Lieberman's Velvet Revolution!

He wants to inject 75 million $s into "democracy promotion" In Iran!!

The real promoters of Iranian democracy, i.e. those who RESIDE IN IRAN and face threats and harassments, such as Emadedin Baghi, the founder of the Organization for Prisoner's Right, have strongly opposed such allocation of funds towards democracy in Iran.

In a letter to the International Human Rights Organization, in May 2007, Baghi wrote:

The allocation of yearly funds has led to the Iranian government's widespread concern and suspicion towards civil society organizations and human rights activists, clearly exacerbating in significant ways pressures on them and the number of arrests. Undoubtedly, not all these pressures and arrests are reflective of recently developed government concerns and suspicions. Forces that are against liberty also use the U.S. budget allocation as a pretext or excuse to legitimize their opposition to civil liberties and to discredit their critics.

In such an atmosphere, individuals and organizations that are more active and well-known are easier to spot and hence easier to threaten. In the past two years, we have been witness to numerous accusations hurled against civil society institutions such as the Society for Defending Prisoner's Rights. Such organizations have also faced investigation and even closure of their offices. In the past 14 months, for instance, I have been summoned by the Iranian judiciary or intelligence organizations 7 times but have not publicized the matter in order to avoid political tensions. I think it time to change course and act in different ways. I would like to state categorically that it is neither wise nor morally justifiable for the United States to continue its path, without due respect or concern for the specific harm and harassment the so-called democracy fund entails for human rights activists in Iran. It is not right for independent individuals and institutions inside Iran to pay the price for allocated funds that the United States government spends on broadcasting from the United States into Iran or for the activities of exiled Iranian groups that cooperate with various American organizations.

Please write to Congress and oppose allocation of such funds! Spend them on your soldiers and veterans! Iran doesn't want some exiled "liberator"! Our activists and democratic leaders live in Iran! These American funds SERIOUSLY DAMAGE the course of democracy in Iran, and put innocent scholars such as Haleh Esfandiari in jail.

Where is Petraeus' Boss?

Think Progress reports that Gen Petraeus' boss, Adm. William Fallon is less than happy with General's "asskissing, chicken-shitting" behavior!

Read Gareth Porter's analysis of the causes of animosity between the two.

I didn't know about any of this last night but I found it interesting how Petraeus brushed off Jim Lehrer's question about "who is your boss?" He responded with:

"Admiral Fallon, the Central Command commander, of course up to the secretary of defense. But, in fact, the counterinsurgency manual, what it calls this is unity of effort. It's not unity of command. There's not one of us that's in charge of the other, but there has to be unity of effort."

Thanks Nunya for the tip!

Trivia: Did you know that in 1987, Petraeus completed a PhD thesis (in the Wilson Woodrow Center) entitled "The American Military and the Lessons of Vietnam", examining the influence of the Vietnam War on military thinking regarding the use of force.
Here's a PDF version of his thesis.
Judging from the abstract, the General to become, seems to have been too sad that Vietnam had made the military too cautious to use force all the time and he seems to have suggested the post-Vietnam cautiousness to have been a pitfall!

US seeks pact with enemies

LA Times: Us is negotiating with the Shiite militia, previously considered a terrorist group!
The military is in talks with elements of cleric Sadr's powerful group, which is accused of attacks against soldiers but which holds sway in much of Baghdad and parts of Iraq."

BAGHDAD -- -- U.S. diplomats and military officers have been in talks with members of the armed movement loyal to Muqtada Sadr, a sharp reversal of policy and a grudging recognition that the radical Shiite cleric holds a dominant position in much of Baghdad and other parts of Iraq.

The secret dialogue has been going on since at least early 2006, but appeared to yield a tangible result only in the last week -- with relative calm in an area of west Baghdad that has been among the capital's most dangerous sections.

The discussions have been complicated by divisions within Sadr's movement as well as the cleric's public vow never to meet with Iraq's occupiers. Underlying the issue's sensitivity, Sadrists publicly deny any contact with the Americans or British -- fully aware the price of acknowledging such meetings would be banishment from the movement or worse.

