Dear Readers, As many of you know, we are working around the clock to finish a manuscript for our forthcoming book, Going to Tehran: Why the United States Must Come to Terms with the Islamic Republic of Iran. We are very excited about the project and look forward to its publication next year. Unfortunately, it has meant that we have been unable to post as often as we had and that we would like. We greatly appreciate your patience. We have every intention to resume posting regularly as soon as we finish the manuscript.
Earlier this month, the Washington Quarterly published an article by Ken Pollack and Ray Takeyh, titled “Doubling Down on Iran”. We had been contemplating a response to the article, but, a few days ago, Steve Walt took on Messrs Pollack and Takeyh at Foreign Policy. His response is so devastatingly sharp that we want to highlight it, see here.
As Steve describes the article, it calls for “a variety of new pressures, including the use of Special Forces and other military means to ramp up the pressure” on and, ultimately, to destabilize the Islamic Republic. The article
“portrays these escalated pressures as something of a last-ditch effort to convince Iran to give up its nuclear enrichment program. Like U.S. policy itself, their article is rife with internal contradictions. As such, it provides a textbook illustration of the stale thinking that has shaped U.S. policy for a couple of decades.
For starters, Pollack and Takeyh admit that their past prescriptions have been a bust. They take credit for what they call the Obama administration’s “two track” approach, writing that ‘the two of us were among the very first to propose this policy.’ Then they freely admit ‘it is time to acknowledge that the current version of the two-track policy has failed.’ The chutzpah here is impressive: although their own policy recommendations have failed, they think we should continue to respect their insights and follow their advice. It would be hard to find a clearer example of the lack of imagination or accountability that bedevils U.S. policy on this issue.
Second, Pollock and Takeyh present a one-sided narrative of U.S. policy toward Iran that exaggerates the carrots we’ve supposedly offered and overstates Iranian recalcitrance…This formulation is at best misleading and at worst simply wrong. Obama & Co. were hardly ‘passionate; about emphasizing carrots; in reality, the United States made a couple of purely symbolic gestures but quickly reverted to mostly sticks when the symbolism didn’t produce immediate Iranian concessions. Moreover, the United States and its allies have never made Iran a concrete offer; the supposed ‘path’ to a deal was merely a list of topics Washington said it was willing to discuss as soon as Iran agreed to give us what we wanted (i.e., an end to nuclear enrichment).
In other words, when Pollack and Takeyh write that the administration was ‘offering the theocratic leaders a respectful path of out of their predicament,’ that ‘respectful path’ was defined as complete Iranian acquiescence to Washington’s demands. You surrender, and then we’ll talk…
Third, Pollack and Takeyh never confront the inherent contradiction in the ‘two-track policy’ (which, to repeat, they admit has been a failure). This policy is supposed to convince Tehran that the United States is not irrevocably hostile, and that we would really, really like to have a better relationship. It is also designed to convince Tehran that it has no need for a nuclear deterrent, or even a latent nuclear capability that could be used to get a bomb at some point down the road. But while we are supposedly trying to reassure Iran about our intentions, the United States has been ratcheting up sanctions, almost certainly engaging in covert action against the clerical regime, pointedly emphasizing that all options (including the use of force) are ‘on the table,’ and making it abundantly clear that we would be perfectly happy if regime change occurred.
It is hard to imagine a policy that is less likely to encourage Iran to compromise, and more likely to fuel Iran’s deeply rooted and understandable belief that it is us who cannot be trusted…The inconsistent policy prescribed by Pollack and Takeyh (and followed by Washington for many years) is probably the worst possible approach, because our crude attempts to combine half-hearted carrots with tangible sticks merely reinforces Iran’s belief that our positive gestures are simply tricks designed to gull them into unwise concessions…
Yet despite the protracted failure of this entire approach, Pollack and Takeyh now want us to “double down” on it: ramping up more sanctions, reaching out to the Green movement, possibly inserting Special Forces into Iran (!), and engaging in cyber-warfare and other forms of pressure…[T]hese steps are more likely to reinforce Iranian intransigence and make them think harder about the value of some sort of deterrent.
