Iran has been extremely cocky recently. Like Hussein and his two rotten bastard sons were before we changed the course of their lives (and deaths).

I haven't forgotten 1979. They deserve to be taught a very painful lesson. This story is yet another in a mounting stack, of Muslims telling lies, sneaking around, then insulting our intelligence by proclaiming their innocence.

It's awfully sad when Security Guards have to be watched by our Law Enforcement. But then again, it's sad that we would even allow them into the U.S. in the first place.

This Homeland Security is costing the taxpayers in this country a sizable bundle. Taxpayers should certainly have a voice as to who comes into the country we're paying to secure.

Posted by: DCWatson at June 30, 2004 8:24 AM

Yes DC that is sad but I am glad they were told to leave our country. We need to have more balls and send people out of our country and back to theirs. I've been wanting this sort of thing to happen for a long time now especially after 9/11. We can no longer take any chances! Even though we might be more "safe" today then 9/11 we can't let our guards down for a moment. Sad, we can't trust anyone anymore but you know what, it takes 1 to ruin it. And now, our eyes are open along with our ears and we have to act first for now on.

Posted by: Annie at June 30, 2004 9:35 AM

What the mullahs need to remember is that Iran, unlike Iraq, does have a growing resistance movement that would love to toss them out on their butts and embrace a more democratic government.

Remember, these guys are Persians, not Arabs like everyone else in the region. Given a chance, they'll kick out the presiding government.

Posted by: Bob Owens at June 30, 2004 9:43 AM

Bob_Owens is absolutely right - the Iranians have had time to appreciate the unintended consequences of theocracy and ponder the merits of separation of church and state. My guess is they're just about ready....

For the first time, I'm wondering if we need to restrict tourist travel in this country after much the same fashion as some other less enlightened countries like North Korea, Mainland China,Cuba, et al. I'd rather surrender sentimental (to the best of my knowledge there's no constitutional prohibition)notions like freedom of tramping everywhere and photographing everything to make the world safe for Democracy, rather than surrender genuine rights to make the world safe for "Big Apple" refrigerator magnets and Space Shuttle T-shirts.

The story also proves another point - something I discovered while I was privy to law enforcement reports concerning Homeland Security - that the big victories in the war on terror are not being won at the top or even middle-management, but mostly by beat cops in the urban areas and "Barney Fife" types in Middle America. By applying good, solid, basic post-09/11 police work borne of the realization that they are the only thing standing between this new threat and their families, homes, and communities, these men and women are "strangling" so many would-be terrorists and acts of terror "in the crib" that a certain Attorney General could hold press conferences announcing their accomplishments around the clock...if only he could stand sharing the spotlight for very long.

Posted by: Phil at June 30, 2004 10:43 AM

Good, I'm glad they were kicked out.

Dates for the demonstration against the Mafia Islamic Theocracy of Iran:

Schedule of Demonstrations Against The Mafia Islamist Regime of Iran in Europe, U.S. and Canada July 8, 2004, (18 Tir, Persian Calendar).

UNITED STATES

Washington, D.C.

Place: The Western Side of the Capitol Building

Time: Thursday, July 8, 2004 from 11 a.m.

Organized by The Committee for Tir 18 Demonstrations

Los Angeles

Place: The Federal Building at 11000 Wilshire Blvd. (Westwood area)

Time: Wednesday, July 7, 2004, from 5 to 8 p.m.

Organized by The Committee for Tir 18 Demonstrations

CANADA

Toronto

Toronto, July 8, (18 Tir) Thursday from 6 PM to 9 PM Mel Lastman Square, (hear of North York, north of Toronto) come out and commemorate this event. There will be speaker from Amnesty International, Member of Parliament of Canada, live music, by Sattar, and special speaker, Parviz Sayyad‚

GERMANY

Norenberg

Place: Halle Platz Konik Strasse

Time: Saturday, July 10, 2004 - from 3 to 5 p.m.

Organized by The Constitutional Party of Iran

Dusseldorf

Place: from Banhoff toward the City Court

Time: Saturday, July 10, 2004, from 2 p.m.

Organized by the Constitutional Party of Iran, Kassel, Monster and Furzin divisions

Heidelberg

Place: Bismark Platz (town center)

Time: Saturday, July 10, 2004 - from 3 to 5 p.m.

Organized by The Constitutional Party of Iran

Hamburg

Place: The Western side of the Central Train Station (Hopt Banhoff)

Time: Thursday, July 8, 2004 - at 12:00 noon

Organized by: The Constitutional Party of Iran, The Iranian Women‚ Cultural Center, Khashm Organization, The Political-Cultural Center for Free Iranians in Hamburg

Munich

Place: Stachus square

Time: Thursday, July 8, 2004, from 5 to 6 p.m.

