Nuke Plant Exposed near Holy City of Quom!

[david dissadent]

The new phrase doing the rounds is "the Japan option", having sufficient technology and refining capacity to undertake a crash nuclear program without actualy developing a bomb. This is what people are now acusing Iran or persuing. It is a much more credible position than the hysteria of the neoconservative years, it fills the gap between Iranian public statments and its behaviour.

There is also now a war of words over the gap between the letter of the NPT and Irans agreement with the IAEA. The NPT states that a nation must give notice of a new facility 6 months before it becomes operational, while Iran gave an undertaking it would inform the IAEA before any work was begun on a new facility. So Iran was within the letter of the treaty but brokes its word.

The current US administration seem have have managed to corner Iran and China and Russia are moving towards the US position.

Amazing what happens when you turn down the megaphone and turn on the diplomacy.

 

[Sesquipedalian]

.

 

[dylans]

Is noone bothered by the utter hypocrisy of us telling Iran they can't develop nuclear weapons when we refuse to give up ours? When we give up Trident we may have some moral authority, until then we have no right to tell anyone else what to do.

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

could we maybe move on from the semantic argument about how a phonetic language is spelt in a non phonetic language?

farsi has no direct translation and either are acceptable as spellings like the muslim moeslim arguments...

sure there's a tendency for those of a certain political persuasion to deliberately use outdated spellings, and JC2 is right wing enough to affect this in his postings, the common way to over come such ignorance however is to ignore the more petty point scoring affectations and only tackle the larger directly racist outbursts which are factually in accurate than get mireed down in a semantic argument in which neither side is 100% in the right.

The meat of this is Iran admits another nuclear fuel plant other than the one it previously has admitted to.

again as this is only a fuel plant and not a weapons manufacturing base it's immaterial, and has all the hall marks of the final offers of Saddam prior to the green lighted attempt to take over iraq.

Offering this up for inspection now almost certainly means were iran to be doing anything in regards to nuclear weapons then they wouldn't be doing it there anymore...

They may have moved it.

what is more worrying is that Israel is now looking like it will take it's own action in the region regardless of any deadlines and if this happens then all hell will break lose as their surrounding neighbours kick off...and they are more likely than at any point in the most recent political history to be at the point where they will launch an air strike given the current political leanings inside of Israel

 

[ViolentPanda]

I thought they admitted it today?

On the 21st, apparently.

Let Canuck have his moment of (mistaken) gloating, though.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I want a city of Quim

They'd probably ban anyone with a penis from going there.

 

[Diamond]

It has to be eliminated.

 

[Diamond]

I've been to Qom. Fantastic city. Very atmospheric. It was like something out of Lord of the Rings. All these white bearded clerics in robes and skull caps and turbans intensely studying scrolls and stuff. Lots of pilgrims at the Shrine to Iman Reza's sister (I think) all dressed in black. Lots of crying and wailing and gnashing of teeth. I met a young student who showed me around and kept asking me if I knew Salmon Rushdie and if I always had sex with lots of girls. He was never convinced by my answers of no to both questions.

*max gogarty*

 

[ViolentPanda]

what is more worrying is that Israel is now looking like it will take it's own action in the region regardless of any deadlines and if this happens then all hell will break lose as their surrounding neighbours kick off...and they are more likely than at any point in the most recent political history to be at the point where they will launch an air strike given the current political leanings inside of Israel

Agreed. Netanyahu is also just egotistical enough to see himself as the man to realise the Zionist dream of Eretz Israel. He wants to leave his mark on history, and so do far too many of his fellow politicians.

 

[Diamond]

Agreed. Netanyahu is also just egotistical enough to see himself as the man to realise the Zionist dream of Eretz Israel. He wants to leave his mark on history, and so do far too many of his fellow politicians.

Maybe. But I think his basic ambition is to defend Israel's borders and its population.

Indeed, I'd say that is his main, overriding concern.

