How Should the UK Respond to Iran's "arrest" of Troops?

[BrickCop]

I'm not trying to sound like a war mongering American here but I am a bit puzzled by Britain's proclaimation that that a military response is not even an option and that they'll only to settle the matter through diplomacy.

Now don't misunderstand I don't want this incident to jumpstart WWIII but Iran is making the UK look weak. There is clear evidence that the Brit personnel were seized in Iraqi waterways so why the tepid comments from Blair? I think the Brits should do a little sabre rattling- they'd be more than justified.

Am I off base? Any UK folks want to weigh in here....

[tony.o]

I don't think they have much of a sabre to rattle anymore or the will to use one.

[centralTMC]

BrickCop, I'm like you, I don't want to sound war hungry. However, Iran is testing the world. They're seeing what their boundaries are. And we are doing nothing but allowing it. Their President actually said he wants to destroy Israel, and that he WOULD retalliate against any move that seems threatening by the United States. So what have we done? We've allowed them to continue enriching Uranium, and that is not good. In my mind, a war with Iran in inevitable, within the next decade. If we began a war now, it would be one-sided and we could easily dismantle them. But it seems like we're just waiting for them to make nuclear weapons so they can destroy us too.

And now, they take British soldiers prisoner, the closest ally of the United States. They even said today they may put them on trial. The only problem I would have with attacking Iran right now is that it would seem like we were fighting the UK's battles for them. But with their governments' comments, and the things they are doing that could produce nuclear weapons, I think they are a threat to the entire world, and we need to teach them a lesson. The USA and the UK need to begin a joint-effort, and by that I mean that if they do not release these prisoners it may be time to bomb Tehran.

Our biggest risk in this: Will we have the support of Russia and China? Will they defend Iran? If they don't agree yet also do not become involved it wouldn't matter, but I could see one of them officially taking Iran's side. This would put us in a little bit of trouble. Although I believe we are more advanced, I don't know if we would have enough soldiers to wage a war like that at the moment.

[BritCop in Iraq]

Personally I'd threaten to launch 15 cruise missiles on Tehran, unless the 15 Royal Navy / Marines personnel were released immediately. This is the ONLY language that they understand. But unfortunately, this will never happen whilst Tony Blair and his left-wing Labour government are continuing to ruin the United Kingdom of Great Britain. I can't see a Conservative government letting this current farce take place. But sadly the British public have got the pathetic government they asked for, by voting the Labour Party in (not that they got my vote) Hopefully, they'll get it right next time?

[BrickCop]

CNN just aired a report about a second Brit marine "confessing", Blair replied that Iran was facing the consequence of "increasing isolation". I'm no foreign policy expert but I think Iran has proven that they don't give a rat's *** about isolation (see nuke issue).

I have no doubt that the marines wil eventually be released but only after Iran has exploited them and humiliated the UK to their satisfaction. Blair can then declare victory that diplomacy and 'isolation' worked.

[(S)Sgt Elmer]

I heard the "confession" read on the radio yesterday. There's a very good reason for the quotes - there's no way she wrote it willingly if she wrote it at all. They do speak English differently in Britain (lived there for 3.5 years) but not like it was spoken in that letter. Something's fishy there.

Britain's problem is this: they don't go to war without us. Even the Falkland Islands war used USAF facilities in part. And with the US becoming increasingly stupid about the war (read: Congress!) they know there wouldn't be any support for any direct action.

Plus the mood in England when I left was very against the whole war, at least it seemed to me. Blair's hands are tied.

[Cockney Corner.]

I have no doubt that the marines wil eventually be released but only after Iran has exploited them and humiliated the UK to their satisfaction. Blair can then declare victory that diplomacy and 'isolation' worked.

I'm sure that that's exactly what will happen.

And as for why we don't do anything. Well, tony is right unfortunately. We could lob some Tomahawk missiles at Tehran ... and that's about it, short of hitting them with nuclear weapons. We certainly don't have enough troops to fight a ground war with Iran thanks to decades of cut backs. It's no secret for example that the Sea Harrier has been taken out of service and not replaced. Which means that our aircraft carriers are presently unable to provide air cover for themselves or other ships.

