How Would You Deal with the Iranian situation?
kala
3,361 Posts
it's a tough call from any anglewho bomb who?who bomb you?Whom bomb?We bomb'd them!Whom bomb?We bomb'd them!Whom bomb?We bomb'd them!Whom bomb?We bomb'd them!Whom bomb?We bomb you!Whom bomb?We bomb you!Whom bomb?You bomb you!Whom bomb?You bomb you!What do we do?Who do we bomb?What do we do?Who do we bomb?What do we do?Who do we bomb?What do we do?Who do we bomb?What do we do?You bomb! You bomb them!What do we do?You bomb! You bomb them!What do we do?We bomb! We bomb you!What do we do?You bomb! You bomb you!Whom bomb?We bomb you!Whom bomb?We bomb you!Whom bomb? You bomb you!Whom bomb?You bomb you!May 1971IIFor Don CherryWhydja bomb?We didn't wanna bomb!Whydja bomb?We didn't wanna bomb!Whydja bomb?You didn't wanna bomb!Whydja bomb?You didn't wanna bomb!Who said bomb?Who said we hadda bomb?Who said bomb?Who said we hadda bomb?Who said bomb?Who said you hadda bomb?Who said bomb?Who said you hadda bomb?Who wantsa bomb?We don't wanna bomb!Who wantsa bomb?We don't wanna bomb!Who wantsa bomb?We don't wanna bomb!We don't wannawe don't wannawe don't wanna bomb!Who wanteda bomb?Somebody musta wanteda bomb!Who wanteda bomb?Somebody musta wanteda bomb!Who wanteda bomb?Somebody musta wanteda bomb!Who wanteda bomb?Somebody musta wanteda bomb!They wanteda bomb!They neededa bomb!They wanteda bomb!They neededa bomb!They wanteda bomb!They neededa bomb!They wanteda bomb!They neededa bomb!They thought they hadda bomb!They thought they hadda bomb!They thought they hadda bomb!They thought they hadda bomb!Saddam said he hadda bomb!Bush said he better bomb!Saddam said he hadda bomb!Bush said he better bomb!Saddam said he hadda bomb!Bush said he better bomb!Saddam said he hadda bomb!Bush said he better bomb!Whatdid he say he better bomb for?Whatdid he say he better bomb for?Whatdid he say he better bomb for?Whatdid he say he better bomb for?Hadda get ridda Saddam with a bomb!Hadda get ridda Saddam with a bomb!Hadda get ridda Saddam with a bomb!Hadda get ridda Saddam with a bomb!Saddam's still there building a bomb!Saddam's still there building a bomb!Saddam's still there building a bomb!Saddam's still there building a bomb!IIIArmageddon did the jobGog & Magog Gog & MagogArmageddon did the jobGog & Magog Gog & MagogGog & Magog Gog & MagogArmageddon does the jobGog & Magog Gog & MagogArmageddon does the jobArmageddon for the mobGog & Magog Gog & MagogArmageddon for the mobGog & Magog Gog & MagogGog & Magog Gog & MagogGog Magog Gog MagogGog & Magog Gog & MagogGog Magog Gog MagogGog Magog Gog MagogGog Magog Gog MagogGog Magog Gog MagogGog Magog Gog MagogGinsberg says Gog & MagogArmageddon did the job.
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Comments
On the real though, Ahmadinejad has been linked to the Iran Hostage crisis of 79 and being part of assassinating a foreign dignitary in Vienna.
While his letter to Bush was an interesting read, insightful, and great IF honest, it was not. He is hell bent on fucking up Israel by any means necessary. While I don't agree with Israeli policy in regards to how they deal with the Palestinians, they're there, let em be.
We should sponsor a youth rebellion in Iran against their establishment. They would welcome it, fun had by all (eventually).
http://vitalperspective.typepad.com/vital_perspective_clarity/2006/08/in_case_you_mis.html
MIKE WALLACE: When Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks out candidly, and he does it a lot, he scares a lot of people. He has said more than once that Israel should be wiped off the map and that the Holocaust is an overblown fairytale. Interviewing him in Tehran this past week, it became apparent that he sees the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, that militia Iran has long supported, as part of a larger battle between the U.S. and a militant Islam for control of the Middle East.
MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Very clearly I will tell you that I fully oppose the behavior of the British and the Americans.
Q: Oh, yes, I know that you do.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) They are providing state of the art military hardware to the Zionists and they are throwing their full support behind Israel. We believe that this threatens the future of all peoples, including the American and European peoples, so we are asking why the American government is blindly supporting this murderous regime.
