posted
all this stupid partisan bickering may be set aside by Monday...
Iran Seizes 15 British Naval Personnel in Gulf Waters (Update2)
By Alex Morales
March 23 (Bloomberg) -- Iran seized 15 British naval personnel who were conducting ``routine boarding operations'' in Iraqi waters, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said.
``The boarding party had completed a successful inspection of a merchant ship when they and their two boats were surrounded and escorted by Iranian vessels into Iranian territorial waters,'' the ministry said in an e-mailed statement. ``We are urgently pursuing this matter with the Iranian authorities at the highest level.''
Tensions have been rising between western nations and Iran over its nuclear program, and the Islamic republic has also been accused by the administrations of U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair and U.S. President George W. Bush of meddling in Iraq.
Today's seizure of British forces occurred in the Persian Gulf at about 10:30 a.m. Iraq time today, the ministry said. It gave no details of the units and vessels involved. Britain is demanding the immediate return of the military personnel and vessels, and Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has summoned the Iranian ambassador in London, the ministry said.
The Iranian Embassy in London didn't immediately respond to voice messages seeking comment.
The capture of the troops was ``entirely peaceful'' without any shooting, and the personnel are known to be safe, Commodore Nick Lambert told Sky News in an interview aboard HMS Cornwall, a U.K. naval vessel in the Gulf. The British personnel were seen by a U.K. helicopter being escorted up the Shatt-al-Arab toward an Iranian base, he said.
Nuclear Program, Oil
The incident comes as the United Nations Security Council prepares to vote on a draft resolution that would freeze the assets of a state-owned Iranian bank and bar some exports from the country in an effort to persuade Iran to suspend its nuclear program. The vote could come today or tomorrow.
Iran has defied two UN resolutions demanding a halt to uranium enrichment, which the U.S. and European governments say is intended to produce nuclear arms. Iran says it is pursuing an atomic program solely for energy-generation.
Crude oil rose after the ministry issued its statement. Some analysts and traders have expressed concern that sanctions or a military campaign against Iran may disrupt oil supplies from the Middle East, the source of about a third of world's oil. Crude oil for May delivery rose 48 cents, or 0.8 percent, to $62.17 a barrel at 9:02 a.m. on the New York Mercan
posted
Taking about balls that guy has balls. I don't know if his country appreciates all the bravado though. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad just might get his country invaded with all the posturing he's been doing these last couple years. Sometimes he seems like he baiting poeple to do it. Does he WANT his country to be the theatre for the Middle East War?
-------------------- No longer eligible for government service due to lack of tax issues. Posts: 5178 | From: Up North | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
Is it coincidence that this happens on a day when virtually all Iranian government offices are closed?
I am guessing they are going to try to use the release of these troops as leverage... The vote on Iranian sanctions is this weekend....
Hopefully this won't turn into a British "444 days" incident.
-------------------- One is never completely useless. One can always serve as a bad example. Posts: 2430 | From: CA | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Lockman: The French have always hated us.
Ignorance needs to be informed.
Without the French we could not have won the Revolution of the war of 1812.
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Gimmie a break Lockman.. It is proven fact that everyone in the world hates us because of Bush....
-------------------- One is never completely useless. One can always serve as a bad example. Posts: 2430 | From: CA | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by The Bigfoot: Taking about balls that guy has balls. I don't know if his country appreciates all the bravado though. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad just might get his country invaded with all the posturing he's been doing these last couple years. Sometimes he seems like he baiting poeple to do it. Does he WANT his country to be the theatre for the Middle East War?
IMO he doesn't actually want to be invaded, but he does want to piss other countries off enough that they consider invading him.... This way, he can use our "plans to invade" as an excuse to develop nuclear weapons in order to defend against Bush and the "American Warmonger"....
-------------------- One is never completely useless. One can always serve as a bad example. Posts: 2430 | From: CA | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
Apparently, this is not the first time this has happened.
June 22 2004
Royal Navy team is seized by Iran
Iran seized eight Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel in three patrol boats on the Shatt al Arab waterway yesterday, claiming that they had strayed across the border with Iraq.
