Incendiary Rhetoric toward Iran

Finally found the transcript to Hannity & Colmes interview with John Bolton regarding Gaza, Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran from last night (6/14/07). What do you know, I pop over to RealClear every day, except this morning and there it is.

By all means read the entire transcript if you didn’t see the segment. I found one particular line of questioning from Alan Colmes that I found disturbing; if for nothing else, then for its naiveté:

COLMES: If you're Iran, and you hear this incendiary rhetoric toward Iran from certain people in the United States about how we have to take military action, what would you do if you're Iran?

BOLTON: Well, I wish they worried that much about me anymore, but I don't think that's really what motivates...

COLMES: But you're not the only one saying this. Does Iran respond to this incendiary rhetoric?

A lot of crosstalk when running short of time, but one last question/remark from Colmes;

COLMES: But they're going to feel they've got to defend themselves if they think an attack is imminent and people...

Cart before the horse; egg before the chicken; ultimately where does it begin and end? When someone in Colmes position seriously asks a question of this nature; calling statements from some in the U.S. “incendiary rhetoric toward Iran…” one truly should wonder if the person pays any attention to anything other than his own thoughts.

When the shrine in Samarra was again attacked by the enemies of a human race in Iraq the other day, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei blamed it on the “occupiers and Zionists.” Additionally:

‘”The disgraceful and blind-hearted agents behind this big crime, whether they are remaining stooges of Saddam's Baathist regime or the beguiled Wahhabi and Salafi fanatics, it cannot be doubted that the intelligence services of the occupiers and Zionists are the main masterminds of these heinous schemes.”’

‘”The occupiers have left the scene open to terrorists and panic-mongers to weaken the bases of the popular government of Iraq and justify their illegitimate presence in that country and are causing discord among Muslim brethren.”’

‘”Muslims throughout the world should be vigilant of the discord-sowing and war-mongering policies of enemies of Islam. Today, enemies will fan the flames of discord in Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon and any corner of the world of Islam that they can and instigate Muslims on various religious, partisan and ethnic pretexts to stand against each other and commit fratricide.”’

I’m curious how Mr. Colmes and those that agree with him feel about remarks like these? Are they not incendiary remarks? Are they not daily coming from Tehran’s leadership political and religious? Statements like these and much worse come from the pages of IRNA.com daily in the English translation they offer? Are they worse in Persian and Arabic?

We in the U.S. and West are supposed to take it easy and not ruffle any feathers in any way, shape or form and for all intents and purposes we really have not approached Iran and the issues that arise through its incitements with much more than what those, like Colmes have asked for or expect. This he would likely describe as too aggressive.

Four years now; we have been in negotiations with Iran. They continuously make overtures of interest in speaking, but will not bend on anything. EU-3 and all the rest has failed or failing; 15 victims of a misunderstanding, dual citizens taken hostage and on the list continues.

Alan Colmes and others are concerned about “incendiary remarks,” because they like talking and these “remarks,” make talking difficult. Iran has been talking with actions covert and overt, yet this somehow doesn’t fit into Colmes world view; why is that?

What do he and they really think they are going to get for their troubles?

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Interesting Points on the Tehrrorists of Tehran

Little bits and pieces that I’ve perused this afternoon (and were not hard to find, just the time), that I find extremely interesting and thought provoking on the “15 victims of a misunderstanding,” and their release by the “Tehrrorists of Tehran.”

The Editors at NRO:

“If there is a glimmer of hope in this shameful denouement, it is the possibility that the sheer brazenness of the kidnappings will shatter some of the widespread naïveté — particularly in the British and American diplomatic corps — about the nature of the Iranian regime. It has never been reasonable to think that this regime, whose guiding purpose is to export its particular brand of Islamism, could be made to act in accordance with the West’s interests. Its latest exercise in hostage-taking-as-foreign-policy underscores the unreasonableness of that view.”

David Frum:

“Some may sigh with relief at the release of the captives: "Well, at least we averted the risk of war."’

“My fear is that we have now moved closer to war than ever. The EU response to the detention of the capitves makes clear that there is almost zero hope of gaining European cooperation for an effective sanctions regime upon Iran. If they won't impose comprehensive sanctions after an act of piracy like this, they sure cannot be expected to do it merely because Iran has moved another step closer to completion of a nuclear bomb. By refusing to consider meaingful nonmilitary pressure, the Europeans have steadily reduced the number of peaceful options. As things are going, those options will soon be reduced to two: acquiesence - or air strikes. That is not success.”

