1) Iran took 15 British soldiers hostage, paraded them before the cameras, forced them to read prepared statements of apology, and even put the one woman among them in traditional Islamic garb before broadcasting her image around the world. Surely the free world in general and the British in particular are seething with rage over this act of war?

If you mean by “seething with rage”, ignoring the crisis and blaming America, then I guess you could say free people everywhere are seething. What’s most unnerving about this whole episode is how Britain has tolerated this act of war with such a benign indifference. Horatio Nelson is probably doing 120 RPM in his grave.

2) What does Iran hope to accomplish here?

Presumably, the Madi and his minions hoped to prove that Britain is a paper tiger. Instead, they’ve proven that Britain is more like a paper housecat.

3) So what should Britain and the rest of the free world do? Let me guess – you’re itching for a war with Iran.

Whether I wish for it or not, a war with Iran is what the United States and the rest of the free world has. It’s been afoot now for almost 30 years; Iran and its terrorist surrogates like Hezbollah have been killing civilized people for over a generation. The only question is when a “provocation” becomes significant enough that the free world actually decides to hit back. Maybe the nuking of Tel Aviv will cross the line. Then again, I can picture while a mushroom cloud still lingers over Tel Aviv, Alan Colmes insisting that we give diplomacy time to work.

4) What about the theory that this is all America’s fault? What’s that all about?

The basic theory is that America detained those perfectly legitimate Iranian diplomats in Iraq who of course had nothing to do with the proxy war that Iran is fighting there against American troops. Iran, outraged by this indignity perpetrated by the Great Satan, struck back by kidnapping 15 British sailors.

5) Why would they kidnap British sailors instead of hitting back directly at American interests?

I guess that’s where the theory sort of falls apart. Anyway, the Nutroots love it; odd how they always seem to relish any chance to blame America, whether it’s for global warming or the insane antics of Radical Islamic madmen.

6) So does this have nothing to do with America?

No. It has a lot to do with America. But that doesn’t mean it’s a response to American depredations.

7) How is America involved?

The Iranians have been systematically testing the resolve of America’ s allies over the past several months. In response to Hezbollah’s provocations last summer, Israel fought back, although not as well or as capably as we’ve become accustomed to. Other than England, the rest of Europe has long been known as the lumbering ghosts of once great nations who made a pact with mediocrity decades ago. England, with its degraded Navy and equally degraded national will, has now officially joined their company.

8) Why didn’t Iran just kidnap 15 American soldiers?

That’s the question that no one seems to ask, especially those who consider Iran’s actions some sort of response to American wrong-doing. I’ve long argued in these virtual pages that George W. Bush scares the holy shinola out of the world’s bad men. If Iran tried this stunt on American troops, it’s hard to imagine President Bush being mindful of pleas to give diplomacy time to work.

This is where Bush is most effective as a wartime leader. For all his faults in communicating and building consensuses and crafting a coherent post-occupation strategy in Iraq, we’re fortunate to have him on that wall when the world’s bad men come calling.

9) So how does the situation play out?

Presumably, once Britain’s humiliation is complete, Iran will release the hostages. The international left will sing the praises of diplomacy, and marvel at how much more effective diplomacy is than the cowboy antics of America’s president. All the while, they will have no idea how this incident weakened the West.

10) How has it weakened the West?

Iran committed a clear act of war that went unanswered. Actually, were that only the case. England answered Iran’s act of war with tepid condemnations, desperate diplomacy and finally a belated effort by the ascendant English left to blame the whole thing on America. Ahmadenijad probably considers it a solid couple of weeks at the office.

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