The boats, which were being delivered to the Iraqi riverine patrol service, were flying the White Ensign. They were travelling up the waterway towards Basra.
British troops on patrol on the Shatt al Arab in southern Iraq Teheran said: "British boats entered territorial waters of the Islamic Republic of Iran and officials of the naval force, in accordance to its laws, seized the boats and arrested the eight crew members aboard.
-------------------- One is never completely useless. One can always serve as a bad example. Posts: 2430 | From: CA | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by The Bigfoot: Taking about balls that guy has balls. I don't know if his country appreciates all the bravado though. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad just might get his country invaded with all the posturing he's been doing these last couple years. Sometimes he seems like he baiting poeple to do it. Does he WANT his country to be the theatre for the Middle East War?
IMO he doesn't actually want to be invaded, but he does want to piss other countries off enough that they consider invading him.... This way, he can use our "plans to invade" as an excuse to develop nuclear weapons in order to defend against Bush and the "American Warmonger"....
This way, he can use our "plans to invade" as an excuse to develop nuclear weapons in order to defend against Bush and the "American Warmonger"
i agree...
also? the timing is on the day the Dems are voting to set a withdrawal date from Iraq, you must consider that the USSR fell (in large part) because of the economic damage caused to them by the Afghan war..
why is everybody so blind to the tactics being applied here?
the goal is to bleed US (as in death by a thousand cuts) and our economy 'till it collapses...
i'm not saying it'll work, but that IS their goal and it's been stated in writing by them...
they (the terrorists) and our open enemies in the mideast DON'T want US to leave Iraq...
this crap about not setting a withdrawal date because it would telegraph our intentions to our enemies is simply stubborn foolishness... our enemies want US there so they can fight their (very inexpensive) guerrilla war and cause US to waste valuable resources..
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
i don't think it'll work... but that's their stated goal...
i have always held the belief that a "manhattan project" on oil (in specific) and energy conservation (in general) should be considered THE MOST IMPORTANT part of this particular "war on terror" tho....
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
No one thought it would work with the U.S.S.R either.
I do indeed that your proposed "Manhaten Project" is a must, but only provided it specifically is designed to not adopt any measures that enhance fossil fuel as a proper or even acceptable energy source.
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Gordon Bennett: All non-renewable energy sources need to be seen as unacceptable.
Until that shift in our collective consciousness occurs, we will keep on drifting toward the rocks.
Funny you mention renewable resources there Mr. Bennett. I may have mentioned this before, but I have a friend of mine in the Guard who actually makes enough power off of solar and wind that he actually sells power back to the power company; in Washington State of all places. I'm thinking about doing the same thing myself, if I build my cabin at the beach. The initial cost is pretty high (I think he spent around 30K) but in the end it's worth it. Hell, I'd do it at my house right now but the home owners association won't let me. I've already broached the issue with them.
-------------------- If it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. Posts: 1529 | From: Tacoma WA | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
$30k is more than many spend for their cars, and yet your friend has not only eliminated his electricity bills, but has generated a passive income in the process.
Brilliant!
How about going to the press with the story that your owner's association won't support your efforts toward eco-friendly living?
Perhaps they will be embarassed enough to change their 1950's mentality.
-------------------- "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
- Benjamin Franklin Posts: 3898 | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
Yeah, that's what he says. It's funny because his check was late one month and he called the local power company and threatened to cut 'em off. Priceless.
-------------------- If it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. Posts: 1529 | From: Tacoma WA | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
The Federal Government or the variuus states need to be passing laws to prevent utility companies from imposing irrational fees to prevent people from going green.
As I posted elsewhere, the states are themselves part of that problem, though. In Texas, the liscense fee for an automobile is uped by an amount of money to make up for the lost gasoline or diesel taxes when you register a non-gasoline or diesel vehicle.
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by HILANDER: Yeah, that's what he says. It's funny because his check was late one month and he called the local power company and threatened to cut 'em off. Priceless.
-------------------- "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
- Benjamin Franklin Posts: 3898 | Registered: Dec 2005
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