So does this mean we get to carpet bomb Iran now?

Looks like Iran will looking for a new navy.

Certainly this isn't connected with the hot security council action coming up soon

CNN's rolling coverage of 'Operation Shock & Awe II' starts in 3...2...1...

Am I wrong thinking this means war, basically?

We have to be up to like World War Five or Six by now.

How long until Bush gets blamed for this? Or am I already too late?

I think I want to be drunk till Monday

I don't see the problem if they floated into Iranian waters. These guys will be treated nicey-nice anyway, like when our spy plane went down in China.

What would Michael Savage do????

//Scooby Dooby Jew!

On that note, it's drunk o'clock.

Tatsuma - Am I wrong thinking this means war, basically?

As usual, yes. Yes you are.

There be pirates in those waters, matey!!!

/blow Iran off the map, finally, please

They (the Iranians) have done this before. I suspect they will make the UK grovel a little before handing back the marines. It is not in their interests to make too big of a deal of this affair. It's probably good for the home propaganda front though.

The same thing happened a few years ago - they were released in days.

The funny part is the UK navy was pwning local merchant vessels when the Iranian Navy came along and pwned them. That'll teach them to show off.

You dicks! I promised!

Am I wrong thinking this means war, basically?

If war starts over this, my 1% hope for humanity shrinks to 0%.

Looks like Iran is trying to provoke action so they can play the "We are another victim of the great white oppressor" card.

You take 15 sailors, and what do you get?
A nuclear war and you're deeper in debt

Let's get down to the real issue:

Lisa's hogging of the maple syrup!!

4L of 96% alcohol in 40L of punch

/yep, I'll be lit up till Monday

Glass. Parking. Lot.

So Mossad finally got those Iranian uniforms they've been looking for?

HotWingConspiracy: I don't see the problem if they floated into Iranian waters.

Why the hell wouldn't you see a problem with this? They didn't just told them "Oops, you just crossed into Iranian waters, turn around", they took them captive.

As far as I know, they took them captive in Iraqi waters.

And even if they had captured them in Iranian water, I don't see why you'd be a-ok with our troops or the troops of our allies ending up in Iranian jail.

These guys will be treated nicey-nice anyway, like when our spy plane went down in China.

Treated nicely?

This is an act of defiance. Iran is trying to force themselves into a position of security for Iraq, hearing general support of allied forces is waining from media outlets. It's not an act of war.

HotWingConspiracy: I don't see the problem if they floated into Iranian waters.

According to the Brits:
their two boats were surrounded and escorted by Iranian vessels into Iranian territorial waters.

THIS IS MADNESS!

fark. If only we had 300 men to head them off.

Gulf. Of. Tonkin.

Iraq is doing the same thing we did with their diplomats in northern Iraq: Took them for no reason.

We set the precedent, they are just following it.

Just another example how this war is a failure.

Iran is in the driver's seat here. No way Bush gets to play Monarch with the US forces again, unless it is extremely necessary. Wait 2 years when Iran storms the Iraqi parlaiment.

mcsiegs: If war starts over this, my 1% hope for humanity shrinks to 0%.

How would it be surprising? Kidnapping soldiers didn't exactly work out either for the Palestinians or the Lebanese. What makes you think this is ANY kind of different?


If this is literally a case of "We got your soldiers and nu-uh, we're not giving them back, now let us develop nukes", shiat is going down I'm afraid

That's a lot of semen.

/Iranian bukkake rules, baby. COHB.

The same thing already happened in 2004... good luck with that war boys... UK won't attack without the US and the US won't support anything because of the UK's partial withdrawal from Iraq.

BunkoSquad, that was quite catchy

Tatsuma Am I wrong thinking this means war, basically?

No, but they'll call it something else, so it's not so clear it's a sequel. Sequels never do as well, and the production values are generally compromised.

Maybe they were trying to defect to Iran?

I'm betting this is going to end up just like the 2004 incident...the marines will be released after a few days of diplomatic wrangling.

But I'm sure that won't stop the chicken littles aound here from spouting the usual rhetoric and jingoism...

Your sons and daughters are protecting the gulf from -- car smugglers?

George Walker Bush: This is an act of defiance. Iran is trying to force themselves into a position of security for Iraq, hearing general support of allied forces is waining from media outlets. It's not an act of war.

And Hezbollah killing Israeli soldiers and kidnapping two others was not an act of war either, it was an act of terrorism in order to force Israel to release prisoners

We all know how well that one worked out

Tatsuma: Am I wrong thinking this means war, basically?

I think some other people already covered this...but yes, you're wrong.

Oh Fark!!

Everyone stop overreacting. The CNN article points out that something similar already happened once in 2004. ::yawn::

Tatsuma - Am I wrong thinking this means war, basically?

Not war, not yet. Just escalation of the tension until the sailors are returned unharmed.

Assuming the sailors are returned unharmed.

What was the nationality of the ship that was boarded?

Tatsuma: Am I wrong thinking this means war, basically?

Yes, I would say so. If their mutilated bodies get dragged through the streets of Tehran, sure. Until we see some indication that this is any different from the last time British sailors were detained by the Iranian navy, this isn't going to start a war.

I agree that they will probably be shuffled around a little, the UK will have to make an apology, then they'll be let go.

Else... what BunkoSquad said, although it probably wouldn't be the US spearheading it. (Nice to see someone else need to run a war for once).

It's like they're just begging for it now. Look what you're making us do Iran, look what you're making us do.

Tatsuma: Why the hell wouldn't you see a problem with this? They didn't just told them "Oops, you just crossed into Iranian waters, turn around", they took them captive.



so, if an Iranian ship floated into Biscayne Bay or NYC Harbor the U.S. wouldn't detain them at all right? they'd just say "could you please turn around?"

do I think the Iranians are using this as a way to get all uppity again? hell yes

but don't say that they don't have the right to stop folks who are in their waters (if they were in Iranian waters, that is)