This letter had me lifting my jaw off my knees:

I absolutely reject the concept of "democracy" and "freedom" as nakedly false phantoms of the west. Who would ever want to be "free" when they could instead live in the glorious order and sanctified grace of Sharia? Why does anyone need to have an opinion for himself?
Shahin Shahida, Iran

That's sarcasm, right? Right?

Shouldn't there be a stern warning about suppression of civil rights to this leading member of the axis of evil? I mean by the US. The UN cannot do anything any more; France will block us in everything.

Such brave children. By my count, 3 letters in the BBC's selection asked for US intervention.

If anyone wants to see a VERY interesting reaction to all of this, discuss it with a Shi'ite.

They have a different spin on it all together. I suspect that they think all those emails to be plants from American agents, et cetera.

This is all a vast conspiracy by America to invade Iran, they say.

PRESIDENT BUSH PLEASE HELP US Ali M., Iran

The one time all caps doesn't bother me...

Do not hammer the B.B.C.too hard.
They showed an episode of Spooks last week.

I think it is called M.I.5 in the U.S.

A mad mullah was enlisting young muslim boys to suicide bomb Birmingham.

That is England,not the U.S.

There were over 1000 odjections sent to the B.B.C.

They were from mainly muslims,as everyone knows
muslims do not commit suicide attacks.

The US mingling in the student upheavals would give the Iranian rulers an excuse to clamp down on their own people under the pretext that they are CIA agents. VOA could encourage the protesters, certainly BBC and others can join in, but revolution has to come from within, not from the outside - just like it did in Eastern Europe. Otherwise, there will be enough of them to react like the liberated Iraqis.
I am very sympathetic to the students and wish them all the courage they can muster.
Meanwhile, we should inspect the Iranian nuclear facilities, and make sure they are not too close to developing a nuclear bomb.

I am one of the students of Tehran university. i am studying law. let me tell you that the protesters are not students. they are some workless people that all the time looking for trouble. nobody from our own faculty has been participating in this protest.
Mena, Iran

Did you notice that one?
There was also this one.

Protesters were shouting slogans but if we compare quantity and number of protesters with other demonstrations they do not have enough power to do something . I think elections in Iran are the first and last method to change things.
Mary, Iran

I was there tonight along with more than 20,000 people, counting those in cars who had come there for the students. People of all types - those with chador, from downtown, people with expensive cars, young and old. It was very nice. I hope the demonstrations get organised, and don't get to aggressive - we lose when it gets to aggressive, but we will win if this goes on at the current level for a few weeks. I hope the US attacks with cruise missiles some Sepah/Intelligence ministry buildings! And I hope at least some of MPs who have signed the letter against Khamenei, stand up strongly for people.
Hadi, Iran

I just don't buy the "I hope the US attacks with Cruise Missiles right after statying she hopes the demonstrations don't get "too aggressive". Either the emailer is pretty un-intelligent or a fake.
Excuse me my cynicism here, though it was printed by the BBC and had to make it through their "PC filters".

The Basij militiamen are like wild animals. They beat women and children. The special police forces are even worse. I saw a young man being hit by them while keeping on shouting "Down with Khamenei!" He didn't stop until he was arrested. Some might say this is the same as what happened in 1999, but this time is not going to be the same for Iranians. Nothing will stop us but a referendum for a regime change. We are tired of Mullahs. A new mullah like Khatami will never ever be able to kid us again. We seek freedom and we will gain it.
Farshad, Iran

Let's hope most Iranians including key ones in the military and police see it that way as well. I'm not so sure yet, this could just be another Tienneman Square for Iran.

Civil disobediance worked to bring down governments throughout Eastern Europe in 1989 because the working populations repeatedly took place in mass demonstrations that became the equivalent of general strikes, and thereby shut down all those countries.

It failed in China and has failed in Iran because the participants are mostly students and their public demonstrations take place in the capital city only.

Sorry to say, unless the students in Teheran can get other segments of Iranian society involved, the Mad Mullahs will win.

I have lived through so many of these things that I feel quite sad to read: Pres Bush, please help us.

I still remember Hungary-'56 ad infinitem. I wish them well. I hope they succeed this time. When they overthrew the Shah, they hanged a man-- I think his name was Ghazi-- who attended college in the U.S. At first, his former classmates were so proud of him helping the revolution. But then one day, the ayatollahs decreed that he must be hanged. His face is engraved in my memory forever. He seemed like a nice enough guy.

