BREAKING NEWS: Amnesty/freedom for the 15 sailors by Iran President!!

[doxieone]

Source: CNN TV

Just happening. No link yet.

Info just coming over on TV now. Iran President states he will grant amnesty.

EDIT: BBC link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6525905.stm

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6525905.stm

[sabra]

1. More: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he has pardoned the 15 British sailors and marines

http://www.cnn.com/

[wakeme2008]

2. link BBC

LATEST: Iran's president says British sailors are pardoned and will be freed. More soon.

just on their scrolling headlines http://news.bbc.co.uk/

[iconoclastic cat]

3. They're really trying hard to make * look like an jerkoff. nt

[NightWatcher]

5. plus, it'll make it harder for us to blatantly attack them

yea, maybe we wont bomb them on Good Friday. :)

[Catshrink]

6. Poor Georgie,

he won't get his war against Iran, at least not yet.

[Kagemusha]

9. Such a difficult task, I'm sure.

And Blair too.

[youthere]

15. Well, to be truthful, it's not really that hard.

[yellowcanine]

58. Yep - he is doing a great job at that all by his little self - with "Deadeye" Dick and

"Straight Talk Express" McCain filling in the news cycle gaps, of course.

[yellowcanine]

59. Oh and I forgot "5 rugs, 5 bucks" Graham and "Indiana Market" Pence

This week, which yesterday included a Rose Garden Meltdown in which the shrub came up with a new term for air passangers, "air traffickers", is turning into yet another classic Bush cluster fuck and it is only Wednesday!

[0rganism]

77. not exactly "trying hard" -- come on, over half the world already holds that opinion

Granting a pardon to these guys is smart diplomacy, with no material harm done, lets Iran come out of this smelling -- well, not exactly rosy, but let's say like some kind of a spicey curry.

And it's not exactly bending over backwards. Giving them new suits was a nice touch, though.

[LynnTheDem]

4. Thank you, SYRIA.

For mediating.

And while we're at it, THANK YOU, SYRIA, for your help in providing so much material information against al Qaeda. Coz the US "media" won't bother mentioning that FACT.

[NightWatcher]

7. Maybe Nancy told Syria that we were f'ing nuts and likely to bomb Iran

Woo hoo, let's hear it for diplomacy

[Pirate Smile]

17. or that the Congress was trying to keep Mr. Bombsalot from attacking

Iran and Iran acting like idiots and a$$holes was screwing it up.

I'd love to see this traced back to Syria and Nancy's visit.

Why not spin it that way? The Republicans would (will) spin it their way if they could.

[treestar]

54. Amen! In fact, let's give Clinton credit for it, too!

[Pirate Smile]

90. I must have missed something. What did Clinton do? Bill or Hill?

Nancy actually went to Syria and talked to them while getting lambasted for it.

[treestar]

106. I was thinking more in terms of freepers

The way they blame Clinton for everything. It would be ridiculous to give him credit but no more ridiculous than the things they blame him for.

[Pirate Smile]

117. Ahhhh, gotcha.

:)

[IsItJustMe]

94. LOL Thats good and might be true.

[oneinok]

8. Good

This removes an excuse for Bush to invade Iran

[crikkett]

23. please tell me how you know that syria brokered this

I can't find anything that says so
(on edit: I mean except your comment)

thanks

[sniffa]

28. ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2793483

[Blue Diadem]

48. Thanks for the link Sniffa, I hadn't read about that before. n/t

[TexasLawyer]

67. I just kicked this story.

Important stuff.

[Lisa]

111. thanks, sniffa! and on Tuesday Bush was saying that being nice to Syria is "counterproductive"

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/04/20070403.html

We have made it clear to high-ranking officials, whether they be Republicans or Democrats, that going to Syria sends mixed signals -- signals in the region and, of course, mixed signals to President Assad. And by that, I mean, photo opportunities and/or meetings with President Assad lead the Assad government to believe they're part of the mainstream of the international community, when, in fact, they're a state sponsor of terror; when, in fact, they're helping expedite -- or at least not stopping the movement of foreign fighters from Syria into Iraq; when, in fact, they have done little to nothing to rein in militant Hamas and Hezbollah; and when, in fact, they destabilize the Lebanese democracy.

