So, I’m doing some reading online last night and these two articles – from Reuters – are side-by-side.
Ahmadinejad says Iran, U.S. not headed for war and Cheney mulled Israeli strike on Iran
Article 1:
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a U.S. television interview on Sunday that Iran did not need nuclear weapons and his country was not heading for war with the United States.
Asked whether Iran and the United States were heading toward conflict over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, he said: “It’s wrong to think that Iran and the U.S. are walking toward war. Who says so? Why should we go to war? There is no war in the offing.”
Article 2:
Vice President Dick Cheney had at one point considered asking Israel to launch limited missile strikes at an Iranian nuclear site to provoke a retaliation, Newsweek magazine reported on Sunday.
A military response by Iran could give Washington an excuse to then launch airstrikes of its own, Newsweek said.
Maybe we can get both these guys on camera at the same time and see if they come up with the same answers?
One of Amadjinedad’s PR guys must have convinced him keep saying this and (1) it won’t happen and (2) he’ll get re-elected.
He wouldn’t be in office in the first place if it wasn’t for Iranian resentment over Bush sticking his ignorant nose in.
It’s a said reflection upon the state our government when I trust Ahmadinejad more than our government…
This whole deal with Ahmad-whatever has been childish and ridiculous. And by that I mean, SOP for the GOP.
Why use a photo of Cheney discussing the size of Bushes intellect?
ya know what pisses me off most about this? it’s that no one in any press outlet will point out that this man was part of the junta that held our people hostage, whose people chant death to america, etc., etc., and despite decades of open iranian hatred toward america, and despite our warmongering president, we STILL let this man come into our country to speak at one of our universities — that should speak volumes about the fact that no matter how under siege it may be, freedom still reigns here, but no one will hear that
as a liberal, i find the irony of that truly saddening.
Oh get over it Mary. This is a free country and if a university wants to invite someone to speak they have every right to do so. If our government would just shut up and listen to what people have to say perhaps diplomatic solutions can be achieved. So STFU and listen to what the guy has to say and then maybe you can speak intelligently about how your position differs.
natefrog
“It’s a said reflection upon the state our government when I trust Ahmadinejad more than our government…”
Sad, but very accurate. The GOP gift lifted from the pages of Orwell, perfected by Rove and now bequeathed to Rudy. The only aspect of this that’s worse is the House and Senate are no better save for a few rare individuals. American business ethics are even lower. Whether Enron, Exxon, Microsoft, Oracle… or Apple and Google, greed is the sole driving force. Capitalism isn’t the problem any more than democracy is the issue… it’s when common decency is abandoned in a gluttonous smash and grab for money and power.
I have no problem with letting Ahmadinejad speak at Columbia. This country has been built on free speech. We cannot be so unsure of our own beliefs and ideas or feel that they are so weak that we cannot hear a counter point of view.
“So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will win a hundred times in a hundred battles. If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you win one and lose the next. If you do not know yourself or your enemy, you will always lose. ” – Sun Tzu
#2 It’s a said reflection upon the state our government when I trust Ahmadinejad more than our government…
#7 Sad, but very accurate. The GOP gift lifted from the pages of Orwell, perfected by Rove and now bequeathed to Rudy. The only aspect of this that’s worse is the House and Senate are no better save for a few rare individuals. American business ethics are even lower. Whether Enron, Exxon, Microsoft, Oracle… or Apple and Google, greed is the sole driving force. Capitalism isn’t the problem any more than democracy is the issue… it’s when common decency is abandoned in a gluttonous smash and grab for money and power.
It’s this sort of attitude and rhetoric which gives conservatives (myself included) issues with the political left. If you ever lived in a country where they don’t have phone service or they have intermittent electrical power or even decent roads to travel on, then you start appreciating just how good life is in this country. America and it’s Corporations are not the source of evil in this world.
1— Ahmadinejad is appointed by a mullah council and the “election” is a rubber stamp. Elected by 90% (?) of those voting?
2-7==What in the friggin world makes you “think” Ahmadinejad is more trustworthy than BushCo? While there is NO REASON to find the difference between two near zero’s, I think a relgious coke addled nutcase backup’ed and put in power by oil interests is slightly less dishonest than a fundamentalist muslim nutball who is a pure meatpuppet for even more extreme mullahs who script everything he says. –ie–when both are wrong and both are leading the world into a further regional war, what does any distinction serve?
