Green Energy
The following quotes are from the New Republic article, Ahmadinejad’s Demons, and they illustrate the religious-warrior ideology that is at the core of the Iranian regime: (Update, I just noticed Pastorius has posted more quotes in a previous entry. But see some of the links I have below for the parallels.)
“Iran's forces were no match for Saddam Hussein's professional, well-armed military. To compensate for their disadvantage, Khomeini sent Iranian children, some as young as twelve years old, to the front lines. There, they marched in formation across minefields toward the enemy, clearing a path with their bodies. … These children who rolled to their deaths were part of the Basiji, a mass movement created by Khomeini in 1979 and militarized after the war started in order to supplement his beleaguered army. … [It] was essentially a volunteer militia, most of whose members were not yet 18. They went enthusiastically, and by the thousands, to their own destruction. …
“[T]oday, it is a source not of national shame, but of growing pride. Since the end of hostilities against Iraq in 1988, the Basiji have grown both in numbers and influence. … And, last year, they formed the potent core of the political base that propelled Mahmoud Ahmadinejad--a man who reportedly served as a Basij instructor during the Iran-Iraq War--to the presidency.
“Ahmadinejad revels in his alliance with the Basiji. ... Ahmadinejad's ascendance on the shoulders of the Basiji means that the Iranian Revolution, launched almost three decades ago, has entered a new and disturbing phase. A younger generation of Iranians, whose worldviews were forged in the atrocities of the Iran-Iraq War, have come to power, wielding a more fervently ideological approach to politics than their predecessors. The children of the Revolution are now its leaders.
The above quote reminds me of the warrior religion that propelled Japan’s militaristic culture in the first half of the 20th century. We knew the appropriate manner of dealing with a warrior religion back then as Prof. Lewis explains here. It’s not yet clear what will be required to defeat the current enemy but as our President has said recently “all options are on the table.”
- Jerusalem Post: As Topical As Timely
After some brief three years and a half, the Jerusalem Post has finally caught up with us. They print an interview with a member of the Iranian Basiji militia and thus confirm what we reported (did I say three and a half years ago?) earlier:In a shocking...
- Ahmadinejad Got Flowers Dissed In Iraq
A'JAD'S ENDLESS IRAQ DEBACLE Amir Taheri - New York Post March 8, 2008 -- IT had been billed as a "triumph" for the Islamic Republic and "a slap in the face of the American Great Satan." However, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's two-day state...
- What's A Little Collapse Between Friends?
While we are contemplating our dhimmification in the form of Iraqi peace talks with the likes of Syria and Iran, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is predicting our collapse: Nov. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad predicted...
- Ahmadinejad Launches His Very Own Blog!
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has joined a burgeoning international community - by starting his own weblog! The launch of www.ahmadinejad.ir was reported on state TV, which urged users to send in messages to the president. Ahmadinejad's first...
- What Does He Have In Mind?
Iran’s Ahmadinejad: Islam will lead to "great event" Thu. 12 Jan 2006 "Iran FocusTehran, Iran, Jan. 12 – Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday evening that the Islamic Republic’s 1979 Islamic revolution was a great movement...
Green Energy
Warrior Religions
The following quotes are from the New Republic article, Ahmadinejad’s Demons, and they illustrate the religious-warrior ideology that is at the core of the Iranian regime: (Update, I just noticed Pastorius has posted more quotes in a previous entry. But see some of the links I have below for the parallels.)
“Iran's forces were no match for Saddam Hussein's professional, well-armed military. To compensate for their disadvantage, Khomeini sent Iranian children, some as young as twelve years old, to the front lines. There, they marched in formation across minefields toward the enemy, clearing a path with their bodies. … These children who rolled to their deaths were part of the Basiji, a mass movement created by Khomeini in 1979 and militarized after the war started in order to supplement his beleaguered army. … [It] was essentially a volunteer militia, most of whose members were not yet 18. They went enthusiastically, and by the thousands, to their own destruction. …
“[T]oday, it is a source not of national shame, but of growing pride. Since the end of hostilities against Iraq in 1988, the Basiji have grown both in numbers and influence. … And, last year, they formed the potent core of the political base that propelled Mahmoud Ahmadinejad--a man who reportedly served as a Basij instructor during the Iran-Iraq War--to the presidency.
“Ahmadinejad revels in his alliance with the Basiji. ... Ahmadinejad's ascendance on the shoulders of the Basiji means that the Iranian Revolution, launched almost three decades ago, has entered a new and disturbing phase. A younger generation of Iranians, whose worldviews were forged in the atrocities of the Iran-Iraq War, have come to power, wielding a more fervently ideological approach to politics than their predecessors. The children of the Revolution are now its leaders.
The above quote reminds me of the warrior religion that propelled Japan’s militaristic culture in the first half of the 20th century. We knew the appropriate manner of dealing with a warrior religion back then as Prof. Lewis explains here. It’s not yet clear what will be required to defeat the current enemy but as our President has said recently “all options are on the table.”
- Jerusalem Post: As Topical As Timely
After some brief three years and a half, the Jerusalem Post has finally caught up with us. They print an interview with a member of the Iranian Basiji militia and thus confirm what we reported (did I say three and a half years ago?) earlier:In a shocking...
- Ahmadinejad Got Flowers Dissed In Iraq
A'JAD'S ENDLESS IRAQ DEBACLE Amir Taheri - New York Post March 8, 2008 -- IT had been billed as a "triumph" for the Islamic Republic and "a slap in the face of the American Great Satan." However, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's two-day state...
- What's A Little Collapse Between Friends?
While we are contemplating our dhimmification in the form of Iraqi peace talks with the likes of Syria and Iran, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is predicting our collapse: Nov. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad predicted...
- Ahmadinejad Launches His Very Own Blog!
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has joined a burgeoning international community - by starting his own weblog! The launch of www.ahmadinejad.ir was reported on state TV, which urged users to send in messages to the president. Ahmadinejad's first...
- What Does He Have In Mind?
Iran’s Ahmadinejad: Islam will lead to "great event" Thu. 12 Jan 2006 "Iran FocusTehran, Iran, Jan. 12 – Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday evening that the Islamic Republic’s 1979 Islamic revolution was a great movement...