Citizen G'kar: Musings on Earth

March 23, 2007

Provocation to Attack Iran?

If Bush was looking for the appropriate provocation to attack Iran, I think he just got it.
washingtonpost.com
The Iranian military seized 15 British naval personnel in the waters off Iraq early this morning, the British Ministry of Defense said today in a statement posted to its Web site.
The British sailors, assigned to the frigate H.M.S. Cornwall, were conducting what the ministry described as "routine boarding operations" of a merchant marine vessel when they were surrounded by Iranian military boats and escorted into Iranian waters.

British Defence Internet
The incident took place at approximately 1030 Iraqi time.
The British Personnel were engaged in routine boarding operations of merchant shipping in Iraqi territorial waters in support of UNSCR 1723 and the government of Iraq.
Operating from HMS Cornwall, the UK boarding party had completed a successful inspection of a merchant ship when they and their two boats were surrounded and escorted by Iranian vessels into Iranian territorial waters.


[..]We are urgently pursuing this matter with the Iranian authorities at the highest level and on the instructions of the Foreign Secretary, the Iranian ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Office. The British Government is demanding the immediate and safe return of our people and equipment.

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