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“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.”
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Author Archives: iPouya
Iran’s MEK to open Washington office
The “People’s Mujahideen” or Mujahideen-e Khalq Organization (MEK) went from being listed as a terrorist organization for years to moments later opening up an office in DC. I wonder what they had to do in order to get the official … Continue reading
Posted in Iran
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Iraq’s Branch of Al Qaeda Merges With Syria Jihadists
I have long said that the war in Syria is very much connected to Iraq. Now, unfortunately, it’s official. A lot of the jihadists fighting in Syria are jihadists who fought in Iraq but were driven out of the country … Continue reading
Photos: Syria in Ruins
I visited Syria in the summer of 2008. I can’t believe large swaths of the country now amount to such harrowing images of destruction. See the photos here.
A Journey to IRAN by ISA at Penn State University
This is a magnificent video compilation that captures Iran’s diversity, both cultural and geographical. It’s a nice change beyond the regular depictions of a menacing Iranian monolith.
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Syrian government guerrilla fighters being sent to Iran for training
Reuters: The Syrian government is sending members of its irregular militias for guerrilla combat training at a secret base in Iran, in a move to bolster its armed forces drained by two years of fighting and defections, fighters and activists … Continue reading
The Unknown Arab Uprising: Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia Keep the Protest Movement Alive
The Global Post: Editor’s Note: When Arab Spring protests broke out in Saudi Arabia in 2011, the government reacted quickly. It pumped $130 billion into the economy, including hiring 300,000 new state workers and raising salaries. It also brutally cracked … Continue reading
Posted in Arab Spring, Bahrain, Iran, Saudi Arabia, US Foreign Policy
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Iraqi Sunnis await a Baghdad spring
The Guardian: Abu Saleh sits in a striped tent pitched by the side of the highway joining Jordan and Syria with Iraq and reflects on the latest, improbable twist in his 10-year career fighting those he considers the enemies of … Continue reading
Posted in Arab Spring, Iran, Iraq, Syria
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Caught Shopping While Iranian: Diasporic Solidarity and the Globalization of Collective Punishment
Jadaliyya: In recent years, the Iranian New Year, Norooz, has become a fairly predictable time for US presidents to gesture towards “dialogue†and mutual respect between the United States and the Iranian people, while criticizing the repressive policies and nuclear … Continue reading
Posted in Iran, Racism, US-Iran Relations
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Continuing Through Bitter Days
From a former student of mine, Banen Al-Sheemary Ten years ago today, I remember sitting in front of the television watching the sky turn bright yellow from the massive blasts. Slowly, I turned away from the screen to see my … Continue reading
Posted in 22 Khordad
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The Syrian “Jihad” Part 3: Tunisian Architect Turned Jihadist Talks of Holy War in Syria
France24: Abou Ayman is a young Tunisian architect who left everything behind to wage holy war thousands of kilometers from his home. He is one of several thousand foreign jihadists currently fighting against the Syrian regime. Syria’s best-known rebels, those … Continue reading
Posted in Syria
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Cristiano Ronaldo ‘Snubs Israel Shirt Swap to Support Palestine’
What clarity of thought, what a statement, what a Muhammad Ali-esque move! Bravo, Ronaldo! Read about it here.
Happy Nowruz to you all!
To mark the festive occasion, I’d like to share this awesome video with you… a classic never dies! The header above is a spectacular image of Chaharshanbeh Soori festivities in Iran.
The Shifting Discourse on Palestine in the U.S.
This video makes me hopeful.
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Thomas Friedman on the 10 Year Anniversary of the Iraq War
Look at this gerbil speak. He still thinks that Iraq was linked to 9/11. Didn’t this myth get shattered long ago? Did I miss something?
Posted in 22 Khordad
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12 Iranians, 12 Opinions, 1 Stance
“We might disagree on a lot of things, but we are all opposed to blind and broad sanctions on Iran.” See the video here.
Posted in Iran, US Foreign Policy
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