Posted on 03/25/2007 5:17:55 AM PDT by Dog
THE official notification, delivered in secure calls yesterday morning to senior Whitehall figures, was the latest dramatic behind-the-scenes move to get to grips with a crisis that is now engulfing the government.
After a day of shadow-boxing with a notoriously slippery regime, Tony Blair is set to up the ante: the plight of the Shatt al-Arab 15 is officially a crisis and he will need the Cobra team to handle it.
The clutch of VIPs will gather in an operations room several floors below Downing Street as early as this afternoon to plot an escape from a military spat that now threatens to become an international incident.
The decision came just 24 hours after the crew of HMS Cornwall had been caught in the confusion of direct confrontation with Iranian vessels in the searing heat of the Gulf.
As the crew members were surrounded in their two rubber dinghies, the Cornwall's commander, Commodore Nick Lambert, frantically radioed back to his own top brass for instructions.
The response to the inquiry, which had been immediately patched through to Ministry of Defence headquarters in Whitehall, was to hold fire.
The order to show restraint has been observed throughout the forces and the British government in the 48 hours since, but it is unclear how long both sides will be able to maintain control.
Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett's first response to the gathering crisis on Friday was to keep to diplomatic conventions. After a hurried phone call to Blair, she immediately summoned Iran's ambassador, Rasoul Movahedian, to her office to explain their behaviour.
After a meeting described by officials as "brisk but polite", Beckett emerged to stress that she was "extremely disturbed" by events.
It was an understated description of the deep concern now gripping the government. Not only was Blair's administration alarmed at the risk to the 15 military personnel, which included at least one woman, but it was in no doubt over Tehran's ability to use their plight to make a wider point.
During a flurry of diplomatic activity in the hours after the snatch, the Iranians' rhetoric repeatedly elevated their action, and the alleged motives of the British, to a multinational affair. It was the eve of a second UN Security Council resolution imposing sanctions over Iran's refusal to halt its programme to enrich uranium. The Shatt al-Arab 15 were, from the start, pawns in a perilous international game.
"It looks like too much of a coincidence," a senior Foreign Office insider confirmed.
The response was a no- nonsense demand for Iran to relent - and Britain freely used the international community to back up its case. Beckett dispatched the UK chargé d'affaires, Kate Smith, to confront the government in Tehran, armed with the insistence that the British sailors had been in Iraqi waters.
In the meantime, Blair made a personal call to European allies, including EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, to secure a public denunciation of the Iranians' actions.
"It was impressed on everyone how important it was to raise the diplomatic temperature, rather than keep a low profile and let them make a song and dance of the situation," one defence official said.
"There is nothing to be gained in provoking a confrontation, because that would be playing into their hands. But neither should we let them have it all their way. We tried that before and we're still trying to get our kit back."
The smaller-scale precedent, the taking of six British marines and two sailors on the same waterway in June 2004, was a painful lesson. The personnel were only returned after they had been paraded blindfold on Iranian television and admitted entering Iranian waters illegally. Three years on, the government is still pressing Iran for the return of its boats and kit, including valuable radar equipment.
The degree of concern felt across Whitehall was demonstrated yesterday, when Movahedian was called back to the Foreign Office, this time to see Beckett's minister, Lord Triesman. The British were clearly attempting to warn off Tehran before it could begin to use the servicemen and women as a significant propaganda tool.
It was, however, a race against time - and through it all, the diplomats and the politicians were acutely aware that Tehran has built a foreign policy on disregarding diplomatic niceties.
Top level COBRA is an acronym for Cabinet Office Briefing Room A, where its meetings are held.
Tony Blair, senior ministers, police and security chiefs all take part. It is called after events such as 9/11, 7/7
and can evoke emergency powers such as suspending Parliament or restricting movement.
"The Iranians don't want a a military responce from the West. They'll use this situation to their advantage while still keeping their asses safe."
If this is true, then I wonder if it's all the more reason something should be done militarily. Rendering their calculations of our (the wests) response, to UNSURE and likely UNWISE.
The response should have been, "Sink it"
We're told that women should be included in combat roles for various reasons, but here's the downside. The article wouldn't have included that factoid if it didn't play on people's sympathies.
"The Shatt al-Arab 15 were, from the start, pawns in a perilous international game.
"It looks like too much of a coincidence," a senior Foreign Office insider confirmed.
I always thought, and still think, they were pawns right from the time they were taken.
A sad incident that hopefully will be resolved through negotiations. Probably an exchange of the British intelligence agents with the Iranians captured in Iraq?
I agree. They've seen that they can get away with this, and they'll do it from time to time. I think it's aimed at boosting their regional profile, since Iran wants to be seen as the dominant player in the ME. This is part of its advertising campaign, so to speak. And it has learned that there will be no cost to Iran.
…you mustn't have children that would be eligible for draft in a few years.
Is the draft such a terrible thing? Is service in the US Military something to be avoided at any cost?
It must be - Bill Clinton ran in terror from it.
We already had that, it was called the Cold War.
We are currently in World War IV.
There, all fixed.
Must be in Hillary's lockbox (Limey poofters notwithstanding).
How's that "Third Way" working out, Tony?
Cheers!
I hereby re-christen that boat the HMS Cornwallis.
No champagne bottle against the hull, please. That might offend the Muslims!
Cheers!
This had nothing to do with territory .....those 5 seized "diplomats" seized in Ibril....must be the motherlode of info....because a faction in the IRGC caused an international incident to get them back.
"Are you for real, you obviously want world war 3, you mustn't have children that would be eligible for draft in a few years. I just love all this chest pounding."
Some don't have children to send. Some won't send their chidlren. While others are affected by doublethink, or the concept of holding two contradictory ideas in one's mind and accepting both of them.
What "British intelligence agents" are you talking about????
Commodore Nick Lambert, frantically radioed back to his own top brass for instructions.
THERE IS YOUR PROBLEM
at least they did not contact gender bias attorney/regulator, and intercultural expert along with UN appointed attorney, but sure thats next
to borrow from recent historical revival, one wonders if the success of 300 stand at Thermopylae had a lot to do with chain of command being upfront in first line taking down the obvious threat
If someone isn't willing to agree with you bunch of yahoos they must be a Democrat, this forum used to have a more intellectual conversation about 5 years ago now all we have are abunch of chest thumping, bible thumping yahoos. If you all want war so bad sign up! Go on over! Just stop pounding your chests and sending someone else over, walk the talk! And then after you get over there you can hear all the politicians wring their hands that everything we've done is a mistake. I'm not the sissy, the sissy is the the one who starts the fight for someone else to fight. Prove what a manly man you are and go on over! Bombs away!
"To be honest I cannot see this escalating much further. There will probably be some humiliating mock trial/confession for the media to boost internal morale in Iran, then they will be released."
I agree.
As we're chatting here the US and Britain are probably negotiating through their diplomats for the release of the intelligence agents. But I doubt they will be released w/o an arms lenght exchange.
Macho Americans need to hold their horses and stand ready to help when the Brits ask. If you want allies, you cannot overpower them at every turn. In a way that nobody seems to understand Bush has gotten the Europeans fighting in Afghanistan and Lebanon by not always one-upping them. Alliances Dems complain about are actually stronger now and functioning better.
I bet the UN will send Iran a very stern warning in writing that will get them released. /sarc off
It reminds me of how you would treat a bratty kid rather thana country that has stated its willingness and desire to destroy other countries. Absolutely pathetic.
you said it. they should start sinking Iran naval craft asap. see if that makes a point. If Jimmy carter had sack when they took our embassy guys we wouldnt be in Iraq today IMHO
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