Iranian Plot Unfolds

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard paper, A-Sharq Al Awsat, admitted that Iran would abduct American and coalition forces in retaliation for the defections of Iranian government officials. Last week, 15 UK soldiers were abducted in Iraqi territorial waters by the Iranian navy. Iran claims the soldiers were in Iranian waters. The abduction occurred during a routine inspection of a suspected smuggling ship. Interdiction efforts by coalition forces in the area where the soldiers were taken have led to a significant reduction in IED attacks as the amount of IED making materials making into Iraq is lessening as a result of these efforts.

Iran states that it is willing to return the UK soldiers in return for the defectors. They are defectors not detainees. They defected for a reason, they were not kidnapped or taken in any way by the US. As far as the ones that were arrested, they were involved in combat operations in Iraq and are thus subject to military action, including arrest.

Diplomacy should not be an option here. It is one thing to kill our soldiers in the course of battle but unlawfully kidnapping them in Iraqi waters is unacceptable. Iran should be given an ultimatum to return the soldiers or face the consequences. Once the ultimatum is made then US, UK and allied nations must take swift decisive military action against Iran when they fail to comply. Thugs do not understand anything but force. They are asking for it, so let's give it to them. No soldiers, just surgical air strikes. The next time Amadini-whats-his -name shows his face then we will fill his head with a 7.62 instead of the peaceful teachings of the Koran.