(2007-04-01) — In a fresh, un-coerced video communiqué released today by the Iranian government, 15 British sailors and marines held captive for eight days, said they would seek asylum in Iran, “the only country that really seems to want us.”
The hostages said they have already begun the paperwork to become Iranian citizens, and have started classes to prepare them for conversion to Islam.
“Whatever else you might think about President Ahmadinejad,” said one British sailor under no duress, “at least he took risks to get us, and genuinely desires to keep us in his country; which is more than we can say for Prime Minister [Tony] Blair.”
The British prime minister, upon hearing of the defections, said, “We did all we could, within the bounds of diplomatic propriety, to request the release of our troops. We really were fond of them. I do hope that they’ll come back and visit us sometime.”
35 responses so far ↓
1 RedPepper // Apr 1, 2007 at 7:24 am
The problem with the West is we never get it. We never grasp the fact that appeasement, conciliation and endless negotiation do not work …
Rue Brittania .
2 MargeinMI // Apr 1, 2007 at 7:35 am
God Bless America!
And Ouch! Scott, that one stings.
3 Ms RightWing, Ink // Apr 1, 2007 at 7:39 am
My computer ate my whole line of complicated thought and detail.. Much of it was…all forget it, I will drink my coffee and return. rats, sigh
4 mig // Apr 1, 2007 at 7:47 am
Letter writing campaigns from the Iranian 15 show that they never had it so good. And the super powers are correct in letting the I-15 exercise their Pro-choice rights in remaining in a country that has exemplary human rights records on file at the United Nations. There may be more of these defections before the super powers take ’swift and decisive’ action. We are correct in waiting for UN resolutions to show us how to Getter Done.
5 Darthmeister // Apr 1, 2007 at 8:20 am
I wonder if the Iranians already have the burqas picked out for the fifteen British Marines? Will the Brits begin taking up a collection to help buy the burqas?
6 camojack // Apr 1, 2007 at 8:53 am
April Fool!!!
7 Fred Sinclair // Apr 1, 2007 at 8:55 am
The situation in Iran reminds me of Jeff Cooper’s remark to the effect that “This is an ingenius solution to a non existant problem.”
I liked the idea I read about ‘taking out’ Iran’s one and only refinery and enacting a 100% embargo on Iran. With zero gasoline imported, mostly all of Iran would be back to riding camels donkeys, burros, jackasses again or shanks mare (walking).
Iran’s big shots (or is that spelled with an i?) might decide that the price of keeping the hostages is too high. With all of the oil Iran has but with only a single refinery to produce gasoline for their own automobiles, when that refinery goes, they’re not going to like walking all that much.
Heirborn Ranger
8 JamesonLewis3rd // Apr 1, 2007 at 9:06 am
I’ve seen several opinions regarding what the US would have done had this incident involved US troops-various scenarios as to how we would not have allowed it to happen. Somehow, I wonder…..
I doubt Pelosi would have given permission to do anything whatsoever, claiming that the troops deserved whatever they got-after all, they enlisted, didn’t they?
I hope her lips get stuck on Syria’s buttock.
Also: I suggest Florida Gator fans get in a supply of tissues before tomorrow’s game.
9 Fred Sinclair // Apr 1, 2007 at 9:53 am
Pres: Duncan Hunter
VP: Fred Tompson
Pres: Fred Tompson
VP: Duncan Hunter
Either ticket will get my vote!
Heirborn Ranger
10 Fred Sinclair // Apr 1, 2007 at 10:05 am
Headlines from the year 2029!
Couple petitions court to reinstate heterosexual marriage.
Iran still closed off; physicists estimate it will take at least 10 more years before radioactivity decreases to safe levels.
France pleads for global help after being taken over by Jamaica.
Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesdays only.
Massachusetts executes last remaining conservative.
New federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters and rolled-up newspapers must be registered by January 2036.
IRS sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent.
Florida voters still having trouble with voting machines.
Heirborn Ranger
11 JamesonLewis3rd // Apr 1, 2007 at 10:55 am
From Captain’s Quarters:
“It may finally dawn on Britain that the failure to have an independent trade policy has hamstrung them politically and militarily. Iran attacked a British ship, and yet Britain cannot stop trading with Iran because Brussels controls their trade policies. When one gives up sovereignty, these are the consequences.” (emphasis mine)
Hm. Who’d'a thunkit?
12 Ms RightWing, Ink // Apr 1, 2007 at 11:01 am
My earlier thoughts, that were computer digested, was the young lady (who should never have been on that detail ) would look better if she had a colorful scarf.
