George W. Bush,  Iran,  Iran Nuclear Watch,  Iraq,  Iraq War,  Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,  Tony Blair,  United Kingdom

Iran Watch: Feckless Brits Seek Deal With Iran

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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad(C) leaves the Friday prayers at Tehran university, 30 March 2007. Ahmadinejad again called for Britain to apologise for its sailors entering Iranian waters, the state news agency IRNA reported.

Ahmadinejad Calls U.K., Allies Arrogant

Iran’s hardline president said Saturday that Britain and its allies were “arrogant and selfish” for not apologizing over what he called the incursion of 15 captured British sailors and marines into Iranian waters.

President Bush described the 15 Britons as “hostages” in his first comments on the capture and said their seizure was “inexcusable,” calling for their release.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s most extensive comments on the crisis closely followed tough talk from other Iranian officials, an indication that Tehran’s position could be hardening.

Britain, meanwhile, appeared to be easing its stance, emphasizing its desire to talk with Iran about what it termed a regrettable situation.

“We continue to express our willingness to engage in dialogue and discussions with Iran,” Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said at a European Union summit in Bremen, Germany. I think everyone regrets that this position has arisen … What we want is a way out of it.”

Iran appeared unreceptive.

Of course, Iran will be unreceptive of the feckless Brits. Britain has shown itself to be WEAK. So, Iran will take advantage. Iran will want more.

Remember when President Ronald Reagan made the statement of “PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH” an American foreign policy standard?

Tony Blair and the British have made “negotiate and beg” their national foreign policy standard.

The Brits need to show some backbone and intestinal fortitude or become subservient Dhimmis to the great Caliphate of Iran.

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U.S. President George W. Bush answers a question during a joint news conference with Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at Camp David in Maryland March 31, 2007. Bush said on Saturday that Iran’s detention of 15 British sailors and marines was inexcusable and called on Tehran to release “the hostages” immediately.

In the meantime, the British government is trying to negotiate a “DEAL” with Iran.

Ministers seek deal with Iran for captives

Ministers are preparing a compromise deal to allow Iran to save face and release its 15 British military captives by promising that the Royal Navy will never knowingly enter Iranian waters without permission.

The Sunday Telegraph has learnt of plans to send a Royal Navy captain or commodore to Teheran, as a special envoy of the Government, to deliver a public assurance that officials hope will end the diplomatic standoff.

The move, which was discussed at a meeting of Whitehall’s Cobra crisis committee yesterday, came as Downing Street officials explicitly cautioned against hopes of a speedy outcome and said that families of the hostages should prepare for the “long haul”.

What a joke.

But, Britain can deal with Iran as it sees fit.

Iran knows that had they attacked and attempted to capture an American vessel that at the least the Americans would have fought them and that there would be no negotiations only reprisals.

Some Brits are not too happy:

Defence officials emphasised that they were not preparing to concede that the two British boats detained nine days ago were at fault. But one said: “We are quite prepared to give the Iranians a guarantee that we would never knowingly enter their waters without their permission, now or in the future.

We are not apologising, nor are we saying that we entered their waters in the first place. But it may offer a route out of the crisis.”

Details of the strategy emerged as a former Falklands War commander expressed fury at how the sailors surrendered to Iranian gunboats without a fight.

Maj Gen Julian Thompson called for a review of the Navy’s rules of engagement, dictated by the United Nations, that they cannot open fire unless they are shot at first. “In my view this thing is a complete cock-up,” he said.

“I want to know why the Marines didn’t open fire or put up some sort of fight. My fear is that they didn’t have the right rules of engagement, which would allow them to do this.”

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This photo released by the Ministry of Defence shows the HMS Cornwall on station in the Gulf. More people in Britain oppose military action than support it to end the standoff over Iran’s capture of 15 British military personnel in the Gulf, a poll published at the weekend said.

Stay tuned……

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Iranians wave their national flag during a celebration to mark the Islamic Republic Day in Tehran’s Revolution Square.

Previous:

Iran Watch: British Sailors May Be Tried By Iran

Iran Watch: Iran Releases Video and Letter of Captured British Hostages

Iran Watch: Britain Seeks Iran Condemnation from the United Nations

Iran Watch: Britain Must FIRST Admit “MISTAKE”

Iran Watch: Iran Parades Brit Hostages on TV

Iran Watch: Tony Blair Warns Iran

Iran Watch: Captured Brits – Show Trial or Bluff?

Iran Watch: Iran May Charge British Sailors

Iran Watch: Iran to Try Brits for Spying?

Iran Watch: British Troops Transported To Tehran

Iran Watch: Are Seized British Troops Hostages?

Iran Nuclear Watch: Ahmadinejad Cancels United Nations Appearance

Iran Watch: Iran Seizes British Sailors in Iraq Waters

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