Organized by: The Constitutional Party of Iran, Iran‚ Freedom Forces, Iranian Freedom Movement, Munich‚ democrats.

ENGLAND

London

Place: In front of the Occupied Iranian Embassy (in Kensington)

Time: Thursday, July 8, 2004, from 12 noon to 4 p.m.

Organized by: The Constitutional Party of Iran, and The National Unity Front of Iran

DENMARK

Odense

Place: In front of the City Hall (Mayor‚ office)

Time: Thursday, July 8, 2004, from 4 to 6 p.m.

Organized by The Constitutional Party of Iran

SWEDEN

Stockholm

Place: The Center of City of Stockholm, Sergels Torg

Time: Thursday, July 8, 2004, from 4 to 7 p.m.

Organized by: The Constitutional Party of Iran, and Sweden‚ Liberals

HOLLAND

Den Haag

Place: In front of the Parliament of The Netherlands

Time: Thursday, July 8th, 2004 - from 1 p.m.

Organized by: The Democratic Front

Posted by: abad at June 30, 2004 2:38 PM

USA and Israel should destroy all the nuclear complex that Iran has (like Israel did in the past with Irak). And maybe it´s time to remove those corrupt mullahs taking advantage of the presence of american troops in Irak.

But that is only a step because the West has to destroy islam to avoid jihad. It´s better moslems have the problem in their lands.

Since the war in Irak all those islamofascists are busy in Irak and not in New York.

Posted by: josé maría at June 30, 2004 2:46 PM

This is off topic, but I am hoping that Hugh or Robert might offer comments on what Bush said in Turkey the other day about Turkey joining the EU and other stuff related to Iraq, democracy in Muslim countries, and the 'myth' of the clash of civilizations. These were very high brow comments for Bush and seemed out of character. Surprised the dickens out of me and, I must say, worried me as well.

He fights, but now he philosophizes...I'd like to keep Grant drinkin' whiskey and commanding troops...Therein may lie the false analogy with Grant. Lincoln was his boss. Bush doesn't have one.

Posted by: JTF at June 30, 2004 3:08 PM

JTF,

Study up on Bush a bit more. He's far from being a dunce, as Al Gore painfully found out when Bush wiped the floor with him in the '00 debates.

He like the country rube routine becuase people "misunderestimate" him, and then he can surpass them while only performing average acts, or blow them completely out of the water when he excels.

To paraphrase something Bill Cosby once said, "It's hard work being this much of an idiot. It takes a genius to act this dumb." Bush is no dummy (Ivy League MBAs don't grow on trees), but he's smart enough to know soemtimes it's in his best interests to act like one.

Posted by: Bob Owens at June 30, 2004 4:01 PM

Thanks Bob. But this doesn't really go to the issue, i.e., the implications of what Bush said. In addition, my comments to not imply Bush is a dummy anymore than Robert's article does, the source of the Grant analogy. Finally, a false dilemma vis-a-vis Kerry. Bush's shortcomings to do imply Kerry's greatness...on the contrary...But the problems persist: What will Turkish EU membership under current conditions mean (something Bush wants)? What is Bush's view of the conflict with Islam (the 'myth' of the clash of civilization)? What are the implications for our foreign policy and our battle with the forces of Jihad?

Posted by: JTF at June 30, 2004 4:12 PM

JTF,

I'd love to tell you exactly what Bush thinks about Islam, but I was having the limo serviced, so I didn't make it to the last meeting of the VRWC. ;-)

Seriously, I think Bush probably has views somewhat similar to this, but even if he personally felt that we should nuke Mecca tomorrow, I don't think he'd play his cards too early.

As for Turkey, while it is of note for being an example of a secular state, I don't much see it being of vital tactical or staegic importance, and I doubt Bush does either.

I do, however, reserve the right to be wrong.

Posted by: Bob Owens at June 30, 2004 5:20 PM

Sure looks like they were scouting out New York City for future terrorist operations, which they euphemistically refer to as martyrdom operations. They’ll probably feed the photos back to Al-Queda. Please take notice that Iran could be cooperating with Al-Queda, without having operational control. Hint, hint, 9-11 commission take notes please, there will be questions on this topic in the upcoming test.

Allow me a little sarcasm. Dying in Jihad helps a good Muslim get into heaven. So it is sort of like the Catholic sacrament of “Extreme Unction”. For our non-Catholic brothers and sisters this is when a Catholic is near death. A Catholic priest is brought near and he hears the dying person’s sins, gives Christ’s forgiveness, and administers olive oil which has been blessed. So follow me, a Catholic dying and receiving “Last Rites” is sort of like a Muslim strapping a bunch of C4 and nails around his waist walking onto a crowded bus and detonating his bomb in order to kill the maximum number of infidels possible. The severe wounding of the others on the bus is looked upon as just more offerings for Allah.

