Iran, The Rogue State, Seizes 15 British Sailors in Iraq Waters

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/23/83736.shtml?s=lh

Iran Seizes 15 British Sailors in Iraq Waters

NewsMax.com Wires Friday, March 23, 2007

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Iranian naval vessels on Friday seized 15

British sailors who had boarded a merchant ship in Iraqi waters of the

Persian Gulf as part of efforts to protect the Iraqi coastline and its oil

terminals, U.S. and British officials said.

The British government summoned the Iranian ambassador in London and

demanded "the immediate and safe return of our people and equipment." The

U.S. Navy, which operates off the Iraqi coast along with British forces,

said Iran's Revolutionary Guard naval forces were responsible.

The British Navy personnel were "engaged in routine boarding operations of

merchant shipping in Iraqi territorial waters," and had completed a ship

inspection when they were accosted by Iranian vessels, Britain's Defense

Ministry said.

"We are urgently pursuing this matter with the Iranian authorities at the

highest level," the ministry said.

No one could be immediately reached for comment at either government offices

in Iran or at the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad or at the U.N. mission. Iran is

in the middle of its New Year holiday when almost all government offices

close.

A U.S. official said the incident occurred just outside a long-disputed

waterway called the Shatt al-Arab dividing Iraq and Iran. It came as

tensions were running high in the Persian Gulf following Iran's defiance of

U.N. Security Council orders to rollback on its nuclear program and U.S.

allegations that Iran is arming Shiite militias in Iraq.

U.S. officials had expressed concern that with much military hardware

concentrated in the Persian Gulf, just such a small incident could spiral

out of control and trigger a major armed confrontation.

The United States, Britain's chief ally, has built up its naval forces in

the Gulf in a show of strength directed at Iran. Two American carriers,

including the USS John C. Stennis - backed by a strike group with more than

6,500 sailors and Marines and with additional minesweeping ships - arrived

in the region in recent months, ratcheting up tensions with Iran.

Earlier this week, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said if Western countries "want to

treat us with threats and enforcement of coercion and violence, undoubtedly

they must know that the Iranian nation and authorities will use all their

capacities to strike enemies that attack."

In February, President Bush said: "The Iranian people are good, honest,

decent people and they've got a government that is belligerent, loud, noisy,

threatening - a government which is in defiance of the rest of the world and

says, 'We want a nuclear weapon.'"

The Britons were in two boats from the frigate H.M.S. Cornwall during a

routine smuggling investigation, said the British Defense Ministry.

According to a statement from the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, which is based in

Bahrain and operates jointly with the British forces off the coast of Iraq,

the British sailors had just finished inspecting the merchant ship "when

they and their two boats were surrounded and escorted by Iranian vessels

into Iranian territorial waters."

Cmdr. Kevin Aandahl of the Fifth Fleet said the British crew members were

intercepted by several larger patrol boats operated by Iranian sailors

belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, a radical force

that operates separately from the country's regular navy.

The Iranian boats normally carry bow-mounted machine guns, while the British

boarding party carried only sidearms, Aandahl said. No shots were fired and

there appeared to be no physical harm done to any personnel involved or

their vessels, Aandahl said.

The seizure of the British vessels, a pair of rigid inflatable boats known

as RIBs, took place in long-disputed waters just outside of the mouth of the

Shatt al-Arab waterway that divides Iraq from Iran, Aandahl said. A 1975

treaty gave the waters to Iraq and U.S. and British ships commonly operate

there, but Aandahl said Iran disputes Iraq's jurisdiction over the waters.

"It's been in dispute for some time," Aandahl said. "We've been operating

there for a couple of years and we know the lines very well. This was a

compliant boarding, this happens routinely. What's out of the ordinary is

the Iranian response."

Aandahl said the U.S.-led task force has touchier relations with the

Revolutionary Guard, who often ignores normal maritime operating traditions,

than with the regular Iranian navy.

A fisherman who said he was with a group of Iraqis from the southern city of

Basra fishing in Iraqi waters in the northern area of the Gulf said he saw

the Iranian seizure. The fisherman declined to be identified because of

security concerns.

"Two boats, each with a crew of six to eight multinational forces, were

searching Iraqi and Iranian boats Friday morning in Ras al-Beesha area in

the northern entrance of the Arab Gulf, but big Iranian boats came and took

the two boats with their crews to the Iranian waters."

