A Cheesy End (Updated IX)
By Kamangir • Apr 4th, 2007 • Category: IranPlease scroll down, more updates below.
So, at the middle of his news conference, Ahmadinejad ordered the sailors to be freed and granted Bravery Medals to those who arrested them. He said, “The fifteen soldiers will go to the airport, after this news conference, to go where their families are” [exact translation]. More pictures here. Apparently, when the detainees heard the news, which was translated for them on–line, they “shouted in happiness“. “Faye Turney burst into tears”, Fars adds.
Update: They were not still happy with the propaganda. So, after his news conference, Ahmadinejad met with the soldiers and they “again apologized”. The event was shown live on the national television (IRIB).
Update II: They are free.
Update III: For Persian readers, Balatarin is just getting hotter with more news and pictures.
Update IV: More pictures.
Update VI: More pictures.
Update VII: I am eagerly waiting to see them in CNN, or Fox, giving a more accurate account of their “compulsory trip” to Iran, as Ahmadinejad put it. The interesting thing is, BBC removed this sentence from its report (link).
Update VIII: Keivan asks where on earth the highest administration figure shows up for the release of a few detainees.
Update IX: Ahmadinejad asked Blair to not to prosecute the sailors “for admitting that they have entered Iranian waters”.
Posted by Kamangir
Author's email address: arash@kamangir.net | All posts by Kamangir
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I count only 7 of the 15 British hostages in the photos. Where are the other 8? Are they being released too, or just these 7?
Squeezing every last drop of propaganda value, eh?
I’m glad their vaction and “leisure time” is over.
Well he got a nice propaganda coup out of it.
We’ve got Castro as a thorn in our side and Britain now has Ahmadinejad, and life goes on.
I’m glad nothing worse happened.
Kamangir is always updated ;)
Why do all the men have suits and the one female is dressed like an muslim steel worker?
Kenneth,
Does the last picture help?
Bucket,
Don’t ask me!
serendip,
I agree.
Reza,
Chakerim. :)
trainer,
I agree.
Bucket: LOL…Steel worker!
Bucket,
Yes, why steel worker?
As an ownwer of a steel fabrication company, I think Bucket hti the nail on the head! I think it’s the denim outer wear and headgear!
Notice how returning British personal that were kidnapped in Iraqi waters is now seen as a gift? The media never ceases to amaze!
Well, grats IRI on a riveting, if not cheesy, propaganda miniseries. Persian egos are balmed. For now.
Stay tuned for the next manufactured crisis!
Oh, as for steelworker… I suspect she’s dressed that way because there is no such thing as a professional business woman in Iran. Successful and alive, anyway.
Lesly,
That’s just not true. My mother is a successful businesswomen.
I wonder whatever happened to sheer British “bloody-mindedness”? Whatever happened to the American POW who, after being tortured, injured himself so that so that the North Vietnamese could not put him on display in a press conference? These British sailors do not appear to have been tortured, yet they have made critical statements and apparently willingly put themselve forward for propaganda. How could this be? It seems that no shame is to be attached to shameful conduct in the hands of the enemy these days. No wonder we are likely to lose the war on terror. We no longer are willing even to undergo any discomfort for the sake of anything.
I think that when the IRI was first planning this sneaky little ambush kidnapping that they did not count on there being a female captive and so they never put down nice lady clothing on the list of things to have on hand. I am sure they will be better prepared for the infidels lack of “family values’ next time around.
The whole news from the beginning to the end was just strange. What a joke! I mean the reactions from both sides.
If this was really an illegal act from Iranians side, then British reaction was too timid and lack of back bone, it almost sounded that they were afraid engage Iran more forcibly.
If there was no illegal act, then what the fuss about? to give Iranians more photo ops and British went along with it? What did Iranian get for their release? I bet you something big. I am by far a consipracy type, but this sounds too stange to be true. I don’t get it.
I am glad it has ended peacefully but it is more than a little strange to go from in your face posturing to hugs and kisses in so short of a time. Something does not smell right. But maybe some good will come out of the situation, we can only hope.
Lesly, Just did a little Googling about women fashion in Iran:
Army Formal Casual White collar Students
Today WSJ’s editorial summed it up much better:
While the release of the Brits is cause for celebration, we hope the world won’t forget those who aren’t getting out – the myriad political prisoners, often democrats, in Iran’s dungeons. These are the truly courageous people the West has paid too little attentions to as it focuses on diplomacy and business with Iran. Given his regime’s persecution of Iran’s tiny Christian(coverts) community, Mr. Ahmadinejad’s invocation of Easter as a reason for freeing the sailors is particularly offensive.
Read the rest online..
Frieda
I am not sure that the Brits reaction was too timid. What do you think they should have tried to do? They protested, they tried to get UN resolution, should they tried to attack IRI?
I think that IRI exactly wanted them to do that, to attack IRI or forcefully try to free sailors. IRI may have tried to get back some of their people who were snatched in Iraq, something like an exchange of prisoners. Ahmadinejad & Co., have seen there is no deal, they also seen reaction of other countries so they got to plan B i.e. the release the sailors.
Ella,
You think they were not timid? I think they were worse, they actually acted sooo gay about this issue :D
A few days ago I spent about 30 minutes in BBC site reading many comments written by people about the prisoners. I was amazed that how soft these people are. They were literally crying. Even their angry comments were so feminine. I don’t know how these people could fight in a real war!
Take a look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4_XHk60dM0&mode=related&search=