twits in charge anyway…
Now our troops and the Conservative and most Repubs, and even a few Dems are more than ready to wipe our enemies off the face of the earth…
If we had leaders that felt as we do, it might make a difference..
BSC: I guess I’m not meaning to ‘call’ them anything. We are in pretty much the same boat. I would like to think we would be more aggressive. Our rules of engagement are horrible - but not as restrictive as the Brits are dealing with. I do think our guys would have been able to fight back.
The bottom line is that if we continue to avoid this conflict we are going to find ourselves in an unavoidable conflict. That’s just a fact.
Don’t discount the British too soon…
Slow to act … but when we do - we’re decisive.
BSC: I hope so M. I really do. We haven’t got any better ally. It is frightening to watch the Brits with their hands tied. I can’t help but think that we could so easily be in the same position.
Just watch out for the self-styled intellectuals … e.g. “Andrew Gilligan”…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3446443.stm
This man was on Sky news (UK) this evening - and his ARROGANCE is astounding… (his “liberal” view, in the British sense of the word) - automatically assumes that there is NO CAPABILITY or WILLIGNESS to deal with this in the UK. He’s wrong.
The same sort of people made the same mistake in 1982 (EXACTLY 25 YEARS AGO TODAY in the FALKLAND ISLANDS).
With people like Andrew Gilligan around Britain may as well sell up / give in or whatever now…
He assumes people don’t love their country. That people won’t put themselves is harms way… or that won’t willingly sacrifice themselves for something greater and for their country.
He assumes we’re all materialistic and self serving.
WE ARE NOT.
HE IS AN NARCISSISTIC IDIOT. I just wish he would shut up - as he’s been proven to not know what he’s talking about previously… something for which he lost his job for … and now works for the “Evening Standard” a second rate publication!!!!
When will the media learn? Not to make assumptions? …
BSC: I understand exactly what you are saying. The media portrays us the same way and I can assure you that most ‘middle Americans’ are nothing like the media portrays us to be. Now I’ll go read your recommendations.
I sometimes wonder why it is that Tehran isn’t a smoking piece of softly glowing green glass…
And then I remember that Democrats won last November.
X-
BSC: Ha! Good point! That would certainly answer that question!
Iran parades British hostages UPDATED…
Well, we all knew that this was coming. Here’s video of the hostages from LiveLeak (commentary in Arabic). One question: don’t these people get some type of SERE training? The female Marine already seems to be writing letters admitting guilt…
Open Trackback Weekend #47…
Feel free to link to this post all weekend and I’ll be sure to send a tb ping. Please do not post your own open trackback post, however……
Weekend Linkfest For March 30-April 1, 2007…
The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year. " - Mark Twain This is a Weekend OTB & Linkfest for March 30-April 1, 2007. If you have something that you……
Relating to some of the points made:
The British Marines were not and would not fire since we’re not truly in “formal” hostility to them (Iranian-theocracy)… indeed if your trying to act peacefully - shooting was the last thing to do.
However, the general training the forces received for this level of forces when captured (naval rather than marines which is more intensive and I know is different) would be to be compliant… but to not do anything that would undermine themselves etc. They obviously wouldn’t if they felt in some way underthreat…
The degree of editing in these videos is quite obvious.
The language in the letters really isn’t fooling anyone in Britain either - it simply doesn’t sound (British) English when you read it.
All I will say is (being from the UK) - Blair’s going about it the right way (despite the critics - so called “intellectuals” (really the usual political opponents - not in parliament - since it’s unwritten that criticisms don’t start until the troops were to be freed - thats how British politics works - although *anger* Gilligan sailed awfully close to the winds - I almost contacted Sky News with a complaint).
I personally would not be happy with Blair (Brown) - if they back down in response to this…
I don’t think anyone in Britain would - that wouldn’t go down well with anyone (other than the usual) here I don’t think…
Letting the Iranian-theocracy off the hook now - and to the cheek of them - “apologise”???? - is a non starter. Iran seizes our forces - and we must apologise??? No way. We never fired at them! Maybe if we fired first… but not as I currently see events/circumstances.
I think Blair is following the right policy - not going into talks bilaterally with them (at disadvantage - THEY have our troops)… It is better to have our allies (US and certain EU members particularly)… behind us in any talks.
Iran merely went for the softer target in the knowledge that US troop abductions would result in Tehran coming under immediate bombardment….
