QAJARS

Squeezed between Russia and Britain

The 35 years of Fatah-Ali Shah’s reign witnessed a gradual decline of Qajar dynasty

20-Dec-2008 (16 comments)
After Agha Mohammad fell, his army disintegrated and several months of infighting followed among the Qajar princes. Finally, his nephew was crowned as Fatah-Ali Shah, in 1798, whose only Fatah (victory) was over several hundred wives and concubines. The 35 years of Fatah-Ali Shah’s reign witnessed a gradual decline of Qajar dynasty, who started the nineteenth century like blood-thirsty wolves, but finished it like frail rats. The crippling blow came in the form of Persian-Russian wars. In 1800, incapable of protecting his people against the Qajar invasions, the king of Georgia simply relinquished his crown to the Tsar of Russia! This initiated 14 years of war that coincided with the Napoleonic wars in Europe>>>
ebi amirhosseini
20-Dec-2008 (11 comments)

I wish I had a good looking Bajenagh like you?!?!

 

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ECONOMY

Cause and effect

Dismal Economic Conditions in Muslim Countries: the Evidence and the Contributing Factor

20-Dec-2008 (29 comments)
The evidence of dismal economic condition in Moslem world, compared to the other regions of the globe, is obviously staggering. Even a scant examination of the key economic indicators in prominent Moslem countries reveals abysmal results. I put together a table showing the values of a few such indicators for 17 prominent Muslim countries and carefully examined and compared and contrasted them with those for the industrialized nations. These 17 countries all have a population of more than ten millions, at least 88% of which is Moslem. The findings may be appalling but not totally new or surprising to us >>>

Iranian sailors sent to Somali waters

asefati

State Media: Warships sent to Somalia

CNN
recommended by asefati
20-Dec-2008
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REGIME

 از حکومت تا «رژيم»

رمزگشائی از مفهوم «رژيم»

20-Dec-2008 (3 comments)
آيا هيچ از خود پرسيده ايد که چرا در ادبيات معمول و رايج سياسی و روزنامه نگاری، اغلب می بينيم که، مثلاً، از «رژيم تهران» سخن گفته می شود اما کسی از «رژيم پاريس» سخنی به ميان نمی آورد؟ و اگر هم به چنين موردی بربخوريم با تعجب از خود می پرسيم که «رژيم پاريس» ديگر چه صيغه ای است؟ می خواهم بگويم که در اين واژۀ «رژيم» راز و رمزهائی نهفته است که گشودن آنها پيچيدگی های برخی از معانی ظاهراً بديهی اش را آشکار می سازد. اگر به معنا و تعريف فرهنگ واژگانی «رژيم» مراجعه کنيم می بينيم که آن را بصورت «روش يا سيستمی برای حکومت و اداره کردن» تعريف می کنند که می تواند به يک فرد، يک گروه، يک دولت يا يک کشور مربوط شود. به عبارت ديگر، اين واژه را، در معنای عام اش، می توان در مورد همۀ روش های حکومت و اداره، و نيز سيستم های حاکميت و مديريت بکار برد. اما همۀ ما به تجربه دريافته ايم که برخی از واژه ها، به هنگام کاربرد روزمره، از «عاميت» خود می افتند و معناهائی اختصاصی می يابند>>>

STORY

قصه کوچ

چقدر دلم مى خواست ما هم مى توانستيم بى بازى شانس، و بدون دلهره سوار شويم

20-Dec-2008 (4 comments)
در "بخارست" هواپيما عوض مى کرديم. هوا آزار دهنده سرد بود. برفى سنگين فرودگاه را پر از اشباح کرده بود. شلاق باد، ساچمه هاى ريز برف را بيرحمانه در پوست صورت مىچکاند. نور زرد و بى حال تک توک چراغ هاى ترمينال دوردست با تاريکى مسلط بر همه جا، کارى نداشت. چهار صبح بود، مامورين سلاح به دست که تا گردن درلباس هايشان فرو رفته بودند، از زير کلاه پوست هاى چرک و بى قواره خود، تک تک مسافران را مى پائيدند. از پله هاى هواپيما که سرازير شديم، نگاه هايمان راکه بى اختيار روى آنها افتاده بود جمع کرديم. سه ساعتى را بايد درانتظار کشنده باشيم، و براى سوار شدن، از سد کنترل پاسپورت بگذريم. از "بانکوک" مى آمديم. در آنجا داشتيم مى پوسيديم. بدون " پاس " به پاکستان و از آنجا به تايلند رفته بوديم. هر جاى ديگر را فکر کرده بوديم جز"تايلند" را. و حالا داشتيم بيرون مى زديم>>>

The US provides Israel needed adult supervision.

Ostaad

Bush's Parting Gift to Israel

Middle East Online / Jonathan Cook
recommended by Ostaad
20-Dec-2008
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BOOK

Reading Kafka at Harvard (7)

So Critical It Can Win The Case

20-Dec-2008 (4 comments)
“It’s very critical. It’s so critical it can win this case or blow it right out of the water.” In the official court transcripts of the civil action, Afrasiabi versus Harvard, case number EFH12200, these words of the honorable justice Michael Harrington are found. It was day 8 of the jury trial and Judge Harrington was referring to the findings of the hand-writing experts stating that in their opinion the hand-writing of the Harvard detective on trial, Richard Mederos, matched the hand-writing of the person who had purportedly extorted money from the subordinates of professor Roy Mottahedeh. It meant that my allegation of a malicious conspiracy were about to be proved to the jury.>>>

Mehtari choon bekaameh sheer darast...

Ostaad

Playing power politics with Iran

The Boston Globe / Ray Takeyh
recommended by Ostaad
20-Dec-2008
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GLOBAL SHOEMAKERS NEEDED ! ;0)

Darius Kadivar

In pictures: 'Shoe-thrower' Global support

bbc
recommended by Darius Kadivar
20-Dec-2008
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JAPANESE

Ah what if we were like them?

Ah what if we were like them?

Photo essay: Snapshots from my trip to Japan

by Orang Gholikhani
20-Dec-2008 (12 comments)

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Haj Seyd Mammad
20-Dec-2008 (17 comments)
Former CIA Operative (1976-1997) Robert Baer talked about his book, "THE DEVIL WE KNOW: Dealing With The New Iranian Superpower.">>>
Darius Kadivar
20-Dec-2008
First Episode of the Popular Sitcome of the 1960's "I Dream of Jeannie" was an emblematic showcase for Iranian-American friendly ties.Here is the First Episode which contains dialogue in Persian.  >>>

The paymaster

Fred

Alavi President Arrested After Allegedly Destroying Papers

Washington Post
recommended by Fred
20-Dec-2008
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TANBIH ! ... ;0(

Darius Kadivar

Egypt teacher faces beating trial

bbc
recommended by Darius Kadivar
20-Dec-2008
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