Iran —
Iraq pledges closer ties with Iran
Maliki, after arriving in Tehran on Saturday, had said his government would “not allow Iraq to become a platform for harming the security of Iran,” the semiofficial Fars News Agency reported.
The three-day visit to Iran is Maliki’s third since taking office in May 2006. Relations between the two nations, enemies […]
FromXenophon, Anabasis
Cyrus, a Persian prince, in about 400 B.C, …
was merciless to the last degree in punishing criminals, and one might often see along the travelled roads people who had lost feet or hands or eyes; thus in Cyrus’ country it became possible for either Greek or barbarian, provided he were guilty of no […]
John Cole sums up the Cheney administration:
Shorter George Bush- “I have no clue what the F* is going on.”
Don’t miss the comments. “The presidency isn’t worth a bucket of warm piss.” Heh. Indeed.
Here’s an idea for a movie script, based on Xenophon’s Anabasis.
The setting is in the near future, when “Persia” has taken over Iraq and Turkey. I suppose following some ignominious American exit from the area, but that would merely be background. The set-up is a “Persian Empire,” in roughly its historical, 5th Century B.C. extent, […]
Iranians attack gas stations in protest
Two gas stations were torched early Wednesday in Tehran as angry Iranians protested fuel rationing measures suddenly enforced by the government, while many other Iranians lined up to fill their tanks.
There was no official confirmation Wednesday linking the two gas stations that could be seen burning in Tehran to the […]
150 miles off Iran, Dick Cheney strides down a red carpet on the decks of USS John C. Stennis, with a fully-armed F/A-18 Hornet and Old Glory in the background, to deliver a warning to the mullahs.
I am not entirely sure if I understand the symbolism of all this. Now, perhaps if he […]
Iranian Leader Says He’ll Free Britons
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday that his government would free the 15 detained British sailors and marines as a gift to the British people.
Ahmadinejad also gave medals of honor to the Iranian coast guards who intercepted the 15 British sailors and marines in the Gulf, saying Iran will never […]
So the latest from the Telegraph is that 100 Austrian HS50 Steyr-Mannlicher sniper rifles, of a shipment sold to Iran, have been found in Iraq. But we seem incapable of discussing it like the rational, thoughtful, objective, sober blog-commenters that we are.
If you accept the report and comment on it uncritically, must you be a […]
Shiite Militias: “We Use Nothing But Iranian Super-Bombs”
Or so we have been told. Allegedly, the Shiite militias in Iraq rely exclusively on Iranian-made EFP’s. I can see the ad on Moqtada’s TV, like an American toothpaste commercial: (smilingly, black-outfitted JAMmie) “I use to use ordinary IEDs, but no more, I find I can kill […]
Is it still the 21st Century?
Another reader asked: “Once in the holy month of Ramadan, I forgot to brush my teeth, and some tiny bits of food remained in my mouth. I swallowed the bits unintentionally. Do I have to perform the qaḍa (repent) for that day’s fast?”
“If you did not know that some bits […]
There’s gotta be a Joe Pesci line in there somewhere.
The US gave Tehran a nuclear reactor–in the 1960s. Michelle Pilecki, who calls this “a classic example of the US digging itself into another hole,” seems to think this is some kind of a gotcha moment. Doubtless George Bush was involved somehow.
Here’s the thing, just because we didn’t view Iran as a threat 40 years […]
Via Chap, here’s a USA Today-style infographic in Slate (using AOL-style buddy icons) that takes four key Middle East players (Hamas, Hezbollah, Israel and Lebanon) and explains who everybody likes, hates, and isn’t sure about. (Click on the icons for a short briefing.)
The Middle East Buddy List (Slate)
- Barry@enrevanche
Iran’s Holocaust cartoon exhibit opened today. The purpose of the exhibit is to “test the west’s tolerance” by caricaturing the Holocaust in the same way the newspaper Jyllands-Posten did when it printed cartoons of Mohammed.
It turns out, they could have saved themselves the trouble and expense.
There have always been anti- Semitic jokes. But you know […]
When you see them goose-stepping in formation. I was reminded of this when I saw a clip this morning of Hezbollah parading in goose-step on the morning news. A quick Google search (notice correct usage) turns up the two remaining members of the axis of evil in full goose-step mode.
North Koreans goose-stepping
Goose-stepping in Iran
More on […]