Pollack and Takeyh also fail to see the irony—or it is hypocrisy?—in their own prescriptions. They say at the beginning of their piece that the US must ‘compel Iran to relinquish its nuclear ambitions, adhere to prevailing norms on terrorism and human rights, and respect the sovereignty of its neighbors’ (my emphasis). Yet with a straight face they then proceed to outline a menu of options designed to violate Iran’s sovereignty for as long as it takes to produce the government there that we want. And yet we wonder why Iran’s leaders don’t see us as especially principled or worthy of trust…
In short, there is little reason to think that ‘doubling down’ will do anything more than increase Iran’s interest in moving closer to a latent nuclear capacity. It is a recommendation for more of the same policy that has been failing for over a decade. Instead of persisting with a failed policy, the United States ought to be rethinking both the goals it is trying to achieve and the means it is using to reach them. Ending enrichment is not in the cards, but it might be possible to convince Iran not to weaponize. That approach would require ratcheting down the pressure, making concrete offers instead of vague hints, and exercising a lot more patience instead of expecting a quick and decisive breakthrough. But because this approach—which has never been tried—is anathema inside the insulated Beltway mind-set, we end up with the endless recyling of failed approaches.
But my real concern goes deeper. It is hard to read this piece without hearkening back to Pollack’s The Threatening Storm, the book that convinced many liberals to support the invasion of Iraq in 2003. What made that book especially persuasive was Pollack’s depiction of himself as a former dove who had oh-so-reluctantly concluded that there was no option but to go to war. Similarly, this article explicitly says that it is not yet time to bomb, and that we have time to try a few more options first. But by falsely portraying the United States has having made numerous generous offers, by dismissing Iran’s security concerns as unfounded reflections of innate suspiciousness or radical ideology, and by prescribing a course of action that hasn’t worked in the past and is likely to fail now, Pollack and Takeyh may be setting the stage for a future article where they admit that “doubling down” didn’t work, and then tell us—with great reluctance, of course—that we have no choice but to go to war again.”
Bravo, Steve.
–Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett
James and fyi:
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James Canning says: October 12, 2011 at 3:15 pm
I believe I have articulated my views quite clealry.
fyi,
There is a large element of scam in all this. Many of the “Jew’ blocking resolution of the Israel/Palestine problem, were not “Jews” until they relocated in Israel.
In the US, many thousands of people have grown rich by pretending to be American Indians, in order to profit from special rules regarding gambling that apply to American “Indians”. Same scam, essentially.
fyi,
We both know that Netanyahu cannot stay in power unless he plays footsie with the Russian “Jews” fairly recently relocated in Israel. And that Netanyahu wants to remain in power. And that the Russian “Jews” want to keep all or large parts of the West Bank.
fyi,
I think you are quite wrong to see a war involving Iran as a blessing. Or, are you saying Iran can avoid war even if Israel is “going down” in a massive Arab attack? Just not going to happen.
The danger for Iran is that a war will be set up by fanatics wishing to take pressure off Israel, to enable continuation of its scheme of “ethnic cleansing” in the WB.
James Canning says: October 12, 2011 at 3:10 pm
The world will change and history is not finished.
Israelis are betting on future history that they will always have US (and Germany) to milk.
Jews are betting that they will never ever need to seek refuge among Muslims.
I hope future history will be kind to them.
James Canning says: October 12, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Dr. Al Baradei has stated that the nuclear negogiations with Iran was all about regime change.
That necons are damaging US only in so far as they are still unwilling to acknowledge their grand strategy has crashed and burnt in Iraq; that the aims of their grand strategy (preventing the rise of another global rival to US) in no longer achievable.
Protestant Christains in US, with their Romance of Israel, also are damaging US. Look at them how they are re-introducing into US religious divisions.
Just why should an American Jew and an American Muslim have to be divided?
Because of the delusions of White Protestant Americans who are raised to think that they can do anything they set their mind too.
Thank God for US failures in Iraq and Afghanistan; it exposed the fact that US could destroy but could not (re-)build.
Caveat Emptor!
fyi,
Surely Wilbur is aware that the Arab leaders comprehend that the right off return to Israel proper (within “1967″ borders), would need to be severely limited. But, quite sensibly, they will not give that issue away until a final deal is in hand.
fyi,
The head of the Arab League noted recently that there will not be another war between Arab countries and Israel. Unless, of course, Israel launches a first-strike.
