1 Lets hope they have a car waiting outside their hotel rooms to carry them away to freedom

2 The game was in South Korea, hopefully they can defect or at least lie low until this is wrapped up.  The game tied, BTW.  A story on CNN says they took the bands off for the second half.

Let's hope that Iran doesn't use the same methods to 'motivate' their soccer players that Iraq utilized under Saddam Hussein.  Uday Hussein was personally in charge of the national team.  If your stomach's feeling particularly strong, you can read the details here (PDF).  People thought I was joking when I said we should have invaded Iraq as soon as we found out what they were doing to their soccer players - if they were doing those sort of things to their professional athletes, how do you think people whose performance wasn't utterly dependent on their physical condition were treated?

3 That's courage.  I agree, I truly hope that they and their families are able to disappear before they are "disappeared".  

4 Let's hope that Iran doesn't use the same methods to 'motivate' their soccer players that Iraq utilized under Saddam Hussein.

The Iraqi soccer team under Saddam was my first thought when I saw this pic.

5

^or when a Soviet team wouldn't win an event they were supposed to win.

6

Geez, I'm surprised they can wear those shorts with balls the size of medicine balls.

7 How do they run on the soccer field with those gigantic, brass balls?
We can only try to image courage like that! That's real battlefield, bullets flying courage!

8 I pray for the safety of the players and their families. That takes more than balls.

9 OMG they are wearing armbands, so brave.  WOW.

Please.  These people, and the people who are protesting in the streets are not brave, they are BUTTHURT.

These "brave" people, sat on their asses when Iran was sending QUDS forces, ESPs and IEDS into Iraq.  They have never given a damn about Israel or the exportation of money and expertise to HAMAS or Hizbollah.  These coragous denzians against terrorism and its export cheered in the streets on 9/11.

SCREW THEM.  You are all fools if you think for one instant that if these butthurt bitches will change the direction of Iran.  They sit back while all that crap happens and more with silence. 

For every Israeli, and for every American that has died from acts of terrorism that Iran has perpetuated (and that these "brave people" tolerated for decades), I hope 1000 of them die. 

10 If there was any doubt in my mind before that Blarg was either a troll or not even wrong, he just managed to quell it.

11 Instead on namecalling Alice, why don't you refute anything I said.  These people, regardless of their leaders, hate the jews and hate the west. 

And yes, I admit, it sounds crude that I hope 1k of them die for each American and Israeli death they are responsible for, but I tell you what, you watch 4 of your best friends get blown up by an Iranian made IED and we'll see how you feel about these monsters.

Trust me Alice, no one hopes more than I that I am wrong.  But I will not fall into this "hope" that a new Iranian revolution will change anything.

12 Yeah, I know I shouldn't feed the troll.

Lumping the entire country into a group is no different than hating Israel as a country.  Considering civilians as personally responsible for their government's actions is the same mindset that led Al Qaida to believe it was OK to fly planes into the World Trade Center.  Assuming that an entire people approves of the actions of their government based on the demonstrations of a few strident protesters is the same as saying every right-winger approved of Scott Roeder's actions, or that every left-winger approved of Abdulhakim Muhammad's actions. 

These guys are openly risking persecution by their government.  Their IDs are known, there's going to be no denying who they are, no claiming that someone else was protesting.  They could take the easy way out, not show any political affiliation one way or another, and bit by bit the entire protest goes away because just one more person decided it wasn't worth the trouble that's coming down on their heads.

You bitch and whine that the people of Iran don't stand up to their government, then when they do you bitch and whine about that.  The people of Iran don't have the option to put a totally US-friendly candidate on the ballot, but the first step in stepping away from the destructive path Ahmadinejad has their country on is to have free elections where votes actually count.  That is the only way the Iranian people are ever going to be in a position to elect someone who's not going to bring destruction upon their country. 

Revolution happens in small steps.  This could be the first step in something much bigger happening in Iran, in a true empowerment of the people, and you're belittling people for doing what they can to show their support of it.  Stop with the race-hatred already, you're exactly what the anti-US thinkers in the Middle East picture our entire country to be like.  I'm far from a sunshine and light and let's reach out to these people and maybe they'll like us enough to stop killing us sort of gal, but I'm certainly not going to belittle citizens of a nation who are trying to exercise the most basic of human rights, just because I disagree with some things that some people in their country have done, and because I don't like their head of state.

As I said, not even wrong. 

13 The entire country has set silent for years Alice, now that a few have bitched about not getting their way equals butthurt.

The same civilians that you applaud now have set silent for decades.  Their cheering on the streets does equal their love for jihadism, whether you want to admit it or not. The populace that is now standing up acted cowardly before.

