- Latest Popular Stories, Instablogs Community by Ali1

Iran's Nuclear Detonators Are A CIA Fake

Ali — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:21:18 +0000

International nuclear inspectors are investigating whether a Russian scientist helped Iran conduct complex experiments on how to detonate a nuclear weapon, according to European and American...

Greece to Britain: Hand over artwork

Ali — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:03:02 +0000

Greece is stepping up the pressure on Britain to return one of the ancient world’s most valued treasures: the Elgin Marbles, sculptures removed from the Parthenon in the early 1800s and housed in the British Museum.

Greece announced earlier this month that, after years of delays, it would open its new Acropolis Museum in Athens in September. The modern structure would allow it to properly display and preserve the sculptures from the fifth century B.C.

And that, Greek Culture Minister Michalis Liapis said, “will be a strong argument against those who oppose the Marbles’ return.”

Iran and America share responsibility for the bad blood between them

Ali — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:02:44 +0000

Another senior US military man perceived to have disagreed with President George W. Bush’s policies in the Middle East has resigned, setting off a debate over whether Iran is next on Washington’s hit-list. This has prompted a White House spokesperson to declare that “there’s no one in the administration that is suggesting anything other than a diplomatic approach.” Bush’s team still includes plenty of ideologues who have been earning a living - both in and out of government - by calling for war on Iran since the 1980s, so that claim is highly dubious. And even if it is taken at face value, there is a world of difference between not wanting war and genuinely desiring peace.

Irans elections: a glass half full or half empty?

Ali — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:00:42 +0000

Does Iran’s upcoming parliamentary election on March 14 deserve to be taken seriously? Or is it simply a sham vote for an emasculated institution? Paradoxically, Iranian elections are abnormal by both democratic and autocratic standards. While they are neither free nor fair, there are real differences among candidates, and the outcomes are often unpredictable. In contrast to rigged elections in which the victors are predetermined, Iran’s system allows competitive elections among pre-selected candidates. Hardly anyone predicted the reformist Mohammad Khatami’s resounding presidential victory in 1997, and even fewer foresaw hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s victory in 2005.

For those who view Iran’s democratic glass as being half full, the March 14 Majlis elections will mark the 28th national election since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979, further entrenching a political culture unique in the Middle East. As Iran scholar Mohsen Milani puts it: “With all its serious flaws, it is through this process that changes in Iranian policy and behavior can be expected.”