The Cornwall's commander, Commodore Nick Lambert, said the frigate lost

communication with the boarding party, but a helicopter crew saw the Iranian

vessels approach.

"I've got 15 sailors and marines who have been arrested by the Iranians and

my immediate concern is their safety," Lambert told British Broadcasting

Corp. television.

Lambert said it was a routine boarding, the skipper of the vessel "answered

all the questions, and the leader of the boarding party cleared him to

continue with his business."

In June 2004, six British marines and two sailors were seized by Iran in the

Shatt al-Arab. They were presented blindfolded on Iranian television and

admitted entering Iranian waters illegally, then released unharmed after

three days.

On Mar 23, 1:11 pm, "Patriot Games" <Crazy_Bast...@Yahoo.com> wrote:

> http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/23/83736.shtml?s=lh

>

> Iran Seizes 15 British Sailors in Iraq Waters

> NewsMax.com Wires Friday, March 23, 2007

That's just the thing...

Iran claims the britts were in iranian waters.

For educational purposes:

" Iran: Brit Sailors In Our Waters

Iranian state television reported that Iran has summoned the top

British diplomat there, to protest what Iran said are British sailors

illegally entering Iranian waters.

A spokesman for the U.S. Navy in Bahrain said 15 British sailors were

seized today by Iran, just outside a long-disputed waterway that

divides Iraq and Iran. The BBC reported that the 15 were taken at

gunpoint.

Iranian naval vessels seized the sailors after they boarded a merchant

ship in the Persian Gulf to inspect it. Iran described their

activities as "blatant aggression into Iranian territorial waters."

Entire article at:

http://www.wtov9.com/news/11345845/detail.html

International credibility being what it is these days.. I'd say it was

a coin toss.

Patriot Games wrote:

> http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/23/83736.shtml?s=lh

>

> Iran Seizes 15 British Sailors in Iraq Waters

> NewsMax.com Wires Friday, March 23, 2007

<snip>

>

> In February, President Bush said: "The Iranian people are good, honest,

> decent people and they've got a government that is belligerent, loud, noisy,

> threatening - a government which is in defiance of the rest of the world and

> says, 'We want a nuclear weapon.'"

Bush is the master of irony.

On Fri, 23 Mar 2007 21:11:20 GMT, "Patriot Games"

<Crazy_Bastard@Yahoo.com> wrote:

>http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/23/83736.shtml?s=lh

>

>Iran Seizes 15 British Sailors in Iraq Waters

>NewsMax.com Wires Friday, March 23, 2007

This would be routine humiliation of a European, Iran's favorite game.

Remember they (the Brits and Europeans) chastised Bush and counseled

diplomacy with the Iranians. And what do they get in return for their

attempts to 'reach out' and negotiate as equals?

Humiliation.

Did they expect respect and cooperation from a totalitarian theocracy?

While they call us ( the US) fascists and morons?

Yep. Evidently so.

On 23 Mar 2007 14:41:00 -0700, lorad474@cs.com wrote:

>On Mar 23, 1:11 pm, "Patriot Games" <Crazy_Bast...@Yahoo.com> wrote:

>> http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/23/83736.shtml?s=lh

>>

>> Iran Seizes 15 British Sailors in Iraq Waters

>> NewsMax.com Wires Friday, March 23, 2007

>

>That's just the thing...

>Iran claims the britts were in iranian waters.

>

>For educational purposes:

>" Iran: Brit Sailors In Our Waters

>Iranian state television reported that Iran has summoned the top

>British diplomat there, to protest what Iran said are British sailors

>illegally entering Iranian waters.

>

>A spokesman for the U.S. Navy in Bahrain said 15 British sailors were

>seized today by Iran, just outside a long-disputed waterway that

>divides Iraq and Iran. The BBC reported that the 15 were taken at

>gunpoint.

>

>Iranian naval vessels seized the sailors after they boarded a merchant

>ship in the Persian Gulf to inspect it. Iran described their

>activities as "blatant aggression into Iranian territorial waters."

>Entire article at:

>http://www.wtov9.com/news/11345845/detail.html

>

>International credibility being what it is these days.. I'd say it was

>a coin toss.

>

>

Yeah the waters are in dispute. Does that mean you start taking

hostages at gunpoint without even so much as a formal complaint?

These poor naive brits were sent out their with handguns in waters

infested with the hard Islamist warriors who have the righteousness of

Allah in their hearts and hard-assed mullahs directing them to

confront the infidel.

