Article

2007-03-27 Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Iran softens stance on kidnapped British sailors

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Posted by Fred 2007-03-27 00:00|| || Front Page|| [10 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 "It should become clear whether their entry was intentional or unintentional. After that is clarified, the necessary decision will be made."

Neither. Even saying it was "unintentional" gives credibility to the Iranian claim that the sailors were in Iranian waters, which I doubt they were. I wouldn't give this claim any traction because they can use it against anyone they want to in the future for whatever purpose they probably have in mind now.

I don't regard this as a "softening" except in the mind of someone who is naive. It seems to me that the strategy they are employing is to initially ask for way more than anyone thinks they have a right to, so that later when they ask for what they really want it seems more palatable. What they really want is probably multidimensional, too, including building internal cred, which hurts western efforts by building nationalism and thereby taking some of the pressure off the Iranian government.

No, no, and no. They have no proof other than a hazy claim that they were in "Iranian" waters which they can use to back off at any moment if they really wanted to without hurting themselves too badly. No.

Posted by gorb 2007-03-27 00:55|| 2007-03-27 00:55|| Front Page Top

#2 I think discussion of intent and borders is totally moot. This was an act of war and should be treated as such. Quibbling over the details cedes the debate to Iran. Iran's government is totally illegitimate and represents and evil ideology. I could care less if Royal Marine Commandos with lit firecrackers up their arses were across the border on a mission to loot Persian corner-stores. We would still be right and they would still be wrong.

Posted by Excalibur 2007-03-27 09:30|| 2007-03-27 09:30|| Front Page Top

#3 Something significant is happening behind the scenes, IMHO. The price of a barrel of crude oil skyrocketed to $69 temporarily at about 5PM.

Perhaps Tony Blair's mild rhetoric about his countries negotiations with Iran moving to a "different stage" correspond with military maneuvers to place pressure on Iran to release their sailors. Or it might be that Iran has shown greater truculence in the face of sanctions than many thought they would and has done something else to raise the stakes in that confrontation.

Posted by Grumenk Philalzabod0723 2007-03-27 18:16|| 2007-03-27 18:16|| Front Page Top

#4 Off-topic or abusive comments deleted]

Posted by Testerzvl 2007-03-27 19:20|| http://testertsj.com]">[http://testertsj.com] 2007-03-27 19:20|| Front Page Top

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