I think what troubles me is the expediency of the execusions without the
benefit of a trial.
It is tragic 14 Iranian soldiers are dead. And there are some in the US
Congress that would consent to immediate executions, but, it would be
helpful if Iran was communicating with other nations regarding persons they
consider terrorists.
By Thomas Erdbrink
Published: October 26, 2013
...The 14 soldiers, (click here) most of them conscripts, were killed at dusk on Friday at a border post near the city of Saravan when a group of armed men crossing the border gunned them down using automatic weapons, the semiofficial Iranian Students’ News Agency reported on Saturday. Seven other soldiers were wounded, the news agency said, and some local reports said the attackers also took three guards hostage....
I am sure those charged and executed would have been anyway, but, there is an element of the current expediency that is a bit unsettling. Perhaps, it is just that Iran is used to being on it's own and considered a global threat by most Western nations, but, it seems to me if there is to be conversations with a US President there needs to be conversations about more than sanctions and nuclear technology.
I find it an opportunity to open conversations with Iran in regard to such executions and whom indeed are those perpetrating crimes requiring the ultimate punishment. I would think if Iran is aware of terrorist movement and seeks to end it, that is an aspect of international relations to benefit global security. It just seems as though the Iranians are not engaging interrogations of known criminals before any execution. I can understand they have a dislike for bargaining with attorneys, but, it is a side of international justice the Iranian authorities have yet to appreciate.
The executions don't solve the larger problem. It may be there will be further deaths of Iranian soldiers if there is retaliation for these executions. The Iranians need to begin the process of being an international citizen as well as a nation seeking relief from sanctions.
I am sure Israel already knows those involved in this incident and they have extensive intelligence regarding Iran, but, peace means more than a relief of sanctions. There are many missing pieces to making Iran whole and sanctions and nuclear technology is only a few aspects of moving Iran from the definition of a rouge nation.
Published time: October 27, 2013 16:54
Germany told Israel (click here) to expect “severe diplomatic damage” should it fail to attend a periodic human rights review Tuesday, Haaretz reports. Israel severed ties with the UNHRC in March 2012 after it expressed concern over Israeli settlements.
“On Friday, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle sent a personal letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning that Israel's failure to attend the Geneva-based Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review would cause the country severe diplomatic damage and Israel's allies around the world would be hard-pressed to help it,” Haaretz newspaper reported Sunday.
On October 29, an Israel review is scheduled in Geneva as part of the wider 17th UNHRC session lasting from October 21 to November 1.
The sessions are intended to allow states to “declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries,” according to the UNHRC, in addition to the review.
Westerwelle's letter to Netanyahu was delivered to Emmanuel Nahshon, deputy chief of the Israeli Embassy in Berlin, according to the paper. Its delivery was under “instruction that the prime minister receive it as soon as possible,” it said.
Israel would make decision Sunday on whether to attend the meeting, according to an official who spoke to the paper.
Nothing really changes, the USA is still a strong ally to Israel. None of us would have it any other way.
10/27/2013 22:50
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu made the decision to begin the re-establishmnet of ties with the council with less than 48 hours to go before Israel's scheduled appearance for its Universal Periodic Review, according to Israeli sources....
Iran as well has sought to express it's good faith in releasing prisoners. This release of Palestinians is another release. Israel has released prisoners before and during times of peace talks.
10/28/2013 01:14
Earlier on Sunday, a ministerial committee headed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu approved a list of the prisoners to be released in the second of a four-stage process by which 104 Palestinian prisoners will be sent to the Palestinian Authority as a measure for resuming peace talks...
