McSongun?

We don't have to worry about the might of Songun anymore. Imperialist culture has now started taking over the DPRK:

The Samthaesong Soft Drink Restaurant located in Moranbong District, Pyongyang is crowded with Korean and foreign customers.

It serves more than 20 kinds of dishes including burgers, waffles, French fries and crispy fried chicken along with soft drinks.

It was opened at the beginning of June last. Most of the tables are arranged by the semicircle windowed wall so that the customers can take food, looking out the street through windows.

It instantly cooks and serves dishes to the customers as they demand.

Manager Ko Jong Ok told KCNA that the restaurant will make world-famous foods with local raw materials to the taste of the Korean people.

The latest Haveil Havalim also serves up world-famous content with local raw materials.

Question of the day

Here.

Nit shrek die Shnitter--Google translates "Don't Fear the Reaper" into Yiddish

אונדזער מאָל האָבן אַריין
דאָ אָבער איצט זיי'רע ניטאָ
סעאַסאָנס ניט שרעק די שניטער
ויך ניט טאָן די וואַנט, די זון אָדער די רעגן .. מיר קענען זיין ווי זיי
קום אויף בייבי ... ניט שרעק די שניטער
בעיבי נעמען מיין האַנט ... ניט שרעק די שניטער
מיר וועט קענען צו פליען ... ניט שרעק די שניטער
בעיבי לאָמיר דיין מאַן ...

וואַלענטינע איז דורכגעקאָכט
דאָ אָבער איצט זיי'רע ניטאָ
ראָמעאָ און דזשוליעט
ביסט צוזאַמען אין ייביקייט ... ראָמעאָ און דזשוליעט
40,000 מען און וואָמען וואָכעדיק ... לייק ראָמעאָ און דזשוליעט
40,000 מען און וואָמען וואָכעדיק ... רעדעפינע גליק
נאָך 40,000 קומענדיק וואָכעדיק ... מיר קענען זיין ווי זיי
קום אויף בייבי ... ניט שרעק די שניטער
בעיבי נעמען מיין האַנט ... ניט שרעק די שניטער
מיר וועט קענען צו פליען ... ניט שרעק די שניטער
בעיבי לאָמיר דיין מאַן ...

ליבשאַפט פון צוויי איז איין
דאָ אָבער איצט זיי'רע ניטאָ
געקומען די לעצטע נאַכט פון ומעט
און דאָס איז קלאָר זי קען ניט גיין אויף
דערנאָך די טיר איז אָפן און די וואַנט דעמאלסט
די קאַנדלעס בלעוו ווי פאַרשווונדן
די קורטאַינס פלעוו ווי ער דעמאלסט ... ווערטל טאָן נישט זיין דערשראָקן
קום אויף בייבי ... און זי ביי קיין שרעק
און זי ראַן צו אים ... דעריבער זיי סטאַרטעד צו פליען
זיי לאָאָקעד אַף צוריק און געזאָגט גאָאָדבי ... זי ביי ווערן ווי זיי זייַנען
זי ביי טאַקען זיין דערלאַנגען ... זי ביי ווערן ווי זיי זייַנען
קום אויף בייבי ... ניט שרעק די שניטער

Infinite possibilities here.

MPAC-UK on the Swedish Organ story

Their kind of story!

The depth to which the Israelis sink has no limits whatsoever. Not only are they killing Palestinians and stealing their organs but they are also threatening to kill the journalists that expose their evil deeds.

Meanwhile, investigative journalism has uncovered Sweden's dirty secret . . .

Hezbollah has 80,000 missiles?

An article at Naharnet quotes Shimon Peres:

Israeli President Shimon Peres said in comments published Saturday that Israel knew about "80,000 missiles" in the possession of Hizbullah.

In an interview with the Kuwaiti al-Rai newspaper, Peres cast doubt on "Hizbullah's goals and the justifications for its presence."

"Hizbullah is working for its own interests and will always find a pretext to continue its policy against Israel, even if the (Israeli army) withdrew from Shebaa Farms and the Lebanese Ghajar village," he said.

"Lebanon used to have an ambition to become the Switzerland of the Orient, and why not? But instead it has become the Iran of the region," he said. [...]

At the Daily Star, Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh says its not true:

[...] Responding to Peres’ comments, Salloukh dismissed the figure as "lies." "I don’t know how he counted these rockets," Salloukh told The Daily Star. "Let them [Israel] give us a list showing who the source is and how they identify these rockets. [Peres] imagines too much."

Salloukh also referred to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s tenth report on UN Security Council Resolution 1701, where he found that "to date, [UN peacekeeping force] UNIFIL has neither been provided with, nor found, evidence of new military infrastructure or the smuggling or arms into" southern Lebanon. [...]

Sounds like they have those missiles, doesn't it? Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV site has a story similar to the one at Naharnet. It features some pro-Hezbollah reader comments if you like such things.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Palestine Chronicle: "Israel, the world’s leading authority in game theory, induces other nations to wage their wars"

The Palestine Chronicle site is usually a clearing-house for leftist Israel-bashing. The site currently features, like the Guardian and the LA Times, Neve Gordon's article calling for a boycott of Israel. Also appearing: Donald Bostrom's now infamous article about harvesting body parts, articles by Jonathan Cook and Uri Avnery, all alongside extremist Palestinian writers such as Ramzy Baroud, its editor in chief. Its "Honorary Editorial Board," we are told, includes Noam Chomsky and Hanan Ashrawi. Today it also features the following conspiracy drool:

In 2005, the Nobel Prize in Economic Science was awarded to Israeli mathematician and game theory specialist Robert J. Aumann, co-founder of the Center for Rationality at Hebrew University. This Jerusalem resident explains: “the entire school of thought that we have developed here in Israel” has turned “Israel into the leading authority in this field.”

Israeli strategists rely on game theory models to ensure the intended response to staged provocations and manipulated crises. With the use of game theory algorithms, those responses become predictable, even foreseeable—within an acceptable range of probabilities. The waging of war “by way of deception” is now a mathematical discipline.

Such “probabilistic” war planning enables Tel Aviv to deploy serial provocations and well-timed crises as a force multiplier to project Israeli influence worldwide. For a skilled agent provocateur, the target can be a person, a company, an economy, a legislature, a nation or an entire culture—such as Islam. With a well-modeled provocation, the anticipated reaction can even become a powerful weapon in the Israeli arsenal.

For instance, a skilled game theorist could foresee that, in response to a 911-type mass murder, “the mark” (the U.S.) would deploy its military to avenge that attack. With phony intelligence fixed around a preset goal, a game theory algorithm could anticipate that those forces might well be redirected to invade Iraq—not to avenge 911 but to pursue the expansionist goals of Greater Israel.

To provoke that invasion required the displacement of an inconvenient truth (Iraq played no role in 911) with what lawmakers and the public could be deceived to believe. The emotionally wrenching nature of that incident was essential in order to induce Americans to abandon rational analysis and to facilitate their reliance on false intelligence.

Americans were (predictably) provoked by that mass murder. The foreseeable reaction—shock, grief and outrage—made it easier for them to believe that an infamous Iraqi Evil Doer was to blame. The displacement of facts with beliefs lies at heart of how Israel, the world’s leading authority in game theory, induces other nations to wage their wars. [...]

For more than six decades, the US has armed, financed, befriended and defended Zionism. This "special relationship" includes the US-discrediting veto of dozens of UN resolutions critical of Israeli conduct. From a game theory perspective, how difficult was it to anticipate that—out of a worldwide population of 1.3 billion Muslims—19 Muslim men could be induced to perpetrate a murderous act in response to U.S support for Israel’s lengthy mistreatment of Arabs and Muslims, particularly Palestinians? [...]

The latest triumph of Tel Aviv's probabilistic war-planning is the latest edition of Haveil Havalim.

