Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary

by DeAnander Fri Nov 2nd, 2007 at 08:19:55 PM EST

Are a few pictures worth a few thousand words?

A Photo Gallery of Iran, the next place the Theocons want to bomb into the stone age. Click, sit back, spend a little time...

I dunno, maybe passing this link around could open the eyes of some of the morons who still equate 'muslim world' with Hearst Newspaper (or Disney) cartoons of grimacing savages waving spears from camelback? or "Iran" with just one face, that of Khomeini scowling at the world like the Ebenezer Scrooge of Dar al-Islam?

it is a breathtakingly beautiful country, as indeed was Afghanistan before the Soviet invasion (which iirc wasn't as destructive as the US-supported Taliban rebellion and subsequent AngloEuro invasion and carpet bombing) -- as was Iraq before and even during Saddam. this is the next place the Yanks plan to litter with cluster bombs and pollute with the effluent of shattered factories and sewers, poison for all time with DU dust, make a desert and a balkanised wilderness of warlords and cynically call it democracy.

As the clever hopes expire
Of a low dishonest ~~decade~~ ~~century~~ species?...

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Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary | 31 comments (31 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary (4.00 / 2)

I dunno, maybe passing this link around...

Done. Breathtaking indeed.

Truth unfolds in time through a communal process.

by marco on Fri Nov 2nd, 2007 at 11:59:45 PM EST

Re: Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary (4.00 / 2)

Beautiful pictures!

And nice to see you here at ET more often again, De!!!!! :-)

by Fran on Sat Nov 3rd, 2007 at 03:09:23 AM EST

Re: Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary (none / 1)

hear hear!

you more than make up for the laziness of your diaries with the rich, full, thoughtful depth of your comments, de...

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Sat Nov 3rd, 2007 at 04:10:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary (4.00 / 3)

Unfortunately a toxic combination of sanctions and pretty indiscriminate development has made Teheran at least a pretty nasty place environment wise for much of the time.

What worries me is not just the destruction and aftermath of a war but a peace where Iran goes down the "Western Capitalism" road of privatisation etc - which they are already doing in a chaotic way.

That would be more destructive than the bombs.

Hence I've been trying to work with them to develop an alternative, but it is slow going....

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson

by ChrisCook (cojockathotmaildotcom) on Sat Nov 3rd, 2007 at 07:01:26 AM EST

I'd like to recommend ... (none / 1)

The Iranian Chamber Society

It may be one of the richest, serenely beautiful websites, ever.

Art and culture, history, music and recipes.

See the literature at the bottom of this page. All of the works posted there are 'must reads'.

We cannot, must not, stand by and let the US/EU nutcases conspire to destroy Iran.

by Loefing on Sat Nov 3rd, 2007 at 10:52:55 AM EST

Re: Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary (4.00 / 5)

Yes I knew!
There was a program lately on TV here about Iran and I saw some beauty of Iran. Also my husband works with an Iranian man (engineer) and I had a chance to meet him and his wife few times. Great and so normal people!
But hey did you ever see Serbia? Great place...and full of DU and seek and dieing people right now! Bombardment never should take place...there were and always are other options! Some photos of Serbia...

There is NO place ugly enough to be bombarded...

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind...Albert Einstein

by vbo on Sat Nov 3rd, 2007 at 11:03:24 AM EST

Re: Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary (4.00 / 2)

Obviously I meant sick people...

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind...Albert Einstein

by vbo on Sat Nov 3rd, 2007 at 11:06:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary (none / 1)

I suppose I tended to assume it would be more "deserty" given its location, but, thinking about it again (taking mountains and varying amounts of water into account), I suppose I'd have to change my vote.

Bill Maher, the other week, was discussing the Iranians, trying to make the point that Iran was a lot more like us than like al-Qaeda and the fundamentalist crowd. I liked the way he put it, speaking of Tehran in particular:

It might not be Paris or New York, but -- scratch the surface a little bit, it might be Philadelphia.

Now, setting aside the fact that it surely can't be as bad as Philly, that's pretty damned good to me, especially when the alternative is pairing up with the House of Saud. If these lunatics invade, they're going to ruin that. The second a boot his Iranian soil, everybody's going to be a nationalist.

Beautiful pictures. Hopefully I can visit the country in the future, if Junior hasn't Fallujah'd all of that.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Sat Nov 3rd, 2007 at 01:36:49 PM EST

Re: Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary (4.00 / 3)

Yes, wonderful pictures. Like Drew, I thought it was mostly desert, so the diversity was surprising.

