What do you think the PM should do if the Iranians do not release the navy hostages?

Question

(Iran has offered no demands or ensured their safety, if the soldiers were in Iraqi waters, is this an act of war, should the UK invade Iran on this basis.)

Answer 1

Don't mess around like Carter did with our hostages. Go get them

Answer 2

Whether or not the UK should invade Iran the simple fact of the matter is the UK CAN'T invade Iran. Iran is huge. It's as least as big as France and Germany put together, and the UK military doesn't have enough troops or funding to defend their positions in Iraq, let alone fighting a country with a military of more than a million.

However, despite this fact we still have the RAF and our missiles - and could do serious harm to Iran's infrastructure very quickly, so the likelihood is Iran is bluffing - they're just trying to be a tough guy and stand up to the evil westerners. They have done pretty much exactly the same thing before, and released the sailors they thought were spies. Iran will most likely grandstand a bit more, and then quietly go for a prisoner exchange with revolutionary guards captured in Iraq.

At least I hope so, it's certainly a dangerous game to play...

Answer 3

I don't think anyone can truthfully answer this until all of the facts are known. If the Brits were in Iraqi waters, then, yes, it is clearly an act of war on the part of Iran.
If, however, the Brits were in Iranian waters, they've got a lot of explaining to do.
Any country has the right to protect their borders, including off shore - I grudgingly have to add, even Iran.
I'm confident the US or GB would do the same if there were an Iranian ship off their shore.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out as the facts become clear. If it turns out to be an act of war or just Iran's pretense to start a war - then I think it's time to put an end to Amadinejad and his lunatic followers - once and for all.

Answer 4

They should demand their immediate release. The UK, US,ISRAEL could demolish Iran's ability to launch any really effective attacks against them within hours. Iran's navy was sunk once already by the US navy in the eighties. with the technology available to the UK and US any any assembling of large Iranian forces would be suicidal. Their air force would more than likely be destroyed on the ground or they would make like the Iraqis and fly their planes to Syria for protection.Syria would have to make the choice to either fight as allies with Iran or sit back and watch knowing with Iraq in the midst of civil war, and the more than likely collapse of the regime in Tehran or at least a Iran in chaos, they stand to inherit a little more political power in the region. I bet they sit back and watch. They may be able to launch some terror attacks, but to what real effect? although 9/11 killed 3000 Americans and several thousand US soldiers have died in Iraq. If the US had to absorb 1000, 9/11 size attacks it would still have a populatin of about 297 million.Thats if Iran could deliver those 1000 attacks. With it's carrier groups, subs and air force the US could deliver those attacks within day's any where in the world. Despite the past few wars it's been involved in the US, FULLY mobilized for war would be a power far beyond Irans ability to cause it any real harm. As far as China stepping in or something like that, China has a much larger inerest in trade with the US and UK than it does with Iran. China enjoy's it's prosperity and would not risk it in war with the US and UK. Alot of Americans have been holding a grudge against Iran since their Hostages were taken, Across the pond, war with Iran might not be as unpopuler as people think. Most middle eastern countries would gripe a little for their peoples sake, while most of the Governments would be glad to see Iran's influence in the area go down the drain. My bet is you would see Iran's president quickly removed from power while the Mullah's cut some deal to remain in power, such as giving up their nuke program. keep in mind these ayatollah's (sorry about spelling if it's wrong) are just as much politicians as they are religious leaders and this will be a war Iran knows it can't win. They'll try to save themselves.

Answer 5

What they should do? 1. Send in a few squads of British SAS to rescue the troops. 2. Bomb the living squat out of the Iranian military complex, taking a few shots at Aminjinab while they're at it. 3. Tell Iran the next time they do this that every major Iranian city will be burning by the end of the day.

What they will do. 1. Talk 2. Babble. 3. Beg forgiveness. 4. Let their soldiers be tortured. 5. Beg. 6. Finally give weapons or cash up to get the soliders back.

Answer 6

It's fairly obvious to me that the Iranians are holding 15 Royal Navy personnel to use as hostages. They want concessions from the USA and allies and also from the UN.

Okay; so I'm not being held by the Iranians but I still believe we should not ever give in to their Terrorist demands - which they surely will make of us.

You don't need to see the move '300' to know what it's really about. Death to Iran.

Answer 7

I’m furious that decades of Iran’s tantrums against reality that bleed over into an aggressive foreign policy & punitive culture that they hope to radiate throughout the earth.

I expect that England will do the same as America has, offer up alms or let things fester indefinitely.

If I ran the world, Tehran would get a first hand demo in the virtues of land-fill creation involves. This ought to end here & now, with purposeful violence. If England thinks 444 days of agony for their men will serve the arch cause, diplomacy, they’re in for a rude awakening.

Answer 8

I have to say i really don't know.

Either way it's VERY worrying.

I was brought up in the army so i see things like this from a totally different perspective from a lot of people.

Normally i would say h*ll yeah, go in and get our lads back but, if you've been keeping up with the news (and how could you not) you would see that Iran has been after a fight for a while now. If we go in they have their excuse to see what these weapons they've been developing can really do.

What they want is for us to go in so they can scream to the rest of the world "How dare they? look! poor us. We are completely justified in any action we now use to retaliate"

But I think it's a real tread softly situation because if it goes off it will be bad. And the thought of almost everyone i know being recalled to go out there is REALLY VERY worrying.

I know this doesn't really answer your question properly but i just thought I'd share my view.

Thanks

Answer 9

An Act of War against a country committing an act of war, silly justice isn't it.
Mr Blair will not be invading anyone before he leaves

Answer 10

The fact is that they WERE in Iranian waters so they deserve whatever they get.

Bliar should grovel and apologise for our troops trespassing and beg for them back.