Dolphin Suicide On The Beaches of Iran-Why?

Of all of the places in the world that a mass suicide of marine mammals could take place, the beaches of Iran seem an oddly poignant place in light of recent world affairs. The political buzz about a possible attack on Iran is very high. In a recent article from the "Deseret Morning News" Lee Hamilton, co-chairman of the Iraq Study Group is quoted as saying:

"The rhetoric is escalating, and one of the things I think is important now is to dial down the rhetoric. You're in a situation now that is dangerous, and you've got to be careful."

"President Bush warned of 'World War III' if Iran is allowed to have nuclear weapons, and Vice President Dick Cheney threatened 'serious consequences' if the Iranian government did not abandon efforts to get them."

For one who believes in synchronicity, (experience of two or more events which occur in a meaningful manner, but which are causally unrelated.) one might lead themselves to think the dolphins might well be giving us a sign that a war with Iran would be suicide. There may, of course, be a more mundane explanation.

At the end of last month, 79 striped dolphins were found dead on the shore near the port of Jask in southern Iran, and just last week another 73 dolphins were found beached in the same area. According to reports, people tried to physically point the dolphins back out to sea but they returned to the beach to die. According to a recent article from iol, a South African news publication, the Iranian government is blaming the suicide on exploitative fishing practices. According to the article Iran's deputy head for environmental protection Mohammad Baqer Nabavi said:

"We are basing our hypothesis for the suicide on fishing - either nets left at the bottom of the Persian Gulf or the big fishing nets that ships spread. They are marine animals but they need to come up to surface and breathe"

Oddly, the same article which reports the dolphins were on the shore alive quotes an official who claims the dolphins have been smothered in fishing nets implying they washed ashore already dead. Even more odd is to imply that a group of dolphins that large would be suffocated in nets and wash ashore in large groups at the same place and time.

If we put the fishing net theory aside, that leaves us with another, somewhat more sinister cause of the dolphin suicide. One must assume that the US Military currently has a strong presence in the region, which may well include a nuclear submarine equipped with low frequency sonar. Many have speculated over the years that large, marine mammal beaching events have been caused by the effects of LFAS (Low Frequency Active Sonar) which allows the detection of modern, near silent, submarines by sending out low frequency pulses which bounce off the surface of underwater objects. LFAS has become a battle between conservationists and the military for many years now and, officially, its effects on marine life are still undetermined.

Hear LFAS for yourself!

We are a little surprised that Iran hasn't jumped all over the above speculation about LFAS from US submarines being the cause of the dolphin suicide especially considering the current war of words between the two countries and considering the global speculation that an US attack on Iran is imminent. When we also consider Iran's President's penchant for taking any opportunity to trash talk the US one might expect to hear such accusations emerge at any time.

Whatever the cause for the dolphin suicide, the timing is the most striking. Don't be surprised when you wake up on a bright sunny day, rub your eyes, sip your coffee and pop on the TV set to hear that war has begun....

Just another day in The Apocalypse Times.....