DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Iranian naval vessels on Friday seized 15 British sailors and marines who had boarded a merchant ship in Iraqi waters of the Persian Gulf, British and U.S. officials said. Britain immediately protested the detentions, which come at a time of high tension between the West and Iran.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070323/ap_on_re_eu/british_seized_iran
2007-03-23 06:47:08 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
By English Law "sorry"
2007-03-23 06:48:01 · update #1
It was an act of war to abduct the British sailors and marines. Of course, when Iran seized the American embassy and American diplomats back in 1978 that was an act of war too.
Nobody's held Iran accountable so far. I guess that's why they aren't worried.
2007-03-23 08:31:13 · answer #1 · answered by Yak Rider 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
By international law it was an act of piracy, but whether or not sanctioned by the national government (not all of Iran is happy with the rulers, and there is talk that some are trying to topple the nutjob from within) the forces doing it are rogue smugglers and arms dealers, with light craft, not heavy warships. They need to be blasted from the water at every opportunity from now on, this would not be an act of war against Iran proper. It was a UN peacekeeping mission afterall, not a USA or British operation.
2007-03-23 18:27:06 · answer #2 · answered by theshadowknows 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tuff Call. It happened a few years ago and the men were detained for three days. This time the area is indisputable Iraqi by International Convention.
The fact it is happening when tensions are high means your question is very relevant. The answer will be decided by the British Government.
2007-03-23 06:54:08 · answer #3 · answered by Caretaker 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What's operative here is international law (though Britain is signatory, so it's also "English laaw").
And under international law, if the siezure was in fact outside Iran's territorial waters, as it appears, then yes, it's an act of war. What the British decide to do about it is another matter--I don't really expect them to go to war with Iran. But legally, they've pretty much got carte blanche.
2007-03-23 06:52:42 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I should say yes! But today we are so slippy sloppy and
afraid of violating anyones human rights, we will probably give the Iranians compensation! Biggest question, how on
earth did a major naval player allow itself to get seized,
what happened to lookouts? Don,t they give royal marines guns anymore? The Humiliation, taken by a group of
third rate sand dancers! Disgusted British subject
2007-03-23 07:25:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hell yeah this is any act of war I would give them 48 hours to return the sailors safely or start bombing the S*** out of them.
2007-03-23 07:09:55 · answer #6 · answered by nottoday 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The area isn't a British jurisdiction!
2007-03-23 06:53:29 · answer #7 · answered by canadaguy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is but they have been training insurgents to fight for the past 4 years against the American soldiers. That should have been an act of war!
2007-03-23 06:52:38 · answer #8 · answered by AFIN 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