Posted on 03/29/2007 11:02:02 AM PDT by UKrepublican
New Iran Captive Letter Updated: 18:56, Thursday March 29, 2007
Iran has published another letter allegedly written by Leading Seaman Faye Turney in which she supposedly calls for British forces to withdraw from Iraq.
The letter also asks the British Government why it allowed the British captives to stray into Iranian waters.
And it goes on to say the group is being treated well by the Iranians.
Analysts immediately doubted the validity of the letter, saying the wording was not likely to have been thought up by the 26-year-old sailor.
The letter coincided with the release of new footage of the 15 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines being seized by Iranian gunboats in the Gulf.
In the video clips, gunshots are heard and a helicopter is shown hovering above inflatable boats in choppy seas.
Iranian boat (R) approaching a Royal Navy vessel Vessels close in on Royal Navy boats then the 15 captured Britons are shown seated in an Iranian gunboat.
The arrest footage was preceded by a senior Iranian officer using maps to explain how the Britons had "crossed into Iranian territory".
Iranian TV had previously shown video footage of the detainees eating and talking.
That broadcast featured an interview with L/S Turney in which she confessed - probably under duress - that the Britons had been at fault.
Prime Minister Tony Blair said it was a "disgrace" the way L/STurney, a 25-year-old mother of a three-year-old girl, was shown on TV.
"We are going to have to step up pressure not just with them in the UN and the European Union, but see what further measures are necessary to get them to understand it's not merely wrong but only going to result in further tension," he added.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.sky.com ...
They should do that anyway. Giving the hostages back doesn't make this outrage Okay.
Very good point. I noticed that.
Maybe they just fel uncomfortable? Only natural given the circumstances.
To keep them from doing morse code with blinking.
Damn those Iranian pigs.
Probably. That Orientalism that Edward Said is always prattling about might not be all bunk.
Ooooh! Further Tension!
Iran must be really scared now!
"Now go away, or I will taunt you a second time!"
I thought the fact that she was smoking in the Iranian prison might have been a signal (perhaps she was really a nonsmoker). But then I saw the new video of the actual capture and she's smoking in the boat, during the capture!!!
"This sailor had better start giving unmistakable signs that things that she's saying are being said under duress. I don't know if Royal Navy recruits are given training in this but if I know of some ways to do it (having seen examples from North Vietnamese propaganda films) she should know some."
Nothing she says or writes in captivity matters and should be held against her.
When she gets out she can confirm/deny. Until then she needs to just hang on the best she can without thinking (or her family thinking) civilians like us are judging her based on 10 seconds of video or a letter she is forced to write.
And yes, I agree, there are POWs who stand tall and get signals out.
BUMP
"(1)Back-channel to Iran to release hostages in "X" time or your one and only refinery will be destroyed and then.."
I don't like the back-channel aspect.
After all Iran is attempting to embarrass the UK in the eyes of the world, why should they be given a chance to save face?
Wait wait wait - does this mean that Iran is essentially admitting it's a combatant in the Iraq war? Why would the STATE of Iran kidnap British soldiers with a demand that the British leave Iraq, unless it has inserted itself, officially, into the war? If so, this would be an act of war directly related to the War in Iraq, in which case, Britain, I believe, has a right to strike Iran in self-defense, i.e., the U.N. is irrelevant to the situation at hand.
Should we say sorry to get our sailors back? Yes or No
Apparently they summoned the Iranian ambassador.
______
Are we sure that it wasn't a preemptive surrender?
True...but the film clip I saw of her the other day didn't indicate that she was putting much effort into sending that message to her fellow countrymen.
Didn't you guys hear?
The UN is going to gasp
SEND THEM A LETTER!
Yes 22.34% (2,100 votes)
No 77.65% (7,297 votes)
Total: 9,397
I though that was the purpose of the burqahs? :-) Sorry, couldn't resist, even in the midst of the this tense situation.
77% say no apology.
Iran is establishing the linkage that the MSM and wimpy Government leaders refuse to admit... If this keeps up, the obvious fact that WWIII is already underway will become impossible for anyone to ignore...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.