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Iran 'seizes' 15 British Marines


Mugen

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Fifteen British Royal Marines on patrol in the Persian Gulf have been "seized" by the Iranian navy, the British Ministry of Defense said.

The Marines were "engaged in routine boarding operations of merchant shipping in Iraqi territorial waters," the ministry said in a statement on Friday.

A U.S. military official who monitors the region told CNN the Marines stopped an Iranian ship suspected of smuggling automobiles, and boarded it for an inspection.

While the Marines were on board, six Navy ships from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard showed up and claimed the British had entered Iranian waters.

A dispute ensued over whether the Marines were in Iraqi, international, or Iranian territorial waters, and the 15 were then seized and taken to Iran, the U.S. military official said.

An Iraqi fisherman told Reuters the incident took place in the Shatt al-Arab waterway that marks the southern stretch of Iraq's border with Iran. His account could not be immediately confirmed.

The British ministry's statement said the Marines "completed a successful inspection of a merchant ship when they and their two boats were surrounded and escorted by Iranian vessels into Iranian territorial waters."

The statement added: "We are urgently pursuing this matter with the Iranian authorities at the highest level and on the instructions of the Foreign Secretary, the Iranian ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Office. The British Government is demanding the immediate and safe return of our people and equipment."

There was no immediate word from Tehran on the incident.

The U.S. military official said the British Royal Marines are believed to be unharmed. It was not immediately clear where in Iran they were taken.

In 2004 eight British sailors and Marines were seized -- and later released -- by Iran after they crossed into Iranian territorial waters aboard three patrol boats by mistake.

SOURCE

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I hope western forces wont use this as an excuse for a war.

Edited by Paranoid Android
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I hope western forces wont use this as an excuse for a war.

I hope so, too. I extremely doubt it'll come to that though, hopefully they have the sense to release the soldiers unharmed. There's no apparent reason to detain them.

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Are you kidding? This is exactly the type of excuse to start a war. And since they involve British soldiers.........you can't blame George Bush now can you.

I am surprised the British allowed themselves to be captured, if the story is true. Why wasn't a destroyer patrolling nearby. Maybe they wanted to be captured as a pretext for war. Iran would be wise to immediately release them and not provide a further excuse. The British get rather touchy about such things.

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the Iranians are looking for war...theres no two ways about it....and there probably gonna get it...

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I don't get BBC here, but I would be very interested to know how the British Parliment and the general population is reacting over this. My guess is, there are some very angry British politicians.

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The Marines were "engaged in routine boarding operations of merchant shipping in Iraqi territorial waters," the ministry said in a statement on Friday.

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I hope western forces wont use this as an excuse for a war.

This reminds me of what I read about the Mexican war in the 1800s when US troops went over the border to provoke a counter attack from Mexico, in order to create a conflict. Later, they made it sound as if Mexico attacked America without no apparent reason.

Thus, I wouldn't believe so much what the British ministry says. I wouldn't be surprised if those marines actually were on Iranian waters (and then, who can blame the Iranians for acting as they did).

After all, West needs an excuse to "go in" and make sure the Iranian nuclear programme never get past the blueprint.

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why the constant provacation if the Iranians dont want war?...trust me amidiajad wants war....to bring about the coming of the 12th imam...but all hes gonna get is a tomahawk missle thru his house.....

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why the constant provacation if the Iranians dont want war?...trust me amidiajad wants war....to bring about the coming of the 12th imam...but all hes gonna get is a tomahawk missle thru his house.....

He definately wants war, there is no two ways about it, and he will get it if he doesn't hand over the marines; that kind of stuff is not tolerated...

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he must be pretty confidant about winning if he really wants to start a war. I dread to think what will happen :(

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Reminds me of Israel-Hezbollah war, it started because Hezbollah didnt gave 2 jews back to Israel. But my guess is that my goverment will return these soldiers back as soon as they will tell on national TV that they were in our waters, just like in 2004.

Besides Iran now is havning naval exercises in Persian Gulf, so maybe Brits used this as an excuse - went as near as possible to catch some iranian vessel and then waited for IRGC to come. Iran is, and has been historically, very careful about things like this. Heck, the US deliberately shot down the Iranian passenger plane in an effort to start a war, yet Iran still maintained their restraint.

Edited by Mugen
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I hope nothing bad happens to The Marines. ^^ I doubt The West (us) don't use it as an excuse. I hope their set free.

