Don't you dare....

I am a critique of Iranian government, the way they treat human rights and freedom of speech and so many other things but at the same time, I am outraged by the way US is trying to collect means of putting pressure in Iran or attack Iranian people. In Iran we always laugh at our leaders when they appear on TV claiming something...people always say: "Do they really think we are that stupid to believe that?". This is what I am asking myself watching the acquisitions of Iranian arms in Iraq these days...what a manipulative propaganda! A country which has the biggest expenditure in arms, has the biggest amount of exportation of arms, has been in every and each major military conflict in the world since zillion years back...and came half way around the world occupied two countries that once sold arms to...is now putting the blame on Iran!

Lets accept that Iranian arms are in Iraq. I am not surprised! our borders can not be fully controlled...each year thousand of tons of drugs come from Afghanistan and end up in Turkey through this country by traffickers...alcoholic beverages are carried by trained mules over the untouchable mountains of Kurdistan, what do you thing they carry back?...I am sure there is a "Lord of War" within the Iranian revolutionary guard who is making money out of this...if that is right OK fine...and why poor people of Iran should deserve to fear like hell anticipating an attack....

US is attacking the minds of international community...bombing the logics...targeting sane thinking...yes you can bomb me but don't you dare imagining that I will be that stupid to make my dislike of Iranian government be the yes to militarism...don't you dare bombing our minds...these minds could not be concurred by domestic dictators...your bombs are stronger...fine...our voices can go higher!

Comments

[brando]

Terrorism's bad. It isn't targeting sane thinking to denounce it.

[radar pangaean]

Mr. B:

I know that you laugh at your president in Iran. Many of us laugh at our president in the US as well. But we do not laugh about his desire for war.

In the previous 6 years he was allowed to do whatever he wanted, but those days are passed. yes, he is trying to make excuses to attack Iran by talking about weapons from there being in Iraq, but the days when he can make such statements and then follow them with action are passed. I believe that our Congress, which is now in the hands of a different party, will not allow him to invade Iran.

For your sake, for your country's sake, pand for my sake and for my country's sake, i hope that i am correct about this.

[brando]

Whoa, whoa. Hold on.

In the previous 6 years he was allowed to do whatever he wanted

C'mon, we know that's not true.

yes, he is trying to make excuses to attack Iran

The fact hat Iran is sending weapons to Iraq to kill Iraqis and Americans isn't Bush's doing. It's Iran's. That terrorism shouldn't be buried. We should hold it up high for all to see. Iran has commited acts of war against us, and yet we restrain ourselves. Were demonstrating our nobility, and yet we're blamed for Iran's actions.

The US has been pretty vocal about not wanting to counter-attack Iran, and Iran has been pretty vocal about wanting to destroy America.

The drums of war are being beaten loudly, by Iran. Everyone needs to just cool their motors.

[radar pangaean]

Well, Mr. B, as you can see from the response to my comment, there are people in this country who buy the propaganda which our government uses to try to get support for its policies. There are radio talk shows hosted by people like Rush Limbaugh which serve primarily as outlets for that kind of thing, and they have many listeners.

While i know that such people exist, thankfully they are in he minority these days, and their size continues to shrink. There will always be people who ignore the incompetence and arrogance of our administration... possibly because they share those traits?... but on the whole the tide of public opinion here has turned against our president and his inner circle of war-mongering chicken hawks.

I see that brando missed the point of your post, i.e. that even if some munitions came from Iran that doesn't prove that the government of Iran is formally behind shipping them there, but folks of that nature often miss the subtlety of such distinctions. In their rush to fall dutifully behind whatever misadventure the president wants to embark on next, they blindly accept whatever spin he and his propagandists place upon things. People like him exist, but with an approval ratin around 30%, the facts show that they are no longer in a majority here in the US.

[Natalie/Australia]

Brando I suggest you read this article published in a US newspaper

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-nafisi15feb15,0,726675.story?coll=la-opinion-center

Re "Were demonstrating our nobility, "...how by killing civilians in an illegal war???
A war that was started on the premise Iraq had WMD that were never found, a war against a regime that was supplied with WMD, and Chemical weapons by the US in the Iran/Iraq war?

