From: Ad 

George Sherwood wrote:
> On Mon, 26 Mar 2007 13:25:33 -0400, Rich Gauszka wrote:
>
>> "George Sherwood"  wrote in message
>> news:pan.2007.03.26.16.44.59{at}beernabeer.com...
>>> On Mon, 26 Mar 2007 12:08:17 -0400, Rich Gauszka wrote:
>>>
>>> Take hostage from an embassy - Iranians have
>>>> done that - so have we now.
>>> Rich,
>>>   Can you explain where we have done that?  Those Iranians taken in
>>>   Iraq
>>> were neither accredited diplomats or in an Embassy. Unless you are
>>> talking about some other situation.
>>>
>>> George
>>
>> Semantics aside even the Kurds have stated the Iranians were in the
>> process of establishing a consulate and were angered by the raid
>>
>
> If there is anything I have learned here in the last 12 months it is that
> diplomacy is all about semantics.

It's why your comments wrt seizing & holding as hostage are somewhat
semantically interesting. 

> The facts are that the Iranians that
> were detained that were accredited diplomats were turned over to the
> Iraqi government and those that were not diplomats have been arrested.
> And even your short of statements are a long way from taking hostages
> from an Embassy. A very long way.  Read Mark Bowden's book, Guests of the
> Ayatollah if you want to see what taking hostages from an Embassy looks
> like.
>
>

Hum. The dips were only turned over following Iran getting onto Iraq who
got onto you & it became diplomatically difficult for you to ignore the
"sovereign" Iraqi gov on whose territory this occurred.

> It was not a consulate accredited by the Iraqi Government. Any one can
> make a statement.
>

Oh indeed. The US is holding many in Cuba who were not taken
"legally" & have not been held "legally". But hey
that's semantics for you.


Adam

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