The dialogue represents a drastic turnaround in the U.S. approach to Sadr and his militia, the Mahdi Army.The military hopes to negotiate the same kind of marriage of convenience it has reached in other parts of Iraq with former insurgent groups, many Saddam Hussein loyalists, and the Sunni tribes that supported them. Both efforts are examples of how U.S. officials have sought to end violence by cooperating with groups they once considered intractable enemies.
...
In his testimony to Congress on Monday, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, underscored the importance of reaching out to the Mahdi Army, deflecting a suggestion that the U.S. declare the movement a terrorist group.

"You're not going to kill or capture all of the Sadr militia anymore than we are going to kill or capture all the insurgents in Iraq," Petraeus said. "Some of this is a little bit distasteful. It's not easy sitting across the table, let's say, or drinking tea with someone whose tribal members may have shot at our forces or in fact drawn the blood -- killed our forces."

MORALE of the Story: Talk first, before making enemies, to whom you end up speaking "distastefully"!

Rare Look Inside Iran's Notorious Jail

Associated Press: Iran Opens Doors of Feared Evin Prison

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran opened the doors of its most feared prison to journalists Tuesday, allowing them to interview a jailed Iranian-American academic in a move seen as an effort to blunt criticism of the country's human rights record.

The rare look inside Evin Prison — where inmates were seen swimming in an open-air pool, cooking meals and studying for university exams — contrasted sharply with tales of harsh treatment from some recently released prisoners.

Amnesty International said the tour was not representative of a facility where people have been tortured and political prisoners have been held without charges.

Forty journalists were taken on a 4-hour tour of five cellblocks at the sprawling facility in northern Tehran on the slopes of the Alborz Mountains. The reporters were allowed to talk freely with prisoners in their cells and in the halls. Guards were nearby during the interviews, but did not intervene. Read more.

P.S. Last year, BBC reporters were also allowed to visit the prison.

And here is the human rights lawyers and Nobel laureate, Shirin Ebadi's personal experience in Evin.

Sex Education in the Islamic Republic of Iran

The instructor held up an unfurled green condom as she lectured a dozen Iranian brides-to-be on details of family planning. But birth control was only one aspect of the class, provided by the government and mandatory for all couples before marriage. The other was about sex, and the message from the state was that women should enjoy themselves as much as men and that men needed to be patient, because women need more time to become aroused.

Read more on International Herald Tribune. Michael Slackman writes "Iran is full of surprises."

Also, BBC's Jim Muir's report on Iran's flavourful condom production!

(Although abortion remains illegal, unless the mother's health is endangered, condoms and birth control pills are dispensed for FREE at government funded health centers across Iran.)

A defiant nation and its foes

Beyond the high political drama, Christopher de Bellaigue, a long-term resident of Tehran and a fluent Persian speaker, gives a sense of the complexities of Iranian culture and society through striking portraits of Iranians going about their daily lives—reading the poetry of Rumi, looking at modern art, making films under the threat of censorship, trying to get by despite domestic turmoil and military threats. His keen analyses of Iran's politics and its people offer fascinating insights into a often misunderstood nation that poses some of the most challenging problems facing the world today.

"An eloquent and sensitive memoir of an increasingly bleak political situation, this selection deserves special recognition for its emphasis on young Iranians' efforts to hybridize Islam and Western values and its implicit suggestion that such efforts may be the way of the future." --Booklist

Remembering America Shooting Down Flight 655

The neoconservative Judge's ruling makes us think of the passenger airplane, shot down by Americans in 1988! Still haunted by the image of a baby, floating on the Persian gulf.

"While issuing notes of regret over the loss of human life, the U.S. government has, to date, neither admitted any wrongdoing or responsibility in this tragedy, nor apologized, but continues to blame Iranian hostile actions for the incident. The men of the Vincennes were all awarded combat-action ribbons. Commander Lustig, the air-warfare coordinator, even won the navy's Commendation Medal for "heroic achievement", his "ability to maintain his poise and confidence under fire" having enabled him to "quickly and precisely complete the firing procedure."

Reagan cut a deal with Iran's Islamists to overthrow Carter

Barbara Honegger (a researcher and policy analyst with the Reagan/Bush campaign in 1980):
"The very possibility that Carter could bring the hostages home was close to certain to wreck a Reagan bid for the presidency. So the Reagan campaign took phenomenal secret measures to ensure that the Carter white house was not successful. Reagan's 1980 campaign manager, William Casey, was knowledgable, before the fact, of the upcoming Carter Desert 1 rescue attempt of April, 1980. Now that is a phenomenal fact, because many of even the highest level officers in Carter's own CIA were kept in the dark about that very operation."
Read more ...