North Korea threatens us with annihilation again

It has been about a week since the last time an article from Korean News threatened a "merciless annihilating strike." This time the MAS appears in the article title: "Korean People Will Deal Merciless Annihilating Strike to Aggressors." Let's step inside their world:

The U.S. imperialists and the Lee Myung Bak group of traitors have been frantically staging the large-scale Ulji Freedom Guardian joint military exercises for aggression across south Korea from August 17.

The Korean people are full of surging indignation against the U.S. imperialists and the Lee Myung Bak group of traitors and are ready to mercilessly punish the aggressors.

Kim Yong In, vice-minister of the Ministry of Education, told KCNA that the U.S. imperialists and Lee Myung Bak group of traitors revealed once again their foul aggressive nature to stifle the DPRK by force at any cost through the current joint military exercises. He went on:

The enemies are holding the large-scale joint military rehearsal, following the aggressive Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises in March. This stark reality patently discloses that they are war fanatics.

In particular the Lee Myung Bak group of traitors, which does not exercise the command of the armed forces at their will, to say nothing of the political sovereignty, is more desperately clinging to the fratricidal confrontation in collusion with the U.S. imperialists. This is a traitorous action that should be denounced down through generations.

The Korean People's Army and people are fully ready to react with merciless retaliation of our own style and with all-out war of justice if the U.S. imperialists and the south Korean warmongers invade our inviolable territory even an inch. The aggressors should clearly know that they will never talk an empty word.

Funny how education ministers speak for the army in North Korea, isn't it?

Ri Jong Chol, an officer of the Korean People's Army, stated that it is the invariable stand and attitude of the KPA to react to the war fanatics' arms with artillery pieces, "sanctions" with merciless retaliation and "confrontation" with an all-out confrontation. He continued:

We have built powerful self-reliant armed forces under the banner of Songun and are fully prepared to cope with any mode of war of the U.S. imperialists and the south Korean warmongers.

Should the U.S. imperialists and the south Korean puppets commit even the slightest military provocation to infringe upon the DPRK's sovereignty, its revolutionary armed forces which have been strengthened as invincible ones with the might of Songun will deliver a merciless and prompt annihilating strike to the aggressors by mobilizing all military means.

Kang Song Guk, a student of Kim Il Sung University, emphasized that the students will hold the rifle instead of the pen and shower bullets of retaliation on the aggressors if the U.S. imperialists and the Lee Myung Bak group of traitors force a war upon us.

Also at Korean News, we learn that Anniversary of Kim Jong Il's Start of Songun Revolutionary Leadership" was "Observed by Young People." What did those "young people" (or party officials addressing them) have to say?

They noted that Kim Jong Il has developed the People's Army into an invincible and strong revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu with his Songun revolutionary leadership and demonstrated to the world the dignity and might of Juche Korea in defending socialism and building a great prosperous and powerful nation by firmly consolidating the single-minded unity of the revolutionary ranks.

They stressed the need for the youth to firmly arm themselves with the Songun revolutionary idea of Kim Jong Il and become first-line death-defying corps and human bombs and bullets defending the headquarters of the revolution politically and ideologically and at the risk of their lives, carrying forward the sacred tradition of devotedly safeguarding the leader.

If they are going to turn themselves into "human bombs," then perhaps they should stand a bit clear of the headquarters of the revolution. Work accidents can spoil your whole Songun day.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

PressTV (Iran): "Iran uncovers 'Zionist plot' against defense nominee"

Iranian headlines are full of "plots." Actually, I suppose there is a "Zionist" interest in this guy--he's wanted by Interpol for involvement in the AMIA bombing:

Iran says the international reaction to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's nominee for defense minister is a "Zionist plot" to undermine the new Iranian administration.

"[Ahmad] Vahidi was a deputy defense minister and this is a very senior political position," Ahmadinejad's press adviser, Ali-Akbar Javanfekr, told AFP. "Therefore it seems that this is a new trick being planned and is basically a Zionist plot."

His comments came after Argentina expressed outrage Friday over the defense minister-designate claiming that he is wanted in connection with the bombing of the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish Community Center, which left 85 dead and wounded more than 300 others.

Ahmadinejad's 'tapping' Ahmad Vahidi for the post is "an affront to Argentine justice and the victims of the terrorist attack", the Argentine Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Buenos Aires has formally accused Iran of carrying out the attack. Tehran strongly denies any involvement in the bombing.

Vahidi along with six other Iranian officials have been on Interpol's list since 2007 in connection with the bombing.

US officials reacted with concern to Vahidi's nomination as Iran's defense minister.

"If this report is true and if this man is confirmed as a cabinet minister and is wanted by Interpol for his involvement in a terrorist act, of course this would be disturbing," State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly said.

However, Javanfekr dismissed the allegations, asking, "How come they have never brought this up in the past?" [...]

Such eloquence. Meanwhile, plots, plots, plots. A Fars News headline features its own "Managing Director," who "Thanks Iranians for Defusing Enemies' Plots":

Fars News Agency Managing Director Hamid Reza Moqaddamfar lauded the Iranian people for foiling enemies' plots during the recent post-election events in Iran.

"In recent events, the enemies strove to sow discord between the (Iranian) people and government but they failed and were disappointed due to the Iranians' lack of care and attention (to their remarks and allegations)," Moqaddamfar said in a televised round table.

He reiterated that during the recent unrests in Iran the main aim of the enemies was to disunite the people.

A number of Iranian officials and analysts believe that the foreign countries specially the US and Britain were seeking to create a velvet revolution in Iran by interfering in the recent unrests.

Elaborating on the difference between a military coup and a soft revolution, Moqaddamfar reiterated that they have many similarities but in the tools.

"In the military coup a military occupation happens but in the soft revolution the public opinion is occupied. In a soft coup (or revolution) the media are the leader and direct the public opinion." [...]

Meanwhile, we learn at IRIB Radio that Ramadan is the "Month of Resistance against Arrogance." That doesn't have anything to do with religious ethics, however:

President Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in Tehran on Saturday evening that blessed Ramadhan is the month of resistance against the bullying and expansionist powers. According to IRNA, he made the remarks while hosting an Iftar or fast-breaking ceremony for orphans.

The President felicitated the nation on the advent of blessed Ramadhan and expressed hope that all problems would be solved through strong trust in Almighty God.

Dr. Ahmadinejad deplored the continued occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan by the Americans and the massacre of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in the two countries, saying President George W. Bush who launched the disastrous wars was certainly distanced from the Lord and followed the Satan.

I thought he was the leader of the Big Satan. I'm confused . . .

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

"In Front of his Steadfast Home the Leader of the Revolution Receives Abd al Bassat al Megrahi, His Family Members and Gives Statement"

The release of the Lockerbie bomber is getting a lot of attention lately. The Independent currently has an article entitled "Al-Megrahi is home. And he is innocent" as well as a Robert Fisk piece entitled "For the truth, look to Tehran and Damascus – not Tripoli." As usual, we thought you might like to sample some of the coverage from the relevant dictatorship's own news agencies. So if Megrahi is innocent, why does this Gadaffi rant seem to stress some sort of double-standard in connection with the evil Bulgarian nurses?

As for the other side, we would like to tell them:

When Libya took up the responsibility and commuted the death sentence against the Bulgarian medical team to life imprisonment, and I took up the responsibility in response to my friend President Sarkozy, and for France we turned the team that is convicted of mass murder to serve life imprisonment in Bulgaria.

However, the world was stunned that the team, convicted of the hideous crime, was pardoned even before landing at the airport in Bulgaria, the President of Bulgaria was at the forefront of those to greet them, they were greeted as heroes, since they killed 400 innocent Libyan children and infected them with the AIDS virus.

Then, unfortunately, the European parliament welcomed the convicted team with a standing ovation, as if they were heroes.

We haven't we heard any protests on the exoneration of the convicted team? And why there was no talk that this would hurt the feelings of the families of the Libyan victims?