This brings to mind a number of questions:
Is this religion/cult/death thing which is Islam, sick or what?
Do people who are not brainwashed think like this?
Allah are you some sick pup, having fun somewhere?
Muhammad did you enjoy looting pillaging and raping villages throughout the Arabian Peninsula?
Any Muslims reading this am I blaspheming correctly, as I am a bit of a perfectionist?

Posted by: Uthar_The_Infidel at June 30, 2004 6:11 PM

Turkish EU membership at the very least means easy access and probably massive immigration of Muslims to liberal EU countries that do not have the political/police mindset/capabilities to handle the methods of radical Islam.

Ironically Chirac seems concerned about this, whereas it seems to go right past Bush. "Democracy and Islam, no problem" has become Bush's mantra with the handover in Bagdad.

Maybe the speech to the students was exaggerated...I don't know. I just think that at the very least the US should be hedging its bets on policy when it comes to Islam and democracy...And part of that should be a silent policy of 'cut and run' in Iraq, if we have to.

The Israeli fence may be a prophecy for us all...separation or die.

Posted by: JTF at June 30, 2004 6:16 PM

That was just 2. How many more already took the pictures? Or what about the employee at the fotomart that "borrows" the pictures from legit tourists? And aren't the plans already in the works from pictures from before we wised-up? Or maybe they got caught on purpose for a free trip back before the shit hits the fan.
On a positive note at least that's 2 less (only a couple million left to go).

Posted by: bonzi at June 30, 2004 9:12 PM

Iran is not only a cocky state, but is also the classical example of a paranoid with real enemies. Surely it cannot feel secure with the Great Shaitan based in countries to its east and west (Iraq and Afghanistan).

As for committing terrorism, back in 1991, Sodom Insane was talking with everyone form the Irish Republican Army to the Japanese Red Army Faction about hitting soft diplomatic targets around the globe. I strongly suspect that the Iranian mullahs are probably smart enough to do the same.

Posted by: Kepha1 at July 1, 2004 4:08 AM

Hello. With regard to the resistance movement in Iran: I have an Iranian friend who is in frequent contact with her family back home. She says that the Iranians dearly wanted the United States to invade Iran instead of Iraq. They hate the mullahs and want them out. In fact, they were quite "upset" with the United States for going into Iraq. It seems they felt that we wasted a great opportunity to gain a better ally than what we got with Iraq.

Interesting story. My friend was an activist in Iran during the overthrow of the Shah. At the time, they detested the Shah. However, she said that it didn't take the Iranian people very long to realize that they had been lied to by the mullahs. Today she feels that her position was wrong, and that her country was much better off with the Shah. I have enormous respect for her ability to admit a mistake without mythologizing her previous politcal position or blaming someone else.

If anyone would like to learn more about the history of Iran, its relationship/attitude toward Britain and the United States, and the behind-the-scene machinations regarding the overthrow of Mossedeq, I suggest reading the book "All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror" by Stephen Kinzer. It's a very informative and quick-paced read. Quite fascinating.

It's important not to lump Iran with the other countries in the Middle East. They pride themselves on being better educated and more independent-minded than their neighbors; and of course, they will quickly tell you that they are not Arabs.

Posted by: mrpianomansmom at July 1, 2004 4:11 AM

A war against Iran , of the same magnitude as the coalition's current efforts in Iraq would be a much longer, harder, and more controversial war with a far higher body count (when I say controversial I mean from the point of view of our citizens being totally against it, as well as the worldwide uproar and the disdain of the UN). But it's the nuclear element that worries me most, do we really want to cross that bridge with our knowledge of how ruthless and uncompromising these people can be.

PS- Bob Owens I don't mean to sound dumb but I'm still learning ( I'm a newcomer to all of this ) but what exactly is the difference between Arabs and Persians other than the language?)

Posted by: Rikki at July 1, 2004 7:55 AM

MrPianomansmom: Well, I remember the Iranian Revolution, and the intense ferment among Iranian students in the USA in the years preceeding. Possibly a handful of educated people in Iran might recognize that the US is perhaps best choice if you HAVE to be occupied by anyone. But, I'm of the mind that the bubbling witches' brew of the Islamic world--Mauretania to Mindanao, Kama to Comorros, Nigeria to Ningxia; Arab, Persian, Turk, Malay, Chinese, Hausa, whatever--probably needs to be left to stew in its own juices for a while. My guess is that after a few more Islamic republics are established for a while, we're going to see scads of people ripe for jettisoning that so-called religion of an pedophile warmonger.

