So 15 British sailors and marines have been taken by Iran, probably while in Iraqi waters but the accusation is that they were in Iranian waters. You can read the Now there's a Pajama's Media roundup that is quite good so I won't go into too many details. Border incursions happen. Giving Iran the benefit of the doubt, I wouldn't have any problem whatsoever adopting the Mexican solution of a diplomatic note and a 3 day snit.
But what has been done by Iran goes far beyond that. Some in Tehran are even going so far as to suggest holding espionage trials. In Iran, espionage is a death penalty crime. Fortunately for the captives, such a trial would be a war crime and a casus belli so it is unlikely to be more than talk.
But what to do now? The likely response is to cave in, either publicly or quietly but one does wish that Blair would double down and extend UK participation in Iraq by increasing its territory of responsibility and permitting US forces to have higher concentrations in zones where surge operations are underway. Here's hoping.
Posted by TMLutas at March 25, 2007 10:51 PM