I don't support Nuclear weapons for any reason, But I can understand that Iran would want this choice, they are surrounded by nuclear armed Nations, Do you not think it is another sign of Us Imperialism when Israel, China, Pakistan, North Korea USA et al are allowed to use this technology, but now it will be war if Iran wants to do the same????

Bush/Blair/Howard are war mongers and should be held accountable,

PS do you by any chance think OIL or Gas may have a part to play in this "WAR"???

[Hiva]

Mr Behi, It's the nature of power, U.S has this power to interfere in all countries' issues so they abuse it, for me the only important thing is to see my beloved country mate safe..

[a Duoist]

As long as the Iranian people continue to adopt the weld of an honored theology with a discredited toxic ideology, war looms. This has little to do with the petty actions by governments, and has everything to do with philosophy. So long as brilliant, devout, and patriotic Iranian philosophers such as the late Dr. Mehdi Haeri Yazdi and Dr. Abdolkarim Soroush and Dr. Ramin Jahanbegloo have their books banned in Iran, or are arrested and interred in Evin prison without charges, or beaten for their humanitarian Islamic views, war looms.

The toxicity of theofascism has us all in a dance with death. There are more than 50,000 scholarly books written on the subject in the West: someone in Iran should start to pay attention to Christian Europe's history with welding theology with ideology: they are called Hitler and Mussolini.

[ella]

Mr. Beri

I know that you and many iranians are laughing at your president, but not every Iranian is laughing, otherwise Sepah would not get as much power as it has now, and your clerics would not make people who are laughing at them take part in anti-american demonstrations. If at least some part of iranians did not accept the retoric of your government you would not be in trouble you are now.

As for the americans wishing to destroy your country, I think that this is not their aim. Your government starting with Khomeini fingered US as one of their main enemies (the other is Israel) and even though you say your nuclear energy is for the peacefull purposes but IRI government often said one thing (ex.are nuclear power station you said you did not have) and than other countries found that something else is true. And Sepah controls nuclear development in your country, not you, not people who laugh at your government, but Pasdaran does.
So what others might think about it all? Your government say one think and do another and you, when push come to shove stand behind your government.
I am against attacking your country, however I am terribly afraid that when you get your nuclear energy and perhaps something else than just many inefficient nuclear power station, your government might do something unpredictable and it will be too late for others.

[David,Israel]

I found this Interesting atricle on an Israeli news web-site....there are signs that Israel is going to attack Iran this April....

Here are the URLS:

English: http://www.omedia.org/Show_Doc.a....asp? MenuID=825

Persian: (Word Document):
http://www.omedia.co.il/imgs/upl...Open- letter.doc

[brando]

A couple points. Three or four question marks doesn't make it more of a question.

Demonizing me might make you feel better, but it doesn't make what I say less valid.

"blindly accept"? -radarpangaean
C’mon.

But the fact is that I don't blindly accept things. You've just committed a lie, but I'm willing to forgive you, if you ask. Protect your honor by ceasing to be an integrity violator.

"...WMD that were never found..." -Natalie

I'm sorry to learn that you consider sarin and mustard and maybe even VX conventional weapons. I'll bet that within the next 50 years you'll get your way, and they'll be used again. Hopefully there will be enough good people that block you, but if you do win, I hope you fess up.

Also, the US isn't Imperialism. Our form of government is a representative democracy, or a republic. Definitely not an imperium. Literally. We don't have an Emperor. We have a President. Forms of government are taught in Jr. High in America, and it's actually pretty fun to learn. So to recap, America is a republic.

I'll probably have to say it again. Everyone needs to cool their motors, and be noble like me. No more "Death to America".

[paully]

Re "Were demonstrating our nobility, "...how by killing civilians in an illegal war???

No, he was referring to not attacking Iran. I'm not sure how this shifted to Iraq, but that's not what he's talking about.

I don't support Nuclear weapons for any reason, But I can understand that Iran would want this choice, they are surrounded by nuclear armed Nations

It seems weird that you don't support nuclear weapons, but it appears you support an arms race. Simmer down, the one cold war was enough!

