Mehr News: "Iran has 1,600 working centrifuges: official"

And they'll have fun, fun, fun 'til the Jewboys take the c-fuge away:

“Iran is installing 3,000 centrifuges at the Natanz complex and currently has 1,600 active centrifuges,” the deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) said in a meeting with commanders of the Tehran Basij resistance forces on Friday.

Today, the United States and other Western countries are making serious efforts to control and alter Iran’s behavior, Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli stated.

“The idea of war against Iran is a vain idea,” he said, adding that the Western world is the world of profit-consciousness and will not engage in such a war which would lead only to loss.

That's a new one.

He estimated the probability of a military action against Iran as “very weak, almost near zero” but added the country would maintain its defense capabilities.

A country entrapped in Iraq and Afghanistan that seeks Iran’s help regarding Iraq can not confront Iran, he argued.

He stated that the Iran-U.S. dispute is of a strategic nature because Iran has threatened U.S. interests in the world.

Tags: Iran, nukes, centrifuges

ISNA: "Hezbollah aims at freeing Palestine"

Hizbullah does not seem to have much interest in the wellbeing of Lebanon, does it?

Hezbollah's representative to Iran stated that Hezbollah's aim was to free Palestine from the hands of occupiers.

Abuhassan Zaatir emphasized that the Zionist regime was an imposed regime to the Middle East, which its only purpose was to weaken Arab states.

"This regime was imposed to the region not because world powers were concerned about Zionists after World War II, it was because they wanted to create a base against the region within the Middle East," he said.

This official also regarding relations between Iran and Hezbollah and whether this organization would back up the Islamic Republic of Iran if the U.S. was to attack, this official noted that Iran and Hezbollah were not related only politically.

"We are like brothers, and if ever this happened we would most certainly aid Iran," he stated.

Tags: Iran, Hizbullah, Israel, Palestinians

Amir Taheri: "How Ahmadinejad is Taking the Americans for a Ride"

The Ayatollah's boasting pronouncements about the upcoming talks should convince anyone that Iran is up to no good. In the present article Amir Taheri fills in some of the internal Iranian political background:

[...] The proposed talks come as a timely booster for Ahmadinejad whose administration is facing a deepening economic crisis. The crisis is in part prompted by widespread fears that his provocative policies may lead to a military confrontation with the United States and its regional allies. Ahmadinejad's opponents within the Khomeinist regime have used those fears as a key theme in their campaign to win control of the Islamic Majlis ( parliament) in the next general election, expected to take place in the spring of 2008.

Ahmadinejad, however, has always claimed that he knows how to "handle" the Americans.

"I know them better than themselves," he boasted just weeks after his election as president. "I have been studying the Americans for more than twenty years."

Ahmadinejad's key campaign theme against his opponents within the system is simple: people like former Presidents Rafsanjani and Khatami underestimated the power of the Islamic Revolution and underestimated the power of the United States. Thus, they were prepared to offer concessions that were never necessary.

They key example that Ahmadinejad cites is Khatami's decision to accept a suspension of Iran's uranium enrichment program as part of a deal with the European Union. Ahmadinejad has resumed the program without provoking the much-dreaded American military retaliation.

Ahmadinejad believes that the only power with the potential to prevent the Islamic Republic from achieving is strategic goals is the United States. At the same time, he believes that the US is so plagued by its internecine political rivalries that it in no position to project the degree of power necessary to stop the Khomeinist advance. The best strategy for the Islamic Republic, therefore, is to talk to the US but continue doing exactly as it pleases.

The Baghdad talks will not produce any positive results either for Iraq or the United States. But they could help Ahmadinejad outflank his domestic opponents ahead of next year's elections. His message is clear: the Bush administration refused to talk to Khatami whose administration had adopted a conciliatory posture, but is now courting a genuinely revolutionary regime in Tehran. Conclusion: the US talks only to those prepared to kick it in the teeth!