Victor Davis Hanson:

“While the Iranian theocrats understand that the entire world, including many of their own citizens, is turning against them, they also know that this could change if a Western nation would just attack them. Their strategy seems to be to find a way to provoke someone to drop a few bombs on them, on the naive assumption that such an assault would be of limited duration and damage. Such an attack, they may figure, would earn them sympathy in much of the world.”

David Pryce-Jones:

“Behind the scenes, diplomatic letters were exchanged between Prime Minister Blair’s foreign-policy adviser, and Ali Larijani, a hardliner who negotiates the nuclear issue. Whether some kind of deal has been struck remains unknown. There is speculation that Iranian officers held in Iraq may be part of a bargain, and if that proves to be the case, Iran will find confirmation for its view that the balance of power in the world is now in its favor. In the first place, though, Iran evidently let the 15 go because it had milked the hijacking for all its worth, and nothing more was to be gained. The British navy had been exposed as operationally unprofessional. Its ships and helicopters and radars were taken by surprise. In no position to defend themselves, its sailors and marines went meekly into captivity. In its predicament, the British government was helpless, turning for support to the European Union and the United Nations, which both limited themselves to verbiage, watered down at that. The whole West can expect to pay a high cost for such open weakness and humiliation at this juncture of the war on terror.”

New York Daily News Opinion:

“Then again, why should this particular group of young people, pawns on the global stage, be called upon on to do what no one else in the world is doing: stand up to Iran?

Why should they be expected to stare Ahmadinejad down when their elders in the capitals of the world, and in the halls of the United Nations, refuse to get serious about a nation that exports terror, that openly calls for the annihilation of Israel and is progressing toward nuclear weaponry?

Why, indeed?”

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A Gift from the Democratically Elected President of an Islamic Republic

TIME magazine explains to the dull masses what message it was that Iran was sending? Beyond the gift(s) that is:

“President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called a "gift to the British people" was a notable victory for Iranian pragmatists over hard-liners — one that could even build momentum within Tehran's power structure and in Western capitals for a diplomatic solution to the standoff over Iran's uranium-enrichment program.”

I always enjoy TIME’s take on what it was that took place before our very eyes and analyzes for us that which we cannot for ourselves. One of my favorite gems was upon the revelation of Iran’s restarting its nuclear program:

"One of the ironies of Iran's latest confrontation with the West is that it is the product of are you ready for this? democratic politics. President Mahmoud Ahmedinajad's move towards restarting work on the country's nuclear program is the classic maneuver of an elected leader caught in a political bind."

Three possible keys as to why the Tehrrorists in Tehran may have taken the “15 victims of a misunderstanding,” or as Time scolds; “(a)lthough President Bush declared that Iran had seized the 15 sailors and marines as "hostages," was these messages:

“· Don't think about attacking Iran, because it has the capacity to threaten Western interests in the Gulf and throughout the Middle East, directly as well as through allies in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine;

· Expect Iran to instigate trouble if the West continues to punish Iran for what it sees simply as exercising as its legal right to nuclear technology; and,

· Iran will play tit-for-tat if U.S. forces continue arresting Iranian officials working inside Iraq, as in the Jan. 11 raid on an Iranian consular facility in Erbil where five Iranians were detained.”

Time feels that Iran “sudden decision,” rather than a backing down, might be attributed to that “Western pressure on the Iranian regime,” may be bearing fruit much like a citrus tree in northern climes during the dead of winter. But it might also mean that may have “achieved some of its objectives.”

Time writes that the “gift,” is that being a “peaceful end to the naval dispute,” that this “is a victory for diplomacy.” This should give a boost and perhaps room for the Iranian chief nuke negotiator, Larijani to succeed in the “talks” with the West. However, real success will more depend upon as Time sees it:

“whether the U.S., following Britain's example, is willing to give diplomacy a real chance.”

This seems to be the take on the situation from The NY Times in an Op-Ed piece today:

“just as Iran will meet confrontation with confrontation, it will respond to what it perceives as flexibility with pragmatism. This message is worth heeding as the United States and Iran seem to be moving inexorably toward conflict.”

