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Bush Calls on Iran to Free U.K. Sailors
CAMP DAVID, Md. (AP) - President Bush on Saturday said Iran's capture of 15 British sailors and marines was "inexcusable" and called for their immediate, unconditional release.Bush said Iran plucked the sailors out of Iraqi waters. Iran's president said Saturday they were in Iranian waters and called Britain and its allies "arrogant and selfish" for not apologizing for trespassing. "Iran must give back the hostages," Bush said at the Camp David presidential retreat, where he was meeting with the president of Brazil. "They're innocent. They did nothing wrong." It was the first time that Bush had commented publicly on the captured Britons. Washington has taken a low-key approach to avoid aggravating tensions over the incident and shaking international resolve to get Iran to give up its uranium enrichment program. Bush did not answer a question about whether the United States would have reacted militarily if those captured had been Americans. The president said he supports British Prime Minister Tony Blair's efforts to find a diplomatic resolution to the crisis, now in its second week. Bush would not comment about Britain's options if Iran does not release the hostages, but he seemed to reject any swapping of the British captives for Iranians detained in Iraq. "I support the prime minister when he made it clear there were no quid pro quos," Bush said. Like Bush's words, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comments were his most extensive on the crisis. They tracked tough talk from other Iranian officials, an indication that Tehran's position could be hardening. "The British occupier forces did trespass our waters. Our border guards detained them with skill and bravery," Iran's official news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying. "But arrogant powers, because of their arrogant and selfish spirit, are claiming otherwise." Britain, however, appeared to be easing its stance, emphasizing its desire to talk with Iran about what it termed a regrettable situation. Know what? The Iranians are going to keep right on doing crap like this, as they have for the last 28 years, until we let go of enough of our oh-so-precious civility to stomp their damned asses. Until we do that, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING is going to change. More weasel-worded reporting at link... Posted by: Dave D. 2007-04-01 |
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