Pictory

Gordzad

Great Point....Touche'

Going back to that hero thing...

Yesterday, Mr. Abolhasan Faghih, head of the Organization for Healthy Living (sazeman behzisti) in AhmaGHoinejad's government was asked by reporters if he there were any issues or problems related to his military services (he was born 1352, Persian calendar) as he was not drafted. He replied that there were no issues. He was exempted because of his "frontline" presence during the war. He must have been rather young, considering the war ended before he was even 18 years old.If he now tells the truth, he was probably at the same age as the boy in the video, possibly somewhat older.

So, is he a hero, or was he one, turned evil? 

 Good question Ali .......

 Good question Ali ....... I have no answer for it .......

 War starts with old people dirty politics

......and the kids get killed over it ........

that is the saddest thing ever ........ these kids ARE innocence to me any way  

and Dear " R " thank you for beautiful Rumi   

"At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet." - Plato

What a sharp kid!

The video calls him "Shaheed", so I assume he lost his life. May God bless him.

Did you know Iraqis had their own version of kid soldiers? Not as many as we did, but they were also interviewed every once in a while- for propaganda purposes and else- on Iraqi tv.

I'd like to just pose an innocent question:

Do we view an Iraqi 14-year-old who lost his life, defending Iraq's soil (there were times that WE were in THEIR soil, you know) as a martyr? After all, HE, lost his life defending HIS homeland? Or we are just calling him a senseless victim of Iraq's Baath regime?

Either way, damn those who started, and those who prolonged that pointless and miserable war.

Hi! Sima,

Thank you for the info. Thanks! I just checked it on Wiki, here is the excerpt about Princess Diana from Wiki:

Diana was most famously, in the last year of her life, the most visible supporter of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, a campaign that went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 after her death, which many believed was a posthumous tribute to the Princess.

//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana,_Princess_of_Wales

I understand that Wiki could be wrong. I am sure that you have the first-hand knowledge 'cause you worked for UNICEF. Thank you for having worked for a great cause! Hopefully less and less people are maimed or killed by landmines.

thanks,

yolanda

Yolanda jan, just a point about Princess Diana!

Posht-e sar-e mordeh nabayad harf zad but I got to tell you something. I used to work for Unicef when they were begging Princess Di to become a spokesperson against landmines. She did a lot of ghero atvar and finally did one -- just one -- photo op against landmines.

The people who have dedicated their lives to fighting the manufacture and use of landmines and all kinds of other things relating the use of children in war are mostly obscure individuals who never get the recognition they deserve. Royalty-ro velelesh...!

Molavi said:

کجایید ای شهیدان خدایی

بلاجویان دشت کربلایی

کجایید ای سبک روحان عاشق

پرنده‌تر ز مرغان هوایی

کجایید ای شهان آسمانی

بدانسته فلک را درگشایی

کجایید ای ز جان و جا رهیده

کسی مر عقل را گوید کجایی

کجایید ای در زندان شکسته

بداده وام داران را رهایی

کجایید ای در مخزن گشاده

کجایید ای نوای بی‌نوایی

در آن بحرید کاین عالم کف او است

زمانی بیش دارید آشنایی

کف دریاست صورت‌های عالم

ز کف بگذر اگر اهل صفایی

دلم کف کرد کاین نقش سخن شد

بهل نقش و به دل رو گر ز مایی

برآ ای شمس تبریزی ز مشرق

که اصل اصل اصل هر ضیایی

Thank you for bringing the Yin point of view for our Yang

The fact is his life was over when they got their filty hands on him.  He never had a chance and that is the tragedy of being in the wrong place the wrong time.  I would dare say any one of us could be him.  I morn every loss of life in that conflict - including this child's life as well as my own relatives'.  Yes it is necessary to see all sides, but at the end of the day, every torturer, every Basiji, every tyrant, every Nazi, every mass murderer was an innocent child at one point and a series of events made him what he is (I am not suggesting this youngster would become any one of the above).  I am simply making the point that circumstances may explain actions, but do not justify them. 

I agree with

I agree with Sima 100%! It is a sad and tragic story from every angle and perspective. I was speechless when I watched the video yesterday. Hopefully no more wars and land mines can be banned. I recall that Princess Diana championed the cause to ban land mines. It is hard for me to visualize the pictures that teenagers running thru the land mines to clear the way with their young bodies .......purely sad!!! Thank you for all your posts!

thanks,

The tragedy of it leaves you speechless

A lot of the points the other commentators have made are true but ultimately this boy leaves me speechless. He is a great testament to to what the IRI is: the embodiment of the holy and the satanic in one.

