Free Thoughts

This blog is: right-wing,pro-U.S.,pro-free-market,pro-israel,anti-islamist,secularist and pro-democracy Email: stefania07@hotmail.com

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!

BUON ANNO A TUTTI !

Postato da: persialover a 17:48 | link | |

Apocalyspe in SE Asia- Don't forget Burma

Anche in Birmania ci sono molte vittime dello tsunami. Solo che la giunta militare non fa entrare gli aiuti. Il paese è chiuso a tutti gli stranieri. Evidentemente hanno qualcosa da nascondere. Ora però,un gruppo irlandese cje appoggia la causa della democrazia in Birmani, pretende che il regime militare birmano apra le porte alle organizzazioni umanitarie

Support group concerned about tsunami situation in Burma

http://212.2.162.45/news/story.asp?j=128866886&p=yz886759z&n=128867646

Burma Action Ireland has expressed concern that the true facts about the impact of Sunday's tsunamis on the people of Burma may not have been revealed.

The country's military rulers have said Burma was not badly affected by the tidal waves that killed at least 87,000 people in more than 10 countries.

However, Burma Action Ireland spokesman Hugh Baxter said this may not be true.

"The Burmese government has a track record of under-reporting casualties in natural disasters, so it's difficult to know," he said.

"We would quite frankly hope that in this case the military were actually telling the truth."

Postato da: persialover a 17:13 | link | |
democracy watch

Another Iranian Blog blocked by the Islamic Regime

Un'altro blog iraniano chiuso dal regime islamico.

http://rahai.persianblog.com

Marg bar Mollas!  (Down with Mullahs )

Postato da: persialover a 16:40 | link | |

The Iranian People - united - has won a battle. Now they will have to win another major battle: get rid of the Islamic Republic. They should put their differences aside and be united . United you win. This case prove it

National Geographic Society retreats


http://www.marzeporgohar.com/index.p....tid=501

The Marze Por Gohar Party is happy to announce that with the hard work of our compatriots for defending the Persian Gulf, the National Geographic Society has been forced to retreat from their earlier stance regarding the Persian Gulf. The National Geographic Society has reportedly removed the illegitimate name from its maps, however there is an asterisk now explaining that some countries use another (unrecognized) name to refer to the Persian Gulf.

Though the Islamic Republic would like to have Iranians believe that the matter regarding the National Geographic’s use of an illegitimate name for the Persian Gulf has been resolved, only one of the four points our compatriots cited have in fact been enacted by the National Geographic Society. The Islamic Republic has had its foreign minister issue a statement whereby he thanks those outside Iran for defending the Persian Gulf, however they fail to realize that if Iran was being governed by real Iranians concerned with our national interests and territorial integrity in the first place then no entity would dare attempt to infringe upon our culture, history and territorial integrity.

The National Geographic Society has yet to implement the following demands of Iranians:
1) A recall process must be initiated by the National Geographic Society to collect all the flawed atlases.

2) The National Geographic Society must correct all errors pertaining to Iran on its atlases, websites and publications.

3) The president of the National Geographic Society must resign due to the fact that he is ultimately responsible for these inexcusable and error prone policies regarding Iran.
The organizations responsible for pursuing the campaign for the defense of the Persian Gulf were all based outside Iran. During meetings of these organizations it was agreed that since the Islamic Republic is too incompetent and since this regime has openly refused to characterize itself as a national entity, a committee be established with the goal of defending Iranian territorial integrity.

The Committee for Defense of Iranian Territorial Integrity (CDITI) is composed of the following parties, organizations and media:

Marze Por Gohar Party (MPG)

Kashm Organization

Council of Iranian American Jewish Organizations (CIAJO)

Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran (SMCCDI)

National Iranian Television (NITV)

Jam-e-Jam Television

SOS Iran Television (X-TV)

Pars Television

Azadi Television

Radio Sedayeh Iran (KRSI)

Sobheh Iran Daily Newspaper

Asreh Emrooz Daily Newspaper

Iranian Information Center 08

Please find below a copy of the letter that was sent to National Geographic Society by the Committee for Defense of Iranian Territorial Integrity.



Committee for Defense of Iranian Territorial Integrity, Los Angeles (CDITI)
2331 Westwood Blvd. #222, Los Angeles, CA 90064

December 27th, 2004


Mr. John M. Fahey, Jr.
President and CEO
National Geographic Society
1145 17th Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036-4688
CC: Mr. Gilbert M.Grosvenor,
Chairman of the Board of Trustees


Re: Improper Use of the Term Persian Gulf in the NGS Atlas of the World, 8th Edition, 2005

Dear Mr. Fahey
As you have been informed through many fax and e-mail protest messages, the Iranian community both inside Iran and abroad are enraged that such a reputable organization as the NGS, would, by adding an illegitimate name to the Persian Gulf, take such a provocative, possibly illegal, and clearly erroneous action which could initiate a process for changing the name of the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Gulf, changing the names of Iranian islands and alleging that three of these Islands are currently "occupied" by Iran.
The united campaign of Iranians against the National Geographic and in defense of the Iranian territorial integrity, initiated by Iranians in Los Angeles, many of whom having joined together to form the “CDITI”, has gained the support of all Iranians including over 250,000 who have voiced their concerns through e-mails, letters, group activities, canceling their subscriptions and other protests directed at the NGS. This campaign has gained the attention of all major news services, several major international broadcasters and countless media outlets and web sites across the world. Recent results from search engines, reveal the extent of Persian Gulf sensitivity and negative reactions to the illegitimate name used by the NGS. People of Iranian ancestry and Persian speaking nations, totaling one hundred million globally are also joining the protest as they receive information about transgressions against their common heritage. Even the Islamic government in Iran, which has traditionally been grossly insensitive to Iran's national interest and national identity, has been forced to react and has banned all National Geographic publications and representatives from Iran.

The Persian Gulf, with its historical name which your organization had recognized all these years, has had a recorded history of several millennia as a strategic waterway and a venue for trade, contact and collision among great civilizations.

Undeniable legal evidence and countless documents confirm the universal use of the term Persian Gulf throughout the centuries past. For example, during the controversial period of 1507 to 1560 in all the agreements that the Portuguese, the Spanish, the British, the Dutch, the French and the Germans concluded with the Iranian (Persian) governments or in other recordings of maritime events relating to the region, there were mentions only of the name Persian Gulf.

Even the Arabs themselves used the term “Al-Khalij al Farsi” which means the Persian Gulf up until the 1960s. The most famous Pan Arab anthem during the first decade of the Pan Arab movement, broadcasted daily from the “Arab Voice” radio from Cairo and memorized by millions of Arab youth in North Africa and the Middle East, clearly stated their goal of Arab unity “… from the Atlas Ocean (Atlantic) to the Persian Gulf (Al Khaleej Al Farsi)”. Later with the rise of Nasserite Arab nationalism and Arab expansionism, Nasser initiated illegitimate name changes and anti-Iranian chauvinism in the Arab world. These were preludes to clashes culminating in armed confrontations including the devastating 8 year war of Iraq and its Arab allies against Iran (1980-1988). We believe that today, the National Geographic is contributing to a new wave of anti-Iranian chauvinism among a new generation of Arab youth, endangering peace in the region, along the same lines that in the past had been the psychological and propaganda bases for acts of violence and war against Iran.

Despite all the disputes and efforts made to change the name of the Persian Gulf the United Nations with its 22 Arab member countries has on two occasions officially declared the unalterable name of the sea between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula as the Persian Gulf. The first announcement was made through the document UNAD, 311/Qen on March 5, 1971 and the second was UNLA 45.8.2 © on August 10, 1984. The UN’s Secretariat document ST/CS/SER.A/29/Add.2, dated August 18th 1994 clearly states that “…The full term ‘Persian Gulf’ should be used in every case instead of the shorter term ‘Gulf’, including in repetitions of the term …”, a statement which is also repeated in the UN Editorial Directive of May 14th 1999. Moreover, the annual U.N. conference for coordination on the geographical names has emphatically repeated the name Persian Gulf each year.


Therefore Mr. Fahey, we would like to remind you and your organization that the use of a new term, even as a secondary name for Persian Gulf, has no legitimate, legal, historical or geographically correct basis and shall not be accepted by the Iranian people nor by the well informed world communities. The Persian Gulf will FOREVER remain the Persian Gulf.


Having not received any positive reactions from the NGS, once again we demand a recall of the 2005 issue of the National Geographic Atlas, which misrepresents the name of the Persian Gulf, the exclusive use of the historical and official name of Persian Gulf in all future NGS publications, maps, and web sites, and an apology to the Iranian Nation and everyone else around the world who is interested in Geography, including your own readers who had previously expected accuracy and honesty from the NGS. We also demand your resignation within 30 days from the date of this letter; otherwise, we will take necessary legal action.

Respectfully,

Public Affairs Director, CDITI

Postato da: persialover a 12:49 | link | |
free iran news activism

Clifford D. May: Post-humanitarian left meets neorealist right

La sinistra post-umanitaria e la destra "realista" : un fronte comune favorevole allo status quo nei paesi dove non c'è democrazia,credendo che le culture diverse da quelle occidentali sono "incompatibili" con la democrazia- vero e proprio razzismo

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/preps/27429.php

 

 

Postato da: persialover a 22:49 | link | |
democracy watch

More than 117,000

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,142911,00.html

Postato da: persialover a 22:45 | link | |

Another anti-American remark in a time of grief..

Gli anti-americani sono sempre all'agguato..anche nei momenti tragici come quello che il sud est asiatico sta attraversando. Ora ci si mette anche un'altra ONG ad accusare Bush di "danneggiare l'Onu" formando una coalizione di paesi pronti ad aiutare i disastrati..

Cioè: se l'America non si muove, viene giustamente criticata.. Ma viene criticata anche se si muove ! Quindi, qual'è la soluzione per questi signori ? La distruzione degli Usa?