The choice the U.S. faces now is:

“it will have to either escalate its confrontational policy or adopt a policy of engagement. Far from arresting the Iranian danger, escalation would most likely present the United States with new perils.”

What escapes them is that there are “perils” in the steps taken to arrive at the outcome of the “15 victims of a misunderstanding.” Nothing of harm will come to those that bend over backward to the likes of the Tehrrorists in Tehran and you can take this to the bank according to the msm because they know and we don’t.

One thing I note that neither of these two media fonts seem to have caught on to is, this one for Time. The magazine might have considered a fourth aim that may have guided the Tehrrorists actions:

• Iran will play the media for all it is worth as there is no better ally in the hard headed manipulation of reality; with the exception of the Democrat party.

This however may have had the affect of changing the angle of the analysis; an analysis mired in the msm mindset of being in the know and being in the right. Just another lesson for the administration in the laundry list of advice the president should have taken from the elders of knowledge in the media.

The NY Times Op-ed believes, “Iran today sees regional stability in its interest,” which goes a long way toward describing and understanding Iran’s continued sowing of instability in the region. And sees the U.S. “provocative naval deployments in the Persian Gulf,” as the bigger piece of the puzzle; nicely in-line with one of the al Qaeda justifications for 9/11.

“After 28 years of sanctions and containment, it is time to accept that pressure has not tempered Iran’s behavior.” As “sanctions and containment,” cannot make up for the rest of the international community not following suit and doing the same; France, Russia, the EU just won’t cooperate because the Americans are stupid….see? it just won’t work, especially with us (them) continuing big business with the Islamic Republic.

President Mahmoud “Momo” Ahmadinejad has offered the dove of peace to the media and the Left. He has given “diplomacy” another chance to thrive and delay; he has given additional truth to the lie (maybe not) that the West is weak. Ultimately though, I’m starting to think he is right and we should be just a bit more concerned about this fact than many of us choose to be.

Recent pronouncements of peace and love from the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran:

• “We don’t shy away from declaring that Islam is ready to rule the world.”
• “The wave of the Islamist revolution will soon reach the entire world.”
• “In parallel to the official political war there is a hidden war going on and the Islamic states should benefit from their economic potential to cut off the hands of the enemies.”
• "The UN Resolution was a stillbirth. Even if the UN would come up with ten more resolutions it will not affect he Iranian economy and politics.”
• "Zionist rulers are selfish to the extent that prevent even their own or Western scientists from doing research on the public opinion's important question on Holocaust." "There are still questions... maybe in your so-called Holocaust more than six million Jews were massacred (during World War II), so why do you not allow people to undertake new research?"
• "The real cure for the conflict is elimination of the Zionist regime."

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Iran’s (not so) Secret War on the West

Following the revelations reported by ABC News that the U.S. government supports nefarious groups in the Middle East to weaken Iran; which is taking a page from Iranian creation of and support of fun groups like Hezbollah et al. I felt it necessary to share with the world media that Iran itself has been involved in a “secret war” with the West for three decades now.

The last few years of these war efforts have been accomplished via the assistance of the U.N.; “a timeline of the U.N. moves which have progressively emboldened Iran and like-minded terrorist entities the world over.”

Since the Iranian Revolution and the taking of Americans hostage (perhaps they were “victims of a misunderstanding”) for 444 days, Iran has been a major player in a clandestine or “secret war” with the West; a very brief summary of which from the Iran Terror Database:

“During the 1980s and 1990s, at least 90 percent of the major terrorist attacks were linked either to Tehran as the epicenter of Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism or to its surrogates and agents and movements that managed to thrive only under the light of Tehran's mullahs. Some of the terrorist attacks carried out either by Tehran or fundamentalists under its hegemony and influence are:

