February
20th 2013
This story might cause RonL to have a stroke.
The caretakers of the Olympics may have inadvertently accomplished what has eluded diplomats: Galvanizing Iran and the U.S. on a common goal.
Wrestling officials from the arch foes appeared to be in bonding mode Tuesday on the sidelines of a Tehran tournament less than a week after the stunning decision by the International Olympic Committee that will force the ancient sport — as old as the Olympics themselves — to lobby for a spot at the 2020 Games.
RonL on 20 Feb 2013 at 6:23 pm #
I am hardly against common ground. I wish the Iranian people well, especially if they seek to keep alive part of the traditions of the Greek Olympics. (Now that’s irony!) Supporting terrorists and developing nuclear weapons when have a stated goal of destroying America is another matter.
C Bowen on 20 Feb 2013 at 11:09 pm #
Putin has been putting in a good word as well, to preserve wrestling. Red, the timing of this announcement, with American wrestlers in Tehran, is curious.
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” a stated goal of destroying America is another matter.”
Is this hyperbole or are you sourcing somebody?
Rudy Guiliani amongst others like Howard Dean, Tom Ridge, Ed Rendell, support the Marxist terrorist organization, MEK, and openly call for bombing Iran. Geography says we start with our crazies first.
Kirt Higdon on 21 Feb 2013 at 12:26 am #
Iran has no stated goal of destroying the US and does not intend to make any nuclear weapons. Yes, it has supported terrorism, but its activities in this respect pale in comparison to those which Iraq undertook against it in the past and which the US and Israel undertake against it in the present.
Weaver on 21 Feb 2013 at 10:42 am #
The US should be banned from attacking Persia. One simply cannot war in an area with that much history.
The constant warring with demonised enemies and allies switching sides is almost Orwellian.
thaddeus on 22 Feb 2013 at 1:35 am #
What Kirt said.
Sean Scallon on 28 Feb 2013 at 7:13 am #
If we can have ping-pong diplomacy with the Chinese, we certainly have wrestling diplomacy with the Iranians.
We’ve mentioned the Iron Shiek here and he’s a perfect ambassador for the sport, not just because of his fame on the professional circuit. He really was a great amateur wrestler from a country in which wrestling is the national sport.
If wrestling can lead to international peace and frustrate the neocons, I’m all in on it.