These insidious crackpots-- the ayatollahs-- stole their revolution from them and immediately started executing lots of the poor zhlubs who naively helped put them in power. It's totally disgusting to the point where it is obscene.

Wait, you mean the BBC accidently let this article slip through it's "AmeriKKKa is Eeeeeeeeeeevil and controlled by the Joooooooooooooooooos" campaign?

How'd that happen?

It's great to see people fighting for freedom, fighting against the Islamist insanity. And always good to see a recovering idiotarian:

Twenty-five years ago when I was in my 20s , we protested against the Shah and brought in these maniacs (religious leaders). Now the students are finishing the job and hopefully will finally bring democracy into our country. Please remember this struggle started in 1915 so we are very patient nation.
Alex Far, Australia

I hope and pray these people will be alright and that they'll suceed. I don't think Washington will go in to help them--just give them encouragement over the tv.

The man at the LA Iranian tv station on CNN yesterday said they don't want troops to go in anyway--they just want pressure put on the Mullahs to stop beating up the protesters and encouragement from Washington.

I hope this is not going to be Tianamen again.

Civil disobedience is a poor match to tanks and bullets, as was demonstrated in Tiananmen. It would certainly help to have the army on your side, or an usurping faction of the government. I speak in general terms, not knowing if such revolutionary power exists in Iran. Otherwise, it may take another few years of mullah rule, and more dead dissidents.

I think the Iranians are getting there. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but they are getting there.

Mike Nargizian (#8)

From the letter you quoted:

We are tired of Mullahs. A new mullah like Khatami will never ever be able to kid us again.

That is a key factor in this, that the Iranians are no longer willing to allow themselves to be duped by the mullahs.

We seek freedom and we will gain it.

I wish them strength to finally accomplish what has been a long fight for their freedom.

(they are some workless people that all the time looking for trouble.)

Is that "workless" people or "worthless" people? Maybe it got mixed up in the translation.

Sorry, that was truly mean of me.

My sister married an Iranian in 1987, and they divorced (no children) in 1994. I liked my brother-in-law well enough and he told me many horror stories about Iran after Khomeni took power from the Shah in the late 70's. He said many people in Iran did not want to become too "Western" and that helped drive the Shah out of power. However, he also said that they got exactly what they asked for (extremists and fundamentalists) and he didn't have a whole lot of sympathy for his own countrymen.

Rule #1 of the real world:

You cannot attain the USA's degree of wealth and accomplishment, without adopting the USA's bourgeois western values.

Anyone who fears "westernization" is dooming themselves to live in mud huts forever, and it is not the US's fault at all.

I recently took a course at my university on "Iran and Modernity," taught by a very well-known Iranian law professor and "dissident." He is/was also a self-avowed socialist, and served prison time in the '70s for protesting against the Shah's regime. But what struck me most about the class was his announcement on the first day: that he regrets the actions he took against the Shah, and that he and all the other "lefitst intellectuals didn't know how well we had it."

As an Iranian refugee, I'm all for this insidious theocracy that forced me and my family out of Iran coming to an end. I just hope it doesn't beget something much worse.

In the meantime, may God be with the students and their cause.

I hope I'm not the only person concerned about this issue who reads Iraniangirl every day.
Where baghdad blogger salam pax is a dumb ass wanabe commy spoiled little baathist prick. I believe Iraniangirl is legit. And her coverage of these recent events is pretty riveting, if you keep in mind shes a high school kid.

American Soliders = Tools of God

'In their silenced, fearful ranks, many in Iraq's army long harbored one overriding, unspoken goal. "We wanted to see Saddam fall at any cost," Abdul-Zahra said. "And we believed no one could overthrow this man, except for God and the United States." '

http://www.latimes.c...

Democracy

Whiskey

Sexy

God, I hope this doesn't turn into a repeat of '91, with the Bush Administration helping to incite a revolt and then standing on the sidelines as it turns into a bloodbath. Hopefully Bush Jr. has learned a few lessons from his father's mistakes. I'm quite sure that Colin Powell and the crew of amoral halfwits he presides over at Foggy Bottom have not.

America help us, help us.

Then freedom comes to pass.

Years later...."Down with America." American is scum."

Back to square zero.

The fundamental consciousness of these people needs to change and change some more.

America help us. Help us.