I do agree, they are standing up now.  Which means they are butthurt, just for the fact that they didn't stand up before.

I'm only bitching that they are ONLY standing up when they don't get their way.  They were perfectly fine with decades of terrorism against Israel and the West.  Wake up Alice, they are not our friends.

The idea that you posit that their is a free election in Iran shows your ignorance of that county.  The mullahs chose which candidates may appear on the ballot.  And, in case you didn't know, which I doubt, Mousavi started the Iranian nuclear program.

I belittle the people of Iran not based on racial bounds, but because they are cowards.  They have been cowards for decades.  The only reason now that they are bitching is because they didn't get their way.
Read; BUTTHURT.  These "people" could have exerted human rights at anytime over the last 3 decades, yet they set silent.

Don't bitch at me for exposing the turd in the punchbowl.  I didn't put it their.  I just dared to expose it to you.

14 Addendum:

I find it absolutely hilarious when a civilian accuses a soldier or vet of racism.  Seriously, yeah. 

That is about on the same level of Stephanie Miller saying Rush Limbaugh should be hanged for treason.  Read: absolutely idiotc.

15 So, the people there who are in their 20s can be safely accused of being "silent for decades?"

Nuance!

16 False premise Vintage, you are assuming that the only people in Iran are in their 20's.

Try again. Again answer this, assuming your false premise.  Where were these people in the last 5 years; assuming they are all in their 20's.  Oh yea, again silent.

BUTTHURT PERSIANS.

So the older ones have been silent since the Islamic Revolution and the younger ones that you,  and so many are in love with, have sat quit while the ruling regime has exported terrorism. 

THEY ARE BUTTHURT.  How hard is that to understand?

17 I dunno about you, but I was totally prepared to overthrow a totalitarian government at 23 or 24.  I'm hardcore.

You're right, these guys are total pussies.

Oh, and BUTTHURT!!!!eleventy!!!!11!!!

18 Are you missing the point on purpose?  Iranians silent on second Jewish holocaust, silent on exporting terrorism through HAMAS and Hizbollah, silent on Khobar, silent on, I can keep this up for a long while.

Now that they don't get their way, and elect a Mullhah chosen candidate, Mousavi (the father of the Iranian Nuclear Program). 

I am not naive like everyone else appears to be.  I want maximum death and destruction amongst this population.  The longer they are fighting each other, the less time and resources they have to killing innocents.

I'm sorry you and others on the right seem to naive to appreciate this point.

19 Don't think that having been a soldier allows you to get away with bad behavior, Blarg.  It doesn't float for IVAW, it doesn't float for you.

I'm perfectly aware of the role that Mousavi has played in the Iranian government in the past, and that he's not going to miraculously turn Iran into a western-loving nation that hearts teh Joos.  At best, he's not as radical as Ahmadinejad.  It's not about which candidate is better, or about whether the candidates are chosen by the mullahs.  It's about the fact that Iran is finally trying to have some sort of democratic elections, even though they're obviously not going to get it right the first few times.  It's about the fact that the people of Iran are standing up for their rights, especially the college students who haven't been around for decades to sit on their asses but want to see a brighter future for their country and are trying to take an active part in it in their early adulthood, and they're willing to risk their very lives for it.  You'd rather they pay for the sins of their parents.  Are you really not aware that the regime has been targeting college dorms for arrests and beatings? Are you really going to blame 20-year-olds for celebrations that happened 8 years ago? 

We may be witnessing another free democracy starting to form in the Middle East, this time without us having to topple the government, and all you can do is shit all over it. 

20 Oh, and Vintage, I was a soldier at 18, I took an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution against enemies both foreign and domestic.  I held that oath for 10 years before I lost a leg.

I still hold myself to that oath.  If a cop, or any government agent came to my door asking for my shotgun, he/she would be greeted in the face at point blank range with 2 shells of buckshot. 

I am not afraid to die for what I believe, regardless of election consequences.

21 Bottom line up front Alice, and everyone, I think the people that are turning out now, are only doing so for selfish reasons.

I do not believe that they are turning out because the believe in democracy.  They have set too long on the side of terrorism. 

Again, I cannot exclaim loud enough how I wish I were wrong.  Nothing would please me more than to have Iraq and Iran to be beakons for democracy shining in the Middle East. 

I would love to visit the ruins of Nebachudnezer's hanging gardens, and see the birthplace of Ziggaurauts.  I just disagree that the population that you are cheering on now, has in its goal, openess and freedom.

