When it's more than a game

The Black Power Salute.

How could you miss this one?

Im getting mixed messages from the Mousavi led opposition. His spokesman on FP talked like he's left to Obama, talking about 'killing the fathers'- a saying that defies my understanding of traditional Arab and Persian culture. I dont recognize within Islam, Muslims Sunni or Shia, or conservative people from any part of the world who talk of 'killing the fathers'.
Moreover, Mousavi's spokesman said this was a 'green revolution' of modernism vs traditionalism. This is the language of Western minded secularists since the 19th century against the Middle East and Asia.

Moreover, there are economic and political forces behind Mousavi which I suspect the Iranian youth are niave and ignorant to. They include Western capitalists seeking inroads into Iran as a potential market that will aid in the revival of the capitalist world market. There are also American and Israeli Neo Cons who have sought to gain American control over Iran in order to have access to privatization of Iranian minerals and oil as well as a land access to the Caspian sea Basin wherein Russia and China dominate.
Moreover, the recent IPI (Iran Pakistan India) pipeline contract signed by all parties has served to undermine the American TAPI (Turkmen, Afghan, Pakistan India) pipeline which has been America's plan for decades going back to ENRON. Its likely that IPI served to undermine America to a point which instigated American to activate its ties within Iran (which were funded by the US govt since the 200 Kyl Lieberman amendment, HR 1585 authorized overthrowing the regime there) to oust Ahmedinejad.
It should be noted that the refusal of the American contract by the Taliban in the spring of 2001 drove Bush to activate CIA connections in AFghanistan to overthrow the Taliban too.

These matters are all far beyond the scope of insight of footballers and painted youth running in the street, but they are far more significant in shaping the affairs of a nation than even 1 million youth protesting. that's why a prudent and wise ruler keeps his cool as the people protest. He might even go and venture among them to see if they show him respect, or treat him like 'trash', as Mousavi's spokesman said. Clearly people think there are no pressing matters.

But if Rafsanjani and these youth get their way and make Iran a secular regime which supports globalization, they will quickly find their oil and minerals gobbled up by global corporations and capitalists hungry to exploit Iran. And the elite who back Mousavi and Rafsanjani will be richer than any elite under Ahmedinejad could ever be, and will be far more corrupt. And there will no longer be funds issued to poor Iranians in the rural areas.
The trade off will quickly become unbearable, and Russia experienced in the 1990s until Yeltsin and Putin used their 'coup' against the powerful capitalists exploiting Russia for everything it had, including its women.

So footballers can wear green, but they should beware for what they wish for by chance it comes true.

Every single cricket match played between India and Pakistan has had political overtones, so much so that the two have stopped playing each other. Sport is, after all, war minus the shooting!

On cricket, the Bodyline series between England and Australia in the 1930s started off as sport and very soon ended in a diplomatic row.

I guess we can also add Ping Pong Diplomacy to the list of sports in diplomacy.

Would the Beijing Olympics qualify? The entire event was one big political statement.

Hi,
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