Well done to the Iranians for rightly seizing three British gunboats. Congratulations for giving them a nice comfy dorm to sleep in. Well done for agreeing to diplomatic talks. Well done to all the people (especially the politicians) involved for refraining from provocative comments and inflammatory remarks that would prolong the situation longer than necessary. This combination of Persian civility and British expertise in conflict resolution will ensure a peaceful outcome. Respect and dialogue on both sides is the way forward.
Imagine if it had been US sailors?..bluster, threats, hyperbole, antagonism, targetted bombing, verbal diarrhoea from leading politicians, media appealing to the lowest common denominator appeals to 'patriotism, screams of state-sanctioned terror…etc.
What would one expect from such an amateurish superpower?
BroonAle’s posts often remind me of the question about the forest and the tree: If a tree fell in the forest and no one was there, would it make a sound?
For BroonAle:
If BroonAle wrote a post and nobody replied, would it mean he didn’t exist?
I only reply to you BroonAle because I admire how much you really try to write inflammatory posts in order to get a reaction from the folks who post here. However, for some reason, I don’t think you are as stupid as your posts make you appear. Actually, I think you are probably a very smart person who just greatly enjoys writing shit and then watching what happens.
Good job, BroonAle
[quote=“cableguy”]If BroonAle wrote a post and nobody replied, would it mean he didn’t exist?
[/quote]
I can assure you, Cableguy, that I am far less dependent on this forum for any kind of personal re-affirmation of existence, than a great deal of others who post with greater frequency than I.
That is not to say that I have no respect for the those who oppose my voice of reason. Far from it; their contribution to rational and reasoned debate on the pertinent issues of the day are to be lauded, encouraged and engaged.
Oh yes.
Indeed.
Sincerely Yours,
Nelson BroonDela
Royal Navy gets lost again… at least they didn’t run aground this time.
That only happens in friendly waters where there’s likely to be a beachfront bar.
How gratifying it is to see two great nations, one ancient and cultured and the other civilized and democratic, resolve a potentially sticky problem through diplomacy and dialogue. Iran should be commended for dealing with this rather silly accidental incursion into its territory by the Royal Navy in a rational manner. Just imagine the hullabaloo if it were the Yanks? If three Iranian vessels had mistakenly strayed into Chesapeake bay armed to the teeth, their crews would be in orange jumpsuits with courts at all levels scrambling to handle the case. No. In this case, maturity and understanding prevailed on both sides and the Americans should learn from it.
Oh and never mind the footage of 8 sailors walking in a circle blindfolded; it probably only lasted a few minutes and pales in comparison to the pictures of Taleban suspects being shackled in a US ariforce transport en route to Guantanamo. The British sailors were well treated and looked after by the Iranians, And the RN will get the boats back too, no doubt having agreed to pay mooring fees.
Nice try Broon Ale:
But the Al Wathab in London ran an article claiming that the British were deliberately kidnapped to pressure the British to get 40 pro-Sadr Iranian forces captured in Iraq released. So what exactly is your point about Iran? A nation that kills journalists after torturing them on a regular basis (perhaps you suggest that the Americans can learn from their example?) and do not allow any freedoms whatsoever and who have flouted your pathetic European efforts to negotiate a “peaceful compromise” through “dialogue” regarding their nuclear ambitions. Talk about pathetic. The idea that people like you still believe that Europe can “negotiate” or “triangulate” or “discuss” these “issues” is so laughable that it has become pathetically ludicrous. Yawn. More European diplomacy in action. Let the evildoers around the world quake in fear.
[quote=“fred smith”]
But the Al Wathab in London [/quote]
Damn! I let my subscription lapse…
Freddie, how can you believe that source. No matter what the Iranians do, the opposition in London will always disagree. At the end of the day, the Iranians were very civil about the whole thing. More civil than the US could ever be in the same circumstances.
How do you know what the Americans would or would not be like Broon Ale? Are you suggesting that the people of Iran like their government and would like to remain under an Islamofascist government? Really? How civilized of you? How European of you.
[quote=“BroonAle”][quote=“fred smith”]
But the Al Wathab in London [/quote]
Damn! I let my subscription lapse…
Freddie, how can you believe that source. No matter what the Iranians do, the opposition in London will always disagree. At the end of the day, the Iranians were very civil about the whole thing. More civil than the US could ever be in the same circumstances.[/quote]
I thought we exhibited a great deal of civility when the Chinese hot dog pilot Wrong Way crashed into our airplane over international airspace (not in Chinese space such as the RN boys who crossed into Iranian territory) and forced our crew to land its plane on Hainan and then found themselves held hostage by the Chinese.
