Maybe there's not so much a "new" face of Islamic terror as "new desperate ways plied" enabling plain sight of how it links to certain leaders...the ones who imply China or the USA or whoever are "racist Crusaders", sit on their own folks including Muslim sects, and further imply China or whoever will protect them as they boldly admit using Qaeda et al from within to "destabilize" whatever nation(s) they take notions against.

Next time Iran says it's just a protector of democracy interested in just Iraq's autonomy and not say helping Qaeda types, consider "The Campaign for Equality", an Iranian women’s rights initiative launched in 2006 that is committed to ending discrimination against women in Iranian law. I am deeply concerned to hear that several activists have been arrested or tried for activities which are entirely legal, such as organizing peaceful gatherings and educational workshops, and petitioning for legislative change.

I have heard that the Iranian authorities have blocked access to the Campaign’s main website from inside Iran at least 12 times. Campaign for Equality activist Parvin Ardalan was prevented from traveling abroad to receive a Human Rights Prize, and Ronak Safarzadeh and Hana Abdi are currently detained as prisoners of conscience solely because of their human rights work.

As for the "would not help Sunni Qaedans what with Mahmoud being Shiite and all", well, the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations...for some time...has been housed within the Embassy of Pakistan in NYC; we all know how hard Pakistan has been wrestling with "controlling" terrorists, if Mumbai is any indicator.

Still, I hope Iran WILL become a better democracy AND true partner in anti-terrorism as well as global good citizenship, and the same hopes are there for Pakistan; at the same time, again, I would ask those who voted for Obama to not be too hard on him for not waving a magic wand and evacuating USA and other troops upon his Inauguration...compelling as 911s and Mumbais and so many other tragedies have been for the world, it seems same are too remote for some Mid East leaders to "risk pushing terrorists in own backyards".