It’s (in doing this) trying to “divide and conquer” the UK and US positions. This in my view is really an attack on the US by-proxy… In the calculated move that actions against UK personnel were judged to be less risky…
Perhaps this may be Tehran’s gravest mistake… rhetoric aside.
BSC: Good points, M. It’s obvious that the Sailors are being video taped under duress, are being told what to say and the videos are edited. You are right about the softer target as well. But I think that proves my point. If they know they can take Brits without consequence they will chose to take Brits. If they thought they would come under fire for attempting to capture British Sailors, they wouldn’t have even tried and this whole situation could have been avoided.
I wasn’t criticizing Blair for refusing to back down or ‘apologize’!! If anything I wish he would be more tough. So far it is rhetoric and no action. I don’t think the Iranians have any respect for that and certainly don’t respond to any sort of reasonable debate/diplomacy.
Bravo that the politicians and showing a united front until the crisis is past. I wish American politicians and media would do the same. They seem to thrive on criticizing the President and every breath he takes for the world to hear regardless of how it undermines our policies and efforts abroad.
Perhaps this may be Tehran’s gravest mistake… rhetoric aside.
How do you mean that is Tehran’s greatest mistake?
MC Rove (Karl Rove Rap Video)…
See Karl Rove Rappin At The Radio and Television Correspondents Association dinner. Oh my!
MC Rove Video
MC Rove is in the house, ladies and gentlemen.
This is an OTA Alliance and Linkfest Haven post which is generously trackposted to Outside the…
MC Rove (Karl Rove Rap Video)…
See Karl Rove Rappin At The Radio and Television Correspondents Association dinner. Oh my!
MC Rove Video
MC Rove is in the house, ladies and gentlemen.
This is an OTA Alliance and Linkfest Haven post which is generously trackposted to Outside the…
Liberty Belle Beth - In 1979, our Tehran US Embassy hostages (63) were abducted, expoited, paraded as trophies,
humiliated, tortured, and separated for 444 days until President Ronald Wilson Reagan was sworn into office on January 20, 1981. These 15 British Royal marines and sailors are in this ordeal for a long time. Their own naval ship had the chance to intervene and let the Iraniac dogs take them!
What else can you say? Get ready for the Brit subs to sink a few Iraniac ships, and for the U.S. carrier groups to get some action as well. The boogie man is Mahmoud Madinthehead Ahmadinejad and he’s not going away. Get ready to pay $4.00 per gallon of gas and the Iraniacs showed the world that they were liars when offering to release the one female captive and then renigging. As a U.S. military veteran, 15 lives versus taking out a madman’s Islamomaniac regime……? The clock is ticking and it’s already been one week! …….+ IRAN +……. >>>>>>>>>>>>> X !
BSC: I have been wondering how the Brits can handle this without looking weak. They have to do more than talk. At this point, since the Sailors and Marines have been captured and Tehran is basically thumbing their noses at the British the options seem to be getting fewer and fewer. I don’t think it can be de-escalated with rhetoric and appeasement will only escalate and embolden them. I still think they could have taken the British Sailors and Marines to give them some cushion against the probability that the US is preparing to retaliate against whatever Tehran has been building up to do to the West. Commenter M is probably right in that it would create a divide between the US and Britain. If we retaliate with the British in custody it could lead to a riff - although it probably won’t. We are too close allies and each country understands what has to be done. At least the people understand.
Good Reads around the Blogosphere…
Here are some good reads today for hot topics on the internet. As usual, topics are centered on technology and entertainment. Our format is to follow the Technorati top 10 searches. Enjoy!
1. The Social Customer has a good roundup of Kathy Sier…
PS: Liberty Belle Beth - Captain America was killed off a few weeks ago, and sadly, the Iraniacs have killed 007! Soon the former ‘Great’ Britain will be singing “Allah save the Queen”
and every conservative understands that you never negotiate with terrorists - especially with Islamomaniacs! Remember the 1972 Munich Olympics where Black September killed the Israeli wrestlers? In the raid on Entebbe, Uganda, the Israeli
commandoes went after their hijacked Air France passengers and pulled off a miracle, while killing every terrorist in the process. Now the world realizes that England is a Paper Lion.
Absolutely no THUNDERBALLS Mr. Bond. 007 is shakened and stirred. At least Israel still has the Mossad!
