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2007-04-05 Syria-Lebanon-Iran

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Posted by anonymous5089 2007-04-05 13:14|| || Front Page|| [10 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 The thing is, if Iran can spin things to give Pelosi credit for the release it makes the Brits and George W look weak, helps weaken the west by strengthening the appeasers in the USA and makes Iran look generous while still tweek the nose of the great powers.

For Iran it's a win-win-win and I would expect Ahmanijad to mention Pelosi at some point.

Posted by rjschwarz 2007-04-05 14:36|| 2007-04-05 14:36|| Front Page Top

#2 Within four days of their capture on March 23, the fifteen Britons were split up into smaller groups and held in different areas, Iranian sources told me. This was a lesson learned from the 1979-1981 hostage crisis, when all 55 U.S. hostages were initially kept in one place, prompting the failed U.S. effort to rescue them.

I believe I said just exactly this as a reason why the Brits did not feel they could conduct an effective rescue operation a few days ago (amongst other speculations).

Posted by FOTSGreg">FOTSGreg 2007-04-05 15:22|| www.fire-on-the-suns.com]">[www.fire-on-the-suns.com] 2007-04-05 15:22|| Front Page Top

#3 Timmerman puts on a brave face in this column, but I remain skeptical that this fiasco-- played out, I expect, mainly for a domestic and Middle Eastern audience-- was anything other than a triumph for the MMs.

I'm not sure that it matters all that much what the behind-the-scenes, "real" reasons were for the Iranians releasing their hostages, even if Timmerman is 100% correct; what matters most is perception, and the perception throughout the MME is almost certainly that Iran succeeded in tweaking the noses of its Anglosphere adversaries with complete impunity.

That they did, along with goading the British-- from the man on the street all the way up to the guy at #10 Downing-- into a trembling national fit of "Oh dear, oh dear, whatever shall we do????" anxiety; extracting "confessions" from their captives (all 15, apparently) with no more evident duress than bowls of pistachios and sweets; got them to perform perfectly, in their ill-fitting polyester suits, at the press extravaganza staged for their release; and even got them-- God save the Queen-- to publicly thank their captors for their "forgiveness".

I think damn near anyone could understand and forgive coerced "confessions" mumbled through broken teeth by bloodied and beaten men trembling with exhaustion and terror; but my God, these kids-- I won't call them Sailors or Marines-- were actually cheery.

Sorry, but I think Britain took a BIG hit in this episode. MMs 15, Britain 0. That's my take.

Posted by Dave D.">Dave D. 2007-04-05 15:28|| 2007-04-05 15:28|| Front Page Top

#4 Cest vraiment une affaire qui ne passe pas outre-Manche, the French center-left daily Le Monde commented on Tuesday. Translated into plain English, the French observed (accurately) that nobody on the correct side of the English Channel could give a rats behind about the fate of the British hostages. They had too much (commercially) at stake.

Hey, Benny! (SteveS will know who I mean) How's this for supporting an ally and fellow member of the EU, huh? Is this how France reacts when any of their soldiers are kidnapped or their forces threatened? I seem to recall some rather, ah, "reactionary" responses the French used in Africa not to long ago.

France, a loyal ally? I spit in their general direction.

No, I take that back. I spit in their specific direction.

Posted by FOTSGreg">FOTSGreg 2007-04-05 15:28|| www.fire-on-the-suns.com]">[www.fire-on-the-suns.com] 2007-04-05 15:28|| Front Page Top

#5 France is as much of an ally to the English and the US as Iran is.

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2007-04-05 15:57|| 2007-04-05 15:57|| Front Page Top

#6 It would be intersting to have Blair give a speach now how he gave Ahmanidjad until x hour to release the hostages or else and the man complied on time.

Leave Ahmanidjad looking as if he were the weak one playing tough.

Posted by rjschwarz 2007-04-05 16:59|| 2007-04-05 16:59|| Front Page Top

#7 It's my understanding that most western military folk are trained to say whatever they are told to say. It makes sense if you think about it because what falls out is that anything said is easily denied later. I hold absolutely nothing against them because I would do the same thing. Say what they want you to say now or say it after they drill holes in you makes no difference to them but a lot of difference to me.

Posted by gorb 2007-04-05 17:58|| 2007-04-05 17:58|| Front Page Top

#8 DEBKAfile Military Report: Blasts killing 4 British troops in Basra were the Iranian extremists rejoinder to the pragmatists who forced release of 15 captured Britons

Posted by gromgoru 2007-04-05 18:08|| 2007-04-05 18:08|| Front Page Top

#9 #1 everyone knows belaPelosi is a buffoon, not to be taken seriously. She's like the crazy aunt in the attic.

AhMAD, Khamenei, and the other chess players got what they wanted with this round. They found the U.S. isolated and the EUs (like Russia and China) putting commercial interests ahead of anything serious.

So, over the nuke issue, it's Iran v. the U.S. They will wait out George W. in hopes that a liberal US president is elected.

W. needs to take decisive action on Iran before he leaves office. A possibility of which I put at about 25%.

Posted by Captain America 2007-04-05 18:58|| 2007-04-05 18:58|| Front Page Top

#10 Britain may be weak, but our George is a "loose cannon" backed by the Eisenhower, the Stennis and pretty soon the Nimitz..........you never know what Georgie may ask from those three little boats to do and we know that they will do it..............

Posted by Spuse the Elder7296 2007-04-05 21:02|| 2007-04-05 21:02|| Front Page Top

23:55 OldSpook
23:55 JosephMendiola
23:45 OldSpook
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23:36 3dc
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23:18 Cromert
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23:13 WTF
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22:54 Barbara Skolaut
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22:50 Old Patriot
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22:24 Frank G
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22:00 Valentine
21:57 The Ghost of Hideki Tojo