Historic Bam now desolate and drug-ridden [Bam, Iran]

The Guardian by way of The Sydney Morning Herald ^ | 13MAY06 | The Guardian

[familyop]

BAM: It was once an oasis famous for its dates and ancient Persian heritage. Now, amid a desolate landscape of rubble and wrecked buildings, Bam is a byword for drug abuse and an AIDS problem that threatens to become an epidemic.

[sd-joe]

Earthquake in Iran.

How long until we hear - Bush's fault.

[DainBramage]

Im hoping Bush will cause an earthquake that he can claim responsibility for.

Is there a city called BOOM?.

[djf]

I cried the day that earthquake hit. Forty thousand. And I remember seeing pictures of Bam when I was ten or eleven years old, way too many years ago.

http://www.ciai-s.net/dicembre-december-2003.htm

[familyop]

I've read a few articles about low morale in several smaller Iranian cities outside of Tehran. Opium and unemployment are problems there, so sentiment might tip fairly easily. Those could be civil affairs opportunities for us and for Iranians, IMO.

[djf]

A great many Iranians actually grew up as middle class under the Shah. When I was in college, there were far more Iranians than any other country in the mideast, and they were not hard core muslims at all.

We do have an opportunity to encourage that culture and western ideas in general.

But bombing the hell out of them isn't the way to do it. Don't we have anybody in the administration who can do some kind of creative thinking?

[familyop]

"A great many Iranians actually grew up as middle class under the Shah. When I was in college, there were far more Iranians than any other country in the mideast, and they were not hard core muslims at all."

I've met a few and had the opportunity to get to know them.

"We do have an opportunity to encourage that culture and western ideas in general."

Yes, we do. Men in our US Army can actually be quite personable while doing humanitarian projects. Most people who meet them outside of the USA have grown to love them. People who've not met them in person tend to hear many false conspiracy stories.

"But bombing the hell out of them isn't the way to do it."

Rhetoric without much thought or education from people in our USA can be as irrelevant as similar rhetoric from people in other nations. Our military won't bomb Persians who are not on the military target sites, and we have the military technologies ("smart bombs," for one example) to avoid off-site civilian casualties. Arab-parast Ahmadinejad devotees might try to hurt their fellow citizens after an invasion, but that fight will have to be fought sooner or later. Our troops could only help to prevent as many casualties as Iranians would have in trying to fight the tyrants alone.

"Don't we have anybody in the administration who can do some kind of creative thinking?"

Yes. That's why the mullahs' regime hasn't been toppled hastily by our US leaders. At risk of a tougher fight after the Iranian military continues to build, our military leaders are taking much time to consider. Some of the Shah's soldiers know the difference between our military and the mullahs' military.

Disclaimer: I am not in the US military or employed by the US Government at this time.

[familyop]

I'm older and have been out of military service for some time. ...accumulated injuries and so forth.

When I was a student and knew Iranian exchange students, they were very friendly toward me before my initial military training. After my initial training, some of those young people seemed afraid and distrusting toward me at first.

But older acquaintances who were once in the Shah's Army have been very relaxed with me and discussed common experiences (nothing sensitive, even of the past, but rather sharing laughter about physical training abuse, humorous situations and the like). They would like to see a good representative republic in Iran. But as I mentioned, they are too old (late 40s and older) to want any direct part in any war (a mission for younger men for the most part).

[Berlin_Freeper]

"I cried the day that earthquake hit. Forty thousand."


On 9/11 they danced and celebrated on the streets.

And they probably still do, on 9/11.

[Berlin_Freeper]

"Don't we have anybody in the administration who can do some kind of creative thinking?"

Iran is not exclusively a US problem, we are currently trying to deal with Iran through the world body of the UN.

Looks to me like all the creative thinking in the world is useless when dealing with fanatical Muslims who have been chanting Death to America nearly everyday for close to the last 30 years.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

BAM!

[Atomic Vomit]

"Don't we have anybody in the administration who can do some kind of creative thinking?"

You then must be a creative thinker, right?

Tell us your solution to a maniac with nukes, other than destroying them, please.

AV

[LibLieSlayer]

Creative??? Iran is NO friend of ours... and MILLIONS of Americans like myself will NEVER forget or forgive what they have done to our fellow countrymen. They are murderous bastards of satan that are killing our Military heroes in Iraq today.

There may be some civilians that like us, but they DO NOT have WHAT IT TAKES to seize power from the evil that controls them. Evil must be confronted, and that has not happened since satan's khomenei grabbed power with jimmuh catah's help!

