Heh. I had forgotten about the Brooding Persian doctrine:

A county with no clean public restrooms has no business pursuing nuclear power.

WTO, Tehran '06?

Via SimonWorld -- "Toilet Talk"

Lovely.

I never knew Tehran had such nice areas as these. (via Unfogged)

The Iranians I've known from Tehran have had a love-hate relation. It's a terrible capital, wrong place, noise, traffic, etc. And it's the loveliest capital, and close to the mountains, and.... So I've heard about these beautiful districts. But I'd never seen any photos. They certainly show off why Tehran has its fans.

I liked his Mongolian suggestions. However, I am more taken with the work of Little Phil than that of the Blessed Hulagu of fond memory. I gather from his comments that the Iranians are not so tribal as the Arabs (not surprising given their considerably longer urban culture.)

as to the "increasingly nettlesome flirtations with the ancient Mongols", I wonder who else got under his skin in that regard.

Of course when he says things like: "There is nothing reassuring about a “special” tribe--on a rampage ostensibly to unleash forces of freedom globally, which nonetheless, seeks inspiration in the conduct of the likes of the decisive and resolute Genghis Khan!" he shows his ignorance of the level of liberty available in many parts of that gentleman's kingdom which were far in advance of those available today throughout the Middle East.

I am afraid he also misunderstands that while certain forces in our country are pursuing a Wilsonian crusade to "unleash forces of freedom globally", many of us are looking for peaceful solutions, like those of the character in a science fiction book I read recently: "Dead people do not disturb the peace."

My personal attitudes are more Hamiltonian - create trade alliances; but I do recognise that many of my neighbors have a more Jacksonian view of things.