A story that deserves more coverage -- suicide bombings in Iran

Last Wednesday, Moslem suicide bombers killed 39 people at a religious gathering in Iran. The worshippers were Shiite Moslems and their attackers were Sunni Moslems. In truth, the attacks represent the ultimate uprising by the Sunnis in Sistan-Baluchestan Province along the southern coast of Iran. Sistan-Baluchestan is one of the few areas in Iran where the Sunnis constitute a majority. Since the Islamic Revolution 30 years ago, Shiite rule has been complete in Iran. All high ranking government officials are Shiite. During some periods, the government has sponsored missionaries in the province to promite conversion of the Sunnis into Shiites. At other times, the government has promoted moving Shiites into the province from the outside in order to reduce the Sunni majority. During the whole time, the government has made it hard for the Sunnis to worship as they see fit. As a result, in recent years, there has been an anti-government Sunni group that has tried to get rid of control by Teheran. Over time, the uprising has turned violent.

It seems strangely fitting that Iran finds itself the target of suicide bombers. Over the last 30 years, Iran has funded more suicide attacks than any other source. It began with the bombers that it used in Lebanon in the 1980's. It also funded Hamas and Hezbollah in their attacks on the Israelis. Countless thousands died with the explosion of Iranian bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan (including a great many US service personnel). The bombings in Pakistan are also said to have an Iranian connection. In other words, "those who live by the sword, die by the sword!"

Despite the poetic justice of the Iranians being hit by these attacks, the truth is that this is a sad development. The last thing that the world needs is yet another group of people who decide to commit suicide and kill innocent civilians to advance their cause. A basic building block of the civil compact that has allowed the development of civilization is that people are to be kept safe in their homes and workplaces. When that concept is shaken, so is our concept of society.

President Obama has denounced the attacks in Iran. Indeed, one would hope that he would do the same when their are attacks or attempted attacks in the US. Remember the Times Square bombing and the initial statements from government officials? NY Mayor Bloomberg said that the bomber was probably a right winger angry about Obamacare. The media went on about how the bomber was the victim of discrimination (even though there was no proof of that). All that came from the White House was silence for a few days. There should have been an immediate statement by the President deploring and condemning this attempted attack. Perhaps Obama thinks that attacks in Iran are more important than those in the New York.

The real question now is what happens next in Iran. If the mullahs operate in their usual fashion, there will be many arrests (8 already) and executions in response to the bombings. It is unknown if the folks arrested actually have anything to do with the attacks. If not, there will soon be more. Sistan-Baluchestan may soon be the Iranian version of Chechnya.