Mind you, I'm sure if you tried hard you could find as many beautiful pictures of the least promising places. Crawford ?

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sat Nov 3rd, 2007 at 01:48:31 PM EST

Re: Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary (none / 0)

Now wait a second. Crawford has many beautiful estates; excuse me, ranches.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Sat Nov 3rd, 2007 at 03:07:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary (none / 1)

I knew it was beautiful. (We have Iranian friends.)
There was another link going around a while ago which led to a gallery of photos of Iranian people - I'll look around if I can find it.

You have a normal feeling for a moment, then it passes. --More--

by tzt (tzt) on Sat Nov 3rd, 2007 at 07:44:53 PM EST

Re: Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary (none / 1)

Didn't find that link yet, but I found this:

http://www.lucasgray.com/video/peacetrain.html

You have a normal feeling for a moment, then it passes. --More--

by tzt (tzt) on Sat Nov 3rd, 2007 at 07:56:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Couple points ... (none / 1)

Thank you for the photos. We can so easily get caught in caricatures and, as per your suggestion, taking time to regard something like this can challenge caricatures.
"Carpet bombing" is an entirely inappropriate term for what happened in 2001. Without getting into your clear objection to what was, to me, a clearly justified action (Which, of course, could have been supported and continued far differently than occurred.), I would like to point you to (for example) the Wikipedia on "carpet bombing":

The phrase carpet bombing refers to the use of large numbers of unguided gravity bombs, often with a high proportion of incendiary bombs, to attempt the complete destruction of a target region, either to destroy personnel and materiel, or as a means of demoralizing the enemy (see terror bombing). The phrase probably is intended to invoke the image of bombs completely covering an area, in the same way that a carpet covers a floor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpet_bombing

This is not an accurate description (in technical terms) for what occurred in Afghanistan.

Blogging regularly at Get Energy Smart. NOW!!!

by a siegel (siegeadATgmailIGNORETHISdotPLEASEcom) on Sat Nov 3rd, 2007 at 07:48:26 PM EST

Re: Couple points ... (4.00 / 2)

apology, should have used a less technical term.

perhaps "indiscriminate bombing" or "the wide and thorough distribution of antipersonnel bomblets".

The difference between theory and practise in practise ...

by DeAnander (de_at_daclarke_dot_org) on Sat Nov 3rd, 2007 at 09:17:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Couple points ... (none / 0)

Actually, even so, I would recommend the work of Human Rights Watch re bombing and collateral damage.

They document quite thoroughly the impact of US (and allied/coalition) bombing efforts at least from Desert Storm through Afghanistan.

Bomblets are a very serious issue, but what is "thorough"?

What is "indiscriminate"?

We are likely to speak past each other on this.

The US/Coalition operation in Afghanistan could (should) have been handled much better, especially in terms of taking a long-term approach that truly put creating a better foundation for a healthy society as core. (To me, the US/western world could have won significantly by seeking to make Afghanistan a 'model' of what a prosperous Islamic society, not based on oil (or opium), could be through a collaborative effort that sought to foster a stronger society. Obviously, far from what was purusued.) Even with all its failures (and they are many, and many faceted), I find "indiscriminate", "widespread", stating that it is worse than what happened under the Soviets, etc to be wrong-headed.

Blogging regularly at Get Energy Smart. NOW!!!

by a siegel (siegeadATgmailIGNORETHISdotPLEASEcom) on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 12:19:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Couple points ... (4.00 / 2)

To me, the US/western world could have won significantly by seeking to make Afghanistan a 'model' of what a prosperous Islamic society, not based on oil (or opium), could be through a collaborative effort that sought to foster a stronger society.

This really is a great joke...like it ever was an intention of USA (or any occupier for that matter). Great joke!

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind...Albert Einstein

by vbo on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 12:30:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Couple points ... (4.00 / 2)

Occupiers are generally unlikely to send their armies (hey why did they build up armies now again? because they want peace and stability?) to occupy another country in order for it to prosper. On the other hand history teaches us that almost all occupiers will preach that occupation is done in the best interest of the occupied.

Sweden's finest (and perhaps only) collaborative, leftist e-newspaper Synapze.se

by A swedish kind of death on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 12:49:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Couple points ... (none / 0)

While the purpose certainly was not to ensure "prosperity", where do you rate the Western occupations of Japan and Germany in your scale?

And, well, what I was suggesting was that Afghanistan be viewed not as "occupation" and, well, if you wish, as part of a campaign to foster a stronger pluralist international society for the decades ahead.