Then... fuck you America. Stop corrupting us.

Why don't they leave America alone!

Ask France for help. The French are so enlightened.

Ask Germany. Ask Austria. Ask Switerland.

Leave America alone. We're busy.

Find another shrink.

We're tired of your schizophrenic maddness.

Call 1-800-EUROPE

Call them.

Call them and they won't come.

Hmmmm....?

#19

All these leftist fucks confuse me. When we are getting controlled by a global socialist dictatorship, these clowns will probably be wishing that the United States, George W. Bush, Don Rumsfeld, and Paul Wolfowitz would come back to save the day.

These intellectuals will not realize how good they have it until it is too late.

#23-

Maybe that's why God no longer answers prayers.

"I'm tired of your mortal shit. Go ask Zeus to do it."

Hmm, a link I found from Realpolitik.us:

http://www.washingto...

The Administration speaks out in support of the demonstrations...

Hi guys. I'm back (at least for a few days) if anyone remembers me.

This could be the big explosion that we've been waiting for, the one that Michael Ledeen and a few others have been predicting. The demonstrations have spread beyond Teheran, at least to Shiraz, according to Kol Yisrael (Israel Radio) Farsi language broadcasts. This could be the beginning of a new 1989 style revolution in Iran, or it could be the prelude to a huge bloody crackdown like the Tienenmien Square Massacre. It could go either way. It could even go the way of the Romanian Revolution, with the Revolutionary Guards -like the Securitate- putting up a fight or the way of the Russian Revolution, with a bloody civil war before things are settled.

My guess is that the Mullahs will "not go gentle into that good night", so things could get very ugly very soon. The Iranian army could be the key. It is less firmly controlled by the Mullahs than the Revolutionary Guard, less ideological and more likely to feel an obligation to defend the people rather than to the Mullacracy. For that reason, the army is not trusted by the government and its troops are not stationed in large numbers near the big cities. If the government sics the Revolutionary Guards on the demonstrators, the army could intervene on the side of the people. If they do, it could prove decisive. It could be the turning point that turns this into a successful revolution. (This pattern has been seen a few times in modern history. In the 1688 "Glorious Revolution" when part of James II's army crossed the lines to join William of Orange, James lost his nerve, fled the field of battle and hightailed it to exile in France. The same thing happened to Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippine "People Power" Revolution 300 years later).

One last point to pay attention to. Iran is not an ethnically homogeneous society; it's a multi-ethnic empire, like Yugoslavia or the old Soviet Union. Persian Shiites are only the lergest ethnic group, comprising about 50% of the population. There are Sunnis, Tajics, Turkmens, Arabs and others. The different ethnic groups are concentrated in different locations where they constitute a local majority. During revolutionary violence or regime destabilization, look for these ethnic differences to form cenrtipital forces pulling the country apart.

Stay tuned.

Uzi!

I've been wondering where you've been! Thank G-d you're safe (can't help worrying, it's the Jew in me :-)

mullahs swinging by their turbans from lamposts by july 9....inshallah dude

Quite coincidentally, tonight on a CBC literary program called "Hot Type" the interviewer Avi Solomon (Canadian Jew) was interviewing Salman Rushdie (formerly of Iran, now of New York) author of "The Satanic Verses". Avi was asking him how he felt about all the terrorism we see and hear every day and the subject of the Israeli-Palestinian struggle.

Rushdie said that at the time he wrote The Satanic Verses he felt like a prophet crying in the wilderness. He said about the Middle East situation that the situation between the Israelis and the Palestinians is the biggest diversionary tool the fundamentalists have. They can blame everything that is wrong on either that situation or the US or both. Until people can either see around that or through the lie of that or the situation itself becomes peaceful so it can no longer be used to mask the ills that are inherent in fundamentalist Islam itself, the fundamentalists will continue to hide behind the M.E. situation and will refuse to change their destructive ways.

Right now the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is being used as a screen to divert scrutiny from Islam.

It was an extremely interesting interview, I just wish it could have gone on longer.

Thanks Zulubaby. I've missed you all. (As to where I've been: the wife claims I've become an internet junkie and asked me to cut down. Now I'm reduced to posting from the office on slow work days.)

Mark Steyn's website (Steynonline.com) is linking to a website full of up-to-date- info out of Iran:

iranvajahan.net/english/

Time to send armor across the border and into Iran soon. That would show who's on whose side there... if the Iranians truly are tired of their oppressors they'll greet their liberators with open arms and turn against the mullahs... the islamic police state will crumble and crash in short order and the war will be quick and easy.

