British Sailors Freed

guitarman531 · 04-04-2007, 11:56 AM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070404/..._britain_dc_45

I'm glad that these men/women were freed.

I don't know enough about the situation to judge whether or not the sailors were indeed in the Iranian waters...but I'm just happy that it turned out well (or has until this point).

Bryan · 04-04-2007, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitarman531

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070404/..._britain_dc_45

I'm glad that these men/women were freed.

I don't know enough about the situation to judge whether or not the sailors were indeed in the Iranian waters...but I'm just happy that it turned out well (or has until this point).

I thought this part was interesting:

Quote:

Ahmadinejad, under the spotlight of world attention, also said he was willing to consider reestablishing ties with the United States if that country "changed its behaviour," but did not expand on his remark.

I wonder what exactly he means.

**thesteve** · 04-04-2007, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryan

I wonder what exactly he means.

Unlesss it's different from past considerations, he probably means that we're to cut ties with Israel completely and withdraw from Iraq.

Insane Drummer · 04-04-2007, 03:29 PM

Very diplomatically smart move on the part of Iran.

JerryLove · 04-04-2007, 03:35 PM

I think the whole thing was. Look at what it does for Iran's position in arguing that its own people are being held illegaly? They also held them long enough to bring attention then let them go (showing how reasonable they are). They made sure that their demands were always reasonable, they seem to have gone out of their way to treat their prisoners well.

And (assuming that they were making incursions in to trritorial waters) they have brought the borders issue back to the table.

Honestly, I don't see how this has done anything but improve Iran's position.

Than · 04-04-2007, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JerryLove

I think the whole thing was. Look at what it does for Iran's position in arguing that its own people are being held illegaly? They also held them long enough to bring attention then let them go (showing how reasonable they are). They made sure that their demands were always reasonable, they seem to have gone out of their way to treat their prisoners well.

And (assuming that they were making incursions in to trritorial waters) they have brought the borders issue back to the table.

Honestly, I don't see how this has done anything but improve Iran's position.

I heard a bunch of stuff about how they forced some of the captives to go on video, supposedly making a public conversion to Islam, or admitting guilt for trespassing on Iranian waters. Is that true?

**thesteve** · 04-04-2007, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Than

I heard a bunch of stuff about how they forced some of the captives to go on video, supposedly making a public conversion to Islam, or admitting guilt for trespassing on Iranian waters. Is that true?

At least one of the captives was on video saying that they trespassed, which the British gov't claims they were forced to do.

j2_da_k · 04-04-2007, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesteve

At least one of the captives was on video saying that they trespassed, which the British gov't claims they were forced to do.

I honestly believe that was a set up. Most reports I have read have said that they were not in Iranian waters. I haven't heard the thing about the conversion to Islam.

I wish I was alive for the good old days, when actions like that would have made us declare war.

Insane Drummer · 04-04-2007, 10:37 PM

"I wish I was alive for the good old days, when actions like that would have made us declare war."

Yeah, capturing and releasing Britons, attacking Pearl Harbor... About the same.

Qingu · 04-04-2007, 10:49 PM

It will be interesting to see what the sailors say when they don't have guns to their heads.

I'm sure the Iranians will totally be watching that footage.

JerryLove · 04-05-2007, 07:14 AM

Quote:

I wish I was alive for the good old days, when actions like that would have made us declare war.

Because the current war is going so well?

We didn't go to war back in the 70s when Iran held the Embassy hostage.

Than · 04-05-2007, 02:50 PM

I've heard a lot of cries against the Royal Marines, that they're trained and told to give their names, ranks, and serial numbers and do absolutely nothing else for their captors (like going on video, etc.). What do you guys think about that?

I also think it's a bit hiilarious/ridiculous that they were given goody bags from the Iranians when they were freed.

JerryLove · 04-05-2007, 06:39 PM

I will be interested to hear the rational behind going on camera. I suspect the promise was to free them if they did.

normajean777 · 04-05-2007, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2_da_k

I honestly believe that was a set up. Most reports I have read have said that they were not in Iranian waters. I haven't heard the thing about the conversion to Islam.

Thats because there is international dispute over where Irans borders actually are.

OneHope · 04-07-2007, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Than

I've heard a lot of cries against the Royal Marines, that they're trained and told to give their names, ranks, and serial numbers and do absolutely nothing else for their captors (like going on video, etc.). What do you guys think about that?

What the British newspapers were noting was that it was only the lower ranked people who went on TV, not the higher ranked officers. It may be that the officers didn't capitulate because you would think that the Iranians would put the higher ups on TV if they could.