You just "read the rest." Read what led up to it.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tags: Iran, Ahmadinejad, Ayatollah, Iraq

IRIB: "Australia funding terrorism: Zimbabwe"

Zimbabwe is, of course, the country of "Mugabe, the valiant African figure":

Zimbabwe's government on Thursday accused Canberra of funding terrorist activities in the African nation.

Zimbabwe's Information Minister Sikyaniso Ndlovu said Howard's government was trying to topple Mugabe by funding political violence in Zimbabwe through cash channelled to aid groups and vowed the bid would be thwarted.

"The monies that come to them are to cause violence, terrorist activities," Ndlovu told the Australian broadcasting corporation.

"I've got a list, a long list of their terrorist activities here."

"We will not tolerate violence by the puppets here who are funded by the Australian government," he said.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Update: See the BBC version of this story.

Tags: Iran, Zimbabwe, Howard, Australia, Mugabe

Linkim 5/17/07

Asharq Alawsat: "Moderation Despite the RAND Corporation!"

MENL: "Abbas Forces Flee Hamas fighters"

Captain's Quarters: "Hamas Starting A Wider War"

Canadian Jewish News: "Aboriginal leader sees Israel as model"

Yeshiva World: "North Miami Beach community in protest tonight!!"

Arutz Sheva: "Hamas Blame Game: Everybody But Syria and Iran"

Arutz Sheva: "Report: Closer ties between Hamas and Al Qaeda"

Tags: Israel, Palestinains, Hamas, Fatah, Gaza

Tehran Times: "Provocateurs pitting brother against brother in Palestine?"

Iran blames Israel for the fighting between Hamas and Fatah. File this under barely newsworthy:

The recurrence of bloody clashes between the supporters of Hamas and Fatah in Gaza is a sad sight for all Muslims.

Only the Zionists benefit when one Palestinian kills another Palestinian.

The clashes could be considered treason against the ideals of the Palestinian nation, which has been resisting occupation for six decades.

Such incidents disappoint all human rights activists and conscientious people across the globe, who have sorrowfully observed the suffering of Palestinians for many years now.

“I prefer death to these days; death is much better than these moments when a brother kills his brother,” said Yousef Almadhoun, a 77-year-old man from the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahiya as carried by the International Middle East Media Center.

Taking advantage of the situation to throw salt on the wounds, an Israeli jet bombed a Hamas training camp in southern Gaza on Wednesday.

Palestinians are currently being pressured from two sides: a relentless and brutal occupation and an economic embargo imposed by Western countries to punish them for voting for Hamas in a democratic election that the international community acknowledged was free and fair.

Internecine fighting only adds to the many problems of the Palestinians and diverts them farther away from their goals.

The Islamist camp of Hamas and the secular nationalist camp of Fatah must realize that infighting at this critical juncture will only undermine the liberation movement.

Both camps should put aside their differences, at least for the time being, and strive for national unity in order to reach the common goal of an independent Palestinian state.

Obviously, the Israelis are trying to maintain their control of the occupied territories by pursuing the age-old strategy of divide and rule.

Thus, the Palestinians must be clever and avoid the traps laid by the enemy.

Indeed, many observers believe that agents provocateurs are behind the current violence in Palestine.

If the Palestinians do not formulate a grand strategy soon and promptly implement it, they will be making a very big mistake. [...]

Tags: Iran, Israel, Palestinians, Fatah, Hamas

IRIB: Iran "approved to remind the Americans of their duties regarding Iraqi security"

The Ayatollah explains that Iran isn't violating its "no-talk, no-ties" policy. Note the reference to "some domestic parties":

Islamic Revolution Leader Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei Tuesday drew a line under the role of Alims (Islamic leaders) in society, adding that during the last two centuries, the Rohaniyat (community of Iranian religious leaders) has been keeping the leading role in the national combat against colonialism.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a speech to an audience of prominent Alims and Islamic jurisprudence students Tuesday in the northeast Iranian pilgrimage city of Mashhad.

The IR Leader reminded the audience of a barrage of enmities against the values which Imam Khomeini, the departed and the Islamic Revolution had estblished in the course of the past 27 years.

"In spite of all these ill-wills, presently the values of revolution and Imam the departed stands as the last word and popular stance in society and the Administration openly takes pride in them," Ayatollah Khamenei said.