Still we owe

Still we owe them... 14 or 18? what difference does it make? ... they are still kids to me ... they were kids with the most honest hearts... during the darkest time ... for each milimeter of that land we lost a young son of ours ... no matter what our religion is ... no matter what our political view is... we owe them ... I am so sad and speechless watching this video. Here is a poem i wrote " Peace " published on " Poet against war " a couple years ago:

I can still remember
the shocking sound of bombs
dropping at my youth
shattering my dreams
you have to be there to feel it
the smell of blood
the cry of people
who were crushed under the walls
sometimes I couldn't tell
whether I am alive or dead
I couldn't talk
couldn't move
couldn't feel anything
how can I forget the flowers?
how can I forget the sounds of joy
and non stop laughters in my childhood memories?
the war left nothing but ruin, dirt and death
I want to scream into the ears of history
that I am craving for peace
I want to slap the face of the world
and tell it,
"listen!!!"
I am yearning for humanity

and I am begging for love

Hedieh Sajadi

//www.poetsagainstthewar.org/displaypoem.asp?...

The Cry Of The Children

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Do ye hear the children weeping, O my brothers,
Ere the sorrow comes with years?
They are leaning their young heads against their mothers---
And that cannot stop their tears.
The young lambs are bleating in the meadows;
The young birds are chirping in the nest;
The young fawns are playing with the shadows;
The young flowers are blowing toward the west---
But the young, young children, O my brothers,
They are weeping bitterly!---
They are weeping in the playtime of the others
In the country of the free.

FULL TEXT
//www.bartleby.com/246/260.html

Hero?

A hero is someone you would want to emulate. Someone whose strength and courage you admire. Someone you would secretly wish your children would become like. Not someone who is brain washed and foolish.

How many of you would honestly wish you or your children were in this kid's place?

On another note: when will Iranians learn to get their priorities straight? When will we learn to put the people BEFORE the land?  The land would be NOTHING without its people.

Gordzad: Respectfully, you

Gordzad: Respectfully, you are a hero in my book

Just the fact that you tried to defend your country (whether permitted or not) shows your courage and that is good enough for me. What I wrote, was specific for the period where Iran was under attacked and occupied and many of different ages had volunteered and yet many had found excuses not to put their lives in danger. I agree with you that things changed once IRI tried to export their system to Iraq, I was there and most ordinary soldiers had lost their moral and resolve. Perhaps that was one of the reason, they did not succeed.

In regards to the Palestinians… they are my heroes as long as they fight to free their land (Gaza and West Bank). If they choose to setup a system like IRI, that is their business and choice. How are we going to be different from the dictators if we are going to dictate what sort of a system they should be govern by. As long as they are peaceful/respectful to their neighbors.

Payam: They may be actors but if you were in that war or just visit the cemeteries in and around the country, you will know that there were many thousands of them

Mehrdad

Point of order

Not to change the subject, but it is a pleasure to be in the company of intelligent individuals who can disagree while respecting all opinions.  This elevates the exchange of opinions and creates a positive and educational forum.  I wish we all would refrain from personal attacks and name calling as it degrades the exchange and there is nothing positive to be gained from that.  It is easy to hide behind the anonymity of this forum and make personal attacks.  Let’s leave that for those who are earning their IRI paychecks by disrupting and derailing voices of opposition.  If there is a point to be made, it should be able to stand on its own merits and personal attacks should be unnecessary.  We all demand democracy for Iran; let's first practice its principles at a personal level.  

Before we start to throw

Before we start to throw words around, let’s find out what they mean.  

Hero: man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities (dictionary definition).   Who’s a hero? It’s very subjective. To me, a hero overcomes challenges; usually fear, in order to help another person. A person who fulfills a religious duty isn’t a hero because they’re helping another person out of a sense of duty or hope of future heavenly reward.

 The only time, a 14 year old can be a hero, is if he acts spontaneously to save someone from harm (jumping in a pool to save a friend). Otherwise, legally, he’s not even fit to drink! He’s not fit to make any political, national or religious decisions about war. How can he be a hero when he’s a victim?  If an 18 month old jumps in a pool, we don’t say he’s courageous. We say he doesn’t “recognize” danger. If a 6 year old is very nice, we don’t say he has “noble qualities” because he hasn’t had time to develop those qualities. I don’t admire this kid’s presence in the front line and I’m not thankful for anything he did.

If I were there, I would smack him in his ear and send him home for being so stupid. Khak bar sare khoonevadash.   

If this were in a movie, a “heroic” prosecutor would charge his parents of negligence. His “jebheh” commanders of endangering the life of a minor. And take it all the way to some supreme or international court and charge his government with murder (it is intentional and premeditated).  

Now if he were a 20 year old basiji who stopped his friends from vandalizing a car, quit his job and put a clip on youtube exposing his unit, then he would be a hero. 

If we value children’s lives (and as a society we overwhelmingly don’t) then, instead of tasliat and empty patriotic cherto pert, we should talk about defining the limits of the iran iraq war crimes.

