[Larry_OHF]

Originally posted by shamrock_uk: Yeah, it's appreciated [img]smile.gif[/img] From one of the earlier links I posted, it looks like the British ships were operating as part of an American taskforce in the gulf, so that may be why your ships are already there. Not sure whether we were directly under American command, but certainly doing a similar sort of mission. I guess we're kindof in an unfortunate situation. If we attack Iran militarily we lose the ability to play 'good cop' in the negotiations with Iran over their nuclear programme. Also, Lebanon/Gaza will no doubt be fresh in the minds of policymakers to show that a military operation is pretty unlikely to be able to retrieve captured soldiers. I suspect that diplomacy is the right way to handle this, if we don't mind losing face as a country. It's no bad thing to concentrate the mind with a show of force on their doorstep though, we don't want people taking liberties after all, which is why having an American fleet sitting there is pretty cool [img]smile.gif[/img]

Wow...you just helped me see the whole thing in a new light!

If the UK was there working under US reasons, that would make it our responsibility to be a major part in getting those men free. I would not expect anything less.

Also,,,as you said, the UK is viewed by the world in a better way than is the US, so if the world is expecting the US to be the heavy hammer of Iranian Slaying +10, then we do our bad cop job while the good cop (UK) keeps their appearance as the country easier to work with, more reasonable, and all that. I can see why the US would want to keep the UK in that good cop position with the enemy. Therefore, we are making a big spectacle over there in the water now while Britain is talking.

However, I would LOVE to see the British Navy live up to their reputation as the dominant world power my history books talk about. Isn't the British Navy still larger than the US?