In the same regard, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to a sense of joy on the part of some domestic parties after IRI agreed talks with America, blaming their joy on their supposition that the country had distance itself from the said values.

"Those who suppose the Islamic Republic of Iran may change its solid, logical and thoroughly defensible policy of not having talks or ties with America are gravely mistaken," Ayatollah Khamenei affirmed.

"How could one talk with an arrogant, bullying, expansionist and colonizing American government especially in tenure of its current rude, disrespectful and insolent authorities?" the Leader of Islamic Revolution said.

Concerning prospective talks between representatives of Iran and America about Iraq, Ayatollah Khamenei declared, "since America, as occupying government, has flouted its obligations to restore security in Iraq and even has folded the hand of Iraqi government, tries to make it topple and supports terrorists, the (Iranian) Foreign Ministry at the call of the Iraqi government approved to remind the Americans of their duties regarding Iraqi security in a face-to-face talk and so have it take its final chance."

"This talk is in fact a talk scheduled to be held early last year where Americans dragged feet. However, this time they have submitted a written request for the talk," Ayatollah Khamenei added.

"They (Americans) say they will not talk about any other issues except Iraq. And we tell them even the Iraqi issue does not concern you and the talks are only over the duty of the occupiers about the security of Iraq," the IR Leader underlined.

Ayatollah Khamenei confirmed that the I. R. of Iran's policy of no-talk, no-ties would remain the same as long as the arrogant government refuses to change its policies.

The IR Leader also made some remarks about the obligations and position of Islamic Alims where the honorable hailed the undertaking as a follow-up to the position of the Divine Messengers and thereby bearing a great honor for the Rohaniyat.

"Their responsibility is indeed parallel to that of the messengers," Ayatollah Khamenei said, urging the Islamic Alims to undertake those obligations namely to establish justice in society whatever difficulties they face.

Ayatollah Khamenei underlined that at present the most important duty of Rohaniyat and jurisprudence schools is to identify needs of time, equip themselves with modern scientific means and strong reasoning, preserve independence, keep a close contact with masses, improve their political understanding, keep alert to menaces and combat against deviation and superstition.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tags: Iran, Ayatollah, Iraq

Good stuff (!) on Israel and the Palestinians (!!) at DKos (!!!)

IRIB: "after the World War II, the big powers staged theatrical play to bring Jews to Palestine"

The Minister dispenses some Islamic Guidance in the form of a history lesson:

Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Hossein Saffar Harandi said on Sunday that after the World War II, the big powers staged theatrical play to bring Jews to Palestine.

Saffar Harandi made the remarks in the seminar on 'Shaping Zionism' at the technical and engineering college of Kermanshah.

He said that both the Western states and even the former Soviet Union regarded their Jewish communities as problematic creating nuisance and looked for ways to send them elsewhere.

"The former Soviet Union followed a double track approach in dealing with departure of Jewish community to Palestine. It helped the departure to have a base in the Middle East to check the Arab states and Palestine liberation movement both during and after occupation of Palestinian territory by the Zionists," he noted.

"The former Soviet Union had successfully attracted most of the Palestinian nationalist groups campaigning for liberating their homeland with socialist beliefs."

Saffar Harandi said that at the same time the Middle East countries were divided into two groups, certain states were under domain of the US and others were under influence of the former Soviet Union.

He said that the same perspective was still the case until the Islamic Revolution culminated in Iran and since the Islamic Revolution was cultural by nature, the nations in the region simply got message from Iran.

He said that Iran was a base for the US and the Islamic Revolution changed the balance prompting the big powers to orchestrate a war on Iran.

"It was the first time America and the former Soviet Union formed an alliance to impose war on a developing nation."