I agree Israel has no desire to get out of the entire West Bank. And foolish US politicians make it nearly impossible.
James Canning says: October 12, 2011 at 2:53 pm
Israel will not get out of teh West Bank under any concievable scenario except war.
James Canning says: October 12, 2011 at 2:55 pm
There never was a Saudi Arabian Peace Plan; that was just a vision.
And as Mr. Wilbur has observed, it included in itself elemnts that were not acceptable to Israel without further discussion and articulation.
Furthermore, the Saudi plan was politically useless at the time it was offered; it could have made some positive contribution in 1996-1998 time frame but not in 2002.
In a way, that was a blessing too for Iran since it kept the religious war in Palestine alive.
James Canning says: October 12, 2011 at 2:48 pm
There is a religious war in Palestine.
Iran (and other Muslims states) are on side and US, EU on the other.
Mr. Khamenei has already stated Iran’s position; no Peace, no War.
The wound in Palestine will fester and as it festers it will further poison US-EU relations with Arabs and Muslims.
This benefits Iran.
The rich powerful Jews in US, what goes in Western circles by the name of Liberal-Zionists- cannot imporve Israel’s position in any way – with or without Iran.
The rich & powerful Jews in US, in fact, are strengethening the Iranians’ hand by their attacks on Islam and Muslims. They are, in fact, casting Iran into the Champion of Islam. They are fools but they are fools that are furthering Iranian interests.
Israeli leaders, on the other hand, are very careful about saying anything against Islam or Muslims. They are not fools.
fyi,
So, what things boil down to is simply the insane stupidity of Israel in not accepting the 2002 Saudi peace plan, in part due to the stupidity of “supporters” of Israel in the US.
fyi,
I entirely agree that Israel must get out of the West Bank. including East Jerusalem.
Warmongering neocons, most of whom are Jews, want Israel to keep East Jerusalem, and they are quite willing to subvert the national security of the American people, and hte people of the UK and other countries, to achieve their object.
fyi,
Surely you do not claim that ElBaradei believes it is necessary for Iran to be crippled, for Israel to be “protected”.
The object and purpose of the entire neocon power apparatus was, and is, to “protect” Israel, by deceiving the American people. The neocon Jew who was in charge of the Pentagon’s Office of Special Plans had a high regard for deceiving the American public by planting false stories, etc.
James Canning says: October 12, 2011 at 2:41 pm
I believe that the state of Israel cannot survive in the Middle East under the current circumstance. It will have to be indefinitely re-supplied by US and EU.
But that is an issue most likely for the next century.
Jews cannot cling on Al Haram Al Sharif and, at the same time, achieve Peace with Arabs or Muslims.
James Canning says: October 12, 2011 at 2:40 pm
It is suicide for Iran not to have the ability to quickly field nuclear weapons.
The strategic situation dictates that.
If I were US or Israel, I would explicitly rule out attacking Iran.
The first bomb dropped on Iran by any nuclear weapon state (de facto or de jur) will give Iranian to exit NPT and field nuclear weapons.
This nuclear gamesmanship of US, EU< Russia, India, China has reached its dead end.
fyi,
I am quite aware that fanatical “supporters” of Israel right or wrong, think that it is necessary to injure Iran significantly, for Israel to be able to keep much of the West Bank permanently. You seem to think the issue is actually Iran. It is not.
fyi,
The delusion of the Crusader states was to think Latin Christian kingdoms could be maintained in the Levant, without a strong Christian power on the border of those kingdoms. In other words, to keep the Levant, it would have been necessary to help the Byzantine Empire to expel the Turks from Anatolia.
Ironically, the disaster at Manzikert in 1071 (if I recall correctly) was an accident, in that the Byzantine army strayed into the path of a powerful Turkish army that was en route to Egypt to destroy the Fatimids.
James Canning says: October 12, 2011 at 2:37 pm
Not at all; I would say you are delusional for not grasping the strategic situation.
The destruction of the independent Iranian power is the aim of US-EU; attested to by many others; including Dr. Al Baradei.