•The occupation of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and the taking of American hostages in 1979. This was, in fact, a clear declaration of war by this new phenomenon that effectively demonstrated its antiWest potential and hysteria.
•Taking Westerners, especially Americans, hostage in Lebanon in the 1980s.
•The explosion of the U.S. Marine barracks in Lebanon in 1983.
•The bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. The explosion of an Air France 747 passenger jet in Tehran's airport in 1983
•Several bombings in the streets of Paris in 1986, which caused many deaths and injuries among civilians
•The hanging of U.S. Colonel William Higgins, who worked for the United Nations, in Lebanon.
•The shipment of 51 packages of explosives to Saudi Arabia (which were discovered before detonation) in 1986 in order to kill many pilgrims. The massacre of more than 400 pilgrims to Mecca in 1987
•The bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires.
•The killing of antifundamentalist intellectuals and authors in Turkey. . The decree to kill Salman Rushdie.
•The killings of many Iranian dissidents, particularly the Mojahedin, in Germany, Switzerland, France, Sweden, Italy, Turkey, Pakistan, and United Arab Emirates.”

Much more can be found at this site and many others regarding the atrocities committed either by Iran or through one of its proxies.

Fast forward to the 21^st century we discover that Iran has been “secretly” working on the development of nuclear energy for the sake of “peaceful” purposes; something those with their eyes open find hard to believe considering Iran’s activities over the last 30 years.

The United Nations has been deeply involved in resolving this situation vigorously, which has ultimately resulted in a very aggressive stance through the latest; Resolution 1737, which was adopted by the Security Council during its 5612^th meeting. One following the goings on with in the U.N. can be forgiven for mistaking that this 5612^th was not in fact the 5612^th on Iran’s “peaceful nukes;” but the 5612^th of the SC itself.

The resolution led to an eventual gutsy (if you’re afraid of the U.N.), move by Tehrrorists in Tehran, which will if history reflects accurately, be known as the “15 Victims of a Misunderstanding Episode.”

Earlier today, Margaret Beckett the British Foreign Secretary made remarks regarding the efforts at gaining the release of the 15 closing with (italics mine):

“There is only one more thing I would add, some people have read a lot into the Prime Minister's remarks about not seeing progress in the next 48 hrs, he is not talking, nor intending to imply, anything about military action, we are not seeking confrontation, we are seeking to pursue this through diplomatic channels.”

These types of remarks as well as an even keeled, limp wristed and tepid response from Britain, which fails to imply any further belief in the adage of one “keeping their p*cker up,” likely led to:

“President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the 15 Britons seized 13 days ago are being pardoned for the prophet Muhammad's birthday and are being released after his news conference in Tehran today.”

The honest broker President Mahmoud “Momo” Ahmadinejad said:

"The Great Iranian people and the Islamic Republic, despite having the legal right to put these British sailors on trial, will pardon them. Their release will be given to the British population as a gift."

During his originally postponed press conference Ahmadinejad:

“awarded a medal of honour on Wednesday to a Revolutionary Guards commander for his role in arresting 15 British marines and sailors who Iran had charged had entered Iranian waters illegally last month but Britain maintained were in Iraqi territorial waters at the time of their seizure.”

I would expect some type of “medal of honor” will be bestowed upon the 15 once they are returned to their country.

As much as it sickens me to a degree to feel this way, I cannot help but believe that an opportunity to address the leadership in Tehran has been missed. A more overt action against the West by Tehran has not taken place, so I cannot imagine what they would need to do to actually rile the world as it should be. To have addressed the “misunderstanding” militarily would assuredly have had dire consequences, which I honestly would not relish. However, those days may be to come because we believe by the steps taken, that we have avoided a disaster.

In the peaceful words of the Iranian president himself regarding recent U.N. sanctions as addressed to the major world powers:

“If they want to create disturbances ... for parts of our economy, (like) banks, we will retaliate there or in other places."

Happy Birthday to the prophet Muhammad (PBUH)!

Signed,

A Civilian Chicken-Hawk Warmonger

Iran Tag Results from DeMediacratic nation:

Iran and the Peaceful Nukes

Peaceful Nukes

15 Hostages

Diplomacy

Friday Sermon from Iran

Iran

Iran and the Greater War on Terror

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ABC, IRNA and the Not so Secret War against Iran

ABC News has the goods on the U.S.’ support of terrorism:

“A Pakistani tribal militant group responsible for a series of deadly guerrilla raids inside Iran has been secretly encouraged and advised by American officials since 2005, U.S. and Pakistani intelligence sources tell ABC News.