Suspected Mastermind of USS Cole Bombing Claims Torture…
Did you know that the Al Qaeda handbook says that any captured members are to claim torture? Yes, that is correct. It is in Chapter 18. And now we have another example
WASHINGTON — A suspected Saudi terrorist told a military hearing that he…
WT - That’s not for liberals to know. All they did was strap KSM to a chair, and made him watch episodes of The View,
with Rosie O’Donnell’s thong on his head - worn! Then they showed him bathing suit shots of Hillary Clinton, Helen Thomas and Madeline Albright. He cracked in mullah minutes!
Muqtada al-Sadr calls for protests on April 9….
The Movement for the National Liberation of Iraq from Foreign Occupation is upon us, and if Muqtada al-Sadr gets his way, he will be leading it. At least that’s what he hopes. Muqtada al-Sadr issued a call for Iraqis to…
I’ve been censored?…
And perhaps your blog as been censored as well….
John Edwards needs your help….please help send this kid to camp…
…..an actual letter from the Edwards Campaign
DEAR JERRY,
In just over 24 hours, the books close forever on our first-quarter fundraising. Right now, the future of our campaign and everything we’re working to achieve is in your hands…
Stealing the future [Weekend Open Trackback]…
Germany enacted Friday a hike in its retirement age from 65 to 67, with the Bundesrat upper house putting its seal on the legislation which aims to head off a crisis in ageing German society.
With Germans living longer, there are no longer enough activ…
An Inconvenient Truth is a Remake…
I’ve posted the link - repeatedly - about how global warming scare mongering is not a new concept. The first climate change scaremongering was done by the New York Times in 1895. That’s not a typo - over a century ago, the New York Times …
Iran vs Britain?…
Maybe a little harsh on Britain
……
Russian smoke screen…
Putin’s official position not withstanding, I wouldn’t bet against this being some well planned subterfuge. Putin offically denies interest in serving any longer but one of his toadies in parliament ramming through the constitutional changes needed t…
BSC asked: “How do you mean that is Tehran’s greatest mistake?”
Because British people are unlikely to forget this very quickly…
And the US hawks will be eyeing them with even greater intensity….
But this time - as a result of this - the “moral high ground” will be much easier to keep….
The point is - the British didn’t shoot - imagine the propaganda if the Marines had of fired????
I for one - am far more suspicious of Iran now - and am now very much in the line of thinking that Iran has been taking offensive actions by-proxy in Iraq…
Maybe time to take some actions of our own…
Oh by the way: this over action is… difficult due to the heavy commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq….
Iraq The Model “Terrorized” By American Soldiers…
Remember one of John Kerry’s fairly recent accusations against American troops?
And there is no reason, Bob, that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, wom…
Clarify the typos in the above:
Oh by the way: this difficulty over any action by Britain is… difficult due to the heavy commitments we have in Afghanistan and Iraq…. This causes us a problem.
Also may I add - that I am not particuarly pleased as a British person to hear Pelosi is visiting Syria (next week?). I think this is a real ERROR OF JUDGEMENT.
And I’ve had respect for Pelosi up until I heard this. (UK has had good relations with both parties in the US - we’re allies with “THE AMERICAN NATION”).
This division (shown by this)- especially in the light of the UK Marines abductions is terrible…
Syria (and Iran) are obviously delighted - because don’t think that there is not coordination going on here. Since both have interests in Iraq and Lebanon…….
I’m grateful to the rest of the EU - the Germans in particular have shown that they keep their word.
But I think in the best sense - Pelosi should reconsider. If she did it would go along way to putting British minds at rest.
BSC: I wish we could send Pelosi across the pond to y’all. She’s an embarrassment and is clueless. She’s all about her own power and doesn’t seem to realize or care about the danger she is putting the country in. Unfortunately, many people vote who don’t keep up with what is going on. Most people don’t even know who she is, yet they voted her into the 3rd most powerful office in the country. It’s really unsettling.
I’m grateful to the rest of the EU - the Germans in particular have shown that they keep their word…
what I meant here - as apposed to “the usual suspects” within the EU who don’t…
Looks like the different phase is now beginning… with further ramping of the pressure….
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6514567.stm
Nice one USA!
Lets hope they begin to see they have no alternative to handing them over.
” … the Knights of the Round Table … “
And let’s not forget the Knights who say ‘Ni’.
