The Iranian hostage crisis
First of all there would be no British ‘hostages’ if the Royal Navy had done it’s job and blown the Iranian ‘navy’ (I’m using the term loosely here) out of the water in the first place. That said, let me explain the preferred hegemonic method of dealing with the Iranian hostage crisis as it exists right now.
First, demand their immediate and unconditional release. Or else. Don’t explain. Don’t meander like John Kerry on bad meds, just get on international tv and say that this violation of international law will be punished if not corrected immediately.
(Camp David, Md.) — President Bush on Saturday called for the release of 15 British sailors and marines being held by Iran, calling their capture by Tehran “inexcusable behavior.”
“Iran must give back the hostages,” Bush said. “They’re innocent, they did nothing wrong, and they were summarily plucked out of waters.” ~time.com
Even the euroweenies talk tough now and then.
European Union foreign ministers, meeting in Bremen, Germany, called for “the immediate and unconditional release” of the sailors and expressed “unconditional support” for Britain’s position. ~news.bbc.co.uk
When Iran insists on playing their 70’s hostage game,
IRANIAN authorities have started legal proceedings against the British military personnel it has seized and said they would be punished if found guilty, Iran’s ambassador to Moscow said last night.
“No kind of apology has been received from the British side and, as a result, the case has taken on a juridical form,” Gholamreza Ansari told Vesti television in comments quoted on the channel’s internet site. ~smh.com.au
…up the ante.
If I were Blair, then I would contact the Iranians directly and ask which Tehran buildings they wanted to see destroyed in the next 24 hours. Give them an hour to release the hostages. Then go on TV and announce that one building in Tehran will be destroyed every day that the hostages are not released. Begin the bombing campaign.