Don't give me the "they need help" to seize power, as RUSSIA proved that the PEOPLE hold the power when it comes to overthrowing an evil government (and it looks like they may have to do it again).

I see no signs of an imminent revolution in Iran. Time is growing short for the mullahs in Tehran, and time grows short for the Iranians that live under their oppression! We will NOT be held responsible for an entire Nations aggressive islamic fascism (#1 Terror sponsor in the world), and we shall NOT be held accountable for what it will lead to!

LLS

[LSUfan]

"But bombing the hell out of them isn't the way to do it. Don't we have anybody in the administration who can do some kind of creative thinking?"

That really isn't the question. The question is: How close are the Ayatollahs to going Atomic?"

If not for that, there would be no thought of bombing Iran. But the worst thing that could happen in this scenario is for Iran to get the Bomb. The other options may be bad too, but none is as bad as Atomic Ayatollahs.

[traviskicks]

They must have sky high rates of government assitance/welfare, for the area to still be so impoverished.

[cibco]

"On 9/11 they danced and celebrated on the streets."

The Iranians held candlelight vigils on the streets in sympathy for us. You might be thinking of the Palestinians?

[Berlin_Freeper]

"The Iranians held candlelight vigils on the streets in sympathy for us. You might be thinking of the Palestinians?"

We have seen their vigils on the streets for us, but they have never been by candlelight as you have described, but rather by burning American flags with chants of "Death to America" and "America is the Great Satan", hundreds if not thousands of times in the last 27 years. Including holding innocent Americans from our embassy as hostages for 444 days.

Are you seriously saying ONLY the Palestinians were happy on 9/11?

You seriously think you can describe the Iranians as having "sympathy" for America on 9/11?

Maybe YOU are thinking about the leprechauns and fairies?

[hinckley buzzard]

On 9/11 they danced and celebrated on the streets.

I know the arabs did. I don't recall the Persians doing this, although I could be wrong.

[Berlin_Freeper]

"I know the arabs did. I don't recall the Persians doing this, although I could be wrong."

Are you seriously telling me you think the press is allowed to freely report on what is going on in Iran? Everything reported out of Iran is directed by "minders". You do know that don't you?

The only reason we even seen the Palestinians doing it is because the Left Media know the Jews would be reporting widely on it so they were forced to show us the pictures. Otherwise the Left Media would have hushed that all up too.

The Middleeast has been huge news and is very important to our current situation in the world. I sincerely wish some of you people would at the very least get a small clue of what really goes on in the world especially in regards to the Middleeast.

You think Persia loves us because....??? because what???

[rahbert]

"I see no signs of an imminent revolution in Iran."

You won't unless you read Persian and talk to Persians.

This is a situation that calls for delicacy and discretion,
not for taking advice from the parking lot.

[Straight Vermonter]

That is what sowed the seeds for the revolution. Just like in France's revolution a growing middle class wanted more say in the affairs of the country. Also like the French revolution it ended very badly.

If politicians read history a lot of strife might be avoided.

[Straight Vermonter]

Sometime when you don't know anything about a subject it is best to just say nothing.

[Berlin_Freeper]

"Sometime when you don't know anything about a subject it is best to just say nothing."


Not sometimes, all the time.

You post pictures of a dozen people from Iranian controlled television and think that you have proof of something??

LOL.

Thanks for taking the time to embarrass yourself, it is most amusing. Unfortunately for you 99% of the people posting here are smart enough to know full well how the media takes camera shots of a few dozen protesters and misrepresents them as being a much larger crowd.

Please come back and continue...

[Berlin_Freeper]

By the way, in your first photo one man is holding up a "V" for victory sign. What victory were WE having that day? I know I need to point that out to you. Shame on you.

[Straight Vermonter]

I think most people would realize that he is giving a peace sign.

[Straight Vermonter]

Do you have anything to contribute here?

[Berlin_Freeper]

Alright let's play the post a picture game. I hope you did not seriously think you are the only one that can post pictures. You post all the pictures you can find of Iranians pouring their hearts out for the US and I will post the opposite and then let's count them all up and see who wins. Here is my first batch. Now it's your turn again (take your time, I got so many dozens lined up from since 9/11 it's hard to choose which ones should go next).

BBC Sunday, 16 September, 2001, 08:40 GMT - Anti-American sentiment has been rife since 1979

Women hold up a burning US flag outside the former American embassy on the 22nd anniversary of the US hostage taking in Tehran 04 November 2001.