Q: Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Q: (Narrating interview.) I tried to ask him then about Hezbollah's use of missiles - rockets furnished by Iran, but he wanted to talk about Israel's attacks with American bombs. The voice you hear, by the way, is his personal interpreter.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Their laser-guided bombs have been given to the Zionists and they're targeting the shelter of defenseless children and women.
Q: Who supports Hezbollah? Who has given Hezbollah hundreds of millions of dollars for years? Who has given Hezbollah Iranian-made missiles and rockets that is making - that are making all kinds - may I ask my question, please, sir?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Are you the representative of the Zionist regime or a journalist?
Q: I am a journalist. I am a journalist.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) This is not journalism, sir. Hezbollah is a popular organization in Lebanon and they are defending their land.
Q: Oh, really?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) They are defending their own houses. And according to the charter of the United Nations, every person has the right to defend his house. What I'm saying is that the killing of innocents is reprehensible and the displacement of people and making them refugees again is reprehensible.
Q: Wait a minute. Hezbollah is displacing and damaging and making bleed all kinds of people. You know that.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Please tell me, are the Lebanese inside the occupied lands right now, or is it the other way around - that the Zionist troops are in Lebanese territory? Lebanon is defending its independence. We are not at all happy with war. That is why on the first day we condemned these recent conflicts and we asked for an immediate ceasefire.
Q: (Narrating interview.) He told us the United Nations Security Council has not been effective in Lebanon because the Security Council is in America's pocket.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, the reason is that the UNSC is there to safeguard the interests of the British and the Americans. They are not there to provide security. It's very clear.
Q: The UNCS - the United Nations Security Council - is there to protect the interests of the United States and the British? That's what you say?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) It has been created to help with peace and justice, but we see that it is not responding to atrocities. If we search for the root causes, we see the hand of the British and the Americans. People - innocent people are being killed.
Q: (Narrating interview.) And he told us the Security Council is also doing America's bidding by trying to prevent Iran from developing nuclear energy. The Security Council is demanding that Iran stop all uranium enrichment by the end of this month, which Iran is refusing to do.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) But if Mr. Bush thinks that he can stop our progress, I have to say that he will be unable to do that.
Q: What do you mean?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) We want to have access to nuclear technology. We want to produce fuel. Do you not think that the most important issue of the world of tomorrow that it will be energy? We think that Mr. Bush's team and the parties that support him want to monopolize energy resources in the world because once they have that, they can impose their opinions, points of view, policies on other nations. And of course line their own pockets.
Q: President Bush has said - vowed he will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. Do you believe him?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Basically, we are not looking for - working for the bomb. The problem that President Bush has that in his mind he wants to solve everything with bombs. The time of the bomb is in the past. It's behind us. Today is the era of thoughts, dialogue, and cultural exchanges.
Q: (Narrating interview.) But dialogue and cultural exchanges do not sound like his policy toward Israel.
Q: Israel, you have said time and again, Israel must be wiped off the map. Please explain why, and what is Iran doing about that?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, allow me to finish with the nuclear dossier first.
Q: Oh, you finished with that. You finished with that. Tell me -
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) No, it's not finished, sir. It's not finished. We are just beginning.
Q: Okay. That's what I was afraid of, but go.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, the Americans are overly sensitive, and of course the American government. I don't know why they're opposed to Iranian progress.
Q: The United States is against Iranian progress and development?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) That is true. That is what I am saying.
Q: Ah, you know that's not so.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, I'm going to explain. Before the revolution, the German, French, American governments and the Canadian government had signed contracts with us to produce nuclear fuel inside Iran, but immediately after the establishment of the Islamic Republic, their opposition started. Right now, they are opposed to our nuclear technology. Now, why is that?
Q: Because the U.S. is convinced that nuclear energy is just a smokescreen, that what Iran really wants is the bomb.
Q: (Narrating interview.) Then I tried to get the president back to his most inflammatory statement.
Q: You are very good at filibustering. You still have not answered the question. You still have not answered the question: Israel must be wiped off the map. Why?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, don't be hasty, sir. I'm going to get to that.
Q: I'm not hasty.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) I think that the Israeli government is a fabricated government.
Q: (Narrating interview.) Fabricated following the Holocaust, which he has said may also have been fabricated.
Q: Last December, you said this: "The Europeans created a myth - the Holocaust." A myth?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) What I did say was that if this is a reality, if this is real, where did it take place?