No contest. The poor idiots had no idea and their government won't

fight and ridicules nations who do.

On Mar 23, 6:38 pm, djw <wells.fam...@insightbb.com> wrote:

> On 23 Mar 2007 14:41:00 -0700, lorad...@cs.com wrote:

>

>

>

>

>

> >On Mar 23, 1:11 pm, "Patriot Games" <Crazy_Bast...@Yahoo.com> wrote:

> >>http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/23/83736.shtml?s=lh

>

> >> Iran Seizes 15 British Sailors in Iraq Waters

> >> NewsMax.com Wires Friday, March 23, 2007

>

> >That's just the thing...

> >Iran claims the britts were in iranian waters.

>

> >For educational purposes:

> >" Iran: Brit Sailors In Our Waters

> >Iranian state television reported that Iran has summoned the top

> >British diplomat there, to protest what Iran said are British sailors

> >illegally entering Iranian waters.

>

> >A spokesman for the U.S. Navy in Bahrain said 15 British sailors were

> >seized today by Iran, just outside a long-disputed waterway that

> >divides Iraq and Iran. The BBC reported that the 15 were taken at

> >gunpoint.

>

> >Iranian naval vessels seized the sailors after they boarded a merchant

> >ship in the Persian Gulf to inspect it. Iran described their

> >activities as "blatant aggression into Iranian territorial waters."

> >Entire article at:

> >http://www.wtov9.com/news/11345845/detail.html

>

> >International credibility being what it is these days.. I'd say it was

> >a coin toss.

>

> Yeah the waters are in dispute. Does that mean you start taking

> hostages at gunpoint without even so much as a formal complaint?

Simple solution:

If Britain violated Iran's territorial waters, they need to admit it

and Iran needs to let the hostages go.

Britain needs to get over the idea that it has any rights to screw

around inside someone else's country. The days of colonialism are

gone. Iraq needs to get over the idea that taking hostages solves

anything.

> These poor naive brits were sent out their with handguns in waters

> infested with the hard Islamist warriors who have the righteousness of

> Allah in their hearts and hard-assed mullahs directing them to

> confront the infidel.

>

> No contest. The poor idiots had no idea and their government won't

> fight and ridicules nations who do.- Hide quoted text -

>

> - Show quoted text -

On Mar 23, 6:30 pm, djw <wells.fam...@insightbb.com> wrote:

> On Fri, 23 Mar 2007 21:11:20 GMT, "Patriot Games"

>

> <Crazy_Bast...@Yahoo.com> wrote:

> >http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/23/83736.shtml?s=lh

>

> >Iran Seizes 15 British Sailors in Iraq Waters

> >NewsMax.com Wires Friday, March 23, 2007

>

> This would be routine humiliation of a European, Iran's favorite game.

> Remember they (the Brits and Europeans) chastised Bush and counseled

> diplomacy with the Iranians. And what do they get in return for their

> attempts to 'reach out' and negotiate as equals?

>

> Humiliation.

>

> Did they expect respect and cooperation from a totalitarian theocracy?

> While they call us ( the US) fascists and morons?

>

> Yep. Evidently so.

Abraham Lincoln once said, "Kings had always been involving and

impoverishing their people in wars, pretending generally, if not

always, that the good of the people was the object."

Now that the U.S. and Britain has got rid of the Kings and installed

democracies, prime ministers and presidents now use a new approach to

start unnecessary wars. They lie to start wars and they never go to

war themselves. They just provide the propaganda and the flag-waving.

The British people ought to be demanding the truth. There are

undoubtedly satellites all over the place in the Middle East and

positions can be determined within 10 feet or less. Bush's Poodle

needs to tell the world exactly where those sailors were when they

were seized by the Iranians.

On 25 Mar 2007 18:37:51 -0700, "mg" <mgkelson@yahoo.com> wrote:

>On Mar 23, 6:30 pm, djw <wells.fam...@insightbb.com> wrote:

>> On Fri, 23 Mar 2007 21:11:20 GMT, "Patriot Games"

>>

>> <Crazy_Bast...@Yahoo.com> wrote:

>> >http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/23/83736.shtml?s=lh

>>

>> >Iran Seizes 15 British Sailors in Iraq Waters

>> >NewsMax.com Wires Friday, March 23, 2007

>>

>> This would be routine humiliation of a European, Iran's favorite game.

>> Remember they (the Brits and Europeans) chastised Bush and counseled

>> diplomacy with the Iranians. And what do they get in return for their

>> attempts to 'reach out' and negotiate as equals?