 

[dylans]

*max gogarty*

Who?

 

[CyberRose]

You say tomato I say erm tomato

Ok, bad example, try again...

You say Hussain, I say Hussein. You say al-Qaeda, I say al-Qaida. You say Sayyid, I say Said.

It's transliteration from Arabic (or in this case Farsi I guess) meaning there's no definitive English way of writing it. It's just spelt how it's supposed to sound (which means it can be spelt a variety of ways)

I suspect this may be the case with Qum/Qom

However, as the 'Holy City of Qum' sounds great, that's how I'll be spelling it from now on!

 

[ViolentPanda]

Maybe. But I think his basic ambition is to defend Israel's borders and its population.

Indeed, I'd say that is his main, overriding concern.

Read some of his outpourings, or the outpourings of the Jonathan Institute over the last 25 years, or check out his record. He's an expansionist to his bones. What are a few Israeli corpses compared to the realisation of his villainous little dream?

 

[ViolentPanda]

You say tomato I say erm tomato

Ok, bad example, try again...

You say Hussain, I say Hussein. You say al-Qaeda, I say al-Qaida. You say Sayyid, I say Said.

It's transliteration from Arabic (or in this case Farsi I guess) meaning there's no definitive English way of writing it. It's just spelt how it's supposed to sound (which means it can be spelt a variety of ways)

I suspect this may be the case with Qum/Qom

However, as the 'Holy City of Qum' sounds great, that's how I'll be spelling it from now on!

This could also lead to a new euphemism for masturbation.

"I'm just off to visit the holy city with this portfolio of photos of DotCom's mum".

 

[sleaterkinney]

This could also lead to a new euphemism for masturbation.

"I'm just off to visit the holy city with this portfolio of photos of DotCom's mum".

"There was a nuclear explosion at the holy city of ..."

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Is noone bothered by the utter hypocrisy of us telling Iran they can't develop nuclear weapons when we refuse to give up ours?

It's as hypocritical as telling Brazil not to cut down the rainforest, isn't it? We'll have some moral authority when we vacate the farmland etc, and allow the forest cover to regrow in our own countries.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

You say tomato I say erm tomato

Ok, bad example, try again...

You say Hussain, I say Hussein. You say al-Qaeda, I say al-Qaida. You say Sayyid, I say Said.

It's transliteration from Arabic (or in this case Farsi I guess) meaning there's no definitive English way of writing it. It's just spelt how it's supposed to sound (which means it can be spelt a variety of ways)

I suspect this may be the case with Qum/Qom

However, as the 'Holy City of Qum' sounds great, that's how I'll be spelling it from now on!

Plus, it just works better in certain circumstances, like this:

[Tourist to car rental agent]: "Will this car be fully insured throughout Iran?"

[Car rental agent]: "No, but you'll be totally covered in Qum."

 

[paolo]

Plus, it just works better in certain circumstances, like this:

[Tourist to car rental agent]: "Will this car be fully insured throughout Iran?"

[Car rental agent]: "No, but you'll be totally covered in Qum."

 

[goldenecitrone]

Plus, it just works better in certain circumstances, like this:

[Tourist to car rental agent]: "Will this car be fully insured throughout Iran?"

[Car rental agent]: "No, but you'll be totally covered in Qum."

That's because it's such a holy city. In other towns Iranian women can get away with just wearing head scarfs, but they must be totally covered in Qum.

 

[invisibleplanet]

As a woman, you are expected and requested to wear a chador (semicircular cloak worn to form hood) in Qom. I can't see a major problem with respecting that. When in Rome, and all that.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=3Tzut&page_id=70834&v=64

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

As a woman, you are expected and requested to wear a chador (semicircular cloak worn to form hood) in Qom. I can't see a major problem with respecting that. When in Rome, and all that.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=3Tzut&page_id=70834&v=64

Yes, like the poster said: if you're a woman, cover your head in Qum.