There have been a lot of people who have gone to see President Assad -- some Americans, but a lot of European leaders and high-ranking officials. And yet we haven't seen action. In other words, he hasn't responded. It's one thing to send a message; it's another thing to have the person receiving the message actually do something. So the position of this administration is that the best way to meet with a leader like Assad or people from Syria is in the larger context of trying to get the global community to help change his behavior. But sending delegations hasn't worked. It's just simply been counterproductive.

* * *


Gee, it's almost as if Nancy Pelosi is playing "good cop" to Bush's "bad" (bent? incompetent? insane?) cop.

[bemildred]

50. Britain turns to Syria for help

Talks to secure the release of 15 British troops captured by the Iranians continued this week, with Britain seeking help from Iran's allies while describing as "unacceptable" footage of two more "confessions" that the naval patrol had strayed into Tehran's waters. Britain has also expressed grave concern about the conditions under which the only woman in the group, Leading Seaman Faye Turney, was last week persuaded to admit on film that the group had strayed.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianweekly/story/0,,2050006,00.html

[LynnTheDem]

123. Syria mediating between Iran-Britain over sailors

http://www.abcmoney.co.uk/news/04200751073.htm

Syria mediating in stand-off over captured British sailors
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/world/middle-east/article2419729.ece

Syria mediating between Iran-Britain over sailors
http://www.forbes.com/business/feeds/afx/2007/04/04/afx3581236.html

[Hobarticus]

31. Hey HEY HEY!!! That's super-duper confidential!

Quit spillin' the beans!

Syria's evil, remember?!?

[trashcanistanista]

119. And thank you Madam Speaker,

Mrs. Pelosi aked them to intervene. They like her over there as much as we do over here! Made * look like an ass!

[moodforaday]

10. BBC now has a link

Iran 'to release British sailors'

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says 15 British naval personnel captured in the Gulf will be freed.

He repeated allegations that the British sailors and marines "invaded" Iranian waters, but said they would be freed as a "gift" to Britain. (...)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6525905.stm

[Eugene]

11. Iranian leader says he'll free Britons (AP)

Source: Associated Press

Iranian leader says he'll free Britons

5 minutes ago

TEHRAN, Iran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he has pardoned
and will free the 15 British sailors and marines detained in the Gulf last month.

Ahmadinejad also gave medals of honor to the Iranian coast guards who
intercepted the 15 British sailors and marines in the Gulf, saying Iran will never
accept tresspassing of its territorial waters.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070404/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_britain

[Kagemusha]

12. As I've said recently, all Iran really played for was minimal respect.

They only got it by proxy - through Assad from Syria - but hey, better than nothing. They made a show of forcing the Brits to grind their teeth and actually negotiate and once that happened, here we have Iran's jerk, loudmouth President playing the gracious national leader (remember, he has little real power, with PR in its various forms being one thing legitimately in his sphere of influence over there) and looking like the reasonable one compared to Tony Blair and George Bush. Iran gets to look like it responded once Blair swallowed his pride and went to Assad for aid and actually allowed NEGOTIATION to take place. Having thus humiliated the UK, Iran graciously yields.

I'm sure Tony Blair is not happy at all with this outcome since it looks like an Iranian victory. Well, for his country's sake, hope he really gets the 15 people back despite his own loud mouth.

[aquart]

41. Same with Korea.

If we'd treated Kim Jong Il as a head of state, we wouldn't be having problems.

Instead, we elevate Osama bin Ladin to the status of a head of state and declare war on him. Genius.

