Iran Releases British Troops

[Darth Executor]

Do no name me when speaking to me. We are not equals.

This made my day.

[spiritmech]

Grateful to WHO?

Chimpy McBu[color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color][color=red]EDITME[/color]ler, of course.
sm

[Storico]

Nasser Karimi, Associated Press
TEHRAN – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran would free 15 detained British sailors and marines today as an Easter holiday “gift” to the British people.

*more text left out here for brevity's sake explaining the matter*

“On the occasion of the birthday of the great Prophet (Muhammad) ... and for the occasion of the passing of Christ, I say the Islamic Republic government and the Iranian people – with all powers and legal right to put the soldiers on trial – forgave those 15,” he said, referring to the Muslim Prophet’s birthday on March 30 and the Easter holiday.

“This pardon is a gift to the British people,” he said.

From: http://www.canada.com/globaltv/quebe...9f2ab4&k=27460


An Easter gift, eh? Hmm. I'm definitely happy those troops are home. I can't say I actually thought Iran WOULD release them, but I'm happy that for what ever reason, someone decided to. According to what's usually done, I expected them to put their prisoners on trial -- and the chance of their making it home after such a trial would have been more slim, I suspect. Whether or not they were ACTUALLY sent home as an Easter gift is debatable, but I've seen the footage of relieved family members swamping them -- I know how grateful their families were!

[SteveF]

I'm glad they are back. After all, what would have happened to Faye Turney if she had ever committed adultery or if any of the male sailors were gay?

[Storico]

Both those stories are utterly ghastly.

[Sevivon1913]

Both those stories are utterly ghastly.

And probably made up. BTW, the Bible condones both acts; so let's not throw stones (pardon the pun) in glass houses.

[SteveF]

And probably made up. BTW, the Bible condones both acts; so let's not throw stones (pardon the pun) in glass houses.

Human Rights Watch report similar incidents:

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/11/21/iran12072.htm

Sections of Iranian society and Iranian law run utterly counter to the basic principles of liberalism.

[Storico]

And probably made up. BTW, the Bible condones both acts; so let's not throw stones (pardon the pun) in glass houses.

Made up? Get real, Sev. Check Amnesty.org out sometime. Check Human Rights Watch out, too. If you honestly think those two teenagers weren't hung for their sexuality, and if you think women aren't still stoned for their sexual acts or PERCEIVED sexual acts, you need to get yourself informed. It happens. I hope you don't think Matthew Shepherd wasn't killed a few years ago in the USA simply because he was gay, do you?

And just because some misguided people decided thousands of years ago that stoning people was alright, and the act was recorded in the Bible as having happened, I ought not to condemn it now? Riiiiight. Nobody's throwing stones in glass houses. I'm not responsible for what those recorded in the Old Testament did, and just because I'm a Christian doesn't mean I agree with it at all. For the record, Christ didn't agree with it when he saw it happening, and he stopped that kind of action. Recall that gospel story, maybe?

I don't agree with it when I see it happen now, either. Honestly, Sev, you surprised me there. I figured you had a better grasp on things.

Anyways...

Back to the Iranian thing: they had a press conference with some of them at 10 am E.S.T today. They basically all said that they were in fact glad to be back, and that their families were glad to have them back. I'm really glad they're home and safe.

[spiritmech]

Here is what struck me from the incident. If you are captured, your country cannot save you. You are a sitting duck. Only the goodwill of the captor will get you free. Nothing else will.

If England had tried to attack Iran, it's highly probably they would have been executed. So there was no route to rescue that way.

[Glenn P]

And probably made up. BTW, the Bible condones both acts; so let's not throw stones (pardon the pun) in glass houses.

Heck, even the Bible that you agree with! That's saying something....

Actually the Bible - even that nasty Ooooooold Testament, never condoned killing someone because he's gay. That's just anti-Bible hate speech. Two four six eight, liberals are full of hate.

[Sevivon1913]

Made up? Get real, Sev. Check Amnesty.org out sometime. Check Human Rights Watch out, too. If you honestly think those two teenagers weren't hung for their sexuality, and if you think women aren't still stoned for their sexual acts or PERCEIVED sexual acts, you need to get yourself informed. It happens. I hope you don't think Matthew Shepherd wasn't killed a few years ago in the USA simply because he was gay, do you?

And just because some misguided people decided thousands of years ago that stoning people was alright, and the act was recorded in the Bible as having happened, I ought not to condemn it now? Riiiiight. Nobody's throwing stones in glass houses. I'm not responsible for what those recorded in the Old Testament did, and just because I'm a Christian doesn't mean I agree with it at all. For the record, Christ didn't agree with it when he saw it happening, and he stopped that kind of action. Recall that gospel story, maybe?

I don't agree with it when I see it happen now, either. Honestly, Sev, you surprised me there. I figured you had a better grasp on things.

Anyways...

Back to the Iranian thing: they had a press conference with some of them at 10 am E.S.T today. They basically all said that they were in fact glad to be back, and that their families were glad to have them back. I'm really glad they're home and safe.

Is this the same Amnesty International who have condemned the USA for violations of human rights ? Surely we can't believe THEM!

[Sevivon1913]

Heck, even the Bible that you agree with! That's saying something....

Actually the Bible - even that nasty Ooooooold Testament, never condoned killing someone because he's gay. That's just anti-Bible hate speech. Two four six eight, liberals are full of hate.

The annihilation of Sodom for being homosexual isn't a condolement of killing homosexuals? Homosexuality is included under the auspices of "adultery", Theonomy, as are all extra-marital sexual acts.

[Glenn P]

The annihilation of Sodom for being homosexual isn't a condolement of killing homosexuals?

Correct. That God killed homosexuals, granting this as a historical fact for now, is not an endorsement of doing so. Do you seripously think otherwise?

Homosexuality is included under the auspices of "adultery", Theonomy, as are all extra-marital sexual acts.

No it's not. That's outrightly false. Why, homosexuality isn't an act at all!

[Ryokan]

After ritually humiliating them, and keeping them locked up for 5 years without trial or counsel, except the prospect of a military court, and unable to hear the evidence against them. but even Iran wouldn't do that, would it *sahm

This is what sucks about the world right now. Iran illegally arrests and abuses British troops, and America, America, is the people who get insulted for it. America isn't perfect. We have and do do crappy things. But we did not arrest these guys. We, generally speaking, respect human rights far more than any middle eastern country and just as much European ones. We did nothing here, and I am sick of the stupid cheap shots. Its just ridiculous anti-Americanism.

[Ryokan]

And probably made up. BTW, the Bible condones both acts; so let's not throw stones (pardon the pun) in glass houses.

Because what, Iran is this magic wonderful place. They are a authoritarian religious oligarchy with some limited democratic institutions. Countries like that do the kinds of things Steve mentioned.