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Well, I guess it's safe to say most of us agree this could easily escalate out of control. I doubt very much Mugen's take on the events. He admits they were siezed in a disputed area. I really don't know what the Iranian think they can prove. If they are waiting for the captured soldiers to release a statement ...admitting to entering Iranian waters............it'll be a cold day in hell. Never happen.

More than likely, the British will offer an ultimatum.

"We are urgently pursuing this matter with the Iranian authorities at the highest level and on the instructions of the Foreign Secretary, the Iranian ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Office. The British government is demanding the immediate and safe return of our people and equipment."

Edited by Aztec Warrior
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remember the hostage crisis?...the iranians might hold them?....and try them under islamic law....I think blair needs to get his spine intact and make a statement....taking soldiers prisoner is an act of war....

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remember the hostage crisis?...the iranians might hold them?....and try them under islamic law....I think blair needs to get his spine intact and make a statement....taking soldiers prisoner is an act of war....

I was just about to say the same thing. Who needs an excuse....this is an act of war. I very much doubt the British will put up with this situation for very long. Days not weeks.

The Iranians are no match for the British. I remember the Faulklands war, where they smoked the Argentians.

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If i was living in iran i'd be stock-piling provisions and getting away from those nuclear sites........

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We still dont even know exactly what happened at this time yet "this is an act of war". Hard to say which side wants to go to war more lol.

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Mugen was right about one thing. When a similar incident occured in 2004, the British folded up like a ballon. One British marine apologized for being captured.

Attached is a link to an Iranian 'documentary' with a transcript and poor quality video. Makes for great Iranian propaganda.

Link to video of 2004 incident

We will see how this one plays out. I would have thought the British had more spine.

Edited by Aztec Warrior
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Having a spine is not emotionally overreacting to a situation but standing fast and getting your facts straight first, then reacting in your best interests. I'd advise you not to insult an allied country before you even have your facts straight. I have confidence the British will do what is best for them, keeping in mind starting a war over 15 "detaineed" soldiers and throwing away all your gains in Iraq is probably not in their best interest nor is it in the British publics interest either.

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Having a spine is not emotionally overreacting to a situation but standing fast and getting your facts straight first, then reacting in your best interests. I'd advise you not to insult an allied country before you even have your facts straight. I have confidence the British will do what is best for them, keeping in mind starting a war over 15 "detaineed" soldiers and throwing away all your gains in Iraq is probably not in their best interest nor is it in the British publics interest either.

I assume you are referring to me. Which facts do I not have straight, since you repeated yourself twice? The Iranian documentary, if you bothered to watch it...was propaganda. The British soldiers interviewed at the end of the clip showed no spine. They were released within 24 hours.

I also have confidence in the British, and I was speaking in the previous post to the 2004 incident.

Luckily I don't need your advice, sir. Keep it. Seems like everyday now, I have to explain myself to children who can't understand my posts or who purposely try to twist what I said.

Edited by Aztec Warrior
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the british are reporting the sailors were in iraqi waters and to release them immediatly......

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Mugen was right about one thing. When a similar incident occured in 2004, the British folded up like a ballon. One British marine apologized for being captured.

Attached is a link to an Iranian 'documentary' with a transcript and poor quality video. Makes for great Iranian propaganda.

Link to video of 2004 incident

We will see how this one plays out. I would have thought the British had more spine.

Quick warning: Save your winamp playlist before opening this video. :lol: (if you have one)

Mugen was right about one thing.

I am always right. :yes:

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Which facts do I not have straight, since you repeated yourself twice?

No one here has their facts straight yet becuase it is still all up in the air, so before you get all worked up lets find out more of what happened first.

The Iranian documentary, if you bothered to watch it...was propaganda. The British soldiers interviewed at the end of the clip showed no spine. They were released within 24 hours.

I also have confidence in the British, and I was speaking in the previous post to the 2004 incident.

Yes I considered you were referring to the 2004 incident yet by your wording "We will see how this one plays out. I would have thought the British had more spine." I assumed you were referring to the recent incident or are you planning on seeing how an icident in 2004 "plays out"?

Luckily I don't need your advice, sir. Keep it. Seems like everyday now, I have to explain myself to children who can't understand my posts or who purposely try to twist what I said.

Oh so quick to attack someone personally, I thought conservatives were less emotional than that.

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Oh so quick to attack someone personally, I thought conservatives were less emotional than that.

This amazes me, he says he lives in Mexico, but he is acting like die-hard pro-american. :rolleyes:

I hope your country disapears off the face of the Earth so they can stop causing problems.

:rofl: You are indeed very smart and educated man. :tu:

Edited by Mugen
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