Q: In Germany.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) There are (unintelligible).
Q: In Germany.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Who caused this in Europe?
Q: In Europe. What you are suggesting - one moment - what you are suggesting, then, that Israel should be over in Germany because that's where the Holocaust took place?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) I'm not saying that, mind you.
Q: (Narrating interview.) But he has said Israel could be moved to Europe or even to the United States, but it should not be in Palestine.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, if an atrocity was committed in Germany, or Europe for that matter, why should the Palestinians answer for this? They had no role to play in this. Why on the pretext of the Holocaust they have occupied Palestine? Millions of people have been made refugees. Thousands of people to date have been killed, sir. Thousands of people have been put in prison. Well, at the very moment, a great war is raging because of that.
Q: Look, if you could - if you could keep your answers concise, I beg you, we'll get more questions in.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, one of your questions requires - all of your questions require a book-long answer. If you want me to just finish the interview, please tell me and we can wrap up right now.
Q: No, no, no, no, no.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Do you perhaps want me to say what you want me to say? Am I to understand -
Q: No. No.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) If that is the case, then I ask you to please be patient. Maybe these days you don't have a lot of patience to spare. Maybe these are words that you don't like to hear, Mr. Wallace.
Q: Why? What words do I not like to hear?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Because I think that you're getting angry.
Q: I couldn't be happier for the privilege of sitting down with the president of Iran.
Q: (Narrating interview.) And with that established, I moved on to Iraq.
Q: I am told that your Revolutionary Guards, Mr. President, are taking bombs - those roadside bombs, the IEDs, into Iraq. And what they are doing is furnishing the insurgents in Iraq with the kind of material that can kill U.S. soldiers. Why would you want to do that?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) We are very saddened that the people of Iraq are being killed. I believe that the rulers of the U.S. have to change their mentality. I ask you, sir, what is the American army doing inside Iraq? Iraq has a government, a parliament, Iraq has a civilized nation with a long history of civilization. These are people we are dealing with. Why are the Americans killing -
Q: Was Saddam -
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) - Iraqis on a daily basis?
Q: Was Saddam a civilized, reasonable leader? Were we wrong to go into Iraq?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, Saddam's story has been finished for close to three years I would say. He belongs in the past.
Q: I just asked -
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) And the Americans are openly saying that we are here for the long run, in Iraq that is. So a question for you: according to international law, the responsibility of providing security rests on the shoulder of the occupation - occupying, rather, army. So I ask them, why are they not providing security.
Q: (Narrating interview.) Instead of security, he says the U.S. is oppressing Iraq. And instead of calling the United States the great Satan, as the Ayatollah Khomeini did, he calls the U.S. the great oppressor.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) We are opposed to oppression. We support whoever is victimized and oppressed, even the oppressed people of the U.S.
Q: (Narrating interview.) A senior European diplomat in Tehran told us that Iran's president feels the United States should be confronted in Iraq and around the world because he truly believes that the U.S. government is against Islam and the developing world, that America keeps pushing Iran and other countries around, and he is determined to push back. When 60 Minutes continues, the president of Iran lets fly at the president of the United States.
(Commercial break.)
Q: (Narrating interview.) The Bush administration paints Iran's president as America's mortal enemy, as a man who wants nuclear weapons and supports Islamic terrorists. For his part, President Ahmadinejad views the United States as his major adversary. He is the son of a blacksmith, was a commando during the Iran-Iraq war, has a Ph.D. in civil engineering, and became president a year ago by running as a populist man of the people. He is savvy, self-assured, self- righteous. But he rarely gives interviews to American journalists. His last U.S. newspaper interview was six months ago in USA Today.
But he sat down with us because he wanted to speak directly to the American people and to President Bush.
Q: What do you think of George Bush as a man and as commander- in-chief of the so-called free world.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, the so-called says everything.
Q: What do you think of George W. Bush?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) What do you think I should think about the gentleman?
Q: Come on. Come on. You're perfectly capable of handling that question, if you have the courage to answer it.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, thank you very much. So you are teaching me how to be bold and courageous. That's interesting.
Q: (Chuckles.) Answer the question.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) I think that Mr. Bush can be in the service of his own people. He can save the American economy without killing people, without occupation, without threats. I am very saddened to hear that 1 percent of the total population is in prisons, and 45 million people don't have a healthcare coverage. That is very sad to hear.
