Iran Blast Kills 18 Elite Soldiers

(CBS/AP)  A car loaded with explosives blew up near a bus carrying members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards in southeastern Iran, killing 18 of them, the state-run news agency reported Wednesday.

The car stopped in front of the bus near Zahedan, the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan Province, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported. It called the attack a terrorist operation and said the car's occupants fled on motorbikes seconds before the car exploded.

"This blind terrorist operation led to the martyrdom of 18 citizens of Zahedan," IRNA quoted a Guards commander, Qasem Rezaei, as saying.

State-run television said the bus had been taking them to work when the attack took place.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Rezaei blamed "insurgents and elements of insecurity" for the attack.

Hossein Ali Shahriyari, a deputy representing Zahedan, told an open session of the parliament Wednesday that "insurgents and drug traffickers" were behind the attack.

Soltan Ali Mir, a local Interior Ministry official, said five of those behind the explosion were arrested, IRNA reported. It did not say how many were involved.

The passenger car stopped in the middle of the road at early in the morning in Ahmadabad district on the outskirts of Zahedan, IRNA said. After the bus stopped, the car's occupants fled and the vehicle exploded.

Zahedan and its surroundings, which lie near Iran's borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan, have been the scene of clashes between police and drug smugglers in the past.

Three small explosions injured two people in Zahedan last June, but Wednesday's explosion was the deadliest in years.

In other developments:

Associates of Iraq's radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have denied a U.S. claim (read more) that he's fled to Iran in advance of a massive security crackdown in Baghdad. Al-Sadr is believed to have family in Iran. An anonymous official in Washington said Tuesday al-Sadr fled partly because of fractures in his group's loyalty.

An envoy of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in an interview with an Italian daily published Wednesday that the Holocaust was a historical fact, but could not be used to justify the oppression of Palestinians. Ali Akbar Velayati, when asked if he believed the Nazi genocide against European Jews was a historical fact, replied: "Yes, but we do not accept that this reality is used to justify oppression of Palestinians," according to La Repubblica newspaper.

[feelfree1]

Re: "An envoy of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in an interview with an Italian daily published Wednesday that the Holocaust was a historical fact, but could not be used to justify the oppression of Palestinians."

Can't argue with that.

[toolmangler-2009]

Khomeini's Teachings on *** with infants and animals
Islamic Teachings on *** with infants:

"A man can have sexual pleasure from a child as young as a baby. However, he should not penetrate. If he penetrates and the child is harmed then he should be responsible for her subsistence all her life. This girl, however would not count as one of his four permanent wives. The man will not be eligible to marry the girl's sister."

The complete Persian text of this saying can be found in "Ayatollah Khomeini in Tahrirolvasyleh, Fourth Edition, Darol Elm, Qom"
================================================

When any organization (religious or otherwise) allows the leadership to make laws and/or statements like this it should be banned from the face of the Earth. this quote is from Irans Grand Ayatollah. Search it out for yourself.

[wst76]

I will not comment on Israel for the sake of religious beliefs. I am not a Zionist, but my faith dose state that if you do not support Israel or go against her you will fall or fail as a nation. The land in which Israel is on has been a Jewish state in the past and was concord by many how try to destroy her but have failed, and now in their failure they are trying to do it again. yes Israel was broken up by the Romans around 75 AD but not all the Jews had been taken out the world gave Israel back her home land after almost 2000 years or a nation with out a home and a people that had not lost the identity, spread over the 4 corner of the earth. No I don%u2019t agree with every thing that they are doing as I don%u2019t agree with everything this country is doing. But as long as we support her I don%u2019t care if we are the last country on the planet, so be it. No farther word on this point.world gave lisreal back her home land after almost 2000 years or a nation with out a home home have not lost the identity spead over the 4 corner of the earth. No i dont agrear with every thing that they are doing as I dont agree with everthing this country is doing. but as long as we suppot her I dont care if we are the last contry on the planet So be it. no farther word on this point.

[wst76]

Like I said before if you are going off what 1 or 2 people are saying and what the media is saying then look deeper into it first. Yes every one deserves their opinion. But accusing and finger pointing, playing the blame game saying that it every one else%u2019s fault get us nowhere but stirs up hate for one another. This grate country is split down the middle on this with about 40% on each side and 20% that choose what they think is the winning team at the moment ( or they just don%u2019t know the what to believe and go they way the wind blows). I can defend both side of this point but from personal experience I chose the side that I did based on it and what hard facts I have come across and seen. And have had worked in military hospitals you see more then any would ever want to see.

[wst76]

here are some more numbers for you as well

Casualties of the conflicts in Iraq since 2003
3,080 dead. 22,834 wounded in action, of which 10,142 were unable to return to duty within 72 hours. 6,640 non-hostile injuries and 18,183 diseases (both requiring medical air transport). As of January 28, 2007.

From 1968 to 1973 The Vietnam War cost the United States 58,000 lives and 350,000 casualties

[wst76]

Those numbers where taken from
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm

[wst76]

Look at these numbers and tell me if 3000 that had volunteer for service knowing that they could die compares to these numbers of in US death a year
Number of deaths: 2,398,343
Death rate: 816.7 deaths per 100,000 population
Life expectancy: 77.9 years
Number of deaths for leading causes of death:
Heart disease: 654,092
Cancer: 550,270
Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 150,147
Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 123,884
Accidents (unintentional injuries): 108,694
Diabetes: 72,815
Alzheimer's disease: 65,829
Influenza/Pneumonia: 61,472
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 42,762
Septicemia: 33,464

[wst76]

Sorry cut the first part of my statment off.

I wish that we did not have to have American live sacrificed in Iraq so that we can live free.

[wst76]

Not have to have American live sacrificed in Iraq so that we can live free. but I did my time and I work with hundred of soldiers that are on their second and 3rd trip back and know many more who are volunteering to go back and know several who have been injured in the conflict and have work at 2 military hospital during the last 8 years. Yes a couple out of the hundreds or thousand plus that I know say its not worth it but that%u2019s there opinion and I do respect everyone%u2019s opinion that why I love this country.
But I think its sad to see our heroes that where injured and wish that they could go back but cant do to the injures that stand up and tell what a great job that we are doing and what a difference we are making over there and how the media is only showing the hot spots and not the good that GREATLY out weigh the bad just to have ill-informed individuals spit in their face and call them baby killers. How many people both Civilian and Military do you know or have met in person, injured and not? I know YES we are wining regardless of what the media says about Iraq they are just out for what makes headlines. The US has suffered only about 3000 losses and many more injured over 4 years.

[bluestardad]

wst76; WHEN YOU TALK TO HALF A WOMAN COME BACK AND TELL ME WHAT WAR IS LIKE!