Gonad Diplomacy

I suppose this will play well in Riyadh or Tehran.

Perplexed by the vitriol of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's attacks on Iran, one lawmaker believes he has uncovered the secret of her enmity -- that she was spurned by an Iranian boyfriend at college. [SNIP]

Somewhat mysteriously, he added: "This is the result of an investigation by a woman MP, who cannot be named."

Yeah, sure.

These guys just cannot stand having a powerful un-burka-ed woman tell them where to go and how to get there, can they?

Then again...

It was rumoured last year that German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer hardened his tone towards Iran after acquiring a girlfriend who supports the exiled opposition.

The alleged leniency of International Atomic Energy Agency director Mohammad ElBaradei towards Iran's nuclear programme has also been explained by ... him having an Iranian wife.

Maybe this kind of advocacy happens a lot in the circles of Iranian power; which is why they think that everyone else does it.

(Thanks to Laurence Simon, who is also mourning the passing of one of his cats. RIP, Edloe.)