Bush 'Undermining UN with Aid Coalition'

By Jamie Lyons, PA Political Correspondent

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3944374

Postato da: persialover a 20:51 | link | |

The Tidal Wave!

December 30, 2004
Iran Institute for Democracy
Ramin Parham

“Seeing a tsunami in your dream, represents that you are being overwhelmed by some repressed feelings or unconscious material that is rising up to the surface. You are experiencing some unhappiness and emotional instability in some waking situation.” Definition of Tsunami in Dream Dictionary, Hyperdictionary.com

http://www.iraninstitutefordemocracy.org/

Postato da: persialover a 20:44 | link | |

An excellent piece by Amir Taheri

Amir Taheri scrive che è ora che si faccia qualcosa contro Al Jazeera ed Al Arabyia, due "tv" satellitari che in realtà sono le portavoci di Al Qaeda

Time to pull the plug?

By AMIR TAHERI

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1104291022960

Postato da: persialover a 20:00 | link | |
war on terror

Postato da: persialover a 19:53 | link | |
democracy watch, war on terror

25 more gone.

Gli Usa uccidono altri 25 terroristi a Mossul.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6727646/

 

Postato da: persialover a 19:51 | link | |
war on terror

Why the Iraq war was right.

La guerra per rovesciare il regime saddamita era più che lecita. Scoperta un'altra fossa comune vicino alla zona curda, con i resti di centinaia di vittime innocenti.

Possible Mass Grave Found in Iraq

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,142805,00.html

SULEIMANIYAH, Iraq — Workers digging the foundation of a new hospital in this northern city discovered Wednesday a burial site that a regional human rights minister said could contain the remains of hundreds of people.

Postato da: persialover a 19:50 | link | |

Plot thickens in Ukraine mystery deaths

http://iafrica.com/news/worldnews/401115.htm

Postato da: persialover a 19:39 | link | |
democracy watch

You can help by putting your signature

Firmate la petizione per cercare di salvare una donna iraniana dalla lapidazione per aver "commesso adulterio".

Stop the execution of Hajieh Esmailwand!

http://www.petitiononline.com/hajeh123/petition.html

To: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

According to reports, Hajieh Esmailvand was sentenced to five years imprisonment, to be followed by execution by stoning, for adultery with an unnamed man who at the time was a 17 year old minor. Although the exact date of her arrest and trial are not known, it is reported that she has been imprisoned in the town of Jolfa, in the north west of Iran, since January 2000.


Having committed an act of adultery, Hajieh Esmailwand, has been convicted to a death through stoning. This conviction shall take place in a very near future. There is not much time left to save her life.


Hearing such unpleasant news could be painful to the one’s heart and soul. Projecting such inhuman pictures, far from legally permitted international human rights, could be only imagined an act committed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

We should act now in order to save the life of Hajieh and thousands of other women as victims.

Hajeh, Atefeh, Kobra, Lyla, and……… these women are all guilty of being women imprisoned in the most frightening situations or have been convicted to the death penalties.

The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves no human rights for women and the Iranian women’s personalities are being suppressed every day more and more under the heavy laws and regulations made.

In the name of the Humanity and the respect for all the humans and according to the International regulations, we should stand up to save Hajieh’s life.

We, signed below, request the Amnesty International and other International Human Rights organizations to demand immediate cancellation of such actions of death through stoning, tortures or other forms of executions committed by the Islamic Republic of Iran against any human being, Hajieh Esmailwand and all other Iranian women.


Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Postato da: persialover a 19:16 | link | |
free iran news activism

Davis Hanson on the almost-dying Left

Victor Davis Hanson sulla crisi delle sinistre mondiali, compresa quella americana

Into the Tar Pits
Dinosaurs either evolve or die.

http://www.nationalreview.com/hanson/hanson200412300838.asp

Postato da: persialover a 16:36 | link | |

Some posts from The Corner I thought you might be interested to read

INTELLIGENCE TEST [Michael Ledeen]

http://www.nationalreview.com/thecorn....#049105

Porter Goss continues to liberate the CIA from the failures of the recent past, and this might be a good time to find out who's really good in the Intelligence Directorate. Goss might give them a quiz. Obviously, it has to be a serious, scientific kind of quiz. No leading questions, because that would be unworthy of the institution. So maybe the first question might be, "all right, the Sunni Zarqawi gets help from the Iranian Shi’ites. But you don’t really think that Sunnis and Shi’ites cooperate on other issues do you?"

Anyone who says "no" should be shipped off to teach alongside Juan Cole at the University of Michigan. Those who knew it was "yes" can stay. The latest blow to the "Sunnis and Shi’ites don’t cooperate except in extremis" comes from the official media in Iran and Saudi Arabia.

First, the Iranians (courtesy of MEMRI): "Iran's Sahar 1 TV station is currently airing a weekly series titled "For You, Palestine," or "Zahra's Blue Eyes." The series premiered on December 13, and is set in Israel and the West Bank. It broadcasts every Monday, and was filmed in Persian but subsequently dubbed into Arabic.

The story follows an Israeli candidate for Prime Minister, Yitzhak Cohen, who is also the military commander of the West Bank. The opening sequence of the show contains graphic scenes of surgery, and images of a Palestinian girl in a hospital whose eyes have been removed, with bandages covering the sockets.

In Episode 1, Yitzhak Cohen lectures at a medical conference on the advances being made by Israeli medicine regarding organ transplants. Later in the episode, Israelis disguised as UN workers visit a Palestinian school, ostensibly to examine the children's eyes for diseases, but in reality to select which children's eyes to steal to be used for transplants.

In Episode 2, the audience learns that the Israeli president is being kept alive by organs stolen from Palestinian children, and an Israeli military commander is seen kidnapping UN employees and Palestinians."

Hold that thought a minute, and have a peek at the official Saudi government’s daily "Al Watan." An article from Brussels charges that, based on alleged secret European military reports, the U.S. military in Iraq is harvesting and selling human organs. The following day, the story was also published in the Iranian daily Jomhouri-ye Islami, as well as the Syrian daily Teshreen. The following are excerpts from the article:


Secret European military intelligence reports indicate the transformation of the American humanitarian mission in Iraq into a profitable trade in the American markets through the practice of American physicians extracting human organs from the dead and wounded, before they are put to death, for sale to medical centers in America. A secret team of American physicians follow the troops during their attacks on Iraqi armed men to ensure quick [medical] operations for extracting some organs and transferring them to private operations rooms before they are transferred to America for sale.

"The reports have indicated that a number of those killed in 'Abu Ghraib' and other prisons were subjected to operations for extracting their organs. Following their mutilations, the bodies were discarded far from the prisons to conceal the facts. The reports revealed that that the American forces restricted the media by force to prevent them from getting near the scenes and recording the events. But the relatives of the Iraqis are aware of these facts. The reports have [also] indicated that the military forces of the European allies have noticed the absence of organs from the cadavers that were dealt with by the Americans and have reported to their high command, which instructed them to maintain silence and to avoid the discussion of the subject due to its gravity, while the military and intelligence high command have written secret reports about was observed by their forces and sent them to the European ministries of defense for their information.

Two propaganda organizations working in near-perfect harmony. I’m betting that the Iranian tv show gets transmogrified into a news story in a Sunni country within a month.

RE: IRAN & DOUTHAT [Michael Ledeen]

http://www.nationalreview.com/thecorn....#049007

As Lopez mentioned earlier, Ross Douthat, a former intern at NRO who has graduated well and is currently subbing for the boss at Andrew Sullivan’s blog, has unburdened himself of a torrent of scepticism on the theme of democratic revolution in Iran and elsewhere, singling me out for unwarranted optimism. In the last couple of days he’s been spanked by Roger Simon, Powerline, and Pejman–this last pointing out the embarrassing fact that Douthat’s demanding evidence of Arab democratic revolution to give him a reason to believe that such could occur in Iran. But Iran is most definitely NOT an Arab country.

Douthat has not been reading NRO very much, because he demands that I provide a bit of a roadmap for the overthrow of the mullahs, whereas most of my critics complain, with some reason in my opinion, that I’ve written too much about it. And he clearly hasn’t read The War Against the Terror Masters, even though it was Book of the Month on andrewsullivan.com when it came out.

He rages against Roger for pointing out the ugliness of one of Douthat’s graphs: "...not to get too old-fashioned-realist here, but . . . the Iranians are not "our people." Neither are the Syrians, the Saudis, the Chinese, or the North Koreans. And they do not become "our people" just by believing in democracy, or even by establishing democratic self-government. An Iranian democracy would be a good thing in countless ways -- but it would also probably be just as ####-bent as the current regime on acquiring nuclear weapons, flexing its muscles in Iraq, and perhaps even sponsoring anti-Israeli terrorism. As such, it would be our strategic rival, not our brother nation, even were its constitution copied word-for-word from ours."

A lot is wrong in that horrid graph. The rejection of an American embrace of freedom-seeking people seems to me distinctly un-American, a snooty rejection of the essence of our national mission, which, as Tocqueville observed more than a century and a half ago, is to support freedom and democracy. I think that the Germans and the Japanese and the Italians became "our people" when they became democratic. When they were tyrannical they were our enemies, as tyrants always are. That’s why Tocqueville was able to predict our inevitable conflict with tyrannical Russia.

Douthat is pretty confident that he knows a lot about the Iranians, but he doesn’t seem to know that, in the mass anti-regime demonstrations that have regularly taken place over the past few years, the demonstrators commonly brandish banners and signs that say "don’t talk to us about the Palestinians, talk about US." If there were an Iranian revolution, I think that aid to Hamas, Hizbollah and Islamic Jihad would end, and I also think we’d see a lot of members of al Qaeda scrambling for a new place to work.

Finally, he rejects the idea that vigorous American political and limited material support for pro-democracy forces in Iran could possibly bring down the mullahs. Well, virtually the entire American and European intellectual establishment thought Ronald Reagan was nuts to believe he could do that to the Soviet Communists, and they ridiculed his "evil empire" speech as at best fatuous and at worst provocative. I always thought that was an odd position for intellectuals, who claim to believe in the value of ideas and the power of words.

