Pictures of Iran: You decide

I know we're being dooped by our government and always have. It's we the government not we the people. But the people deserve the government they get. Why do people keep voting back into office all these money hungry political whacks I'll never know. But as far as the beauty of the earth, stars and universe. I hope these kind of government whacko's never get out into space.
Iran is a beautiful country in some places and not so pretty in others. But then look at any country, city and town and you'll find the same thing. I just hope my children have a better future with a less government country.
Maybe one day earth will be beautiful in all areas and people can live in peace and harmony. Until then, these wars will have to go on until we someday learn our lessons.

Remember, soldiers aren't generally "asked" to do anything. They're ordered by superiors.

If bomb raids do become necessary, at least use precision-munitions. While imperfect, they're better than WWII-style carpet bombing. You don't need to flatten a nation to "win".

For the original topic, those photos are indeed beautiful. However they do not change the political situation (which itself is skewed from the propaganda on all sides).

reply to post by 4thDoctorWhoFan

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Of course it isn't. Use your brain. The purpose of the pictures is to offer perspective. Frankly, I don't see TV news broadcasts, listen to radio broadcasts, or read in the newspapers about how beautiful Iran is, how beautiful it can be. What I experience is just the opposite. It is not naive to require perspective when considering the prospects of attacking another country. I want to know more precisely who the "enemy" really is. All I usually hear is how Iran is threat to the world. A country that doesn't own nuclear weapons is somehow a greater danger to the world than the rest of the countries who possess them and greater military might. Somehow a country that only aspires to nuclear energy is more of a threat to the world than the nuclear powers that threaten that aspirant country. Seriously, I think perspective is very much in order when considering the true danger and magnitude of the situation.

There are many articles offering strong evidence that the CIA created the Taliban with Pakistan. Now why is the US allowed to continue its possession of nuclear technology and weapons? The answer is because it's more powerful than any other nation on Earth at the moment. And that power is precisely what is being used to fund propaganda against a democracy, Iran, that maintains that it wants nuclear energy for peaceful means. I'm still waiting for some evidence that Iran has attacked and invaded another country! It would really be revealing if the world had to choose between the US and Iran as to which country could be trusted to use nuclear technology responsibly and for peaceful means. Those pictures that the OP posted are much more meaningful than similar pictures that exist of the US precisely because Iran has never engaged in war with another country! That's the perspective that those pictures bring. And I do not see the media doing their jobs of providing American people with a fuller perspective of the situation.

"Home of the brave." Don't make me laugh. Our administration is composed of greedy and frightened cowards. Period. It really would be the day that our current President would visit Iran's universities to engage in dialog with its best and brightest. That really would be the day.



[edit on 5-11-2007 by Areal51]

reply to post by bovarcher

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Thankyou very much for the best post yet. Wow the quality has just been taken over the top. I appreciate learning what you have discovered and am proud to be in the company of such a well versed and traveled intellectual . You have a brilliant mind and the heart of a poet. Thankyou for your lifes experience shared to raise the consciousness of this our planet.

Damn, you are smart. Will you marry me.

reply to post by Areal51

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What more can I say? I agree whole heartedly with your wisdom and insights. Bravo on being able to voice what I wish I could. I am quite honestly more fearful of 'our' nuclear plants and depleted uranium than theirs. I have seen what it did to the Native Americans in the deepest parts of Arizona, in areas that were at once Gods favorites with emerald colored water falls and lush green forrests. People that never hurt anyone or distrusted a soul. Now the areas are burnt, the people deformed and displaced from an area that had been their homes for thousands of years. Not in the main stream though so it does not exist?

reply to post by bovarcher

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Great post! And that is what's missing in the US, a more penetrating view of the people of Iran. [Edit-Removed off-topic commentary.]




[edit on 5-11-2007 by Areal51]

Its a shame that people need to be walked around with their hand, just to help open their eyes.

Gee, Antar - those are TRULY beautiful images of that little region of our lovely planet. Thank you for posting them. NOW - since this is NOT, as you say, a politically inspired post, perhaps you can provide for us a lovely slideshow of Cuba, Russia, China, North Korea, Syria, or Sudan?

