Hostage Crisis Revisited

Iran, up to its old tricks. Here's a news roundup:

British soldiers will not be swapped.

EMPIRE OF THE MULLAHS: Iran’s imperial project in the Shatt al-Arab.

US Holds 300 Prisoners Linked to Iran.

Blair: Iran must free naval prisoners in days.

My own thought is that Iran wants the West to bomb them. Then they gain sympathy from the world-wide liberal Press, since they would appear as victims. A few carefully placed children's toys in a bombed building and the UN would be all over Britain and the US, and whoever joined them in the attack. Why else would this happen just when the UN sponsored sanctions are voted on? Gives me the idea that sanctions, which I'm normally against, might actually be working. However un-Thatcher like waiting for diplomacy to work may be for Blair, its probably the right course in this case.