5–completely wrong. Some do report what concerns you. Rather silly to think that EVERY news item should start with the perspective/propaganda that you wish? Not very trusting of the American public! ((Not saying you are wrong on that, just not trusting!))
8–I very much doubt Ahmadinejad will offer a counter point of view. His obvious goal is to lie hoping to lull GOUSA into internal strife thus distracting us from our regional interest. Just like placing a wreath at Ground Zero==is that a counter point of view or a lie?
And the stupid right wingers don’t have a clue that this whole bunch of noise is just a tactic by the right to get them all riled up and running around pointing at the evils of Iran, and fanning the flames of war.
Right wingers are so easily manipulated… it’s pathetic.
Just let him speak, catch him at his lies, and prove him wrong. Embarrass him with his own words. Instead we just entitle him to more and more attention, more world news. The guy is jumping for joy at the publicity.
Right wingers are so easily manipulated… it’s pathetic.
FUD – Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt
It’s what the Left is based on. It’s practically the syllabus for most courses of study in the colleges, and especially in the journalism classes indoctrinating the news media trainees.
Here’s some certainty: Islam is still in the juvenile expansionist phase of development. They really do intend for dar el Harb (that’s us) to be taken over by dar el Islam (them). Yes, the Jewish sect of the Nazerine (Christians) did preach world domination at one time. Christians grew up. Moslems have not.
Moslems are, however, far better politicians and propagandists than the US news media. Moslems can play them like a yo-yo.
“FUD – Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt”
This sounds like the Republican’s platform for the past few elections and the projected platform for the next election.
It also sounds like the Democrat’s platform for the past few elections and the projected platform for the next election.
It doesn’t seem to have anything specific to do with Islam – because almost anything else sufficiently scary would do just as well.
So what’s your point?
#12 – Phillep
FUD – Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt
It’s what the Left is based on.
Strange vision of reality, since FUD is 100% the strategy that is used to guide the RIGHT wing.
“The gays are coming to get us”
“The atheists are coming to get us”
“Saddam is coming to get us.”
“The Iranians are coming to get us”
Given that the whole Iraq war is historically proven to be based on FUD, and it is the right wing that still believes all that crap, it is obvious that Phillep does not know the difference between left and right.
Of course, as a true Bushie, for him it might just be a case of up is down, left is right and the WMDs might be hidden in the couch in the White House.
Right wingers are so easily manipulated!
Thats the only contradictory statement? That America might attack Iran? Granted all of Iran’s intentions have been towartds attacking Israel, but there’s also throwing America out of its neighboring countries.
How about the quote that America should fear if Iran takes its nuclear program underground?
re: FUD
Ha ahaha and all this time I thought it meant Fucked Up Data.
I think it is important to remember that sometimes people that believe they are the most free are in actuality living in the most repressed societies. It is important to remember that not all mechanism of control are propagated by the state. Often they are the instruments of the culture in which the individual resides.
#12 ..the Jewish sect of the Nazerine (Christians) did preach world domination at one time.
And achieved it
10 I very much doubt Ahmadinejad will offer a counter point of view. His obvious goal is to lie hoping to lull GOUSA into internal strife thus distracting us from our regional interest. Just like placing a wreath at Ground Zero==is that a counter point of view or a lie?
Lets think about this, If he says he’s going to change his viewpoint and start offering peace with the West and Israel will that change your point of view? Maybe he’ll say something that will either 1) show us exactly the kind of person he is and where he’s planning on moving Iran politically in the region. Hitler didn’t mince words when he talked about the “Jewish problem” in Europe and pretty much outlined his plans on what he’d do if he was in charge. Lets give Ahmadinejad his say and in the process the supporters of Israel on the left and the right in this country see what exactly is at stake here. If he’s lying through his teeth about wanting to be friends with Israel then HE’S going to have a lot of explaining to do with the radical mullahs back home. 2) He might offer some criticism of the USA which is probably going to be off on some rant about how we unfairly support the Israelis at the expense of the Palestinians (which we do and we continue to do at the expense of our other political interests in the region) It’s a legitimate gripe and our foreign policy has always been skewed to support Israel no matter what. You might not like what he’s got to say about our foreign policy, but on the other hand it will also force him to acknowledge OUR concerns about the security of Israel. 3) As far as the Iranian nuclear program no doubt he’ll continue to say it’s for peaceful uses, yadda yadda yadda… but it’ll give us a chance to press him on the need for enriching Uranium for so called “peaceful” uses. Why do they need this technology? Now if he’s an accomplished liar, he might even be able to pull the wool over our eyes. He might slip up, (he’s backtracked on stupid things he’s said in the past) and change someone who’s sitting on the fence in this country. The important thing is it might just give folks over here a chance to decide for themselves if he’s lying or not. Either way, is it going to change YOUR opinion? Are we afraid that we’re so weak minded that he’s going to pull a Jedi mind trick and have the masses of people who even care about the issue to change their opinions?