Or if not... if the Iranian eagerness to get rid of mullahs isn't true rejection of islamic values and anti-americanism... then that too will be readily apparent very soon. And then the Air Force can go in and bomb the country into stone age. Either way, no more uncertainty about where they stand and no more threat from Iran.

If Iranian population turns out to be hostile to it's liberators, there's no need to occupy them... invasion and occupation of a truly hostile country in difficult terrain would only turn into a another Vietnam.
Just merciless Douhetian destruction from above. Not precision strikes but total war as in Dresden, Tokyo, Hiroshima. Let the muslims all over the world see what happens to barbarians and savages that refuse to be civilized and quit being a threat. That's much better PR against hostile real and potential terrorist supporters than trying to appease people who can never be appeased.

Uzi (#31)

Perfectly understandable. Aren't we all internet junkies? :-) It's lovely to see you.

You mention Mark Steyn and this is completely off topic but a strange coincidence so I have to post about it. While just reading this article I thought to myself that it had the "bite" of Mark Steyn but didn't bother scrolling up to see who had written it until after I'd finished reading the entire thing! He is really something.

Hillary yawner never gets to the good part , is pure Mark Steyn.

(Did I mention that it is completely and absolutely off topic?)

The Iran-wide General Strike has been long-set for July 9th, next month. July 9... what a Date! The Martyrdom of Him Whom Christ promised!

Nevertheless, what started as a simple, small group of disgruntled students protesting university policy has shown some remarkable legs, continuing night after night because it RESONATES with a very broad spectrum of Iranian citizens!

I'm all for breaking arms and legs of those 'cycle-gang thugs' who came in whip-chaining and clubbing! Cause them maiming-disabling pain, but DO NOT Kill them...

As the soldiers shouted in "Saving Private Ryan", "Don't shoot! Let 'em burn!" while those who'd tried to outrun an American flame-thrower leapt from their concrete-reinforced bunkers in flames!

As non-violently as possible... but I'm a doctor and a father. There are times when you have but moments to take effective action, even if it means cutting away living tissue to save the organism!

This next few days will be a real Eye Opener, indeed!

Just a shot in the dark -

All nations are democracies and their people determine their government.

The Soviet Union demostarted this, as did India, Iran, the United States, and the Philippines.

This is a doctrine that justifies general war and will make a few of the less pleseant countries realize that they will not suffer the fate of Afhanistan and Iraq, but far far worse, of the likes of Germany and Japan.

This is from the _NY Times_. The headline is theirs. It sounds like an elementary school writing assignment, like "How is a tree like a snowflake", "How is a cloud like cotton candy?", "How is a train whistle like a song?..."

NY Times
How L.A. Is Like Iraq

To the Editor:

The bloodshed in Los Angeles that Bob Herbert details in "Where Fear Rules the Street" and "L.A.'s Streets of Death" (columns, June 9 and 12) is downright sickening.

South and East Los Angeles are plagued by persistent unemployment and random violence, much like postwar Iraq. Will our government send peacekeeping forces into Los Angeles to confiscate weapons, restore order and rebuild the local economy?

Unfortunately, in this age of fervent tax-cutting, it seems that there's only enough money for nation-building in "strategically important" parts of the world.

GEOFFREY J. KING
Austin, Tex., June 12, 2003

#1,

I absolutely reject the concept of "democracy" and "freedom" as nakedly false phantoms of the west. Who would ever want to be "free" when they could instead live in the glorious order and sanctified grace of Sharia? Why does anyone need to have an opinion for himself?

he's not being sarcastic... sounds like a full-blown islamic-hive-worker...

pretty scary shit if you ask me

Here he is

He's just a little boy, what would he know about Iraq?

#23 Skeptical

"Call 1-800-EUROPE"

Priceless! I sprayed a mouthful of coffee all over my monitor reading that!

PRESIDENT BUSH PLEASE HELP US
Ali M., Iran

i bet it really pained them to have to put this one in.

Uzi:

I take it youre in Iran?

If so, be careful.

On a side note, my father in-law is (was?) a Shi-ite, he fled to the US when the Shah left Iran. He supports the US in the current conflict and supports democracy in Iran. Just thought I'd throw that bit out for review.

