European Union, Not so United...

With the release of 15 British hostages by Iran, the tensions between the nations are somewhat put to rest, but what remains are some serious questions about the EU and UN.

There is no doubt that Iran illegally seized the British sailors and marines in an attempted power play to assert themselves in the region and the world stage, to flex their muscle and to gain influence. This is exactly what occurred, Britain limps away with its tail tucked between its legs and Iran comes away after illegally seizing hostages with no negative effects, rather it would appear they came out well ahead. It is not just coincidence that after the release we find out that an Iranian “diplomat” who was held for two months in Iraq was released, nor can it be considered coincidence that 5 Iranian “officials” held by the US have now been granted visitation. These concessions clearly are a tool in the process of release, none of which should have occurred.

The fact of the matter is that two key institutions failed in this hostage situation, they are the European Union (EU) and United Nations (UN).

The sailors captured were not just British citizens but as defined by the EU, they are European citizens and fall under the protection of the EU. However, Britain went as far as to ask the EU to freeze trading with Iran in an attempt to have its hostages freed rather than fall to the Iranian power play. However, the EU who does 18 billion dollars of trade with Iran each year decided that it was not in their best interest. Despite the fact that Europe claims to stand united they will not link arms to bring back their own. Money would be lost on both sides and the European attitude seems to be that if it is not our citizens it is not our problem. Kudos to you Europe on being embarrassed by Iran.

The UN was the other guilty party who did not aid the release at all. This lies in the fact that the UN is a horribly ineffective body. With Russia and China serving as active veto powers on the UN nothing can ever be accomplished against Iran or a variety of other countries. China will veto and hard sanctions against a nation with whom it can receive oil or other energy assets. Russia, especially with Putin seeming to reestablish the old KGB style of operations sees Iran and supporting it as a way to prevent overwhelming US power in the gulf nations. The UN would not even put together a harshly worded statement denouncing Iran’s piracy, but rather said that they “deplored” the actions. No threat of sanction (which is useless thanks Russia and China). With the obvious problems of having Russia and China as major players in the UN we still have the Darfur issue as well as the Iranian nuclear problem and North Koreas nuclear testing. Way to flex that muscle UN.

In the end some unilateral actions may be necessary. Not in cases of preemptive war, but in a case of securing release of hostages from illegal piracy. In terms of supporting an ally in the same quest. What Iran did was illegal by international law, and the TV footage of the captured goes against many conventional rules of war etc. In the end Britain seems in my eyes to be the only country in Europe that isn’t a slave to smaller and less powerful countries, but with no backing there is no way that they could take the real forceful steps necessary to solve the problem.