Iranians volunteer for "martyrdom missions"

[fintstone]

It looks like another opportunity for the US military to help third world citizens realize their fondest dreams.

Iranians volunteer for "martyrdom missions"
Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:51 AM ET

By Parisa Hafezi

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Some 200 Iranians have volunteered in the past few days to carry out "martyrdom missions" against U.S. and British interests if Iran is attacked over its nuclear program, a hardline group said on Sunday.

The United States and other Western nations accuse Iran of seeking to master enrichment technology to build atomic weapons, a charge Iran denies. Washington says it wants a diplomatic solution, but has not ruled out a military option.

Mohammad Ali Samadi, spokesman for the Committee for the Commemoration of Martyrs of the Global Islamic Campaign, said fresh fears over a possible U.S. attack on Iran's nuclear sites helped attract volunteers during its latest recruitment drive.

"Because of the recent threats, we have started to register more volunteers since Friday," Samadi told Reuters by telephone.

"Some 200 people have registered to carry out operations against our enemies. America and Britain are definitely considered enemies."

Chanting "Death to America" and "Nuclear technology is our right", volunteers registered their names at the former American Embassy in southern Tehran on Sunday.

They signed a document called "Registration form for martyrdom-seeking operations" and pledged to "defend the Islamic Republic's interests".

"We will give a good lesson to those who dare to attack our country," said Ali, a 25-year-old masked volunteer, after filling out registration form.

When asked why he had covered his face, Ali said: "I do not want to be recognized when traveling abroad to harm American and British interests."

TENS OF THOUSANDS REGISTERED

The Committee for the Commemoration of Martyrs of the Global Islamic Campaign, which says it has no affiliation with the government, was formed in 2004. Since then Samadi said some 52,000 people have signed up to be involved in possible attacks.

The Sunday Times of London, quoting unnamed Iranian officials, reported Iran had 40,000 trained suicide bombers prepared to strike western targets if Iran is attacked.

"The main force, named the Special Unit of Martyr Seekers in the Revolutionary Guards, was first seen last month when members marched in a military parade," the report said.

But Samadi denied the report.

"The Revolutionary Guards have no links to martyrdom-seeking operations. We are the only martyrdom seeking group in Iran," he said. "And we are an independent group."

No Iranians are thought to have directly executed suicide bombings in recent years. But the United States has accused Iran of being a state sponsor of terrorism.

In Sunday's New York Times a former White House counterterrorism expert said Iran's response to any U.S. military attack would be to use "its terrorist network to strike American targets around the world".

"Iran has forces at its command far superior to anything al Qaeda was ever able to field," wrote former White House counter terror chief Richard Clarke and former State Department official Steven Simon.

The "martyrdom" registration coincided with a conference on the Palestinian cause. Iran has refused to recognize Israel and supports anti-Israeli groups like Hamas and Hizbollah.

Inside the embassy, the walls were decorated with pictures of Palestinian suicide bombers. Videos of Israeli army attacks on Palestinians were shown on a wide screen. Books and CDs on the Palestinian uprising were also for sale.

In 1979, the then-American embassy was seized and its staff were taken hostage by militant students in 1979. The 52 hostages were freed after 444 days in captivity.

[fastpat]

So effing what!

[fintstone]

It means they are crazy as you...so we should never even consider allowing them to have nuclear weapons. Clearly mutally assured destruction will not be effective strategy against any group that considers suicide to be a rational means of power projection.

[fastpat]

Originally posted by fintstone
It means they are crazy as you...so we should never even consider allowing them to have nuclear weapons. Clearly mutally assured destruction will not be effective strategy against any group that considers suicide to be a rational means of power projection.

D-DAy had US soldiers charging German machine gun positions; Marshall Zukov had men run across minefields to speed up crossing them; and when questioned pointed out that he usually lost a higher percentage of men assaulting machine gun positions.

You were saying?

[Moneyguy1]

Zukov used non-uniformed men, women and children. And suspected "deserters". So did other Soviet Commanders. There were gouns at their backs so thery had no choice...a lady or the tiger sort of situation, but without the lady. They would lose either way.

Some statements made about the reasons for and situation during WW II are so wrong. Would Germany had to concern itself with the Royal Navy if they had first knocked out the RAF completely (which they nearly did until they changed their tactics changed and went after cities)? WOuld an attack like the Allied D-Day been out of the question? Not all of the east coast of Britain is as inaccessable as the White Cliffs of Dover. U-boat activity was going "great guns" (excuse the pun) until late in 1942 because there was no air cover available in the areas of the Atlantic halfway between North America and Europe. Until the Liberty ship program was up to speed, ships were being sunk as fast if not faster than they could be replaced. The U-boat war would have been even more devestating except the fleet was not up to what was considered optimal strength in 1941. THe introduction of long-range air patrol aircraft put a great dent in the U-boat campaign as did the breaking of the Enigma code which allowed the Allies to know sometimes before the U-boat commanders did what the orders were.