I would love nothing more than to have Alice H, and Vintage, and everyone else come up to me in 5 years, and point and laugh at me, calling me a moron for being so wrong.  I just don't see it.

22 Addendum 2:  I would love to visit the place where Shamut gave herself to Enkidu, who later became a companion of Gilgamesh.  Track down the origins of Utnanapishtam, seek out the temples of Angrya-Manu,  and Ahuru Mazhda. 

If Iraq, Syria, and Iran were totally open to the west for archeological reasons, it would make the tomb of Tutankhamun look like toast. 

But, I just don't see it happening with the current citizens.

23 And for the mythologically impaired that would accuse me of racism, Enkidu and Gilgamesh slayed the bull of heaven, upsetting Marduk's father, however, since Ishtar had a boner for Gilgamesh, only Enkidu was slain for that transgression.

Disregard that, I'm just a dumb racist that does not know anything about ME history or current culture, right?

And don't get me started on Tiamat. 

24
I guess in 1968 and 1979-80, we should have said "screw them" to the young Czechs and Poles, respectively, because some weapons made by the factories owned by the respective governments may have made weapons that may have been used by forces in Vietnam trying to kill our servicemen.

I dunno.

25 That's good that you fought at 18, not everyone is called to do that, or allowed to do that, natch. 

Although, most soldiers I know wouldn't look down on others for not joining the military to fight totalitarianism.  Especially if...ummm...the army in question (IRG) protects said totalitarianism. 

It'd like you're faulting a German in 1939 for not joining the German army to fight Hitler. 

Okeydoke. 

26 Blarg, I take issue with your calling anyone who supports the Iranian protesters "naive." You don't have to throw any kind of credentials on the table to demonstrate your knowledge of history. But perhaps you just managed to skip over the last decade of student protests in Iran in your research.  This isn't just something that popped up out of the blue.  These demonstrations have been going on for some time, just not en masse as we are seeing now.  A quick google search provided a ton of information about past protests, not to mention just looking at HumanWatch.org. 

Did you know that our government has been funding and giving aid (mostly covertly) to the pro-democracy Iranian movement for a while now? Our state department has realized that the most effective approach would be to continue encouraging the young people who would accept the ideas of western change.

Wouldn't you resent having your government shut down your access to all non-state controlled media? Brutalizing and imprisoning your neighbors and friends for a decade just for a peaceful protest? What if our government had done that to those who participated in the Tea Parties? It takes time to have effective unity in a regime like they have. It takes time to gather the safety in numbers they need.  It takes time to find a candidate who can inspire such unity. And just maybe some of these youth are seeing the positive actions that you and your brethren sacrificed for in Iraq and they want those things too. It's entirely possible.  The many posts from the English speaking Iranians, who are risking life and limb to report the happenings, are pleaing to the West for help now that they have such unity and numbers.  I don't believe their cries should fall on deaf ears around the world.

And regarding their "silence" on issues related to Israel, that accusation can be made about 80% of countries in the world.  I'm not excusing it, but pointing out that non-Middle Eastern countries are neutral on genocide everywhere too. Two wrongs don't make a right, but you cannot expect an Islamic country to do that until democracy imperveates and gives them different perspectives other than those programmed in them by their oppresive regimes.

I do not think anyone thus far on this blog has endorsed any actions from Iranians who supplied weapons that killed innocent Iraqis and our brave men and women in the military. No one is polishing that turd.  Those actions by the murdering thugs are inexcusable.  It is doubtful that anyone here believes that magically things will be better if leadership changes either. You are lobbing accusations and assuming that our compassion and support equates to the dismissal of the horrific things, thereby endorsing those horrific things. That is unfair and simply put - WRONG.

I think most of us would admit that we can't imagine what you went through in service of our country, but that we are very thankful that you volunteered for such a noble duty. It would be entirely understandable that you would harbor resentment. But personally, I don't think it is acceptable to blame an entire group of people for the negative actions of a minority group.  (e.g., I'm pro-life but that doesn't mean I blow up clinics.) And to wish death on the entire group exceeds crudeness, as you claimed. 

So yes, I'm admonishing you for some of your comments because you never gave anyone here the benefit of the doubt when you started your tirade.  And you erroneously presumed you were the only enlightened one on the subject with the only correct points of view, while you projected the kind of intolerance that you claim to resent.

27

^but Blarg is one of those Hot Air trolls who love to go to other sites, start shit, and then run away to Allah, the ultimate crybaby on the internet.

And something is wrong with somebody who has to remind everybody in every. Freaking. Comment. that they served in the military.

Hey, I was a Commissioned Officer, but you don't hear me bringing that up as some sort of "appeal to authority" deal.

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