Posted on 04/01/2007 9:54:07 AM PDT by fanfan
Canada interjected itself squarely into the hostage standoff between Iran and Britain yesterday after dressing down the Iranian envoy in Ottawa, joining the growing international effort to pressure Tehran to release the 15 captured sailors.
Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay said he summoned Iran's top diplomat in Canada for a meeting on Thursday to urge Tehran to immediately release 15 British sailors and marines, now entering their second week of captivity after their boat was intercepted in the northern Persian Gulf region in what Britain says was a lawful United Nations patrol in international water.
"We view this as a provocative and extremely unhelpful act on behalf of Iran. There appears to be plenty of empirical evidence and independent evidence that suggests that the boat, the sailors were in Iraqi not Iranian water. Now the Iranians are disputing that fervently," Mr. MacKay said in an interview yesterday.
"We continue to press for Iran to release these sailors. We view this, given the current climate, as destabilizing for the whole region and we'll continue to press that issue where and when we can."
But Iran countered after the MacKay meeting, with Charge d'Affaires Abbas Assemi maintaining Britain had violated Iranian territorial water and Canada and the world should side with Tehran and condemn the British "violation" of its waterways.
"The British officials who are aware of the mistake of their marine troops have launched political hues and cries as well as propaganda through media to cover up their wrongdoings and attribute them to others," Mr. Assemi said in a statement released by Iran's official news agency, IRNI. "By resorting to fake evidence, the British government is seeking to distort the realities."
The griping between Canada and Tehran was a side battle to the main diplomatic deadlock, which deepened yesterday between Iran and Britain when three Royal Navy sailors were displayed on Iranian television and a third letter from the lone female sailor was released.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said yesterday the "parading" of the navy personnel in public would only heighten disgust of the Iranian regime.
The European Union also expressed its "unconditional support" for Britain yesterday, something Mr. MacKay said he noted.
Mr. MacKay said Canada has a vested interest in the current standoff because it has engaged in its own naval patrols in Persian Gulf region.
"It isn't simply between Iran and Great Britain. This has implications for all. Canadian sailors have been in these waters, as well, in the past. And so again there is a direct impact on Canada. There is a direct implication on the international community."
MacKay would not comment on the effect the incident would have on future patrols by Canadian warships in the region.
The MacKay-Assemi meeting was a rare occurrence because Canada and Iran have scaled back diplomatic relations.
Iran does not have an ambassador to Canada, and diplomatic contact between the two countries has been downgraded to between lower level officials.
We haven't forgotten it, we are exorcising it.
;-)
OK-so what if it isn't NATO (which would mean Germany and Fwance) but just the UK and US. Then what will Canada do?
Post 35 Clive.
gpapa, nice to meet you.
Exactly.
Thats their whole strategy....divide and conquer.
I think we would go in, even if we had to fight an election over it.
I mean it, Canadians are really enjoying having pride in our country again. They won't give up that good feeling easily.
come to think of it, who is tougher, a Canadian hockey
field of fans or an English pissed off soccer stadium ?
let's gooooooo to the video...........
Thank God!! Now we got to start pulling in the british
The British are almost out numbered.
If it isn't NATO it will be a coalition of the willing. In addition to naval and air assets, a key to any operational success, such as tying up Iran's coastal defenses and taking out their refining capability, will be Special Ops. I can see the US, Brits, Aussies, Dutch, Poles, and others joining such an operation. Perhaps the Canadian JTF2 and even the French COS might join the party as well.
If we take out the Iranian limited refining capability and blockade their ports on the Gulf we could grind their economy to a virtual halt. They import about 40% of their gasoline needs. No telling however, how much they have stockpiled for military use and how long it would last.
We could hit their nuclear sites with world support, but the left will persecute us for hardships on the Iranian people caused by gasoline shortages.
Are we finally getting to the point where we are more worried about what is right, than what is politically correct?
Ahhh, the irony.
Anyone here remember the gas shortage in the 70's?
Well I am glad to hear it, because it seems that a lot of people are confused about the obligations of citizenship (that pride in country means sometimes being forced to act on her behalf). Frankly, I think most regular joes are not confused, but the academic/media/governmental elites are so skilled at sewing discord that they are able to muddy the water and create inertia.
OH CA-NA-DA! GOOD MORNING! WELCOME TO THE WORLD, I knew you guys had balls now lets keep them intact! Talk is cheap EU! Actions speak louder than words, You dont know it yet but your in this to> Wake up! Put down your white flags and pick up your own, show some national pride! Protect your way of life! Sounds like a good idea don't it, NOW DO IT!
It is not a matter of whether the west, or east for that matter, will allow us or not. It is in our national interest to bring down the current regime in Tehran. Just hitting the nuke sites with a bunch of MOAB'S and other deep penetrating missiles will not accomplish that goal. As for the left, aided by their cohorts in the DBM and UN, they are irrelevant, as is their hollow support for the vast majority of the Iranian people. War is war and civilian populations suffer because of it whether we like it or not.
Some field.
he he he case closed
...next
Well, yes.
In a perfect world.
Meanwhile, what will our collective governments actually do?
What is this??? Canada showing a bit of a spine??? Huh???
Good job, our Canadian FRiends!
Rob, I and most Canadians on this board are sick to death of the constant sniping at our reduced (by LIEberals) forces.
Our soldiers-under-arms are nowhere near as numerous as yours, but man for man are the equal of any on earth. Our Arty folks were among the first to use the NEW 777 gun in Afghanistan, BTW.
Our navy is small (3rd largest at the end of WWII, but shrunk a LOT since) but once again, we have supply ships that have dropped grenades on SSN's during war games with you, and our frigates are regularly part of your CVN's escort group(s), when not running interdiction in the Gulf.
Our air force uses F-18's, not Sopwith Camels, and we're buying a bunch of NEW Boeing transport aircraft.
Please drop the snide "Canada has a ____?". It's as juvenile and inappropriate as "Bush's Fault", or "Bush lied, soldiers died".
It's bad enough we have to listen to the leftwingers up here carp and snipe at us. Taking fire from "friendlies" is quite disturbing.
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