[Bragi]

13. Gosh, negotiations work! /NT

[Name removed]

14. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SpiralHawk]

16. Thank you President Pelosi

Too bad about the chickenhawk in chief being upstaged and all that shit.

[Rose Siding]

29. If she played any part at all, I sure hope it gets reported

[aquart]

42. I wish, I wish, I wish...

[tridim]

69. We need to make that so.

But honestly, even if it doesn't happen she's doing Bush's job regardless, and that has to be driving Bush and the GOP crazy. I imagine Bush is throwing another major hissy fit today on his vacation.

Bush is falling, and the Dems keep punching him even as he falls. It's an amazing thing to watch.

[Akoto]

18. Glenn Beck will be ever so disappointed.

He's really been using this to ratchet up the hate speak.

[TexasLawyer]

68. I watched his show the other night in complete disbelief

that such a thing could be showing on mainstream TV. What a hate-filled, war-mongering, ignorant toad of a man.

[IsItJustMe]

95. I watched Beck the first time and won't watch him again, He's almost as bad Rush, O'Reilly and

Hanity.

[LeftishBrit]

19. That's a relief from every point of view!!!

[redirish28]

20. I can't help but wonder just how badly Bush will throw a fit.

I am glad this was solved dipolmaticly BUT I just fear what Bush might do knowing he can't use this as an excuse to keep Britain in the area or use it as a way to go into Iran.

Add to this the success Pelosi is having is really got to be a HUGE thorn.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[L. Coyote]

22. What? NO orange jump suits, chains and shackles, 5 years in a cage

This is what NPR said Iranian bloggers are saying: Good thing Iran is not an American-style democracy! Or these Brits would be getting the Gitmo treatment.

How do you argue with that?

[brentspeak]

32. What does this have to do with Gitmo?

This incident involves British sailors captured and held hostage by Iran. The sailors were then paraded in front of cameras and forced to recite phony "apologies", denouncing their own country and military service. Neither Britain nor Iran have anything to do with Gitmo.

[endarkenment]

39. It is a coalition, right?

or so we have been told.

[L. Coyote]

53. The NPR story relates blogger reaction in Iran and

I just heard the story on NPR. I do not read Iranian bloggers directly due to the language barrier. I assume that the Iranian bloggers are comparing how prisoners are treated by the United States Coalition Forces with how they are treated by the Iranians.

It seems they are comparing the US democracy with the so-called "terrorist state" of Iran.
The comparison could be to other prisons, such as Abu_G, I suppose.
They do make a valid point in certain ways, and that comparison may have been instrumental in how these Coalition Forces were treated and in their release.

[KansDem]

98. Mid-east bloggers were contrasting this with Gitmo...

I heard a report on NPR that bloggers, mostly coming out of the mid-east, were contrasting how the West treats its noncombatant detainees with that of Iran.

[Stella_Artois]

109. Noncombatant ?

Given that they were uniformed members of the recognised armed forces of a sovereign nation i'd say there were very combatants.

Their status is very clear in international law.

[KansDem]

110. OK, I stand corrected. It must be just the civilians who are "noncombatants"

And, as such, subjected to humiliating, inhumane conditions such as what we saw and read about at Abu Ghraib and Gitmo, under what can be best described as violation of international law.

I think this is what the mid-East bloggers were comparing and contrasting, but then they were wrong about who were the "uniformed members of the recognized armed forces of a sovereign nation" and who were merely civilian "noncombatants," 70-90% who were innocent (if you believe US Army intelligence, the International Red Cross, and President Jimmy Carter) and who were just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

[BeyondGeography]

24. What a card this guy is

<He criticized Britain for deploying Leading Seaman Faye Turney, one of the 15 detainees, in the Gulf, pointing out that she is a woman with a child.

"How can you justify seeing a mother away from her home, her children? Why don't they respect family values in the West?" he asked of the British government.>

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Iran-Britain.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[Hobarticus]

30. Can't accuse him of not paying attention...

Granted, his notion of family values not including women is nothing to laugh at, but he sure knows what buttons to push.

