The Occasional Observer

This is certainly not good news. The Brits insist they were conducting routine police work in Iraqi seas, an area they have been patrolling for some time now. Based on the photos, it looks like the Brits were in small hovercraft that appear to be meant for ferrying soldiers back and forth. They sure don't look like naval combat vessels.

The Iranians apparently escorted them into Iranian waters (one must presume they had substantially heavier ships) and then placed them in custody.

That's the "what." But now we've got to figure out, "why?"

Why would Iran seek to provoke the West like this? Could it be some out of control ship-level commander who wanted to make a name for himself? Could the Brits have been mistaken, and wandered into Iranian waters on their own (Answer: no)? Or has Iran made a calculation that our ground forces are stretched to their capacity, and they are trying to bait us into escalating the conflict?

UPDATE 03/24/2007 0939 HRS:

The Iranian authorities tell us the British soldiers have "confessed and admitted their mistake" by entering Iranian territory. Sure they did.


UPDATE #2 03/24/2007 2140 HRS:

The British prisoners have apparently been transferred to Tehran, and the Iranian government wants to trade them for Iranians being held by the UK. I guess that answers the question of who authorized the capture. Sounds like the order came right from the top: give us bargaining chips to get back our men.

Now, how does the British government respond?