In all these un-democratic states there is a ruling class that has been created by the dictatorship and by which means the dictatorship is maintained. This ruling class apparatus is the nervous system of control, sustained and rewarded by material advantages, and thriving from the subjugation of the general population. Examples can be found in the military dictatorships of South America, in the former and present communist dictatorships, and in the religious dictatorships, such as those of former Afghanistan, Iran, the Gulf States, or thugocracies like the PA.
Assuming that people who don't belong to the ruling apparatus are aware of the inequity, and have no way or desire to swell the ranks of the apparatus, they will one day galvanize in order to share more of the power and the resources of their countries. But will they naturally veer toward democracy, or yet another form of dictatorship?
How many in Iran are at this stage: is it a small group of students and intellectuals, is it a number of ethnic groups, is it the silent majority? And if they succeed in overthrowing the mullahs, will they opt for democracy and peace with their Middle East neighbors, including Israel? Will they stop funding Hezbollah?
Undoubtedly, a democratic Iran is what we all wish for, here in the West. Hopefully, that's what the majority of Iranians wish for, too.

OT
Washington Post reports:

Egyptian mediators summoned all Palestinian militias today in a final push to persuade them to halt attacks on Israelis. Palestinian officials said they expect a truce to be declared very soon.
The Egyptians told militia leaders they have American guarantees that Israel will halt targeted killings of Palestinians suspected of involvement in violence, participants in the talks said.

If this is true, the development is troublesome: Bush administration has consistently expressed its belief that there should be no negotiations with terrorists.

Here's the "money" letter from those published in the BBC article:
I had the chance to flee Iran and escape to the US. Here I was able to get an education that would not have been allowed to me because of my faith. What scares me most is that I fear I cannot escape the strict enforcement of beliefs even here in the US. As more people become accepting of strict followings of Islam, I feel I may even have to flee here for my safety.

This scares me!

and since the iranian police are reluctant to use violence against their own, who do the mullahs import to put down crowds? ARABS!

The situation in Iran will require finesse to swing it just right. First of all, the US can NOT get directly involved until the time is right. And that time has not yet come. The pot is simmering, we need to keep encouraging the protests indirectly through TV and radio. As the pot approaches a boiling point we need to be very clear, we support a democratic Iran. Bush himself needs to say these things, loudly. He also needs to be very clear, the US will NOT tolerate violence in keeping these protesters down. At the UN, merely for show because the UN is really worthless, we need to be clear, the US will not stand idly by while the protesters are attacked and killed. The problem is this, any future revolution can not be "tainted" by direct US involvement. As painful as it is and will be for the Iranians, they have to fight this fight. BUT when the pot starts to boil, it could get real nasty. The Mullahs will do everything they can to remain in power. When the real violence starts, then and only then, can we get directly involved. If they mobilize their Revolutionary Guards and the regular army does not move to stop them, then we destroy all military units. We make it very clear, if your military leaves their bases, we will destroy them. Preferably from the air (with SpOps support of course). For sure, we live in interesting times! I pray for the Iranians, may they find the freedom they want and deserve.

Were other readers of Iraniangirl surprised by this :

generally the support of Police has been great, actually they never do anything against people & all that violence is from Basijis & members of Allah's group...I also heard that yesterday in one of Northern streets girls took off their veils & started chanting & policemen were even encouraging others to join them!

Debka: Iran will have nuke by 2004. US to go before Security Council.

http://debka.com/art...

Re: I absolutely reject the concept of "democracy" and "freedom" as nakedly false phantoms of the west. Who would ever want to be "free" when they could instead live in the glorious order and sanctified grace of Sharia? Why does anyone need to have an opinion for himself?

Either it is sarcasm, in which case we should do all we can to help the cause of the students and the general strikers due to take action July 9th.

Or, it is ernest. In which case we should do all we can to help the cause...

In addition to Iranian Girl, I am keeping track of Steppenwolf (http://steppenwolf.b...). Yeah, dry humor and sarcasm are practiced in that part of the world.

I read through this letter page, looking for statements like "Mr. Chirac, please help us", or "I wish France would support our struggle."

Oddly enough, I didn't see any.

Perhaps they know what France would do...

Show up, wave a flag, then leave in order to make sure their uniforms stay pressed...

Intervene? Non...

I half expect the gas pump to charge me an extra $5 for loving democracy lately. What the fuck Islamofascists?

