From The Economist print edition
Not content with taking on the world, the president picks a few fights at home
THE president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has shown no signs of backing off in his confrontation with his critics abroad. Now, it seems, the gloves are off at home as well...
Read more here.
Also:
AFP: Gloves come off as Iran moderates battle Ahmadinejad
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Making connections
Activist sets up telephone talks between US, Iranian citizens:
A Somerville peace activist with a knack for political theater set up a display yesterday with a simple proposition: Let anyone who passed by pick up the phone and talk to Iranian citizens, giving regular citizens in both countries a chance to do what the activist said the country's leaders have failed to do: talk to each other. Read More here: Boston Common visitors get line to Iran
more stories like this:
Groups tries to bridge U.S.-Iran gulf with common-folk phone call
A Somerville peace activist with a knack for political theater set up a display yesterday with a simple proposition: Let anyone who passed by pick up the phone and talk to Iranian citizens, giving regular citizens in both countries a chance to do what the activist said the country's leaders have failed to do: talk to each other. Read More here: Boston Common visitors get line to Iran
more stories like this:
Groups tries to bridge U.S.-Iran gulf with common-folk phone call
Monday, November 12, 2007
Stephen Kinzer on Iran & Turkey
Stephen Kinzer at University of Chicago:
Iran and Turkey: Rising Powers in the New Middle East.
Best-selling author Stephen Kinzer (All the Shah's Men) speaks on Iran and Turkey: Rising Powers in the New Middle East.November 15, 2007
7:00pm
International House, University of Chicago
1414 East 59th Street, Chicago, 60637
Phone: 773-752-2274 - Event is free and open to all.
Friday, November 09, 2007
Friday Links
Reuters: U.S. military frees 9 Iranians held in Iraq
Alsharq alawsat: Turkey: From Ataturk to Erdogan
United Press International: Bolton turns Bush critic
Guardian: Charming, not disarming
Forbes: Gates calls on China to back tougher economic sanctions against Iran
TheStreet.com: Where the Oil Profits Went
Alsharq alawsat: Turkey: From Ataturk to Erdogan
United Press International: Bolton turns Bush critic
Guardian: Charming, not disarming
Forbes: Gates calls on China to back tougher economic sanctions against Iran
TheStreet.com: Where the Oil Profits Went
Thursday, November 08, 2007
News Links
I was absent for awhile, reports are not good.
Reuters: Saudi king calls on Iran to avoid escalation
Foxnews: Biden Compares Pakistan to 1970s Iran
VOA: US to Release 9 Iranian Detainees in Iraq
Spiegel: You Can't Have an iPod Without a Stealth Bomber
Press TV: Iran removed from Yahoo, Hotmail list
Economy:
Financial Times Deutschland: Hidden costs of Iran's wheat obsession
The government of Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad brags about the Islamic Republic's self-sufficiency in wheat, holding it up as a source of security and a cause for pride. But while Iran no longer needs to rely on wheat imports, the pursuit of self-sufficiency has had hidden costs, creating shortages in other produce and raising the government's import bill…. Read More.
Council on Foreign Relations: Top of the Agenda: Market Fears Escalate
News.com.au: World Bank suspends the aid to Iran
Forbes: China in talks to buy gas from Iran LNG
Eurasia Daily Monitor: ANKARA WILLING TO RISK U.S. SANCTIONS FOR CHEAP IRANIAN ELECTRICITY
Reuters: Saudi king calls on Iran to avoid escalation
Foxnews: Biden Compares Pakistan to 1970s Iran
VOA: US to Release 9 Iranian Detainees in Iraq
Spiegel: You Can't Have an iPod Without a Stealth Bomber
Press TV: Iran removed from Yahoo, Hotmail list
Economy:
Financial Times Deutschland: Hidden costs of Iran's wheat obsession
The government of Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad brags about the Islamic Republic's self-sufficiency in wheat, holding it up as a source of security and a cause for pride. But while Iran no longer needs to rely on wheat imports, the pursuit of self-sufficiency has had hidden costs, creating shortages in other produce and raising the government's import bill…. Read More.
Council on Foreign Relations: Top of the Agenda: Market Fears Escalate
News.com.au: World Bank suspends the aid to Iran
Forbes: China in talks to buy gas from Iran LNG
Eurasia Daily Monitor: ANKARA WILLING TO RISK U.S. SANCTIONS FOR CHEAP IRANIAN ELECTRICITY
Friday, November 02, 2007
Iran-Iraq border trade heavy but no weapons found
Reuters:
BASRA, Iraq, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Business is booming on the Iran-Iraq border.Despite a war in one country and Western sanctions against the other's nuclear programme, trucks full of everything from fresh produce to furniture and clothes to consumer electronics trundle to the 1,400 km (900 mile) frontier every day.
But British officials say along with trade in legitimate goods, which has grown in the past year, there is also a steady flow of "lethal aid" from Iran to Iraq, including rockets and explosives used to make road-side bombs.Iran denies arming Iraqi Shia Muslim militias, which have carried out scores of deadly attacks against British and American troops in Iraq.
But British officials are sure Iranian weaponry is coming through. As evidence they mention rocket shrapnel that bears Iranian markings, but at the same time say they have no concrete proof that Iran is supplying Iraq."
It's fair to say that no one has caught anyone red-handed bringing in lethal aid across the border," said Major Anthony Lamb, who oversees training of Iraqi border enforcement units."Hundreds of searches are carried out every day, but as yet, there hasn't been a direct seizure of lethal aid."
Lamb says on some days, when British forces visit the major border crossing points in southern Iraq, they can see some Iranian trucks turning back, but there's no certainty they're doing so because they're carrying illicit weapons."They could be carrying ladies' underwear and be embarrassed about that," he said.
