He made the decision. This is my 102'nd post and no one wished me a Happy Birthday! My personal belief is that the UK troops were not in Iranian territory, but the Iranians have been waiting for such an opportunity, and there job was to make a stand against the loud words of America in relation to Nuclear power. Iran are not going to give in. In essence Iran are stating clearly they have clout too.
Bearing in mind the British troops were not in disputed waters this was a publicity stunt for Iran; internally it will have sparked further ill feeling of the West, namely the USA and of Britain. The big question is, are the Iranians supporting Iraqi insurgents? And if so, why?
What I found particularly abhorrent, and I use the word abhorrent because my Chief Constable uses the word too, though I mean it; was the blindfolding, the cocking of weapons, etc.
This together with the separation of Faye Turner and feeding her with lies as a control mechanism, plus the slideshow of these personnel on Iranian TV admitting they were in the wrong, was the message that the Iranian Politicians wanted their people to know.
This was a psychological show of publicity and lies and Iran have done nothing here to curb any view that they are corrupt in the manner in which they executed the capture of the personnel and the manner in which they used these people for their own political gains. I am afraid this has done nothing to aid good community and race relations.
I have added this last piece today, 09/04/07, having read that Faye Turner was advised that she may never see her child again. If Faye Turner says this happened then I have no right to doubt her. It is now very clear why Faye looked the way she did when the Iranians paraded her. Now, some may say I am Anti Islamic in my view that Iran should be condemned for their behaviour, and British Muslims should stand by Britain on this, but no one deserves their Human Rights abused in this way. What Iran did to Faye Turner is wrong whether British Muslims agree or not, it is simply wrong. British Muslims must therefore speak out and condemn Iran’s treatment of Turner.
Anonymous said...Agreed, in the current climate, this has done no-good at all. What makes me really angry is that certain groups will seize on this for their own poisened ends, and that some people will no doubt listen.Happy (belated) Birthday by the way!
5 comments:
Anonymous, it's nice to be remembered and valued. Thank you. For us, if people use this PR escapade by the Iranians to their political ends in this country then we remain strong as colleagues. We still deliver a good service whatever.
Don't be angry. There may be malicious reasons why people may use this debate for their own ends. There may be ignorant reasons. So, my answer is not to be angry. Our understanding of race relations will allow us to rise above views.
British Muslims or for that matter Muslims anywhere have no reason to apologise for the Iranian fiasco.
The Iranian Government is no more a good example of an ideal Muslim run country as Britain is a Christian one.
Let’s not mix political intrigue with an individual’s faith. The whole concept of a State religion is ludicrous for faith is a personal and individual belief in something greater than politics or for that matter anything else. We cannot and do not all agree on how the tenets of our ‘Faith’ can be manifested and as such there will always be strife in such countries.
India had the right idea; following its bloody independence in 1947 when Hindu and Muslim brothers clashed over greater sovereignty they actually declared India itself a non-secular democracy.
Unfortunately the secular bigots have continued to cause more bloodshed and harm over the past sixty years, but at least the Government is outwardly non-partisan even though the Hindu’s may have the greatest power. Bad example perhaps, but I hope that you get the idea.
It may help the British people to understand the stance of some Iranian’s if they understood how Britain supported by the USA, in both its Imperial and post Imperial days has overtly as well as covertly played power politics in this independent sovereign country, toppling governments and imposing puppet regimes in order to secure OIL. No wonder the Iranians as well as other Countries that have experienced and continue to experience ‘New Imperialism’ treat Britain with distrust over its foreign policy.
What is presently happening is just political wrangling on both sides. Neither the British nor the Iranian’s has the moral high ground and unfortunately for the service personnel they are just pawns in others games.
Whatever has happened though this situation should not reflect at all on British Muslims and does not require them to speak up either in favour or against either side? This will merely play straight into the unscrupulous hands of the politicians from either country.
As-Salāmu `Alaykum
Serendib hello, I need to clarify. I don't mean British Muslims must apologise for the actions of the Iranian Government. What I am saying is that the way faye turner was treated should be condemnded by us all whatever faith we are. It was a game! Now,equally people can stop playing gamnes on the British side also. we know in race relations people like Bettison, Gibson, Blair and others have played games with race. Equally they are wrong. Until we have real dialogue, all that will happen is there will be two sides, not one commonality. And there will be conflict. How can we then distinguish what is British?
Yes, happy birthday.
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