Captive In Iran...
Is it just me, or do the British Marines held captive in Iran look like a bunch of kids who have missed the coach home from their school trip? And does this make you feel unbelievably sad too?
photo from telegraph.co.uk
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
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12 comments:
I want to make some lighthearted comment about how nobody would wear those tracksuits other than by physical coercion .. but you're right, it's really sad.
I have a friend who is an ex Royal Marine officer. He says that they go in kids, run around and fire guns and play soldiers and it's a great laugh, and then one day they are being shot at ... in his day it was in Northern Ireland.
I find the whole thing confusing. And too convenient. It's as if the situation serves the interests of the US and the UK as much as Iran.
And then I watch deal or no deal instead because it's easier to ignore these things.
Sx
Bloody Hell, they DO look like kids. In fact the picture looks like it was taken just before the guy with the gear arrived at the Halls of Residence party.
What a waste of everything. Money life, time, the whole lot.
Why can't we spend all the war money on developing renewable energy and then they we wouldn't have to be bothered "securing" oil supplies.
Boris
Yes Stray, confusing, convenient...playing chicken with young people's lives?
Hi lovely Boris, yes I like your joke about the gear! But who would we fight with when we have renewable energy? There would be nowhere for the big clever men to test their toys out...
boris - a great idea, let's do it.
and mrs m, you can just cure all the big clever men of their hideous aggression. can't you?
it makes my blood run cold because it's so obvious there is physical coercion. it's like in porn films where they have to pretend to be enjoying it.
I saw a photo of one of them in the paper they other day and thought he looked about 12.
I find it interesting that the Iranians seem to think that we will immediately be ashamed by their "guilt" because they appear to have confessed. Who knows what the truth is in this but they are very young to be caught up in a war, let alone as hostages.
If you're happy enough to accept money to kill people, then I'm afraid you've made your choice and there will be consequences.
Over here we call removing someone from someone else's sovereign territory to a place of your choosing and on your whim with little or no judicial oversight 'extraordinary rendition'
I note the lack of orange jumpsuits, electrodes, hoods, chains, shackles, dogs, water barrels etc etc
It's ALL sad, really really sad.
Hi Dandelion - I hadn't seen it like that, but I think you are right...
Hi Random Reflections - that is what makes me so sad. They just seem so damn young to be caught up in what is clearly a huge game of international 'chicken'.
Hi Daniel, I agree entirely. Bush and Blair have a lot to answer for.
Hi MS Melancholy and all you folks
Just did watch news (I do it nowadays very occasionally) here up in really far north, just at the end of Europe (as they said before, now really don´t know where Europe ends when Israel is in Eurovision singing contest and Finland played against Azerbaijan in qualification games for European champion??)
But stick to the point, you make me believe that there is still some hope for all of us when writing about Bush, Blair and war among of other things.
Our official news give very formal view to things happening around. Your comments give at least to me good view to personal level thinking around.
Thank you for that.
Hey Reiss, thanks for your comments. Although for in-depth political analysis there are much better blogs than mine! Try That's So Pants for starters....
Soldiers and sailors have always mainly been children under 21. Unless you get mass conscription in a total war, which harvests the older cohorts for military service. Older people have too much to live for than to think armying about the place is a good idea.
PS: Loving Reiss' name, and feeling the pull of my central European heritage: Böbø x
That photo reminded me of a PGL holiday photo of mine from when I was about 7 or 8 in the mid to late 80's. PGL used to be nicknamed Parents Get Lost. But maybe more a case of Persian Gulf Lies for this story?
I can just imagine a row of tents outside in some Iranian farmers spare field with songs round the camp fire and canadian canoeing down the river the next day before they all go back to put their shell suits in the drying room and warm up in front of a real fire. Either that or Iran has just started their own version of The Krypton Factor. But I think Afghanistan may have the rights to the 'flight simulator' exercise.
Hi BoBo, yes wasn't the average age of the Vietnam soldiers just 19? I seem to remember a rather catchy song on the subject...
Loving all the strange letters around here, thesedays!
Hi Brum, very funny! I like.
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