When Galileo was criticized for his theories, he remarked "eppur, si muove," and yet, it moves. Look at the world today. Look at the world in 1980. Is it not moving? Are we not in the age of the second democratic revolution?




LEDEEN, FREEDOM BOOSTER [KJL ]

http://www.nationalreview.com/thecorn....#049000

I’ve only done a cursory reading of Andrew Sullivan’s site as of late, but I get the impression from our former intern Ross Douthat (of whom I’m a big fan) that Michael Ledeen only just recently made some offhand remarks about Iran. Just from reading Ross's comments, if I were a newcomer to Ledeen I'd have little idea that he's been the biggest booster of Iran dissidents and the leading truthteller about events in Iran (putting the paper of record to shame more than once) for quite a while now.

That said, I leave the rest to Ledeen--he can handle it quite well himself.

IRANIAN BLOGGERS UNDER TORTURE [Michael Ledeen]

http://www.nationalreview.com/thecorn....#048989

Jeff Jarvis has posted a translation of an article by perhaps the most famous Iranian blogger--a former vice president of the regime itself--which recounts acts of systematic violence and humiliation against Iranian bloggers. Here's the post.
As we should have learned a long time ago, evil regimes like that of the mullahs hate sunlight. It is incumbent on everyone who can, to yell and keep yelling about the rotten practices of the Iranian tyrants. Hey, even the United Nations General Assembly condemned the bastards a couple of days ago.

If we yell loud enough, perhaps we can save a few bloggers, and deter future assaults, although it's more likely we will have to keep yelling until there's an Orange Revolution in Tehran.

 

Postato da: persialover a 16:32 | link | |

The UN' s the Axis of Evil.

L'Onu fa quello che sa fare meglio: insultare gli israeliani. Lo fa Lakdhar Brahimi, e subito l'ambasciatore israeliano all'Onu ne chiede le dimissioni. Perchè quando è troppo è troppo..

A Top Kofi Annan Aide Insults Israeli Leader

http://www.nysun.com/article/6940

Postato da: persialover a 16:20 | link | |
un watch

Regime claims Meteor crash into turmoiled Iranian city

SMCCDI (Information Service)
Dec 30, 2004, 00:00

Islamic regime's official news agency is claiming that a meteorite weighing at least 16 kilograms has hit a house in Saravan located in Sistan-Baluchestan province.

The official report has stated that most of the meteor had already been broken up and taken away by local people before police arrived at the scene.

It's to note that Saravan has been the scene of several bloody clashes and public executions in the last months and that such official news might hide other realities.

Postato da: persialover a 16:08 | link | |
iran news

Postato da: persialover a 15:36 | link | |
un watch

Journalists at War
The Washington Post shows lousy judgment

http://www.nationalreview.com/ledeen/ledeen200412300843.asp

Postato da: persialover a 15:23 | link | |
war on terror

Forklift Exec Charged with Exporting to Iran

Una corte americana, affiliata al Ministero del Commercio, multa una società che vendeva materiali da costruzione al regime iraniano

December 30, 2004
Herald-Leader
Jim Jordan
http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/local/10527228.htm

 

Postato da: persialover a 15:19 | link | |
iran news

We must stay the course in Iraq

New Year’s Resolution
Staying the course.

http://www.nationalreview.com/robbins/robbins200412300859.asp

 

Postato da: persialover a 15:14 | link | |
democracy watch, war on terror

The other Baathists - still in power

Syria's dangerous game

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2004/12/29/syrias_dangerous_game/

Postato da: persialover a 14:31 | link | |
democracy watch, war on terror

Symposium: Gender Apartheid and Islam
By Jamie Glazov
Can there be a feminist Islam? A heated collision at Frontpagemag.com. More>

Simposio sulla questione dell'Apartheid sessuale nell'Islam. La questione principale che caratterizza il dibattito è se può esserci un Islam femminista. Al dibattito hanno partecipato alcuni esponenti islamici in America, tra i quali una americana convertita, e Ali Sina, un Iraniano che ha abbandonato l'Islam ed ora ne è un critico feroce.Vi consiglio di leggerlo ( se capite l'inglese ) poichè il dibattito è stato davvero acceso, senza esclusione di colpi.

Postato da: persialover a 14:28 | link | |

The Islamization of Europe
By Andrew G. Bostom
Bat Ye'or's new book reveals the ongoing transformation of Europe into Eurabia. More>

L'Islamizzazzione dell'Europa. La scrittice ebrea di origine egiziana parla della trasformazione, tutt'ora in corso, dell'Europa in Eurabia ( Europa+Arabia). Eurabia è anche il titolo del suo nuovo, controverso libro.

Postato da: persialover a 14:24 | link | |
eurabia watch

U.N. unqualified for relief effort

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=42154

Postato da: persialover a 14:13 | link | |
un watch

Time of blogs and bombs

Internet journals, said to be written by everyday Iraqis, paint a gripping picture of life on the war front

http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-et-iraqblog27dec27,1,3191836.story

Postato da: persialover a 13:39 | link | |
democracy watch

Alhurra tunes in to Iraq election

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20041230-120521-5589r.htm

Iraq's first democratic elections in 80 years are being heavily promoted by an Arab language television network operating out of Northern Virginia that will offer an American-style election night coverage from voting places across Iraq.

Postato da: persialover a 12:15 | link | |
democracy watch, war on terror

Postato da: persialover a 11:50 | link | |

Una pedagogia dell’odio

di Itamar Marcus e Barbara Crook

http://www.pmw.org.il/

Se volete sapere che cosa c’è realmente al cuore del conflitto tra i palestinesi e Israele non chiedetelo agli uomini politici né ai diplomatici. Rivolgetevi ai nuovi esperti in materia: i ragazzi palestinesi. A differenza del resto del mondo, loro hanno ascoltato con attenzione l’insegnamento dei loro educatori e sono pronti a mettere in pratica quello che hanno imparato.
Per esempio, dei ragazzi intervistati la settimana scorsa alla televisione ufficiale palestinese, PA TV, hanno dichiarato molto chiaramente e senza la minima esitazione che Israele non ha diritto di esistere e che ciò a cui essi aspirano, accettando anche di sacrificare la loro vita per arrivarci, è molto semplicemente la distruzione di Israele e l’espulsione di tutti gli israeliani.
«Loro [gli ebrei] sono venuti a prendere la Palestina, cioè Tel Aviv, Giaffa, Haifa, Acco, Ramla. Tutte queste città appartengono alla Palestina», spiega un ragazzo durante questo programma televisivo, facendo così eco all’indottrinamento praticato correntemente da anni dall’Autorità Palestinese (AP). E poiché è convinto che Israele non ha diritto di esistere, aggiunge: «Noi speriamo, speriamo, speriamo, e lo voglio sottolineare, che i paesi arabi e i paesi stranieri, tutti i paesi del mondo, sostengano i palestinesi ed espellano gli israeliani.»
«Dobbiamo espellere tutti gli israeliani dalla Palestina. Perché Israele - non c’è niente che porti il nome d’Israele nel mondo-, gli israeliani sono venuti dall’Olanda, dall’America, dall’Iran.»
E si vedono i ragazzi promettere di continuare a battersi, generazione dopo generazione, «fino a che libereranno la Palestina».
E, cosa più importante, non hanno paura di morire nel corso dei combattimenti perché è Shahada, la Morte per Allah. «Anche se tutti i ragazzi palestinesi, la gioventù palestinese, le donne palestinesi e gli uomini palestinesi morissero, noi non ci arrenderemo!»
Anche se l’AP afferma il contrario, i suoi manuali scolastici continuano a delegittimare Israele e dicono che si tratta di un occupante straniero: «La Palestina ha subito l’occupazione britannica dopo la prima guerra mondiale nel 1917 e l’occupazione israeliana nel 1948.»[1].   Si insegna ai ragazzi che la totalità d’Israele fa parte della “Palestina”. Un esempio: «Tra le celebri rocce del sud della Palestina ci sono quelle di Beersheba e del Negev». A proposito delle sorgenti d’acqua della “Palestina” si insegna ai ragazzi che «la più importante è il lago di Tiberiade...»2
Alcuni storici affiliati all’AP vengono spesso a rinforzare questo messaggio nei programmi della televisione educativa. La settimana scorsa lo storico e l’animatore della televisione educativa, il dr. Isam Sisalem, ha ripetuto quello che ha già detto in numerose trasmissioni, cioè che gli ebrei «non hanno alcuna storia che li leghi a questa terra» e non sono che un «cancro» iniettato dalla Gran Bretagna per controllare il Medio Oriente.
Anni di indottrinamento anti-israeliano sono stati di un’efficacia spaventosa, e hanno insegnato ai ragazzi dell’AP che gli ebrei non hanno alcun legame con Israele, che Israele non ha diritto di esistere e che lo scopo essenziale della generazione che viene deve essere l’eliminazione d’Israele - anche se dovesse pagare con la propria vita.
L’essenza di questo conflitto è il diritto stesso d’Israele all’esistenza, non una questione di frontiere, di territori o di profughi. Delle trattative di pace che non affrontino il problema posto dal sistema educativo e dal suo indottrinamento non saranno che accordi a breve termine che non valgono la carta su cui sono stati firmati e sono destinati al fallimento.
I ragazzi palestinesi se ne sono resi conto. Noi forse avremmo tutti bisogno di fare dei corsi di studio supplementari.

Itamar Marcus è direttore di Palestinan Media Watch (PMW). Barbara Crook è una scrittrice che vive a Ottawa (Canada) ed è rappresetante di PMW per l’America del Nord.
(Palestinian Media Watch, 04/1/2004)

[1] “Educazione Nazionale”, scolari di 12 anni, p. 16
[2] “La nostra bella lingua”, scolari di 12 anni, Parte A, p.64; “Educazione Nazionale”, scolari di 12 anni, pp. 9-10.