James Canning says: October 12, 2011 at 2:35 pm
We shall see; I am not afraid of the Big Bad Sunni Extermists.
fyi,
So, are you saying you believe Israel will fail to end the occupation of the West Bank? And in that way cause its own demise?
fyi,
What would be “suicide” by Iran, in your view? Another statement from Ahmadinejad that Iran is not the enemy of the Jews or the enemy of the people of Israel? A repitition of the Iranian president’s offer to cease production of 20% U and instead to buy Iran’s needs from the US?
fyi,
I think you are very nearly delusional about the so-called “Axis Powers”. At the same time, you are reluctant to concede the immense power of rich Jews to manipulate the media, in the US and other countries, in order to aid and abet the “ethnic cleansing” activities of Israel in the West Bank.
fyi,
The emir of Qatar works continuously in an effort to lower tensions in the Gulf and the Middle East.
Oman does much the same.
A change of gov’t in Saudi Arabia would likely make things worse, in terms of empowering Sunni radical clerics.
James Canning says: October 12, 2011 at 1:08 pm
In my opinion, the Arab states of the Persian Gulf (minus Oman and possibly Qatar), and Azerbaijan Republic are enemies of Iran.
Iran needs regime change in all of these states, specially in Saudi Arabi.
James Canning says: October 12, 2011 at 1:06 pm
I do not know the minds of other people; I have no idea what is in their hearts.
However, Iranian leaders will be seriously remiss in their duty to protect the Iranian people if they do not endeavor to equip Iran with the ability to quickly field nuclear weapons.
That is essential for the integrity and cohesion of the Iranian state.
The Axis Powers, Russia, China, India do not appreciate the continued existence of Iran; they do not care one whit about Iran.
The Axis Powers worked to scare Iran to death so that she would commit suicide.
The confrontation of Iran with Axis Powers is a matter of Life-and-Death for the Iranian state.
James Canning says: October 12, 2011 at 1:02 pm
I believe that the fantasy project of Jews in Palestine will not endure.
Just like the Crusader Kingdoms before it.
We have past the point of no-return; HAMAS Hudna is the only alternative.
Wilbur,
Do you think Israel can continue its occupation of the West Bank for decades to come?
fyi,
Did France say, after the Second World War, that Germany needed to be split into several countries, and kept divided, to prevent another European war? Some French argued for that strategy. But the merit of working closely with Germany in mutual interest of both countries, prevailed.
Your belief Iran does best by avoiding good relations with its neighbors, is mistaken.
fyi,
Bruce Riedel writes (Sept. 30th): “Iran’s . . .possession of nuclear weapons will be a major acheivement…” So, do you agree with Riedel that the gov’t of Iran is not telling the truth when it says time and time again Iran does not want nukes?
fyi,
Do you actually believe Israel can be removed from the Middle East? Are you assuming Israel will annex the entire West Bank?
All:
Mr. Bruce Riedel on Iran:
http://www.ndu.edu/inss/docUploaded/RIEDEL_IRAN_US_CSR_REPORT.pdf
Unknown Unknowns,
“stolen our lands and have carried on wars of conquest, and have done their utmost to “wipe Palestine off the map” for close to a century.” You have got to be kidding me. The only problem with your logic is Israel has the power to wipe Palestine out and has not. If you want to see a true genocidal land grab go talk to your buddies in Sudan who are partaking in genocide and have been for decades. Get over it you lost three wars! We Christians did when Muslims overan the home of Orthodox Christianity(modern day Turkey which is now 99% Muslim after a series of genocides) centuries ago. If we were to use your warped logic us Christians should be calling for war to claim all former Christian land which incidentally is almost exclusively held by Muslims now–yet we don’t despite having the power to do so. Makes one wonder what the Islamic world would do if it possesed the economic/military power us infidels do. I shudder to think. Israel is not going anywhere and you are going to have live with it.
Thx
Bill
James Canning says: October 11, 2011 at 7:40 pm
Different countries make different calculations of national interest.
South Koreans, for example, made the calculation that they are surrounded by powerful states such as Russia, China, and Japan and they concluded that it is better for them to remain a semi-sovereign vassal of the United States.
Iranians, othe other hand, calculated that damage to their national interests had consistently emanated from Russia, US, and UK followed by Iraq and Turkey.