ALL of those countries, given a talented photographer, good camera, free, unlimited access, and lots of time can depict another wonderful set of glorious landscapes, idyllic waterways, peaceful flowers in the breeze, and picnicking children. Like the USA, Australia, Great Britain, Canada, Italy, South Africa, New Zealand, and countless other natural wonderscapes, we can be awed and amazed at the beauty and heart-wrenching natural wonder of our glorious Earth.

You say you have no political agenda in posting this thread, yet you (and some others) are quick to leap to the praise and benefit of those subscribing to an unmistakable slant in their rematks - while ignoring or chastising others.

Yes, the pictures are lovely. But please deny ignorance by not pretending that the series you are sharing with us are not also HIGHLY subjective. Do you not think that an equally talented photographer - with the time, access, and equipment can find a series of photographs depicting horrible brutality, choking pollution, despair, misery, torture, etc. in Iran? Well, guess what...

To test this theory, I simply went to Google images and entered Iranian Crime, Iranian Pollution, and a few others just to see what comes up.

I won't disgust my good friends here at ATS by sharing with you what I found. Unbelievable atrocities committed upon the landscape, animals, and their fellow citizens. Did you know that it is common in Iran to torture and maim children who have committed small petty crimes? I didn't. One picture showed a young boy who was laid underneath a truck to have his arms crushed in public because he stole a loaf.of bread for his starving family. Another had his eyes gouged out by the police for lying about a petty crime 16 years earlier.
Other images of "beautiful Iran" turned my stomach - I won't describe them here.

So, yes indeed, the countryside, architecture, and some of the people can be quite beautiful and breathtaking indeed - just like a myriad other places in this beautiful blue planet of ours.

All I ask is that you don't put your head in the sand and pretend that it's all a pretty garden of Eden. The leadership of Iran has committed to an agenda of annihilating any "infidels" that will not convert to islam - for infinity, they routinely maim and torture their own citizens, including children, as a form of barbaric "justice" that is anything but, and they have vowed to destroy entire countries with nuclear weapons the moment they have the capability to do so.

Are those in the West perfect? Hardly. Do we have flawless leadership? Not at all. Can we come up with some beautiful, breathtaking photos of our countryside, buildings, flowers? You bet.

I'm very sorry to pop a few balloons here - but it seems that those professing "no political' motivations were a bit in denial and being increasingly hypocritical.

You want to show pretty pictures - that's fine. You ask us to decide; well, we are deciding, along with you, that they are truly beautiful.

But when you claim to be avoiding taking a political position, then repeatedly take one, then it is not fair that you criticize others for doing so as well.

This is the Fragile Earth Forum. Then keep the discussion on the fragile Earth. Otherwise, either post in a political thread or be prepared to defend your political position once you take it.

The problem here is that this thread quickly digressed from a series of lovely Fragile Earth photos to a political tit-for-tat. My guess is that may have been a subconscious intent all along.

After all, what is it, precisely, that we were supposed to "decide" for ourselves? That the pictures were lovely or Not? I don't think so...

Just my $2...



[edit on 11/5/2007 by Outrageo]

Its so hard to believe that all these photo's are from one place, there's so much contrast in the land; green and rich, snowy mountains, deserts, and its much more developed than I had been led to think. I could have sworn some of the photos were more Egyptian, and Greek....are they really all from Iran? In any event, absolutely marvelous pictures!!

reply to post by Outrageo

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It's not about the pictures. It's about what the pictures say that is not being said. We've all heard the bad stuff that you have been so kind to remind us for the the twelfth millionth time. What has not been said is what those pictures represent. And we Americans are trying not to do a political tit for tat, but the fact remains is that we are being asked, some would say forced, to subscribe to a war that seems more and more nonsensical the closer one scrutinizes the motives for suggesting that we should attack Iran. Balancing perspective is what this is about. The pictures themselves aren't much, but the what they suggest couldn't be more different than anything one is likely to read about Iran on US newsstands tomorrow.

