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Zero Tolerance

March 28th, 2007
By Michael van der Galien

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If there is one thing Tony Blair cannot do, it is to give in to Iran. Iran kidnapped 15 British who were, at the moment of their ‘capture’ in Iraqi waters. To give in to Iran now, will give the Mullahs the impression that the West will eventually cave in regarding their nuclear program and sponsoring of terrorism, as well.

Today, Pajamas Media published a good article by Meir Javedanfar. Meir argues that if the Brits accept this, if the Brits don’t let Iran know that it has to release the British servicemen ASAP, or face the consequences of its act of aggression, and instead give in to Iran’s demands, “US soldiers are likely to be next in line for capture by Iran.”

Iran is, according to Meir, trying to influence public opinion in Britain.

By capturing the servicemen, Tehran is hoping that the British people, particularly the majority who are already against the war in Iraq will openly blame Blair for the crisis, by saying that it is his fault for endangering the lives of troops by sending them into a conflict zone.

Naval blockade. If Iran refuses to give in, airstrikes.

Tony Blair seems to understand that as well.

Also, Iran said that the British were in Iranian waters at the moment of their ‘capture’. The British ministry of defense says they were in Iraqi waters and, what’s more, the British can prove it:

Fifteen Royal Navy personnel seized by Iran last Friday were 1.7 nautical miles within Iraqi territorial waters, the Ministry of Defence said today.

After five days of fruitless diplomacy, the Government decided to go public with its case against what it sees as an illegal seizure, giving the exact coordinates of two patrol boats operating from the HMS Cornwall in the northern Gulf, backed up by nautical charts. Tehran says the two boats were in Iranian waters.

At a press conference at MoD headquarters, Vice-Admiral Charles Style also charged that the Iranian Government had changed its story between Saturday and Monday after initially giving coordinates that showed the boats - engaged in entirely routine shipping patrols - were inside Iraqi waters.

“It is hard to understand a legitimate reason for this change of coordinates,” Vice-Admiral Style. “In any case, we vigorously contest both coordinates given by the Iranians.

Good, let that be the end of that discussion. Now it’s time to agree that Blair should adopt a zero tolerance policy.

Cross posted at my own blog



This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 28th, 2007 at 3:38 am and is filed under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Tony Blair, United Kingdom, Iran, As Yet Unassigned. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

 
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