Postato da: persialover a 11:42 | link | |
war on terror

Europe's Painful Travail

by Johnny D. Symon

http://www.amsiriano.com/johnnydsymon.php?id=894

Postato da: persialover a 11:24 | link | |
eurabia watch

Postato da: persialover a 11:22 | link | |
democracy watch

“Car bomb work of Iranian intelligence”: Najaf chief of police

C'era da aspettarselo. Anche il capo della polizia di Najaf dice che dietro l'attentato a Najaf c'era l'intelligence del regime islamico che governa l'Iran

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1114

 

Postato da: persialover a 11:19 | link | |
war on terror

It's still Castro's Cuba

Lurking behind the sun and the sand and the smiles that greet those fleeing the icy blasts of winter is a repressive, increasingly paranoid police state that does not grow gentler as Fidel Castro, the 78-year-old autocratic ruler, ages.
The Globe and Mail, Canada.

http://www.cubanet.org/CNews/y04/dec04/29e6.htm

Postato da: persialover a 10:54 | link | |
cuba

Muslim Convert Preaches Politics, Predicts Democracy in Iran

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/12/prwebxml191496.php

Former Iranian Shiite Muslim Donald Fareed, now an evangelical Christian pastor and head of Persian Ministries International, has preached a radical religious and political message to millions of Muslims over satellite television in the face of religious persecution. He predicts that Iran, not Iraq, will undergo regime change and become the first democracy in the Middle East, and urges America to support the Iranian pro-democracy movement.

 

Postato da: persialover a 10:53 | link | |
free iran news activism

Maybe 'Vladmir' Is Russian for 'Uday'

Is Vladmir Putin turning into another Saddam? His renationalization of the oil industry might seem just a little backing and filling, but Mr. Putin is setting himself on a path that might prove hard to reverse. If history is any guide, attempts to control Russian with a dictatorial hand will likely breed only more insecurity, followed by even greater exertions aimed at control. This iron-fist approach might have been a temporarily stable solution in Czarist times, when 90% of the population were peasants yoked to the land. But has Mr. Putin learned nothing from Chechnya? In the age of Al Qaeda, cell phones and the Internet, he will likely find himself resorting to ever greater repression and eventually Saddam-like terror to keep dissident communities in line.

He could have followed a different road, letting the private sector and independent society flourish while Moscow raced to fashion responsive institutions that could mediate the conflicts that would inevitably arise between regions, etc. It would have been a gamble, but a taste of prosperity and freedom (as in China) are the only glue that might keep the place from blowing apart. 

Postato da: persialover a 23:27 | link | |
democracy watch

Syria's Glasnost?
By Nir Boms and Elliot Chodoff
Is the Dictator of Damascus Syria's Gorbachev? More>

 

Postato da: persialover a 22:53 | link | |
democracy watch

Ramsey Clarke to defend ( guess who ) Saddam

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/11388BFC-9290-4141-B0E1-BEA75A1B20F8.htm

 

Postato da: persialover a 22:43 | link | |

Death toll reaches 100,000

http://www.thisislondon.com/news/articles/15630695?source=Evening%20Standard&ct=5

Postato da: persialover a 20:55 | link | |

Ohio recount ends and confirms: Bush has won

I democratici volevano il conteggio esatto di tutte i voti in Ohio. Bene, il conteggio è finito e conferma che Bush ha vinto

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=703&e=1&u=/ap/20041228/ap_on_re_us/ohio_vote

 

Postato da: persialover a 14:20 | link | |

Myanmar is one of the nations affected by the Tsunamis. But the military junta there is keeping every humanitarian organization away - for "fear" of discovering the brutal reality in that country..

La Birmania è una delle nazioni colpite dallo Tsunami. Ma la giunta militare al potere mantiene il paese chiuso ad ogni organizzazzione umanitaria . Tutto ciò, per "timore" che esse vedano la realtà in corso in quella nazione..

MYANMAR

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2004601018,00.html

There were officially 90 deaths, although it is thought the secretive government is withholding the true figure.

 

Postato da: persialover a 14:14 | link | |

Ignoring Israeli Kindness
By HonestReporting.com
Where are the media reports about Israel's massive humanitarian aid to South Asia? More>

I media ignorano l'aiuto che le organizzazzione non governative israeliane volevano offrire ai disastrati del Sud Est asiatico - e che è stato rifiutato dal governo dello Sri Lanka.

IDF rescue team on its way to Sri Lanka

 

Postato da: persialover a 14:09 | link | |

Has National Geographic corrected the maps ?

An Iranian blogger, in Italy, has wrote that the National Geographic has corrected the maps and wrote Persian Gulf. He provided me with these links and photo



http://mapmachine.nationalgeographic.com/mapmach....d=p7700

http://www.baztab.com/news/19825.php

Thanks to Amir

http://www.musicistadiario.ilcannocchiale.it

 

Postato da: persialover a 13:35 | link | |

Arab condemns Mideast silence on Sudan
No response to genocide carried out by Islamist regime

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=42129

 

 

Postato da: persialover a 13:31 | link | |
war on terror

A very interesting piece by Claudia Rossett:

Claudia Rossett scrive : Dimentichiamoci della riforma di questa organizzazione mondiale. L'Onu ha bisogno di regime change

Blue: The Next Orange?
Forget reform. The U.N. needs regime change.

BY CLAUDIA ROSETT
http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/cRosett/?id=110006082

 

Postato da: persialover a 13:00 | link | |

Can Castro avoid democracy?

Castro riuscirà ad evitare che Cuba divenga democratica e che il suo regime, alla fine cadrà?

By John Hughes*
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1222/p09s02-cojh.html

 

Postato da: persialover a 12:57 | link | |
cuba

Liberating Cuba from Communism

Liberare Cuba dal comunismo

http://www.globalpolitician.com/articles.asp?ID=257

Postato da: persialover a 12:53 | link | |
cuba

A new Liberal Iraqi Blogger from Baghdad!

Nasce un ennesimo Blog iracheno liberale. Si chiama Ali e scrive da Baghdad.

http://iraqilibe.blogspot.com

 

Postato da: persialover a 12:22 | link | |
democracy watch

Death Toll in South East Asia : 70,000

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=OPO40LJASGYFWCRBAE0CFEY?type=topNews&storyID=7195840

Meanwhile, the govt of Sri Lanka : "Better let other more die than accepting help from Israel"...

Nel frattempo, il governo dello Sri Lanka sembra preferire la morte di altre persone che potrebbero essere salvate, piuttosto che accettare l'aiuto di israele...

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1104204636470

Postato da: persialover a 12:06 | link | |

Cuban Pro-Democracy Movement November 30th (one of the many anti-Castro groups founded over the recent years) walks in the streets of Havana, Cuba, shouting anti-Castro slogans "Down with Fidel!", "Down with Tyranny!"

Ada Kaly, the President of the Party, said that the ordinary cubans have appreciated the demonstration

Uno dei tanti partiti e movimenti di opposizione clandestini a Cuba, l'altro giorno sono andati in giro per le strade dell'Avana ed hanno urlato slogans contro il regime fascio-comunista di Castro : "Abbasso Fidel", "Abbasso la dittatura!" sono stati alcuni degli slogans urlati. Ada Kaly, la presidentessa del gruppo, ha detto che la gente dell'Avana, hanno apprezzato la manifestazione. Segno che i cubani stanno perdendo la paura di parlare.

http://www.adcuba.org/Noticias%20Cuba/Noticias%20Dic%202004/Gritan%20consignas%20Part%2030%20NOV.htm

Postato da: persialover a 22:06 | link | |
cuba

Photos from Iraq -  Iraqis smiling and happy - despite the current situation and the terrorist threats.

Foto dall'Iraq - Iracheni sorridenti e felici -  nonostante la situazione e le minaccie terroristiche. Segno che c'è anche un Iraq che va avanti e che vuole chiudere col passato fatto di dispotismo e guerre.

http://noleftturns.ashbrook.org//iraqphotos.asp

 

Postato da: persialover a 20:09 | link | |
democracy watch, war on terror

Steve Forbes: Expel 'Murderous' U.N. From New York

Forbes scrive che bisognerebbe espellere l'Onu da New York . Non ha tutti i torti..

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/12/27/164711.shtml

New York City is too good for the "privileged, pampered" bureaucrats of United Nations, notes Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine.

Ship the corrupt globalists to the corrupt Third World, he urges in his column in the Jan. 10, 2005 issue.

"The poverty and backwardness of Port-au-Prince, Haiti or Lagos, Nigeria or Dar es Salaam, Tanzania or Addis Ababa, Ethiopia would serve as daily reminders" of the taxpayer-supported U.N. parasites' "years-long record of murderous failure and moral turpitude," he observes.

Forbes is, however, a realist. "It won't happen," he admits.

After all, where would the internationalist fat cats dine and park their limos?

Postato da: persialover a 19:33 | link | |
un watch

Castro Announces Crude Oil Discovery

Castro, trionfalista come non mai, dice di aver scoperto il petrolio!

