Marines held hostage in Iran

Franky we do have a rather large squadron of bathtub Admirals and an almost equal, but disappointing shower of "scuttle before launch" self-loathers out there. (At least the Admirals have some backbone and spiwit).

This incident to me has 3 main aspects. Iranian motivation, the events of the siezure and the behaviour of the EU in the negotiations.

I see the hostage taking as a sign of Iran (read: Revolutionary Guard factions) doing anything to distract from being to blame for sanctions either by the distraction itself or heading off said sanctions. What does this tell you? Well, it tells me that the RG are concerned enough about the negative reaction to sanctions domestically to the extent that it might threaten their position. Even now reports are coming out of an internal conflict between reason and rabidity. What I hope can be pursused is that the UK government bears the Iranian people no ill will, because I certainly don't. We need to expose the hardliners in the administration as the problem, not the moderates, not the people.

Still does not explain fully how on earth the Marines got into the position to be nabbed in the first place, but seeing as all that information is only available to us via cyphers, it is hard to come to a firm conclusion, sitting at my keyboard. It could be anything from intentional blunder to scandalous malpractice and all points inbetween. We have no idea how many times the RN has had to operate at the border with Iranian forces lurking about. But 2 Nautical miles and a boat that can do 25 knots does mean about 5 mins before they would be surrounded.

The biggest concern I have is that the EU and EU member states are not contemplating economic leverage AFAICT. Frankly I regard the EU "foreign office" as a department hungry for influence and status. I suspect it will want to withhold its levers until the UK F&CO yields to its authority. It is thus trecherous and uttery petty, vain and self-interested. If the UK F&CO yields, I wish 4 drunken knights, fresh from the Iraq war, go round and scoop out the watery porridge that functions as Beckett's brains.

All this does not excuse the utter spineless, self-loathing, surrender-monkey behaviour of a rather large section of society so deep in their indulgence they cannot bring themselves to be outraged at the capture. It is shocking how silent such groups are when they are so quick to bleat and bellow when a self-confessed UK-loathing non-citizen is held because they are asked to leave but refuses to do so (and that no other country wants anything to do with them, mind). I detect a similar and frankly disgraceful echo in the way some NHS staff are said to shun the wounded being treated. How utterly disgraceful of them. How VAIN and self-indulgent.