[BeyondGeography]

43. No question...MA is a world-class trash talker

who knows how to rev up the hometown crowd.

[hoboken123]

"Hometown"?

I'd bet most of the red staters would agree with the sentiment.

[IsItJustMe]

97. Very comparible to what we have here in the good old U S of A.

[BeyondGeography]

108. exactly n/t

[INDIA]

25. But...But....I was told here that an invasion was impending!!!

Early April!!!!! Was that story a lie? Now I don't know what to think!!!

[pampango]

34. Not to worry. There will be another prediction of invasion in

mid-April, late April, early May and so on. No shortage of predictions around here. I hope that none of them prove to be correct.

[INDIA]

36. You're probably right.

But DU's Chicken Littles sure seem to enjoy raising the alarm. Was that last one "impending invasion thread" #132? or #133?

[redqueen]

86. Why so derisive?

There is every reason to anticipate that the PNAC's plans have not been significantly altered. Given that that's not an illogical view to take, I don't see how mocking those that think that the presence of the same criminals in gov't would tend to indicate that there is every possibility that they will find some way to further their goals does any good whatsoever.

But whatever, enjoy your momentary feelings of superiority.

[INDIA]

91. "Momentary" = Last two years..

That I've been dead ass right, lasting into the forseeable future since we will not invade Iran with the current set of geopolitical circumstances.

[redqueen]

93. And that current set can't change?

I'm not sure what exactly you're referring to... but like I said... enjoy it if that's what pleases you.

[INDIA]

99. Notice i didn't say "US will NEVER invade"

I.E., Iran would have to pull a crazy move, (like kidnapping American troops, open nuclear test, etc) OR We would have to re-deploy from Iraq first, in order to have our military ready for such an act. Neither of those potential scenarios is imminent.

Plus, it took a solid 10 years or so of very high tensions with Iraq (Them shooting at US jets, no fly zones, screwing around with UN inspectors) before the 2nd invasion. The heightened tensions with Iran have only really come about in the last two years or so when they REALLY started bucking the UN and going for nuclear power, all of course, thanks to B*sh.

Its simply reality. Everyone basically knew for a couple months before hand that we were going to invade Iraq. An invasion of Iran will not be a middle of the night suprise. It would take a long build up. So all this bullshit i'm reading about early April invasions is just that.....Bullshit.

[redqueen]

100. I hope you're right.

I have nowhere near your level of confidence that our dear leader and his coterie of lunatics won't do something that might previously have been considered unfathomable...

[ProudDad]

125. You've REALLY got that backasswards

It was the U.S. brutalizing the Iraqi people with the goddamn sanctions not the other way around.

The U.N. Inspectors had Saddam disarmed but that didn't stop Saint Bill from bombing civilians in Iraq and killing children with the sanctions.

As for Iran, bush is CRAZY. The pnac'ers are CRAZY. The real power, cheney is CRAZY. You can't predict what psychopaths like them will do...

[INDIA]

134. Oh man. You're right! Thanks for setting me straight! n/t

[Megahurtz]

101. There's Always a First Time for Everything.

:think:

Don't be so naive. When you are "off guard" is when things can happen.

[Zhade]

105. Probably just pissed we didn't start bombing.

NT!

[Name removed]

107. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

118. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Zhade]

131. Wow, I must have hit a nerve.

NT!

[IsItJustMe]

96. After the last six years of the unimaginable, how could you dis anyone who

believes we could get into another stupid war, just that easy.

[Le Taz Hot]

44. I can't prove it

but there has been every indication that chucklenuts and his poodle had every intention of invading Iran -- they're in the pipeline path, don't 'cha know. And it appears that Pelosi and even the Congressional Republicans that visited earlier, were basically heading off Little Lord Pissy Pants at the pass. We already have warships in the area that were sent in December and the U.S.S. Nimitz is about to take off for there (if it hasn't already). The Reich wing media has been pumping this shit up for weeks and the * regime has been putting out all kinds of propaganda about Iran's nuclear program. Most thinking people can connect the dots, especially with this junta's history.

