US Evangelical magazine predicts European invasion of America

The Philadelphia Trumpet, a magazine published by the Philadelphia Church of God, based in Edmond, Oklahoma, is claiming that increased German investment in Latin America places the US in greater danger than "Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Osama bin Laden and Vladimir Putin combined". The magazine argues that the recent spate of investment builds on groundwork laid by Nazis who took refuge in Latin America, and that "Germany’s takeover of Latin America would put European forces directly on the southern border of the U.S. and present an ideal scenario for a full-scale invasion of America".

Now being grumpy at "Old Europe" is one thing, but this is really out there. I know one shouldn't draw conclusions based on what one Evangelical church is saying, but the question is: to what extent will this sort of extreme nativism catch on?

Pro-Jewish Iranian TV show depicts Holocaust

"Zero Degree Turn", a mini-series airing on Iranian state TV, has come as a revelation to both Iranians and foreigners. It is set in Paris during World War II, and shows a fictional employee of the Iranian embassy there forging Iranian passports in order to save a number of Jews from the Holocaust. The character is based on a real-life Iranian who rescued 500 Jews in France using this tactic.

While President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has declared the Holocaust a fabrication, it seems higher-up authorities, such as the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, would like to make it clear that they do not share Ahmadinejad's position. Since Khamenei controls the state TV network, the show had to have his approval in order to air (AP).

Once again, Ahmadinejad has proven to be a bit of a wildcard even as far as the conservative Iranian clerical establishment is concerned, and so they're pushing back, but in a way that is both subtle and likely to gain Iran new friends or at least sympathisers.

Views of Sunnis and Shi'ites on Iran and Ahmadinejad

According to the recent Pew Global Attitudes Survey (PDF here), 45% of Lebanese Muslims have a fabourable view of Iran, and 39% have a favourable view of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. However, 86% of Lebanese Shi'ite Muslims have a favourable view of Iran (a majority-Shi'ite country), while only 8% of Lebanese Sunni Muslims do. Similarly, 76% of Lebanese Shi'ites have a favourable view of Ahmadinejad, while only 5% of Lebanese Sunnis do.

In Kuwait, the divide is less stark. Overall, 37% of Muslims in Kuwait like Iran, and 25% like Ahmadinejad. While 51% of Shi'ites in Kuwait have a favourable view of Iran, only 34% of Sunnis do; while 51% of Shi'ites in Kuwait have a favourable view of Ahmadinejad, only 20% of Sunnis do.

In Africa, the difference is even less pronounced, but nevertheless exists. In Mali, 50% of Muslims overall like Iran, while 42% like Ahmadinejad. However, 54% of Malian Shi'ites have a favourable view of Iran, while 44% of Malian Sunnis do; 44% of Malian Shi'ites have a favourable view of Ahmadinejad, while 38% of Malian Sunnis do.

In Nigeria, 64% of Muslims like Iran, while 61% like Ahmadinejad. However, while 81% of Nigerian Sunnis have a favourable view of Iran, 75% of Nigerian Sunnis do; while 79% of Nigerian Shi'ites have a favourable view of Ahmadinejad, 76% of Nigerian Sunnis do.

Paper accuses Ahmadinejad of indecent behaviour

A conservative Iranian newspaper has accused President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of indecency and a violation of the Shari'a after he kissed the hand of his former schoolteacher. At the moment the controversial gesture took place, the teacher was wearing gloves (BBC).

This just goes to show the extent to which Iran's conservative establishment is willing to go to intrude into the everyday lives of Iranians, despite the fact that this sort of behaviour exposes them -- and Iran -- to international ridicule. So the man showed respect and affection towards his childhood teacher. It is the newspaper that is being indecent.

Iran puts hadith on banknote

Iran has placed a hadith or saying of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) on its new 50,000 rial banknote (equivalent to Can. $6.35). The hadith states that "Men from the land of Persia will attain scientific knowledge even if it is as far as the Pleiades." This hadith merges into an atomic symbol on the banknote, making it clear what kind of knowledge the Iranian government is talking about (BBC).

It would seem that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is determined to rub everyone's noses in Iran's determination to pursue the full nuclear enrichment cycle. Not the wisest or most statesman-like move on his part.