As for 85% in Europe and 15% in the Pacific, please follow the island hopping campaign that began in early 1942 and was not over with until the a-bombs were unleashed on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Where the Allies were in Europe from 1944 to the end of the war in early May 1945 (less than one year), I would argue that the effort as a part of the total in the Pacific was far more than 15%. Where much of the war in Europe was waged by the various air forces from 1940 through 1945, the Pacific was essentially a naval action.

[fintstone]

Originally posted by fastpat
D-DAy had US soldiers charging German machine gun positions; Marshall Zukov had men run across minefields to speed up crossing them; and when questioned pointed out that he usually lost a higher percentage of men assaulting machine gun positions.

You were saying?

Explain how attempting dangerous missions has anything to do with intentionally blowing oneself up? I cannot imagine the US soldiers who took the beach at D-Day had any intent of intentionally getting killed....I also find it repulsive that you consider those brave men somehow the same as suicide bombers who tend to intentionally kill innocent women and children.

[fastpat]

Originally posted by fintstone
Explain how attempting dangerous missions has anything to do with intentionally blowing oneself up? I cannot imagine the US soldiers who took the beach at D-Day had any intent of intentionally getting killed....I also find it repulsive that you consider those brave men somehow the same as suicide bombers who tend to intentionally kill innocent women and children.

The moral level is identical. A pilot who drops multiple two thousand pound bombs, obliterating an entire neighborhood on the off chance Hussein is in one of the houses is worse than the suicide bomber.

My father was a combat pilot in World War II (65 missions); we had long conversations about this very thing. He said the notion of one side being honorable while the other is not is complete bullshiit.

He was right.

[fintstone]

Originally posted by fastpat
The moral level is identical. ...

Only in your sick world.

[fastpat]

Originally posted by fintstone
Only in your sick world.

Feeling bad because your immorality is becoming more well known than ever?

Too Bad!

[jorian]

"Iranians volunteer for "martyrdom missions"

Many of these 'martyrs' are young, impressionable, ignorant youth whose families are PAID by those with a less than religious motives.

[fastpat]

Originally posted by jorian
"Iranians volunteer for "martyrdom missions"

Many of these 'martyrs' are young, impressionable, ignorant youth whose families are PAID by those with a less than religious motives.

Sorta like when the military recruiters show up and talk to high school juniors about joining up at age 17 for college tuition money, eh?

Kill a rag head, go to college.

[jorian]

Sorta like....

[fintstone]

Not a bit like......

[Moneyguy1]

Let's see...During the Korean conflict (Politically Correct), there were those saying:


"Kill a Commie for Christ!"

[Isabo]

Originally posted by Moneyguy1
Let's see...During the Korean conflict (Politically Correct), there were those saying:


"Kill a Commie for Christ!"

There was also a comic; "Captain America - Commie Smasher".
The politics and propaganda, problems and moral issues of the fifties seems so simplistic today.
Probably find people saying the same about today in the 2050s

[legion]

Originally posted by Isabo
The politics and propaganda, problems and moral issues of the fifties seems so simplistic today.
Probably find people saying the same about today in the 2050s

Exactly. Most people don't realize that we have been through periods of grayscale and "nuance", and clear black and white in the past, and will go through both in the future.

[Rick Lee]

Moral level is identical? Uh huh.

When I was too young to rent a car in Europe, I often hitchiked from Cologne to Halle to visit friends. Several times I was picked up by elderly couples, who, upon learning I was an American, had nothing but great things to say. I have met countless German men who spent time as POW's in camps on US soil and every single one of them, without exception, said it was the best they had ever lived up to that time.

Ask any American who made it through the Bataan Death March and the subsequent imprisonment if the moral level was identical.

[Joeaksa]

We lost a family member on the Battan Death March. Hope no one takes the challenge that Rick just made.

I know personally several German ex-POW's who lived in Arizona during the war. Two of them returned to Arizona and another lives today in Berlin. As what Rick said, they had nothing but good to say about America and the way they were treated.

Love to see how Slopat twists this one to make it fit his needs...

[Isabo]

Back to the important stuff

and for anyone that wants to read up a bit on it.
http://filingcabinetofthedamned.blogspot.com/2005/10/stealing-from-long-box-or-political.html
DejaVu?

[lendaddy]

Why did you go into the military Pat?