UK Sailors And Marines Held By Iran (Breaking News)

Sky News ^ | March 23, 2007 | Sky News

[Eurotwit]

Fifteen British sailors and Marines are being held by Iranian forces, says the Ministry of Defence.

More follows...

[baubau]

I'm not one for boycotts but you can read up on it through this FR search.

pgyanke, provided the above link.

Thank you, pgyanke.

[Designer II]

"..at least one cup.."

Of coffee, right?

[baubau]

"I personally don't want them issuing credit to Muslims illegally crossing from Canada or arriving from other First World nations on student visas and disappearing either, but that's just me.

Neither do I, hence the tagline.

[musicman]

"We sure wouldn't wish anything bad on them now would we?"

Hmmmm... well maybe just one of those pesky little center fuel tank explosion thingees.....

[cake_crumb]

"It's a good thing they're both on our side so we can crush the insurgency and put an end to this civil war, albeit a limited one. But the shiites and sadr army must be crushed as they are the main reason for this war going as far as it has so far."

**sigh**. Um. Look, it's great that an apparent borderbot is taking an interest. I gave you an extremely simplified version of an extremely complicated situation which spans over a century. I suggest you do some research on the subject until you gain a basic understanding of Arab politics.

[cake_crumb]

Not bad.

[familyop]

UK forces have already suffered too much from Iran around Basra. It's time for our allied forces to move. We need to denazify Iran.

[familyop]

Ping.

Iran continues to give lessons on bazaar behaviors (stubbornness disguised as bargaining). I wonder as to when we'll reply.

[Dog]

Whoa.... I just got in from work... can someone explain to me how Iran snuck up on the British Navy and seized 15 sailors?

[pgyanke]

No worries.

[jhpigott]

sounds like there were 2 inflatable boats with RN soldiers preforming normal operations in Iraqi waters and searched a suspicious vessel. Presumably, they were some distance from their home warship (HMS Cromwell). A number of other vessels (with Iranian Revolutionary Guard types) approached the seized vessel and at gun point took the RN sailors captive.

I've read reports that American military assets were in the area, became aware of the abduction and was ready to respond, but when it became apparent that the RN was going to let this thing play out diplomatically and avoid a shooting situation, the Americans followed suit

[Dog]

Whats this tell you about the Iranian mindset right now?

IMHO....the defections and seizing of the Qods troops has totally unnerved the Iranians.

[jhpigott]

IMHO i tend to think they are trying to get us to tip our hand as to how we are going to handle the overall crisis

However, i bet they are pretty unnerved right now given all the recent disappearing acts their military officers have been performing lately (just saw yesterday that 5 more disappeared in Turkey) and this may be nothing more than a face saving measure. But if its just a face saving measure they are going to need to tread carefully if they want to avoid a shooting war.

I just think there is just too much of a confluence of events for me to believe this wasn't premeditated in some way (and thus not likely some spontaneous kidnapping taken by an unnerved government to save face) Iranian naval games currently ongoing, nutjob on his way to the UN to speak, vote on UN sanctions.

I guess we'll find out in a few days . . .

[M. Espinola]

Since crude oil prices have slipped below the 'approval level' of the Iran's oil fueled terrorist exporters, this brazen act of hostage taking may also be a market related contrivance, staged on a Friday, in order to jack up international oil prices so the Tehran Islamic régime earns billions more to pour into their Shi'ite jihad projects against our troops in Iraq, plus funding for proxy terrorists Hamas and Hezballah.

Oil higher after Iran captures UK navy personnel

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Yep. Once the Navy's gone, the rest is pretty superfluous. As the Russians about the Kursk.