The Blow of Zolfaghar

Well, Iran began that large scale military exercise I referenced in a recent posting today -- a couple of days earlier than I had been led to believe it would start. Then again, Tiger Woods climbed to the top of the PGA Championship Leaderboard today -- one day sooner than I had expected.

The fact that they began with air strikes (go to the al-Jazeera website for details) is interesting inasmuch as they have been continuously resupplying Hezbollah militants on the ground with God-knows-what from about the day that the ceasefire [sic] began. Of course, the Israelis are responding in kind and the ceasefire is shakier than ever.

The title of this posting, "The Blow of Zolfaghar," is in reference to the name of the exercise and relates to the sword of Omam Ali -- whom the Shiites believe will "return" in much the way Christians look towards a Second Coming of Christ.

Needless to say, the presence of the US in Iraq is (or seems like) a direct threat to Iran and they typically refer to us as the Great Satan ... alongside the "baby" Satan, Israel, I suppose.

The exercise is expected to last for five weeks which will easily cover the period "following" August 22 -- the 27th of Rajab in the year 1427.

My brother, Richard from Connecticut regards these events (involving Iran, Lebanon, Israel, et. al. as being more important than the landmark decision by my hero of the moment, Judge Anna Diggs Taylor.

As I allus says to mine funny bro from the home of Lieberman and one of George W. Bush's schools, "to each his own"! I think Judge Taylor will be remembered by American school children long after Mahmoud Ahmadinehjad has gone the way of so many of his ilk in the past century or so.

But let's keep an eye on the "Blow of Zolfaghar."