On edit: Here. http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/04/abc_news_exclus.html

[INDIA]

47. You'll have to excuse me if I call BS.

I've been reading the Doomsday threads since 2004ish. I will continue to be skeptical. And we've had warships around the ME since forever. Iraq is a more likely cause of shipts in the Gulf, don't you think?

[yellowcanine]

"Pissy Pants" will no doubt mark the occasion with yet another round of breath holding and turning

blue in the face.

[CJCRANE]

81. Yes

the actual act of warning that Bushco are intent on war can change the situation to make it less likely particularly if high-level Democrats and foreign leaders (e.g. Ahmedinajad) are aware of this.

[Bandit]

56. You live in Bush* Amerika you are not supposed to think

:shrug:

[MaineDem]

26. Wasn't there a detainee swap?

I thought I heard that Britain was releasing Iranians as part of the deal.

[muriel_volestrangler]

33. The Iranians held by the US may be given consular access

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/04/iraq.iranians/

although both sides say that isn't connected with the sailors. No-on has mentioned any Iranians held by the British, as far as I know, let alone talking about releasing them.

[Jacobin]

35. NO. Of course NOT

That that that that would show weakness and and and we might release the Iranian hostages but that would be COMPLETELY UNRELATED, doncha know.

:-)

[bemildred]

40. They let one guy loose.

The other 5 are apparently going to get consular access.

[moodforaday]

27. And get THIS:

from RawStory:

The Raw Story | Iran to release 15 British marines and sailors

According to an unofficial transcript of Ahamdinejad's statement acquired by RAW STORY, he said the following:

"I declare that the people of Iran and the Government of Iran in full power and given their legal rights to place on trial the military people, to give amnesty and pardon to these 15 people. And I announce their freeing and their return to the people of Britain. I request the government of Mr. Blair not to question these people or to place them on trial for speaking the truth and I request Mr. Blair, rather than to increase the international controversy or call for the occupation of other lands, to take them toward peace, truthfulness and justice to serve the people of England."

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Iran_to_grant_amnesty_to_15_0404.html

[greyl]

45. Can't argue with that.

But this part still might need some work:

Additionally, an AP report, showed Ahmadinejad criticized the British for deploying a woman in its Navy.

"He criticized Britain for deploying Leading Seaman Faye Turney, one of the 15 detainees, in the Gulf, pointing out that she is a woman with a child," they noted.

[IndyOp]

64. I am not sure how much work it needs - I have those feelings, too...

I am a woman and I believe women should have the right to a job in the military as much as any man. Still, I don't believe that BOTH parents should ever be deployed at the same time, nor do I think that any woman with a child under age 12 (?) should be deployed into a war zone -- they can volunteer, but they should not be ordered to go. Sorry if that makes me a knuckle-dragging sexist. I worry about the children.

[soothsayer]

37. Dude might be crazy, but crazy like a fox? Pretty slick move.

[chelsea0011]

38. And let's not forget that if Bolton had his way, Iran would have

been nuked by now. He was awfully fast with the criticism of wussy early response by the Brits. that's how the neocons want to rule the world....by total might.

[muriel_volestrangler]

85. And Bolton is continuing with his criticism

Unfazed by the success of diplomacy, he just appeared on British TV, complaining Britain had been too weak in its response, saying this has helped Iran too much. You got the feeling he'd rather that Iran was threatening to kill the sailors, and that Britain was arming nuclear missiles.

[Name removed]

46. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Javaman]

49. Iran, the oil men and moron* played us all like a harp...

Iran got what they wanted, higher oil prices. The oil bastards got what they wanted, higher oil prices.

moron* playing along, got what he wanted, higher oil prices.

