On the streets of Tehran, citizens fear becoming world pariah

[ECH1969]

"Everyone's worried," jeweler Bahram Mehraban said in his small Tehran storefront, contemplating the possibility of UN sanctions. "Only the common people will be hurt. . . . All the important people here will have prepared and (will) still have a luxurious life."

With a tough speech from hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran defied the UN ultimatum to stop enriching uranium at midnight Thursday, opening the door for threatened sanctions and intensifying Iran's stand-off with Western leaders worried that its aim is to build nuclear weapons.

Few said they doubted that the United States, at odds with Iran since its Islamic revolution more than 27 years ago, would seek to inflict economic pain on the country. Businessmen feared that sanctions will lead to a steep economic downturn in an already sluggish market. Others wondered aloud about psychological fall-out in a country filled with young people eager for possibilities beyond their nation's borders.

None of their worries were eased by the news that their president maintained a strident tone. Ahmadinejad told a crowd of thousands in the northwestern city of Orumiyeh that "Iran will not back down an inch in the face of intimidation, aggression and will not accept being deprived of its rights.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/nation/15411174.htm

[bullimiami]

1. riiiiiggghhhhttt.

[Freedom_from_Chains]

2. young people eager for possibilities beyond their nation's borders.

Does that mean acquiring Iraq as part of Iran?

[ShortnFiery]

3. Is this part of the 20 Million dollar Propaganda Fandango: Election 2006?

[hogwyld]

4. As long as the neocons are in power here

Iran is safe from being the world's pariah. Hey, we're #1, we're #1...

[Hand]

7. Dang! Ya beat me to it!

I was going to say, "Well, welcome to the club..."

[AlamoDemoc]

5. Iran made the mistake of naming itself as "Islamic Republic"

hence, Iran as axis of evil.

[bemildred]

6. Sure they do, they obsess over it all the time, they do. nt

[Ms. Clio]

8. You really should make it more clear when you snip parts of a piece

These are certainly relevant paragraphs:

On the streets of Tehran, ordinary Iranians were quick Thursday to jump into the debate and express their fears about the consequences of Iran ignoring the UN demand, even as they defended their country's right to develop its nuclear energy capacity.

Shopkeepers in this capital city's main bazaar stopped their transactions to converse about the dilemma. Shoppers, some buying crystal bowls and others bargaining down the price of jeans, were adamant in defending Iran's quest but downbeat about the rewards of defying world powers.


And gosh, what an evil, repressive regime where "ordinary Iranians," including women, are allowed to criticize their own country in the Great Satan's propaganda organs.

[ConcernedCanuk]

9. "their country's right to develop its nuclear energy capacity"

.
.
.

PNACers are just doing the fear-mongering thing -

It worked for Iraq,

So why not try it again?

The US ain't building over a dozen bases in Iraq to protect Iraq.

The US is building those bases (at a much faster rate than hospitals, schools, infrastructure repairs, etc., etc.) to control Iraq -

AND

have a firm toehold on the Middle East.

USA will never have to worry about Iran having the capabilities(and I don't even think Iran cares) to hit the continental USA with a nuke,

BUT

Iran watched Saddam disarm - then he and his country destroyed -

Iran ain't gonna let that happen to them without serious consequences to the USA military in the ME.

If the USA (who is the only nation in the world to USE nukes(and on a civilian population at that) can have thousands of nukes,

Why can't Iran have a couple?

In most states y'all are allowed to carry guns, no?

Well, probably not too many from the Middle East . .

If you are pure white, and wear a pointy hat

It's ok . . .

(sigh)

[Ms. Clio]

10. That's really is about the size and shape of it

pointy hat and all.

But some people apparently really are willing to buy into all the lies AGAIN. I find it simply stunning.

"Fool me once . . . won't get fooled again???"