Former British Ambassador Craig Murray is now challenging the legitimacy of the map just published by the British government in the current dispute with Iran over those 15 captured British sailors and marines.

I have been unpopular before, but the level of threats since I started blogging on the captured marines has got a bit scary. It is therefore with some trepidation that I feel obliged to point this out.

"The British Government has published a map showing the coordinates of the incident, well within an Iran/Iraq maritime border. The mainstream media and even the blogosphere has bought this hook, line and sinker.

"But there are two colossal problems.

"A) The Iran/Iraq maritime boundary shown on the British government map does not exist. It has been drawn up by the British Government. Only Iraq and Iran can agree their bilateral boundary, and they never have done this in the Gulf, only inside the Shatt because there it is the land border too. This published boundary is a fake with no legal force.

"B) Accepting the British coordinates for the position of both HMS Cornwall and the incident, both were closer to Iranian land than Iraqi land. Go on, print out the map and measure it. Which underlines the point that the British produced border is not a reliable one.

The BBC for instance has already interviewed a supposed expert regarding the map, who vouched for its authenticity. But the point is, as Craig Murray, points out, how can such a map exist if the subject of boundaries has never been settled between Iraq and Iran?

Turns out the expert had been referred to the BBC by the British Ministry of Defense - who also turned out the plan.

Sounds like the rerun of a bad movie we've already seen.

‘Several commentators have speculated that Iran may link the fate of the British sailors to the release of its officials held in Iraq—a claim that Iranian officials have denied. While the British and international media generally assume that the detention of the sailors is a calculated plot by Tehran, it cannot be ruled out that the incident was engineered in London or Washington. Veteran American journalist Seymour Hersh, among others, has alleged that US and Israeli intelligence agents are actively operating inside Iran.

The US-based Stratfor think tank, which has close links to the American intelligence and military establishment, headlined its article on the incident “Another step in the US-Iranian Covert War”. While uncertain about the motive for detaining the British sailors, the article indicated that it may be linked to Western intelligence operations inside Iran. It pointed to the alleged defection of a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard general Ali Reza Asghari earlier this year. He is reportedly being interrogated by US intelligence, including over Tehran’s knowledge of Western agents operating inside Iran.

According to Stratfor, “With this in mind, there have been recent indications from US and Israeli intelligence sources that the British MI6 was engaged in an operation to extract one of its agents from Iran, but a leak tipped MOIS [Iranian intelligence] off to the plan. According to an unconfirmed source, the IRGC [Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps] nabbed the British [MI6] personnel, as well as the agent, to use as a bargaining chip to secure the release of the five detained Iranians. If these negotiations go poorly for Iran, the Britons could very well be tried for espionage.”

Whatever the exact reasons for the seizure of the British sailors, the chief responsibility for their predicament rests with the Blair government and the Bush administration. The only reason for the presence of the British warships in waters disputed by Iraq and Iran is the illegal US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003. Far from pulling out of Iraq, the White House is now menacing neighbouring Iran as part of broader US ambitions to dominate the oil-rich region.’

Britain Heightens Confrontation With Iran Over Detained Sailors

It's obvious that Iran is testing the waters but the UK has no idea how to handle it. Whether the English sailors trespassed in Iran's waterways or not is irrelevant. A careful negotiated "sorry we did not mean to" may have suffice. An accidental event would not have been seen so dramatic as that acted out like a warmongering flag-waving "give us our pawns back" play of the game.

The waters are in dispute thus no one can argue where's what with certainty and if the Iranians gave a coordinate on where they picked up the Pommy sailors that was inside "the UK accepted Iraqi side of the narrow stretch of water", then changed their mind (or knowledge) on where the incident happened does not mean shot to the price of fish. There is no agreement on the dividing line between Iraq and Iran in this spot... This should be well known by any operator of rubber duckies or charter cruises in the region.

