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Doomsday Clock needs update

Anglosphere

Doomsday Clock is cool:

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has informed the world what time it is since 1947, when its now-famous "Doomsday Clock" first appeared of the cover of the magazine. Since then, the minute hand of the clock has moved forward and back to reflect the global level of nuclear danger and the state of international security.

So what's the current time?

Chicago, February 27, 2002: Today, the Board of Directors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moves the minute hand of the "Doomsday Clock," the symbol of nuclear danger, from nine to seven minutes to midnight, the same setting at which the clock debuted 55 years ago. Since the end of the Cold War in 1991, this is the third time the hand has moved forward.

Um, hello. This is 2006. North Korea and nukes? Check. Iran? Let us get back to you on Iran. World War III both observed and welcomed. Move that clock to midnight I'd say, and get those fireworks started.

Walibi World theme park even celibrates mid-summer New Year's Eve events. With fireworks. I didn't make a huge post about it because they are somewhat Australian themed, where mid-summer New Year celebrations make sense. So I let it slip. Still, silly.

World War III!

Anglosphere

Europe is chilling out in the heat, but the rest of the world is as lively as ever: Newt Gingrich says "it's World War III", referring to the war on terrorism in general. And Hezbollah would love World War III, said Iranian Hizbollah's spokesman Mojtaba Bigdeli:

"They have been trained and they can become fully armed. We are ready to dispatch them to every corner of the world to jeopardise Israel and America's interests. We are only waiting for the Supreme Leader's green light to take action. If America wants to ignite World War Three ... we welcome it," he said.

Hm.. was that just something about welcoming World War III? I couldn't exactly hear it with everbody screaming at Israel to show restraint. Hey Israel, once again they welcome total war and destruction, preferably yours.. show some restaint!

Anyway, people have long argued the war on terror is a World War. Not everyone fights everywhere and surely some spots in the world show weaknesses, but everyone's involved already. I wonder then why Israel and the US are singled out. Is it maybe because the US indeed stands by Israel, which has always been terrorists' favourite target.

Love you too

Anglosphere

Khameini is proud of Hezbollah:

'The Islamic world states are proud of the courageous resistance by Hezbollah against the Zionist (Israeli) aggressors,' Khamenei said in a speech carried by state television.

'Lebanon was supposed to be turned into a centre for Western culture but this country has instead turned into a centre for Jihad (holy war) and resistance and this is exactly the opposite of what the Western hegemonic powers wanted,' the Ayatollah added.

This is now a big test for the Arab countries,' said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Assefi. 'If they do not show full solidarity, they could be next on Israel's target list.'

The spokesman declared Iran's full solidarity with Palestinians and Lebanon and urged all Islamic and Arab states to do the same.

Well, at least it's charming to see Iran is being nice to those who do their dirty work. Kaching, Hezbollah!

Syria and Iran behind Hezbollah kidnappings?

Anglosphere

It has been speculated before, but now Lebanon itself joins the ranks of those who hint Syria and Iran may have directed Hezbollah to attack Israel:

Jumblatt is the head of Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party and is largely considered the most prominent anti-Syrian Lebanese politician.

He said he saw the fingerprints of Iran and Syria on Hezbollah's actions the past few days.

There is of course no significant news value in this statement. Hezbollah has obvious ties to Iran through the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and that Syria has been pulling strings in Lebanon is not exactly on the of the best kept secrets in the world either.

Iranian propaganda

Anglosphere

What worries me most about the Iranian missile tests is the obvious propaganda:

Iran has tested what it says is the world's fastest underwater missile, designed to elude radar and destroy enemy submarines.

National TV programmes were interrupted to show footage of the missile being fired into the Gulf and destroying a derelict ship.

The test came two days after it tested a conventional missile capable of being equipped with multiple warheads.

I take the weaponry for granted. We all have some toys to play with. But national governments who consider those toys important enough to interrupt television, that's telling. And scary. I wonder how long it takes until Iran attemps to wipe Israel off the earth.

"Get (off) and out of jail"

Anglosphere

What do Sharon Stone and the Muslim way of life have in common? Well, they both offer males a way to avoid jail sentences for sexual assault. Sharon Stone wants to see fewer horny men imprisoned and claims teenage girls should simply perform more oral sex:

If you're in a situation where you cannot get out of sex, offer a blow job.

Thanks for the offer sweetheart. I knew you'd give your consent sooner or later. How stupid can Hollywood actresses get?!

Fortunately in Iran, they're not stupid, just seriously evil. The Hadith (الحديث) offers an even easier way out for men, as long as they just rape one woman at a time:

The women asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?" He said, "Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?" They replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her intelligence."

