Sunday, January 4, 2009

Stuck on stupid


Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, invited Iraq's Prime Minister into his bubble of ignorance today, holding a strongly-worded meeting on the Security Pact known as SOFA and warning Maliki about what he sees as the "treacherous" United States. Khamenei made his usual statements about the US being responsible for everything that is happening in Iraq, and blaming the continuation of violence on US troops that are still operating inside of the country.

Meanwhile, as Khamenei blasted the US, a suicide bomber attacked Iranian pilgrims who had gathered near a shrine in Baghdad, killing dozens of them. The idiot bomber no doubt harbored the same anti-Shia/Persian sentiment expressed by those who have kidnapped and killed Iranian police and bombed military buses INSIDE of Iran's borders. It was the "treacherous" US who joined side by side with Iraq's exiled Shia community (also with Iran's blessing) to overthrow Saddam Hussein. Let's not forget that it was also the "treacherous" US that routed the Taliban, Iran's other nemesis, from Afghanistan...the same Taliban that kidnapped 9 Iranian diplomats back in the 90's, crammed them into a box, and executed them in a hail of gunfire. Things were certainly going great for Iran before the "treacherous" US barged into the region, weren't they?


Iranians inspect the damage after Sunni insurgents, likely based in Pakistan, bombed a bus transporting a Revolutionary Guard Unit.

I'd like to note that I believe the anti-Shiite sentiment that is taking place around the world today is akin to a new form of anti-Semitism. I've heard Baathist sympathizers, right-wing conservatives, and the the so-called "antiwar" movment all express the same anger towards Iran, as well as Iraq's majority Shiite population that played a critical role in overthrowing Saddam Hussein and now maintains a majority in the democratically-elected government. The Shiite Islamic Republic has no doubt been a destabilizing force in Iraq and elsewhere these last few years, but if Khamenei had a brain, he would realize that his country and the United States share many common interests and working together to accomplish them might not be such a bad idea.

What's happening in the Middle East right now is mind boggling, so much so that its difficult for a single mind to try and make sense of it all. Its sort of like trying to figure out how the Universe came to be and what lies beyond it...its enough to drive someone mad.

As if the above story isn't enough, have a look at this post from my good friend Iraqi Mojo about the situation in Gaza and the hypocrisy among the "resistance".

4 comments:

Touta said...

the deaths and what i am seeing on tv has completely made me forget politics and politicians. Its unbearable. You said that rebuilding should have commenced in iraq, but i dont see much in baghdad, but then again its close to ashura. as for palestine, i really couldnt care less about politics, all i see is blood and loss of life. its quite depressing-neurotic iraqi wife has wrote quite a personal post on it. :D thanks for the politic update. :) i need to keep up to date with iraqi politics a bit more but *cough exams*

C.H. said...

Hmmm...maybe you should run for office, Touta :D (after you finish your exams of course)

I think that in order for the rebuilding to commence in Iraq, the United States and Iran make sure they do not use Iraq as a battleground to fight one another...the people of Iraq have made the decision they want to move forward, and now Iraq's neighbors and allies must do the same.

Touta said...

iraq's allies and neighbours....*cough cough*

C.H. said...

Ah, yes. It seems that Iraq's neighbors only want to support one group in Iraq...The Gulf States want the Sunnis to have power, and Iran of course wants the Shia.

How about they just support IRAQIS?