Iranian nation powerfully defended their territorial integrity in front of all world big powers during the Iraqi-imposed war (1980-1988), he said.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tags: Iran, Israel, Iraq, Islamic Guidance

Rabbi explains why CAIR doesn't condemn Hizbullah and Hamas

Rabbi Arthur Waskow recently attended a CAIR dinner. In the course of an article for the Philadelphia Jewish voice he accuses CAIR's critics of McCarthyism and seeks to counter some of the event's unfavorable press coverage. In the following passage he clears up a little misunderstanding:

. . . there is one outlook of CAIR's that has led to criticism. CAIR strongly condemns terrorist actions, but not whole organizations.

To many American Jews, its unwillingness to make a blanket condemnation of Hamas or Hezbollah seems contradictory, if it really opposes terrorism --- because most US Jews, and the US Government, define Hezbollah and Hamas as simply terrorist groups.

But CAIR points to the complex reality in which both groups are simultaneously woven of strands that include social-service organizations with schools and medical clinics, etc.; political parties; friendship groups and ethno-religious communities; police forces; and military / terrorist agents. Much of the non-military parts of this complex, in both organizations, meets real needs on the ground, and much of it is woven into Palestinian or Lebanese society.

Indeed, there is considerable evidence that inside Hamas, at least, there are different sub-groups with competing views and policies about terror and violence. Careful ethical challenges to the use of terror could actually help strengthen the peaceful forces. So CAIR's view is that to condemn the whole organization outright, as distinct from specific terrorist actions, is to demonize all its parts instead of trying to peel away the disgusting actions that CAIR does oppose.

To me this view roused some interesting echoes of my own criticisms of parts of the so-called Left that attack Israel --- the whole society or its whole government --- instead of condemning specific aggressive and oppressive policies and actions of the Israeli government.

Perhaps there is some way to condemn specific actions while naming, but not condemning, the organizations that are partly involved --- as I do when I condemn particular actions of the Israeli government, naming it while not attacking the government as a whole. [...]

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tags: CAIR, Hamas, Hizbullah

Al Ahram: Palestinians embracing Al-Qaeda--it's the West's fault

There is evidently a growing Al-Qaeda presence among the Palestinians. Media coverage of it has been murky so far, but in this article it emerges as a major trend (although, of course, we drove them to it):

[...] From the very beginning, the Salafis had sought to convince Hamas to refrain from taking part in the elections, arguing that the West, especially America, was not sincere about the issue of democracy and that Western powers were only using the issue to weaken Islam and serve their own imperialistic interests.

And when the US, Israel, the EU and most Arab regimes imposed an exceptionally harsh economic, financial and political blockade on the Hamas-led Palestinian government, which pushed the bulk of Palestinian society on to the brink of poverty, the Salafis and others, like Hizb Al-Tahrir, confronted erstwhile proponents of Hamas's participation in elections, telling them "didn't we tell you so?"

It is thus widely presumed that many, if not most, of those joining the ranks of Al-Qaeda, particularly in the Gaza Strip, are actually former Hamas supporters and members who have come to the conclusion that the West's real purpose is to destroy Islam, not to promote democracy, and that the only way to stop this is through Jihad.

The current refusal of the West, including the EU, to lift the embargo on the government of national unity is enforcing and probably vindicating such convictions among many Palestinians (and obviously among many other Arabs in neighbouring countries), thus facilitating the recruitment of more and more converts to Al-Qaeda's cause.

The growth of similar organisations in the occupied Palestinian territories, and possibly among Palestinians in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria as well, will have serious ramifications on the Palestinian cause itself, given the nearly nihilistic approach adopted by these people.

Indeed, Al-Qaeda believes in an existential confrontation until the very end, with the enemy. It regards the latter as being, not only the US and Israel, but any group or government or people that hamper the attainment of its goals. In this light, the list of potential enemies of Al-Qaeda includes Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as well as the Muslim Brotherhood, who reject many aspects of Al-Qaeda's ideology.

Hence, it is feared that the emergence of Al-Qaeda or similar groups as significant political players in the Palestinian arena could redefine the entire Palestinian struggle for freedom from the Israeli occupation.

Moreover, it is an almost foregone conclusion that Israel stands to benefit from the strengthening of Al-Qaeda amongst Palestinians, especially in the short run, as it will enable Israel to claim that it has a common cause with the West in combating "Islamic terror", thus obtaining an additional excuse to consolidate its occupation and theft of Palestinian land.