#11 Right wingers are so easily manipulated… it’s pathetic.
Don’t be so stupid. The left has it’s share of easily manipulated idiots as well. Remember all the lefties that bought into the rhetoric by Hillary Clinton that the Monica Lewinsky scandal as a plot by the “Vast rightwing conspiracy”? It wasn’t Newt Gingrich and the GOP grabbing Bill Clinton’s cock and shoving it into Monica’s mouth.
The left wing is all about FUD. See “political correctness” for details.
The right wing is all about FUD. See “Weapons of Mass Destruction” for details.
The whole fucking media is all about FUD. See “piracy” and “committee of concerned journalists” for details.
So one side is afraid of offending people, the other is getting afraid getting blown up by imaginary weapons, and the people who are supposed to be watching them are making up all sorts of crises while both sides convince us that we need more regulation.
So the question is, is this post libertarian FUD?
21 So one side is afraid of offending people, the other is getting afraid getting blown up by imaginary weapons, and the people who are supposed to be watching them are making up all sorts of crises while both sides convince us that we need more regulation.
It’s certainly comforting that we know now that Iraq doesn’t currently have WMD’s. (I’m still not convinced that Saddam’s regime DIDN’T smuggle the components of his weapons programs to Syria) But the fact is that Saddam either wanted WMD’s or wanted us to think he had WMD’s. This was not an idea that Bush cooked up in planning to go to war with Iraq. That impression was put in place over a decade before W. became President. Remember, this whole Iraq war mess could have been avoided if Saddam had allowed weapons inspectors into Iraq in the first place!
ZeOverMind, so basically you equate the Clinton controversy to a President that essential kills a so far uncountable sum of people due to not having a plan for the political power vacuum that would follow the end of the Saddam regime. Than you follow this by saying that at least Saddam didn’t have any weapons, and than buy into a conspiracy by a select individual that tried to propagate a myth that the weapons were spent to Syria as part of a cover his own ass operation because he knew that it could never be proven one way or the other. Than to finish your statement you actually misstate the facts on the UN weapons inspectors. WOW!
I suppose next you are going to tell us that Saddam sent the anthrax letters? Of course in order to do that he would have to pretend to be a redneck, pretending to be a radical Islamic individual.
Alex, I would like nutty US conspiracies for $500.
20–thanks ZeOverMind. Does it matter in any conceivable way what he says? He is a puppet mouth piece for the mullahs.
I prefer to look at what Iran ((like BushCo, like all politicians)) is actually doing–not what they say. That is the media being all FUD==and lazy. Too easy to report what is said than Historically or Currently what is actually being DONE.
Regarding nuclear intentions–there is NO DOUBT what is being DONE. The nuclear facilities have no power grid near them at all–ie, not for the purpose of generating electricity. What other use is there?
NOTHING he or GOUSA says will force any recognition or response from him. Again, he is the puppet and the power that pulls his strings is a group of muslim fundamentalist OLD MEN wanting gods approval. I fear they think they can hand their nukes off to third parties and think they “with allahs will” deny responsibility and the paper tiger will be too weak to respond.
“The important thing is it might just give folks over here a chance to decide for themselves if he’s lying or not.” === anybody that needs more evidence is an idiot not worth pandering to. And basing political fortunes on the hope that some leader who has proven relatively adept at speaking (atleast compare to Bush!!! hah, hah!!) will make a mistake is more than just foolish.
I think he should speak, just for the theater of the absurd aspect. The facts are already in. Yes–I do think we should be talking to all relevant parties about all relevant issues. That does not inlclude public occasions.