Q: (Narrating interview.) And he was sad also not to hear any answer from President Bush to an 18-page letter he had sent Mr. Bush three months ago urging him to be less bellicose in his view of the world. The White House dismissed the letter as a publicity stunt.
Q: What did you expect to hear back from President Bush?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) I was expecting Mr. Bush to give up, or I should say to change his behavior. I was hoping to open a new window for the gentleman. One can certainly look on the world from other perspectives. You can love the people. You can love all people. You can talk with the people of the Middle East using another language, other words. Instead of blind support for an imposed regime they can establish a more appropriate relationship with the people of the region.
Q: You can love the people. That's very easy for you to say. You despise certain people. You despise the Zionists.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, I don't despise people, or individuals I should say.
Q: You despise Zionist leaders.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) What we are saying - what I am saying is that I despise heinous action.
Q: (Narrating interview.) And as for his letter to Mr. Bush,
Q: In the letter, you praise Jesus and ask President Bush how he could be a follower of Christ and claim to support human rights, but at the same time attack and occupy other countries, kill thousands of people, spend billions of dollars on wars, and you urged him - the president - out of respect for the teachings of Christ to be a force for peace instead of war. Is that so?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) That is true. This was a part of my letter.
Q: (Narrating interview.) And then he had a new message for President Bush.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) But please give him this message, sir. Those who refuse to accept an invitation to good will not have a good ending or fate.
Q: What does that mean?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, you see that his approval rating is dropping every day. Hatred vis-?-vis the president is increasing every day around the world. For a ruler, this is the worst message that he could receive. Rulers and heads of government at the end of their office must leave the office holding their heads high.
Q: One of your assistants, one of your aides just gave you a note. What is he telling you?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Yes, they have told me to rearrange my jacket. (Laughter.)
Q: Why are they worried about your jacket? I think you look just fine.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) That is right. They have told me the same thing. They tell me that it's a very nice looking coat.
Q: Are you a vain man?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Sometimes appearance is - yes, you have to look your best.
Q: Let me reassure you -
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) That is why I comb my hair.
Q: Let me assure you, you look your best.
What do you do for leisure?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) I do many things. I have many hobbies?
Q: For instance?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) I study. I read books. I exercise. And of course I spend some time - quality time with my family.
Q: You have three children?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, you know very well, sir.
Q: How long has it been since the leaders of Iran and the leaders of the U.S. have had any conversations?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Twenty-six, 27 years.
Q: Do you have the least desire to resume relations with the United States?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Should we do that?
Q: Do you have that desire?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Who cut the relations, I ask you.
Q: That's not the point. The question is: would you, the president of Iran, like to resume relationships which have been gone for 26, 27 years, with the United States?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, we are interested to have relations with all governments and all nations.
Q: No, no, no. Please answer -
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) This is a principle of my foreign policy.
Q: I know that.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Allow me to finish my thought.
Q: Why don't you just answer? Say yes or no?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, you asked me a three-minute long question and you are asking for a yes or no answer?
Q: No, no, no I didn't. No, it's a very simple question.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) So is this a multiple choice?
Q: Do you want to - (laughs).
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) A, B, C, D?
Q: Do you want to have relations now, after 26, 27 years, with the United States? What harm could come from that?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) We are not talking about harm. The conditions - conducive conditions have to be there.
Q: And what are those conducive conditions?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, please look at the makeup of the American administration, the behavior of the American administration. See how they talk down to my nation? They want to build an empire and they don't want to live side by side in peace with other nations.
Q: Who? Who does not? Washington does not?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) The American government, sir. It is very clear to me. They have to change their behavior and everything will be resolved.
Q: I am told that your aides want us to wind up our interview, but you kindly promised to answer my questions and I still have just a few left.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, you might have five more hours of questions.
Q: Well, of course I might.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) Well, I have other appointments to get to, sir.
Q: Oh, none more important than this, Mr. President. One more.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) It's time for the night prayers.
Q: Last one. Your - you have a special unit of martyr seekers in your Revolutionary Guard. They claim they have 52,000 trained suicide bombers ready to attack American and British targets if America should attack Iran.
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) So are you expecting the Americans to threaten us and we sit idly by and watch them -
Q: And -
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) - with our hands tied?
Q: And have Americans threatened you?
AHMADINEJAD: (Translated.) I do hope that the Americans will give up this practice of threatening other nations so that you are not forced to ask me such questions. I wish you well and further success.
Q: Thank you, sir.
END.
COSIGN!
They will not use it against Israel, nor will they give it to a third party to use against Israel. I am guessing.