The bubble that you seem intent on bursting doesn't even exist. THE bubble that needs bursting is the one that has depicted Iran as a country of cavemen, barbarians, and terrorist sympathizers. Which is worst, sympathizing with terrorists or outright creating terrorist regimes? Take your pick. At least in America we are constantly being reminded how great we are. Well, as a matter of perspective we should be informed about how great Iran is as well. Sure, we'd like to know what darkness lurks there that may be a threat to us, but lend the reports some kind of perspective. That is to say, report on the government atrocities, but also report on the progress, hopes, fears, and beauty that the citizenry of Iran have and are capable of. I want to know about the people who are supposed to be my enemy just as much as I want to know about governments which are supposed to be my enemy. The media doesn't distinguish between country and countrymen. It's all the same. Iran is evil, therefore it must be destroyed. The same hogwash that's thrown around stating that Iran wishes Israel to be wiped off the map. Iran's government speaks to Israel's government and to the government of the United States. But the perception by the people of all of these lands is that the people of these lands aspire to annihilate all of the people of the other lands. That's what gets support for wars. The demonizing of other people. So perspective is necessary enough to be declared an international emergency since there is so little of it being practiced in the countries, namely the western countries, which should know better.

We need perspective if we are ever going to even have the chance of putting to rest this old, human and natural resource intensive prediliction for war.

Matters covering the possibility of nuclear warfare belong in the Fragile Earth section just as much as topics covering natural disasters.







[edit on 5-11-2007 by Areal51]

It tears my heart up to think of all the people who had nothing to do with politics suffering at the hands of violent leaders and war.

I want nothing to do with war, ever.

Humans are almost all the same. Pretty much every guy you meet on any street, whether it be in America, Russia, China, India, Iraq, or Iran wants the same thing: peace and freedom.

This age of falling under the influence of leaders who make decisions and lie to the masses is coming to an end.

I can feel it.

The world is changing. It is waking up.

"God bless America doesn't mean god damn everyone else."

reply to post by Outrageo

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Very well said and that is what I was trying to say.

You just did it a zillion times better.

[edit on 6-11-2007 by greeneyedleo]

reply to post by Areal51

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I agree that we need to hear these things. But it seems that there is more negative to report then positive. Maybe someone here can tell of the people and the freedom they have to live their life to the fullest. Tell of the progress of their education, economics, and the freedom to believe whatever they want and live their life however they want. Tell us how the government provides all of this for them.

Pictures of landscape does NOT show about the people.

I dont recall the news ever talking about how ugly the landscape is....or how brown and cave like it is. Its comparing apples to oranges.

I know when I hear about Iran, I hear of repression and how horrible many of the people are treated. How they have little freedom to live any life they want to live. The color of the ground, trees and mountains, are not really an issue when it comes to humanity in this country.


[edit on 6-11-2007 by greeneyedleo]

My friends are from Iran and they love the country. There are rules...but rules are there to be broken.. I find most Middle East countries most of the rules are broken unless the people in charge want to make a statement.

Does it really matter how beautiful a country is??? i cant think of a single country where you cant find a beautiful landscape. whether you think our alliance with Israel is right or wrong, the president of iran has said he wants to wipe Israel off the map. The debate shouldnt be over the beauty of nature in a specific reigon... germany still had beautiful places in 1944 didnt it?

[edit on 6-11-2007 by lurch149]

reply to post by 4thDoctorWhoFan

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The answer to that question isn't as far away as you might think...

Take a look at your avatar, and ask the 3 guys in the car why they did it...

Peace

Beauty is nice but it does not save you from the inevitable.

All things die and fade away, that way new things can come forth.

Sometimes thing are destroyed for the wrong reasons.

The pictures are nice but if you really want to make someone think twice about bombing a country show images of a maternity ward.

Show the faces of innocent children that have done nothing to hurt the lives of others.

Of course that has never worked. Noby cares if children get bombed. We all know what happens when you bomb a city but we pretend we don't. Wars does not care how old or young you are.

War has never cares about how good of a person you were. War is a beast who's hunger can never be satisfied. We all knows this about war but pretend we don't.

Sorry about my post I'm not all together right now.

(I did not take this pic, but got it off the net)

Mount Damavand in the Alborz mountain range. Ancestrial home of my fathers side of the family is in the city of Taleqan. From which we draw our last name. My family can trace its lineage back to well over 800 years and at one point controlled a huge part of the Alborz range untill it was nationalized under Reza Shah.

Ah yes but the good Doctor is interested in nothing but sheer trollery. He comes out from under that bridge every so often like a crazed and brainwashed member of YAF (Young Americans For Freedom) or other such neocon indoctrination groups, shouts some memorized but deeply felt rhetoric, and then scampers back under the bridge to await the next oppurtunity for hit and run trollery. Rest assured despite all of his mindless patriotism and chest thumping he will present more strawmans than a Wizard of Oz convention. Now what was that strawman looking for?