The Secret Prisoner Exchange: U.S. Releases Previously Abducted Iranian Diplomat and Iran Releases British Sailors

You might call it the Bush Hostage Crisis, but for the fact that key U.S. media won't report the behind the scenes truth that led to the release. And when they do, it won't be without pro-Bush spin, because they just can't help themselves. What an F-ing waste of time! Nothing to show for all of this Bush-Cheney-GOP drama but more problems, more extremism around the world and more disharmony and destruction. And what is worse, people think that just because he was appointed President and despite numerous violations of law as President, he deserves absolute, unquestioning fealty. The GOP acts like the old Soviet version of the Communist Party. Oh, I forgot, they are "pro bizness" - so it couldn't be, right? ;) Even the reds had bizness and corruption to make them relatively wealthy and privileged. The GOP is just a fancier version of fascism clothed in our own rich notions of heritage. But you can't hide a pig with lipstick for long.

Britain vs Iran: A high-stakes game of chess

The Pawn: Iranian diplomat is released by Iraq as hostage crisis enters crucial stage
The Gambit: Margaret Beckett says Britain is 'ready to engage' with Tehran
The Endgame? Hopes rise that British sailors may be freed through prisoner exchange

By Patrick Cockburn
Published: 04 April 2007

The stand-off over the 15 British sailors and marines captured by Iran looks to be moving towards a de facto prisoner exchange, despite denials by Britain and Iran that a swap was intended.

The first sign of a breakthrough yesterday was the release of Jalal Sharafi, an Iranian diplomat abducted from the streets of Baghdad two months ago, whom Iran claimed had been seized by Iraqi commandos controlled by the US. At the same time, an Iraqi Foreign Ministry official said the Iraqi government was "intensively" seeking the release of five Iranian officials captured in a US helicopter raid on a long-established Iranian liaison office in the Kurdish capital of Arbil in January.

The rhetoric in Tehran and London became more diplomatic as Tony Blair said the next two days would be "fairly critical" in resolving the crisis, though the Prime Minister gave no details. Iran continues to deny it seized the British naval detachment in the northern Persian Gulf on 23 March to force an exchange of hostages, while Britain said it would not bargain for their release. (read the rest here)