As for now with the release of Abdelbaset from prison, unfortunately illogical voices were raised, saying this hurts the feelings of families of the Lockerbie victims!!

Are we without any feelings, and they have feelings?!...Are we donkeys and they are humans?!

This is the double standard politics, this is an encroachment, this is arrogance and contempt for other nations, of their public opinion and humanity.

This is what brings about injustice and the terrorism they are now facing.

Terrorism is a phenomena that has justifications, which is the double standard politics. [...]

Do you suppose there is anyone brave enough in Libya to tell the Leader of the Revolution that these might not be the most well-considered remarks ever made?

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

A "nachas note"--from Gideon Levy!

Do your children ever bring home "nachas notes" from school? For the tribally challenged among you who may be wondering, "nachas" means something like a combination of pride and pleasure, especially from filial achievements. A "nachas note" from your child's teacher might read "Little Yankel said his berachos so nicely!" or "Little Shaindy shared her snack with another child!" This Ha'aretz editorial was the theme of a post at Mondoweiss entitled "Obama has fallen into Netanyahu's trap." Do tell!

[...] He came into office amid much hoopla. The Cairo speech ignited half the globe. Making settlements the top priority gave rise to the hope that, finally, a statesman is sitting in the White House who understands that the root of all evil is the occupation, and that the root of the occupation's evil is the settlements. From Cairo, it seemed possible to take off. The sky was the limit.

Then the administration fell into the trap set by Israel and is showing no signs of recovery.

A settlement freeze, something that should have been understood by a prime minister who speaks with such bluster about two states - a peripheral matter that Israel committed to in the road map - has suddenly turned into a central issue. Special envoy George Mitchell is wasting his time and prestige with petty haggling. A half-year freeze or a full year? What about the 2,500 apartment units already under construction? And what about natural growth? And kindergartens? [...]

Jerusalem has imposed its will on Washington. Once again we are at the starting point - dealing with trifles from which it is impossible to make the big leap over the great divide.

We expected more from Obama. Menachem Begin promised less, and he made peace within the same amount of time after he took office. When the main issue is dismantling the settlements, the pulsating momentum that came with Obama is petering out . . . A "magic formula" for a settlement freeze may be found there, but the momentum is gone.

Not in Israel, though. Here people quickly sensed that there is nothing to fear from Obama, and the fetters were taken off. Defense Minister Ehud Barak was quick to declare that there is no Palestinian partner, even after the Fatah conference elected the most moderate leadership that has ever been assembled in Palestine. Afterward, in a blatant act of provocation, he brought a Torah scroll into the heart of the Muslim Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem, in full view of television cameras, just so America can see who's boss around here. [...]

One source familiar with Obama's inner circle likened him this week to a man who inflates a number of balloons every day in the hope that one of them will rise. He will reach his goal. The source compared him to Shimon Peres, an analogy that should insult Obama. The trial balloons the U.S. president sends our way have yet to take off. One can, of course, wait for the next balloon, the Obama peace plan, but time is running out. And Israel is not sitting idly by.

The minute Jerusalem detected a lack of American determination, it returned to its evil ways and excuses . . .

An America that will not pressure Israel is an America that will not bring peace. True, one cannot expect the U.S. president to want to make peace more than the Palestinians and Israelis, but he is the world's responsible adult, its great hope. Those of us who are here, Mr. President, are sinking in the wretched mud, in "injury time."

Will Levy finally disappear into the "wretched mud"? The only thing about "nachas notes" is that sometimes the boost they give you is a little contrived. The subtext of that note might be "Yankel finally behaved himself after disrupting class for 5 days in a row." I hope the pleasure I get from this little missive isn't followed by a letdown.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

ISNA: "Ahmadinejad expresses regret certain neighbors help Zionists"

Regrettable indeed. Neighbors have even been known to lend Zionists a cup of flour. We also learn that "Today human being has crossed the border of superpowers":

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad expressed regret that certain neighboring countries are helping Zionists under the name of Islam.

Speaking in the 7th international conference to commemorate "the week of mosques" on Sunday, Ahmadinejad said "these countries are providing Zionists with facilities to suppress regional nations, but we hope they would be aware and join other unified nations."

Elsewhere, he moved to catastrophes in Iraq and Afghanistan and said" we witness how they attacked the oppressed people of Afghanistan and Iraq, killed or displaced thousands of people." [...]

He continued the era of establishment of empire through force, media and weapon is over.

"Today human being has crossed the border of superpowers and nations do not recognize formulas of super-powers."

Assad is visiting Iran. So the Iranian press is filled with articles such as this one at IRIB Radio entilted: "Supreme Leader: Iran and Syria Symbols of Resistance in Middle East":

The Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in a meeting with Syrian president, Bashar Al-Asad in Tehran on Wednesday stressed that current conditions in the middle east favour 'the resistance front', to the detriment of the United States and those countries which follow US policies. In a meeting on Wednesday with Syrian president, Bashar Al-Asad, the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, emphasized that the Iran-Syria alliance is the symbol of resistance within this region. He added: "The result of this alliance, and its effect, can be seen clearly in places such as Occupied Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq , and indeed the entire middle east region".

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Supreme Leader referred to the arrogant (colonialist ) powers efforts to break 'the resistance front' and their efforts to weaken the resilience of , stressing that these efforts have so far failed, and that US power is waning within the region.

In further remarks, the Supreme Leader said the Zionist regime, despite its media hype, is facing a plethora of internal difficulties (problems) , and is weakening day by day.

For his part, the Syrian president, Bashar Al-Asad stressed the strategic nature of Tehran-Damascus relationship , and emphasized that conditions in the region favour 'the resistance and resilience front' . President Asad stressed that Western countries, particularly the United States , are grappling with a large number of domestic problems at home, in addition to huge numbers of problems which have arisen because of their policies within the region. He pointedly added: "The U.S. has achieved nothing , not even in Lebanon".

In further remarks, Pres. Assad said Western were taught a great lesson ( the hard way), when they failed to achieve their objectives in post-election events in Iran.

Iran even came out 280,000 dollars ahead on the deal. At Fars, we learn about "Cultural Officials Responsible for Monitoring Enemy's Soft Threats." This would seem to involve something they call "propagation":

Monitoring enemy's soft threats is among the most crucial responsibilities of the cultural officials, an Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) General said on Wednesday.

"The propagation officials should prevent or fight these threats," Deputy Representative of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution to IRGC General Mohammad Ali Asoudi said.

Asoudi described propagation as the most comprehensive field of activity of his department and the main pillar for the growth and promotion of any organization.

He also urged cultural directors and propagation officials to fulfill their responsibilities with utmost vigilance. [...]

Look out, soft threats, Iran is propagating!

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Iran to France: More groveling needed for Reiss release

France has to sound as contrite as she was forced to:

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi on Wednesday condemned the remarks made by the French foreign minister about the trial of a French national in Iran, reminding that the culprit has confessed to her crimes and even apologized to the Iranian nation for her actions.

"In addition to an undeniable body of evidence, Miss. Reiss has clearly confessed to her crimes and violations during several court proceedings and has apologized to the Iranian people in this regard," Qashqavi announced in reaction to Bernard Kouchner's public remarks over the case.

"Despite realities, unfortunately France's officials, particularly its Foreign Ministry officials, have sought in various interviews to manipulate and change the realities about the causes of her detention in a bid to portray her detention as a political reaction by the Islamic Republic of Iran's officials," Qashqavi said.

"Such an assessment is partial and illogical," the spokesman went on saying.

Kuchner acknowledged on Monday that the French government paid "around euro200,000" ($280,000) in bail for freedom of Clotilde Reiss, adding he hoped to get the money back.

"Of course we hope to be reimbursed because she is innocent and that will be recognized," Kouchner told LCI television, adding that he wasn't sure when the verdict would be delivered or when Reiss could return to France.

