British Sailors Bound Blindfolded

by madigan Sat Apr 07, 2007 12:09

I'm not a supporter of Iran or the Iranian government, they say and do many things I don't agree with. However I have been sickened by some of the comments coming from "Our" press and government. The sheer arrogance and "High and mighty" attitude is staggering. The record of the "West" in dealing with captives is nothing to write home about or be proud of in any way. The way we are expected to fall into line and believe everything our government says must be true, and everything the Iranians say MUST be lies, is frankly quite offensive. I'm sure the relatives of some of the people detained by UK forces would happily swap the treatment their loved ones had to endure with the treatment given by the Iranians to the British personel.

by Mars Sat Apr 07, 2007 12:56

The freed military personnel looked the picture of health and if they were intimidated by the treatment they got, then all I can say lads and lassie is, don't ever cross your puppet master. A weekend in Guantanamo would surely soften your cough.
The staged interview spoke volumes for Tony Blairs lack of grace and more worryingly may betray his intentions. Could the reason for his lack of grace be that Iran must continuously be subjected to a process of dehumanisation so as to sell the next war adventaure and any suggestion that Iran could be capable of such magnanimous behaviour must never be admitted? And it would be contrary to the drip feed stuff that Downing Street feed to the Sun which would make that leaflet more of a laughing stock than it already is.
I fear there's more tally-ho stuff on the way.

by Goblin Sat Apr 07, 2007 13:05

This is to be expected from the Brits, usual cries of fowl spun to emulate their inherent honesty as opposed to those uncivilised 'sand niggers'.

The fact remains that these soldiers where treated infinitely better than those kidnapped and held hostages in 'Gitmo'.

And to further the irony, if not hypocrisy, I'd imagine all of those 'psychological' pressure tactics where invented by the Brits and honed on Irish Citizens in the 6 counties.

by pat c Sat Apr 07, 2007 15:44

I'm still gathering the views of the Iranian Left on this chain of events. The main thread is locked so I am posting the views of the COMMUNIST PARTY OF IRAN(MARXIST_LENINIST_MAOIST). Its a very long article. So I'm posting extracts. I think its only available in full in English at the group:
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/AWorldToWinNewsService/

You will have to subscribe to access it.

British piracy and the threat of an attack on Iran

2 April 2007. A World to Win News Service. Where were the two British boats located when they were captured by the Iranian armed forces, and what were they doing?

The exact position as charted by GPS (satellite tracking) systems is in dispute. The UK claims that they were in one spot according to what it says is data transmitted from one of the boats to the mother ship, while the Iranian government claims that they were in a different position on the basis of the recorded data from the very same GPS unit retrieved after capture.
But that is very far from the heart of the matter. The UK’s contention that they were in “our” waters is a lie – and a self-exposure – on a whole series of levels.

Fake maps and real provocation
First of all, there is no mutually accepted boundary line between Iraq and Iran in the Shatt al- Arab (the inland waterway dividing the two countries) and the Gulf waters beyond, where the incident occurred. There is no treaty between the two countries defining the frontier because they have never been able to come to an agreement on this matter, although Britain tried to impose a line of demarcation in 1917 when it ran both countries. The maps the UK government trotted out to prove that its commando boats were in Iraqi waters were drawn up by the British themselves and have no legal validity. Former Sea Lord (Royal Navy head) Admiral Sir Alan West implicitly admitted as much in a BBC interview (29 March). When asked how one could determine where the maritime border is, he answered, “It is highly complex. A commission is meant [in the future] to lay down the median line between the Shatt al-Arab and agree where the various lines are. So we have the line we believe is the correct one.” Craig Murray, former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan, who called the British maps “a fake with no legal force,” concluded in his blog, “The UK was plainly wrong to be ultra-provocative in disputed waters.” (craigmurray.co.uk)

It also cannot be denied that the Iranian regime has welcomed this incident and used it for its own reactionary ends. The Iranian Maoists have argued that the regime as a whole is united in the belief that a showdown with the US is inevitable, and therefore it would be more favourable for this to happen now while the US is so weakened by its disastrous occupation of Iraq. The Islamic Republic’s leadership perhaps believes that war, or at least the threat of war, can save them from the gathering fury of the Iranian people against the medieval mullahs whose rule has made their lives hell. But they may be mistaken if they think that the US quagmire in Iraq can save them.

by Cashing in Sun Apr 08, 2007 15:36

The Ministry of Defence's decision to allow Royal Navy personnel held captive by Iran to sell their stories has been met with anger and unease.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6537103.stm

by Mars Mon Apr 09, 2007 09:25

"The Ministry of Defence's decision to allow Royal Navy personnel held captive by Iran to sell their stories"

Why the surprise over this development. This will allow the hacks from the red tops to continue the process of demonisation and dehumanisation of the Iranian people and it is fully inline with what is behind this whole escapade-money. Why should the grunts not be allowed to make a few bob when the big boys are creaming zillions from the suffering of the people in the region. Life is cheap if you are an Arab.

If the communists/socialists living in Iran had any principles, they would be calling for the withdrawal of all foreign military from the region and not issuing statements that Bush can quote as showing that there is some support for his efforts to "liberate" the country.

by Alibann Mon Apr 09, 2007 19:51

What's the big deal? This should have been expexted, as the US/UK/Zionist war machine has been threatening Iran with war for quite some time now. Fifteen young brits dumb enough to join the military in the first place shouldn't be expected to be smart enough to avoid being captured. It seems that if the US/UK/Zionist war makers want to prove that the ship was in trespassing in Iraqi waters rather than trespassing in Iranian waters, they could simply release the uncut satelite footage to the rest of us to see. That simple. The real question should be why are these 15 kids more important to the world media than the roughly 9,500 Palestinian hostages being held in zionist prisons for the "crime" of believing in their country. JUSTICE!

by brit git Tue Apr 17, 2007 20:14

I wonder wasn't the British Gov't trailing its coat in this matter (disputed waters - did nobody tell the Captain?) & hoping for a publicity coup in the seizing of our brave tars. It's hard not to be cynical after years of hearing Bush & Blair making threatening noises towards Iran (& Cuba too - how can we let them get away with having a socialist state & brilliant Health Service? Appalling!).

by ...how much??? Wed Apr 18, 2007 01:50

Name your price matey. Or am I on the wrong website? speaking the wrong lingo. A school was bombed in Afghanistan today and some UN people got killed there too - even though it's a NATO project. They're fighting the smack dealers and al qaeda. All of europe (our europe not that 27 states bollox - sure they're not really like us at all) sends at least one postgraduate student or researcher to VT. Italy 2, Spain 1 But we don't send anyone to Afghanistan. They wouldn't be safe. In VT they're grand - very shook up but in the best of hands for post-trauma care now.
Richard Mugabe (always to be blamed) doesn't want any more foreign aid and social organisations in Zimbabwe. He revoked their licences.
The UN (you've seen a flag) agreed something about Darfur but no worries Ireland won't be sending youngsters there either.
But somehow the world just wants to analyse a lonely fked up ugly guy who is in specimen jars and petrie dishes now.

How many people died in Iraq in this last week? It still isn't as neat as how many thousands of people die every hour is it?

Terror does strange things.