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/12/26/204412.shtml

Postato da: persialover a 19:25 | link | |
cuba

Zimbabwe's Mugabe curbs freedoms

Il dittatore dello Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, reprime le libertà fondamentali del suo popolo.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/world/2962802

Postato da: persialover a 19:21 | link | |
democracy watch

REAL END OF COMMUNISM SEEN

People power triumphs in Ukraine

Yushchenko's election victory signals a win for democracy over corrupt, semi-authoritarian rule - a result influenced by nonviolent protest

BY ADRIAN KARATNYCKY

http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-vpkar284097837dec28,0,3055985.story?coll=ny-viewpoints-headlines

Postato da: persialover a 18:57 | link | |
democracy watch

The Israeli Crime That Wasn’t
By Alyssa A. Lappen

The apparent cold-blooded killing of 12-year-old Mohammed Al-Durrah, a Palestinian, by Israeli forces in 2000 shook the Western world and inflamed jihadists everywhere. But did it happen? More>

La storia dell'uccisione del dodicenne palestinese Mohammed Al Durrah, da parte delle forze di difesa israeliane nel 2000 ha infiammato i terroristi islamici ed i loro amici di sinistra in Occidente. Ma è davvero stata colpa di Israele? Oppure la storia è stata montata ad arte dalla propaganda dell'ANP del defunto Arafat? Come con Jenin. Perfino l'Onu ora ha ammesso che non vi fu nessun massacro

Postato da: persialover a 18:40 | link | |
war on terror

Photos of the recent meetings of the anti-Castro "November 30th Movement- Frank Paìs" in Cuba

Foto delle recenti riunioni del partito d'opposizione cubana "Movimento 30 Novembr Frank Paìs" a Cuba.E' un movimento politico liberale,che prende il nome da Frank Pais, un liberale cubano anti-comunista che partecipò alla lotta contro Batista ma che fu anche vittima di Castro.Questo movimento, insieme a tutti gli altri che stanno nascendo a Cuba, sta aumentando i consensi tra la popolazione cubana e sta organizzando la resistenza civica non-violenta contro il regime castrista

 

 

 

 

  

Postato da: persialover a 14:39 | link | |
democracy watch

Imam’s throat slit for saying peace prayer

Estremisti islamici in Kashmir tagliano la gola ad un imam che stava parlando di pace http://www.expressindia.com/kashmir/full_story.php?content_id=40067&type=ei

Postato da: persialover a 13:38 | link | |
war on terror

Our Challenges in the Year Ahead

What we learned from three years of war.

by Victor Davis Hanson
Private Papers
http://victorhanson.com/articles/hanson122604.html

A shorter version of this essay recently appeared in the Australian Financial Review.

No American President this century suffered the level of slander as did George Bush in the recent campaign. Yet despite Moveon.org, George Soros, Michael Moore, European hysteria, and the Hollywood elite, Mr. Bush won both a clear popular and electoral majority. He increased Republican control of the Congress, strengthened margins in the state legislatures and governorships, and is poised to reconstruct the Supreme Court. Blue-state America is left licking its wounds of rejection while the Democratic Party is about to engage in a bloody round of finger pointing and intra-party strife. If no incumbent has been so slurred as George W. Bush, not since Franklin Roosevelt has a sitting President so tightened his hold on the reins of government.

Although Mr. Bush has moved swiftly to reconstitute his cabinet along more uniform ideological lines, and is preparing conservative legislation running the gamut from entitlement reform to school choice, conventional wisdom suggests he will pause and take a breath in the war on terrorism. Because of worldwide furor over Iraq, and with American combat dead now exceeding 1,000 and the US military down to its last combat reserves, most might think that the neoconservative misadventure is over and the United States will return to a more multilateral, realist approach reminiscent of the four years of Bush senior’s earlier term or perhaps even Bill Clinton's quietism.

Such perceptions are misplaced. What little quiet that will follow is because, rather than despite, of past muscularity. Precisely because the United States removed both the Taliban and Saddam Hussein, there is now a growing sense of American willingness to fight. Indeed, unpredictability about how America might react allows renewed opportunity for allies and neutrals to play good cop to our bad. Thus the Europeans raise the American unilateral bogeyman to head off through diplomacy the Iranian mullocracy's acquisition of nuclear weaponry, while a consortium of nations parley with North Korea in fear that otherwise the United States might act alone to ensure its West Coast is not in range of Pyongyang's nuclear-tipped missiles.

In addition, while critics continue to flay away at the President, the world is changing in ways that bolster the Bush worldview. Pakistan is no longer an enemy, but a neutral. A shaken Libya volunteers information about its own roguery. The Gulf Sheikdoms are not only hunting terrorists, but talking of constitutional reforms. Afghanistan has real elections for the first time in its 5,000-year history, even as Syria is apprehensive that the world is finally eyeing its illegitimate occupation of Lebanon.

The earlier ostracism of Yassir Arafat was widely condemned by Mr. Bush's critics here and abroad, but it was critical to marginalizing the corrupt leader and ensured that his subsequent death would be met with quiet relief even in the Arab world rather than Nasser-like deification. John Kerry and Jacques Chirac harped that America was alone in its clumsy war against terror, but, in fact, millions in Australia, Eastern Europe, Great Britain, and Japan are actively combating terrorists. Billions more in China, India, and Russia see Islamic radicalism in the same dangerous terms as does the American-led coalition.

The United States has not experienced another 9-11 mass murder. Perhaps this is due to increased homeland security, cooperation with allies in hunting down terrorists, and the scattering of al Qaeda leaders from sanctuaries in Afghanistan. But the reason may also be that a number of radical governments are beginning to worry that if terrorists who operate within their borders, or receive indirect aid from their coffers, are traced to any future killing of Americans, Mr. Bush is perhaps the type of leader that will hold them collectively responsible first, and worry about nuances and niceties later.

The President realizes that such momentum is fluid and events can easily slide in reverse—if the radical Islamic world, or other keen observers like China and North Korea, senses a return to Clintonian finger-shaking and occasional cruise missiles in lieu of real deterrence. And far from thinking elections are naïve flights of utopianism in such a rough part of the world, George Bush sincerely believes that constitutional government in Afghanistan and even Iraq will eventually become the norm of the region—thus isolating failed autocracies and lessening the chance of war between like democratic neighbors. In this regard, note his recent three-hour discussion with Natan Sharansky, when he sat receptive to the latter's gospel of Middle East liberalization.

Iran and Syria may sound defiant in the Islamic media; yet, the world around them in Israel, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Iraq is either democratic or moving in that direction. Their support of terror and desire to acquire dangerous strategic weapons, in the President's view, means that the larger war cannot be won unless both cease and desist or see their regimes changed—preferably through either diplomatic coercion and multilateral pressure or in extremis American force.

While the democratic stew brews in Afghanistan and Iraq, expect a number of Bush initiatives that will turn up the heat. The UN, reeling from the Oil for Food scandals, the Secretary-General’s nepotism, and the organization’s tolerance for mass murder in the Sudan, is under enormous pressure to democratize its membership, expand the Security Council, open its books—or face a de facto American disengagement. That is no longer a right-wing pipe dream, not when a majority of Americans now voices no confidence in either the efficacy or morality of such avatars of world governance.

The Palestinians likewise are facing an impending dilemma. Either with American support and aid they embrace real democracy and give up tribal Arafatism to negotiate as a legitimate interlocutor with the Israelis, or they will face a unilateral Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the completion of a security fence, continued destruction of extremists and the recognition that they will lose their window on the West through Jerusalem, and instead stew in their own juice with their like brethren in Syria and Egypt.

Nor will the Bush administration cease its reexamination of its superpower responsibilities. The American people believes that there is no longer any strategic or political logic in stationing thousands of soldiers in Europe, but plenty of reasons—economic, political, and psychological—to remove the vast majority of them at a time of troops shortages closer to the front. NATO has become as impotent as it is widely praised, especially when it fails to honor commitments in Afghanistan and abhors involvement with Iraq. This obstructionism is in sharp contrast to the prior European desire of American-led military intervention—without UN or Congressional sanction—to remove Slobodan Milosevic. Having learned belatedly the wisdom of talking more quietly while carrying an even bigger stick, America may continue to offer praise for the status quo trans-Atlantic relationship, while unobtrusively promoting wider bilateral relationships—like those with Australia—based on shared commitments to freedom and the need for collective security against statism and totalitarianism in all its many guises.

What may stymie the Bush Administration's efforts to press ahead with radical changes in the Middle East and a global war against regimes that support terror is not ever depressing news from the Sunni Triangle or additional terrorist attacks. Rather the rub will be financial pressure fueled by poor savings and investment, coupled with unrealistic spending—and fired by a national policy that rewards debtors and punishes savers.

The United States might be able to fight an expensive war abroad and enact massive tax cuts, but not simultaneously increase federal spending, with new mandates and entitlements. Spiraling trade deficits, a weak dollar, mounting national debt, and enormous annual budget shortfalls are creating a perfect storm of sorts. If these crises don't quite yet destroy the confidence of allies abroad and embolden opportunistic rivals like a cash-flush China, the news increasingly depresses Americans—without whose confidence the war abroad can not be carried out in full to its final success.

Supply-siders and economic libertarians may or may not be correct that the public's worry over a sinking dollar and mounting debts is the superstition of the unsophisticated. But mastery of econometrics and world finance is not the same as warcraft, in which the spiritual is every bit as important as the material. The United States may well have the money to defeat the terrorists and change the Middle East, but if its people think otherwise, we may still falter in this war even when victory is on the horizon. Unless things change quickly, what George Bush wants to do these next four years increasingly will hinge on what his people think he can afford to do.

Postato da: persialover a 13:23 | link | |
war on terror

An orange Christmas in Ukraine

The people of Ukraine have been blessed this Christmas and New Year's season with one of the most precious gifts of all: democracy.

Il più bel regalo di Natale per gli ucraini è stata la vittoria delle forze della democrazia e del cambiamento

http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20041227-090140-9411r.htm

Postato da: persialover a 13:04 | link | |
democracy watch

What Really Happened in 1948
By Sarah El Shazly
A Palestinian Israeli on the so-called "occupation." More>

Cosa successe davvero nel '48. Una palestinese che vive in Israele scrive sulla cosidetta "occupazione" israeliana. Scrive che ciò che gli è stato insegnato nelle scuole dell'ANP è solo propaganda.

Postato da: persialover a 12:58 | link | |
democracy watch

Imprisoned Student's Case Comes Up For Review

December 27, 2004
Radio Free Europe
Bill Samii
http://www.rferl.org/reports/iran-report/



The case of a young student whose image personified the Iranian student demonstrations of July 1999 in the international media came up for review on 20 December, according to the man's attorney. A photograph of Ahmad Batebi waving a bloody shirt was published by major international media, and he was subsequently imprisoned for his role in the 1999 tumult and his subsequent comments and actions.