I think they can say "Au revoir" to that money.

"We can expect, we must expect, a verdict that recognizes her innocence," he added,

Reiss was arrested at a Tehran airport on July 1 on charges of espionage as she tried to leave Iran after spending five months in the central city of Isfahan. The French national was held in a Tehran prison where other detainees of Iran's post-election unrests were kept.

An indictment raised by the deputy Prosecutor-General of Tehran's public and revolutionary courts charged Reiss with acting against Iran's national security by participating in street riots, collecting news and information and pictures from the riots and sending them to the scientific attaché of the French embassy in Tehran.

During her court hearing on July 8, she admitted to her crimes and asked the court and the Iranian people for clemency.

"I apologize to the Iranian people and court and I hope the people and the court forgive me," she said.

"Is there anything else you'd like me to say? Can I leave now?" she added.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Your daily "Vigilance against Enemy Plots"

Talk about having the look to go with the story! Any psychological warfare you try on this guy is gonna be right back atcha:

A senior Iranian law enforcement official on Tuesday cautioned against enemies' different methods to confront the Islamic Republic of Iran, and called for vigilance against such moves.

"The enemy uses different methods for confronting the Islamic Republic and psychological warfare is its most important method," General Ali Reza Jazini, an Iranian top police official, said.

"Since ancient times, psychological warfare has been used. Inspiring disappointment and hopelessness as well as intimidation and fright are among the main goals of psychological operations," the commander warned.

Jazini underlined that economic war, attacking the country's culture, undermining Iran's scientific power and progress are among other methods used by the enemies to confront the Islamic Republic.

Commenting upon the ways to defuse such plots, the General said, "To confront the enemy, threats should first be identified, remembering that social, political and cultural soft threats are of prime importance."

Some days I don't have much enthusiasm for World Arrogance blogging. Those must be the days when they're being vigilant.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Yemen Times: "Remaining Jews of Yemen gradually leave ancestral homeland"

There are some interesting ironies here. I'm sure it is true that the Jews of Yemen, as the article explains, don't have much to do with Zionism. They carefully explain that they have "nothing to do with the Jews in Israel" as they nervously fumble for that plane ticket.

Yemen’s religious diversity is under threat with many of the remaining Jews in the district of Raida in Amran preparing to leave for Israel, some in the next few days, according to Rabbi Yahya Yousef.

In Amran, there are only 250 Yemeni Jews left. Yemen’s Jews are thought to have roots dating back nearly 3,000 years to King Solomon. [...]

“Up until now, nothing has been done to protect the Jews in Amran,” said Rabbi Yahya Yousef.

Little has been done to help the sidelined Yemeni Jews integrate into mainstream society to safeguard a historical heritage that dates back centuries.

Although the government boasts support and tolerance to the Jews, it has been slow to fulfill its promise of providing them with safe havens. The only step the government has taken so far is to resettle some families in the Tourist City. [...]

"We are Arabs, we are Yemenis, we have nothing to do with the Jews in Israel," Ibrahim Al-Nahari, [nephew of Moshe Yaish Al-Nahari] previously said to the Yemen Times when asked if he would like to immigrate to the US or Israel.

"They won’t find a place like Yemen," said Rabbi Yahya Yousef, lamenting their departure.

"I will never leave Yemen," he said.

"Excuse me, did you see where I put my boarding pass?" he added.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

"KPA Supreme Command Orders Army, People and Country to Be on Special Alert"

I would say they are on "Red Alert," but they're communists: every alert is Red Alert. I like the bit about how they are ordered to make "a new leaping forward" "in tense and mobilized posture." Maybe they could leap farther if they relaxed a bit?

The Supreme Command of the Korean People's Army made public the following report Monday as regards the U.S. imperialists and the Lee Myung Bak group of traitors kicked off the large-scale Ulji Freedom Guardian joint military exercises for aggression despite of the DPRK's repeated warnings and strong protest and denunciation of the public at home and abroad:

The adventurous war maneuvers for aggression to be staged from August 17 to 27 will massively involve more than 10,000 U.S. imperialist aggression troops based in south Korea and overseas, at least 56,000 troops of the puppet army including those of corps, fleets and air division-level commands and above them and, over 400,000 members of puppet administrative organs and military and non-military businesses and other huge forces and all sorts of lethal means.

What merits special attention is that the saber-rattling is base on the new scenario for more vicious joint operation to invade the DPRK replacing the "OPLAN 5027", scenario for the second Korean war of aggression.

The said provocative exercises are a blatant challenge and grave threat to the peace on the Korean Peninsula and the rest of Asia as they are aimed to launch aggression and mount a surprise preemptive strike on the DPRK in the light of their contents, nature and scale, to all intents and purposes.

The army and people of the DPRK will never remain a passive on-looker to the prevailing touch-and-go situation where dark clouds of a nuclear war are gathering to hang heavily over the inviolable territory of their country.

It is the invariable stand and attitude of the KPA to react to the enemy's arms with artillery pieces, "sanctions" with merciless retaliation and "confrontation" with an all-out confrontation.

The KPA Supreme Command issued the following order, proceeding from its sacred mission to defend the sovereignty and dignity of the nation and devotedly safeguard the socialist homeland of the DPRK:

1. The entire army, all the people and the whole country shall be put on a special alert from August 17, 2009.

2. The units of the KPA three services and all members of the Korean People's Security Forces, the Worker-Peasant Red Guards and the Young Red Guards shall closely follow all the moves of the aggressors with high revolutionary vigilance and make an immediate strong attack on perpetrators of any hostile act of intruding the sky, land and seas of the country.

3. All the people shall bring about a new leaping forward in the 150-day campaign to step up the building of a great prosperous and powerful socialist nation in tense and mobilized posture as required by the present acute situation.

The order of the KPA Supreme Command is a just self-defensive measure to protect the supreme interests of the country and nation from the reckless moves of the warmongers to invade the DPRK.

Should the U.S. imperialists and the south Korean puppets commit even the slightest military provocation infringing upon the DPRK's sovereignty, its revolutionary armed forces grown stronger with the might of Songun will mount a merciless and prompt annihilating strike at the aggressors with all offensive and defensive means including nuclear deterrent involved.

I wonder how close we are to seeing threats of "merciless and prompt annihilating strike" in the Iranian press.

"Traffic Control Platform beneath Umbrella Installed at Intersections of Pyongyang"

Another great leap forward! The umbrellas shield the female traffic cops from the heat. North Korea is pulling far ahead of primitive Imperialist traffic-control technology:

Unique platforms under umbrellas are being set up in traffic control posts at intersections of Pyongyang these days, attracting attention of people.

The round platform under well-shaped large umbrella is clearly seen at far distance.

The umbrella shields the traffic controllers from sunrays and rain and the platform shuts out heat from the heated asphalt.

The female traffic controllers are commanding the traffic with a bright face on the platform under the umbrella even in the hottest period of summer.

Passers-by stop walking for a while to see the new scene.

They say it can be seen only in the country led by Kim Jong Il.

The traffic controllers are moved by the warm affection shown for them by General Secretary Kim Jong Il who saw to it that the platforms with umbrellas are being set up this time after raincoats, rain boots, sunglasses, gloves and cosmetics as well as seasonal uniforms were provided to them.

The latest Haveil Havalim is also clearly seen at far distance.

Iran holds "Nat'l music festival of Resistance"

Is this the greatest musical event since the "Martyr's Symphony"?

National music festival of Resistance began in Kermanshah on Saturday.

"Giving a chance for unknown musicians and music groups to show their abilities is one of our goals," secretary of the first national music festival of Resistance, Mirzamani said.

"85 music groups sent their works to the secretariat, and 16 of them have been qualified for the festival." he added. [...]

I wonder where the "resistance" comes in? Also at IRIB, we learn of a "'Right of Return' gathering" in Jordan:

Participants of a political gathering held in Jordan under the title of "Right of Return" stressed Saturday on the legitimate right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland.

