Reply to: Iran 'seizes British-flagged oil tanker'

[tomtomagain]

They are pretty clever, certainly playing smarter than moronic British Govt

How are they playing smarter? What have the acheived by impounding a Swedish ship?

There's zero pressure on the UK government to release the Iranian ship.

[AtW]

From the reaction of the Iranian government, it seems quite obvious that the seizure of the British flagged ship was unilaterally done by the Revolutionary Guard who are not known for their intelligence.

The Guards are the ones who run the country there.

They are pretty clever, certainly playing smarter than moronic British Govt

[Paddy]

Thing is though, they should have retaliated by hijacking a UK ship. Not just a British flagged ship.

Stenna Bulk is a Swedish company, the crew is a mix of nationalities including Russians, Indians and the Philippines but no UK nationals.

And it's was most likey taking cargo to Asia, not the UK.

... so I don't think the UK government will feel any real pressure to resolve the problem.

From the reaction of the Iranian government, it seems quite obvious that the seizure of the British flagged ship was unilaterally done by the Revolutionary Guard who are not known for their intelligence.

[tomtomagain]

Of course they will retaliate their ship was stolen.

Thing is though, they should have retaliated by hijacking a UK ship. Not just a British flagged ship.

Stenna Bulk is a Swedish company, the crew is a mix of nationalities including Russians, Indians and the Philippines but no UK nationals.

And it's was most likey taking cargo to Asia, not the UK.

... so I don't think the UK government will feel any real pressure to resolve the problem.

[Zigenare]

Being Americans pet poodle what does the UK expect Iran to say after you? Of course they will retaliate their ship was stolen.

American and UK foreign policy has made the world a dangerous place. Every empire falls.

You waited 5 years to the day to post that tulipe?

[ASCII]

Being Americans pet poodle what does the UK expect Iran to say after you? Of course they will retaliate their ship was stolen.

American and UK foreign policy has made the world a dangerous place. Every empire falls.

[Mordac]

Gratitude is a disease of dogs.

I thought that was distemper. Still, I'm sure you have way more experience of catching iffy diseases from dogs than anyone else here, so you can have that one as a freebie...

[Old Greg]

UK must look after its own ships in the Gulf, says Pompeo

That's what happens when you do the US a favour.

Gratitude is a disease of dogs.

[darmstadt]

UK must look after its own ships in the Gulf, says Pompeo

That's what happens when you do the US a favour.

However the case for an 'EU army' or form of military force gets even stronger now:

Jeremy Hunt says the UK will try to put together a European-led mission to protect ships in the Gulf. He says it will not be part of the US maximum pressure policy on Iran, because the UK remains committed to the Iran nuclear deal.

If the UK don't agree with the USA on certain military matters, who will they turn to for support?

[BlasterBates]

UK must look after its own ships in the Gulf, says Pompeo

That's what happens when you do the US a favour.

[meridian]

Iran 'seizes British-flagged oil tanker'

Gratis.

Exactly, which is pretty much what has happened:

- The Minister in Gibraltar made a unilateral decision (probably with some leaning on by the U.K. , themselves leant on by the US) to seize a vessel. He couldn’t do it himself, of course, so called big brother the U.K. and involved the Royal Marines.

- The U.K. then finds itself in a much bigger fight with Iran than expected (doh!) and is now running to anyone bigger that can help - the EU, the US, anyone.

Welcome to the future of the U.K. outside of the EU. Poodle to the US.

[darmstadt]

The UK might as well just be another US state.

The PM from tomorrow will be a mini-president anyway.....

[Zigenare]

There are different ways of enforcing sanctions. You can seize funds, you can impose travel restrictions on regime members. You can take a decision that impounding an Iranian tanker would leave you vulnerable so you could go back to the EU and get them to issue warnings or further sanctions to the country responsible. crying like a little bitch and let your big brother sort it out.

Gratis.

[BlasterBates]

What is the point of EU sanctions, if member states can choose to ignore them if they wish?

There are different ways of enforcing sanctions. You can seize funds, you can impose travel restrictions on regime members. You can take a decision that impounding an Iranian tanker would leave you vulnerable so you could go back to the EU and get them to issue warnings or further sanctions to the country responsible.

[Old Greg]

What is the point of EU sanctions, if member states can choose to ignore them if they wish?

You seem to be wakjng up to the reality that the EU is not a federal state. Well done!