Khar, this kid didn't know the first thing about nationalism. It's unfair to admire him for it. You want to admire anyone for the war, let's thank the veterans who didn't get jack poo poo after the war. And condemn all illegal acts. Not every sacrifice is heroic. I know you may be overwhelmed with emotions but let's keep logic close by.

Child Soldiers

I think that everyone is missing the point here.  Of course we value this young boy's sacrifice, and of those like him.  But when it's all said and done, he is just a "boy".  The fact that he "volunteered" or not is irrelevant.  Children should not be allowed on the battlefield.  It is a war crime and / or crime against humanity to allow them to do so, even if they "volunteered".  "Volunteering" at this age is meaningless because a child is incapeable of fully understanding the consequences of his actions.  Would you allow a 14 or a 15 year old to sign a contract or a legal document?  Of course not.  By the same token, he should not be allowed to pick up a gun and go to a battlefield, regardless of how hard he wants to.

There are "crimes against humanity" charges for rebel leaders in Africa for the same exact charge of using child soldiers to fight their wars.  The same thing should happen in Iran.  At some point, when this regime finally falls, those responsible for recruiting child soldiers for the Iran / Iraq war should be put on trial for this yet another crime against humanity that they committed against the Iranian people.

State run TV airs propaganda show.

I truely am amazed that there are still people who believe the stuff that is aired on Iran's "national" TV. These are actors and the whole show is set to atract more youngsters to give their life for Khomeini's narcism. Let us be honest, the parents of these kids were stupid to send their kids to the war. Their precense was pointless since there is not much that a kid can do on a battle field. Same IRGC commanders that are now millionairs in Iran and are the backers of the coup government are the same guys that commanded these kids to run over mine fields to kill themselves and by doing so clean a way for the actual attack. This was because of the lack of military hardware to conduct war in less costly way. Which in turn amazes me more since a few years before, Iran had one the mighiest armies in the world. The lack of military hardware came to exist after that Iranian armies precious material was sold right after the revolution (prior to the war with Iraq) to all over the world for give-away prices ordered directlt by Khomeini for generating income for the scum surrounding him. He used to say about our fighter jets: " What can we do with these steel junk, destroy this American crap".

Hero or not hero, that is the question

Bavafa (Mehrdad), going to war and kill the soldiers on the other side cannot be the line that separates heroes from ordinary people. When the war broke out, I was 15 years old. I volunteered to go to the fronts but was rejected by the basij since I was not a Muslim. I gues that makes me a could-be-hero in your mind. This boy is talking about operations that, if I am not wrong, took place after the Iraqi army was pushed back and Khomeini was trying to export his revolution. To me, this boy is a victim of a mass-brainwash of most of us during the early years of the revolution, where I.R. used the war to strengthen its grip over Iran. As I wrote before, basijis were fighting the Iraqis at the front and the "infidels" and "anti-revolutionaries" at home by any means possible. Sorry to disagree with you, respectfully, but I find it difficult to call the same people who helped I.R. become one of the worst "bakhtaks" of Iran, heroes, whether brainwashed or not.

With regard to the example of Palestinians fighting Israelis, to me, fighting under the flag of Hamas or Hezbollah, is at the best a sign of brainwash. These people are trying to "liberate" Palestine to build an I.R., similar to what we are trying to get ride of in Iran. So, they are heroes now but antiheroes tomorrow, when Palestine is liberated? 

 Again, I do respect those who defended our country against the Iraqi army. I just don't see a hroe in every single one of them. 

The War Kids of yesteryear are in their 40s...

today and lets ask them how they feel about Islam's Republic Now.

No doubt there are some who are stuck on the wrong side of history but thousand even millions are ordinary people who were part of those waves of Green in the street couple of month ago and who are green as ever today. Let’s not forget that they are humans just like you and I, they may have succumb to propaganda and religious ideological indoctrination in their lives, but you can’t dismiss them all in a wholesale fashion. Say what you will but I believe these kids, belive it or not, died for Iran.

“Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.”

Hero Dilemma

We seem to have a problem.  Our war heroes are killing our heroes that are protesting in the streets these days.

What to do now?

Rest in peace

What kind of monster put these kids in the war?  I bet he is not one of their own sons. 

Khoda byamorze all the kids the lost their life and did not have a childhood.

Lets see how many of those

Lets see how many of those here who criticize the regime for taking kids to front line, did serve and fought against the attack by Saddam's regime. It doesn't have to be during the later years of the war, just the beginning when the Iraqi army, unprovoked attached and had occupied a good portion of Iran, your mother land.

Perhaps if all the adults had gone and fought for their country then these poor kids would not have to fill your boots. I personally know way too many that one way or another skipped the service and flee Iran just not to serve.

