Iran HOSTAGE Crisis 2007

As I move through two work weeks, the mention of our closest ally's servicemen in Iranian captivity has been scant to nil. As the more liberal member of the Anglo-American military partnership, the Iranians have seized sailors and soldiers who did not fire back in respect for the flimsy peace between Britain and Iran. The soldiers did not fire because they have faith in international law and in British leaders’ resolve to extradite their release. The Iranians seized Anglo-American allies under the Union Jack for this very reason. Had they attempted to take Americans under gun point, they would not have been greeted by uncertainty and surrender, but a hail of bullets, grenades and missiles.

Everywhere on the radio I hear foolish wanna-be world leaders spouting about their macho “diplomacy” involving anywhere from DELTA and SEAL teams to the “bomb”. Officially, the world has forgotten the destruction and ultimate horror that civilians would experience if another nuclear weapon is utilized. It does not shock me any longer to hear comments such as “strategic” or “precision” nuclear attack. It is shocking to hear a suggestion that nuclear attack is a possibility in a fifteen-man hostage situation. However, there is no real outrage on the street, not even an opinion from those asked. This is very disappointing from a democratic standpoint. [The expectation that the demos inform itself to make informed elective decisions.

Regardless of our allied strategy to get the soldiers released, the rhetoric and posturing from the Iranian side has been even more reprehensible. I looked into Iranian reactions posted on the BBC website and was first shocked to see so many posts from Tehran (I thought they would not have access), then even more shocked to read of the disparity of the responses. Many pleaded for cooler heads to prevail, but significant numbers were as hardened as Tehran’s position. On the cooler heads side, one proclaimed the protester’s throwing of rocks and firecrackers at the British embassy were done by “government school” students, different than the majority of students who take an anti-government position.

It was rapidly apparent that the real people suffering right now are those fifteen British servicemen being held captive, and the millions of Iranians fretting their impending doom. After taunting the British government with aired admissions of guilt from four of the fifteen captives, the Iranian government still has not released the female captive as promised last week. While the intention of the tapes was assumingly to embarrass Britain, they have exceedingly embarrassed themselves with forced admissions of guilt and parading their captives on state-controlled television as if they were marching through the streets of Tehran with their war prizes.

Whether or not British ships were in enemy territory is not really the question that is important anymore. The real issue is Iran’s desperation to force diplomacy, earn concessions and take pressure away from their nuclear transgressions. The world community, Iranians and Americans alike, should all be happy that the two boats boarded by Iran were not flying American flags. With Bush at the helm, that would not be a stretch to see our troops in a third front in the “war on terror”. It would probably take two to tango, and with a combination of Bush and Ahmadinjinebad (sp.whatever), I doubt either could restrain their egos or sense of self-importance to allow a rational conclusion. I just hope that if this escalates (which it probably will) that Russia and China stop sucking out only the fruits of their new capitalistic roots and start dealing with the pits (?). That is, working with the international community to resolve these issues, rather than ignoring them and benefiting from their instability.