A women paints a mural on a wall of the former American embassy on the 22nd anniversary of the US hostage taking in Tehran 04 November 2001.

Iranian women stand behind a burning American flag in Tehran November 3, 2004.

Protestors burn a dummy of US President George Bush during an anti-US protest in Tehran 19 July 2002.

BBC Thursday, 7 November, 2002, 15:43 GMT Anti-US sentiment runs high in Iran

[hinckley buzzard]

Uh, excuse me, but I merely expressed an impression. I have no illusions about the mullahcracy, and have no illusions about a "free" Iranian press. OTOH, the idea of the MSM playing off "the Jews" is a strange and rather annoying notion.

Thanks for advising me that the "middleeast" has been huge news...I've only been following events there since we had troops in Lebanon in the 1950's.

[Begin]

[Berlin_Freeper]

No no no, excuse me. But you did not simply give your own opinion, you specifically involved me in it by directing it at my post.

"the idea of the MSM playing off "the Jews" is a strange and rather annoying notion."

That is not what I posted. But I am not going back into that for you. My point was clear and I stand 100% by it. Get someone to explain it to you.

What I find immensely strange yet amusing, is that you think Iranians at large were not gleeful on 9/11. Take a good look at the pictures I posted just before your response.

And you BRAG about having followed the news since 1950's? I find that utterly amazing.

[hinckley buzzard]

Well, you're just going to have to stay amazed, junior, because you are off my list of people worth responding to. Hope the "Jews" don't get you. That part of your twisted response comes through lickin chicken.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Oh please don't break my heart deranged old man. I am a friend of "the Jews", your bulb is too dim to even know what is being said here. Thanks for not wasting my time any further though chicken licker.

[cibco]

I think you need to take a look back to that time. You are mistaken.

[Berlin_Freeper]

"I think you need to take a look back to that time. You are mistaken."

Wow you really got me. You post 15 words in two sentences. You better slow down my friend, you might sprain something. I hope that wasn't too hard for you.

I am not really posting this to you, because I can see you have your obvious limits. But in case anyone else might like to continue with this point of if the Iranians are generally friendly or hostile to the US see this...

Note that I am not disputing there may have been a very small number of Iranians who were dismayed by 9/11. Heck there was probably a very small number of Palestinians who were distraught about 9/11 too, it would be ignorant to think ALL of them were happy. But they are insignificant when compared to the vast majority of Iranians who carry nothing but "Death To America" in their black hearts.

Meanwhile what we have been seeing here is foolish people trying to present the idea that Iranians at large don't hate America, that is insane BS. They hate Israel and they hate America, and people that try to fool us otherwise are actually dangerous.

[Berlin_Freeper]

LOL!

Excuse me but I just really really have to ROFLMAO!

I just took at glance at your past posts...

The response I got from you is actually LONG in comparison to the single word and single sentences that you have posted.

Oh wait I am just seeing one post now with THREE sentences!

You must of had your Wheaties that day!

Seriously dude, why do you bother?

[Straight Vermonter]

You post pictures of a dozen people from Iranian controlled television and think that you have proof of something??

[Berlin_Freeper]

"You post pictures of a dozen people from Iranian controlled television and think that you have proof of something??"


How childish of you.

Thanks for the latest absurd response. I knew I could count it and I certainly was not disappointed.

No more pictures eh? LOL, you lose.

Actually the pictures I posted made can be seen from watermarks and captions that they are from BBC and AP.

"Do you have anything to contribute here?"

You better desperately ping more people because you are obviously completely lost.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Excuse me, here is my response without the small typos due to laughing so hard. I want to be clear to you:

"You post pictures of a dozen people from Iranian controlled television and think that you have proof of something??"


How childish of you.

Thanks for the latest absurd response. I knew I could count on it, and I certainly was not disappointed.

No more pictures eh? LOL, you lose.

Actually from the pictures I posted, it can be seen from their watermarks and captions that they are from BBC and AP.

"Do you have anything to contribute here?"

You better desperately ping more people, because you are obviously completely lost.

[LibLieSlayer]

I read most of the news releases here on FR. There may be some fringe elements wanting to revolt, but there are NO signs of any massive swell against their theocratic "hell on Earth".

When they publicly hang 14 year old boys for "supposed queer behavior", or hang 16 year old girls for wearing certain articles clothing and the crickets are heard chirping after-the-fact... I'd say revolution is a far piece from reality.

I hope that you are correct, but I fear for the worst... and History is with my train of thought!

LLS