Giving strong support to the Palestinian refugees, the participants reiterated that "Right of return is a legal demand which could not be ignored or compromised on." [...]

The statement also described resistance as the best and only way for paving the way for refugees to return to their motherland.

Stressing on the importance of unity and solidarity of the Palestinian nation, the participants emphasized that the united holy Qods is Palestine's capital city.

They rejected any plan which ignores the legitimate right of return. [...]

I guess the subtext of this is that Jordan would like to get rid of its Palestinians. Meanwhile, IRIB Radio has a headline quoting Ahmadinejad on Obama's plan to "engage" Iran: "Defeated West Pleading Iran for Amicable Ties." What "defeated" the West? Iran's glorious election?

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Sunday now that the western powers have been defeated they are interested in friendly ties with the Iranian nation. [...]

On the riots that rocked parts of northern Tehran after the 10th presidential elections, Dr. Ahmadinejad said that western regimes thought that their meddling in Iran's domestic affairs could damage the Islamic Republic system and the people. [...]

He said the current atmosphere of hue and cry is an indication of the defeat of the enemies of the Islamic Republic, and made it clear that the time of dictatorship and domineering policies is long past.

Yes, the forces of "dictatorship" are on show-trial in Iran, even as we speak. According to another IRIB Radio headline: "Venezuela Warns of US Plot to Turn Colombia into another Israel":

Venezuela's ambassador to Tehran, David Velasquez, by referring to 200 years of popular resistance in Latin America against colonialist powers, said the US wants to turn Colombia into another Israel in the region. According to IRNA, Velasquez, who was talking with reporters in city of Hamedan on Saturday evening on the sidelines of the First International Conference on Resistance, said the colonialists are plotting to start confrontation once again, "but our experiences have taught us how to resist and thwart their plots."

He said ties between Iran and Venezuela are firm and solid, and the two countries refuse to bow to US dictates.

In view of Iran's impeccable revolutionary spirit and rich culture, said Velasquez, Venezuela is determined to further expand its relations with the Islamic Republic.

There are plots everywhere. Another headline explains: "Iran Exposed to Western Plots Because of Support for Palestinians."

Secretary General of Palestine's People liberation Front, Ahmad Jibraeel, expressing appreciation of Iran's support of Palestinian ideals said, the Islamic Republic has bravely faced conspiracies and pressures of the domineering powers in this regard.

According to a report by the German news agency from Ramallah, West Bank, he said on Saturday that the animosity of western regime towards Iran is because the Islamic Republic, in contrast to Arab regimes, is not indifferent to the plight of the oppressed people of Palestine.

This Palestinian leader also criticized holding the 6th conference of Fatah movement in Beit Lahm saying the aim of this gathering is allow mercenaries such as Mohammad Dahlan to become members of Fatah leadership council in order to weaken the Palestinian's ideals.

Jibraeel called the liberation of Gaza by Hamas, a beginning for Palestine freedom and added: for the first time a part of Palestine is free from the control of occupiers.

Try asserting that at Daily Kos . . .

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Haniyeh calls Al-Qaeda group "Zionist"

There's a gun battle "raging" in Gaza, with 13 deaths, according to a current BBC headline. Here is what is at issue, as you may have read already:

. . . during Friday prayers, hundreds of worshippers at Ibn-Taymiyah mosque declared Gaza an "Islamic emirate".

The mosque's imam - Abdul-Latif Moussa - and armed supporters swore to fight to the death rather than hand over authority of the mosque to Hamas. [...]

Look what pops up around paragraph eleven:

During his own Friday sermon, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, dismissed Mr Moussa's comments.

"These declarations [of an Islamic emirate] are aimed towards incitement against the Gaza Strip and an attempt at recruiting an international alliance against the Gaza Strip.

"And we warn those who are behind these Israeli Zionist declarations: the Gaza Strip only contains its people." [...]

This is a guy who has been published in the Washington Post.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Update: Juan Cole is with Haniyeh on this one:

As for why some people at a mosque in Rafah turned to this extremist organization, it has to be remembered that Gaza is under siege by the Israelis and faces shortages, including of food. Rebuilding from Israel's war on little Gaza has still not been allowed to begin . . . Israeli policies are what have turned Gaza into a powder keg. And we haven't heard the last of al-Qaeda-type organizations growing up there if the Israeli siege continues.

The two-state-style solution

Ever hear of "Kosher-style" food? It isn't kosher at all, but it involves the sorts of foods served at kosher restaurants, such as corned-beef sandwiches. I offer this as a metaphor for the seemingly endless examples of Hamas statements that kinda sorta sound like they accept the idea of a "two-state solution," but which actually demonstrate that Hamas officials don't agree that Israel could do anything at all to still exist and be at permanent peace with Hamas. The latest example is at the Jerusalem Post (h/t: VB) with the de rigueur misleading title: "'Hamas ready for Obama's ME peace plan'":

"We have an initial readiness to accept it and deal with it positively, but we will also reject it if it doesn't include an American recognition of the Palestinian rights," Yousef Rizka told the Chinese Xinhua news agency. [...]

Rizka stressed that Hamas makes up its positions "mainly from the level of meeting the Palestinian rights."

He said that Hamas now accepts a two-state solution "but only in exchange for a long-term truce" with Israel. [...]

This peace-free peace-offer seems to be fundamental pillar of Hamas thinking. Al-Ahram reported in 2004:

Abdul-Aziz Al- Rantisi, the second highest-ranking official in Hamas . . . told reporters on 25 January that Hamas would consider a 10-year truce with Israel if it withdrew from all the territories occupied in 1967.

Ismail Haniyeh's Washington Post editorial in 2006 was another notable example:

If Israel is prepared to negotiate seriously and fairly, and resolve the core 1948 issues, rather than the secondary ones from 1967, a fair and permanent peace is possible. Based on a hudna (comprehensive cessation of hostilities for an agreed time . . .

That's right, "permanent peace" "based on" a ceasefire with an expiration date. The unattainable goal of making Hamas ideas palatable to someone actually paying attention leads to total meaning-collapse in that sentence. At the beginning of this summer, the NY Times reported on an interview with Khaled Meshaal:

On the two-state solution sought by the Americans, he said: "We are with a state on the 1967 borders, based on a long-term truce. This includes East Jerusalem, the dismantling of settlements and the right of return of the Palestinian refugees." Asked what "long-term" meant, he said 10 years.

No talk of "permanent" anything there. I would say that Hamas has been almost numbingly consistent. Its leaders can't conceive of peace under any circumstances and they should be taken as adults with a mission and a guiding philosophy. Expect more false reports of Hamas moves towards pragmatism.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Iran "calls for ban on attack on nuclear installations"

They can't grant your request if you don't ask, right?

A senior Iranian nuclear official said the Islamic Republic of Iran has called for a ban of any militant attacks on nuclear installations.

Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency Ali-Asghar Soltanieh made the remarks in a press conference.

Soltanieh said that Iran expects member states of the International Atomic Energy Agency to support the Iranian proposal to thwart the international concerns over the issue.

Iran has already made the proposal to UN nuclear agency.

Asked about coincidence of Iran’s proposal with Israeli threats to attack Iran, Soltanieh replied: "We’re not concerned about Israel. No one dares do any aggression against Iran."

That article, English translation and all, is courtesy of IRIB. They are so into self-sufficiency in Iran that they even serve as their own MEMRI. We also learn at IRIB that Iran is making progress on the invisibility front:

The Commander of Iran's Ground Forces says Iran has managed to become self-sufficient in manufacturing weapons that are not detectable by the enemies.

"The Ground Forces are using all their power to develop innovative 'untraceable' weapons and we have become completely self-sufficient in manufacturing weapons that could not be detected by the enemies' reconnaissance systems," Fars news agency quoted Brig. Gen. Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan as saying.

