"I went to Iran and all I got was this lousy suit,"

[TexasLawyer]

There seems to be a lot of press attention to what the British soldiers were wearing when they were granted freedom. I have to admit, though, that some of the coverage has been pretty funny.

I am overjoyed these guys (and gal) were released, but I am guiltily looking forward to the "cheap suits" jokes tonight on late-night TV.



Britons mark freedom with water, nuts, new suits
Stuart Williams
AFP
April 5, 2007

TEHRAN -- The 15 British sailors flying back home Thursday after two weeks in captivity in Iran celebrated their release with water, pistachio nuts - and ill-fitting new suits.

<snip>
The first footage of the released captives Wednesday showed the men chatting with Ahmadinejad in sometimes ill-fitting grey and blue suits - without ties in line with the custom of the Islamic republic. Turney wore a blue jacket and flowered headscarf.

"I went to Iran and all I got was this lousy suit," mocked the front-page headline on Britain's leading daily tabloid The Sun.

http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070405-060644-5357r

********************

FREED IN CHEAP SUITS
IRAN NUT'S 'GIFT' FOR BRITS
By ANDY SOLTIS

Iran's hard-line president yesterday freed 15 captive British sailors as an Easter gift - after dressing them in the sort of chintzy, ill-tailored garb that he himself favors and mocking them for their forced "holiday."

<snip>

http://www.nypost.com/seven/04052007/news/worldnews/freed_in_cheap_suits_worldnews_andy_soltis.htm

*******************
The Significance of the Suits

By Peter Walker / World news 11:37am

It was, depending upon your perspective, either a triumph for quiet-yet-fim British diplomacy or a PR coup for the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

But as 15 British sailors and marines return to the UK, ending one of the more convoluted international standoffs of recent years, what do many bloggers want to talk about? The suits, of course.

The outfits made their debut yesterday afternoon, when the captives were paraded before Mr Ahmadinejad in order to thank him for allowing them to return home.

While leading seaman Faye Turney made do with what looked like a hooped dress and cardigan combo, her 14 male comrades sported ill-fitting three-button suits in various shades of grey that looked suspiciously similar in cut to the president's own, lighter-coloured version.

<snip>

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/archives/2007/04/05/the_significance_of_the_suits.html

[whistle]

1. There are not 15 people in this photo, only 11, possibly 12 counting

...the person just able to set a part of the face in front of the one with his back turned to the camera in the doorway.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. I counted 15, including two in the back row that are just 'hair' and there's also one in the door

way.

[whistle]

6. Oh yes, I missed the hair ones and the part hair behind the glum one

...in the front row. Thanks

[bluerum]

5. 15, if you count partially obscured heads etc. eom

[BuyingThyme]

2. The look like pilgrims from another planet.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. No offense, but English suits and dresses aren't what Americans would consider

'stylish' either.

[TexasLawyer]

7. another suit reference slipped in at the end of an article

Conclusion:

Iran wanted “respect and a recognition of its power”.

But the analysis can wait. “FREEDOM!” cries the Mail’s front page. “Huge relief as our sailors head home.”

And it has questions:

“Were they in Iranian waters? What deals were done?

And has this been a diplomatic triumph for Blair or a humiliation for Britain?”

And can you get the money back on those suits?

http://www.anorak.co.uk/news/politics/172277.html

[Canuckistanian]

8. They look like the the Kazakh mafia n/t