In the end is where we all got it, screwed at the pump.

If this was about anything but money I would faint.

[JNelson6563]

60. I agree, said something similar

though didn't include Bush as a player, I think he got duped and is probably very disappointed over this development. Also, I went with "fiddle" over "harp".

Julie

[bemildred]

61. That was strange.

:think:

[JNelson6563]

71. I think it was misunderstood

My happy toast in that post was misconstrued as congratulatory toward Iran when it was intended for the freed Brits and the foiling of Bushie Iran war plans. Plus the bonus of highlighting what neanderthals Team Bush is.

I hadn't communicated that clearly enough. Mea culpa.

Julie

[Hobarticus]

72. I understood it...

...and I agreed with you.

It would take one heck of a knee-jerk and a stretch of reason to assume that you were toasting Iran.

Fevers are running pretty high over this, these days.

[bemildred]

73. That was sort of my take.

But I had to stretch a little to make it work. But "c'est la vie" as they say in cheese-eating surrender country.

[ProudDad]

126. It's the oil companies

who are ripping us off. Crude oil prices haven't doubled in the last year!!!

[bemildred]

51. Ahmadinejad says Britain pledges not to repeat Iran intrusion UPDATE

TEHRAN (AFX) - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that the British
government had promised in a letter not to repeat the incident which saw 15 of
its sailors captured for entering Iranian waters.
Tehran claims they had intruded into Iranian waters, but the UK claims they
were in Iraqi waters.
"The British government, in a letter, has vowed not to repeat such
incidents. But this release is not linked to this letter. It is due to Islamic
goodwill," he told a news conference.
It followed his announcment that the 14 men and one woman would be freed
imminently.

http://orange.advfn.com/news_Ahmadinejad-says-Britain-pledges-not-to-repeat-Iran-intrusion-UPDATE_20100682.html

[bemildred]

52. Ten lessons about Islamic Republic of Iran

There are some lessons we can all learn from this:

1. Islamic Republic of Iran, when genuinely engaged, is negotiable,
unlike what neo-conservatives try to make us believe.
2. Iran is a whole different country now than it was 28 years ago when they captured the American embassy
3. Iran's establishment is more united than everyone thinks. Painting the Revolution Guard as a Mafia or a government inside a government is a strategic mistake.
4. The moderate conservatives in Iran, represented by Ali Larijani, have the unconditional backing of Ali Khamenei.

(more)

http://hoder.com/weblog/archives/015927.shtml

[yellowcanine]

55. Good timing for Pelosi - and makes * look like an ass chump. Syria apparently negotiated the

release, which took place just after Pelosi's visit that Bush had criticized. Shrubby even manages to add a sour note to good news.

[Hobarticus]

74. Ten bucks sez the GOP Senators who just went to Syria take credit...

By "sowing the seeds of diplomacy, blah blah blah".

But it's still funny that next to nothing is said about their trip, while everyone's freaking out about Pelosi's trip. They'll try and spin their trip into being key.

Ten bucks. Who wants a piece of that?

[yellowcanine]

82. Bush insists that Congress help him make war but doesn't want their help when it comes to preventing

war. What's up with that?

[redqueen]

87. They want 'unending war' of course...

cause it's good for their & their buddies' bottom lines.

[IsItJustMe]

102. Yes, war profiteering is big business. No doubt about it.

[Pachamama]

57. Guess Bush is really pissed now because it blows any planned invasion into Iran in the next week

while he takes his vacation.... :cry:

Guess Nancy Pelosi's trip was jeopardizing the foreign policy plans of the Bush Administration afterall..... :eyes:

[Bacchus39]

62. can't wait to hear what the sailors say about their "confession"

n/t

[bemildred]

63. It is going to be interesting to hear what they have to say when they are freed. nt

[ProudDad]

127. I'd hate to be them

they're going to get REAMED OUT by her majesty's navy....