As mentioned earlier, the growth of Al-Qaeda in Palestine will expectedly be at the expense of such Islamic movements as Hamas, a comparatively moderate movement that is open to compromise.

The key word is "comparatively," I suppose.

Hence, it is likely that Hamas will undertake a campaign to educate Palestinians against the dangers of Al-Qaeda's nihilistic ideology, especially following the recent acrimonious exchanges between itself and Al-Qaeda's second in command, Ayman El-Zawahri. He castigated Hamas for signing the Mecca Agreement with Fatah on 8 February, which he called a "sellout".

In fact, Hamas-affiliated Muslim scholars are already engaging some Salafi activists, trying to convince them that their way of thinking is not compatible with authentic Islam. [...]

That's a relief.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tags: Israel, Palestinians, Hamas, Al-Qaeda, Salafism

PressTV (Iran): "Plans to relocate UN headquarter"

It doesn't seem that there are any actual plans to relocate the UN headquarters, but an Iranian official has made a "decision" that it would be a good idea:

A top Iranian foreign policy official says White House's behaviors have made the United States an unqualified host for the United Nations.

Chairman of Iran's parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said that all UN members agree on changing the home of the UN headquarter from New York and revising the international organization's charter.

He added that all major changes in the UN should be made according to the charter and agreed upon by a majority of the member states.

Boroujerdi said that the decision to relocate the UN headquarter from New York is a reaction to the steps taken by the White House.

"America has proved that it lacks the qualifications required to host the United Nations," he concluded.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tags: Iran, UN

Al Qassam Brigades Information Office: "Al-Aqsa mosque in real Danger"

There is a very long tradition of agitation against the Jews involving the idea of schemes to destroy the Al-Asqa mosque.

Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Islamic movement inside the occupied territories in 1948, said that the coming days will witness a very serious attempts to launch attacks affecting Al Aqsa mosque in direct way.

Sheikh Salah said that the city of Jerusalem is exposing to judaize continuously through a Zionist gradually scheme. He emphasized that the occupation authorities were still demolishing part of the Al Aqsa Mosque. He considered that this crime is just the beginning of the serious crimes.

Sheikh Raed Salah, declared that there is a new Zionist scheme to start new demolitions and new drillings near the Al Aqsa Mosque in the few coming days. He mentioned that the drilling will be in "Al Buraq" plaza under its ground.

Sheikh Salah said: "The occupation authorities conditioned on the contractors that Applicants for the tender must have a previous experience in the demolition works in sensitive areas. And the contractor has small trucks could enter the area of "Al Buraq" Wall. The Zionist authorities stipulated that the demolition works begin at the night and end at the morning. All of these actions are executed under full supervision of the Zionist security institution.

He added: "The document revealed the new Zionist scheme, it said that they will remove a very large quantities of stones and soil. According to this document, the stones and the soil will be transported to places under the control of the Zionist security. He said: "That process will be wider and deeper than the demolition works currently happening under Al Magharba gate, which began on February 6th, 2007, today they are preparing to implement a new destructive steps against Al Aqsa Mosque.[...]

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tags: Israel, Palestinians, Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa

Linkim 5/13/07

Haveil Havalim 116 is up! Carnival of the Insanities is up!

Steyn observes that "Fortress America's gate is open."

EOZ reports that "Hamas and Fatah [are] back to their natural selves"

DKos: "Should we even be talking about Israel?"

DKos: "What Community Standards Do We Want for I/P?"

DKos: "A Daily Kos Mideast Modus Vivendi"

Campus Watch: "UC Berkeley's Hatem Bazian: Academic or Activist?"

Tags: blogs, J-blogs, MiddleEast, Israel, Palestinians, terror

Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades commander shot, apparently, by members of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades is what Fatah's armed wing is now called, ever since they decided that it was good policy to sound less Marxist and more Islamist. The story just says that the Al-Aqsa commander was killed by Hamas, but naming the Hamas "Brigades" brings out the symmetry in the situation, don't you think? From the AP by way of Jpost.com:

A commander affiliated with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement was shot dead on Sunday, in the most serious attack since Abbas launched a new security plan aimed at calming a wave of violence in the Gaza Strip last week.