As for Iran and its dissidents, it seems that the choices besides the mullahs are the Islamomarxist Mujaheddin-e-Khalq and similar thuiggish gangs. I will honestly admit that nothing gave me more pleasure than telling a Khalqi on the Washington Mall that he had his damned nerve to solicit American support when his gang were the first into the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979. Were I head of INS, I'd order every screener that members of the Mujaheddin-e-Khalq and former Tudeh Party members from Iran should simply be told to find asylum elsewhere.

I'm as aware as the next that apart from Khuzistan and a few enclaves, Iranians are not Arabs; but I'm not of the mind that Indo-Europeans and Altaians (for the Azerbaijani and Qashqai Turks) are necessarily calmer, more rational, or more capable of seeing things in persepctive than those hot-blooded Semite Arabs (and Jews, Assyrians, and Amhara). Anybody, regardless of ethnicity, is capable of playing the fool ( I got that out of an old, old Semitic book).

Don't get me wrong. Your friend from Iran is the sort of person on whom the USofA was built; and let her know I welcome her as a neighbor and fellow citizen or citizen-to-be. But, as a descendent of Old World refugees myself, I figure I have the better homeland than the people who ethnically cleansed my ancestors out of their original one. And if the Old country's settled down a bit after some well-deserved chastening over the past century or so, well, I might just play tourist there some day.

Posted by: Kepha1 at July 1, 2004 9:51 AM

Rikki: The Persians have a civilization that was around a lot longer than that of the Arabs. The Arabs weren't much more than Desert dwellers before Islam led them out of Arabia, but the Persians had a number of empires stretching way back into Old Testament times. In the 5th century BC, they ruled everything from the Pamirs and Panjab to portions of the Balkans, Egypt, and even Nubia.

Posted by: Kepha1 at July 1, 2004 9:54 AM

Rikki,

Arabs and Persians are completely different cultures, and ethnicities as well. Do a simple Google search, and you'll have all the information you need.

Posted by: Bob Owens at July 1, 2004 9:57 AM

Kepha1,
Muchos Gracias!!

Posted by: Rikki at July 1, 2004 10:03 AM

Kepha1,

I imagine that many of the Iranians who stormed the U.S. Embassy in 1979 and held the Americans hostages had their emotions fanned (albeit with the help of their mullahs) by the memory of our meddling in Iran's affairs. While the Iranians despised the British and its Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (many still hate the British today), and the Russians, both with a long history of trampling on Iranian sovereignty, they admired the United States and felt that Americans were a generous and self-sacrificing people interested in helping Iran. (And we are a general people.) With the approval of President Eisenhower and the work of the CIA we managed to undo all of that in 1953 by spearheading the coup, paid for and choreographed by the CIA, that overthrew Iran's democratically elected prime minister. A case can be made that the overthrow of Mossadegh began a course that ultimately led to the Islamic Revolution and the vile mullahs we have to deal with today.

American apologists might say that our actions were due to our concern with the "Communist threat"; but there does not seem to be too much evidence that the Tudeh Party, at that time, had that much power or influence. Nevertheless, the world, as well as the Iranian people, have to now contend with a group of oil-rich, evil, Western-Christian-Jew hating religious fanatics who are on the verge of nuclear-capable terrorism.

I still find it amazing that so many Iranians can put aside the issue of our past interference in their country and look to the U.S. as a beacon of hope.

Posted by: mrpianomansmom at July 1, 2004 1:17 PM

Excuse the typo -- I meant to say we are a generous (not general) people.

Posted by: mrpianomansmom at July 1, 2004 1:20 PM

If USA invades Iran I´m afraid they would find the same resistance than in Irak. Those iranian who say they don´t like the mullahs wouldn´t help because of their fear.

Posted by: josé maría at July 1, 2004 2:57 PM

The truth is actually quite simple in Iran: the majority of that nation wants to be free and they look to the United States as a guideline for freedom because that IS what the United States has been since 1776.

Anyone that tries to say that our meddling in other nations is reason to condemn this nation have no understanding of the subtle use of power. Would you better prefer world domination by force or the strategic use of our immense Superpowers to influence change for the better one nation at a time? This game is very complex and is not for the meek.

Do not buy into the notions put forth in the books of the Libertarian Socialist Elitist, Noam Chomsky. He is a blind fool deluded by his own contrived eruditeness. The man is obviously in need of some hobby besides the constant meddling in the minds of American and European youth.

Iran will eventually implode into a civil war. The United States will not have to invade unless as a clean-up operation to offer support to the Iranian movement or in the terrible event that the threats from Iran's Islamist government actual manifest into an attack upon Americans.

A democracy takes hold in the Middle East, transform will come rapidly. The Persians will be among the first nation to truly embrace this freedom and show the world what wonders they are capable if only given the chance for unchained creativity, education and religious choice.

Posted by: Foehammer at July 3, 2004 9:54 AM