Sanctions only hit the lower classes. I think that is the point hurt them enough to raise up.

Of course when you're starving and unarmed it's hard to over throw a guberment

The average citizen isn't going to overthrow the Iranian government. If anything, it's going to be a military coup.

I'm bummed that I will probably never see the Caspian Sea in my lifetime or ski in Iran (they have some sweet slopes.)

brap: I'm bummed that I will probably never see the Caspian Sea in my lifetime or ski in Iran (they have some sweet slopes.)

It's hard, but you can travel there as an American. You have to be part of a tour, and there are all sorts of restrictions, but you can do it.

No good chocolate? The HORROR!

Just look at Cuba. A thriving, Castro-free democratic country!

What to do about that?

The Stealth Hippopotamus: Sanctions only hit the lower classes. I think that is the point hurt them enough to raise up.

Of course when you're starving and unarmed it's hard to over throw a guberment

Ha! You could kick its ass.

brap: I'm bummed that I will probably never see the Caspian Sea in my lifetime or ski in Iran (they have some sweet slopes.)

It really is a beautiful country:

dethmagnetic: interfacelift.com

And the driver in me just got instantly aroused.

Oh my.

I'm surprised that Russia or China don't just do a food for oil or some other product.

They give around zero shiats about what the US and Israel thinks about Iran.

All due to our need to coddle the paranoia of the israeli right wing.

dethmagnetic: brap: I'm bummed that I will probably never see the Caspian Sea in my lifetime or ski in Iran (they have some sweet slopes.)

It really is a beautiful country:

[interfacelift.com image 800x480]

[interfacelift.com image 800x480]

[interfacelift.com image 800x480]

[interfacelift.com image 800x480]

Oh shiat, they learned HDR!

brap: I'm bummed that I will probably never see the Caspian Sea in my lifetime or ski in Iran (they have some sweet slopes.)

That's what you get for not voting Republican.

brap: I'm bummed that I will probably never see the Caspian Sea in my lifetime or ski in Iran (they have some sweet slopes.)

You can still go to the Caspian Sea through Russia or Kazakhstan. I hear the latter is very nice.

HotWingConspiracy: All due to our need to coddle the paranoia of the israeli right wing.

Absolutely 100% THIS

That just sounds like a black market opportunity.

So Obama's plan was to get PMS'ing Iranian women to over throw the government?

dethmagnetic: brap: I'm bummed that I will probably never see the Caspian Sea in my lifetime or ski in Iran (they have some sweet slopes.)

It really is a beautiful country:

[interfacelift.com image 800x480]

[interfacelift.com image 800x480]

[interfacelift.com image 800x480]

[interfacelift.com image 800x480]

You forgot one

The Stealth Hippopotamus: Sanctions only hit the lower classes. I think that is the point hurt them enough to raise up.

Of course when you're starving and unarmed it's hard to over throw a guberment

It worked great in Cuba!

super_grass: I'm surprised that Russia or China don't just do a food for oil or some other product.

They give around zero shiats about what the US and Israel thinks about Iran.

these are un sanctions, they'd jepordize their seats.

/yes yes, even with the joke that is the un

Muta: So Obama's plan was to get PMS'ing Iranian women to over throw the government?

You have to admit there's a chance.

In other words, the sanctions are working. The whole purpose of sanctions is to cause the citizens of a country some pain so that they will rise up to oppose their government's position on an issue or to destabilize the government in other ways. I'd say we are achieving our goal albeit slowly.

brap: I'm bummed that I will probably never see the Caspian Sea in my lifetime or ski in Iran (they have some sweet slopes.)

Good little video made by a kid who toured the slopes here

Opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accuse him of economic mismanagement. Last week parliament called off plans to grill him after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said they must not act in the interests of Iran's enemies.

Birmingham University's Lucas cited disorder in the state system. "A recurrent problem in the Iranian economy, especially during the Ahmadinejad years, is the increasing number of state actors who are involved in economic affairs and that does include the Revolutionary Guards," he said.

The Revolutionary Guards, which report directly to Khamenei, hold influential positions in the economy and politics, and Washington has targeted entities linked to it for sanctions.

Arkanaut: brap: I'm bummed that I will probably never see the Caspian Sea in my lifetime or ski in Iran (they have some sweet slopes.)

You can still go to the Caspian Sea through Russia or Kazakhstan. I hear the latter is very nice.

But it has three problems: Social, Econimic, and Jew.

99.998er: HotWingConspiracy: All due to our need to coddle the paranoia of the israeli right wing.

Absolutely 100% THIS

Explain.....This...please

Don't worry, Tehran just announced chocolate rations are up!

JackieRabbit: In other words, the sanctions are working. The whole purpose of sanctions is to cause the citizens of a country some pain so that they will rise up to oppose their government's position on an issue or to destabilize the government in other ways. I'd say we are achieving our goal albeit slowly.

