Probably not a good sign...


OK, I'm doing thesis stuff at the moment so I'm not gonna go off on anything today, but I would like to point out that this is not good.

TEHRAN, Iran (Reuters) -- Some 200 Iranians have volunteered in the past few days to carry out "martyrdom missions" against U.S. and British interests around the world if Iran is attacked, a hard-line group said Sunday.

This is insane. The only points I can give Iranians on this one are for honesty. When we bomb people we're all, "These bombs will bring freedom and democracy." Iranians are all, "We're gonna fuck you up."

The fresh fears over a possible U.S. attack on Iran's nuclear sites helped attract volunteers during its latest recruitment drive, Mohammad Ali Samadi, spokesman for the Committee for the Commemoration of Martyrs of the Global Islamic Campaign, said.
"Because of the recent threats, we have started to register more volunteers since Friday," Samadi told Reuters by telephone.

Volunteers?? Recruitment drive??! It's not like they're signing up to work the dunk tank at a PTA fund raiser. Maybe it's just 200 really lonely people.

The Committee for the Commemoration of Martyrs of the Global Islamic Campaign, which says it has no affiliation with the government, was formed in 2004. Since then, Samadi said, some 52,000 people have signed up to be involved in possible attacks. The Sunday Times of London, quoting unnamed Iranian officials, reported Iran had 40,000 trained suicide bombers prepared to strike western targets if Iran is attacked.

Ho. Ly. Shit.

"We are the only martyrdom seeking group in Iran," [Samadi] said. "And we are an independent group."

He added, "We're a family-run business and we've been operating since 1979. Folks in the greater Tehran area have come to trust and rely on us for all their martyrdom-seeking needs. So stop on by and speak to one of our friendly representatives. As we like to say: 'Death to the great Satan...one volunteer at a time.' Oh, and ask about our gift certificates."

(hmm...i guess i did go off...)