Thursday, March 29, 2007

CIA WORLD FACT BOOK STATES THE DISPUTE BETWEEN IRAQ AND IRAN IN THE PERSIAN GULF

From https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ir.html#Issues

Disputes - international:
Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries to the Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; Iran stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors.


Every map I have looked at showing Iraq and Iran has not shown any border on the sea either, except for one from the Royal Navy showing Cornwall's operational area.

So to me it would appear that there is a requirement to get the borders sorted out immediately before any more 'disputes' occur (though I believe things like this were planned centuries ago).

This does not however give Iran licence to arrest and detain British sailors (and commandos?) either, particularly when even my dog knows that Israel, the USA, Great Britain and Australia are looking for any excuse to nuke Tehran.

Have the Iranians even considered how easy it was to arrest those sailors, considering there was a lack of support and cover, and that the six Iranian boats were able to 'surprise' the sailors? Where exactly was HMS Cornwall in relation to the sailors and was that distance considered sufficient for communication and to provide sea and air cover should things go wrong (as did happen)? Have the Iranians even considered the remote possibility that they were ALLOWED to arrest the sailors in order to prepare Britain and the USA for a strike upon Iran? Russia is reporting a build up of US troops on the Iranian border, and has leaked an attack on the 6th April.

As I understand it two Iranian boats approached first, and four followed shortly after. What did Cornwall do? Did it know what was happening? Was it communicating to HQ or London what was happening? Apparently the Iranians were just on their side of the disputed border.

I think this has to be one of the biggest, possibly suicidal, diplomatic blunders ever. Iran has made its point, but embarrased itself. Britain and its partners have at least shown some of us that they are prepared to risk the life of a married mother of one to get their bloody war on Iran.

SHAME ON BOTH SIDES.

HMS Cornwall is home to Combined Task Force 158, and comprises not just British, but Australian and American naval personnel too.

Are you telling me these combined Navies couldn't detect SIX, repeat SIX, Iranian boats approaching two of their boats, in one of the most disputed waterways in the world, particularly if the British really were 1.7 miles inside Iraqi territorial waters? BOLLOCKS!! They were allowed to be arrested for purposes of war.

Why has no one in the mainstream media questioned this?

The Times today even refers to the Lynx from HMS Cornwall taking coordinates from a handheld GPS device. Where was that during the arrest?

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