Are we talking about the US?

Man On Fire: The Stealth Hippopotamus: Sanctions only hit the lower classes. I think that is the point hurt them enough to raise up.

Of course when you're starving and unarmed it's hard to over throw a guberment

It worked great in Cuba!

Over the past 50 years, Cuba has insignificant.
So, yes, it did.

/and its "gubmint"

"Side effect"? Uh no. This is the main desired effect of economic sanctions, hurting the general population. Madeleine Albright will tell you that it's worth it.

And here I was thinking Big Food was too cheap to use real cocoa, butter, and sugar. I haven't had any really good chocolate in years either. Holy shiate! I'm living in Iran!

JackieRabbit: I'd say we are achieving our goal albeit slowly.

Speak for yourself.

/one does not simply walk into tehran

" I haven't had real, good chocolate for a long time"



Yeah, well, I'm a free man and I haven't had a conjugal visit in 6 months...

oh and some of my favorite articles about iran...

Fast Times in Tehran

Iran: A nation of nose jobs, not nuclear war

Modern Drunkard in Iran

super_grass: I'm surprised that Russia or China don't just do a food for oil or some other product.

They give around zero shiats about what the US and Israel thinks about Iran.

You realize that both Russia and China voted for the sanctions, don't you?

"I haven't had real, good chocolate for a long time"

If it makes you feel better neither have most Americans.

As I have been living with family in the US, I haven't had real, good chocolate for a long time either.

Butthurted: 99.998er: HotWingConspiracy: All due to our need to coddle the paranoia of the israeli right wing.

Absolutely 100% THIS

Explain.....This...please

An amazing number of the left-leaning Farkers hate Jews and/or Israel. HWC in particular genuinely believes that Tatsuma is a paid Israeli agent (sadly, he's not alone in that).

Deep Contact: JackieRabbit: In other words, the sanctions are working. The whole purpose of sanctions is to cause the citizens of a country some pain so that they will rise up to oppose their government's position on an issue or to destabilize the government in other ways. I'd say we are achieving our goal albeit slowly.

Are we talking about the US?

Of course I am. The US has had sanctions against Iran in place since 1979 and has succeeded in convincing several nations to participate in further multinational sanctions. The UN has imposed eight sanctions against Iran since 2006 and the UE has about as many. Japan and South Korea also have imposed sanctions at our behest. And they do seem to be having real effects. Iran's capacity to export oil has been steadily falling since 2006 and this is really hammering their economy. More, though they bluster and posture, their nuclear program has slowed to a crawl, since they cannot obtain the needed materials. And now food and other necessities are becoming scarce.

JackieRabbit: In other words, the sanctions are working. The whole purpose of sanctions is to cause the citizens of a country some pain so that they will rise up to oppose their government's position on an issue or to destabilize the government in other ways. I'd say we are achieving our goal albeit slowly.

They already rose up, and got smacked the fark down by the government. It didn't make quite as many news cycles when their "Arab Spring" (I know they're not Arabs) revolution fizzled, but it was because the government was systematically taking out the leaders.

I have family in Iran, and they're pretty well-off financially. But they say they're hurting bad lately; everything has become horrendously expensive, including basic necessities. I can't imagine what it's like for the lower classes.

As far as traveling there, t3knomanser is right: there are tours that you can use to get a visa, but they're basically "we never let you out of our sight" tours. I wanted to travel there on an Iranian passport earlier this year (both my parents are Persian, but I was born in the US), and it was like pulling teeth... dozens of documents needed, most of which my parents left in Iran or lost over the years; having the application/documents sent back because of variations in spelling/dates (even on the documents provided by the Iranian government!); I even went to D.C. to their "consulate", but that was a wasted trip. I eventually gave up. Maybe I'll try again next year...

Black, white BMWs and hair gel still flowing unimpeded.

My girlfriend had 37 pieces of chocolate

dethmagnetic: brap: I'm bummed that I will probably never see the Caspian Sea in my lifetime or ski in Iran (they have some sweet slopes.)

It really is a beautiful country:

[interfacelift.com image 800x480] x 4

I like the pics.

Just ship them some hershey bars

The saddest part about all of this is that Iranian chicks are hot.

Every now and then, I'm able to find a grainy-ass, homemade pron video out of Iran. It's always a thrill.

Carousel Beast: Butthurted: 99.998er: HotWingConspiracy: All due to our need to coddle the paranoia of the israeli right wing.

Absolutely 100% THIS

Explain.....This...please

An amazing number of the left-leaning Farkers hate Jews and/or Israel. HWC in particular genuinely believes that Tatsuma is a paid Israeli agent (sadly, he's not alone in that).

Recognizing that the Israeli gov't has SOME responsibility for the current state of middle eastern geopolitics does not equate to hating Jews and/or Israel.

I'm sure there are some... but not in amazing numbers.