He noted that the "transformation plan" being implemented in the Ground Forces has led to the self-sufficiency in different fields, including electronic and communication warfare. [...]

Recent editions of Haveil Havalim here and here demonstrate self-sufficiency in communication warfare.

Iranian Students News Agency: Venezuela attends First International Big Prize Festival of Islamic Resistance

The original title for this article is pretty cute, actually: "Hamas right path to result in triumph for Palestine: Hamas rep":

Palestinian Hamas Movement representative to Tehran Abu Osama Abdul Moti said the movement's right path will result in triumph and freedom for Palestine.

On the verge of the 3rd anniversary of Hezbollah victory in the 33-day war with Israel, Abu Osama told the staff of the First International Big Prize Festival of Islamic Resistance, "we witnessed how coward Israeli troops tried to enter into Gaza as Israel was bombarding the area through air, land and sea for 22 days, but the God helped Gazans to resist against Zionists and be an honor for Palestinians, Islamic nation and all freedom-seekers."

"Zionist regime and its allies tried to force us to recognize Israel through holding election and formation of Hamas government, but Hamas stood fast to its approach and goal," he added.

Abu Osama continued Zionist regime wanted to overthrow Gaza Strip's legitimate government through the 22-day war to pave the way for the corrupt security systems of Ramallah's black government to rule Gaza, but Israeli army was defeated and its goals were foiled.

The Director of the First International Big Prize Festival of Islamic Resistance Mohammad Javad Ramezani said over 26 countries with 684 works on scientific and visual domains have attended the festival.

Syria, China, Russia, Romania, Venezuela, Pakistan and Brazil have taken part in the event.

He also added 427 papers, 300 websites, 15 computer games, 511 visual arts and 25 software programs were delivered to the event.

We can only imagine what Venezuela contributed. You may have seen something about this PressTV headline that Netanyahu was "behind Obama birth rumors":

The Israeli government has allegedly used its influence in American politics to strengthen the rumors about US President Barack Obama's birthplace.

On Monday, well-known investigative journalist Wayne Madsen said Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's entrenched alliance with the America-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), various neoconservative groups and fundamentalist Christian organizations had made it "very easy for him to bring this whole canard back" about allegations that Obama has been born in Kenya rather than the United States. [...]

Masden also alerted the world to the Zionist plot to colonize Iraq, so he's PressTV's kind of source. Meanwhile, Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani declared that "the US ailing diplomacy is doomed to failure vis-à-vis the Islamic Republic of Iran":

Iran's Majlis Speaker, Dr. Ali Larijani said in the open session of the Majlis on Wednesday that the US ailing diplomacy is doomed to failure vis-à-vis the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to IRIB, referring to the recent statements by US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton during which she admitted Washington's support for post-election riots in Tehran, Larijani said these proclamations proved their insatiable greed to meddle in the country's internal affairs.

Don't tell Obama, he'll feel bad. I mean, we all kind of like him--we just wish he had smarter policy ideas.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

How's the campaign for Palestinian equality going?

Last May I noted a Daily Star article, which included the following:

Palestinians in Lebanon are barred from working in 70 professional vocations. They cannot work as lawyers and doctors, and cannot own or inherit property.

Despite the large number of UN Resolutions which are essentially expressions of solidarity with the Palestinians, the whole issue of their rights in Lebanon doesn't seem to surface very often. An article from Al-Jazeera a few months ago, however, contains the following:

As recently as 2005, Palestinian refugees were banned from taking up employment in 70 professions. Today, the number of restricted professions stands at 20 and includes senior medical, legal and engineering careers . . .

While these restrictions were recently eased, applicants must have a valid work permit and membership of the appropriate professional representative body. Both are beyond the financial means of most Palestinian refugees.

The indispensable Elder of Ziyon has just flagged an important series of articles, published last month in Al-Hayat and translated and excerpted at MEMRI, calling for "Resettlement of Palestinian Refugees" in Arab countries. It includes the following:

"[My] passion for [refugee] resettlement is not a rejection of the Right of Return, but rather of the inhuman treatment of the Palestinians in the 'countries of the refugee camps.' Foremost among these countries is Lebanon, which bars the Palestinians from 72 professions, so as to prevent them from living in dignity - despite the fact that you wouldn't find such a long list of professions even on Mars …

The Al Jazeera article also noted:

The Sabra Shatila Foundation, after consultation with human rights organisations including International Lawyers Sans Frontieres and members of Lebanon's legislature, will table a draft law in parliament which promises, in the words of the foundation, to: "erase, in one vote, decades of illegal and immoral treatment of more than 10 per cent of Lebanon's population".

Whatever became of that law? If there are any further developments in this story, they aren't making the headlines, are they?

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

The Juche-est Show on Earth

They might be starving, but they know how to put on an annual mass rally. This one has made the Guinness Book of World Records. Here we learn that they revised Act III, Scene I "with fresh contents more truthfully representing the great mental power and skills of the Korean people":

The grand gymnastic and artistic performance "Arirang" for this year started at the May Day Stadium Monday.

The creating staff and performers succeeded in re-representing the extravaganza in a brief span of time; they newly created Scene I of Act III and enriched it with fresh contents more truthfully representing the great mental power and skills of the Korean people and the appearance of the country that has undergone tremendous changes.

Among the audience were servicepersons and people from all walks of life, diplomatic envoys and representatives of international organizations here, foreign guests and overseas Koreans.

The performers made an impressive grand epic representation of Juche Korea that has risen high as a dignified sovereign power after putting an end to the history of the nation's sufferings under the leadership of President Kim Il Sung and the unshakable faith and will of the army and people of the DPRK to build a great prosperous and powerful socialist nation guaranteeing the eternal prosperity of the nation under the Songun leadership of Kim Jong Il. [...]

The Guardian had this to say about a past Arirang:

As well as being technically astonishing - one foreign defence official said the military drills were the best he had seen - it is emotionally compelling. Mythologised or not, the story of the Korean peninsula is a genuine tear-jerker. Over the past century, it has been brutalised by Japan, devastated by war, divided by superpowers and plagued by famine, floods, dire leadership and a political system at odds with the rest of the world.

This makes the message more complicated than that of the rallies by the Third Reich or the Soviet Union . . .

If you say so. In a current essay, Christopher Hitchens observes:

The shattering statistic that everybody now knows about North Korea is that its citizens are on average 5 to 6 inches shorter than South Koreans. And by that I mean to say "on average"—it seems to be true even of North Korean soldiers. The stunting and shortening of the children of the last famine generation may be still more heartbreaking when we come to measure it.

All the blather about "mental power" isn't so funny, ultimately.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Is it Paranoia Day in Iran?

Being Iranian and supporting the regime means constantly being on-guard for enemy plots. One of a spate of current articles in the Iranian press stressing the need for vigilance is this one from Fars: "Official Warns of Aliens' Efforts to Spark Velvet Revolution in Iran":

Representative of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Eastern Azerbaijan province Hojjatoleslam Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari on Tuesday warned of enemy efforts to overthrow the Islamic Establishment, saying that the aliens played an obvious role in the post-election frenzy in Iran.

"According to the straight confessions of those detainees who worked in the British embassy, the alien countries, specially Britain, very obviously embarked on interfering in Iran's affairs before and after the election in an effort to incite seditions, specially in Tehran, to stage a velvet revolution and coup with the support of certain elements in Iran," Shabestari stressed.

He further underlined that Britain's attempts to regain its lost hegemony over Iran have once again ended in failure. [...]

Britannia doesn't rule those waves. Another Fars headline reads "Commander Warns about Enemy's Plot to Target Iranians' Unity":

Commander of the Basij (volunteer) forces Hojjatoleslam Hossein Taeb here on Tuesday cautioned that enemies of the Islamic Republic have hatched plots to sow seeds of discord among the Iranian nation.

