A Vote to Destroy the Iranian Navy

Like many - I've been waiting for the crisis of the 17 British sailors abducted by Iran (hey -let's call it was it was - these guys were abducted at gunpoint) to be resolved. I have become convinced that there will be no quick resolution to this situation. This will be drawn out like the taking of American hostages at the US embassy in 1979.

The situation in 1979 crippled the Carter administration and made him an international eunuch. Britain would be wise to learn from that example and take a different course. Here's what I would suggest:

1. Tony Blair should announce that he is holding Iranian President Ahmadinejad personally responsible for the health of the Royal Navy hostages.

2. Blair should also announce that the Iranian Navy either acted on its own or under orders from Tehran and in the case of the former - they are a danger that needs to be dealt with and in the case of the latter - the taking of the hostages was an act of war. The Royal Navy should then systematically have forces start at both ends of the Persian Gulf and going along the 1,400 km of Iranian shoreline sinking every military vessel they encounter. Completely destroy the Iranian Navy (excepting of course the vessels up north in the Caspian Sea). The British should also enlist the US Navy to help provide air support by invoking Article 5 which states that an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all the members.

3. Blair should announce that 17 guided missiles have been put aside ready for use. one for each of the hostages and that the missiles are targeted not just at military targets but also at the best guess locations of the ruling elite of Iran.

Call the bluff and take action. Make it known that steps two and three could only be avoided by the immediate release of the hostages. This was piracy at best and an act of war at worst. British action would go a long way in destabilizing the current regime and neutralizing a potential future nuclear bully.

If there is any criticism from the countries that border the Persian Gulf - it won't be heartfelt. Iran represents a Shi'a Muslim power while the other states surrounding the Persian Gulf are all Sunni Muslim states. They would love for Iran to be taken down a peg or two (no matter what they say publicly).

I know that this may seem completely disproportional to some but I think that these stuations call for disproportional responses. You have to show a bully that any acts of violence on their part will go badly. Very badly.