RATCHETING UP PRESSURE ON IRAN

There seems a simple solution to end the whole row about Iran arresting 15 British sailors/marines. Tony Blair should apologize. Something like, "I am sorry our marines wandered into waters considered by Iran to be their territorial area." What is so hard about that? Iran would then return the sailors.

Instead, Blair wants to ratchet up the brouhaha. Unsaid is the threat to use military force to force the marines' return and to punish Iran.

Iran arrests British sailors, so the U.K. is going to threaten military action? There is no proportionality. And if this happens, then we can expect the trigger-ready Bush and his chief war-monger Cheney to start bombing Iranian cities and civilians.

Is this all it takes to constitute a casus belli? Does this justify sending war planes and dropping cluster bombs? Where are the statesmen and wise men in Britain and the U.S. who might speak up against this silliness and prevent this coming catastrophe?