From the Guardian

· Propaganda drive follows UK diplomatic overtures
· Students throw rocks and firecrackers at embassy

Richard Norton-Taylor Robert Tait Tehran Ewen Macaskill Washington
Monday April 2, 2007
The Guardian

Iran stepped up its propaganda offensive against Britain last night by broadcasting new footage of two of the 15 captured service personnel on al-Alam television, including another "confession" that they had strayed into Iranian waters.

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Gus: Propaganda? "confessions"... Are we so removed from proper diplomatic avenue these days that public bias and temper are stirred (not shaken) by media accusation of crude propaganda and denial on all sides... And the Bushiott windmills like a dry and dusty well-pump on a hot windy day... He might blow a gasket... unless he seizes up first...

From the independent

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There is a lot we do not know - or care to know - about all this. In the meantime, however, it will be left to Blair, Bush and the merchants of the SKY-BBC-CNN-FOX-CBS-NBC-ABC axis of shlock-and-awe to play the Iranian game. Will they put Faye on trial? Will our boys be threatened with execution? Answer: no, but be sure we'll soon be told by the Iranians that they are all spies. A lie, needless to say. But Blair will fulminate and Bush will roar and the Iranians will sit back and enjoy every second of it.

 

From the BBC

Blair wants end to 'abstract' EU

The EU needs to focus on issues of concern to its citizens, rather than spend years on "abstract constitutional debate", the UK prime minister says.

Tony Blair said it was easier to make the case for the EU if it was not "remote from the people in the street". 

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Gus: to "de-abstract" Europe, Blair has no choice but to bury the English Pound in the ground and adopt the Euro. Europe IS concerned about its citizens and, despite squabbles about the political unity of its members, the main unification factor is money. Until the pound is stopped from being tied up with the Bushit administration antics, the debate on the constitution of a united Europe will be "abstract". Pommy problem mostly.

Thus Tony Baby, you have one giant step for Europe and one small step for the UK to perform... Bury the pound, adopt the Euro. I know it's a difficult concept but a necessary one.

Despite a few difficult months of adjustment, Europe would become a better organised, better sustainable block, towards being a fully-fledged world power.

But... is there too much money (Pounds) in secret Swiss bank account that would be either exposed in the process or devalued if transferred secretly from pounds to Euros over a long period — in small bills to avoid public scrutiny? Come on, you tell us but do the right thing... Pound out, Euro in. No other way.

From the Guardian

Family shocked as MoD admits body parts error

British soldiers' body parts sent home in wrong coffins

Mark Townsend, defence correspondent
Sunday April 29, 2007
The Observer

Body parts of British soldiers who died on operations in Afghanistan have been mixed up and placed in the wrong coffins.

 

From our ABC

Iraq dominates Bush, Blair farewell summit

By Washington correspondent Kim Landers

The US President and the outgoing British Prime Minister have held a farewell summit in Washington where Iraq has dominated the agenda.

The Iraq war has forged the friendship between President George W Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair and will define their political legacies.

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Gus: Weasel and Coyote's friendship by bullshitting about and fighting Toad Saddam... mudfights against sanity ... And now young prince Harry not allowed to go and get killed in Iraq... Privilege of the rich and royalty? Not really... But Georgina Downer, a guest on the list for Future Summit? that is crook...

In regard to the little prince, all kinds of views rage in cyberspace but really, who GENUINELY though he would be sent there?... No me. I always thought he would be PULLED out before being sent. Using the "threats" against him personally as an excuse. Anyway he is too young too know the dispair depth of war... In my views, all the old dogs in their decorated bunkers and fancy parliaments, pompous old farts and baby-boomers gone rancid who send young men to war should be the one to go and fight first — creaky knees, alcoholic liver and all that, old chap. The Young Ones should tell the oldies "to be careful" as they wave them good bye... I know the oldies would soon discover "what the f*&^%$# are we doing out here?" The question they should ask themselves before sending their troops to places where they should not be...

 

 

from Mark Fiore .....

the axis of uh oh .....