I have previously also posted on the curious relations between Iran's fundamentalists and America's Neoconservatives.

Hashemi's Urge to Talk confirms my earlier suggestions that the recent rhetorical exchanges are a part of the political game that Hashemi has been playing with Neocons, since Iran-Contra. Stay tuned!
----------------
To remember: Robert Parry's investigation into the players involved in the surprise release of the American Hostages.
(Thanks rickB. I didn't post it before because I didn't want to mix Jamshid Hashemi, with the Hashemi I am talking about in this post.)
--------------------

Juidiciary joins the war criminals?!

This is Judge Royce C. Lamberth.
Judge Lamberth received his appointment to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in November 1987 by President Reagan. He was appointed Presiding Judge of the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in May 1995 by Chief Justice Rehnquist. Judge Lamberth graduated from the University of Texas and from the University of Texas School of Law, receiving an LL.B. in 1967. He served as a Captain in the Judge Advocate General�s Corps of the United States Army from 1968 to 1974, including one year in Vietnam. Something tells me Judge Lamberth, an avid proponent of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (the court that warrants wire-tapping!) has a seriouslyRepublicain Agenda! as he has presided over a few cases against the Clintons!

Judge Lambert misconductin the Indian Trust Fund Case had him removed from the case by the Court of Appeals.Judge Lamberth has thus gone back to his particular interest in Iran: he holds Iran responsible for any act of terrorism, with or without proof!

Last year, when the Bush-Drums of war were beating and the UN was being coyed to sanction Iran, Judge Lamberth decided to hold Iran responsible for the 96 attack in Saudi Arabia!

This year, as the Bush-drums of war are beating and the IAEA is being coerced to condemn Iran, in spite of lack of evidence, Judge Lamberth has fined Iran for 1983 attack on US barracks in Beirut

How timely!

FOX and CNN are the first to report on this!
=======================================================================
Iran's Response:

TEHRAN (AFP) — Iran said Saturday that a US federal court decision to fine Tehran 2.65 billion dollars for the 1983 bombing of a Marine barracks in Beirut was "baseless" and aimed at plundering Iranian assets.

"This decision is baseless. Unfortunately some courts in the United States, without listening to the other side's views and without investigation, issue verdicts that are not legally defendable," Iranian government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham told reporters.

"These decision show political pressures to plunder Iran's assets in the US," he said, adding that Tehran would follow up the case through its representative at the United Nations.

Victor and Albert Museum: 16th century Persian carpet, Ardabil.

Major General S. d. Butler: War is a Racket

"WAR is a racket. It always has been.

It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.

A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small "inside" group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes.

In the World War [I] a mere handful garnered the profits of the conflict. At least 21,000 new millionaires and billionaires were made in the United States during the World War.
"

h/t to The Peoples' Party

Read the book here. Or, read polishifer's illuminating excerpts.

Fanonite: the United State of Israel

In case you are wondering who has been/is/will be running America!

Also: this is what Bush counts on to get away with attacking Iran

Next Quagmire!

Speaks Chris Hedges

WHY IS IT ...

that when the twin towers, the American symbol of might, fall, a huge atrocity has taken place. But when America talks about bombing the PEACEFUL NUCLEAR technology, that Iran has been painstakingly developing--to symbolize its technological abilities--, we shake our heads with a shy approval of the necessity of the attack????

How would you feel if I told you that Germany is planning to bomb and dismantle MIT?

These are UNIVERSITIES that your CRIMINAL PENTAGON is planning to target!

Just Say NO!

Little snippets of gossip are guaging our tolerance for a new war with Iran!

As Lydia Cornelle wrote: "We have to stop saying "Bush is going to attack Iran" as if it's a done deal. We can say, "We will not tolerate this any longer" but let's get active. We need to get out on the streets.

and as Dave wisely suggests: Just say NO!

We did it last year but we need to be louder this year.

Signing a Petition IS NOT ENOUGH!

In the whole America, ONLY THREE CITIES have passed a No War On Iran Resolution. You can get your cities involved.

