British sailors heading home

I can't escape the feeling that the West got off easy today. This morning, Iran, in a diplomatic and symbolic gesture, released the 15 British sailors it took hostage 13 days go. (Above, the soldiers in Tehran, walking to meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad earlier today.) I'm very thankful that this was solved peacefully, because there were some indications that this was going to lead to a military confrontation between Iran and the UK, and be extension, the US.

Of course, I question the motives of the Iranians - it's a little difficult not to - considering the timing of the hostages' release and Ahmadinejad's comments. As reported by AP:

"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.

I have little doubt that Ahmadinejad timed the release and his comments to curry favor around the world for Iran, which has been slapped with some severe sanctions by the United Nations and the West.

Having said that, and I'm sure I won't read this opinion in many, if any media outlets in the west - Ahmadinejad deserves some credit, too. Clearly he does not want an armed confrontation with the West. If he did, these British sailors would still be in captivity, and he would still be ratcheting up the rhetoric and taking a much harder line than we are seeing now.

I've read and heard some reports that the US was seeking an armed confrontation with Iran. There are some totally unconfirmed reports out of Russia that the U.S. intends to invade Iran on April 6. I never truly believed it in the first place, but it even looks less credible now.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed his gratitude to Iran for the decision to let the soldiers go free. He reportedly said he has "no ill will" toward the people of Iran. Okay, not much, but it's a start.

I will go to my grave thinking that this could have been the incident that would have started war with Iran had the Democrats not taken control of Congress last November. God only knows the old GOP-controlled Congress did nothing but rubber-stamp whatever the president wanted. The best part about it is that we'll never know, and that's just what everyone but the heartiest of war mongers was hoping for.

APF was reporting on Monday that U.S. Air Force jets had approached and even violated Iranian airspace, in what could only be interpreted as an act of provocation, if true. If it is true, that's outrageous and stupid. I'm all for showing force when countries are trying to bully America, but what I'm not for is provoking a confrontation. That seems to be what this administration is after.

On another note, I went off half-cocked the other day about the British hostage situation. I heard some political commentary yesterday that made me rethink my outrage at Iran having shown the British soldiers on TV. Of course, the British, and Americans, were outraged at this. I'm not saying it was right, but let's take a comparative walk down prisoner lane...

The CIA, at various Black Sites, has reportedly done the following to detainees: water boarding (which Dick Cheney, prior to the 2006 election, said publicly he supports); solitary confinement of prisoners for days, weeks and even months; physical beatings, to the point that prisoners' muscles turn to pulp; humiliation in various ways, including things that violate detainees religious beliefs; excretions on prisoners; sensory deprivation; keeping prisoners up for days on end; and suspending prisoners in extraordinarily uncomfortable positions for hours and says.

The Iranians showed the prisoners on television, evidently forced to apologize and sign confessions, in one case. I acknowledge that there many have been abuses or worse that we don't yet know about, but I'm sure that detainees at Guantánamo Bay would love to get the treatment that it appears these British 15 received.

I'm for getting information out of prisoners by any reasonable means possible, but history should have taught us one thing about torture - it's routinely unreliable when trying to get information from prisoners.

But, when you think about what can happen to British soldiers and American soldiers if they are captured, even the most die-hard, chest thumping hawk should stop and think what public knowledge of these interrogation methods could mean to our soldiers in captivity, if they are captured.

Yes, the Iranians let the UK (and the US) off easy on this one, without question. Maybe Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad isn't quite the monster he's portrayed to be. (Above, Ahmadinejad, second from right, meets with British soldier Faye Turney, 26, in Tehran earlier today.)

To repeat, clearly this is an indication that he wants dialogue with the West. We should sit down at the table and talk to him. Talking and dialogue doesn't = weakness. Someone needs to scream this into Bush's ear.

I'm not holding my breath while President Bush is in office.

Photos from AP