I think they're going to wish they were back in Iran before this is all over.

[bemildred]

130. But it's good to be alive and free.

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. But you are right, they will not be allowed to return to obscurity soon, the play must go on, and much pressure will be applied to get them to say the right things, whatever those are decided to be.

[IsItJustMe]

103. I think the thing that is important here is that they are released. PERIOD

[The Backlash Cometh]

65. YIKES! Diplomacy works! Rove must be distracted or this news bit

would have been buried.

[Jack Rabbit]

66. Wonderful news

!!

[onehandle]

70. "Waaaaahhh! How are we gonna bomb now, Unka Dick?"

"Waaaaahhh!"

[myrna minx]

75. Thank goodness.

I am relieved for them and their families. :hug:

[barb162]

76. Maybe he was finally forced by science, global positioning,

into facing the facts those sailors weren't in Iranian waters. Whatever, I am glad they are being returned to Britain.

[ProudDad]

128. I don't think their exact location has anything to do with it

I'd be willing to bet if they hadn't been over the fuzzy line, they were damn close.

It's the old game of chicken. Standard cold war stuff. Stupid but frequently done.

War is not only banal and deadly but it's damnably predictable. What a STUPID thing for humans to be wasting their time on.

[rcdean]

78. Well timed -- as a prelude to our upcoming Good Friday bombing Blitz

Although maybe * will put it off now since it seem a bit gratuitous to Shock and Awe Iran right after they have done something sane.

But we will bomb them. I'll put money on it. And it will probably be this month.

[ClayZ]

79. Kindness is the best "weapon".... K and R

[robinlynne]

80. great move!

[kskiska]

83. I have to wonder whether the Brits did an end run around *

and dealt directly with the US Congress to help get these people released. Hence, Pelosi's visit to Syria.

[IsItJustMe]

104. The timing is impeccable isn't it? I wouldn't be surprised if Polis's visit has played a role in

their release.

[weezy2736]

84. Has anyone checked the MSN board?

http://boards.msn.com/MSNBCboards/thread.aspx?BoardID=380&ThreadID=247212&BoardsParam=HIPDelay%3d1

This is incredible! Someone actually said that they wished Iran had killed the hostages as an excuse to go to war. "Glass"... horrible what we've come to. Why can't we learn from Iraq? How can 30% of the population still be so ignorant?

[redqueen]

89. Hi weezy... welcome to DU!

:hi:

I wish I knew how to answer your question... but that 30% seems intractably, stubbornly, willfully stupid. :shrug:

[lovuian]

88. He really is playing very smart here

now if Bush attacks its his own doing

[IsItJustMe]

92. Thank god for intelligent people who know how to talk to one another. I think it is called

deplomacy. If that were our soldiers, chimp would of started a war and thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people would have died. All because the chimpster is full of ego and doesn't realize that there are other ways to solve problems.

[sabra]

112. State-run IRNA says 15 detained British sailors to leave Iran on Thursday

Source: CNN

>
BREAKING NEWS

State-run IRNA says 15 detained British sailors to leave Iran on Thursday. Source tells agency plane to leave Tehran at 0430 GMT.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/

[wakeme2008]

113. One parent has already said,, they are so happy their son will be home

by Easter.

[kitty1]

114. British Sailors are Free

Source: Daily News

Well, it looks like The Iranians are in a good mood today. They must have done some behind the scenes negotiations to everyone's liking.
Let's see the spinmasters take on this one.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=446679&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490

[Taverner]

115. Thank Pelosi for that one

She got Syria to pressure Iran

[muriel_volestrangler]

120. It seems Syria was involved before Pelosi went there

She arrived in Damascus on Tuesday; on Tuesday morning (Google News dates the story 2nd April), the Guardian had already said Syria was involved:

Tuesday April 3, 2007

...