WP: accessory to NYT, the instrument of the crime!

Well New York Times and Washington Post seem to be in cahoots! No big surprise!

In the previous post, I have provided the REAL text of the IAEA agreements with Iran regarding the nuclear issue. So that door is slammed in their face! But they are now accusing Iranians of killing Americans!

Says who?
On August 21st, Washington Post comes up with this jolly editorial: Tougher on Iran: The Revolutionary Guard is at war with the United States. Why not fight back? Where is this line coming from? The Israel Lobby!

And what are these facts based on?
As Garth Porter of The American Prospect reveals: The New York Times military reporter Michael Gordon!

Who is Michael Gordon?

Gordon played a key role, along with Judith Miller, in legitimizing a major theme of the Bush administration's Iraq propaganda -- the infamous aluminum tubes argument -- as the White House Iraq Group kicked off its campaign to prepare public opinion for war in September 2002.

Now whom does Gordon claim to derive his facts from?

"supposedly" from Brig. Gen. Bergner!

But what did Brig. Gen. Bergner actually say?

• Brig. Gen. Bergner offered no real evidence of Iranian involvement in planning the January attack in his press briefing on July 2.
• Bergner never even explicitly claimed such direct Iranian involvement in the planning.
• When in the press release Bergner failed to claim a direct Iranian involvement -- or even through a Hezbollah operative in Iraq -- in the planning of the January raid in Karbala, Gordon pushed him to state clearly that the Iranians not only helped plan but actually "directed" the attack on Americans.
• He responded: "Michael, I can't substantiate that proposition."
• What Bergner said in his prepared statement was that both Hezbollah operative Ali Musa Daqduq, who was in liaison with the militia group which carried out the attack, and Kais Khazali, the Iraqi said to have been in charge of the group.
• Bergner provided a number of details in the briefing about Hezbollah training of Shiite militia groups in Iran, including the number of sites, their location, and the number of militiamen trained at any given time, he did not claim that the specific group in question had been trained by Hezbollah, either in Iran or anywhere else.
• In that briefing, Gordon pushed Bergner to say that the purpose of Iranians was to try to "capture these American soldiers in the hope of trading them for the detained IraqiBergner refrained from addressing Gordon's restatement of the story as Iranian help and guidance of the January attack." officials."

What had Gen Petraeus said about the Iranian involvement in American killings?

In an April 26 press briefing, Petraeus had referred to a 22-page memorandum captured with the Shiite prisoners that he said "detailed the planning, preparation, approval process and conduct of the operation that resulted in five of our soldiers being killed in Karbala." But he did not claim that either the document or the interrogation of Khazali had suggested any Iranian or Hezbollah participation in, much less direction of the planning of the Karbala assault.

Petreaus even insisted that they had no evidence of Iranian involvement: "No. No. No. That -- first of all, that was the operation that you mentioned, and we do not have a direct link to Iranian involvement in that particular case."

At the time Petraeus made this statement, Khazali, the chief of the militia group that had carried out the attack, had been in U.S. custody for more than a month. Despite nearly five weeks of intensive interrogation of Khazali, Petraeus's comments would indicate that U.S. officials had not learned anything that implicated Iran or Hezbollah in the planning or execution of the Karbala attack.

====================================================
As I intend to disappear for the next little while:

Here's some food for thought and topics for discussion:

James Joiner talking about why Bush is controlling us.

I also had a good find this afternoon, picking up a DVD on sale: This Film is Not Rated by Dick Kirby. It is a hilarious documentary uncovering the secrecy of Hollywood's MPA, but more importantly about Hollywood's sinister ties to Washington, Military, and Church (and I won't rule out the mob!! Excellent film! Please let me know if you have seen this film, and what you think about it. I'd appreciate yoru thoughts VERY MUCH!

NYT: accessory to crime

New York Times seems to have become an accessory to The Architecture of Perpetual Wars. This time, NYT's distorts IAEA's report on Iran's Nuclear Program! (source: payvand news.) You should ask yourselves why Americans are distorting these FACTS in the name of journalism?!?!!! Militarism may be the real answer! (Thanks to filasteen.wordpress.com!) But, Do we have the courage to stop the war with Iran? Remember to try the poll!