Ours is truly a glorious history, M.
BSC: bert - if an actor wants to write an article on the evils of the West and the kindnesses bestowed upon us by Iran he has that right. Thanks to our rule of law. We certainly wouldn’t have that right in Iran. Keep your links to yourself. That link is deleted.
Satan’s Saturday Fire and Brimstone…
Satan will never understand how the left thinks. Here we have Speaker Nancy Pelosi, far left San Francisco Democrat, who has fought against U.S. involvement Iraq since coming to power in January. Obviously she is anti-war, but yet she is going to f…..
EU Referendum got it right. Britain has nothing in the “locker” to throw at Iran. I did a quick post some weeks back, looking at the military might of our allies and foes. ( http://thevirtuousrepublic.com/C20070109031855/E20070303184610/index.html)
Here is a quick look at British military power:
1. Two tiny carriers with 16 Harriers each. Compare that to an America carrier.
2. 0 cruisers. Yep. Zero.
3. 8 destroyers.
4. 17 frigates.
5. 13 nuclear subs
6. 480 total fighter aircraft. You would think a country that suffered the German air blitz would have more fighter aircraft, wouldn’t you?
7. Finally, a country of 60 million, has a total military active force of only 190,000.
Even though Britain has the world’s 5th largest GDP, it seems it decided to disarm long ago. Don’t worry about gasoline prices, because all Britain can do is kiss Iran’s ass and hope they send their sailors home soon.
BSC: :sigh: that’s depressing
so falls a titan…
Since 1588, the English Royal Navy has been one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, naval forces on the face of the planet. It helped support an empire upon which the sun never set; it fought off……
Pet Food Problem Starts to Spread…
Purina has recalled its Alpo Cuts-in-Gravy products. Previously, it had recalled some of its Mighty Dog food because it had been manufactured by Menu Foods. This new recall is because the wheat gluten used in the Alpo Cuts-in-Gravy is of……
‘M in the UK’ - FOX NEWS just made a great point my friend that your EU - Eurabian Union - wants to downsize your British Navy from 28,000 to 14,000 personnel? NATO has blown the Queen off so don’t make your Afghanistan mission
excuses. Your 15 sailors & royal marines were abandoned by their HMS Cromwell so get used to how our hostages felt in 1979 - 444 days of captivity! Americans will NEVER negotiate with Iraniac nor Islamomaniac terrorists and neither will our #1 ally - Israel. England has great ale and soccer and Sun Page 3 Girls…but that’s about it. Britain is no longer GREAT and is currently purring like a paper lion. 007 is shaken, stirred and dead…so very sad.
SKY NEWS UK…
Iran Protests Over ‘British Shooting’
Iran has sent a formal letter to the British Embassy in Tehran protesting about an alleged incident in Iraq, in which British troops are alleged to have surrounded an Iranian consulate and fired shots into the air.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1258576,00.html
This is the second time that this story has been put forward by Iran this week. When it first occured on Thursday - it was said by the UK MOD that there was apparently a British patrol “passing in the same street” and someone took a shot at them - and they didn’t return fire.
This Iranian statement - is merely an attempt at propaganda - an attempt to recycle a story that had no basis when it was first dealt with on Thursday.
Iran - stop trying to gain the moral high ground! You have absolutely no chance - you illegally took them and are threatening “legal action” against them individuals - BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT GETTING WHAT YOU WANT.
How on earth can they NOT be called “HOSTAGE”?
Bert said:
“†… the Knights of the Round Table … “
And let’s not forget the Knights who say ‘Ni’.
Ours is truly a glorious history, M.”
The Iron Duke (Wellington)… Waterloo ???
Lord Nelson ….. Trafalgar ???
Sir John Fieldhouse & Sir John Woodward … Falkland Islands ?
I suggest you read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_military_history
Machiavelli and darthcrUSAderwt2007 points:
Our defense budget:
FY2007-8 - ranked 2nd (behind the US - which is the same as the next 10 combined….)
GBP £33.4 billion
USD $66.225 billion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_military
So your aware:
The EU does not determine INDEPENDENT SOVEREIGN MEMBER’S DEFENSE POLICY. That is up to each member. It is unlikely that this will change fundamentally in the next 20 years if ever due to the fact that the EU is NOT A FEDERAL STATE - it is an affliation of independent sovereign states.