Batebi's attorney, Khalil Bahramian, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda on 19 December that after much effort he had the opportunity to read his client's file and he sees absolutely no reason for his continuing imprisonment.

Batebi is charged with acting against national security, the lawyer said, but in fact he was helping emergency crews tend to the injured from clashes between students and hard-line vigilantes who stormed the Tehran University campus.

The 15-year sentence against Batebi is groundless and he should be released immediately, Bahramian claimed. Bahramian also told Radio Farda that he has received a court summons. He is unaware of the reason for the summons, he said.

Postato da: persialover a 12:54 | link | |

Taiwan Denounces China Anti-Secession Law as `Provocation'

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000080&sid=aiCpsSMr2XLU&refer=asia#

Postato da: persialover a 22:39 | link | |
democracy watch

Holland Daze
From the December 27, 2004 issue: The Dutch rethink multiculturalism

Gli olandesi ripensano il multiculturalismo

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/059darxx.asp?pg=1

Postato da: persialover a 21:59 | link | |
eurabia watch

The U.N. Sex Scandal
From the January 3 / January 10, 2005 issue: Exploitation, abuse, and other humanitarian efforts.

 

Gli scandali sessuali dell'Onu. Sfruttamento,abusi,violenze sessuali sugli abitanti delle zone dove sono presenti i cashi blu delle nazioni unite

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/081zxelz.asp

 

Postato da: persialover a 21:54 | link | |
un watch

Iraqi Electoral Commission slams UBL and Al Jazeera

La Commissione Elettorale Indipendente irachena dice che quello che dice Bin Laden non fermerà la volontà degli iracheni di andare avanti con la preparazione delle prime elezioni democratiche del paese, previste per Gennaio. Inoltre, accusa Al Jazeera, chiamandola "la portavoce di Bin Laden"

 

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041227/wl_mideast_afp/iraqqaedabinladenvote&cid=1514&ncid=1478

Postato da: persialover a 21:42 | link | |
cuba, war on terror

More Repression against Liberal Arabs

Nuova ondata di repressione contro gli arabi liberali. In Yemen, un giornalista è stato arrestato per aver scritto alcuni articoli che criticavano i sauditi.

Yemeni Court Punishes Four Journalists for Writing Anti-Saudi Articles
Khaled Al-Mahdi • Arab News

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=56646&d=27&m=12&y=2004

another editor attacked

Il direttore di un giornale yemenita liberale attaccato da uomini armati

http://www.yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=802&p=local&a=1

 

Postato da: persialover a 21:14 | link | |
democracy watch

UBL worried that million Iraqis might vote on January

Arriva Bin Laden a dire agli iracheni di non votare. Dubito che lo ascolteranno..

New Bin Laden Tape Calls on Iraqis to Boycott Elections

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,142655,00.html

 

Postato da: persialover a 20:30 | link | |
war on terror

Apocalypse in South East Asia : 22,000 victims - for now..

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20041227/wl_nm/quake_dc

Postato da: persialover a 16:32 | link | |

The winners

The Loosers

 

 

 

Postato da: persialover a 15:51 | link | |
democracy watch

Postato da: persialover a 15:44 | link | |
eurabia watch

News went unnoticed

Alcuni uccisi, dozzine di altri rimasti feriti durante una manifestazione pacifica di decine di migliaia di cinesi in una città meridionale della Cina

Reports: Several killed, dozens injured as tens of thousands riot in southern Chinese city

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/041226/ap/d87754ao0.html

Postato da: persialover a 15:18 | link | |
democracy watch

Orange Victory confirmed

Postato da: persialover a 15:01 | link | |
democracy watch

Marriages Made In Hell

Storia di una ragazza pachistana costretta a sposare un uomo contro la sua volontà

http://www.muslimworldtoday.com/hell24.htm

Postato da: persialover a 14:49 | link | |
democracy watch, war on terror

Irshad Manji: Praise for a secular Santa who delivers the goods

http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/news/theaustralian-04-12-23.html

Postato da: persialover a 14:43 | link | |

Freedom Lovers & Iranian patriots referendum

Dear Compatriots:

Twenty six year of past experience, unending disaster following the sinister events of so-called revolution, which befall on the Iranian Nation, with conspiracy of the ruling clan of the Islamic Republic, in all its shape & manifest, along with their false identity, has proved that, there is only one secured way to put end to the suffering of the Iranian Nation and to get rid of the prolonged prevailing disaster,

And that is:

“To over throw the Islamic Republic and to establish a new Government by the Direct Vote & without intermediary, by the people of Iran”

Due to the fact that some of open & hidden collaborators of the present Theocratic Regime, by changing their strife to “antagonism” are trying to subvert the will of Iranian people, which is over throwing the corrupt, dictatorial present regime, and choose either parliamentary Monarchy or Democratic Republic, by ordinary and normal means, with the help of International Observers, we the under signed are requesting:

1- Unless and until, that the present theocratic regime of Iran is not over turned by the legitimate struggle of our people, to participate in any kind of election including referendum is forbidden and condemned.

2- The People of Iran are recognized as the sole authority on the National Integrity of the country not any groups, associations, self made gatherings or parties.

3- All the Governments and the people of the world, who up till now have come to realize the dangers that the Islamic Regime of Iran has created for the world at large, should help our nation, so that by adhering to the common methods of national freedom fighters struggle, such as (strikes, protests, obstructions, withdrawal, propaganda, International cooperation and any other civil disobedience) be empowered to over throw this Islamic Republic of terrorist supporters, element of suppression of its own people, and the most dangerous regime who unceasingly is after getting hold of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

4- The international Concert of Nations has only to establish law and order and to help the Iranian Nation to choose their system of future government by, interference free procedure of referendum.

5- Only after the establishment of the results of the Direct and Democratic choice of the Iranian Nation, the elections of the members of constitutional assembly, which appoints the new Government, and enacts a new Constitutional Law, will be held.

6- The responsibility of taking any decision to compensate the loss due to the Islamic Revolution and inhuman action of the Islamic Government, as well as Democratic Reforms, and the manner by which the Government handles the affairs of the state, is by the National Assembly.

7- The Iranian Patriots, have to refrain from participating to any election or referendum by the open or hidden Islamic elements, who are using the name of REFERENDUM just to cover their true intentions, which is to legitimize the present inhuman regime & prolong its tyrannical life, should join us by signings this petition, so that we will be able to take the true voice of the Iranian Nation to the entire world with utmost strength.

Dear compatriot,

Please pay attention that each and every Iranian from all corners of the world, can enlist her/his name only once. Repetition of names in this site is impossible. We do not allow any wrong doing and list making sham in our struggle. This petition made available at: Souresrafil. If you wish to register your support please cast your vote using the link.
Those who wish their name to be registered in the list please send an e-mail to: Iranpetition@payandehiran.org

Persian Version:

 

هم ميهنان گرامی،

تجربه بيست و شش سال گذشته، مصيبت های پايان ناپذيری که به دنبال وقوع حادثه شوم انقلاب بر سر مردم ايران آمده، توطئه های پياپی پايوران رژيم جمهوری اسلامی در لباس های گوناگون و با هويت های ساختگی، به ما نشان می دهد که تنها يـــک راه قطعی برای رفع اين فاجعه و رهائی مردم رنج ديده ايران وجود دارد:

«سرنگونی رژيم جمهوری اسلامی و شکل گيری حکومتی بر اساس رای مستقيم و بی واسطه مردم ايران»

از آنجا که اخيرا گروه هائی از همکاران و همدستان آشکار و پنهان رژيم کنونی، در لباس "مبدل" مخالف، عملا می کوشند مانع از تحقق خواست مردم ايران که همانا بر افکندن جمهوری اسلامی با روش های معمول برای بــــه سقوط کشاندن حکومت های فاسد وسرکوبگر، حق انتخاب بی واسطه و با نظارت بين المللی ميان «پادشاهی» و «جمهوری» است شوند، ما امضا کنندگان زير خواستار آنيم که:

يک - شرکت درهر گونه رای گيری، از جمله هر نوع رفراندم، تا زمانی که جمهوری اسلامی با مبارزات مردم ايران سرنگون نشده تحــــريم و محــــکوم شود.

دو- مردم ايران تنها منشاء و مرجع حاکميت ملی شناخته شوند، نــــــه گروه ها و اشخاص و گرد هم آمدگان خود خوانده.

سه- همه دولت ها و مردم آزادی خواه جهان که اکنون به خطرات جدی ادامه رژيم کنونی در ايران پی برده اند، ملت ما را ياری کنند تا با روش های معمول در مبارزات رهائی بخش ملی (اعتصاب ها، اعتراض ها، تظاهرات کارشکنی ها، کناره گيری ها، تبليغات، همکاری های بين المللی... و هر نوع مبارزه مدنی ديگر) جمهوری اسلامی حامی تروريسم، عامل سرکوب مردم، و خطرناک ترين رژيم همواره سرگرم تهيه سلاح های کشتار همگانی در جهان را از ميان بردارند.

چهار- جامعه بين المللی به استقرار نظم و امنيت و همچنين برگزاری يک رفراندم بی واسطه برای اعمال حق مردم ايران در انتخاب شکل حکومت آينده خود ياری نمايد.

پنج- پس از بيان مستقيم و دموکراتيک نظر مردم در رفراندم سراسری و تعيين رژيم دلخواهشان، انتخابات برای برگزيدن نمايندگان مجلس ملی مامور تدوين قانون اساسی و انتصاب دولت ملی انجام پذيرد.

شش - هرگونه تصيم گيری برای جبران زيان های انقلاب وعوارض حکومت ضد ملی جمهوری اسلامی، انجام اصلاحات دموکراتيک و انتخاب روش های اداره کشور بر عهده دولت منتخب و مجلس ملی ميباشد.

