What do you think Iran is doing by capturing British soldiers?

Question

We've heard the news about the British soldiers captured by Iran from Iraqi waters. At a time when Iran's relations with the global community is at its worst, this must come as a surprise. So, is Iran trying to provoke the Allied forces? I'm of the opinion that Iran is testing the US response at a time when their forces in the Gulf are stretched to the limit or maybe hoping to precipitate a 'aggressive response'. What do you think?

Answer 1

Who really knows what goes through the minds of the irrational....

At this point, it looks like both sides are playing he said she said.... The reality is that the Britts want out of Iraq and wouldn't be doing anything to draw them further into the conflict.

On the other hand, the lunatics running Iran may just be testing the waters.... bottom line I agree with one of the poster in the fact that if Iran thinks the US will not strike at them because they're tied up in two other theaters of operations, they're wrong.

I think the world is pretty fed up with all the hate being spewed out of the Iranian Presidents mouth. Every time he opens his mouth it just proves how incredibly important it is that they not be able to enrich their own uranium. Iran should really think long and hard before they get bombed into the stone age.

That's my two cents,

John.

Answer 2

You've just now heard? It was days ago!

I can't see that this comes as a surprise - they were captured by the Revolutionary Guard, who are like the Iranian version of the SS! What surprises me is that the Iranian government did not immediately release the British sailors and marines and their inflatables. So the Iranians are probably playing games, a war of the wills. Stupid, I say. There was no act of aggression here on the part of the British. They were delivering the inflatables to the new Iraqi Port Authority, and the border (which is basically in the middle of the river) is invisible.

Answer 3

If Iranians had been in British waters might be, however the British under no circumstances entered Iranian water. When Iran at the start gave the coordinates it confirmed the British had been in Iraqi waters, whilst Iran discovered that, they gave "revised" coordinates. They captured 15 contributors of the British navy without a reason, that's an act of warfare. They will have to be fortunate Britain hasn't carpet bombed Tehran.

Answer 4

Just testing their limits...
I don't know why people think the US forces in the area
are stretched to their limits with Iraq...
The US isn't going to send ground troops into Iran...
We are going to destroy their navy, air force, command & control facilities and nuclear capacity from the AIR...
Missiles , Bombers , Fighter Aircraft etc....Not a problem..
Should not take more than a few weeks at most....
Any massed Iranian ground troops heading into Iraq will
suffer the same fate as the Iraqi Repubican Guard...
Death & destruction from the air...

Answer 5

I read that the Brits were actually into Iran waters by a certain distance? Iran does not seem to care how the "global community" sees them. Iran is always trying to provoke someone

Answer 6

The US and British have been capturing Iranian officers in Iraq and the iranians have said that they can do exactly the same against British and US officers. This is simply putting words into actions.

Answer 7

Yes, they are testing the boundaries. They want to push various "buttons" and see what kind of response each receives.

Answer 8

nope they are defending their water from military incursion. They got the right and I hope they rendition them to Egypt. I think they are actually goading the US and Britain. We arent going to invade them and they are proving it. They might get some very expensive missiles detonated on their lands.

Answer 9

Torking off Tony Blair & Co.

Answer 10

Perhaps the Brits are provoking the IRANIANS by sailing in their waters.

The BUSH admin would love to start another war and would use the brits if possible