Here's the truth of the ACTUAL developments between IAEA and Iran. The text (copied in full here) is available on the IAEA web site.

Understandings of The Islamic Republic of Iran and the IAEA on the Modalities of Resolution of the Outstanding Issues Tehran – 21 August 2007

Pursuant to the negotiations between H.E. Dr. Larijani, I. R. of Iran's Secretary of Supreme National Security Council and H.E. Dr. ElBaradei, Director General of the IAEA, in Vienna; following the initiative and good will of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the agreement made, a high ranking delegation consisting of the directors of technical, legal and political departments of the IAEA, paid a visit to Tehran from 11 to 12 July 2007 during which “Understandings of The Islamic Republic of Iran and the IAEA on the Modalities of Resolution of the Outstanding Issues, Tehran 12 July 2007” were prepared.

A second meeting took place in Vienna on 24 July 2007 followed by a further meeting in Iran from 20 to 21 August 2007. The Agency's delegation had the opportunity to have meetings with H.E. Dr. Larijani during both visits to Tehran. Following these three consecutive meetings, both Parties reached the following understandings:
I. Latest Developments:
Based on the modalities agreed upon on 12 July 2007, the following decisions were made:
1. Present Issues:
A. Enrichment Programme
The Agency and Iran agreed to cooperate in preparing the safeguards approach for the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant in accordance with Iran's Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement. The draft text of the safeguards approach paper, and the facility attachment of IRN- were provided to Iran on 23 July 2007. The safeguards approach and the facility attachment were discussed during technical meetings in Iran between the Agency and the AEOI from 6 to 8 August 2007. Further discussions will be held with the aim of finalizing the facility attachment by the end of September 2007.

B. Heavy Water Research Reactor in Arak
Iran agreed with the Agency's request to visit the heavy water research reactor (IR40) site in Arak. A successful visit took place on 30 July 2007.

C. Designation of new inspectors
On 12 July 2007, Iran accepted the designation of five additional inspectors.

D. Issue of multiple entry visas
On 12 July 2007, Iran agreed to issue one year multiple entry visas for 14 inspectors and staff of the Agency.

2. Past Outstanding Issues:

A. Plutonium Experiments
In order to conclude and close the file of the issue of plutonium (Pu), the Agency provided Iran with the remaining questions on 23 July 2007. During a meeting in Iran between representatives of the Agency and Iran, Iran provided clarifications to the Agency that helped to explain the remaining questions. In addition, on 7 August 2007, Iran sent a letter to the Agency providing additional clarifications to some of the questions. On 20 August 2007 the Agency stated that earlier statements made by Iran are consistent with the Agency’s findings, and thus this matter is resolved. This will be communicated officially by the Agency to Iran through a letter.

B. Issue of P1-P2:
Based on agreed modalities of 12 July 2007, Iran and the Agency agreed the following procedural steps to resolve the P1-P2 issue. The proposed timeline assumes that the Agency announces the closure of the Pu-experiments outstanding issue by 31 August 2007, and its subsequent reporting in the Director General’s report to the September 2007 Board of Governors.

The Agency will provide all remaining questions on this issue by 31 August 2007. Iran and the Agency will have discussions in Iran on 24-25 September 2007 to clarify the questions provided. This will be followed up by a further meeting in mid-October 2007 to further clarify the written answers provided. The Agency's target date for the closure of this issue is November 2007.

C. Source of Contamination
Based on the agreed modalities on 12 July 2007 and given the Agency's findings which tend, on balance, to support Iran's statement about the foreign origin of the observed HEU contamination, the only remaining outstanding issue on contamination is the contamination found at a Technical University in Tehran. Iran and the Agency agreed on the following procedural steps to address this issue, starting once the P1-P2 issue is concluded and the file is closed. The Agency will again provide Iran with the remaining questions regarding the contamination found at a Technical University in Tehran by 15 September 2007. After 2 weeks of the closure of the P1-P2 issue Iran and the Agency will have discussions in Iran on this issue.

D. U Metal Document
Upon the request of the Agency, Iran agreed to cooperate with the Agency in facilitating the comparison of the relevant sections of the document. Iran is presently reviewing the proposals already made during the first meeting on 12 July 2007. After taking this step by Iran, the Agency undertakes to close this issue.