هفت - ايرانيان ميهن دوست و آزادی خواه از شرکت در توطئه های آشکار و پنهان رژيم کنونی برای رونق بخشيدن به انتخابات يا برگزاری رفراندم های متفرقه خودداری کنند و با امضای اين فراخوان به ما بپيوندند تا صدای راستين ملت ايران را استوار و مصمم به گوش جهانيان برسانيم.

هم ميهنان گرامی،

توجه داشته باشيد که هرکس از هر جای دنيا تنها يکبار می تواند نام خود را به فهرست اين تار نما بیافزايد و تکرار نام نويسی در اين فهرست نا ممکن است. به اين ترتيب تقلب و ليست سازی به مبارزه ما راه نخواهد داشت.
اين دادخواست در سايت صور اسرافيل هم موجود است و می تواند با مراجعه به آن سايت حمايت خود را به ليست اضافه کنيد. اگر می خواهيد نام شما در ليست وارد شود به آدرس Iranpetition@payandehiran.org ايميل بزنيد

امضاء ها بعدا در اختيار درخواست کنندگان قرار خواهد گرفت:

Postato da: persialover a 14:10 | link | |
free iran news activism

The Israeli govt attempts suicide - again

Il governo israeliano tenta nuovamente il suicidio. Libera altri 159 potenziali terroristi palestinesi

Israel Releases 159 Palestinian Prisoners

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041227/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians 

 

Postato da: persialover a 13:31 | link | |
war on terror

At least this time the Media are not blaming Bush for a natural disaster that it is, sadly and tragically, part of the natural events

Almeno stavolta i mass media non stanno dando la colpa a Bush per un disastro naturale che è, purtroppo tragicamente, un "normale" fenomeno della natura.

La tragedia potrebbe forse essere stata minore se i leaders asiatici avessero avvertito in tempo le popolazioni

Postato da: persialover a 13:28 | link | |

Our "allies" the Jordanians pardon "militants" (Terrorists)

I nostri "alleati" giordani liberano un gruppo di terroristi "per mancanza di prove"..Un'altra vittoria per al Qaeda

Jordan Court Acquits Terrorists ( notice that the word terrorist was put by me, not by AP )

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041227/ap_on_re_mi_ea/jordan_terrorism

 

Postato da: persialover a 13:24 | link | |
war on terror

Updated from the South-Eastern Asia Apocalypse: 21,000 victims

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20041227/wl_nm/quake_dc

 

 

Postato da: persialover a 13:19 | link | |

Marxist Terrorists do their dirty "work" in Colombia..

I Terroristi marxisti rapiscono 10 turisti colombiani che stavano festeggiano il natale.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,142559,00.html

BOGOTA, Colombia — Marxist rebels have abducted up to 10 tourists celebrating Christmas at a lakeside spa in northwestern Colombia (search), officials said.

Postato da: persialover a 13:15 | link | |
war on terror

As I wrote in my previous "editorial", I believe in the Liberal Arabs and Muslims' democratic aspirations and ideals. Big Pharaoh's Egyptian Blogger ( blogging from Egypt ) proves that the Liberals Arabs exist- it's up to us supporting them so that they may prevail over the Terrorists - We cannot win this war WITHOUT them.

Read this post by Big Pharaoh.

Come ho scritto nel mio "editoriale", io credo che ci siano arabi e mussulmani liberali nel mondo islamico. E il blog di un egiziano che vive al Cairo, Big Pharaoh, lo dimostra.

Nel post qui sotto, scrive sui "giornalisti" della Associated Press che hanno fotografato quella banda di assassini che ha ucciso, in pieno centro a Baghdad, un impiegato elettorale iracheno.

Big Pharaoh scrive che "noi amici dell'Iraq e delle truppe [che stanno provando a portare la democrazia], non dovremmo far si che questi episodi ( giornalisti stranieri complici dei terroristi ) passino inosservati. "

Don't Let Them Die in Vain

http://bigpharaoh.blogspot.com/2004_12_01_bigpharaoh_archive.html#110409001211384088

The blogoshere is currently discussing the issue of how an Associated Press photographer managed to stand in the middle of one of Iraq's (and probably the world's) most dangerous roads and shot a picture after another of a ruthless murder in the middle of the day. As I mentioned in my previous post, AP's execution pictures raise a lot of questions that we bloggers are responsible to find answers for. In the post-Dan Rather world, we should quit giving huge media outlets the chance to monopolize the flow of information around the world.

The case at hand is much more serious than the fake memos about what young George W. Bush did over 30 years ago. The case at hand has to do with the brutal killing of 2 Iraqi heroes whose only mistake was trying to organize an election in their country. This is a moral case and we, the friends of Iraq and of the troops serving there, should not let this incident pass unnoticed. Either AP has to come up with convincing answers to all our questions, or we will continue our crusade to expose AP's alleged "methods of journalism" in Iraq.

I am asking you; no I am begging you, to continue in this endeavor until everything comes out of the closet. You can find additional information regarding this issue here, and here, and here.

Please take a few minutes to email Jack Stokes, AP's director of media relations at JStokes@ap.org , to inform him that we demand full convincing answers to all our questions. Don't let those election workers die in vain please.

 

 

 

Postato da: persialover a 12:54 | link | |
democracy watch, war on terror

Apocalypse in Southest Asia provokes 16,400 victims - for now

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20041227/wl_nm/quake_dc

Update: 19,930

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041227/ap_on_re_as/indonesia_earthquake

Not a very good end of the year..

Postato da: persialover a 12:33 | link | |

China wants to declare war on Democratic Taiwan. What will the Western nations do? Will they support the Democratic island of Taiwan or the "one-China" policy?

La Cina vuole dichiarare guerra alla democratica Taiwan, se quest'ultima "oserà" reclamare il suo diritto all'indipendenza dalla Cina comunista. Cosa farà l'Occidente? Starà con la democratica Taiwan oppure continuerà ad appoggiare la visione cinese di annettersi Taiwan?

Red Chinese Army Will "Crush" Taiwan

 

Postato da: persialover a 12:32 | link | |
democracy watch

GM Food helping African farmers live better lives

Grazie alla coltivazione delle piante geneticamente modificate, molte famiglie di contadini africani cominciano a vivere meglio. Molte di queste piante OGM sono resistenti ai pesticidi.

Helping farm families help themselves is an important way to build better lives. 
Monsanto is helping smallholder farmers, those who farm about 12 acres (5 hectares) or less, in many parts of the world to become more self-sufficient by increasing their cotton yields an average 26 percent. 
In Makhathini KwaZulu Natal province in South Africa, smallholder farmers who planted insect-resistant cotton were able to produce more cotton per hectare with fewer pesticide sprayings, saving time and increasing profits. Families that are growing Monsanto Bollgard insect-resistant cotton have begun investing their extra earnings from larger harvests on education, equipment and better housing. 
Agricultural breakthroughs that allow cotton plants to withstand devastating insects are helping small farmers and their families grow more, care for the environment, and enhance their economic future. 
Imagine helping farmers use fewer pesticide sprayings while significantly increasing yields. Imagine innovative agriculture that creates incredible things today.

Postato da: persialover a 12:10 | link | |

From America With Love
Ukraine's new first lady knows what freedom really means.

Monday, December 27, 2004 12:01 a.m. EST

http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110006076

Postato da: persialover a 11:51 | link | |
democracy watch

Thousands Turn To Christ In Iran

By Jeremy Reynalds

Iranians are turning in droves to Christ.

Che moltissimi iraniani, sopratutto tra la giovane generazione, stanno ripudiando l'Islam, lo si sa. Che stanno tornando a celebrare gli antichi riti pre-islamici e zoroastriani lo si sa. Che molti sono atei e che non gliene importa nulla della religione, lo si sa. Forse non si sa che molti si stanno anche convertendo al cristianesimo. Io sono atea, ma volevo farvi sapere anche questo.

http://www.theconservativevoice.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1623

Postato da: persialover a 11:41 | link | |
iran news

Great piece by Michael Ledeen on the Corner

Il grande professore neocons americano Ledeen, spiega che il successo democratico di ieri in Ucraina è innanzitutto una sconfitta del "tiranno russo Putin". Poi dice che l'appoggio che gli Usa hanno dato agli ucraini in questa battaglia di democrazia deve essere dato anche ai popoli dell'Iran, della Siria, dell'Arabia Saudita,della Cina e della Corea del Nord.Scrive ( si proprio lui neocons, il che smentisce le tante accuse ridicole della sinistra nei confronti del fenomeno neocons che neanche conoscono ) che gli Usa non possono chiudere gli occhi di fronte alle malefatte di regimi dittatoriali solo perchè "ci aiutano nella lotta al terrorismo". "Siamo giustamente criticati per aver appoggiato tiranni mediorientali per decenni" - scrive - "solo perchè pensavamo fossero nostri amici (...) Abbiamo rapporti amichevoli con "dittatori amici" quali Musharraf,i sauditi,i cinesi,Mubarak,etc.." - poi , sulla Cecenia, scrive :" E' giusto condannare il terrorismo ceceno, ma non possiamo neanche chiudere un occhio sulle atrocità russe in Cecenia. La libertà è l'arma migliore contro i terroristi,poichè le società libere non promuovono il terrorismo". Insomma, forse è meglio che certe persone della sinistra si leggano bene queste cose che scrivono i neocons,prima di giudicarli senza neanche sapere cosa pensano

UKRAINE [Michael Ledeen]

http://www.nationalreview.com/thecorn....#048915

Yushchenko seems to have won, big big bigtime, in the Ukraine. Big turnout--around 78%--and big margin, about 15 points. It's a dramatic and important moment, and the winning forces of the "orange revolution" are right to talk about democratic revolution. Here is yet another case where the forces of repression seemed to have all the advantages, including the reconstituted KGB and the full, cynical, support of a nasty Russian tyrant. Yet freedom won.
For those of us who have long preached the power of democratic revolution, it's a happy day, and I hope that our leaders draw the appropriate lessons:
--The mild support we gave to the democratic forces in the Ukraine proved far more powerful than most of the experts expected. The revolutionaries required a bit of guidance in the methods of non-violent resistance, a bit of communications gear, and many words of encouragement. They did the rest. The same can and should be done elsewhere in the world (Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, China, North Korea...)
--Our democratic values are shared by the overwhelming majority of the people in the world, and are rejected, sometimes violently, by tyrants and their followers. We need to stick to our principles, which means that we cannot blindly and compulsively support all the policies of individual anti-democratic leaders just because they help us. That kind of support always gets us in trouble (as in the Middle East, where we are justly criticized for our many decades of support for corrupt tyrants). Sometimes we will have to make some compromises, but when we do, we must still support democratic forces--openly, unapologetically;

