Blair Warns Iran

Tony Blair is starting to talk tough. Now given the proper amount of time to  examine the facts, Blair claims his government can prove the sailors were in Iraqi, not Iranian waters. But even before the facts were in, it's easy to see that the UK would have nothing to gain by entering Iranian waters. 

Conversely, Iran's claim that this is an espionage case is laughable.  Spy's don't travel in rubber boats in groups of fifteen while in uniform. Then there's history, Iran has made a habit of gathering hostages, just ask Jimmy Carter how the last year of his term went. Ahmadinejad himself was one of the hostage takers, and his effect on American politics must have left quite an impression on him. This isn't a terrorist act in the mind of Ahmadinejad, it's just politics.

Iran has a lot to gain by abducting the sailors, and nothing to lose. If the hostages are held for an extended period, Ahmadinejad is the great hero, standing tall against the Western Crusaders. If Ahmadinejad turns over the hostages quickly, they can take the posture of the forgiving, mature nation overlooking the transgressions of a reckless UK. You get the picture.

The only way Blair can snatch victory from Iran at this point is to make an Entebbe-type raid, rescuing the hostages.

But Ahmadinejah knows this full well and won't be giving up the location of the hostages anytime soon, and Blair knows what happened to Carter when he tried to rescue hostages.

In the meantime, it's sanctions, sanctions, sanctions, while the West continues it's fruitless attempt to implement law upon the lawless.