Each nation merely makes it’s own contributions to the EU rapid reaction force (which we are a major contributor), and to the EU “ready battlegroups”. http://www.euractiv.com/en/security/eu-battlegroups/article-150151
Those are likely to be used primarily in Europe… we wish to see them used further - but THE FRENCH ARE AGAINST THIS.
(What do you expect?)
… And to NATO again behind the US we are probably the second largest contributor in terms of overall Hi-tech assets.
I also make the point - that the MUTUAL relationship we have with the USA is one where WE BOTH get something out of it… even if some of my (the more vocal but very misguided or extremely biased) country people don’t agree - it’s often because they are told by the vocal … NOT TO AGREE.
The alliance we have is smething I don’t wish to see the end of.
Either way - UK defense policy is determined in Westminster and will be for the forseable future.
Our recent defence policy: (see: the extension to the SDR…. the “2004 Delivering Security in a Changing World: Future Capabilities”) has a stated assumption that any large operation would be undertaken as part of a coalition. Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq (Granby, Desert Fox and Telic), Sierra Leonne etc may all be taken as precedent - indeed the last large scale military action in which the British armed forces fought alone was the Falklands War of 1982.
See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_military
and
http://www.britainusa.com/sections/articles_show_nt1.asp?d=10&i=41062&L1=41012&L2=41062&L3=1&a=22277
This has meant that in the early 2000’s Britain was “in a transition period”. I have personally been rather annoyed by “over-runs” in programmes which the government itself says it needs to do better. But these over-runs are seen in the US and elsewhere…
Britain is known to be about to embark on possibly one of the largest defense spending programs in it’s peacetime (if we are in such a thing?) history…
It is going to purchase the REPLACEMENT for TRIDENT…. and is going to purchase 2 super-carriers of a similar size to the US Nimitz/Ford (CVN-78) classes.
These two ships are expected to be named HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. The two ships are due to enter service in 2012 and 2015 respectively. Their primary aircraft complement will be made up of F-35B Lightning IIs (BEING DEVELOPED JOINTLY WITH THE USA), and their ship’s company will number around 1000.
But a note to Machiavelli and darthcrUSAderwt2007 I am personally annoyed that we have converted - two Invincible class ships to amphibious invasion ships (we now have 3! plus two major supporting ships - (See HMS Albion”) so that now without OUR OWN CRUISE MISSILES we have no seaborne LONG RANGE striking or “power projection assets” until the two new ships are built and operational.
I’d say that along with the US - we are now the best “joint operations” orientated military in the world…
I’d end with this … if the US is going to war tomorrow… would you want us with you or not?
On that point I’ll leave you to make up your own minds…
“6. 480 total fighter aircraft. You would think a country that suffered the German air blitz would have more fighter aircraft, wouldn’t you?”
I don’t see many German bombers being readied - to bomb London currently…
Indeed, the threat is from ballistic missles - hence despite (the usual MORE VOCAL idiotic and irresponsible neo-communist? or whatever they are “peace protesters”) - I am pro-ballistic missile defence programs in Europe and the US.
But mind - I don’t subscribe to the mind numbing claims of the usual suspects that the US is not a good influence in the world on the whole….
If these people weren’t “protesting” about the US … they’d be causing trouble in some other way.
darthcrUSAderwt2007:
“Your 15 sailors & royal marines were abandoned by their HMS Cromwell so get used to how our hostages felt in 1979 - 444 days of captivity! Americans will NEVER negotiate with Iraniac nor Islamomaniac terrorists and neither will our #1 ally - Israel.”
Purring like a paper lion???? #1 ally????? THIS ISN’T A COMPETITION!
In saying that you give ammunition to people saying that Blair is a “poodle” which I doubt he is - Blair just better at seeing the long term bigger picture… for Britain - unlike some of the other ideologs in the EU. Hence moving more forces into Afghanistan… unlike other members…. (”the usual suspects”)
I’m sure Bush is thankful he’s had Blair around if anything as much for being “a sounding board” for things… last years G8 summit at Gleneagles shows that (but the media and the leftist lobbyests “spin” it the other way).
Personally, I see Hezbollah were gearing up to have a go at Israel in Lebanon last year. And Israel was certainly in it’s rights to respond. By-proxy games going on there…
Israel finds it hard maintaining the moral high ground however… due to the tactics employed by its enemies.