That's even sillier logic than the horrible away goal rule. And a lot worse as well: an Iranian teenager is going to be executed for self-defense against a rapist. Horrible. Can we please send Sharon Stone over for a while, ice pick included, and just watch?

The West should apologise

Anglosphere

When I was just a young boy, I was quite fond of Michael Jackson. I am older (and wiser) now and while his music no longer interests me that much, at least I can comfort myself knowing the feeling would probably have been mutual. Jacko is no longer of any importance, but fans of nutters need not to worry: another wacko is at large in Iran: President "Ahmadinejacko" Ahmadeinejad.

If you have been living under a rock for the past months: Iran is trying to enrich uranium and has hidden its activities for eighteen years which is pretty much a no-no in international politics. In August, the IAEA recommended referring the Iran issue to the Security Council which so far resulted in all talk and no action. Even though Ahmadinejad wished upon Israel another holocaust in October. Even though NBC warned the UN of being less productive than curling in February.

No wonder Jacko is not at all impressed and seeks an apology from the West:

“Today they tell our nation that nuclear energy is a bad thing and it is not necessary for our people to have it. But the nation of Iran has stood (for its right),” he said in a televised speech to mark the Iranian New Year, which begins Tuesday. “Those who head war and crimes accused the Iranian nation of war seeking. They insulted our nation. I do advise them to apologize.”

I suppose he does has some sort of a point here. Evidently his expressed desire to wipe Israel off the face of the earth was not an insult to that nation. Evidently wiping Israel off the face of the earth is not a quest for war. Therefore we should appease this nutter for a while and not show muscle until demographics turn Europe into Eurabia, leaving Israel completely cornered and out of reach from US support. And once we've apologised and paid for tolerating those pesky Jews, we can get rid of some more infidels and introduce the death penalty for Christianity (by public hanging) just like Afghanistan:

The judge deciding whether an Afghan man should be executed for converting to Christianity does not understand what all the fuss is about.

"In this country, we have a perfect constitution. It is Islamic law and it is illegal to be a Christian and it should be punished," Judge Alhaj Ansarullah Mawawy Zada said in an interview yesterday. "In your country, two women can marry. I think that is very strange."

Strange it may be, so let's apologise for that as well. We're not even done apologising for our right to draw political cartoons, but sure, we're going to apologise some more and bow to the wishes of the caliphate. First we'll allow the slaughtering of six millions Jews (again), then we'll allow persecution of those with a different religious belief (again) and last but not least we'll round up everyone not popular enough to wear a pink shirt.

And then we truly have reason to call ourselves wacko and to apologise.

Palestine from the river to the sea

Anglosphere

It's no secret that I have some concerns about Iran's integrity regarding the nuclear stand-off. It's no secret that I dislike the mullahs' confrontations with the west. So, as a mental exercise, please try and predict how I feel about President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's latest sign of goodwill:

Speaking at a seminar entitled "World without Zionism", Ahmadinejad said that Israel was the product of an ideological war between the "Arrogant World Order" and the "Islamic rule", adding that the Jewish state had to be wiped off the face of the earth.

Excusez-moi? Normally I try to focus on subjects such as terrorism and democracy, filtering out generalisations and other politically incorrect opinions. But as atheist (or agnostic secularist at best) I'm getting closer and closer to simply proposing to wipe Islamic rule off the face of the earth. It'd be a bit of a shame of the democratic Islamic projects in Turkey and Iraq, but to do without those insane, murderous, wet dreams of a caliphate.. it might just be worth it.

(And to think I almost wrote something boring about not wanting to give up ICANN to Chinese censurists!)

Can we trust Iran? The Beeb? The UN?

Anglosphere

I'm not going to state that the Iran crisis over nuclear facilities is escalating, but diplomacy is reaching a stalemate and that's never a good sign in a crisis. A quick update from the Beeb:

Although Iran justifies fuel enrichment by saying this is allowed under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and that the IAEA would monitor all activities, the IAEA says Iran has already broken the rules by hiding an enrichment programme over a period of 18 years.

That is the reason why it could be reported to the Security Council.

Why bother? Because uranium enrichment can be used to create nuclear weapons and let's face it, Iran hasn't been on the best of terms with every nation in the world or even region. Nor will they improve under the newly "elected" hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. As predicted by the US, talks with the EU3 have failed. So what happens when Iran goes on with its nuclear programme?

If so, it could face UN sanctions in due course and one day even a military attack on its facilities by Israel or the United States.

Ah, good old BBC bias. Aren't we describing a situation where the UN agrees Iran is in violation of international agreements and a possible threat? If we are, why single out Israel and the US? Has it become that unlikely other UN members would actually enforce the body's decisions?

© Copyright 1995-2008 Robert John Kaper. All rights reserved.

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