The recent abduction of 15 UK service personnel has somewhat foreboding implications for not just the Middle-East, but also the EU. Whether you are in favour of the War in Iraq or against; Iran's actions were from the outset obtuse. Iran and Britain are not at war and so no matter where the boats actually were, normal paradigms would suggest that a quick and efficient handover of personnel should have been arranged. This however was not the case and Iran has chosen to make a media and political spectacle out of it (as much for their own populace as for the British or wider world). Sir Malcolm Rifkind (former Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for Defence in the last Conservative government) made the following comments in the British Guardian Newspaper:
There was, however, one other approach that would have a good chance of succeeding. The members of the EU aspire to having a common foreign policy. What better issue could there be on which our French, German and Italian allies and partners could show solidarity with the UK and demonstrate the benefits of joint action?
The best means of pressure would have been the export credit guarantees that are given to assist trade between Iran and western Europe. These, together with banking and other financial facilities are the soft underbelly of the Iranians and their withdrawal could do significant damage to Iran's already weak economy.
Such measures have already been canvassed by the Americans in respect of Iran's nuclear defiance.
So has the EU missed the boat? Should they have taken the opportunity to show a united front and provide some real teeth to their joint "calling for the 'immediate and unconditional' "
And what does this mean for national defence policy. Is Britain therefore right to maintain its strategic nuclear capability and its stand-alone force projection ability. Furthermore, is Poland, which does not have either of these two abilities, therefore right in colluding with the US; as it may not be able to fully depend upon its European neighbours.
