british embassies also hit with protests

[GiantMonkeyMan]

source

the British embassy in Tehran, Iran, was pelted by stones and protesting outside some shouting "Death to Britain" and "We are willing to sacrifice our lives for the Prophet Mohammad" concerning the cartoons and also Britain's role in bringing the UN on Irans nuclear program. Along with more protests at Danish and Norwegian embassies and at night a 1000 people, mainly students, attacked the Danish embassy throwing petrol bombs and attempting to ram the gate down.

All i can say is this is getting way out of hand... i never thought britain was hated by some people in the middle east i know some might dislike them for the war on Iraq etc but "Death to britain"!?!

[Dutch_guy]

hmm last time I checked no British paper printed the offensive cartoons... so I can only conclude these protestors are merely using those accusations as a way of pushing their own agenda.

Not really surprised, had to happen really.

[ah_dut]

What is wrong with these people? I know you get nutcases everywhere but this is starting to go a bit far in the middle east

[Mikeus Caesar]

What is wrong with these people? I know you get nutcases everywhere but this is starting to go a bit far in the middle east

Keyword: Middle East.

If people in the ME were a little bit less fanatical, the world would be a nicer place.

I don't see why they should attack our Embassy. After all, we are opposed to the cartoons of Mohammed (pbuh), and nearly the entire world has brought the UN in on the Iranian weapons program.

It's all going to end in war i tell you...

[Kongamato]

It seems to me they'll use any excuse they can find to go cause chaos and destruction.

[BDC]

It's all going to end in war i tell you...

It's looking a bit like that isn't it? Not that they have a chance of winning, so it must all be bluffs.

[lancelot]

aahhh....peaceful Islam...

[Lazul]

Man, what would the history-books say about our era.... WW3 started when some danes printed some cartoons.

Industrial era -> Modern era -> Stupid-on-the-Verge-of-Being-Silly era?

[Samurai Waki]

Israel is already saying they are going to bomb their nuclear facilities anyway, and I can't hardly blame em'. Man, if Iran wants a war, they're going to get more than they can possibly handle.

[Dâriûsh]

All i can say is this is getting way out of hand... i never thought britain was hated by some people in the middle east i know some might dislike them for the war on Iraq etc but "Death to britain"!?!

I am sorry to bump this thread, but to answer your question: Britain is disliked by both the rulers, and some of those opposed to the rulers. This is because of their role in undermining the democratic efforts in Iran and reinstating the Shah (Operation Ajax in 1953), which would subsequently bring about the Islamic Revolution. And remember that Britain was the major colonial power in the region a few decades ago.

[rory_20_uk]

So... Iran nationalised the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. A move that didn't go down well in the West or America. Strangely the Iranian people liked the unilateral stealing of the oil fields... go figure - taking other companies stuff wins short term support from the masses.

The international community boycotted Iran for its illegal acts, which drew it closer to the USSR, understandably upsetting America.

The CIA was the main force re-instating the Shah as the true force (as opposed to a figurehead). After loosing power, he was understandably pissed off with everyone it seems and so became more repressive than he'd ever been before. Odd that...

Yes, the area was a British Mandate since WW1. I guess that in itself is enough to upset some.

[Watchman]

One explorer who acted as consultant expert on the region when the lines were being drawn in the wake of the Ottoman collapse bitterly observed they were creating a formula of instability, strife and disaster for decades to come.

She seems to have been quite correct.

The Shah was actually a pretty progressive modernizer by what I've heard, but also not very good at running the country and keeping the people happy which duly coalesced into popular opposition to the modernization via the good old "taint by association" principle. It's probably an exaggeration to say that he is to thank for the Iranian Revolution and the ensuing rise of political Islam onto the world stage, but not by all that much by what I know of it.

[caravel]

source

the British embassy in Tehran, Iran, was pelted by stones and protesting outside some shouting "Death to Britain" and "We are willing to sacrifice our lives for the Prophet Mohammad" concerning the cartoons and also Britain's role in bringing the UN on Irans nuclear program. Along with more protests at Danish and Norwegian embassies and at night a 1000 people, mainly students, attacked the Danish embassy throwing petrol bombs and attempting to ram the gate down.