The group, called Jundullah, is made up of members of the Baluchi tribe and operates out of the Baluchistan province in Pakistan, just across the border from Iran.

It has taken responsibility for the deaths and kidnappings of more than a dozen Iranian soldiers and officials.”

No funding however is provided by the U.S. government

Ace reporters in Iran working for the Islamic Republic News Agency (moonlighting for ABC perhaps), caught onto the situation as well:

“Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has hired a Pakistani terrorist group that has carried out a series of deadly terrorist attacks inside Iran, ABC News has reported on Wednesday.

The group, members of the Baluchi tribe, operates from Pakistan's province of Baluchestan, just across the border from Iran.

ABC cited US government sources it did not identify as saying the US has maintained close ties to its leader, Abdel-Malik Regi, since 2005.

The group, called Jundullah, has carried out raids, resulting in the deaths or kidnapping of Iranian ordinary people as well as soldiers and officials.

The large Iranian community residing in the US protested strongly to Voice of America (VOA)'s live interview with Regi recently in which the terrorist claimed responsibility for the operations.”

Perhaps this is what led to the mishap of the “15 victims of a misunderstanding?”

The revelation reveals that it may be time to take President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmoud “Momo” Ahmadinejad more seriously when on Wednesday he:

“highlighted the imbalance in structure of the United Nations Security Council and said that the member states expect the world body to observe justice as a basis for decision making.”

Further out of character comments for the president were:

“He accused “arrogant world powers” of bringing about “destruction” to the whole world.”

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As Iran Holds British Hostages It is Business As Usual for EU Nations

Indescribably understood and expected.....

From Réalité EU:

As the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to hold British hostages many companies from the European Union member states continue to do business with the rogue regime.

“While Britain has cut virtually all ties with Iran a large number of EU nations including Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Spain continue to carry on business as usual,” says Simon Barrett, the Director of IMIA, International Media Intelligence Analysis.

“Iran’s clerical rulers not only oppress their own people, they sponsor international terrorist organisations, have threatened to wipe another country off the map while building a nuclear weapons and are now defying the will of the international community as they continue to hold 15 British troops under false pretenses,” continued Mr. Barrett.

European goods make up 44% of the Iran’s total imports which last year amounted to more than $16 billion. During that time the EU imported over $10 billion in merchandise from Iran. In addition European invests billions of dollars in Iranian oil, gas, mining, automotive, transportation and communications companies.

Some European businesses work with Iranian banks inside the EU that are directly involved in financing Iran’s missile programme and its funding of Islamic terror groups. Two of these banks, Bank Saderat and Bank Sepah have branches in almost every European capital. [1]

Hundreds of businesses in Europe work in or with Iran, some of the major companies include:

Alcatel SA: French based Alcatel earned over $300 million dollars revenue in deals with Iran as well as Sudan and Libya over the past five years. The company directly assists the Iranian regime by providing it with most of its telecommunications infrastructure, advanced technology and training. [2]

Total SA: French energy giant Total is one of the main investors in Iran. It owns and runs oil development projects in Iran that amount to tens of millions of dollars in annual profit. Total has recently invested $1.6 billion on four oil exploitations in Iran. [3]

Technip Coflexip: Technip Coflexip is one of the biggest engineering and companies in France and supports Iran by building much of its petrochemical plants and other related infrastructure. Technip Coflexip does business with Iran to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. [4]

BNP Paribas: The French bank, BNP Paribas, is the only foreign bank active in Iran and supports the terror sponsoring regime by funding its infrastructure and export projects. BNP Paribas has bankrolled Iranian schemes worth over $2 billion so far. [5]

Royal Dutch Shell: The Dutch/British energy and petrochemical company has a long history of investment in Iran. In January 2007, Shell along with Spanish energy company Repsol signed a gas deal with Iran worth over $10.2 billion dollars. [6]

Stolt-Nielsen SA: British holding and transportation company Stolt-Nielsen SA, conducts roaring trade with the terror sponsoring regime in Iran. Stolt-Nielsen deals with Iran via its subsidiary Stolt-Offshore, which imports much of the regime’s petrochemicals, fats and oils supply. The company has been caught falsifying cargo documents and using an elaborate code system to conceal their business with Iran. [7]