II. Modalities of Resolution of other Outstanding Issues
A. Po210
Based on agreed modalities of 12 July 2007, Iran agreed to deal with this issue, once all the above mentioned issues are concluded and their files are closed. Iran and the Agency agreed upon the following procedural steps: regarding this issue, the Agency will provide Iran in writing with all its remaining questions by 15 September 2007. After 2 weeks from conclusion and closure of the issues of the source of contamination and U-metal, reflected in the Director General's report to the Board of Governors, Iran and the Agency will have discussions in Iran where Iran will provide explanations on the Po210.
B. Ghachine Mine
Based on agreed modalities of 12 July 2007, Iran agreed to deal with this issue, once the issue of Po210 is concluded and its file is closed. Iran and the Agency agreed upon the following procedural steps: regarding this issue, the Agency will provide Iran in writing with all its remaining questions by 15 September 2007. After 2 weeks from conclusion and closure of the issue of Po210, reflected in the Director General's report to the Board of Governors, Iran and the Agency will have discussions in Iran where Iran will provide explanations to the Agency about Ghachine Mine.

III. Alleged Studies
Iran reiterated that it considers the following alleged studies as politically motivated and baseless allegations. The Agency will however provide Iran with access to the documentation it has in its possession regarding: the Green Salt Project, the high explosive testing and the missile re-entry vehicle. As a sign of good will and cooperation with the Agency, upon receiving all related documents, Iran will review and inform the Agency of its assessment.

IV. General Understandings

1. These modalities cover all remaining issues and the Agency confirmed that there are no other remaining issues and ambiguities regarding Iran's past nuclear program and activities.
   
2. The Agency agreed to provide Iran with all remaining questions according to the above work plan. This means that after receiving the questions, no other questions are left. Iran will provide the Agency with the required clarifications and information.
   
3. The Agency's delegation is of the view that the agreement on the above issues shall further promote the efficiency of the implementation of safeguards in Iran and its ability to conclude the exclusive peaceful nature of the Iran's nuclear activities.
   
4. The Agency has been able to verify the non-diversion of the declared nuclear materials at the enrichment facilities in Iran and has therefore concluded that it remains in peaceful use.
5. The Agency and Iran agreed that after the implementation of the above work plan agreed modalities for resolving the outstanding issues, the implementation of safeguards in Iran will be conducted in a routine manner.
   

Meet a Killer!

Frank Wuterich preferably on CBS's 60 minutes; and compare his attitude to his Fuhrer!
They are working hard to clear this KILLERS charges!

If you please bring your CRIMINAL TROOPS home, America!!!

UNESCO comemmorates Rumi

A day of commemoration is organized at UNESCO on 6 September 2007 to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the birth of Mawlana Jalal-ud-Din Balkhi-Rumi, one of the greatest Persian poets, philosophers and scholars of the world. (Read more)
In comemmoration of the event, Iran Heritage Foundation is holding an event "Wondrous Words Conference" in conjunction with the British Museum in London from 13-15 September 2007.

Robert Bly who has done much to introduce rumi to America is organizing a multimedial celebration of this 800th anniversary.

Center for Persian Studies in the University of Maryland is also holding another International conference on Rumi from 28-30 September 2007.

Iranians, much delayed as they are busy preventing blood thirsty Neocons stepping their dirty feet on Iran, have also called for participation in an International Conference to be held in Tehran from 28 to 30 October 2007, aimed at reflecting on the thought and works of Mawlana, which surpass all political and geographical boundaries. (for more information and article submission contact academy@irip.ir.)

For the Rumi-novice, here's a Coleman Barks translation of some of his poems.

Iran's fabulous water cave: Alisadr

Ali Sadr Cave is a cave located about 100 kilometers north of Hamedan in western Iran .The cave walls can extend up to 40 meters high, and it contains several large, deep lakes.

The cave has a river flowing through it and most travel through the cave system is done with a boat. Ali Sadr cave is situated between the large cities in Hamadan, Tehran and Qom making it a popular destination for Iranians. The cave was originally discovered during the reign of Darius I (485 BC) which can be verified by an old inscription at the entrance of the tunnel. This is the only cave open to tourism in Iran and according to IRNA it attracts 300,000 visitors per year. A German/British expedition of the cave took place in 2001.

