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Saturday, February 18, 2012

A lesson in taqiyya

Iran warships enter Mediterranean via Suez Canal
The destroyer Shahid Qandi and its supply vessel Kharg have passed through the Suez Canal but their destination remains unclear. (...) Admiral Sayari was quoted by Irna as saying: "The strategic navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran has passed through the Suez Canal for the second time since the Islamic Revolution." The mission conveyed "the might" of Iran to regional countries and Tehran's "message of peace and friendship". The ships were reported to have docked earlier at Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Reuters quoted a source at the Suez Canal authority as saying the vessels might be en route to Syria. The mission comes amid heightened tension between Iran and Israel.
Clearly, if you intend to avert any possible hostilities and increase you neighbours' awareness of your friendly intentions, the best course of action is to move a war vessel (whose type is so aptly named destroyer) closer to their territories. I am sure that couldn't possibly be misinterpreted as something else - especially when you announce in the following day that you will be cutting off supplies of your main export to two major European powers (and you had been hitting the headlines for persecuting your own citizens a few days earlier).

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Qual deles?

[Martin Schulz] referiu-se ao contraste entre os modelos de desenvolvimento europeu e chinês, afirmando que este assenta numa “sociedade esclavagista, sem direitos, numa ditadura que oprime implacavelmente o ser humano”. [Público]