>>

>> Humiliation.

>>

>> Did they expect respect and cooperation from a totalitarian theocracy?

>> While they call us ( the US) fascists and morons?

>>

>> Yep. Evidently so.

>

>Abraham Lincoln once said, "Kings had always been involving and

>impoverishing their people in wars, pretending generally, if not

>always, that the good of the people was the object."

>

>Now that the U.S. and Britain has got rid of the Kings and installed

>democracies, prime ministers and presidents now use a new approach to

>start unnecessary wars. They lie to start wars and they never go to

>war themselves. They just provide the propaganda and the flag-waving.

>

>The British people ought to be demanding the truth. There are

>undoubtedly satellites all over the place in the Middle East and

>positions can be determined within 10 feet or less. Bush's Poodle

>needs to tell the world exactly where those sailors were when they

>were seized by the Iranians.

THAT'S RIGHT!

They should be questioning their own government and demanding Tony

Blairs head on a stick!

AND demanding the resignation of their top naval officer for letting

those rabid fascists run rampant across Iranian soverign waters.

Lets be consistent after all. Above all do not react like a rash

American idiot.

Only a measured diplomatic approach will work. Afterall, these

Iranians their civilised people, right? Not like those American war

mongering idiots.

Right?

<lorad474@cs.com> wrote in message

news:1174686060.866247.160340@y66g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...

> On Mar 23, 1:11 pm, "Patriot Games" <Crazy_Bast...@Yahoo.com> wrote:

>> http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/23/83736.shtml?s=lh

>> Iran Seizes 15 British Sailors in Iraq Waters

>> NewsMax.com Wires Friday, March 23, 2007

> That's just the thing...

> Iran claims the britts were in iranian waters.

They kinda had to make that claim....

> International credibility being what it is these days.. I'd say it was

> a coin toss.

Heads we bomb Iran, Tails the Brits bomb Iran.

Works for me...

On Mar 26, 12:37 am, djw <wells.fam...@insightbb.com> wrote:

> On 25 Mar 2007 18:37:51 -0700, "mg" <mgkel...@yahoo.com> wrote:

>

>

>

>

>

> >On Mar 23, 6:30 pm, djw <wells.fam...@insightbb.com> wrote:

> >> On Fri, 23 Mar 2007 21:11:20 GMT, "Patriot Games"

>

> >> <Crazy_Bast...@Yahoo.com> wrote:

> >> >http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/23/83736.shtml?s=lh

>

> >> >Iran Seizes 15 British Sailors in Iraq Waters

> >> >NewsMax.com Wires Friday, March 23, 2007

>

> >> This would be routine humiliation of a European, Iran's favorite game.

> >> Remember they (the Brits and Europeans) chastised Bush and counseled

> >> diplomacy with the Iranians. And what do they get in return for their

> >> attempts to 'reach out' and negotiate as equals?

>

> >> Humiliation.

>

> >> Did they expect respect and cooperation from a totalitarian theocracy?

> >> While they call us ( the US) fascists and morons?

>

> >> Yep. Evidently so.

>

> >Abraham Lincoln once said, "Kings had always been involving and

> >impoverishing their people in wars, pretending generally, if not

> >always, that the good of the people was the object."

>

> >Now that the U.S. and Britain has got rid of the Kings and installed

> >democracies, prime ministers and presidents now use a new approach to

> >start unnecessary wars. They lie to start wars and they never go to

> >war themselves. They just provide the propaganda and the flag-waving.

>

> >The British people ought to be demanding the truth. There are

> >undoubtedly satellites all over the place in the Middle East and

> >positions can be determined within 10 feet or less. Bush's Poodle

> >needs to tell the world exactly where those sailors were when they

> >were seized by the Iranians.

>

> THAT'S RIGHT!

>

> They should be questioning their own government and demanding Tony

> Blairs head on a stick!

>

> AND demanding the resignation of their top naval officer for letting

> those rabid fascists run rampant across Iranian soverign waters.

>

> Lets be consistent after all. Above all do not react like a rash

> American idiot.

>

> Only a measured diplomatic approach will work. Afterall, these

> Iranians their civilised people, right? Not like those American war

> mongering idiots.

Let's put truth first and flag waving second. If we have to go to war

so be it. But let's not go to war because some lying politician has

delusions of grandeur or he wants to raise his poll numbers, or win an

election, or control another country's oil.