This sure sounds like Blair will take the point in sparking military action...LINK

[Blackhatjack]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/26/wiran26.xml

We would all be wise to keep a close watch on this situation.

The British are saying they do not know where the 15 soldiers are being held(highly unlikely).
Blair says he wants to resolve this diplomatically, but then he mentions it must be resolved in 'a matter of days.'

Notice the European Union is reporting in as 'behind' the British in this matter.

And do not forget that this occurred after the UN Security Council voted unanimously for tougher sanctions against Iran BEFORE Ahmadinejad could speak at the UN defending their actions.

All of this is occurring less than 100 days before Blair is scheduled to 'step down' according to his own announced schedule.

The stars sure appear to be aligning for those who want military action taken against Iran. And hostilities may have a way of 'spilling over' when there is this conglomeration of US troops and firepower within range of Iran.

Is there any doubt that the US will use that military firepower to back up Britain if they take military action against Iran in this matter?

[cali]

1. tinhat stuff.

First of all, Blair is stepping down. There's no reason to doubt that. And of course the EU is behind GB- nothing remotely sinister in that. You can take it out of quotation marks. This matter will, in all likelihood, be settled in much the same way that the incident in 2004 was. And why do you insinuate that the brits know where the sailors are?

More fearmongering. Meh.

[BayCityProgressive]

2. I think that

the possiblity of targeted air strikes is there..but it won't be over these soldiers. if we hit the country while they are still there, they would be killed for sure. Unless of course, that is what is wanted as an excuse to widen the conflict.

[Blackhatjack]

4. Recitation of facts is not 'tinfoil stuff', and saying it does not make it so...

Did you expect the British to say 'We know where our soldiers are being held?'

With today's technology(GPS, Satellite, super enhanced photographic surveillance, etc) it is highly unlikely that British do not know where their soldiers are being held. Now if the soldiers are being moved constantly, that makes it difficult to execute a real time rescue plan --which is what I would expect of the Iranians(a practical solution to overcoming superior technology).

You stated "First of all, Blair is stepping down." How do you know that? If Britain is in a fighting conflict with Iran in July, you can bet that he will delay stepping down. That would be a valid reason to doubt that he would step down.

I would imagine the situation today is much more tense and difficult than that which existed at the time of the 2004 incident. There is certainly more firepower parked in Iran's neighborhood today than in 2004.

BTW it is not 'fearmongering' to point out facts.

[CJCRANE]

3. Yes, if Bushco want British support

for an attack on Iran it's gonna have to happen in the next couple of months before Blair steps down.

Gordon Brown (the predicted next PM) is likely to be much less belligerent and less of a salesman for neocon policies.

[Blackhatjack]

5. Negotiations between Blair and his own party have been contentious...

His own party wanted him out by April, and Blair announced July. His own party is attempting to separate Blair and his unpopular policies and support of Bush from themselves before the next election.

And Brown is no Tony Blair. The Bush White House knows this.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Here's what Blair actually said, minus the Telegraph spin

Question:

Prime Minister, we understand that (inaudible) granted access to the military personnel being held in Iran. How concerned are you about the situation escalating and what steps can you take to bring pressure to bear on Tehran?

Prime Minister:

I have not been commenting up to now on this because I want to get it resolved in an as easy and diplomatic way as possible because it is the welfare of the people concerned that have been taken by the Iranian government that is most important. But this is a very serious situation and there is no doubt at all that these people were taken from the boat in Iraqi waters - it is simply not true that they went into Iranian territorial waters - and I hope the Iranian government understand how fundamental an issue this is for us. We have certainly sent those messages back to them very, very clearly indeed. I hope that this can be resolved over the next few days, but the quicker it is resolved the easier it will be for all of us. But they should not be under any doubt at all about how seriously we regard this act which was unjustified and wrong.

http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page11340.asp

That doesn't sound like trying to spark military action, to me.