Finally, a Rational Strategy

Any competent analyst can see that violence against Muslims, even against terrorists is the best way to help them recruit more terrorists. In too many cases, using violence against terrorists has proven to be like trying to kill weeds with fertilizer. It worked against Al Qaida in Afghanistan, although not so well against the Taliban, but in Iraq Operation Iraqi Freedom has been a more effective Al Qaida recruiting tool than anything they could come up with themselves.

So what should be done against terrorists? A story in today's New York Times tells us about Dutch soldiers taking a much smarter approach. A lot of the Taliban's power comes from the fact that many people are still dependant upon them, so the Dutch are focusing on building infrastructure and giving people an alternative.

In their own words, “We’re not here to fight the Taliban... We’re here to make the Taliban irrelevant.”

Also from the NYT article,

"Dutch officers also say the approach has yielded promising results here. Sometimes villagers have warned them of ambushes or roadside bombs, and in several villages the Dutch are rarely attacked. Since the task force began operations last August, it has not suffered a combat fatality."

A Recant at Last

The freed British sailors are now saying that they were well inside Iraqi waters and that they only confessed because they were told that if they didn't they would face seven years in Iranian prison.

Maybe the guys on the right about the behaviour of these sailors. They confessed when threatened merely with seven years in prison. No torture, not even a death threat. I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and kept my mind open that they were telling the truth when they confessed, but now it's clear that these guys are clearly just a bunch of pussies.

They're Home and No Recant Yet

According to this article the hostages, although now home and safe from Iranian intimidation and torture, are not recanting their confessions.

They're practically saying that they had a great time.

"I would not say anything different to here and I will be completely truthful. I will definitely promote Iran actually, there is a lot of ignorance in the UK about Iran and the people."

"We had had a very pleasant stay under the conditions we were in. Obviously we were not tourists. All the treatment has been fantastic towards us and there is no bad feeling at all towards Iran."

Still waiting for a response from Tony.