Axis of Evil Update

There is of course a great deal in the news about Iraq and all the travails going on there, but we should be careful not to forget their neighbor, Iran. Iran is becoming a hotbed of martyrdom operations, both against our forces in Iraq and against Jews and others in different parts of the world. Check out this article "Thousands Respond to Call for Martyrs":

The 300 men filling out forms in the offices of an Iranian aid group were offered three choices: train for suicide attacks against US troops in Iraq, or train for suicide attacks against Israelis. Or train to assassinate British author Salman Rushdie.

It looked at first glance like a gathering on the fringes of a society divided between moderates who want better relations with the world and hard-line Muslim militants hostile toward the United States and Israel.

But the presence of two key figures – a prominent Iranian lawmaker and a member of the country’s elite Revolutionary Guards – lent the meeting more legitimacy, and a clear indication of at least tacit support from some within Iran’s government.

Read the whole thing. It's pretty scary. There has been a democracy movement in Iran. Let's hope the CIA and our other contacts in the area are doing what they can to nurture and support that movement before the mad mullahs do something unspeakable.

Scrappleface has the right idea about European negotiations with Iran. Check out this parody news item that Scott recently posted:

Breakthrough: Iran to Aim Smaller Warheads at Euro Cities
by Scott Ott
(2004-11-26) -- After a week of tough negotiating by France, Germany and Britain, the Islamic Republic of Iran has conceded to reduce the size of nuclear warheads it will use in the eventual bombing of Paris, Berlin and London.

"Iran blinked," said French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, who is a man. "We have achieved everything we wanted in these negotiations. Our capital cities will be spared to a certain degree and Iran has pledged to stop enriching uranium, while retaining 20 operating centrifuges, and continuing to process plutonium. This is a great victory of diplomacy."

A spokesman for Iran's President Mohammad Khatami said, "The Europeans are vigorous negotiators, and we have made deep concessions. The eventual survivors in Paris, Berlin and London will express gratitude to Allah when they compare their lot with the fate of Jerusalem and New York."