Blogging regularly at Get Energy Smart. NOW!!!

by a siegel (siegeadATgmailIGNORETHISdotPLEASEcom) on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 08:30:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Couple points ... (4.00 / 3)

I am more familiar with the occupation of Germany, and I found this wikipedia article so I do not have to write it all myself (yey, Tribext):

History of Germany since 1945 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Industrial Disarmament in Western Germany
The initial proposal for the post-surrender policy of the Western powers, the so-called Morgenthau Plan proposed by Henry Morgenthau, Jr., was one of "pastoralization".^[2] The Morgenthau Plan, though subsequently ostensibly shelved due to public opposition, influenced occupation policy; most notably through the U.S. punitive occupation directive JCS 1067^[3]^[4] and The industrial plans for Germany^[5][5] [6].

History of Germany since 1945 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The first plan was subsequently followed by a number of new ones, the last signed in 1949. By 1950, after the virtual completion of the by the then much watered-out plans, equipment had been removed from 706 manufacturing plants in the west and steel production capacity had been reduced by 6,700,000 tons.^[12]
Timber exports from the U.S. occupation zone were particularly heavy. Sources in the U.S. government stated that the purpose of this was the "ultimate destruction of the war potential of German forests."^[13] As a consequence of the practiced clear-felling extensive deforestation resulted which could "be replaced only by long forestry development over perhaps a century."^[13]
With the beginning of the Cold war, the U.S. policy gradually changed as it became evident that a return to operation of West German industry was needed not only for the restoration of the whole European economy, but also for the rearmament of West Germany as an ally against the Soviet Union. They feared that the poverty and hunger would drive the West Germans to Communism. General Lucius Clay stated "There is no choice between being a communist on 1,500 calories a day and a believer in democracy on a thousand".

Started as your normal pillaging occupation intended on making Western Germany a dependent client state, the need for a bulwark against communism eventually became greater, so instead it was rebuilt. If you will, communism saved Western Germany.

Sweden's finest (and perhaps only) collaborative, leftist e-newspaper Synapze.se

by A swedish kind of death on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 11:53:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Couple points ... (none / 1)

(To me, the US/western world could have won significantly by seeking to make Afghanistan a 'model' of what a prosperous Islamic society, not based on oil (or opium), could be through a collaborative effort that sought to foster a stronger society. Obviously, far from what was pursued

Bravo Adam.

And to bring the Diary back to Iran from its next door neighbour, it is exactly in this direction I have been trying to help them go, through implementing new financial infrastructure - eg the, now mythical,"Iran Oil Bourse" concept - based precisely upon the collaborative approach to which you refer.

It's been slow going, but I think current circumstances - ie the ongoing collapse of the US deficit-based system, and the global dollar hegemony - might allow the introduction of new alternatives solidly based upon the ethical values that underpin all the great religions, but which Islam alone continues to prescribe (albeit a prescription often ignored or perverted in practice).

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson

by ChrisCook (cojockathotmaildotcom) on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 09:37:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Couple points ... (4.00 / 2)

Do not be so fussy. Your bombs and action killed an estimated 500 000 people ...numbers are striking and for us they are just numbers but for them it's their children, parents, relatives.
In Serbia you didn't kill nearly as much (thanks to Milosevic that surrendered) but Serbs will for ever hate Americans (we still hate Turks centuries later). And Serbs used to love anything that comes from America, before... Imagine Iraqis, Afghanis and others...

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind...Albert Einstein

by vbo on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 12:15:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Couple points ... (none / 0)

Hmmm

"killed an estimated 500,000"??? Bombs or what? Where?
Accuracy does matter.
Fine, hate me. I walked minefields in Bosnia. I was there, helping 100,000s of Kosovar Albanians fleeing for their lives. I believe that I have a rather informed perspective.

Blogging regularly at Get Energy Smart. NOW!!!

by a siegel (siegeadATgmailIGNORETHISdotPLEASEcom) on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 12:29:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Couple points ... (2.50 / 4)

Your commander said: "We don't do a body count" (I wonder why?) So because you Americans did not count dead Iraqis and Afghans does that mean that no one will count? 500 000 is a moderate figure and you can find it where ever you look.
Please be accurate with numbers of dead Vietnamese (just for example)
OK I'll hate you (and other Americans like you who are killing people in order to stop killings absurdity that started with Hiroshima and Nagasaki).