22, the mess could have been avoided for many other reasons too. One big one could be called diplomacy…had it existed in Bush’s first term we’d be far better off today. But screw diplomacy, we need to kick their ass.
Ahmansyourmama is playing the same game to the same people, headed towards the same result if he can help it. Hopefully Bush is smarter today, but there’s no hope for Cheney.
20 – ZeOverMind
Right wingers are so easily manipulated… it’s pathetic.
Right wingers are manipulated and manipulated and manipulated, and they fall for it constantly. Mindlessly. Happily.
A good example is the utterly PATHETIC comparison that right wingers like you try to make between the Lewinsky affair and the conduct of the right wing during the last 6 years. That comparison is pathetic and is a clear sign of how desperate the right wing is to find something, ANYTHING, to use as a tool to gauge the conduct of our current president. Or the republican party at that.
You want a good example of the utter perversion to which the right wingers have blindly fallen?
Bush would rather veto a bill expanding state health coverage to children, therefore REMOVING state health coverage from most children, than decrease insurance company profits one penny. His veto bill stop health coverage for poor children, and he happily will do that. Now that is perversion in it’s highest form. And the right wing has the gumption to compare that (the health of our nation) to a blowjob.
You want the best example of how the right is easily manipulated? The religious right. Need I say more about an utterly and completely manipulated group, proudly led by FUD mongering false prophets?
22–Its my recollection, perhaps faulty, that it was BUSHCO that had the weapons inspectors removed just befor the invasion.
The inspectors were getting too close to a final report that would have interfered with BushCo’s plans to invade.
All sad and obvious. Win the war, lose the peace, pyrich victory to the GOUSA deficit and insertion into Iraq losses us the rest of the world.
Good thinking NeoCons!!!!!!!
22 – Pedro
… you seem to see no problems that from those 4 things qouted from you, ahmedinahnuts kills the first, goes after the infidels of the second, and fought a war with the third
Thank You ! Thank you! Thank you for proving my point!
The connection and comparison could not have been better made.
USA right wing and “ahmedinahnuts” have the same exact perspective and behavior. Completely interchangeable.
I can’t thank you enough for showing how the right wing compares to an Iranian extremist.
I owe you a case of beer for such clear insight.
Ahmadenijad seems to have the ‘fool the idiots’ game down. He will call for peace, play all the talking points that the Left wants to hear, etc. My question is, if his nuclear program is peaceful, why should anyone fear if it goes underground? This statement was made last year by Iran. Why that wiping Israel off the map, just ignore that statement, or the death to America chants from their rounded up protesters.
Nevertheless, I say no war with Iran. They’re not going to attack here, they’ll attack Israel. And of course they can always fight their own wars.
23: First of all, your attempts to tie my opinions with that of any conspiracy theories leads me to assume that you are too weak minded to challenge my assertions on their own merits. I haven’t made any such connection between the Clinton’s brand of stupidity or the stupid mistakes made in the Iraq war. I will say that Bill Clinton’s poor leadership in the middleeast was just one step in many that led this country into war with Iraq and if you want to debate that I will certainly make the case if asked.
Second of all how exactly are YOU sure that Saddam didn’t move WMD into Syria? He managed to move his family and billions of dollars in cash to Syria when the fighting broke out. I remind you again. Saddam didn’t comply with the UN inspections and had he done so the war in Iraq would not have happened. As far as the Syrians go we KNOW that they’re trying to build a Nuke program: http://tinyurl.com/35lgxh
28 22–Its my recollection, perhaps faulty, that it was BUSHCO that had the weapons inspectors removed just befor the invasion.
They left just before the invasion because Saddam kept preventing them with immediate access to the sites they wanted to inspect. Sure the inspectors might have come up with a report that saying we didn’t see any WMD’s at such and such a site. The problem was the French and the UN were all too willing to go along with the delays after Saddam’s people had a chance to “sanitize” the sites. Having said that was the war a mistake? It probably was. The difference between today and the start of the war is that back then we didn’t have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight.
[Please use TinyUrl.com for overly long URLs. – ed.]
#10, bobbo:
You really read more in to my comment than was intended…
That aside, the principle reason I would trust Ahmadinejad more than the US government?
He hasn’t been personally screwing us over for the past several years, unlike the US government.