Thus they commenced on the path of independence and resistance.
[For Iranians, the maintenance and expansion of independent Iranian power is a matter of survival. This is a shared national understainding regardless of specific positions regarding the current government.]
The collapse of Soviet Union in 1991 and the revolutionary US project of destroying the B’athist Iraq has left Iran in a pretty good shape. The remaining task in the expulsion of the last vestiges of US-EU presence and reclaimation of Palestine.
In the absence of something like the Congress of Vienna; war and blooddhed will be the future of the Middle East for many more decades.
Voice of Tehran,
Yes brutal but note the difference respective Iranian and Syrian brutality. The operative word is death. Go to youtube to refresh yourself to see how your regime and the Syrian regime has dealt with dissent. Nice try but an epic fail.
Thx
bill
Fiorangela,
Thank you for your response and also for accepting my apology. I am still smarting over having penned that post–Soon as I sent it I knew I was wrong in doing so.
Regarding your refernce to Rabbi Manis Friedman yes those are quite repugnent remarks. Two points:
1) Is this view accepted by the majority of Jews?
2) He did isssue an apology(note not a very strong one:) http://www.baischana.org/content/view/120/
Regardless I don’t believe his views are mainstream across Israel and the Jewish diaspora. In fact becasue he is Hasidic I would argue they are very much in the minority. On the flip side you can find a vertible cornocopia of calls to genocide emanating out the Islamic world on an all to frequent basis. A case in point is Yusuf al-Qaradawi statement live on Al Jazeera in 2008: “Throughout history, Allah has imposed upon the Jews people who would punish them for their corruption…The last punishment was carried out by [Adolf] Hitler. By means of all the things he did to them – even though they exaggerated this issue – he managed to put them in their place. This was divine punishment for them…Allah willing, the next time will be at the hand of the believers.” In 2009 he had this gem as well “Oh Allah, take your enemies, the enemies of Islam. Oh Allah, take the Jews, the treacherous aggressors. Oh Allah, take this profligate, cunning, arrogant band of people. Oh Allah, they have spread much tyranny and corruption in the land. Pour Your wrath upon them, oh our God. Lie in wait for them. Oh Allah, You annihilated the people of Thamoud at the hand of a tyrant, and You annihilated the people of ‘Aad with a fierce, icy gale, and You destroyed the Pharaoh and his soldiers — oh Allah, take this oppressive, tyrannical band of people. Oh Allah, take this oppressive, Jewish Zionist band of people. Oh Allah, do not spare a single one of them. Oh Allah, count their numbers, and kill them, down to the very last one.” Yikes and our Shia posters here should be well aware of this clown because he has called all Shias heretics. All in all you will find “nitwits” on either side but the side who partakes in the type of rhetoric is heavily weighted on the Islamic side. Human and religious rights reports from any number of Muslim Majority states prove this out.
I will look for you response and again thanks for accepting my apology.
Thx
Bill
James Canning,
Thank you for your post. As your well aware the Saudi Peace Plan incorporated the “right to return” position. Regardless of whom is right this demand is a posion pill akin to asking someone to blow their brains out. Israel will never ever agree to it. They won’t because it’s demographic suicide to do so. They would be a minority overnight faced with a population openly hostile to them most likely intent on implementing an Islamic form of government. They would not be a “respected minority” as you opined in another post under this type of governement. One only needs to google human/religious rights (insert Muslim Majority state of choice) to find out being a non Muslim in the Islamic world is not a very good situation. See Copts in Egypt, Christians/Hindus/Sihks in Pakistan, or the Bahais in Iran for further reference.
Further despite the Saudi peace plan the charters of the PLO, Hezebollah, and Hamas still openly call for the destruction of all of Israel. When faced with that what benefit of it is to Israel to puruse peace when the other side will never fully honor it? It is also why Israel will never agree to the right of return because the operative word in allowing it under international law is that the returning people will live in “peace.” Right now the Islamic world does not truly want peace with Israel they want it gone. Sort of hard to think about peace faced with that wouldn’t you say?
Thx
Bill
Mr. Canning: “you in effect claim William Hague is lying”
I’m not implying anything.
He’s a politician. He’s a liar. Q.E.D.
