Apparently the British sailors captured by the Iranians don’t speak their native English too good. At perhaps there’s something about being captured by the Iranians and induced to “confess” and “apologize” that’s limiting their language skills.

Professor Mark Liberman of Penn makes a strong, detailed case that the that the statements were dictated by the Iranians. [And quotes Niall Ferguson, writing in The Telegraph, referring to the statements as being written in “Borat-ese,” a construction we’ll try to work into conversation.] As the child of non-native English speakers, we’re fond of English mildly mangled.

It’s the abuse of prisoners – by Iran and by coalition forces – which gives us pause.  Let’s hope that during a week in which at least two religions celebrate holidays which consider the plight of prisoners – things improve for all of them.