Siemens AG: Germany’s Siemens AG is a world leader in telecommunications. Siemens AG has a long history of conducting lucrative business with countries that nourish and promote terrorism including Iran, Sudan and Syria. Siemens AG has profited hundreds of millions of dollars from dealing with these rogue states. [8]

Statoil ASA: Statoil ASA invests heavily in oil projects that fund the world’s biggest sponsor of terrorism, Iran. The Norwegian company holds massive stakes in Iranian development projects that brings revenue of hundreds of millions of dollars to Tehran’s clerical regime. Statoil’s most recent Iranian deal alone is worth $2.6 billion. [9]

ENI Spa: Italy’s leading energy company ENI Spa, is one of the biggest investors in Iran worldwide. ENI Spa and its subsidiaries, Agip and Snamprogetti Spa have contracts with Iran worth billions of dollars which provides enormous revenue to Iran and the terror groups it supports. [10]

Other well known companies that do big business with Iran include: Daimler-Chrysler, Renault, Lurgi AG, Krupp-Uhde, BASF, Lundin Petroleum and HSBC.

“The European Union member’s states have the power and the means to prevent Iran from completing their controversial nuclear weapons programme, if they took the necessary measures of ensuring that Europe acts as one by pursuing a policy of tougher economic sanctions. This can force European business to reconsider trading with Iran as a means of ending the hostage crisis and stopping Iran for requiring nuclear weapons,” concludes Mr. Barrett.

IMIA, a European-based organisation with global reach, provides facts, insights and analysis on key developments and trends in the Middle East. IMIA exposes the threats from state sponsors of terrorist organisations, extremist leaders and groups, financing of terrorism, proliferation of nuclear weapons, human rights violations as well as counter terrorist organisations' initiatives. IMIA is affiliated with REALITE-EU a new e-publication for journalists, leaders and key analysts that focus on developments in and around the Middle East which pose a threat to Europe and beyond.

Footnotes:

[1] Weizman, Steven, "Europe resists US pressure on curbing ties with Iran," International Herald Tribune, January 30, 2007

Walsh, Conal, “Iran using British banks to channel money to terrorists,” The Guardian, October 8, 2006

[2] Sparshott, Jeffery, “Pension funds urged to end ties to terror, The Washington Times

Alcatel website with information on its deals with Iran

[3] “Total plans stake in $2b Iran project, Reuters via Gulf News, May 9, 2005

“Total SA may increase its stake in Irans Pars liquefied natural gas project,” Forbes, May 24, 2005

[4] Technip Coflexip press release

Gertz, Bill, “French firm probed in move of pumps to Iran,” The Washington Times

[5] “European banks support Iran,” BBC, May 27, 2002

“Iran lures BNP, HSBC for loans; US banks barred,” Bloomberg, December 23, 2004

[6] Sterling, Toby, “Shell, Repsol eye Persian gulf gas, Associated Press via The Boston Globe, January 29, 2007

“Shell and Respsol sign gas deal with Iran,” Associated Press via The International Herald Tribune, January 30, 2007

[7] “Treasury department probes shipping company,” Associated Press via Fox news, November 22, 2002

Stolt-Nielsen Company report

[8] “Iran signs 450 million dollar deal with Germany’s Siemens,” Islamic Republic News Agency, November 14, 2006

Siemens AG website detailing business in Iran

“Iran-tied Assets,” International Herald Tribune, March 7, 2007

[9] “Statoil signs Iran gas deal,” BBC, October 28, 2002

Statoil ASA website detailing business in Iran

[10] ENI Spa website detailing business in Iran

“Surprise: Oil woes in Iran,” Businessweek, November 30, 2006

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Iranian Diplomats Release from Iraq

Jalal Sharafi, an Iranian “diplomat,” was abducted on February 4^th of this year by men dressed in Iraqi military uniforms and has been released from Iraq.

When initially abducted, Iran held the U.S. responsible and demanded his release. The U.S. military was not aware of the event.

According to the NY Times:

“IRNA, a government news agency, provided no details in an English language report about the circumstances of his release, which Iran has been demanding along with the release of other Iranians still in detention in Iraq.”

In depth reporting from two IRNA articles are:

“Abducted Iranian diplomat released”

“alal Sharafi, Second Secretary of Iran's Embassy in Iraq, who was abducted in Baghdad on Feb 4, was released Tuesday. An informed source told IRNA today that Sharafi is to return to Tehran this afternoon.”