Fatah quickly blamed militants from the rival Hamas group, with whom it shares power in the Palestinian government. There was no immediate comment from Hamas.

The dead man was identified as 32-year-old Baha Abu Jarad of the Al Aksa Martyrs' Brigades. He was shot while driving through the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, and later died of his wounds, hospital officials said.

"This is a cowardly assassination attempt carried out by the enemy of our people and suspicious criminals who want to blow up the Palestinian internal arena," a spokesman for Al Aqsa said before Abu Jarad died.

"We are not going to hesitate to pursue the criminals behind this shooting and punish them," he added.

Fatah issued a statement accusing Hamas of carrying out the shooting.

Since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, the area has experienced a wave of infighting, armed robberies, deadly family feuds and kidnappings.

Hamas and Fatah formed their unity government in March with the aim of restoring calm. The alliance has brought a lull in factional fighting, but crime and violence remain rampant in Gaza.

However, in recent days, factional tensions have heated up after Abbas ordered 3,000 police to fan out across lawless Gaza City on Thursday without coordinating the deployment with Hamas.

The latest round of violence has been the fiercest since Hamas and Fatah teamed up to share power.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tags: Hamas, Fatah, armedwings, Israel, Palestinians

IRIB: "Palestinian Resistance defeats US"

Each of the first four paragraphs contains the word "plots":

Member of Algerian national reform movement parliamentary fraction, Hassan Aribi told Qodsna on Sunday that America tries to cross out Palestinian cause by misusing Arab peace plan, adding that "all their plots have failed due to Palestinian resistance."

"Simultaneous with the expansion of Palestinian resistance and Zionist regime's defeat, Washington tries to cross out the Palestinian cause by designing new plots," Hassan Aribi warned.

"Unfortunately certain Arab states support the plots without paying attention to the Palestinian nation's rights and fate," senior parliament member added.

Pointing to Tel Aviv's plots to ignore Palestinian refugees' right to return, Aribi noted that "the Zionist regime displaced the Palestinians and exiled them to neighbouring Arab countries since the fake regime was established."

Aribi said that America and the Zionist regime aim to wipe Palestine off the map, warning that "the issue has approxiamately happened."

"Unfortunately they try to neglect Palestinian nation," he said.

"In order to achieve its goal, America has plans to settle the Palestinian refugees in the countries they have taken refuge with the support of certain Arab states," Aribi warned.

The lawmaker reiterated that the plan is an American-'Israeli' plot to completely destroy the Palestinian cause with the support of Arabs.

He regretted over certain Arab countries' dangerous act in giving citizenship right to Palestinians.

About the fate of Qods and Al-Aqsa mosque, Aribi said that the aim is that the Muslims forget these holy sites.

"They want to accelerate the Judasation of Qods," he warned.

Aribi said that the plot is more dangerous than settling Palestinians in other countries.

Pointing to the Islamic Revolution Leader's speech about Islamic harmony, the lawmaker said that the Muslims should rise and take practical measures in support of Al-Aqsa mosque and holy Quds.

"As the IR Leader urged, saving Al-Aqsa and Quds can not be achieved unless solidarity and Islamic unity establishes among Muslims," Aribi said.

"Qodsna" refers to the Palestinian Qods News Agency.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tags: Israel, Palestinians, Al-Aqsa, Iran

(North) Korean News: "Rodong Sinmun on Invincible Revolutionary Army"

Six rewrites of the same paragraph/sentence?

The Korean People's Army is displaying its grandiose sight as the powerful main force of the revolution while decorating its noble battle flag with victories, because it is incomparably strong in idea and faith, declares Rodong Sinmun in a signed article Friday, which reads in part:

The KPA is revolutionary ranks overflowing with the Songun idea and equipped with the spirit of devotedly defending the leader, the spirit of implementing his instructions to the last and the heroic self-sacrificing spirit.