"The enemy always strives to hinder unity among the (Iranian) people and seeks to attain its devilish goals through sowing discord as a means of soft threat," Taeb said, addressing a huge gathering of Basiji forces.

He called on the elites of Basij to inform people of the different aspects of the enemies' plans against the Islamic Republic in a bid to defuse such plots. [...]

But wait there's more! "IRGC Commander Calls for All-out Confrontation against Soft Threats":

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari on Tuesday called for comprehensive efforts in all the cultural, economic, political and social grounds to confront the soft threats posed against the Islamic Republic.

"IRGC's strategy for confrontation with soft threats comprises preventative measures, full intelligence information on the type of a given threat and the time of its occurrence and plans for preventing its occurrence and formation," Jafari noted. [...]

Sounds like they've got it all covered. Turning to Iranian coverage of the Zionist entity, a headline at IRIB reads "Hezbollah: Israel, no longer decision maker." According to "Hezbollah's International Relations officer Ammar Moussawi":

. . . if Israel ventures upon another military strike on Lebanon, the magnitude of Lebanon's response would be far greater than that of the 33-day war.

But who is the "decision maker"?

Moussawi added that "we believe these Israeli threats cannot be translated into action. You know that any decision about going to war in the region is made by the United States with the presence of over 200,000 US troops in the region, Israel can no longer make decision on its own."

Also at IRIB, Hamas declares that "Resistance forced Zionists to quit Gaza":

[...] In reaction to the recent remarks of the Zionist regime's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, [Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman] Abu Ubaida said it is not strange that the leader of the Zionist terrorists expresses regret over its forces' flight from the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu had said on Monday that withdrawal from the Gaza Strip did not bring peace and security for Israel.

Abu Ubaida added the withdrawal was a defeat for the Zionists. [...]

Glad we all agree on something!

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Ahmadinejad on heads and ceilings

I had forgotten that Journalist Day in Iran falls in early August. Journalist Day is especially meaningful this year and finds Ahmadinejad explaining that his earlier comments about slamming heads into ceilings was only in reference to the bullying powers:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he will slam the heads of those countries which 'interfered' in the country's post-vote events “into the ceiling.”

Opposition newspaper, Etemad-e Melli last week reported that during a meeting with the Association of Basiji Scholars in the northeastern city of Mashhad the president had issued a warning to the opposition.

"Let the swearing-in ceremony occur," it quoted him as saying. "Then we will take them by the collar and slam their heads into the ceiling."

On Saturday, however, Ahmadinejad said his comments had been distorted by the media.

"After speaking at the meeting a number of media outlets reported that I was referring to my opponents, but I was in fact referring to the bulling and interfering powers," he said during a ceremony on the occasion of Journalist Day.

"Even after we informed them of their mistake they continued their physiological warfare against the new government," he added. [...]

"Physiological warfare"?? What is the World Arrogance up to now? Does this explain why Ahmadinejad turned green? Meanwhile, we learn at IRIB that "Western states, the UK in particular, played a key role in recent street riots aiming at soft overthrow of the Islamic system":

An indictment read by the deputy Tehran prosecutor in the second hearing session of the indictees of the post-election riots has said Western states, the UK in particular, played a key role in recent street riots aiming at soft overthrow of the Islamic system.

The indictment was read at the beginning of the second hearing for the accused charged with committing “organized and pre-planned offenses” to disturb public order and security with the participation of foreign powers.

The trial began at the 15th branch of the Revolutionary Court for a number of suspects including French national Clotilde Reiss, and an Iranian female staff of the French Embassy in Tehran.

The indictment accused Western states of “hypocritically supporting the human rights and using their radio and television networks to coordinate their public diplomacy against Iran.”

It also accused the Western states of “making efforts to trigger unrests in Iran by supporting the reformists, allocating lofty budgets to them, causing rifts between people and the Islamic establishment, training non-governmental organizations as well as journalists and human rights activists to mar the image of Iran to the outside world and create new websites” to move in this direction. [...]

According to Fars, Clotilde Reiss confessed and stated "I shouldn't have participated in the illegal demonstration and shouldn't have sent the pictures, I am regretful." A New York Times article featuring a picture of Reiss in the same garb that appears in the picture accompanying the Fars article is entitled "Iranian Official Acknowledges Torture of Protesters." That title doesn't refer to Reiss, but she is probably scared out of her wits anyway.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Ahmadinejad turns green

A PressTV article about Ahmadinejad's swearing in is accompanied by a really strange picture:

Amid a heavy security presence around Parliament blocking out opposition protests as Iran's president takes the oath of office, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad begins his second term.

Nearly two months after the election that sparked mass protests in Iran over its official result, President Ahmadinejad was sworn in on Wednesday.

According to a Press TV correspondent, thousands of security and Basij forces with their motorcycles were present in the areas around Baharestan square, near the Iranian Parliament.

Parliament News reported that more than 5,000 security forces were guarding the downtown block while other reports said officers with sniffer dogs patrolled the area searching for possible bombs. [...]

Nothing ruins an inauguration like a few bombs. Nevetheless, Ahmadinejad's claims that he is sometimes bathed in an other-worldly light now seem to have been confirmed. Bombs presumably can't hurt him in this state, but it is better not to reveal superhuman powers unnecessarily.

Dear Leader and Imperialist Clinton give joint field-guidance at Hugnam Fertilizer Complex

As you have probably read by now, Bill Clinton has secured the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee. It is certainly preferable to get the two imprisoned journalists back from North Korea as reasonably intact human beings now rather than as broken, Kim-worshiping wretches 12 years from now. They will be making a revolutionary Songun upsurge and enjoying the great powerful prosperous life available almost anywhere except North Korea.

The trade-off, of course, is that Bill Clinton had to go act like a broken, Kim-worshiping wretch. You can accomplish a great deal by negotiating from a position of weakness, as John Bolton put it, as long as you are willing to sacrifice your own interests to an even greater extent. The only thing comforting about granting propaganda victories as ransom is that propaganda victories are, after all, intangible. Perhaps we can neutralize the ransom just paid by stressing that the 23 million people who make up North Korea's population still await release from their prison-camp.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Guardian: Ayatollah in trouble, Zionist entity hampering Obama from finishing him off

See if you can follow this:

Mr Khamenei has to weigh each step he takes knowing he has already lost the loyalty of half of the country. Mr Mousavi's past links to the Islamic Republic's founding father, Ayatollah Khomeini, has until now made him untouchable. And he represents a growing dilemma for a supreme leader who has unexpectedly lost his magic aura. Do nothing, and the crisis continues. Throw Mousavi in jail and Iran could become ungovernable. [...]

Just the situation that would enable Obama to solve the Iran problem if not for a sinister force . . .

As the price for taking a strong line over settlements, Mr Obama has been placatory with Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, about the need to face up to Iran. Mr Netanyahu has made no secret of his desire to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities. One way and another, Mr Obama has been bounced into setting an early September deadline for Iran to reply to the US offer of talks. [...]

A premature conflict with the US over sanctions could prove the salvation of a beleaguered supreme leader and his tarnished president. The only way they can explain this level of domestic unrest to their nation is to blame it on the interference of foreign powers, Britain and the US – the old enemy behaving to stereotype. What chance then for Iran's opposition? Mr Obama does not need to follow this timetable, which is dictated more by Israel than it is by a considered US assessment of Iran's uranium enrichment capacity. Mr Obama should not hand Ayatollah Khamenei victory on a plate.

The idea here is that real pressure on Iran will suddenly make the Iranians stop having doubts and believe whatever the government says? Why doesn't this editor consider the possibility that disgust with Khomeinism on the part of ordinary Iranians has been building for years? If the current government brings effective sanctions down upon the heads of its unwilling subjects, I don't think it will suddenly recover the lost "loyalty of half the country." It hasn't had the loyalty of a substantial number of Iranians for a long time.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Fars News: Anti-Government protester forced to confess to IRGC crimes?