[quote=“tigerman”][quote=“BroonAle”][quote=“fred smith”]
But the Al Wathab in London [/quote]
Damn! I let my subscription lapse…
Freddie, how can you believe that source. No matter what the Iranians do, the opposition in London will always disagree. At the end of the day, the Iranians were very civil about the whole thing. More civil than the US could ever be in the same circumstances.[/quote]
I thought we exhibited a great deal of civility when the Chinese hot dog pilot Wrong Way crashed into our airplane over international airspace (not in Chinese space such as the RN boys who crossed into Iranian territory) and forced our crew to land its plane on Hainan and then found themselves held hostage by the Chinese.[/quote]
Er…yes TM. But they were in China. You couldn’t exactly barge in and go and get them. My comparison (far fetched though it may be due to geographical reasons) is between the level of civility displayed by the Iranians and that I feel would be shown to Iranians by the US authorities currently consumed by paranoia, if three Iranian gunboats drifted up the Chesapeake ‘by mistake’. I think that the Iranians were quite noble in giving the British the benefit of the doubt. In the new xenophobic United States, the outcome would be utterly different. More significantly, the release of the RN sailors has shown that the government of Iran held sway over the clergy and the revolutionary guard and this is a good thing. Fred Smith’s anti-engagement, Euro-bashing is the last redoubt of a desperate Bushist in denial over his beloved leader’s imminent demise.
To: cableguy. Do you really think hat the initial post was a load of ‘shit’. After all, notable Forumosans have responded and if your assertion is correct then they are guilty of wallowing in in it? Just a thought. Oh and thanks for the ‘smart person’ epithet.
TM: The emoticons are fucked. It’s not just you.
And the Brit sailors were in Iran. You couldn’t exactly bardge in and go get them.
Yes, I see. But, as you admit, your comparison is far fetched and thus…
With good reason, of course.
LOL!
[quote=“tigerman”]And the Brit sailors were in Iran. You couldn’t exactly bardge in and go get them.
[/quote]
True we used diplomacy. That’s what diplomats are for.
Interesting word that, “bardge” Not sure what it means but I envisage some form of amphibious assault with Royal Marines yelling quotations from Shakespeare. “Once more unto the beach…” etc.
Now that’s civilised.
[quote=“BroonAle”][quote=“tigerman”]And the Brit sailors were in Iran. You couldn’t exactly bardge in and go get them.
True we used diplomacy. That’s what diplomats are for.
[/quote]
Interesting word that, “bardge” Not sure what it means but I envisage some form of amphibious assault with Royal Marines yelling quotations from Shakespeare. “Once more unto the beach…” etc.
Now that’s civilised.[/quote]
Hey, Gimme a break. I’m trying to eat my lunch of cold noodles and type at the same time.
[quote=“tigerman”]
Hey, Gimme a break. I’m trying to eat my lunch of cold noodles and type at the same time.[/quote]
It shows. LOL
As did… GASP!.. Bush, when securing the release of the US crew.
As did… GASP!.. Bush, when securing the release of the US crew.[/quote]
Never said they didn’t. Just wanted you to think of how the US and Iran would have dealt with the situation had a bunch of Iranians drifted up the Chesapeake. I maintain in a markedly different and undiplomatic manner as befits the new irrationally xenophobic US.
As did… GASP!.. Bush, when securing the release of the US crew.[/quote]
Never said they didn’t. Just wanted you to think of how the US and Iran would have dealt with the situation had a bunch of Iranians drifted up the Chesapeake. I maintain in a markedly different and undiplomatic manner as befits the new irrationally xenophobic US.[/quote]
Well, I showed that in a very similar fact pattern (actually, one in which the US was not wrong while the UK was wrong) the US used diplomacy just as did the UK.
You have put forth an entirely different hypothetical. And, you have stated that the US is “irrationally xenephobic”.
-
I wonder how the UK would react to a few boatloads of heavily armed Iranians sailing up the Thames toward London?
-
The US may be a bit xenepobic regarding armed Iranians in the US, but I don’t think such fear would/could be classified as “irrational”.
As did… GASP!.. Bush, when securing the release of the US crew.[/quote]
Never said they didn’t. Just wanted you to think of how the US and Iran would have dealt with the situation had a bunch of Iranians drifted up the Chesapeake. I maintain in a markedly different and undiplomatic manner as befits the new irrationally xenophobic US.[/quote]
Well, I showed that in a very similar fact pattern (actually, one in which the US was not wrong while the UK was wrong) the US used diplomacy just as did the UK.
You have put forth an entirely different hypothetical. And, you have stated that the US is “irrationally xenephobic”.
-
I wonder how the UK would react to a few boatloads of heavily armed Iranians sailing up the Thames toward London?
-
The US may be a bit xenepobic regarding armed Iranians in the US, but I don’t think such fear would/could be classified as “irrational”.[/quote]
I used the term “drifted” up the Chesapeake not “sailed”. The latter term would imply a degree of intent. Drifting does not. I have previously used the terms “accidental” and “mistakenly” as well as “silly” to describe the incursion/accidental wandering into Iraniam territorial waters. You are skewing my words.
I am sure that any intentional “sailing” up the Thames or Chesapeake would be more firmly dealt with. My point is that the US would be unable to distuinguish between the notion of intentionally sailing and accidentally drifting and that the treatment afforded would be in proportion to the former having taken place.
I refer to the US being irrationally xenophobic in general not specifically in regard to a hypothetical Iranian naval manouver.
Get my drift?