I never thought I’d see people writing reviews of parking garages!! I guess it takes all sorts to populate a planet. Still, pretty weird.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
Oh yeah, off topic (now that you’ve read this far :D )
Fior: “… and label Obama’s treatment of Israel to be a betrayal.”
Yeah, he’s really thrown Israel under the bus. You know, Iranian politics is messed up in its own way, but never does it reach such a pitiful level of ignorance and deception. What happened to you guys?
t
Fio,
“Leon Panetta promised Bibi that he would rain some bad juju [little chicks in Farsi] on Iran” Translation[ ] mine.
Oh, the tricks that the brain plays. Reminded me of this episode: WKRP Turkey Drop in 30 Seconds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST01bZJPuE0&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLC048920F290F2C97
{the assassination plot, the US says: The international community (read, the US and whomever follows their lead) will send the strongest message to Iran.}
Obama administration not only is a war criminal, but also DUMB as Zionists. He is struggling for his re-selection and is willing to sink to the lowest point to keep his petty job.
To be re-selected by the Zionists, his dumb advisors have designed this plot to frame Iran to help him. These dumb advisors have not even asked themselves why Iran should assassinate a petty man like Al-Jubeir? What is the benefit in this stupid plot? The only fool who benefits from this plot is Obama and his master, Israel and Israel Lobby not American people or Iran. Obama is ‘revealing’ all kind of ‘plots’ except the zionist plot and US plot since he is part of it.
How dumb one can get? Apparently, people in Washington do not know how dumb they are.
Please remind them that your dumbness is accepted by many and it is not necessary to do any more work to prove it.
Tell these people No one will buy your plot HOAX, NO ONE. Not even ignorant Americans that your Zionist media has trained.
Everyone is laughing at you and your stupid lies. America has no credibility.
James Canning at 7:28 pm –
thanks for the link, but it was broken.
try this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/11/alleged-iran-plot-middle-east-war?newsfeed=true
UK journalist Julian Borger speculates on several scenarios, but does not consider that the US is lying thru its teeth, which is most likely.
Consider: Israel and Hamas announced that they have negotiated (!) the release of Gilad Shalit, in exchange for 1000 Palestinians (of some 7000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons). Not at all hard to imagine that Leon Panetta promised Bibi that he would rain some bad juju on Iran in exchange for Bibi playing nice with Hamas “terrorists.” Doesn’t hurt that making nice with Hamas undercuts Abbas, in punishment for the latter’s eloquent and courageous speech at UN and bid for Palestinian statehood.
Incidentally, except for Ron Paul, the GOP presidential candidates are making adamant opposition to democratic self-government for Palestinians a hallmark of their campaigns. They consider Palestine’s assertion of its right to sovereignty a slap in the face to that exemplar of democracy, Israel, and label Obama’s treatment of Israel to be a betrayal.
dear Pirouz,
You are correct !Three thumpings for three Thugs ! 1.Iraq,2 Syria, and then 3, your and the Leverettes dear IRI.
The ” Libya Model” is now on track…note that Turkey is already harboring the Syrian armed resistance (clearly an act of war).I think the Turks covet the title. Liberator of Syria. !!
And yes, we are salivating.
The Real Story of How Israel was Created, by Alison Weir, If Americans Knew
Sakineh Khanum:
Don’t worry, the sheet of glass scenario is just another Jewish wet dream. If the Islamic Republic was not protected from Above, which it surely is, it would not have survived these three tumultuous decades. And yes, like the gaavcheroon-in-Chief said, ‘Bring it on.’, cause the cowboys are the only ones who are gonna lose that game to us wiley sand-niggers and dune coons.
James Canning says “The CIA is opposed to war with Iran, by Israel, or the US, or any other country.”
James, you put your hoof in your mouth again, I’m afraid. The CIA is opposed to war with any country?? So what do you call the drones bombing hellfire on innocents in Afganistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia? Video games? All those controllers are based in Langley, Va.