Blair’s managed to handle the politics of it all rather well. The media is just out to get him… for lack of a better target - THE ROYALS!!!
(We’re not all ideolog “socialists” here you know! - it’s just that the Blair government is better than any alternative in my view. I don’t like some of the back bench Labour MP’s or the Liberal Democrats. - but the Conservative policies simply weren’t good for the country - and the jury is still out on them for the time being I doubt they would have done any better than Blair in the past 10 years)…
PAPER TIGER?????????????????????????????!!!!
SEE THESE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FcXWZ0XVuw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6qHcd4imKk
STOP EQUATING THE “POLITICAL WAR” with IRAN currently with a “HOT WAR” … with fighting.
This is what causes certain criticisms of American’s military and viewpoint…
American people (or media) should view them not as “heroes” - BUT AS “PROFESSIONALS” - i.e. professional soldiers doing their duty and their job….
“cheesy” media in the UK doesn’t play well… it’s just the way we are…
I think this is why Britain has been more resiliant to the gradual drip drip effect on morale that has been seen in the US (that and the lower casualty rate I add…).
The US media doesn’t see that their forces are professionals and that getting killed or injured is a hazard of their job.
This is a cultural difference with the UK. All forces sign up of their own choice… and realise this themselves in the main.
Not to say we’ll abandon our servicemen - indeed quite the opposite in fact!!!
Anyway - we share more similarities with the US far more than differences. For this I am glad.
Paper tiger???? “England has great ale and soccer and Sun Page 3 Girls…but that’s about it.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhHqce3SVQw
I think you should have a think about that….
Oops just to clarify:
when I said:
“last years G8 summit at Gleneagles”… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/31st_G8_summit
I actually meant the G8 meeting at St Petersburg, Russia, on 17 July 2006…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo,_Blair
Just remembered… and that this is indeed a case of spin being put on something… that was not what elements of the media said it was.
Since the looney’s take over the asylum at times…
Terry Jones is a comedian, so he uses sledgehammer sarcasm. His point though is relevant to your post.
By contrast, your point about free speech in Iran is true but beside the point, and seems somewhat undercut by your editing my comment to delete the link.
Here’s the argument.
Basically, if we want to hold Iran to commonly-held standards regarding the treatment of prisoners, we need to take the lead in upholding those standards ourselves.
If instead common standards aren’t important because they restrict our freedom to impose our will on our enemies - fine, but then quit complaining.
Quite a few people are confused as to where they stand on this, and their commentary has shown this confusion.
I’d be interested in your response, but at the very least I hope you won’t delete this comment.
Best wishes, Bert
The point is Bert - they took these marines illegally.
And the Iranian-theocracy should know that we’re onto them - in the bigger picture.
Also with the propaganda letters/video - it’s not fooling anyone here.
Also why should we apologise? When we weren’t in their waters????
I don’t see people being educated in any insitution in Britain to shout “death to Iran” …. by the way.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6515995.stm
There is institutionally encouraged hatred of the west there.
The taking of the marines - is indicative of that.
No argument with any of that, M.
There’s been a lot of outrage though, from Blair not least, about their treatment in custody.
Use of prisoners for propaganda, for instance, is explicitly ruled out by the Geneva conventions.
Those Conventions are there to protect our guys. That was the point made by John McCain, John Warner and Lindsey Graham when the Abu Ghraib story broke. All three of them Republicans by the way, and all three apparently with a moral compass in working order, on this issue at any rate.
By complete contrast, Alberto Gonzalez, author of the torture memos, seems a different kind of man altogether.
When we’re confronting nasty pieces of work like the hardliners in Iran, having people like that on our side really doesn’t help.
Well the issue of Abu Ghraib - is one of sadistic behaviour…
Don’t worry most people realise that “bad eggs” exist in any large organisation.
The only way around that is oversight oversight and more oversight - with regard to prisoners.
Abu Ghraib was a failure of oversight. - i.e. looking over shoulders.
But I must add - that anyone held now (even RIGHTLY held) - occuses the US of torture…. since they believe it will speed their release. I don’t believe all these can be happening.
The politicians with oversight - McCain and others you mention themselves would certainly have blown the whistle on it by then - as to not would ensure they become responsible…….
But hey - we’re off topic again….
the issue is THE ILLEGALITY of Iran’s action…