The KPA has grown to be an invincible revolutionary army recording an ever-victorious history with the might of ideology as it holds in high esteem Kim Jong Il, a great man of Mt. Paektu, as the supreme commander of the revolutionary armed forces.

It is an ever-victorious revolutionary army devotedly defending the headquarters of the revolution with the might of ideology, a matchless revolutionary army immensely increasing its combat power and an invincible revolutionary army working miracles and creating ever-victorious heroic epic.

Our army is ready to become human bombs for the safety of the headquarters of the revolution. Its officers and men are always ready to courageously fight the enemy single-handed even far behind the enemy line in order to defend the authority of the headquarters and they do not hesitate to go through thick and thin to implement the orders and instructions of the headquarters.

It defended the blue sky of the country and demonstrated the dignity of Korean-style socialism to the whole world in each grim period when dark clouds of a nuclear war gathered in the sky above the country and imperialists came in attack on all sides. The KPA owes this to mighty combat power and matchless ideological might.

Rodong Sinmun is a newspaper, by the way.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tags: North Korea, Kim Jong Il, Juche-coupes, invincibility

"Economics is for Donkeys!"

The always interesting Amir Taheri reports that Iran is "Preparing for War and Heading Towards an Economic Crisis." He asks, "How did Iran get into this rather strange situation?"

[...] It all started with the late Ayatollah Khomeini declaring at the start of the revolution that what mattered was Islam and not the economy. In a notorious off-the-cuff comment, he dismissed the concerns of his first prime minister, Mehdi Bazargan, about the economy by simply noting that “Economics is for donkeys!”

Matters became further complicated when Muhammad-Ali Rajai, a schoolteacher who became prime minister and then president in 1981, introduced the concept of “khod-kafai” or “self sufficiency”. Rajai was blown up but his ideological heritage remained. Today, Ahmadinejad casts himself in the role of “a second Rajai”.

Rajai was, in fact, "blown up." That means what it sounds like.

Rajai believed that if Iran was incapable of building something itself it had better wait until it could do so at a later date. And that included oil refiners. With most Iranian technicians and engineers fleeing from the Khomeinist revolution in 1980 and 1981, there were few Iranians who knew how to build refineries. Thus pre-revolution plans to build 25 new oil refineries between 1980 and 2000 had to be shelved. The Khomeinist leadership would not allow the “infidel” to come and build refineries.

One of Rajai’s successors as President of the Islamic Republic, Ali-Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani tried to modify that ideological stance in the 1990s. Himself a businessman and reputed to be Iran’s richest individual, Rafsanjani revived the pre-revolution plans for refinery building. He failed, however, because of the ruling establishment’s fear of bringing in tens of thousands of “infidel” technicians whose presence could undermine the regime’s Islamist ambitions.

Removing part of the state subsidy on gasoline is only the first step towards a broader policy of reducing the government’s budget deficit, now at an all-time record.

The Islamic Republic imports almost half of all food it consumes and has managed to prevent large scale starvation thanks to heavily subsidized prices. If subsidies were removed, the price of bread, for example, would more than double. Most Iranians are still able to consume sugar because the state picks up a third of the real bill for imports.

Despite the massive rise in oil prices in the past two years, Ahmadinejad’s administration may soon find itself facing a cash-flow problem. This is partly because of the massive increases the president has decided in the military and security budgets. Clearly trying to put the country on a war footing, the president has scrapped a number of longer-term development projects. At the same time, he has increased expenditure on the Islamic Republic’s presence in what he regards as theatres of conflict with the United States, notably Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon. Fear of ethnic revolts in several provinces, including Sistan and Baluchistan, and Kurdistan has also forced the administration to allocate unprecedented outlays to a security build-up there.

Ahmadinejad believes that the United States is a power in terminal decline and would be forced to withdraw from the Middle East under the pressure of its own domestic political rivalries. And, yet, the US may try to throw the dice one more time in the Middle East by attacking the Islamic Republic. Ahmadinejad believes that such an attack, if it ever comes, would be limited to air strikes spread over a few days. That would enable the US under President George W Bush to camouflage its retreat from the Middle East as an act of military punishment for the Islamic Republic.

