Who said Americans were stupid?

[Higgy]

;D

[Doughnut]

higgy said:

;D

Unfortunately I think you could probably make a very similar video in this country

[Higgy]

My dad said that actually

[ted]

Might be thick and pig **** ..... but they wouldn't make idle chit chat with a country thats just kidnapped 15 of their sailors, forcing them to lie on TV and parading them about

[charlish2099]

back on topic, i think there about as clued up as todays average school leaver ;D

[Doughnut]

charlish2099 said:

back on topic, i think there about as clued up as todays average school leaver ;D

they're
today's

[charlish2099]

lol, but I do know where Saudi Arabia is and Australia is not North Korea, do I get a couple points back?

[Higgy]

ted said:

Might be thick and pig **** ..... but they wouldn't make idle chit chat with a country thats just kidnapped 15 of their sailors, forcing them to lie on TV and parading them about

Yeh but the USA would just invade Iran and then start another war and get even more people hating America

[BJ]

Taking British troops is an act of war. Iran did it, not us. We'd be well justified to bring those boys and girl out by force.

[newham]

doughnut said:

higgy said:

;D

Unfortunately I think you could probably make a very similar video in this country

Not to that extent surely? I've been all over the States, the general public really are that thick. Everyone here knows where Australia is....surely?

[charlish2099]

bj said:

Taking British troops is an act of war. Iran did it, not us. We'd be well justified to bring those boys and girl out by force.

just dont think the uk want to start world war 3, if there not realeased soon trouble may loom, who knows.

[loonypeter]

From my experiance the USA does seem to have more than its fair share of stupid people!

On holiday last year my parents were asked by an American woman "What language do they speak in England?" ;D

[BJ]

charlish2099 said:

bj said:

Taking British troops is an act of war. Iran did it, not us. We'd be well justified to bring those boys and girl out by force.

just dont think the uk want to start world war 3, if there not realeased soon trouble may loom, who knows.

In the mean time we leave British servicemen out to dry.

[Doughnut]

loonypeter said:

From my experiance the USA does seem to have more than its fair share of stupid people!

On holiday last year my parents were asked by an American woman "What language do they speak in England?" ;D

I once had my passport checked by a security woman in Washington. On seeing my passport we had the following conversation (she was being serious):

Her: Is Great Britain in England?
Me (a bit stunned): Err ... England is in Great Britain.
Her: Is England in London?
Me (trying not to snigger): London is in England.
Her: Have you met Lady Diana?
Me (surprised at the way she asked expecting me to have met her on account of being British, but also telling the truth): Yes.
Her: Cool, have a nice day.

[MP]

bj said:

In the mean time we leave British servicemen out to dry.

It's a hard bullet to bite BJ. We seem to be in quite a hole on this one.

The Iranians have found a way to tweak our tail and belittle us in the eyes of the world.
Gunboat diplomacy would likely be counter productive even if it could be made to work.
Starting another conflict isn't an option.
Formal diplomacy plays into the Iranian's hands as far as publicity goes.
Trade sanctions are potentially quite dangerous for the West - Iran could source most of what it buys from the West elsewhere so we'd lose out both in terms of influence and economically.

It seems there is a need for some creative thinking outside the box. When the Exocet threat was hanging over the Falkland Expeditionary Force there were a number of audacious attempts to physically nullify it. I think the threat was finally blunted by an arms dealer quietly buying up the missiles that were "available" on behalf of the British government and so keeping them out of Argentinian hands.

The situation in Iran could do with some original behind the scenes thinking like that.

[Deleted]

You have to try and imagine my incredible LACK of surprise.

[charlish2099]

From news reports this morning a letter has been reveived that is a carbon copy of the one that got our sailors released in 2004, lets just hope its all nearly over and everyone gets home safe.

As for sanction MP there is no more sanctions that would have any effect, they are sactioned to the eye balls over the nuclear row and most diplomatic actions allready taken thus putting Iran ironically on the advantage as they know after the blunder the US made trying to rescue it diplomats from Iran during the carter administration that military force will more than likley not even considered.

You have to look at the history of tensions with Iran to realise its incredibly complex and that military muscle flexing will not help the situation.

Any who, like i say positive news this morning about the letter from Iran so lets hope and prey for a peacefull outcome and it does not take over 400 days to solve like the crisis with the US diplomats in 79.

[BJ]

Amen to that Nath.

The heart says a surgical strike and send in a SF snatch squad, worry about the consequences later. It goes against the grain as you'll know to leave fellow servicemen like that, especially when they're being coerced into signing statements denouncing their government and shamelessly being paraded for propaganda purposes.

The head realises that the tension needs cool thinking if there's still a chance that diplomacy might work, but time ticks on, it's been a week already.

Iran seem to have been spoiling for a fight for a while.

I'm not sure what Russia's problem is ... saying we can't 'demand' the safe return of our troops. Putin's another one who seems to have been talking arrogantly on occasion over the last year or so.

Anyway ... I dont think I've ever seen a thread go so off topic before!

[charlish2099]

agree totally bj, it's hard to leave them there and the Iranians taking advantage of them big time which leaves a horrible feeling in my stomach, just want them home and safe.

what was the topic again

[MP]

bj said:

Anyway ... I dont think I've ever seen a thread go so off topic before!

Off Topic?

Really BJ, how could a thread with three CageMasters posting on it possibly go off topic! ;D

As for what Russia is upto - shades of the Great Game I suspect.
Putin isn't one to pass up any chance of manipulating a situation to his own ends and Iran looks to suit him well. Having lost a lot of influence in Eastern Europe I suspect Russia is looking to improve it's standing in the Middle East and finding fertile ground in the wake of the Iraq invasion. Combine that with Russia's new energy weapon (huge oil and gas reserves that Europe is becoming reliant on) and I can see why they'd be supportive of the Iranians and their substantial oil supplies - influencing them could give Russia a lot of clout in global politics and cause Europe in particular some real problems in the not too distant future. I guess you could say the Russian bear is back on it's feet and flexing it's muscles again.

Just when we hoped the world was becoming a better place diminishing energy supplies and the desire to secure them look like destabilising things again.
What's doubly annoying is that all this was foreseeable fifteen years ago but the rush to gas went ahead without any real thought for long term national security.

[charlish2099]

national security? global security, all we can hope and prey for us the leaders of the world start to see sense and work together. a long shot i know but who knows.

[Abi]

haha the man who thought there were about 10 eifel towers in paris that made me laugh!!!

[charlish2099]

lol, thats what the topic was!!

[BJ]

And just as quickly off topic again ...

mountainpanther said:

Just when we hoped the world was becoming a better place diminishing energy supplies and the desire to secure them look like destabilising things again.
What's doubly annoying is that all this was foreseeable fifteen years ago but the rush to gas went ahead without any real thought for long term national security.

I hope there's prolific kicking of oneselves by successive ex western governments for stifling research into alternative energies.

I guess we're reaping what we sowed on that one.

But yes, Cold War II looks very much like it could be on the cards in the not too distant future.

[charlish2099]

you will never guess who is on our side in this matter, here is a quote from the bbc news website:

<sup>'Unacceptable act'

Earlier, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy described Iran's detention of the Royal Navy crew as "a very serious and unacceptable act which we immediately condemned".

"We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the British," he added.</sup>

full article news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6509217.stm