SHEEP SMUGGLING
What's likely, those who monitor the border say, is either that corruption in the form of bribes is allowing weaponry to come through, or smugglers are managing to move small amounts at a time across the vast, porous border.As well as being nearly 1,500 km long, the border is mountainous in the north and marshy in large parts of the south, making it ideal for clandestine movement. Nomadic tribes have also long made their home along large sections of the frontier."
Trade between tribes on either side has existed for centuries. The border means nothing to them," said Lamb."
For some, economic smuggling has long been a way of life. They might smuggle sheep, or other things."Since the invasion in 2003, the United States has built hundreds of "forts" along Iraq's borders, including more than 60 along a 500-km stretch along the edge with Iran in the south.Each fort is manned by 12 to 40 guards who carry out frequent patrols, although the frontier, heavily mined since the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, is not fenced. The Iranians have guards all along their side too, visible in the near distance.As well as the forts, there are two battalions of Iraqi border commandos trained to hunt down smugglers and staunch the flow of illegal goods into the country.
At the two official border crossings in the south, where as many as 300 trucks a day arrive from Iran, customs and border police have managed to crack down on the movement of drugs, illegal cars, banned perishable foods and other illicit goods.But so far, nothing approximating a rocket has been found."They're either not smuggling it through there, or we're looking in the wrong place," said a British intelligence officer wryly. "But one way or another, it's coming in
BASRA, Iraq, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Business is booming on the Iran-Iraq border.Despite a war in one country and Western sanctions against the other's nuclear programme, trucks full of everything from fresh produce to furniture and clothes to consumer electronics trundle to the 1,400 km (900 mile) frontier every day.
But British officials say along with trade in legitimate goods, which has grown in the past year, there is also a steady flow of "lethal aid" from Iran to Iraq, including rockets and explosives used to make road-side bombs.Iran denies arming Iraqi Shia Muslim militias, which have carried out scores of deadly attacks against British and American troops in Iraq.
But British officials are sure Iranian weaponry is coming through. As evidence they mention rocket shrapnel that bears Iranian markings, but at the same time say they have no concrete proof that Iran is supplying Iraq."
It's fair to say that no one has caught anyone red-handed bringing in lethal aid across the border," said Major Anthony Lamb, who oversees training of Iraqi border enforcement units."Hundreds of searches are carried out every day, but as yet, there hasn't been a direct seizure of lethal aid."
Lamb says on some days, when British forces visit the major border crossing points in southern Iraq, they can see some Iranian trucks turning back, but there's no certainty they're doing so because they're carrying illicit weapons."They could be carrying ladies' underwear and be embarrassed about that," he said.
SHEEP SMUGGLING
What's likely, those who monitor the border say, is either that corruption in the form of bribes is allowing weaponry to come through, or smugglers are managing to move small amounts at a time across the vast, porous border.As well as being nearly 1,500 km long, the border is mountainous in the north and marshy in large parts of the south, making it ideal for clandestine movement. Nomadic tribes have also long made their home along large sections of the frontier."
Trade between tribes on either side has existed for centuries. The border means nothing to them," said Lamb."
For some, economic smuggling has long been a way of life. They might smuggle sheep, or other things."Since the invasion in 2003, the United States has built hundreds of "forts" along Iraq's borders, including more than 60 along a 500-km stretch along the edge with Iran in the south.Each fort is manned by 12 to 40 guards who carry out frequent patrols, although the frontier, heavily mined since the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, is not fenced. The Iranians have guards all along their side too, visible in the near distance.As well as the forts, there are two battalions of Iraqi border commandos trained to hunt down smugglers and staunch the flow of illegal goods into the country.
At the two official border crossings in the south, where as many as 300 trucks a day arrive from Iran, customs and border police have managed to crack down on the movement of drugs, illegal cars, banned perishable foods and other illicit goods.But so far, nothing approximating a rocket has been found."They're either not smuggling it through there, or we're looking in the wrong place," said a British intelligence officer wryly. "But one way or another, it's coming in
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Central Asia at CSO
Chicago Symphony Orchestra is staging a magnificent event: Spiritual Sounds of Central Asia. Musicians from 6 countries; Azerbaijan; Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kalmykia gather together for this performance. Among them celebrated Azeri musician Alim Qasimov and Badakhshan Ensemble from Tajikistan. To learn more go to:
This is a must see event.
(This part is from CSO website)
There is also an exhibtion by the Historic Cities Programme presented at Symphony Center Friday, November 9, 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm Saturday, November 10, 10:00 am to 10:00 pm Sunday, November 11, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Admission is Free. This exhibit showcases major restoration projects undertaken by The Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme including Al Azhar Park in Cairo, the stone mosques in Mali and projects in Afghanistan, India and Syria. The exhibit provides insight into how the preservation of historic cultural and religious monuments serves as a catalyst for socio-economic development and how the revitalization of architecture can build bridges, not only between the past and the present in the Muslim world, but also between the Muslim world and the West.
There is also an exhibtion by the Historic Cities Programme presented at Symphony Center Friday, November 9, 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm Saturday, November 10, 10:00 am to 10:00 pm Sunday, November 11, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Admission is Free. This exhibit showcases major restoration projects undertaken by The Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme including Al Azhar Park in Cairo, the stone mosques in Mali and projects in Afghanistan, India and Syria. The exhibit provides insight into how the preservation of historic cultural and religious monuments serves as a catalyst for socio-economic development and how the revitalization of architecture can build bridges, not only between the past and the present in the Muslim world, but also between the Muslim world and the West.
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