--You can't always see the revolutionary forces inside oppressive countries, but, given a chance, they will emerge more often than not. We are the most successful revolutionary society in history, we have to stand with our people, everywhere;
--When we have alliances with "friendly tyrants" (Musharaff, Putin, Mubarak, Deng, the Saudis et. al.), we must encourage them to get on the right side of history, and share power. This is the only honest way to manage such alliances, because it is only a matter of time before the American people turn against our tyrannical allies, and we will then abandon them, usually in the worst circumstances. Thus, for example, it is fine to condemn and fight against Chechen terror, but it is wrong to remain silent in the face of Russian massacres in Chechnya. Freedom is the best weapon against the terrorists, everywhere, because free societies are much less likely to support them; The "age of the second democratic revolution," which began with the death of Franco and continued through the fall of the Soviet Empire, is still very much with us. The cynical and exhausted leaders of France, Germany, and post-Aznar Spain don't believe in it, but they are increasingly irrelevant to world affairs.

A great day for freedom. If we do not flag, we'll have many more in the near future.

Postato da: persialover a 11:27 | link | |

Democracy triumphs in Ukraine - Putin and his imperial ambitions defeated. Now, we expect the same to happen in Belarus and Moldova.

Trionfa la democrazia in Ucraina. Putin perde e con lui le sue ambizioni imperialiste. Ora, speriamo di vedere lo stesso fermento rivoluzionario anche in Bielorussia e Moldavia

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/photos/X/XIAS10312270240.html?SITE=DCTMS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Postato da: persialover a 11:17 | link | |
democracy watch

It might be off topic, but I'd like to let my readers now the number of the deaths due to one of the biggest natural disasters ever.

Tsunami Waves Kill Over 14,900 in Asia

http://breakingnews.nypost.com/dynamic/stories/I/INDONESIA_EARTHQUAKE?SITE=NYNYP&SECTION=HOME

Postato da: persialover a 11:06 | link | |

Holding Tehran Accountable

December 26, 2004
The Washington Times
Editorials/Op-Ed
http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20041225-104607-7264r.htm

Postato da: persialover a 21:15 | link | |
free iran news activism, iran news, war on terror

MALDIVES: A MINI UKRAINE IN THE MAKING?
By the South Asia Analysis Group
December 21, 2004

http://www.minivannews.com/news/news.php?id=129

Postato da: persialover a 20:41 | link | |
democracy watch

Postato da: persialover a 20:37 | link | |
democracy watch, war on terror

Followers of Zoroaster share faith of 3 wise men

San Jose will host national convention

Don Lattin, Chronicle Religion Writer

Saturday, December 25, 2004
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/12/25/MNG6PAH52M1.DTL

Almost everyone knows about the magi, the "wise men from the East" who herald the birth of Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

But few realize that these three kings of Orient are not Christians or Jews, but Zoroastrians -- members of an ancient faith that not only survives to this day, but holds its national convention next week -- Tuesday to Saturday -- in San Jose.

Who were these pagan astrologers, following yonder star into the Gospel according to Matthew and onto the set of countless Christmas cards and nativity scenes?

And what do they have to do with Zoroastrianism, an ancient Persian faith that heavily influenced the development of Judaism and Christianity?

Zoroastrians are followers of the Prophet Zoroaster, a monotheistic philosopher whose teachings became the state religion of the Persian Empire in the seventh century B.C.

Cyrus the Great, the Persian king, released the Jews from their captivity in Babylon and allowed them to return to Jerusalem to rebuild their temple.

Many scholars believe that the Jews brought back many ideas gleaned from the Zoroastrian faith -- stories that found their way into the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament.

Zoroaster, also known as Zarathustra, spoke of an almighty god named Ahura Mazda. He preached about the battle between good and evil, foretold of a millennial paradise and predicted a prophet who would be born to a virgin.

In the second chapter of the Book of Matthew, the "wise men from the East" are a translation of the Greek word magoi, a tribe of Zoroastrian priests.

These mysterious wanderers were important enough to secure starring roles in Matthew's story as experts sent by King Herod to confirm that the baby Jesus was, in fact, the messiah foretold in the Hebrew Bible.

Joseph Kelly, the chairman of the Department of Religious Studies at John Carroll University in Cleveland, says the magi "enjoyed enormous popularity in early Christianity.''

"As the church becomes increasingly gentile, new converts understandably took a great interest in the only non-Jews to play a role in the infancy narratives,'' says Kelley, the author of new book titled "The Origins of Christmas.''

Matthew' s account of the magi does not actually say there were three wise men, nor does it describe them as kings.

They are not even mentioned in the other gospel stories.

Nevertheless, three gift-giving Zoroastrians pop up every year around this time -- even though Christmas is not one of their holidays.

And that's just fine with Silloo Tarapore, a Zoroastrian Sunday school teacher who lives in Lafayette.

"We're OK with it,'' said Tarapore, who was busy this week preparing for the upcoming 13th annual North American Zoroastrian Congress.

"Zoroastrians are so used to being a minuscule cultural minority that things like that don't bother us at all.''

Tarapore estimates that there are about 900 Zoroastrians in Northern California, mostly immigrants from India and Iran. Worldwide, fewer than 200, 000 people consider themselves followers of the Prophet Zoroaster.

Over the centuries, their faith survived two great challenges.

Alexander the Great, known to Zoroastrians as "Alexander the Accursed,'' conquered the Persians in the fourth century B.C., burning the capital city of Persepolis and its library full of Zoroastrian manuscripts.

Muslim invaders wreaked havoc in the seventh century and continued to be harsh rulers over the centuries, forcing a band of freedom-seeking Zoroastrians to seek refuge in India, where they became known as the Parsis, the "people from Persia."

Tarapore immigrated to the United States from India in 1978 and married a Zoroastrian. She and her husband, Erach, raised two children in the Bay Area. Shenya, 21, is now a senior at UC Berkeley, and their 24-year-old son, Phiroz, is a third-year medical student at UCSF.

"It is extremely difficult to give children here a well-rounded Zoroastrian identity,'' Tarapore said. "Most Zoroastrian kids don't have a single other Zoroastrian in their entire school. You tell people you're a Zoroastrian, and they don't know what you're talking about.''

Zoroaster's teachings are contained in five books, called gathas.

"Good thoughts, good words and good deeds are the core of Zoroastrian belief,'' Tarapore said.

"Man is entrusted with free will and must choose the right path in every act. With each choice, man defines and redefines himself. He must take full responsibility for every action and is judged in the hereafter by the sum of his deeds on earth.''

Jamshid Varza, a Palo Alto software developer and investor, sees the story of the magi as one way to introduce people to the Zoroastrian faith.

"People ask us about them, but the story of the three wise men comes from the Bible,'' Varza said. "There is no trace of them in our scripture.''

Like the Tarapores, Varza and his wife made concessions to Christmas when raising young children.

"When the kids were little, they wanted a Christmas tree, so we got a Christmas tree,'' said Varza, who emigrated to the U.S. from Iran in 1975. "But as they grew up, they found out that this was not from our tradition.''

Nevertheless, Varza said Zoroastrians and Christians share many of the same beliefs.

"We believe that when things go bad, a savior will come and revive the world,'' he said. "Three saviors will come. Some of us believe that one of those saviors is Jesus.''

Varza will be one of five panelists talking about "Zoroastrianism in the Internet Age" at next week's convention, which begins Tuesday at the Doubletree Hotel in San Jose.

For more information, go to www.zanc.org/congress.E-mail Don Lattin at dlattin@sfchronicle.com.

Postato da: persialover a 19:43 | link | |

Yemen in the Spring

by Jane Novak

http://www.metransparent.com/texts/jane_novak_yemen_in_the_spring.htm

 

Postato da: persialover a 19:33 | link | |
democracy watch

The Arab silence on Darfur revisited

by Abu Khawla

Un attivista per i diritti umani tunisino scrive del silenzio-assenso del mondo arabo nei confronti del genocidio in Darfur, Sudan

http://www.metransparent.com/texts/abu_khawla_darfur.htm

 

 

Postato da: persialover a 19:31 | link | |
democracy watch

Yes, still another must-read

Un'altro articolo interessante: Liberalismo arabo e Democrazia.

Arab Liberalism and Democracy in the Middle East: A Panel Discussion

http://www.metransparent.com/texts/meria_arab_liberalism_panel.htm

 

Postato da: persialover a 19:24 | link | |
democracy watch

Yes! Democracy triumphs in Ukraine - Putin is the main loser

Yushenko, secondo i primi exit polls, vince le elezioni in Ucraina - Il principale sconfitto è Putin

 

Postato da: persialover a 19:17 | link | |
democracy watch

Recommended reading

Vi consiglio la lettura di questo articolo. "La quarta guerra mondiale: Come è iniziata,cosa significa e perchè dobbiamo vincerla".

World War IV: How It Started, What It Means, and Why We Have to Win

Norman Podhoretz

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/podhoretz.htm

 

Postato da: persialover a 19:14 | link | |
war on terror

Abu Mazen repeats hard line on Jerusalem, refugees, etc.

http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=23384

Postato da: persialover a 19:06 | link | |
war on terror

Hungary prepares to open painful window into past
Secret police archives under microscope

Could help turn page from Communist era

The Toronto Star

Postato da: persialover a 19:00 | link | |

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