Musicians Without Borders

German Orchestra make rare visit to Iran in cultural exchange!

The German symphony orchestra will play classics by Beethoven, Elgar and Brahms in Iran this week — a rare visit from a European ensemble amid political tensions between the Islamic republic and the West.

The 60-member Osnabrueck Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Hermann Baeumer, will arrive Monday and perform Wednesday and Thursday in Tehran as the return half of an exchange that saw the Tehran Symphony Orchestra perform to a packed hall last year in Osnabrueck. read more ...

Avoid O'Hare!

This is the second time in two months that I get stuck in Chicago! And this time around, every thing that could go wrong did!

For the first time, my Iranianness became an issue; and I was subject to gender based comments which I am planning to take up with a court. ("Oh good, I get the pretty one", said the homeland security half-retard agent, as they separated my husband and I to speed up the "tagging" process!) As a result, I had added stress of running around in that mad airport!

Then the tornado hit. Twice. Once when we were about to board. So they evacuated terminals, fearing flying glass, as the water was pouring down the ceiling! Second, when we were waiting to take off, and they had to evacuate the tower, thus cutting off our plane from communication. Thank goodness for cell phones; and for the movies I could watch in the three hours we were on plane until they told us the flight would be canceled.

And once the flight was canceled, we were left on our own: rebook your flight yourself, book a hotel yourself! Neither an easy deed! Two days of O'Hare shut downs and a long backlog of stranded passengers. Hotels were either fully booked or had lost power.

Staying up on a chair, however, gave us a good view of the lack of efficiency with which O'Hare operated. It seemed like an over-staffed airport, with excess laziness and overwhelming LACK of enthusiasm! Listening to the conversation of a couple of flight attendants who were stranded and left hotel-less was quite interesting. For 12 hours, America was marching in front of us.

In any case, as much as I dislike Chicago, Madison, Wisconsin was a little jewel. Only if it weren't that far, I would see myself living there. But I have the Tehran bug and I need noisy cities to be happy. Next time I go to Madison, I won't fly through Chicago. (That is not to say that the Northwest Airlines and Detroit are better, as I have been stranded there as well. But O'Hare beats all of my airport disaster stories.)

Now what is new?

The 8th Return of Cartoonists to Iran

Tehran hosts the 8th international cartoon biennieal.

If you are talented and interested, apply by October 22, 2007

(The cartoon to the right is by Angel Boligan from Mexico.)

Here's a little history of cartoon in Iran.

A Petition

To sign.
+
A general strike on September 11, 2007

A Lesson for the King

Iran's Flower Export

Iran's Fauna came as a surprise, perhaps.

But did you know that Iran exports half a million dollar worth of flowers per month? I did not! I didn't even know that Tehran has a flower market! However, everytime I am in Iran I am astonished by the low cost of the most glamorous bouquets that the flower shops (virtually present at the corner of every block) offer.


Currently, the Arab states in the Persian gulf are the primary customers of Iran's flower, but South Asian and European markets are being explored.


More pictures of amazing Iran, by Shahram Razavi

Iran's Women Taxi Service

This is not about restriction, nor segregation; it's about safety and creating economic opportunities.

Watch this video, and see for yourself how such services help women navigate their way into the social sphere! CNN also has a little clip on this. But as usual they spin it wrongly!

In any case, another evidence that Iran's Amazons are taking charge :)

Please also read RickB's take on this.

Iran's Wild

If you like ecotourism you might be interested to know that "Iran is host to some of Asia's most diverse animal wildlife. Its Caspian coastline, arid central deserts and fertile plains are the habitat for a vast range of creatures."

This prize-winning book is the first and the only comprehensive work on the fauna of Iran, by Eskandar Firouz--a former Director of the Department of the Environment in Iran.

Click on the image if interested.

An Iranian-American in Iran (1)

I made a series of posts of my own brief experience during my recent emergency visit to Tehran, as I rushed to be present for my dad's bypass surgery (He is just perfectly fine, my 67 years old hero!)
Iranian Experience (1)
Iranian Experience (2)
Iranian Experience (3)
Iranian Experience (4)
Iranian Experience (5)

I hear things have changed since then; the gas is rationed, the dress code toughened, the US-Iran tensions worsened, the prices heightened, the students burdened ...

