Specious reasoning from Iran

By Lee Russ

Friday, July 21, 2006 at 05:15 PM

It isn't just the good old U.S. government that has trouble with logic when defending itself from attacks and criticisms.  Just ask the Iranians.

In a FARS news agency story, Brigadier General Mohammad Hejazi, "Commander-in-chief of the Mobilized (Baseej) forces," defended against Israeli claims that Iran is supplying Hezbollah with weapons by spouting this gem:

"If these charges that the Zionists press against Iran and other countries are true, then what do they have to say about the Palestinian popular movement which inflicts daily damages on the Israeli regime," the General asked.

"The Zionist regime cannot level the same charges against Iran when it comes to the Palestinian Islamic resistance, because they are in full command of the occupied territories and no foreign help may ever infiltrate into the said areas," he continued.

Boy, that's worthy of O'Reilly or Hannity.  "How can you cay we're supplying Hezbollah with arms when we can't be supplying the Palestinians with arms?"

Or, "I used to walk to work, but now I carry a lunch."

ps:

You'll be happy to know that the good General also referred to the formation of "martyrdom-seeking agents" by some non-governmental groups in Iran:

"Some self-motivated groups embark on raising such issues to absorb the energetic youth but without any coordination with the official bodies and without having the approval of the country's authorities. As a matter of fact, their efforts are more aimed at propaganda."

"They might have good intentions in doing so, but they are not practicing their ideas through appropriate methods, because our youth do not need such propaganda to serve their country, revolution and system," he stressed.

If "martyrdom-seeking" means what I think it means (either venturing to a foreign country for jihad or directly attaining martyrdom be means of suicide bombing), it's pretty strange to describe the efforts of "self-motivated" nongovernmental entities as efforts "to absorb the energetic youth," don't you think?