This is a victory for the West according to Strategypage?
[When] Rouhani visited (at his request) some museums full of centuries old statues and paintings the ones that showed any nudity had the naughty bits covered. While this seems absurd and demeaning to the average Westerners (and some Iranians) it is seen as a defeat by Islamic radicals in Iran waiting to pounce on Rouhani for viewing such decadent and un-Islamic art. Covering up the nakedness deprives Iranian Islamic radicals neutralizing or bringing down another Iranian reformer.
I think this is focusing on the (semid-nude) trees while ignoring the (civilizational) forest.
Instead, Iranian hardliners can boast that the West bends to their will--on art and everything, really. As Allah wills it.
Unless we draped a mini-skirt and halter top over the female statues. Oh wait, that's forbidden, too. Were they given the full burqa treatment?
So why don't hardliners in Iran tone down on the anti-Americanism to deprive our so-called hardliners (as President Obama appears to see dissenters from his Iran policies) of such victories?
I'd rather keep our society as is and tell Rouhani to make his travel plans accordingly.
I'm not saying we should photograph Rouhani snorting coke off of a hookers backside. But if proximity to statuary boobs is too much back home, let Rouhani visit a cheese museum.
Stop trying not to offend them. It is a thankless and fruitless task. Every freaking little thing sets off the religious fanatics, whether Shia or Sunni.
And in a Seinfeld "of course--" moment with Mr. Tuttle, that quote continues:
All this ignores the fact that Rouhani
That's it. The sentence stopped in mid-thought.
Ignores the fact that Rouhani ... what??!!
--will take this concession to make Iran a normal country?
--really wants to nuke us in our sleep and bounce the rubble?
--believes sodomy is a prerequisite, of course?