That's what it looks like, doesn't it?

One of the rioters detained in Iran's post-election unrests confessed that he had used the uniform of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) during unrests to attack people with hand-made grenades.

Meisam Qorbani, who has confessed to his acts of sabotage including his misuse of IRGC uniform and attacking people with hand-made grenade and Cocktail Molotov during post election unrests in Iran, has been charged with acting against the country's national security.

In the confessions made during the interrogations and court trial, Qorbani admitted that he tried to spark tension among street rioters by using hand-made grenades.

The inmate also confessed that he had used the uniform to pretend that he was acting upon orders in a bid to escape arrest.

During unrests after June 12 presidential election Commander of the Basij (volunteer) forces announced identification and arrest of a gang of rioters who wore police or Basij uniforms to stir unrests and conduct operations of sabotage following the announcement of June 12 presidential election results. [...]

In another inversion of reality from Iran, Mehr News reports, "Leader calls election glorious":

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has called the June 12 presidential election glorious.

The participation of 85 percent of eligible voters in the recent presidential election showed the people’s attachment to their achievements over the past 30 years, Ayatollah Khamenei said in the document officially endorsing the second term of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which was read out at the endorsement ceremony, which was held in Tehran on Monday.

“The people’s decisive and unprecedented vote for the elected president is a vote approving the four-year performance of the ninth administration,” part of the document said.

The election was in fact a vote in favor of the campaign against arrogance, brave resistance against international hegemonists, the campaign against poverty and corruption, and the administration’s strenuous efforts, Ayatollah Khamenei wrote in the document. [...]

This last sentence is interesting, however:

"I wish him and his colleagues success in serving the people… obviously the people’s vote and my endorsement will last as long as he sticks to this path," he added.

A little warning there?

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

How Libya reports the news from Israel

Just a little tidbit:

Forces of the Terrorist Zionist Army Organization arrested 11 Palestinians early Monday during a wide arrest campaign across the West Bank.

Palestinian sources said Zionist forces arrested 8 Palestinians and foreign supporter during an incursion into the village of Baleen, west Ramallah, West Bank, which is witnessing weekly protests against the racial separation wall. [...]

The science behind cholent

Ever learn that the four basic tastes are "sweet, sour, salt, and bitter"? There is a fifth taste evidently, and it's cholent:

MSG is a flavor enhancer in foods—some believe it may even provide a fifth basic taste sensation (in addition to sweet, sour, salt, and bitter), what the Japanese call "umami" (roughly translated as "tastiness"). MSG is considered an "excitotoxin," since its action in the body is to excite neurotransmitters (important brain chemicals), causing nerve cells to discharge and also exciting nerves related to taste.

What does this have to to with cholent (if the identification of the fifth tatse with "tastiness" didn't convince you)?

slow-cooking tends to cause small amounts of glutamic acid to be released from the protein sources (e.g., meat, chicken) in the recipe.

Natural MSG, in other words, is "released" from the meat in your cholent. According to Wikipedia,

All meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, as well as kombu are excellent sources of glutamic acid. Some protein-rich plant foods also serve as sources.

So the beans in a great deal of cholent and the eggs in Sephardi cholent figure in there somewhere also. The article I have been quoting wants you to cut back on MSG and would probably disapprove of cholent, but I'm not giving up mine and I trust you feel the same way. Now you have a greater appreciation for why it tastes good. We conclude with a reprise of the official theme of cholent-related blogging. Don't fear the cholent:

Shabbos Afternoon
What's that on my spoon
I got a sinking suspicion
That if bears some resemblance to food
We can really eat it

Come on Yidden . . . Don't fear the cholent
It ain't got no greens . . . Don't fear the cholent
We'll be able to shluff . . . Don't fear the cholent
Meat, potatoes, and beans . . .

Yankel Stein is done
Food but now its gone
Romeo and Juliet
Went wherever dead Gentiles go
Romeo and Juliet . . .

Probably a lot of folks are shluffin now . . . like Romeo and Juliet
But not in any big Italian afterlife . . . Gettin up for Mincha
Probably a lot of folks are shluffin now . . . we can be like they are

Come on Yidden. . .Don't fear the cholent
It ain't got no greens. . . Don't fear the cholent
We'll be able to shluff . . . Don't fear the cholent
Meat, potatoes, and beans . . .

Food for two is one
Here but now it's gone
Came the last bite of cholent
It was clear that was it for the meat
The bowl was empty, drool was on the beard
The guests got up and then disappeared
The eyelids drooped and then shluff appeared
Saying don't be afraid . . .

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Iran Foreign Minister: "Britain has the darkest history of interference in Iran’s elections"

Some denunciation of the Middle-sized Satan:

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said from all western countries, Britain has the darkest history of interference in Iran’s elections.

Making the remarks while addressing worshipers prior to the weekly Friday Prayers, he highlighted the hostile attitude of Britain towards all issues related the Islamic Republic of Iran and said London’s interventionist plots have always met failure thanks to the resistance of the Iranian nation.

He further noted that all those foreign TV networks and channels which taught the ways of creating unrest, making explosive and other forms of hooligan actions during the programs had actually involved and had a hand in all the crimes and the murders committed in Iran after the recent elections and had to answer for their actions.

Saying that some western countries failed to leave an acceptable record of behavior after the presidential elections in Iran, the Foreign Minister said they mobilized all there means and potentials to interfere in Iranian elections but failed.

He said the western countries had come to believe that the Islamic Republic was stuck in a situation using which they could create yet other evil conditions for Iran but, much to their dismay and interestingly enough, they had to ultimately admit that in their classified documents and reports that Iran enjoyed complete stability. [...]

Sometimes a headline on one of the Iranian press sites almost sounds like a left-wing blog post title. According to a PressTV headline: "Israel pulls anti-Semitism card on Venezuela":

Tel Aviv has accused the administration Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez of cooperating with Israel's enemies and supporting anti-Semitism.

On the last leg of his South American tour, hawkish Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman expressed concern about the collaboration between Chavez and what he called "radical branches of Islam".

The remark follows Israel's claim that Venezuela hosts cells of Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah - an allegation that that Tel Aviv has so far failed to prove.

Dorit Shavit, who accompanies Lieberman on his 10-day visit, made the same claim in Argentina, which is home to the largest Jewish community in the region. [...]

A good rule, often, about headlines in the Iranian Press is that the truth is the opposite of what the headline claims. A Fars headline reads "Ahmadinejad: No Differences between Supreme Leader, President":

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the enemies' dream of seeing differences between the Supreme Leader and the president of Iran would never come true.

The president made the remark in northeastern city of Mashhad on Friday while addressing an academic and research gathering of the faculty members of Iranian universities.

He stressed that his relationship to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei was that of a son with his father based on beliefs, the Islamic republic news agency reported.

Noting that in the past few days a few people have been trying to make the false impression of differences between the Supreme Leader and the president, he said, such people were ignorant of the fact that the essence of the relationship between the two could never be contained within the format of administrative and political interaction due to the fact that it was deeply rooted in love and beliefs and resembled the feeling existing between a father and his son.

Ahmadinejad said the evil souls who were trying to make such an impression in the society would inevitably meet failure and carry such a dream with themselves to graves.

Stressing the different nature of the notion of "elections" in two systems of liberal thinking and the thinking which focused on following the guidelines of the Supreme Leader, he also said elections in the system of the Islamic Republic was held as a part of general route leading to progress, sublimity and ideal-seeking spirit of the Iranian nation.

The president said the recent elections in Iran in fact challenged the dominance of wealth, partisanism and media as tools of the hegemonic powers in ruling the society and introduced a new model of progress to the whole humanity and that is exactly why west is so angry with Iran. [...]

Now progressives all over the world are clamoring for the system of thinking which focuses on following the guidelines of the Supreme Leader!

Crossposted on Soccer Dad