What should Britain do about Iran?

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070402/ap_ ... ljoWBvaA8F

One of the interesting things I discovered recently is, believe it or not, Iran IMPORTS almost half of its gasoline. It lacks the refining capability. So while it EXPORTS oil, it IMPORTS gas. And it subsidizes that to its population, keeping gasoline prices artificially low. The result, when there is a crisis that effects the oil markets, it hurts the Iranian government. Kind of ironic I think.

If I were in charge, I would advise the British to admit their sailors were in Iranian waters. THEN, as soon as my people were returned, I would sink the entire Iranian navy in a surprise attack. Every single ship, their handful of subs, the works. Then tell the world this was the penalty for Iranian intransigience. Then tell the Iranians if they conduct any further acts against Britain, TEHRAN will be the next target.

[Somali-Transporter]

Daaaaaamn you are the real devil

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

Well what would you do man? The Iranians are being unreasonable. And they are trying to play this into a power game and embarass the Britons. I mean, ever were it true (and does anyone believe it is?) that the Brits had strayed into Iranian waters that would be grounds to confront them on the water and tell them to turn around. It certainly was NOT a major incursion or a deliberate one. It would not be grounds for detention. We, for example, do not detain Canadian vessels that stray into our waters. The Iranians need to be reminded of where they sit in the food chain.

[SOULJAH]

I think the iranians should just kill all 15 of them by drowning them in saulty water.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

Í suspect the response to that would be even more severe than sinking the Iranian Navy.

[SOULJAH]

Well they gotta do what they gotta do, let them sink the whole country of Iran if they want. The bottomline is, these stinky gaalos should know that no one is afraid of them, and whatever the consquences people will fight them till they learn how to stop bullying.

[KUN-DILE]

I am not so sure about whether or not Iran imports its Gas but one thing I am sure of is the fact that Iran isn't and will not be an easy cake like Iraq was.

First of all, Iran is more developed and has better organised army with better weapons and is more cohesive then Iraq was. The other advantage Iran has over Iraq is the fact that the terrian is more dangerous and is more Afghan-like then the easy flat deserts of Iraq. Politically, Iran enjoys support (covertly or overtly - whichever) from key UN Security Council members including China which has invested heavily in Iran's Gas/Oil.

On the weapons front, I think the showdown in Lebenon between Israeli's army and Hizbollah's mujahideen should be seen as a preview of sort of the kind of weapons that Iran has at its disposal. Unlike Iraq, Iran produces most of its ammos and missiles.

So, for Britian if you think of sinking ships and waiting for the Iranians to turn the other cheek, think again. The Iranians will definitely prove a better foe than their Arab neighbours.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

"Well they gotta do what they gotta do, let them sink the whole country of Iran if they want. The bottomline is, these stinky gaalos should know that no one is afraid of them, and whatever the consquences people will fight them till they learn how to stop bullying."

Soujah
I fail to see how the Britains are doing the bullying in this case.

Kun-dile
The Iranian Army and Air Force are comparable with the Iraqi. Given that we have an excellent jumping off point, and would quickly control the air space, you could expect a replay of the Iraqi scenerio. HOWEVER, what is apparent is that while we could certainly pound Iran militarily, and utterly defeat it, occupying it is a different story. Again, we could expect a major insurgency. Frankly, I think there are two potential answers to Iran. One is detente, we open diplomative channels, and simply wait for Iran to develop reasonable governance. That might or might not work. The other is to destroy it with nuclear weapons now. Destroy the population centers. No one wants to do that, so I suspect we will continue to see this frcition for a while.

[Mr.Wise]

Jack ass you forgetting one thing Iran is not like Like Iraq, if they are bleave me the US will invade long time ago, and British cant Fight alone

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

Do a comparison in strength. Population, GDP, equipment available, intelligence structure, logisitcal capabilities.......measure it on any level, and you will quickly find out the Iranians are completely overmatched.

[Padishah]

Brits strayed into their waters. End of story.

I'm sure that there would be no less treatment were a Chinese Warship to suddenly find itself up the Hudson.

But then again, when you guys specialise in incidents such as Abu Ghraib and Bagram, I would fear for their physical safety.

[KUN-DILE]

MAD-MAC
Iran is not an easy task. Bush knows it, his master Ulmert knows it. Starting a fight with Iran is bad now, waiting for a better time in the future is equally bad. Iran will have the N-Bomb by that time.

The only solution is for the EU (Britian included) should normalise relations first and then US. The Brits shoudl take this opportunity to spearhead such an endevor.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

"Brits strayed into their waters. End of story."

How do you know that? Why are you so quick to believe the Iranians?

"I'm sure that there would be no less treatment were a Chinese Warship to suddenly find itself up the Hudson."

I would say there is a HUGE difference between a Chinese warship on the Hudson, many, many miles into out territorial waters, and a British RIB possibly a few meters over a disputed water boundary. Call me funny on this one.

"But then again, when you guys specialise in incidents such as Abu Ghraib and Bagram, I would fear for their physical safety."

There is also a huge difference between how you treat COMBATANTS (in case you missed it, Britain and Iran are not at war) and non-combatants. The treatment of the prisoners at Au Ghraib and Bagram notwithstanding, they were combatants captured in battle.

The Iranian government is not occupying some sort of moral high ground. Worse, they are trying to change the regional balance of power and replace western hegemony with their own. This has to be stopped and now.

Kundile
The British have diplomatic relations with Iran.

If you simply flatten the place, believe me, whatever is left will cut a deal. IF Tehran ceases to exist, and you destroy every city with a population over 100,000, your problem is solved.

[Padishah]

A few meters, and a few miles make no difference when International Maritime Law is broken.

And the Shat Al Arab is a disputed area in the Gulf, and has never been resolved. The Iranians claim all the way to the Iraqi bank, while the Iraqi's claim all the way to the Iranian bank. I'm inclined to believe the Iranians because the British and Americans have been itching with a conflict with Iran, and only need a pretext.

As for the American territorial waters, you're the only country in the world who's territorial waters exceed the 14 nautical miles everyone else sticks to. So, by the International definition, you could be in free water, and still be picked up by one of your warships.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

"A few meters, and a few miles make no difference when International Maritime Law is broken."

Five miles over the speed limit or 75 miles per hour, what's the difference? Get real here.

"And the Shat Al Arab is a disputed area in the Gulf, and has never been resolved. The Iranians claim all the way to the Iraqi bank, while the Iraqi's claim all the way to the Iranian bank. I'm inclined to believe the Iranians because the British and Americans have been itching with a conflict with Iran, and only need a pretext."

Nobody is itching for a conflict with Iran. It will screw up oil prices. But everyone is getting fed up with Iranian attempts at establishing Persian Hegemony in the gulf and trying to change the global power structures and threaten US interests, which the Iranians are clearly trying to do.

"As for the American territorial waters, you're the only country in the world who's territorial waters exceed the 14 nautical miles everyone else sticks to. So, by the International definition, you could be in free water, and still be picked up by one of your warships."

Name the last time a US warship stopped anyone other than drug smugglers for breaching US waters? When was the last time we detained these foreign sailors? Then ask yourself how often Mexican and Canadian vessels sail into US waters accidentally and what the response is?