Sakineh Bagoom – I sincerely hope you’re not following Persian to English translation by Israel Memri. Just remember how Memri has screwed up Dr. Ahmadinejad’s speeches.
http://rehmat2.wordpress.com/2010/09/23/ahmadinejad-lost-in-translation-again/
ADL: ‘Argentinians hate Jews’
Dr. Adrian Salbuchi, an Argentinian writer, author and radio talkshow host, in an inerview with Press TV has claimed that Israeli Mossad agents work freely in Argentina. He also said that any criticism of Israel is immediately labeled as ‘anti-Semite’.
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/adl-argentinians-hate-jews/
Re the assassination plot, the US says: The international community (read, the US and whomever follows their lead) will send the strongest message to Iran.
Right, I wonder what that message would be.
Wasn’t it the Ayatoller who said: Amrika tokhm-e maa raa nemitavaanad bokhorad (The US cannot eat our egg/seed/[OK, I’m trying to avoid the real meaning]).
To all the warmongers looking a for a false flag, I’d say in the words of W “bring it on!”
Iran is still sitting where she has, and will be after any warfare on her after. This is not the first time that she has met the challenge of war head on. It may be a sea of glass after, but the same place she always was and will be. The aggressors against her will not be able to hang around to see their fait.
fyi,
There are some signs that Russian influence in the former Asian republics within the Soviet Union, is growing. Russia is of course interested in doing business in Afghanistan too.
Isn’t the most important question, when a country considers a business deal with a country in Russia, or China, or France, or Germany, the terms of the deal? How many countries see things in terms of conflict between Christians and Muslims?
Unknwon Unknowns,
The CIA is opposed to war with Iran, by Israel, or the US, or any other country.
But it will be very interesting to learn who was behind the “plot to kill the Saudi ambassador”.
fyi,
China is either number one or number two buyer of Saudi crude, and of course a large buyer of Iranian crude. So, where do you get the idea the US (and EU) “control” the oil and gas of the Gulf? What control? Iran controls its own oil, the Saudis control their oil, the Iraqis control their oil, etc etc.
fyi,
The Israel lobby would dearly love to have the situation with Iran evolve into the idiotic situation that has obtained for decades in US-Cuban relations.
It would not be in the interests of Iran or the Middle East, and it would be of course very dangerous.
You have a pronounced inclination to seek to advance the objects of neocon warmongers who hate Iran because Iran interferes with their schemes to promote and facilitate oppression of the Palestinians.
Julian Borger has interesting piece in the Guardian, on the foiled “plot” to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/oct/11/alleged-iran-plot-middle-east-war
fyi,
In fact, European investment in the Middle East steadily grows.
Is the US military presence in the Persian Gulf actually to ensure Saudi Arabia and Kuwait can export their oil by tanker ships? Or is this just an excuse to justify a portion of the gargantuan Pentagon budget?
I think your notions of a conflict between Christianity and Islam ware a bit wild. Neocon love that stuff.
Empty says:
October 11, 2011 at 7:52 am
Empty Jan, with a mixture of Yazdi cowboy accent “Much obliged”
James Canning says: October 11, 2011 at 5:50 pm
I was not aware of this controversy.
And it is immaterial to Iran, the MEK is a spent force.
All it indicates is that not every one in UK’s government is so against Iran as to become a damn fool.
In my opinion, the Axis Powers confrontation with Iran has become a permanent fixture of the International System. Just like US confrontation with Cuba or with North Korea.
Too much is at stake for the rest of the world to concede to US-EU hegemony over world’s energy resources in Persian Gulf. The confrontation is indefinite and will insiniuate its way into international relations and conventions; corroding them as US-EU Axis will abuse those institutions in their confrontation with Iran.
As I said before, in 2007, after the US Intelligence report on Iran, the Axis Powers had the political cover to turn a new leaf with Iran. That they did not do so and decided on soft war – with the attendand political and financial costs to themselves – indicates to me that their ultimate aim was the destruction of teh power of Islamic Iran and achievement of hegemony on the global energy resources.
Now, of course, is too late.
James Canning says: October 11, 2011 at 5:50 pm
The Upper Class Arabs are welcome to stay in UK once the popular revolutions sweep these men and women out of power.
That, at any rate, will be my expectation.
UK and France and later US will leave the Middle East as military powers. UK for example, cannot fight a war against Iran for any length of time. Neither can France. And they have no political power in the Levant, and in Northern Persian Gulf.
