Forghani is quoted as saying “In just 21 hours [after the attack on Syria], a family member of every U.S. minister [department secretary], U.S. ambassadors, U.S. military commanders around the world will be abducted. And then 18 hours later, videos of their amputation will be spread [around the world].” In most cultures, such a statement would be viewed as a sign of insanity and the person condemned as a public menace. In Iran, however, the promise of raping innocent girls and women is viewed by some leaders as a natural and moral response to anger.
The comment is clearly being cited to encourage people to stand firm with President Obama in attacking Syria. Indeed, I cannot find any direct reference to Obama’s daughters, but that is the headline in many articles. Rather, the quote refers to an “amputation” of such family members. However, even if true (as is now being widely reported), it only reaffirms the level of unhinged extremism that permeates this region. Part of the opposition to the Obama plan to attack Syria is the lack of any stated objective or strategy.
As with the recent murder of a leading women’s rights advocate in Afghanistan, these horrific acts are treated as the work of moral Muslims by some religious leaders in these countries. It is no coincidence that it is the daughters and wives that come immediately to the minds of people like Forghani. In a system that treats women like chattel, this seems like an easy choice for a fanatic. It is ironic that religious extremists (who constantly denounce the lack of morality in the West) seem sex-obsessed in such acts of retaliation. Faced with a possible attack, Forghani’s mind turns immediately to rape. I would not be surprised if faced with fishing rights violations or copyright infringement, his mind turns also to rape. For people like Forghani, public policy appears a vehicle for rape fantasies. However, these appear in his view to be morally justified rapes sanctioned by God.