Do you not think it is another sign of Us Imperialism when Israel, China, Pakistan, North Korea USA et al are allowed to use this technology, but now it will be war if Iran wants to do the same????

Easy with the question marks, one should suffice. Please re-write that so it makes a little more sense -- I don't think that the mere presence of an empire would make Iran feel left out. Maybe if all the countries you mentioned were its enemies, but they aren't. Then again, I'm not the arms race expert around here. Also, I'm pretty sure folks aren't "allowing" North Korea to use nukes.

PS do you by any chance think OIL or Gas may have a part to play in this "WAR"???

ps: Again with the topic shifting!! Brando isn't saying anything about oil and gas, and it's a little presumptuous for you to assume to understand his position on the involvement of multi-national corporations and oil in Iran/wherever. Also, why the quotes for "War"? Are you saying that it's not a war? If not, I'm curious what definition you're going off of, and what does and doesn't constitute a war.

Sorry for the badgering, but your perspectives are unique and leave a few blanks to be filled in.

[Natalie/Australia]

Sorry for the excessive ??????

"I'm sorry to learn that you consider sarin and mustard and maybe even VX conventional weapons. I'll bet that within the next 50 years you'll get your way, and they'll be used again. "

No idea what this is about. From what I've read USA provided all these chemical weapons, where you got the idea.....

"Hopefully there will be enough good people that block you, but if you do win, I hope you fess up."

How very strange !
I am amazed at this response.

"get your way" "good people block you"

Where did this come from? I am absolutely stunned, and angry with myself for even responding. Yawn, Yawn.

[Frieda]

There is no attacks on Iran, it's all mind warfare, here is an article about the news strategy:

In anticipation of today’s meeting of great powers in London to discuss Iran’s defiance of the U.N. Security Council, the Treasury Department is readying a new blacklist of companies and banks to be barred from American financial markets for their role in assisting the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

link: http://www.nysun.com/article/49250

[brando]

Natalie, I can go through it more slowly. When people make absurd claims, it's pretty fun to point out how wrong it is. Even partisan folks can be held accountable for what they say. I'll slowly go over some disagreements in this thread.

1. Natalie's fact: WMD's were never found in Iraq.

2. Fact: Sarin was found in Iraq.

Therefore: Natalie promises that the horrible nerve agent Sarin is not a WMD.

Yikes. Think about that for a second.

Up until the last few years then entire world considered nerve agents WMDs and banned. Now there is a worldwide push that is gaining momentum to classify Sarin as a conventional weapon. Liberals really want to see this come to pass. I oppose this, and so should other good people. Unfortunately, as Radar pointed out, I'm the minority in this regard.

Another point we disagree on is that the US is Imperial. Unless you're using the word as a really loose metaphor for emotional effect, I'd have to say you're off your rocker.

The concept of an Imperial United States is objectively false.

I hope that you can introspect a little more and relinquish those hellish ideas. It's pretty counterproductive.

[ella]

Natalie

I, like others, also do not know why the discussion went in the direction of Iraq but it would be good if you check your data before accusing any country of single handedly helping Saddam.

According Iraq's report to the UN, the know-how and material for developing chemical weapons were obtained from firms in such countries as: the United States, West Germany, the United Kingdom, France and China.[1] By far, the largest suppliers of precursors for chemical weapons production were in Singapore (4,515 tons), the Netherlands (4,261 tons), Egypt (2,400 tons), India (2,343 tons), and West Germany (1,027 tons). One Indian company, Exomet Plastics (now part of EPC Industrie) sent 2,292 tons of precursor chemicals to Iraq. The Kim Al-Khaleej firm, located in Singapore and affiliated to United Arab Emirates, supplied more than 4,500 tons of VX, sarin, and mustard gas precursors and production equipment to Iraq.[2]
As for the money to buy these products,that was also not US deed, Kuwait and KSA lent the money.

So it would be best if in the future your accusation will aim at all culprits instead of singling out one, and not even the biggest one, of them.