“Released Iranian diplomat returns to Tehran”

Jalal Sharafi, second secretary of Iran's Embassy in Iraq, who was abducted in Baghdad on February 4, arrived in Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport after being released on Tuesday. Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and a number of the ministry's officials welcomed Sharafi at the airport.”

The release comes at a time when (victims of a misunderstanding) from NYT:

“heightened tensions between the Iranian government and Britain over the capture of 15 British sailors who are being held in Iran.”

New developments in the standoff:

“Prime Minister Tony Blair said in an interview on a Scottish radio station, Real Radio, that the next 48 hours would be “fairly critical” in resolving the dispute and that the release of the sailors could still be secured by diplomatic efforts.”

Also Islamic Republic of Iran President Mahmoud “Momo” Ahmadinejad has postponed his planned address to reporters until Wednesday; in depth from IRNA:

“President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's press conference, previously scheduled for Tuesday, has been postponed to Wednesday. The president will speak to domestic and foreign reporters in his first press conference in the new Iranian year, started March 21. He is to outline Iran's latest stance on different issues, regional and international developments in particular.”

The “outline” covering the latest stance, as well as regional and international developments should prove to be quite eye-opening in the just woke up sense.

Think we’ll hear anything new?

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The 15 “Victims of a Misunderstanding”

From Time magazine comes an opener that is unfortunately expected:

“It's good to have the support of those close to you in times of crisis, and Tony Blair and George W. Bush have often given public succor to each other. But British diplomats involved in efforts to secure the release of 15 of their country's marines and sailors in custody in Iran since Mar. 23 may worry that the U.S. President's most recent gesture of amity recalls an old saw — with friends like these, who needs enemies?”

That damned Bush I tell ya!

John Williams who held the post of Director of News for the British Foreign Ministry and one that was involved in the 2004 Iranian taking of 8 “hostages,” said of President Bush’s referring to the 15 military people situation as “the British hostages issue,” as “utterly careless.”

It would appear that the preferred terminology is:

“victims of a misunderstanding that could be resolved."

??????????? That gets right to the root of the problem with silk gloves, which would raise my breakfast had I eaten this morning.

Not being the least bit sure of who is/was involved in the taking of the “victims of a misunderstanding,” The National Council of Resistance of Iran has claimed:

“to have information of a "meticulously concocted operation" to "win concessions from the international community and divert attention from [Iran's] nuclear projects."

Other possibilities abound as to who exactly is behind the nabbing of the “victims of a misunderstanding,” but quiet diplomacy is the remedy being used to resolve the stand off.

Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett is being careful to “avoid tough talk,” evoked this comment from the no nonsense John Bolton telling ABC News:

‘"the softly-softly approach of the British Foreign Office simply convinces the Iranians that's all there is to it."’

Former Foreign Office News Director John Williams, quoted earlier added, at least in the TIME piece:

"You can't just do low-key diplomacy when there's provocation, you have to calibrate your rhetoric against the interests of the service personnel."

This I imagine follows the Bolton remark in the article to give the Diplo-impression that ‘hey we can get tough and just might.’ As an example Tony Blair has warned the Tehrrorists in Tehran that we could be heading toward a “different phase,” including:

“a push for tougher and new sanctions.”

Uh oh!?.!? TIME reports regarding the British government and those in the public that responded to a poll (here) that – from Time:

‘“There is little appetite in Westminster or, according to opinion polls, among the British public, for any military intervention, or even for windy threats of reprisals. Sir Christopher Meyer, a former British Ambassador to the U.S., says that saber-rattling could be counter-productive. "Having taken your saber out of the scabbard, what do you do with it?" he asks. "There are a number of people out there calling for action but if you try to pin them down about what they mean, they haven't any clear ideas."’

Dear Sir Christopher Meyer, is this truly appropriate when the Tehrrorists have already been rattling their sabers? This bloodless battle (to date anyway) with “victims of a misunderstanding,” awaiting rescue IS a “saber rattling” occasion and should be responded to as such. Then consider having the nerve or metal to back it up even if you would rather not. You have already lost this “battle” whether you realize it or not.

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