I question your statement that you have ever been in Bosnia or Kosovo but if you were there if I am you I would inform my self better about situation before I go to kill other people (to stop killings).Without involvement of USA and NATO there wouldn't be ex-you civil wars at all. Definitely there were other ways to resolve that situation. But why would USA bother trying when they can use a force, train their troops and spend ammunition and show in a process to anyone else what will happen if they dare to oppose "the only remaining superpower on Earth"...

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind...Albert Einstein

by vbo on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 12:50:01 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Troll Rate ... (none / 0)

I am troll rating you for calling me a liar.

Blogging regularly at Get Energy Smart. NOW!!!

by a siegel (siegeadATgmailIGNORETHISdotPLEASEcom) on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 12:53:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Troll Rate ... (3.00 / 2)

What exactly do you know about Balkan conflicts and ex YU history except that Milosevic is/was a dictator and Serbs are generally evil?
What exactly did you know about Iraq except that Saddam is/was a tyrant and didn't want to work with your guys anymore?
And what for the sake of God do you exactly know about Iran right now except that they want to have nuclear power and you Americans don't like their leader.
I am simply sick of some/most American shallowness (not their government shallowness cause they know what they are doing very well)

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind...Albert Einstein

by vbo on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 01:10:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Troll Rate ... (none / 0)

Balkan history -- if it matters to you, for example, Michael Boro Petrovich was my undergraduate advisor (author, "A History of Modern Serbia", for example). And, academic study after that. My Serbo-Croatian (Serbian, if you prefer) was never very good, a little study on top of my Russian which allowed me (haltingly) to read a few works in original (awhile ago).
Iraq/otherwise: again, also academic study,
And, well, so on ...

Do you really think your stereotype of a 'dumb American' would be spending much time here?

Blogging regularly at Get Energy Smart. NOW!!!

by a siegel (siegeadATgmailIGNORETHISdotPLEASEcom) on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 06:20:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Troll Rate ... (none / 1)

Do you really think your stereotype of a 'dumb American' would be spending much time here?

Do not get me wrong I don't know anything about you but seems like your academic history studies did not do the job if you see the Balkan situation as simple as that...Serbs bad - mines and killings, Bosnian Muslims and Albanians good , refugees , innocent...Let's bomb Serbs. If only world is so simple.
Your statement about USA spreading democracy like a good example occupying other countries made me think that your intentions are probably not good or you are young and naïve (and yes shallow in a way no matter what kind of education you have accomplished). Sorry but that's my impression.
I said shallow not "dumb" and I see the difference.
And yes some of the type may be here "on the mission" simply earning their daily bread...who knows? But mostly they are here and there and everywhere because of their strong so called patriotism that makes them blind for reality...

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind...Albert Einstein

by vbo on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 07:46:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]

WTF .. (none / 0)

You are the one making assumptions. Where, at all, did I make comments that justify your statements about my perspectives on the Balkans?

And, take a look at what I wrote, again, re an opportunity lost re Afghanistan.

You comments continue to be insulting ... and shallow in their biased reading of what I wrote.

Blogging regularly at Get Energy Smart. NOW!!!

by a siegel (siegeadATgmailIGNORETHISdotPLEASEcom) on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 08:16:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: WTF .. (4.00 / 2)

I am sorry if I made wrong assumptions.
I felt insulted by what looked to me like your justification of bombardment of Serbia...or Afghanistan ...or any f'kin' place on Earth.
That's why my reaction was jumpy.
If I was wrong I am sorry.If I was right and you do try to justify bombardment then I am not sorry to be shallow or what ever you want to call me...

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind...Albert Einstein

by vbo on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 09:01:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Troll Rate ... (none / 1)

Rate me what ever you want! This is a free cyber space!

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind...Albert Einstein

by vbo on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 01:14:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Now ... to the fact questions ... (none / 1)

Discussion was re bombing. See the Human Rights Watch analyses of bombing campaigns.

There are not 100,000s killed by bombs for decades. The major impact from Desert Storm was post war, sanctions (including inability to repair bomb damage to sites such as water purification).

The analysis showing 500,000-1 million (or so) excess deaths in Iraq since the 2003 invasion is credible, more or less, to me. And, well, yet another reason why (ex post facto) I was right to have opposed the war.

Etc ...

Blogging regularly at Get Energy Smart. NOW!!!

by a siegel (siegeadATgmailIGNORETHISdotPLEASEcom) on Sun Nov 4th, 2007 at 01:00:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary | 31 comments (31 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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Iran the Beautiful... lazy photo diary

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