Every person that fought and defended Iran in that war is my hero. In fact, every person that fights and defends his/her home land is my hero, this include the students and ordinary citizens that currently are fighting the IRI regime in Iran, the Iraqis who fought and still fighting the American occupation of Iraq and the Palestinians who are fighting the Zionist occupation of Gaza and West Bank.

Mehrdad

Let's get centered

This youngster was groomed and trained for propaganda.  He admitted it himself.  He was being interviewed just for that reason, propaganda.  He was part of a program that recruited kids for war, but in his mind he was doing the right thing.  And there lies the dilemma.  When are we responsible for our actions?  Everybody has a reason for what they have become.  Does that excuse their actions?  With all due respect for those who gave their lives to defend Iran, these thug Baseejis who club, knife, and gun down our brave youth, men and women in the streets also have their own stories.  That does not excuse their actions.  Personally, I don’t give a darn about their stories.  Yes we are looking for black and white answers in a world of many shades of gray, but we have a country to salvage.  The world operates on the fact that people are judged based on their actions and not the circumstances of their upbringing.  I think that is good enough.

Yes, he was a hero who died for his cause but

 that cause had nothing to do with Iran but all to do with this poor boy's Imam, Ommatie taught values and occupied Islamic real estate which happens to be Iran. This proud little kid didn,t die for Iran and even he himself knows it and says it since He would have died for Palestine or Iraq the same way if his Imam al ummah asked him to.

The tragedy is not that he died at 14, The tragedy is that the kid was sacrificed for the cause of Ummah.It is a fact that Iran today is an ommatie occupied land, most her children are brainwashed and devoid of their heritage.

there is a difference between a hero & a patriotic hero. A lotta folks make the mistake of calling some hardcore pasdars and basiji thugs as patriotic heros but they are as patriotic for the cause of Iran as those German soldiers defending french teritory against the allies in German occupied France. Now would you call these Germans as French patriots?..Offcourse not ,since they were fighting for a piece of occupied real estate and not for France & her true heritage. The same goes for pasdars,Basijiis & their Ommatie cause.

God bless his innocent soul nevertheless.

Ayatollah Khomeini 1985 june;

"inn javanhayeh maa inn pasdaraneh maa inn basijian maa , barayeh ezzateh eslam jahad kardan, barayeh khaimeh eslam shahid shodand  barayeh siannat az ahl bait defaa kardan...injoor nist keh innha barayeh vatan parasti va khaak parasty va kazaa khoon dadand...inha ra nadanan migooyand..inn shahidaneh maa khod midanand va gooleh shayatin raa nemikhorand...."

Path of Kiaan Resurrection of True Iran Hoisting Drafshe Kaviaan //iranianidentity.blogspot.com //www.youtube.com/user/samsamsia

Dear Khar

The quote by Luis Seneca which you have cited says it all. Although its ambiguous whether you believe in it or not.

The boy who I seriously doubt is 14 (he is probably 12) does not have any business being involved in a war.  Even the 18 year old Americans who sign up to go to Iraq don't have any business being there.

The poor kid says hello to the 12th Imam before he says anything.  His eyes and his facial expression clearly shows the poor kid is out of it.  At that age, he doesn't know anything about heroism or patriotism.

In case he is dead, God bless his soul.

Not so true...

Yes, it’s true, “Anyone who could put his/her life on the line for the country is the ultimate hero. “, But , “Any child who is mentally and emotionally deceived and brainwashed to put his/her life on the line for a religious belief is the ultimate victim of mental abuse.”

What a waste of talent and brilliant mind. The way he talks is clearly evidence of his god given genius that has been mentally raped by the clergy. It is so, so sad.

He never went to “jebheh” to defend Iran. If you listen to him closely, he never even once mentions Iran. All he is focused about is Emam Zaman, Emam Khomeini, and religious stuff he has been fed. Yes, he is a hero but only a hero of innocence.

It is so frustrating. Framarz khan, I share your pain and disbelief about how some people look at this.

KHAR

I think you should relinquish your name and avatar to F.F. It suits him better.

.........

A piece from late Omran Salahi

DAR  ZAMINI  KE  ZE  BEEM
ASHK  RA  HAM  HATTA

SEGHAT MIBAYAD KARD

GERYE DAR AB-- CHE LEZZAT BAKHSH AST.

in a land full of fears

though the tears will cease'

 such a joy           to cry in the water          

rooheshan shad,va laanat bar mossabbebineshan.       Maziar

toff be rooy-e kasif-e va

toff be rooy-e kasif-e va lajan oon kesani ke in regime o "agaahan-e" sar kar avordand ta saheb dastmalee beshan, "the architects of Islamic Republic of Goorestan", toff be rouh-e palideshon ...

No doubt, this kid is a Hero, brain washed or not! God bless his soul. 

 -F