I must say I do not share BritCop's belief that this is all the fault of the present Labour government. The previous Tory governments also ran the armed forces into the ground (remember Options for Change?). The Conservatives and Labour are as close as two a**e cheeks anyway in terms of their policies now. Nor has Cameron (the Conservative leader, for those outside the UK - I would be amazed if anyone else had heard of him) expressed any particular interest in defence that I'm aware of. Frankly, I've no faith in the man (and I speak as a life-long Tory voter). Cameron is a professional politician who has never held any job other than being a party hack.

[centralTMC]

Cockney, if there isn't anything to do but nuke them.... NUKE THEM! Their president has came out and said he wants the Apocalypse to come, he wants his 12th Imam. We need to annihilate the whole dump they call "Iran."

[bulldog1097]

Cockney, if there isn't anything to do but nuke them.... NUKE THEM! Their president has came out and said he wants the Apocalypse to come, he wants his 12th Imam. We need to annihilate the whole dump they call "Iran."

What would Isreal do? I say turn Iran into a parking lot!

Bulldog

[rugermk2]

Cockney, if there isn't anything to do but nuke them.... NUKE THEM! Their president has came out and said he wants the Apocalypse to come, he wants his 12th Imam. We need to annihilate the whole dump they call "Iran."

I'm with you guys on going straight to the nuke card. However, it would make us look very bad over 15 prisoners. Unfortunately, no one will get the balls to act until Iran does something very stupid. They know that they can play around over there and unless and until they actually attack or invade a sovereign Western nation, that nation's populace (be it the U.S., GB, whatever) won't react strongly. It sucks for the 15 sailors to be hung out like that.

As an earlier poster said, lets turn Israel loose on them. The whole world already hates Israel, so they really have nothing to lose. We could chide them afterwards like a wayward child, all the while glad that they got the dirty work done for us.....

[Cockney Corner.]

IThey know that they can play around over there and unless and until they actually attack or invade a sovereign Western nation, that nation's populace (be it the U.S., GB, whatever) won't react strongly.

But that's the whole point. They have attacked a sovereign Western nation. Taking ships belonging to another nation outside your own waters is piracy. And we've done nothing.

In the 19th century, the British statesman Palmerston said: As the Roman, in days of old, held himself free from indignity, when he could say, Civis Romanus sum [I am a Roman citizen], so also a British subject, in whatever land he may be, shall feel confident that the watchful eye and the strong arm of England will protect him from injustice and wrong The incident he was referring to was an attack by an anti-semitic mob in Greece upon a British subject named David Pacifico. Despite the fact that we risked war with Russia in doing so, the British response was to order Greece to recompense Pacifico. And if they didn't, the fleet of Royal Navy ships sitting off Greece would level it. They paid up.

Them's were the days.

[Kieth M.]

So, any movement about Hereford, in recent days?

Where does the Royal Navy's SAS equivalent, the SBS(?) call home?

[BritCop in Iraq]

The Royal Marines S.B.S. are based at Poole, in the County of Dorset, down in South West England.

[centralTMC]

They know that they can play around over there and unless and until they actually attack or invade a sovereign Western nation, that nation's populace (be it the U.S., GB, whatever) won't react strongly.

The point is, is that they have committed a hostile act toward not only the UK, but toward the US and the rest of the free world. You can't just take hostages randomly whenever you feel like it. If they commit a hostile act towards us, why do we have to respond with diplomacy? That's what we have been doing about their nuke program, and look where we are now. In a potential crisis, because they want to make a point and tell the world "We are a real power." We need to make our point now, and get aggresive. Tell them: "You have three days to release those troops, or you WILL face the consequences." If they don't comply, blow the hell out of Tehran and show them who the real power is.

[tony.o]

The west is weak. Our govt probably wouldn't do much more. Proven by our actions when China forced our plane down from international airspace onto that island and took apart our plane, analyzing every piece of equipment that was on it, conpromising our intelligence gathering. We didn't even threaten to do anything regarding trade and I laughed when the media speculated that we may bomb the aircraft as it sat on the runway.