Based on that analysis, Ahmadinejad believes that his government’s economic difficulties, including a sharp increase in inflation and mass unemployment in several sectors would be more than an offset once he is able to show that he has challenged the American “Great Satan” and emerged a survivor.

There is, of course, another possible scenario . . .

To learn about that "other scenario," read the rest.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tags: Iran, oil, Khomeini, Ahmadinejad

Lousy CSMonitor article about the Jews of Iran

Considering Iran's bellicose stand towards Israel, the position of Iran's Jews could be considerably worse than it is. Western journalists, ever helpful, occasionally notice this and write articles such as the present one entitled "In Ahmadinejad's Iran, Jews still find a space" by Scott Peterson of the CSMonitor. As a fairly recent BBC article points out, however, ". . . there are legal problems for Jews in Iran - if one member of a Jewish family converts to Islam he can inherit all the family's property. Jews cannot become army officers and the headmasters of the Jewish schools in Tehran are all Muslim . . . . " The present CSMonitor article is less informative, and the following provides a good sample:

Iran's Jews are buffeted by inflammatory rhetoric from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad about "wiping Israel off the map" and denying the Holocaust, and a politically charged environment that often equates all Jews with Israel and routinely witnesses the burning of the "enemy" flag.

But despite what appears to be a dwindling minority under constant threat of persecution, Iranian Jews say they live in relative freedom in the Islamic Republic, remain loyal to the land of their birth, and are striving to separate politics from religion.

They caution against comparing Iran's official and visceral opposition to the creation of Israel and Zionism with the regime's acceptance of Jews and Judaism itself.

"If you think Judaism and Zionism are one, it is like thinking Islam and the Taliban are the same, and they are not," says Ciamak Moresadegh, chairman of the Tehran Jewish Committee. "We have common problems with Iranian Muslims. If a war were to start, we would also be a target. When a missile lands, it does not ask if you are a Muslim or a Jew. It lands."

A later description of an abandoned plan to attack the Israeli soccer team at the 1974 Asian Games (held in Tehran) is interesting, but most of the rest is in the same vein as the above. Protestations from Iranian Jews meant to distance their community from Middle East politics are not just corrections of some foreign misconception, but a grimly necessary self-defensive gesture from Jews living in a country whose government arms enemies of the population that now contains most of Persian Jewry. (By the way, I was led to this by the MPAC-UK site, which added the title "Zionists Say Jews are Opressed in Iran - But Is It True?" Morons.)

Crossposted at Soccer Dad.

Tags: Iran, Jews, Ahmadinejad

Al-Manar TV: "We are honored to have a cohesive axis comprising Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Iran and Iraq"

Al-Manar is Hizbullah's media wing. The article contains an interesting description of a "resistance axis facing the axis of Satan":

Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Kassem said that the so calld New Middle East project has failed. He added that what the US and its ally Israel want is to plunder the riches of this region, rip it apart and subjugate Arab leaders to their decisions.

Sheikh Kassem was speaking during a political gathering at the "Bassel Assad" stadium in Damascus' faculty of civil engineering.

His eminence said that a new middle east meant ruptured Arab countries, subject rulers and policies, lost riches, oppressed and humiliated people and occupied territories. "We tell Israel that as long as there are honest freedom fighters within our people, control will not be yours, it will be the control of those brave heroes." Sheikh Kassem touched on the issues of the resistance. He said that the arms that defend legal rights are not for political bargain. "The resistance that returns back rights to its owners cannot be abandoned. We are honored to have a cohesive axis comprising Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Iran and Iraq to resist US and Israeli occupation, to gain back our independence and to be free. We are honored to be part of the resistance axis facing the axis of Satan. Some European countries have sent us many indirect American messages and offered billions of dollars for Hezbollah to reconstruct south Lebanon. In return they said that it is required that Hezbollah reconsiders disarming, so we told them we don't need you money or reconstruction," Sheikh Kassem said.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad.

Tags: Hizbullah, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Palestinians