Kamangir (Archer)

Congratulations and Condolences

Kamangir | December 6, 2005 | Category Iran

A military aircraft crashes into a densely populated area in Tehran, close to Mehrabad airport, killing over 100 people. Then, the head of military gives both congratulations and condolences over this tragedy (see see). As Iranians, we have got used to this funny behavior, but lets just think about it again. They say being killed for duty means becoming a martyr and hence is a good thing. Also, they show you clues, from those thick books of Hadis which contain guidelines about everything, even which kind of onion to buy, that a man killed when he is working for his family is a martyr. Ok, I understand it. But there is one question here. Think global. In the long war between Iran and Iraq, there were lots of army people in both sides. Many of them were paid to be in front. So, are Iraqis killed in front also martyrs? At least I remember Iranian TV talking about “hundreds of cheap Iraqis killed in action”. The word they were using meant being killed for nothing, or any word you may use for getting rid of a nasty creature. What?