The head of Iran's parliamentary committee on foreign policy and national security, Allaeddin Broujerdi, seemed to echo the British suggestion for talks yesterday when he told state radio: "There is a need for a bilateral agreement to prevent such an event in the future."

In seeking the captives' release, Britain has been seeking help from Iran's allies. Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, has intervened, the Guardian has learned. Mr Assad raised the issue with the Iranian foreign minister, Manuchehr Mottaki, at the Arab summit conference in Riyadh last Wednesday. It came shortly before Mr Mottaki told an Iranian TV station that the captured sailor Leading Seaman Faye Turney would be released shortly. The move followed a direct appeal to Damascus by Sir Nigel Sheinwald, Tony Blair's chief foreign policy adviser.

It came only five months after Sir Nigel visited the Syrian capital in an attempt to persuade Mr Assad to distance himself from Iran. British officials have been impressed by Syria's readiness to help in the dispute with Iran, and have singled it out for praise in recent days.

John Bolton, the Bush administration's former ambassador to the UN, yesterday criticised the British government for its "weak" and "passive" response to Iran over the captives. "If I were sitting in Tehran, I would say, 'I played this card against the Brits and they did everything but plead with me to give these people back'," he told CNN. "I think that tells the Iranians quite a bit about European resolve."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,2048797,00.html

(I just included the last paragraph to show how much of an arsehole Bolton still is)

Pelosi is mainly said to have done some good stuff with the situation between Syria and Israel, eg

Syria, Israel may resume peace talks

WASHINGTON -- Over White House protests, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with Syrian President Bashar Assad today in Damascus and said he and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert were both willing to resume peace talks.

Pelosi, who had visited Israel before moving on to Syria, said Olmert had authorized her to tell Assad that "he was ready to engage in peace talks," Pelosi told reporters after meeting with the Syrian president.

She said she was pleased with Assad's response. "He was ready to engage in peace talks as well," she said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-ex-bush5apr05,0,387801.story?coll=la-home-world

which sounds more constructive than anything any Republican has managed in the past 6 years.

[SpiralHawk]

116. "Hissssssssssssssss." - Condi

"Meowwwww rowwwwwr Hssssssssss." - Condi

[Vidar]

121. Iran proves it is more civilized than the US, though it was looking close.

[barb162]

122. I am very glad for these sailors and I bet their families are

ecstatic

[ProudDad]

124. Great

see bush, diplomacy works.

I guess Tony's no longer bush's poodle?

[Casper Alabaster]

129. Peace in Our Time!

:woohoo:
Some day the victors will record what really went on behind-the-scenes...
:hi:

[sg_]

132. One admitted in a news interview, that they were gathering intelligence on Iran

Just been on Sky News there.

Lucky that didnt get out otherwise their fate would have been sealed.

[Gen. Jack D. Ripper]

133. Glenn Beck some how saw this as a horrible failure

He figures diplomacy on the part of the British government demonstrated weakness. The US and UK, should have established a short ultimatum with Iran and if not met, we should have engaged (I can't remember exactly how). He also said that because this was not done, we have effectively empowered Iran and they are therefore more dangerous than ever. To this, he called for Americans to contact their representatives and demand that a public declaration be made to the effect of, "Iran is evil."

Lol, I love Glenn Beck...and by love of course I mean despise with a venomous fury.

[ProudDad]

135. Drifted off course? Ooops...

"He provided the first comprehensive Iranian version of events on March 23 when the 15 Britons were captured by Revolutionary Guard sailors on the shallow seas of the northern Gulf. Not only had the British patrol strayed into Iranian waters, he claimed, but it was at least the fourth such incursion in three months.

"They came to our waters before ... at least three times," the Iranian source said. "We gave them notice that you shouldn't be. We didn't use aggressive methods. We didn't shoot . Both sides know the sensitive atmosphere."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,2050424,00.html

[mvd]

136. I am very happy they are safe.

Diplomacy - not force - will work.