Well, I'd like to write something more jolly. I really would. But this simply sticks in my craw: Iran is thumbing their nose at us, while we do nothing.
This reminds me a little of the scene in Monty Python's The Holy Grail, when the Frenchman is mocking King Arthur safely from his castle's battlements. Like King Arthur, we're sitting and taking it, looking vaguely puzzled as it continues.
Iran has made it very clear: They think we're weakened by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and they feel that they have the majority of the world backing them. And, they're not far from wrong.
However, if the U.S. were in the hands of a capable leader, these complications would not exist.
Now, I'll admit that the majority of the Arab world is pathetically uneducated and easily manipulated. Even if they see defeat directly, they are all too happy to believe that either they are the exception ( and others must be winning), or that they're guaranteed a better place in the afterlife.
Such ignorant and superstitious people can be dangerous, because they have no grounding in common sense and have nothing to live for. That complicates things for us, because it means that we have to teach each and every one of them a lesson that would be obvious to an educated middle school child. And that means that we can't simply make an example of one person or even one country. Instead, we must tackle each new problem as it comes. However, we're not doing this decisively. If they don't see immediate punishment come as a result of their actions, they will never learn their lesson.
All our dithering and hand-wringing will accomplish nothing. Neither will nation-building or ground troops. Have we learned nothing from the Iraqi war? We need to get in, and we need to get out.
We can do this one of two ways: We can send in an air raid and bomb their capital and major infrastructure, or we can change our national policy to allow covert assassinations of world leaders once more. I recommend that we consider doing both, since obviously playing The World's Policemen has not worked.
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Now, I'll admit that the majority of the Arab world is pathetically uneducated and easily manipulated. Even if they see defeat directly, they are all too happy to believe that either they are the exception ( and others must be winning), or that they're guaranteed a better place in the afterlife.
Such ignorant and superstitious people can be dangerous, because they have no grounding in common sense and have nothing to live for.
I feel that way about all religious people, well the fanatics anyway...
In the end Iran is going to negoatiate with Britain and release these guys. They will then be able to brag to the world how reasonable they are. It was no mistake that they grabbed people from a country with which they have diplomatic relations.
Also, the Iranians are not Arabs.
Speaking of Arabs, did you catch that the King of Saudi Arabia, the country that attacked us on Septembet 11th, is calling our invasion and occupation illegal and immoral?
I think Mr. Althouse did a nice job explaining this in the comments from Tuesdays post.
This particularly issue is about national pride for Iran. They've had some high level defections from the Revolutionary Guard recently to the West. They are calling them abductions and from all we know they could have been (probably not). This is retaliation. Let it play itself out diplomaticaly before we get into the saber rattling.
Cranky, agreed on everything, but I need to amend what I wrote. By arabic, I meant middle eastern of non-Jewish beliefs. However, perhaps "arabic" is as antiquated as "oriental" is. Is that the case? If so, I need to change that.
Hans, but...while we play it out politically, the Iranians can be torturing the U.K. prisoners...
The may be torturing them. I doubt it. If we bomb or attack they surely will. If not worse.
On Iran and the British soldiers, I don't think this is our fight. I think this is Britians problem to figure out. (We can maybe provide limited support.) I just hate being a global policeman.
I think any more than that on our part, especially under the current administration, would undermine our standing among the rest of the world even further. If that is even possible.
Ed-
I agree that this is a British problem to figure out. But our support should be unlimited and unconditional. They've stood with us and few would.
Iran has done this before, under the same excuse. And maybe the British WERE in Iranian waters. That river they were in is not exactly the Atlantic Ocean you know. Say I am in the Mississippi River. Am I in the state of Mississippi or Arkansas? What if the Arkansas State Police stop me and search my boat then fine drugs. Was it legal? Was I really in that state's water?
Same thing here. The British could have chased another boat into Iranian Water. Or Iran could just be full of shit and they ventured into Iraqi Waters. We simply do not know.
The Brits will be released. I have no idea what the hell the crazies over there are thinking, or even if they are thinking - but they have to know what will happen if they do not release the soldiers, or if it turns out they were harmed. All hell will break loose.
The USA is bogged down in Iraq. This is Bush's fault. Americans are tired of war and would be hard pressed to support another bloody war in Iran. This is true and everyone knows it.
But Britain - they are NOT stuck in Iraq to the same degree the USA is. They have ample reserves. They have a powerful navy and air force. Iran would be insane to kick that ant pile. The USA might be limited in its ability to respond to Iran - but I do not think England is. They better watch out.
And of course - Cranky is correct here. Religious fanatics are, and have always been, a pox on humanity. Nothing good has ever come from them.
Sauer, I don't believe this hostage crisis would be the flash point for any war with Iran--at least I hope not.
As for assasinations, the president could totally get away (legally) with assasinating an enemy commander-in-chief and there's always plausible deniability.
I don't believe that little ol' law affects us one bit. Also, whom would we assisinate? Their government is even more complicated than ours and they'd just replace the man.
There's also indication that U.S. special forces have been operating in Iran for quite some time... doing reconnasaince.
Anyway, I think The Onion is correct: Iran is the Iraq exit strategy.
Not cut and run. Bomb and run.
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