Iran verses Britain in the rhetorical war over captured soldiers.
April 2nd 2007 23:55
Iran verses Britain in the rhetorical war over captured soldiers.
By now almost everyone has heard about the five captured British soldiers out to sea. The Iranians claim that they were in their water and the British claim they were not. Images and maps are being beamed around the world to prove each side of the story to the loyal supporters for both sides. In a case of what should have been a simple and quiet negotiated return of soldiers were have a heated exchange of words and saber rattling. The PR and propaganda war has heated up in an exchange that seems more farcical than productive. Both sides have claimed they have been violated and both have claimed to innocent parties within their rights. The issue has even gone to the UN security panel only to have any harsh criticism watered down by participants that cited a lack of objective evidence to support Britain. This could have been true or it could have been due to political loyalties. Regardless of what reason it seems clear that few nations want to get dragged into this dispute.
What has muddied the waters is the confessions of two soldiers within days of captivity. These may be false confessions extracted under duress and many people would see Iran as a nation that would do this. How the confession came so quick that lingering doubts will remain. Drawing a comparison between those revealed by terrorist suspects at Guantanimo Bay and these confessions creates a further credibility gap that must be answered. Why should we to disbelieve a confession delivered in days and believe one that has taken years to extract? Despite being separate issues that are linked on the issue of moral equivalence. It is possibly no longer a case of who you believe but who can offer the best evidence that matters now. Not the best evidence to an independent arbiter, because such a person does not exist, but the best evidence to their own people.
The moral superiority of the situation can not be used when both side say that they have equal claim to the moral high ground. Claiming Britain to be a morally superior nation to Iran falls apart when their history is examined closely. Claiming that Iran is a victim of the world also falls apart when looking at some of their post revolutionary history.
If this was only a dispute over five soldiers it would have been solved days ago. Other factors have been at work leading up to this becoming a diplomatic storm over the broader issues of Iran. Iran may feel that it is currently waiting for a sneak attack on their nuclear facilities by either the US, Britain or Israel. The exaggerated and inflammatory demands from some Western media commentators for a régime change has only fed the Iranian propaganda machine. The War in Iraq has given credence to the claims that the Western world want invade them. Finding some British soldier within their grasp has helped change the subject from Iran’s nuclear ambitions to the British soldier rescue effort.
It should be obvious that this situation can only be solved diplomatically as happened with the US Embassy Hostage crisis decades earlier. It is very unlikely that the British or anyone else will attempt a commando style rescue. Such action would most likely end up with all the captured soldiers killed and condemnation for the Tony Blair. Even if it had have been US marines captured the results would most likely be the same. Unless someone is willing to sacrifice the lives of their soldiers to make a banal point on the political stage negotiation will happen. That is precisely what seems to be occurring at the moment as the British government confirmed that they would commit to finding a diplomatic solution. The Iranians have agreed that this is also the best path indicating that perhaps the propaganda war is slowing running out of steam.
British soldier confessing for the television cameras. Who knows why?
What has muddied the waters is the confessions of two soldiers within days of captivity. These may be false confessions extracted under duress and many people would see Iran as a nation that would do this. How the confession came so quick that lingering doubts will remain. Drawing a comparison between those revealed by terrorist suspects at Guantanimo Bay and these confessions creates a further credibility gap that must be answered. Why should we to disbelieve a confession delivered in days and believe one that has taken years to extract? Despite being separate issues that are linked on the issue of moral equivalence. It is possibly no longer a case of who you believe but who can offer the best evidence that matters now. Not the best evidence to an independent arbiter, because such a person does not exist, but the best evidence to their own people.
The moral superiority of the situation can not be used when both side say that they have equal claim to the moral high ground. Claiming Britain to be a morally superior nation to Iran falls apart when their history is examined closely. Claiming that Iran is a victim of the world also falls apart when looking at some of their post revolutionary history.
If this was only a dispute over five soldiers it would have been solved days ago. Other factors have been at work leading up to this becoming a diplomatic storm over the broader issues of Iran. Iran may feel that it is currently waiting for a sneak attack on their nuclear facilities by either the US, Britain or Israel. The exaggerated and inflammatory demands from some Western media commentators for a régime change has only fed the Iranian propaganda machine. The War in Iraq has given credence to the claims that the Western world want invade them. Finding some British soldier within their grasp has helped change the subject from Iran’s nuclear ambitions to the British soldier rescue effort.
It should be obvious that this situation can only be solved diplomatically as happened with the US Embassy Hostage crisis decades earlier. It is very unlikely that the British or anyone else will attempt a commando style rescue. Such action would most likely end up with all the captured soldiers killed and condemnation for the Tony Blair. Even if it had have been US marines captured the results would most likely be the same. Unless someone is willing to sacrifice the lives of their soldiers to make a banal point on the political stage negotiation will happen. That is precisely what seems to be occurring at the moment as the British government confirmed that they would commit to finding a diplomatic solution. The Iranians have agreed that this is also the best path indicating that perhaps the propaganda war is slowing running out of steam.
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