The sexiness to drive Arab men wild, with her cigarette was not seen. If she wants to win the heart of President Ahmadinejad, then she had better brighten up, then in a 007 move, she can get him alone, blow him to shreds and save the world from the Acme Brand Desert Sand Nuclear Death Machine, model 492a62z4, which is ticking away as I type.
13 Beerme // Apr 1, 2007 at 12:59 pm
I guess if Britain did want them back, they would do…something…
Off to beer school!
14 JamesonLewis3rd // Apr 1, 2007 at 1:10 pm
I don’t watch the Sunday morning propaganda shows-my financial status does not allow me to have a warehouse full of replacement TVs-but Red State has “The Sunday Show Review”. I admit the reviews are opinionated-but, still:
“On CNN’s ‘Late Edition’, Senator Diane Feinstein (D-California) declared that she opposes regime change in Iraq and will meet with the Iranians in Stockholm herself. She added, in essence, that last November’s midterms voted the President out of power, so Congress must step up and in and act as President.”
Grrrrr…..
YA-A-A-ARGH!!!!! SMASH!!!!!
15 RedPepper // Apr 1, 2007 at 1:29 pm
JL3: Now, c’mon … drop the two-by-four … and back away from the computer monitor slowly …
16 Darthmeister // Apr 1, 2007 at 3:25 pm
JL3rd,
I’m always suprised at how these pontificating buffoons in the Senate (both Rethugs and Demoncrats) can justify their unconstitutional powergrab by clearly violating the separation of power doctrine. Nowhere in the Constitution is either house of Congress empowered to give deadlines for troop withdrawal, that aspect of governance is left to the Commander in Chief of the Executive Branch.
Now if the RINOs and the Donks want to work up enough cojones to defund the war in Iraq, they certainly have that budgetary power to do so. But then they would have to suffer the political consequences for betraying American troops on a foreign battlefield.
When President Bush vetos this unconstitutional piece of political theater, the Dems will rush in and claim it is he who is betraying the troops by not rubberstamping their pork-ladened excuse of a war funding bill. What the White House needs to do is remind those Congresscritters and the American people that it is the legislative branch which is not only guilty of said betrayal but also guilty of an unconstitutional powergrab - and that the onus is squarely on Congress to override his veto.
Barring a successful override, it is the Congress which will prove to be ultimately guilty of betraying our troops because of their cheap parlor tricks in trying to embarass the President instead of working with him to defeat the enemies of this country.
17 Darthmeister // Apr 1, 2007 at 3:36 pm
From PowerlineBlog:
A Mark Steyn column on the Iranian seizure of 15 British hostages was unusually downbeat. Among other things, Mark decries the rules of engagement under which the British forces were apparently operating:
Patrolling the Shatt al-Arab at a time of war, the Royal Navy operates under rules of engagement designed by distant fainthearts with an eye to the polite fictions of “international law”: If you’re in a “warship,” you can’t wage war. If you’re in a “destroyer,” don’t destroy anything. If you’re in a “frigate,” you’re frigging done for.
Well, that just about says it.
Any guesses as to how long the British Marines will be hostages? Hopefully less than 444 days.
18 JamesonLewis3rd // Apr 1, 2007 at 4:21 pm
As I’ve said before: I deny the assertion that the 2006 election was any kind of mandate for Congress usurp the Commander-in-Chief’s powers. I deny the assumption that the American people are the cowards the Democrat party projects upon them. I deny the Democrat claim that the American people want our capitalist system replaced with socialism.
I could go on, obviously, but suffice it to say that I do not appreciate Pelosi and the rest of that bunch’s lies. I do not appreciate being mortified by them before the entire world.
No leftist, atheist, socialist Democrat speaks for me (for certain) or for the majority of the population of this country (I am reasonably certain).
I’m really ticked-off at what they are saying not only in my name but in the name of this wonderful, brave, honest and benevolent country.
One thing for certain: What goes around comes around: There’s going to be a bunch of weeping, wailing, hair-pulling and gnashing of Democrat teeth in 2008.
Those Democrat reprobates have shown (and are showing) their true colors with their bald-faced lies, broken promises, straw men, ad hominems, lawlessness and grandiose posturing and this God-fearing country isn’t going to put up with it.
(Sorry)
19 Bill's Bites // Apr 1, 2007 at 5:24 pm
2007.04.01 Iran/Brit Hostage Crisis Roundup- Iran ready to seize British Embassy?- “If the Iranians hate us, let them also fear us”- “A Little War Goes A Long Way”- Power struggle in Iran over hostages- Euroweenies to Blair: It’s …
Shock Awe You’ll have to click the pic to go to CF and get the fulll effect on this one. Do it….