I’m not fond of the BBC; in many ways they’ve become a tool of the world’s anti-civilization forces.

Yes, the only place where they have credibility is when they report on Mugabe (where they have nothing to gain from sucking up to him since he has declared the Beeb as one of his enemies along with anyone who has voted for him) and show reruns of Absolutely Fabulous on BBC America.

Iran may also be something of an exception given the turn of the wind. As far as these students go, I think, like Zimbabwe, Afganistan and Iran, they have nothing to gain from sucking up to the Mullahs. But then again, even for the left, backing the student movement in Iran is trendy enough a cause for the Beeb to give their client listeners what they want to hear.

#53 Kev 6/16/2003 07:39AM PST

My Bad: That should read "Taliban-ruled Afganistan"

#32 Jan

If Iranian population turns out to be hostile to it's liberators, there's no need to occupy them... invasion and occupation of a truly hostile country in difficult terrain would only turn into a another Vietnam.

This is precisely why the U.S. should not directly invtervene, especially militarily. The Iranians want overt moral support, and diplomatic pressure on the mullahs to reform, or step-down. Military intervention would have the effect of turing the Iranian population against the U.S., and it would only strengthen the mullocracy. Despite one letter writer' s desire to see "U.S. cruise missiles hitting Iranian intelligence" buildings, I don't believe that many Iranians seriously want this to happen. :-)

#40 Angelus

PRESIDENT BUSH PLEASE HELP US

i bet it really pained them to have to put this one in.

Wouldn't you like to have been there to see the pain on their faces? I'd like to show that letter to some lefties on this side of the pond, then watch them cringe! :)

Michael Ledeen's articles on Iran are always good, and here's today's contributions to NRO.

OT but interesting:

European oil companies get more Iraqi oil than the US;

http://www.telegraph...

But, but, it was all about the OIL!

Charles--I nominate Susan #56 for a hat tip! Great article, thanks Susan.

The six companies which won part of the shipment were Spanish refiners Repsol and Cepsa, TotalFinaElf from France, Tupras of Turkey, Italian ENI and US major ChevronTexaco.

TotalFinaElf... slowly I turned... Couldn't they just have awared TFE the outhouse-cleaning contract or something?

Meanwhile, Kamal Kharrazi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, said the US sanctions on Iran have cost American oil companies the chance to bid for $4 billion of new oil contracts.

It's very cheering to see a UK newspaper make this not-so-subtle connection. Yes, the US took a principled position on Iraq, and paid a real economic price for it; and yes, the US is taking a principled position on Iran, and is paying a real economic price for it.

Despite French opposition to the war, TotalFinaElf was awarded 2m barrels.

I hope all 2m barrels get dumped on Chirac's living room carpet. "No blood for oil" the lefties all sang? It was mostly U.S. blood....and the oil is freely flowing to Europe!!!!

Meanwhile, Kamal Kharrazi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, said the US sanctions on Iran have cost American oil companies the chance to bid for $4 billion of new oil contracts.

No, Kamal, guess again.....U.S. sanctions have cost your stinking mullocracy $4B in new oil contracts. Bravo to U.S. sanctions.

Sorry, 1-800-EUROPE is busy.

Because Charles linked to the Beeb, I actually took a look at the site again, when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a smiling idiot in shiny war gear.

Villepin said France "is ready to do what must be done," meaning that, although they could not tolerate using troops to eliminate a dictator and mass murderer, they are happy to send troops to prevent Israel from fighting terror.

If there is anyone willing to believe les putains de Pétain might be of any value in actually advancing peace, just ask Jan Mol about their performance in the Congo.

Before we descend to French bashing, let's recognize that US politicoes are thinking about sending in US troops, so long as they don't have to fight Hamas.

first off, to poster number one, that guy was being VERY sarcastic. a different blog, maybe instapundit, discussed this.

the discussion on peace keeping troops is very enlightening. if even the u.s. is reluctnat to send in troops to battle hamas, you can understand why israel is reluctant to host such a force. the french troops would probably bake yassin and crew baguettes.

Check out this website on BBC Bias run by former Soviet refusenick Vladimir Bukovsky:

http://www.bbcbias.o...

A one-time SOVIET dissident, now living in Britain, thinks that the Baghdad Broadcasting Corp. is a Soviet-style Marxocracy. And he should know, shouldn't he?

More pisse talk from Villepin.