Why? The same reason we did not use one against the Soviet Union, and they did not use one against us. Mutually Assured Destruction.
Right now Israel (or the US) might use one against Iran. Neither needs to fear Mutually assured destruction, because Iran is under no ones nuclear umbrella.
The nut jobs running Iran are not suicidal. They are the opposite. There main focus is on survival through greater power. Since whats his name was democratically elected we should be dealing with him directly to find common ground, so we can start working toward peace in the Middle East.
It is vital that Iran and Syria (and Turkey and Saudi Arabia) be given more of a voice in stabilizing Iraq.
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That doesn??t work (and hardly worked in other cases in the past). Iran has a stable government. There is hardly enough civil society /opposition to start a youth rebellion and to create a stable situation afterwards.
Due to the inconsistent policies of especially the US and partly Israel, it??s rather easy for Iran / Ahmadinejad to argue the way presented in the interview above. Although his arguments may not sound convincing for the Western world (and what he says is - at least partly - nuts), they are extremely convincing for people in Iran and the Middle East in general.
well the cia has been dumping 100s of millions into a coup/propaganda/radio/tv/
and fostering the growth of armed "rebels" on the various boarders of Iran.
Meanwhile mamoud and gang have been tightening the screws of opression against the young people.
Gender specific Public Buses and Parks are now the norm,cracking down on satellite TV and
outlawing everything western including words.
How orwellian is that?
they changed the name of "pizza" to "baked loaves" in an atempt to distance themselves even further from western culture.
All non iraninan/muslum music has been outlawed and they publicly
hang student protestors for
demonsratating against these draconian practices.We won't even talk about the
opression of homsexuals/christians and all non shiites.
Iranian unemployment is thru the roof,they have
no plane parts for civillian craft due to the embargo so plane crashes are common in civillian craft.
I am suprised people haven't whacked mamoud or the ayatollah's for their backwards stance,but there in lies the problem-
a clash of culture/civilization-thats how they have always done thing in Iran.
Is it wrong to stone a woman to death for "adultry" and have the judge in the case rape her before she is stoned to daeth to make sure she goes to hell?
That is the way they work it over there.
Fucked to say the least.
also mamoud beleives he is the 12 inman or messiah
so while not blatantly suicidal homie is on some halo holier than thou steez
he will get nuked
and Iran will Be liberated [littered with pizza huts and taco bell]
This is
Iran locked down their elections so that the candidates the Ayatollah and the Imams wanted to get power did get it, and the moderate candidates did not (because they were disqualified as candidates). The election gerryrigging essentially got the voter turnout in Iran to look like America's, ie pathetic based on the voter population.
Also, what Ahmadinejad says in public speaks to everyone, be that Iranian or not. The simple fact that he is not trustworthy based on his prior vocations of being involved in torturing Terry Reid and having a heavy hand in killing foreign dignitaries.
Certainly these things are not true....these folks are Muslim and Islam is the religion of peace and love.....this must be some right wing propaganda designed to make poor Mr. Ahmadinejad and his people look bad.
What??s disconnected about that?
I don??t want to defend the Iranian government.
The government has the power to implement policies. Although the electoral process was obviously suspect, there is a strong backing for them. Iran is well respected in the Middle East / the Islamic World. The inconsistent policies of the US and Israel only increased the backing of the Iranian government so far.
There is opposition in Iran, but there is no organized "civil society" or politically relevant "youth culture" yet. It??s not that the majority of the people wants to have an immediate change to democracy either.
Please name one successful example, where external support for the civil society or the "youth culture" led to democracy (or a positive long-term improvement). There is very little empirical evidence for that. A short-term rebellion would most likely lead to an instable Iran and that would have a negative impact for the whole region.
Iran wants to be a regional power and although their domestic policies may not be of your choice (I don??t like them either), they are still THEIR domestic policies.
To achieve a stable situation in the Middle East a stable Iran is absolutely necessary. A hostile stance towards Iran does not really improve the situation.
well
i think that is obvious how things are over there
there in lies the dilemma all peaceful men of power must confront this enigma
hobbes vs Locke?
this clash of modernity vs the 14th century
also you have to factor in the inherent "Sabre Rattling" venacular used by mahmoud when speaking on anything which is part of his culture when dealing with the great satan/opressor
likewise on the axis of evil speech
which in of itself raises an inescapeable barbaric question which no liberal wants to confront ie;preemptive nuclear action on terhan/strategic targets with low yield mini nukes to stop their nuclear program and to kill the imans/and ayatollahs as well as mahmoud in one felt swoop.