All i can say is this is getting way out of hand... i never thought britain was hated by some people in the middle east i know some might dislike them for the war on Iraq etc but "Death to britain"!?!

Blair likes us to think we're loved worldwide and that our country is this great big happy multicultural family. Wheras in fact we're despised in most muslim countries, and even by muslims at home, due to our little trips to Afghanistan and Iraq.

[LeftEyeNine]

All i can say is this is getting way out of hand... i never thought britain was hated by some people in the middle east i know some might dislike them for the war on Iraq etc but "Death to britain"!?!

Being an empire of imperialism in the past, how do you expect people not to hate Britain ?

If not the hate directly, most Middle East folks have anger that can quickly burst out as hate towards Britain.

[Watchman]

Still a (highly unpopular) colonial master by the end of WW2 and in places later, I seem to recall. And happily used chemical weaponry to crush popular uprisings in Iraq, I seem to recall. Fifty years is not enough time for collective ire to dissipate from a system; try at least a cnetury, or however long it now takes for about three generations to go by.

[Adrian II]

Fifty years is not enough time for collective ire to dissipate from a system; try at least a cnetury, or however long it now takes for about three generations to go by.

About as long as it will take Africans to forget Arab slavery, I suppose. Which might be a while yet, since slavery in the name of the Prophet (pbhn) is still going on. Of course most Arabs wouldn't care, judging by the conspiracy of silence among Arabs scholars, politicians and journalists on the subject. You see, the consensus in the region has always been that slavery was sanctioned by the Quran.

[rory_20_uk]

Was there ever a time of peace and goodwill in Iraq? A point where taxes were fair, all were treated well and the system was effectively a "golden land"? I doubt it.

They hate the British, they hated the Ottomans, they hate Saddam, they hate the new democracy.

If the West does nothing, it's our fault. If we do something, it's again our fault.

If we trade with Iraq, well that is of course our fault. If we don't guess what? We're guilty again.

What does Iraq (and most of Africa, and probably loads of other countries) want? They want to go to the mythical time when everything was great - but in some inaliable way this time has been lost. Rather than face reality that there never was such a time, and if they want it they are going to have to work damn hard for it, they blame the West for everything.

So many countries have found that the home grown politicians are MORE corrupt than their previous colonial masters. Money from trade STILL doesn't reach the poor - and this is not the fault of the West!

For a small example - look at the UK: after 2 world wars it has lost its Empire, has gone from indisputably the world's eminent country to very much an also ran, was bankrupted fighting against Nazi Germany and had large areas flattened to fight against a regime that wasn't any more threatening than the USSR.

So, it's all Germany's fault for the wars, or France's fault for loosing so quickly, or America's fault for not helping soon enough...

All are partly true, but are extremely simplistic facets of far more complex issues.

big who cares??!? Europe (with the help of the USA) got back up relatively quickly after the genocide and destruction, and is not mewing over how much was lost all the time, but got on with it.

France was occupied by the Germans. They've "got over it" in less than 3 generations.

Germany and Russia slaughtered each other's people to the tune of over 20 MILLION. Perhaps all are not best buds - but they are dealing with each other like developed states

So why do we give the Middle East so much slack, when collectively Europe has suffered recently so much more, and is already forgetting its differences? For once, stop trying to apportion blame, and get on with it!

[rory_20_uk]

Koran 2:177, 90:13-17 - states set slaves free. Of course contradicted in many other cases, but you wouldn't have to defend the Koran if it made sense, would you???

[Watchman]

Ever seen quotes of the theological gems the Cotton South used to justify chattel slavery with...? Some high-octane bullshit there too, I must say.

But then again I've always been a fervent believer in the equal and universal ability of all people everywhere to be hypocritical, selfish, unpleasant little jerks.

[Adrian II]

But then again I've always been a fervent believer in the equal and universal ability of all people everywhere to be hypocritical, selfish, unpleasant little jerks.

Good grief, now we're all worked up. Are you going to grow a beard and burn our effigies in the village square now?

Don't forget to post some pics.

[Watchman]

Hey, I'm lazy. And beard doesn't suit my handsome features.

Not that I could do anything worse with various effigies than their adherents manage to, anyway. I lack the... necessary personal committment to Causes to make them look stupid.

[LeftEyeNine]

This is getting uglier than ever.