 

[invisibleplanet]

Yes, like the poster said: if you're a woman, cover your head in Qum.

Not just your head. Check that link - lovely travel tales from a Christian American couple who cycled all over! Don't want to spoil it - it's lovely.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Not just your head. Check that link - lovely travel tales from a Christian American couple who cycled all over! Don't want to spoil it - it's lovely.

Biking sounds nice.

Did they get around to swimming in Qum?

 

[dylans]

Not just your head. Check that link - lovely travel tales from a Christian American couple who cycled all over! Don't want to spoil it - it's lovely.

I can't recall but it certainly is a very very holy city. It was one of the few places I felt intimidated and unsure about my actions (like taking photos, walking into shrines etc. I wouldn't be surprised if the dress code was enforced with extra vigilance there. The atmosphere was very heavy. Though, as I said, a fantastically atmospheric place.

 

[goldenecitrone]

It's too dangerous. The river gets dangerously swollen in winter and several unlucky bathers drowned in Qum.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I can't recall but it certainly is a very very holy city. It was one of the few places I felt intimidated and unsure about my actions (like taking photos, walking into shrines etc. I wouldn't be surprised if the dress code was enforced with extra vigilance there. The atmosphere was very heavy. Though, as I said, a fantastically atmospheric place.

Sounds like you felt unsteady from the moment you first set foot in Qum.

 

[dylans]

Sounds like you felt unsteady from the moment you first set foot in Qum.

Glad I went though. It was a fascinating city. The place where Khomeini studied, the centre of the Mullah's political power. Culturally it is very important if anyone wants to understand Iran in general and Shia culture in particular.

It was the only town where I couldn't stay in an ordinary guest house. No-one would allow me to stay. They would shake their heads and wave me away.
I had to book into a fancy hotel.

There was definitely an intimidatory atmosphere that I never felt anywhere else in Iran where the people are incredibly hospitable and friendly. Only in Qom did I ever feel in any way unwelcome or uncomfortable. Although saying that, I accept that this can partly be put down to my own ignorance and uncertainty at the rules in such a seriously pious place.

Shia culture is very dark and funereal at the best of times. Very catholic in that sense. People are very mournful in their rituals. In Qom this is very prominent, so the shrines are full people crying and wailing and ritually beating themselves. It's very difficult to know how to behave or what to do (or not to do) when confronted with such intensity of emotion.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Glad I went though. It was a fascinating city. The place where Khomeini studied, the centre of the Mullah's political power. Culturally it is very important if anyone wants to understand Iran in general and Shia culture in particular.

It was the only town where I couldn't stay in an ordinary guest house. No-one would allow me to stay. They would shake their heads and wave me away.
I had to book into a fancy hotel.

There was definitely an intimidatory atmosphere that I never felt anywhere else in Iran where the people are incredibly hospitable and friendly. Only in Qom did I ever feel in any way unwelcome or uncomfortable. Although saying that, I accept that this can partly be put down to my own ignorance and uncertainty at the rules in such a seriously pious place.

Shia culture is very dark and funereal at the best of times. Very catholic in that sense. People are very mournful in their rituals. In Qom this is very prominent, so the shrines are full people crying and wailing and ritually beating themselves. It's very difficult to know how to behave or what to do (or not to do) when confronted with such intensity of emotion.

In all honesty, I think it would be a fascinating place to visit.

 

[goldenecitrone]

Let's just hope that Ahmadinejad lets the inspectors in. Otherwise, like an overexcited schoolboy reading for the first time about the orgies in Rome, they may be wiping Qum from the pages of history.

 

[invisibleplanet]

Let's just hope that Ahmadinejad lets the inspectors in. Otherwise, like an overexcited schoolboy reading for the first time about the orgies in Rome, they may be wiping Qum from the pages of history.

That was already announced, afaik. They've not actually broken any terms of agreement yet, afaik. Have you read Scott Ritter's piece in the Guardian?