Little Ahmadinejads

Iran has pulled off a major public image coup. Not only did they make Britain look completely impotent and weak, they were able to get away with parading prisoners of war on television (against international law), got to show a disingenuous "nice face" of Iran, and turn a bunch of British soldiers into Ahmadinejad-clones. Embarrassing. And now these soldiers are showing off their goodie-bags, given to them by the Iranian government as a courtesy for being used as total propaganda tools.

Iran walks away from this showing the world it can get away with anything, as well as demonstrating the influence it can have on global oil prices (prices spiked when hostages were taken).

Some may argue, "If these had been American soldiers, Bush would have risked their lives and war by threatening military action. At least Blair got it right, through diplomacy." Such thinking is ignorant and short-sighted. By appeasing Iran without consequence, far greater damage has been done. Does anyone honestly believe that Ahmadinejad will come away from this thinking, "You know, Europeans are so nice. I'm going to stop playing terrorist and abandon my dreams of ushering in the Hidden Imam who will turn the whole world's population into Muslims by force", and abandon his nuclear plans? Ha. This kind of appeasement will only embolden him, and we'll all end up paying the price down the road in war, a world economy turned on its head and increased belligerence from middle eastern countries.