another fwiw, supposedly Britain attacked Iranian consulate

[steve2470]

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=10634

Tehran, Iran, Mar. 29 – Iran claimed on Thursday that its consulate in the southern Iraqi city of Basra had come under attack from British forces, escalating London-Tehran tensions over last week’s capture of 15 British sailors and navy personnel by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in the Iran-Iraq waterway.

The state-run news agency ISNA said that earlier in the day British troops surrounded the consulate compound and began to fire live rounds.

Mohammad-Reza Nasser-Baghban, Iran’s Consul-General in Basra, was quoted as saying that at approximately 10 a.m. local time British troops arrived near the compound and within 20 minutes began to shoot in various directions.

Baghban said that the incident was related to the capture of the British sailors by Iranian forces, adding that Britain was trying to “intimidate” and “anger” Iran.

Britain’s Ministry of Defence has rejected the claim.

<end of article>

[cali]

1. Hmm.

Well, the brits have denied it, and I read another article in which it was explained that the brits are often attacked in that neighborhood and there was a fire fight. Iraqi citizens backed that story. I'll try and find the article.

[steve2470]

2. another article

http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2007-03-29T234001Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-292634-1.xml


Iran complains to Iraq over actions of UK troops

BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iran's consul in the Iraqi city of Basra accused British forces of surrounding the consulate on Thursday and firing into the air in a provocative act at a time of heightened tension between the two countries.

But the British military denied any aggressive action and said the shots heard came from a British convoy that was ambushed in the same street as the consulate in central Basra.

Iranian consul Mohammed Reza Baghban said: "They came at 10 a.m. and surrounded the consulate. After 20 minutes they started shooting in different directions. They are trying to irritate us because of the issue of the capture of the British soldiers, but this behaviour will make the issue worse."

Iran said it had complained to the Iraqi government about the incident.
<snip>

[BlooInBloo]

3. Regardless of who's telling the truth, it's hard for me to see how war'll be avoided...

... It is cute, though, how out of the two main countries with troops in Iraq, it's the one with troops not committed that's being (allegedly) provoked into a rumble with Iran.

[magellan]

4. Seems to me the Poodle is doing Bush**'s dirty work for him

You know -- act like he isn't a good ally anymore, start pulling troops out...After all that, who'd suspect bLiar of gaming things to provoke the war the neocons want with Iran?