But if baker's backround is true about the og october suprrise prehaps there wiill be some black level deals cut with the old Bush/CASEY/BAKER et al and the iranians.
Doubtful
to protect israel
we may have to nuke iran
That way we could prove to the world once and for all that Christianity is the religion of peace.
while this is true (no partner for peace), let's not blame the neo-cons (though it's tempting to do so).
after all it was the Palestinians who voted the Hamas shitbirds into power.
you know, Democracy.
Iranians preparing for all-out war, again stating their intention to destroy Israel
When will fools LISTEN? It's not like these folls are hiding their intentions, they're SCREAMING them at the top of their lungs every chance they get.
over 5 years on and you still dont get it. Any muslim who is killed in the pursuit of jihad is guranteed paradise. Radical islam is a death cult, islamists glory in it, the prospect of mutual destruction is something they would not be adverse to.
At issue here is whether or not you think the Iranians will behave like a rational nation state. The offer of regional hegemony was actually made in a series of negotiations in 2003 when the Shiite were given their full say in Iraqi affairs, by preparing for elections, and accepting the Iranian linked and funded parties into the Iraqi government. To go back to a precise moment it's either the Geneva negotiations with Khalilzad in March and April of that year; or when bremer allowed the Iraqi delegation to go to Tehran (on a US plane) to sign a series of agreements--including a counterterrorism pact, of all things.
Despite all of this, Iran is still orchestrating the death squads in Baghdad. Despite being offered trade, money and equipment, they are still not cooperating with the IAEA, still enriching uranium etc... Some critics have suggested this is because of the axis of evil speech and Bush's rhetorical support for the indigenous democrats. But if you look at the diplomacy, it does not add up.
So what does Iran want? Why have they not acted like a rational nation state? I don't know, maybe it's cause they are run by a bunch of millenarian fuckwad terrorists.
So then why hasn't Iran launched missiles at one of rivals Saudi Arabia? Why hasn't it sent its Revolutionary Guard to Paletsine to launch endless human wave attacks against Israel, or at least blow a lot of shit up? It's already got Revolutionary Guards helping Hezbollah in Lebanon, why don't they just invade northern Israel to destroy it?
Iran seems to be acting pretty much like any other state despite the ideology of some of its leaders.
Have you ever noticed that at every Christian soldiers funeral that people say;
"He is in a better now."
"He has gone to paradise."
"He died for his country and gone to his just reward in heaven."
?
How is Christians dying in war and going to paradise and a better life different from Muslims doing the same thing? These are simply the words that leaders (who have no intention of dying) use to get young people to sacrifce their lives to enrich the powerful.
I assure you if you enlisted and went to Iraq and died in battle, Bush would tell your parents that you were a hero has gone to paradise.
Apples - Oranges
As soon as the first U.S. Soldier straps a bomb on himself and sets out to puposefully die for the reward of Paradise then we'll be talking Apples = Apples.
I don't care what you believe in....
Comparing 2006 Christianity to 2006 Radical Islam is
Why is Iran??s behaviour not rational? They are better off the way they and they have more options. The chaos in Iraq further improves their position. And although Iranian government / Islamistic elites may be considered to be crazy terrorists or whatever, I am pretty sure they exactly know what they are doing.
And the grand irony of all this is that the US handed this opportunity. With Saddam firmly ensconced they had to watch their back. Now that their allies are going to be in control, they are shooting for gulf region supremacy. Thanks Richard Perle.
I do blame the Neo-cons for not engaging in the process in Palestine. That has further weakened Fatah and helped Hamas.
Surely you do not doubt the ideological sincerity of al-qaeda yet they also do not simply rush head on into conflict with their enemies. That iran hasnt immolated itself in return for what it would get now doesnt mean there arent any conditions it would do so in the future. Islamists have demonstrated time and time again that they are willing to sacrifice themselves and scores of other muslims in pursuit of their goals. Im not convinced that a nuclear iran wouldnt consider a few million americans in exchange for a few million iranians a good deal.
Don't beleive the hype. Fateh was not a partner either. They proved that.
Sorry, but the neo-cons simply can't be blamed for a deeply-held societal norm among the Palestinians that Israel's existence is to be rejected. The neo-cons couldn't create such a genuine, lasting reality in the middle east even if they tried.
Uh, dood Abu Mazen, the leader of Fatah, and many of his minions were more than down to sign an agreement. You can look it up.