How Now, Iran?
What is Iran thinking with its latest international attention-grabbing stunt?
They've "captured" 15 British servicepeople whom they claimed were in Iranian waters illegally. That's funny; British videotape clearly shows the Brits were inside Iraqi waters at the time and that the Persians crossed out of their own territory in order to make the capture.
I don't see Iran killing any of the hostages--that would go too far and provoke a major international response--unless that's what they're looking for. With all of the talk about a possible US military operation against Iran, are they looking to call our bluff? And why Britain--because they are US allies, and capturing Americans would have been too brazen?
Anyway, the incident is escalating, not surprisingly, with angry Iranian demonstrators crowding around the British embassy in Tehran. With a government as oppressive and propaganda-based as Iran's, though, it must be nearly impossible to determine whether this demonstration is genuine or staged.
There is a strong pro-democracy undercurrent in Iranian society, so I would be a little surprised if it was a genuine protest. Unless, of course, Iranians only have partial information about the incident, which is almost certain.
Hmmm. Tony Blair and Bush have already condemned the incident and called for the release of the hostages. What next?
They've "captured" 15 British servicepeople whom they claimed were in Iranian waters illegally. That's funny; British videotape clearly shows the Brits were inside Iraqi waters at the time and that the Persians crossed out of their own territory in order to make the capture.
I don't see Iran killing any of the hostages--that would go too far and provoke a major international response--unless that's what they're looking for. With all of the talk about a possible US military operation against Iran, are they looking to call our bluff? And why Britain--because they are US allies, and capturing Americans would have been too brazen?
Anyway, the incident is escalating, not surprisingly, with angry Iranian demonstrators crowding around the British embassy in Tehran. With a government as oppressive and propaganda-based as Iran's, though, it must be nearly impossible to determine whether this demonstration is genuine or staged.
There is a strong pro-democracy undercurrent in Iranian society, so I would be a little surprised if it was a genuine protest. Unless, of course, Iranians only have partial information about the incident, which is almost certain.
Hmmm. Tony Blair and Bush have already condemned the incident and called for the release of the hostages. What next?
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