[Mich Mash]

Mr. and Mrs. Behi,

I was watching a television show last night about Saddam's rule and all the horrible things that he did, and how he caused such great suffering, and how it lead to the state of affairs that the world is currently in. I also saw a show the same night about North Korea and how Kim Jung Il puts his people in concentration camps and starves his people and murders his people and how he has brainwashed the Koreans. At first I fell to anger, frustration, and confusion, and I couldn't understand why the world is like this and why so many innocent people fall to the hands of so few evil people.

But I fell asleep, and this morning I sat and pondered on all of these things, and I came to your site again, and I just feel that if there are people like you two out there, then the world is not far gone, and there is still some beauty out there. There are still good people out there who will speak what they believe and do what is right. And I thought about how different we are, you being Iranians and me being an American. Our lifestyles are different, our beliefs are different, our homes are different, our clothes are different, our religions are different. But I realized that despite those differences, we are all worshiping the same God. We are all breathing the same air. We are all feeling the same pain. And if nothing else, I am comforted because as long as there are people in the world like you and like me who, if nothing else, will at least speak out against the evil in the world and cry out to our God for justice, then the world is not too far gone, and the people can still be saved.

I just want to encourage you to be strong in your beliefs, despite a government that is corrupt. I believe that life is short, and we are not to spend that time looking to the world for our answers. I believe that the God in Heaven will give the good people of the world who love Him justice, and he will liberate all innocent sufferers and punish the evil men who oppress them.

I admire you for your fortitude and for your strength. Both of you. Mrs. Behi, you don't write a lot but the things you have written have been a source of strength and courage for me, and I go back to it when I am troubled so that I can know that there is another woman out there who, like me, just wants to enjoy life and love others and see good done in the world.

I have missed your writings and I hope that life has been good to you both.
You've got a family in America who prays for your family and your country every day. I hope that God blesses you every day. Never forget that He is more powerful than anyone, no matter how evil they seem to be.

Love,
Michelle

[Ali]

Hey Mr. and Mrs. Behi,

Glad to hear you guys are safe and sound, and that the rush of life still allows Mr. behi to have a rush of blood into his brain and get all hot and steamy over the evolving politics! As we say in Iran, even potatoes are related to politics in that country, let alone war in the region! Those who live in the US and doubt that the US is an imperialist need to go back and study they junior high school history books a little more carefully, only this time stop at the library and get beyond their text books. it will be a painful experience but let's see if they will have the courage to get through and if they will walk out of the library thinking the same as they walked in. People in this country watch too much TV and take it as fact. It would be actually helpful if they went beyond their daily dose of flickering photons and looked at some footage from the last century. There is no doubt that the Iranian regime is a fascist theocracy, but criticizing it is by no means an endorsement to the acts of its political enemies, the US government being the most prominent one. For those who can't see beyond the rise of Khomeini, I must add, they should once again check history books and see what happened in the 1950s in Iran and what organizations were invloved in reinstalling the former Shah of Iran back into power by over throwing the only truly elected national democratic government in the entire middle east at the time. It seems to some history is only useful when the facts are on their side!

In hope of a better world.

Peace

Ali

[brando]

As yes, the good ole "look it up" argument. That's always fun.

"The US is a monarchy. Look it up! If you're unable to prove it, you're looking at the wrong materials. Just dig deeper. Look it up."

[ella]

There is no doubt that the Iranian regime is a fascist theocracy,
Ali

Iranian regime is theocracy, but it is not a fascist theocracy. In future it may became fascist theocracy if ahmadinejad will put his friends from Revolutionary Guard in all key positions but at the moment it is not a fascist state.

You ask us to "read history" but you, yourself, need to read some facts on what exactly a "fascist state" is.

[Hassan Pierre]

The Americam foriegn policy specifically their policy to the middle east is a policy of an idiot government and naive republican leadership. They planted and feed you something which in the long run they will used that something as evidence enough to attack your country. Case in point is that Americans teach and help Saddam built a nuclear and biological bombs and yet they attack Iraq because of that!!!! Now they dont have a very concrete and serious program in guarding Iraqi borders to prevent the influx of elligal arms and now they accused Iran of supplying arms to the militias. American-republican foriegn policy is just the same as hypocrisy, treachery and warmonger. They just want to be remembered in history as just the Roman Empire of old!!!