"A Man's a Man for all that!" - Rabbie Burns

"Religion? No thanks. I prefer not to outsource my brainwashing."
Trying to get your average Joe creationist to understand the phrase scientific theory is as hard as getting a fish to enjoy mountaineering. Its an unimagined world for them - it requires a complete reversal of their normal modes of thinking and being. The fact that humans could explain the complexities of this world without a creating God is a world view they cannot grasp. It's like asking a tuna if it appreciates the view from the top of Mount Everest.

Apr 4, 2007

British sailors will be released tomorrow

Danny Masterton the Ayrshire Marine and the other 14 British sailors and marines are to be released on Thursday following a surprise announcement by the Iranian president Armedinejad.

Throughout this crisis there have appeared to be different factions operating within the Iranian regime but overall the Iranians have milked this affair for all it is worth. In particular the dramatic and somewhat unexpected announcement of the release appears designed to play to those who are more inclined to give the benefit of the doubt to the Iranian regime. On the BBC Have Your Say there were many messages thanking the Iranians and one poster - somewhat losing their ability to reason - even suggested that Amedinejad be given the Nobel Prize!

Nevertheless when all is said and done the release is to be welcomed and does open the door slightly to an easing of relations between Iran and the West. No doubt the Iranians hope is that this will gain them some sympathy in the ongoing crisis over their attempts to develop their nuclear technology. This remains to be seen. A great deal of caution will still need to be exercised in dealing with this unpredictable regime. However we should welcome the fact that for the moment dialogue has become more productive and constructive.

3 comments:

Abdelilah Boukili said...

Hi Bill,
UK sailors were captured and released in a dramatic way. This incident should make both UK and Iran work jointly to improve their relations regarding wider and deeper issues, especially those concerning stability in the Middle East.

Historically, there has been no love lost between UK and Iran since the Iranian Revolution. The latest sailors’ incident is just another chapter of the cat-and-mouse relationships between them. Every time Iran tries to play the cat by catching any Brit in sight from businessmen to soldiers. But its catch always slips from its paws because of being faced by a torrent of attacks.

Anonymous said...

Hi Abdelilah,
I am a bit sceptical about the motives of Armedinejad in all this. Nevetheless I think that it may present a faint prospect of building a more constructive dialogue with Iran. I thyink the Iran regime has been quite manipulative in all this and hopes that its "generous" release of the captives may improve public opinion of it. The nuclear issue still rumbles away with Iran defying UN opinion. More positively re Iraq Moqtada Al Sada has been relatively quiet and one hopes this is in part due to Iranian influence. Is he just biding his time until the US and UK leave though?

Abdelilah Boukili said...

Hi Bill,
I totally agree with you. You have probably read my comment on this.

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