u235

Apparently Iran, confident that the US and UK are tied up in Iraq is pushing to make all the trouble it can. The idea being, naturally, that while the big boys have their hands full, they can get away with anything they please - from actively pursing nukes to snatching British sailors that wander too close to their border.

Clearly the other big dogs, Russia and China, are on their side. Unwilling to take any action against Iran and actively impeding any other countries that want to. Seems like a field day for Persia.

It's really not all that atypical behavior for the Middle East, where saber rattling and chest pounding is what symbolizes a "man" and social or political reforms are not even on the horizon.

Still it takes some nads for a government to actually take hostages in this day and age. Genuine members of the international community do not hold hostages, stage mock trials, or parade foreign nationals on TV. It essentially validates the position that they are really nothing more than a bunch of terrorists in suits.