20 Shelly // Apr 1, 2007 at 6:01 pm
Scrapplers, everybody on your knees for this marine:
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2007/02/spiritual_warfa.html
As well as those British sailors and marines. Please.
21 JamesonLewis3rd // Apr 1, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Iranians attacking the British Embassy because Iran kidnapped 15 British service men/women.
How utterly absurd.
Led by so-called “imams” throwing rocks.
Are we having fun yet!?!
22 JamesonLewis3rd // Apr 1, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.~~Galatians 6:7-8
23 JamesonLewis3rd // Apr 1, 2007 at 8:51 pm
B. Hussein Obama admitted today that the Democrat party is just playing games-games with the lives of our troops, with our children, with our country.
Disgusting.
24 Darthmeister // Apr 1, 2007 at 10:27 pm
JL3rd,
Unless Osama Obama is going to claim he was misquoted by the lamestream media, he all but admitted that on the first go around, the Democrats and RINOs were playing political games with funding the troops.
As I’ve said, and many others have too, if the Donks want to constitutionally exert pressure to remove our troops from Iraq they can cut off the war funding. Placing deadlines on the Commander in Chief or trying to manage a war from either congressional chambers is entirely unconstitutional.
And I believe now more than ever before that at this point it isn’t about the DemDonks love and concern for American soldiers in harm’s way that underlies their desire to prematurely withdraw them from Iraq (and they must know that to do so would result in a literal bloodbath in Iraq between the various Iraqi factions), but rather they are so invested in defeat and can only see victory in Iraq after all their naysaying as a political loss for them if the violence is quelled to a large degree (it will never be zero any more than it is zero in America, Spain, Ireland, Russia, Israel, etc.) and the Iraqi government is able to fend for itself.
25 debass // Apr 1, 2007 at 10:50 pm
C’mon, the hostages and the UK reaction were actully lifted from a Monty Python script. Nations don’t really act this way.
26 debass // Apr 1, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Oops. Should be actually.
27 camojack // Apr 1, 2007 at 11:47 pm
When a civilization no longer inculcates an overriding attachment to its own survival, it no longer survives as a civilization - by Diana West
28 Darthmeister // Apr 2, 2007 at 7:19 am
Venomous Box Jellyfish Have Human-like Eyes
Sounds like Patrick Leahy and his panel of Dem Grand Inquisitors.
29 Ms RightWing, Ink // Apr 2, 2007 at 7:23 am
morning all
30 conserve-a-tips // Apr 2, 2007 at 8:10 am
Good morning, Ms Rightwing, Ink: No tornadoes to lasso today - just pure, unadulterated sunshine. Whew. Frankly, I never really believed Pecos’ wild tale. Even if he could have roped a tornado, he couldn’t have ridden it. He’d ‘a been hit by a refrigerator or semi-truck or something, coming around the edge at him. More’n likely, he caught a “dust devil” and just thought it was a tornado.
31 Fred Sinclair // Apr 2, 2007 at 8:22 am
#20 Shelly - Thanks! I just sent the link to all 50 in my address book.
Heirborn Ranger
32 Darthmeister // Apr 2, 2007 at 8:59 am
Barack Hussein Obama is the new black Jesus.
Instead of arriving in Washington on a donkey, it turns out he is a Donk! Now what are the odds of that happening 1967 years later?
And the Democrats shouted, “Hosanna!”
33 upnorthlurkin // Apr 2, 2007 at 9:47 am
Great link, Camojack…kind of sobering isn’t it?
34 Darthmeister // Apr 2, 2007 at 11:51 am
BRITISH HOSTAGES SEEK ASYLUM IN IRAN
This makes sense since the whole of Iran is an asylum.
35 antodav // Apr 2, 2007 at 2:24 pm
I really thought that Iran taking British soldiers hostage would be the beginning of World War III. There is no way, I thought, that the British people would allow such a blatant and egregious act of agression to go unpunished. But, as it turns out, the Limeys are far more cowardly than we ever have been willing to give them credit for. Tony Blair had more balls than practically the entire rest of the country combined, but now he’s pretty much been castrated. Britain is devoid of any semblance of strong leadership now, and it’s headed for assimilation into the European Union-just another sad, sorry corner of Eurotopia that has to attach itself onto other nations like a leech in order to remain politically relevant in the modern world.
The sun has finally set on the British Empire. I never thought I’d be so sad to see it go.
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