Martyrdom and the American Empire - Rick Steves

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/01/26/Rick_Steves_A_Perspective_on_Iran

Travel writer Rick Steves discusses the seeming contradictions of suicide bombing and Islamic 'family values,' comparing the concept of martyrdom in Iran to images of heroism in the United States. Steves says that much of the world views the US as an empire, the only challenge to which lies in waging acts of terrorism.

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Travel guru Rick Steves sheds light on Iran, calling it the most misunderstood country he has ever visited. He discusses his travels through the country and his new special airing on PBS.

From Friday prayer in a leading mosque to anti-American murals, Steves presents his message and experiences to help us better understand a nation that continues to be shrouded in mystery and clouded by myths and mistruths.

Rick Steves grew up in Edmonds, Washington and studied at the University of Washington where he received degrees in Business Administration and European History. But his real education came in Europe - since 1973 he's spent 120 days a year in Europe. Spending one third of his adult life living out of a suitcase in Europe has shaped his thinking. Today he employs 80 people at his Europe Through the Back Door headquarters in Edmonds where he produces 30 guidebooks on European travel, the most popular travel series in America on public television, a weekly hour-long national public radio show, and a weekly column syndicated by the Chicago Tribune. Rick and his wife Anne have traveled each of the last 18 years with their two kids, Andy and Jackie.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• america
• terrorism
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• martyrs
• islam
• muslims
• jihad
• iran
• iranians
• military
• army
• oil
• al
• qaeda
• heroes
• hero
• iraq
• globalization
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• fora.tv
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[lliverpoolarab]

Americans are welcome to hold their values dear and prefer it to any other value package. Those values though should not include killing, burning, raping, and torturing other nations. And if they do, well, those at the receiving end of these "values" do certainly have every right to defend themselves any which way they can.

[Aaberg123]

Thank you.

[NixonisLord]

How about disestabllishing the churches-one of America's greatest ideas is the separation of church and state. How about Scandinavia and Germany and the Netherlands and Britain stop subsidizing their clergy? We should get rid of the tax break for clergy here-Iran is a theocracy but that doesn't mean we have to be one.

[salmonme241]

fabulous. thanks so much for posting this.

[georgio941]

@slashingraven European military spending is very small compared to the US. As it is the EU is up the same debt creek that the US is with all the bailouts they need to do for the PIIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Spain). If the US pulled out everything in a totally hypothetical situation, every Eurpean nation would have to cut funds on healthcare and other social benefits just to fill the vacuum that the US has left behind.

[slashingraven]

@georgio941 How would removing U.S. military bases in European countries render them unable to pay for their own universal healthcare? I'm genuinely curious and would like this explained.

[georgio941]

@darusdei Out of all the years I have spoken to Europeans on my travels I have never met a non-socialist... not to say socialism is bad or wrong but I have never heard a conservative or libertarian point of view. I would love to see all US military bases removed from Europe but it's not in American or European interest. There would be no way Europeans could afford universal healthcare if the US pulled out which is precisely why we Americans still don't have healthcare for ourselves.

[nonbarbari]

Americans moooost save America from the american gov. or soon everybody will be agains them, and soon all the world will turn to terrorists hate americans and not only america (Gov.)

[Romania4trutine]

@john123wayne that was so eloquent and well put. i mean, beautiful come back.....

i seriously hope for your sake you are under the age of 14. if not, at least lie about it to save yourself the embarrassment.

go read a book

Good day!

[john123wayne]

@Romania4trutine u are a fucking moron. go to bed.

[Romania4trutine]

America is one of the youngest countries in the world (if not the youngest "empire"). All the other territories, have fought their wars, crawled out of rubble, and been fine even before you.

marshall plan? so what has it done in the last few years that is worth mentioning that actually helps people? lets see, crashed stock market, iraq war, imposing own arrogant "liberties" on nations that do not want them there, corrupt politicians, corrupt judges, more failed and corrupt money grubbing neocons

[Romania4trutine]

@john123wayne i must say, you are the epitome of arrogant american. "people are jealous of america?" have you read the news???

every country is now trying to stay as far away as possible. america has lost so much respect in the eyes of almost every other countries, and don't be so sure if the american "empire" wasn't present, the soviet union or chinese would be. buddy, have you done your history? with anything