Instead of hiding my head in the sand and sulking, I am going to look for stories from people like me who are in Iran. This story by Nina Farnia is the first of this series.

Farina is an Iranian-American single woman in Tehran. A casual encounter with a man on the topic of grocery shopping motivates her (Tehran Avenue) story in which she ponders about Tehran's encounter with globalization:

Yesterday, I was walking in Park Shahrara in the early afternoon, and saw a man carrying a bushel of sabzi khordan. Sabzi khordan is hard to find in the afternoons during the summer, unless one is an early riser. I stopped the elder. “Sir, where did you get that sabzi?”
“I bought it this morning at the fruit stand across the street, put it in the fridge at work, and now I’m taking it home. Take half of what I have here for yourself,” he responded.
I, an Iranian from the U.S., was shocked that someone would offer me half of his own. I immediately responded, “No thank you sir, I’ll find my own. Thank you so much.”
But he kept telling me to take his. “Please, take half of mine, you’ve been at work all day too, haven’t you? Take half of mine.”
I, of course did not take his sabzi, assuming I could find my own. My Americanness would not allow me to accept someone else’s offerings.
I have been in Iran for a month. From every direction, young and old, rich and poor, I sit and listen to stories describing how horrible post-Revolutionary, post-War Iran has become: “There is no more safety in the streets”; “Everything has become too expensive.” Complaints about the government, President Ahmadinejad, the dirty Tehran air, the rising gas prices, the packed metro, the lack of opportunities for young people, these are all never ending. Keep reading ...

Destigmatized: The Bomb!

The Anniversary's coming up! On 6 August 1945, a number of eyes in the Japanese city of Hiroshima turned skyward at the drone of a US B-29 bomber flying across the cloudless sky, accompanied by two other aircraft.

Has any American ever felt any shame that this country was the first to massacre indiscriminantly with their jolly new nuclear technology, brought to fruition by the Nazi('s) scientists who were lured by America?

Is any American ashamed at the ease with which America is discussing the possibility of using the atomic smart bombs in this new version of the world war? Discussing? My no! Hillary thinks Obama's childish to think a president can avoid them!

America's German inheritance is in fact interesting and significant; is it not?

Perhaps we should dig deep to understand why our Western democracies fall so frequently on this same shameful path ...

P.S. Well, there is a lot of great information in the comments; most of which, somehow reaffirm the point of this post. There seem to exist a consensus that the A-bomb is not a BAD thing and it can be beneficial; and that America's doing the world a great favor by developing and using its weapons! Some suggest that America's A-bomb saved Japanese lives because the EVIL Japanese government was training all these kamikazes to defend their country to death! How dare any government asks its population to fight for their home? America needed to go and bomb two little cities to teach Japanese to surrender immediately so it saves more lives. Sweet little Truman!! Well no wonder the world is in such a state of chaos!!!
America's philanthropy is quite remarkable: it has also saved a lot of Vietnamese and Iraqi lives from EVIL communism and Evil Saddam!!
(Democrat's hands is/will be just as blood stained as the Bushists's. Because, this is America!!!)

Bravo America!

HeeeeHaaaw!

Post PS. Unintentionally, my post script above seem to have offended a few of my friends. I wish to apologize to those who consider my rhetoric an offense against America, the country. I wish to clarify that the point of this post, and the conclusion at which I arrived in the post script, is begging the question of our relationship to technology and our philosophy of war and our attitude towards warfare. The finger pointed at America is pointed at our collective post WWII culture. We have too easily blamed the bulk of the WWII on Nazis of Germany, without completely and coherently examining that which we (no matter in which corner of this world) have shared with them prior to the war; and what we continue to share in terms of philosophy.
If you ask me who won the WWII, I would say America. But, has the conqueror faced herself in the mirror of reality? And, has the conqueror wondered about the ways in which it has contributed to the rouge attitude of many other nations that are merely emulating an American paradigm of powerplay? The main question of this post is, how has America contributed to so many nations pulling out from the non proliferation treaty?

I personally think that, had America declared national shame about the atomic explosions in Japan, had it declared "never again", had it been genuine about its advocacy of peace, the world would have had a more respectable model to follow. Our historical revisionism provides factual explanations for our deeds, but by posing as objective and scientific, it depletes our subconscious from a genuine faith for peace.