Are these crazy suits Iran's answer to pro-democracy protests in Syria?
The United States has accused Iran of sending special gear to Syria's regime to help quell the protests there. One can only wonder if these camouflage suits – see picture of Iranian soldiers in a military parade on Monday – were included in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's care package to President Bashar al-Assad.
Syrian soldiers would certainly need to hide themselves as they shoot down innocent civilians demanding freedom. Instead of standing atop buildings with sniper rifles, perhaps they could blend into the crowds with these suits. That way, they might be mistaken for Muslim women dressed head to toe to cover themselves from prying eyes.
Or they could pretend to be going to a Star Wars convention, joining others trying to look like Chewbacca (or Chewie), a legendary Wookiee and co-pilot of Han Solo's ship.
Iran and Syria are odd bed-fellows, as far as Mideast alliances go, and these military outfits give a hint of just how odd. Mr. Assad runs a secular regime, while Iran claims governance derives from Islamic mullahs. Iran praises the "Arab spring" protests in the region, claiming they are driven by Islamic fervor, but then hypocritically denies that Syria's uprising is legitimate.
If Assad falls, Iran might lose a key ally in its many attempts to make trouble for Israel. No wonder it's trying hard to now cozy up to post-Mubarak Egypt.
Perhaps these camouflage suits might come in handy if Iranian agents try to slip into the crowds of protesters throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Or, better yet, they might catch on as a popular Halloween outfit in America this fall. "Trick or treat, I'm an Iranian fighter." (It can replace Harry Potter's invisibility cloak.)
Come to think of it, why did Iran even reveal this costume in a military parade? So much for keeping camouflage gear secret and the element of surprise.
