[Cruisingdad]

It is said, true or not, that the game of chess was first discovered in Iran.

So, let me get this straight:

You are an Iranian President, who is not real popular. You face 2 fronts: a young population that is unemployed, unhappy, tired of the same old-same old, and ready for a change. THe other front is an older, powerful (but small) population that supports you in radical thoughts and ideas and ready to invade the world (sounds a lot like Germany, pre WWII to me - for those of you that follow history). So... what do you do? FIrst, remember the hit-squad (aka, German SS) that goes around posing as ploys to intice the leading radicals to screw up (upon whence they dissapear).

Here is what you do:

You cross the zone (that has long been debated) and take a pretty much helpless British inflatable dink hostage (you get a nu\mber of sailors) . Then, you bring them back across the border to Iran and announce to the world you have taken them as they invaded you terriotry (which is a lie, incidentally, as they were not in your waters) . You then show the people of your country (both the radicals and young population) that you have acted in defiance of the big bad west and will not show fear in the face of anyone that defies Iran . Thus you have given the young people (and unemployed) another venue of hate to missdirect it from you while satisfying the radicals that you are not to be trifeld with ... but far from check mate.

It was a win-win for Iran. Britain could do nothing, as any soldier over there is against the prevailing public will. What little tug Blair could use against Iran as an evil empire dissapeared when Armageddon pardon the sailors. The UN is a joke. And by pardoning them (oh, God, let me laugh) you have shown the power of your position. Which piece of this did I miss? It is not check mate, for that would be war. It is check... and withdrawal. It was a win-win because the British acted nobely and as expected.

Did I miss something. Tell, me? I am just a sailor uneducated in the world of politics. What did I miss?

- CD

PS You did notice, and not by chance, that it was NOT an American boat. The problem with that is Bush does not play chess. He believes in the art of dueling (right or wrong), and the biggest gun wins. Not by chance. I feel sorry for the Brits.