Don’t Menshn Bombing Iran

Overnight, reports have come in concerning two US patrol boats which strayed into Iranian territorial waters after one had developed mechanical trouble. The Iranian authorities detained the ten sailors aboard the boats, but after discussions with Washington, and their own investigation, agreed that the incursion was not deliberate, and that there was no intention of spying. All ten have now been released.

(c) Doc Hackenbush 2014

Thus the first significant test of the new and less hostile relationship between Washington and Tehran was passed, but there were many on the right who were not at all happy, and had no problem in attacking The Prez for being insufficiently bellicose. Had such opinions prevailed during the Cuban Missile Crisis, none of us would be around nowadays, but that thought was not allowed to enter.

One of those attacking the Obama administration for its successful resolution of the incident was, you guessed it, (thankfully) former Tory MP Louise Mensch, who went off the end of the pier in no style at all. “#Iran takes US Navy hostages. @potus @BarackObama - nothing. ‘A day that will live in apathy’ … Oh yeah, Barack O'Carter is hella successful on the world stage” she frothed. So Jimmy Carter didn’t order military action?

Neither did Ronald Reagan. But do go on: “This is a simple one. If I were president Iran would return our sailors  or face airstrikes. Deal would be off either way … Furthermore even if they averted an air campaign, @HassanRouhani palace would be rubble by 9am tomorrow”. But the sailors were then released.

This was a mere detail to Ms Mensch: “Hey @HillaryClinton it's 3 a.m. Any comment? Thought not”. Very good, Hill is not in power. She left the Obama administration some time ago. No matter, there was a photo of the sailors, clearly unharmed. So what did she have to say to that good news? “Air strikes now”. She’s all heart.

Even when the penny dropped, and she realised that the sailors had been released, there was no let-up: “I know they've been released. Obama should now strike @HassanRouhani palace into rubble … THE SHAME airstrikes now”. But there were not going to be any airstrikes. So she changed tack and prodded the GOP’s Presidential hopefuls.

“Want to hear from GOP candidates what they would do about #Iran #IranHostageCrisis and 'cancel the deal' is insufficient”. That the moment of crisis was by now long gone did not occur to her. Even the sight of the one female sailor covering her hair set the ranting off again: “American sailor forced into sexist dress by Iranian pigs”.

Fortunately, at moments like this, as with the Cuba stand-off over half a century ago, wiser minds than that of Louise Mensch are brought to bear, and common sense prevails. And remember, they allowed her to become an MP.