That only leaves US, the axis around which the other Axis Powers turn.
She will not leave Persian Gulf on her own volition; she will be there until the last barrel of oil has been shipped out of the Arab states of teh Southern Persian Gulf.
In case of war with Iran, US will be forced to leave the Persian Gulf; she might be able to afford to keep Israel safe for a while longer before the cost of keeping Israel safe forces her to abandon Israel as well.
Christian states are on their way out of the World of Islam; this is a process that has been going on for more than 150 years and the Axis Powers no longer have the power to stay it.
Furthermore, the Muslims have changed. They are not those same benighted people who entered the 20-th Century with Ignorance and Hoes. They are no longer willing to accept the Euro-American ways of doing things as the best and the political directives emanating from Western Capitals as containing some sort of political wisdom.
The world has changed. In 1961, when the late John F. Kennedy started the US Peace Corps, there was a dearth of technical and managerial cadres all over the world. That no longer obtains; not in the Philippenese and not in Iran and not in Pakistan and not in Syria. Even Tunisia has cadres although it is a creole culture where Islam has a bad name among its intellectual elites.
Just as Russian have lost power and influence in Central Asia among those Mulsims, the same historical process is pushing Axis Powers out of the lands of Islam.
Russians accepted defeat and left.
Americans and Europeans still want to fight.
When 50% or more realize they are part of the 99% and start acting according to their own interests, we will see some meaningful change in the US. Is that likely to happen in our lifetimes? No, barring Unknown Unknowns.
James Canning says:
October 11, 2011 at 2:15 pm
Photi,
I very much doubt that the gov’t of Iran would seek the assassination of a Saudi ambassador to the US.
*
I agree with James and everyone on the board: no doubt this is just another clumsy false flag operation some mossad operative in Langley hatched. And as to Pirouz’s “I’m wondering if this is actually a MEK operation,” I would say definately not, they all have purple mustaches from drinking too much Kool Aid (not to mention brown noses from… well, you get the picture). But, the Kool Aid and Brown Noses makes them perfect candidates for roles as *patsies* in the Mossadnik op.
I can just see the SNL skit (if they were as politically saavy, which sadly, they are not even in the ballpark, having eaten too much White Bread):
Ahmadinejad [into the newly installed Red Telephone]: “Billary, I’m telling you, I swear on my mother’s grave, I swear to Allah even: we had *nothing* to do with it. We *love* the Saudis. Little known fact, Billary: these alcoholic gamblers and boy lovers are far preferable to the Islamic Republic than the AAl ash-Shaykh Wahhabite fanatics that would surely take their place. At least these guys’ thirst for power (which trumps even their pederasty and their love of wine women and song) gives them a pragmatic bent and so to that extent, makes them predictable. It is Hillarious for you to suggest… ”
“Shut the fuck up, Mamoood. Why do you *always* have to ruin everything with FACTS?”
“You mean like the time I told you that a nuclear bomb is a technology that is at least 65 years old, and that a major state player like Iran, with the technological expertise that we have (sending satellites into space, etc. – I won’t bore you again), doesn’t need 30 years to build a stupid bomb? Like that time?”
“Yeah. Why do you DO that. So frustrating!”
” ‘Nothing worse than the wrath of a frustrated woman’. Methinks its a hadith!”
Cut to next scene: Oval Office.
“Mr. President: Mamoood just admitted to me that a rogue element in his rogue government was hatching that nasty plot to kill that lovely, lovely man. It is a violation of the holiest of holies: International Law!!!”
acai,
And how would it make sense to bomb both the Saudi and Israeli embassies? Unless one were trying to “prove” that the Saudis and the Israelis have the same enemies?
fyi,
Have you followed the minor controversy in the UK arising from the refusal of the Home Secretary, Theresa May, to allow Maryam Rajavi to enter the UK to address a public meeting? Rajavi has connections with the MEK. David Leppard had a story on the matter in the Sunday Times (London) Oct. 2nd (“May ‘appeases’ Iran with ban on exile”).
Says Leppard: “Despite Iran’s links to international terrorism, its nuclear ambition and tis desire to destroy Israel, Britain retains diplomatic and trade ties.”
I think Iran does well to avoid another war in the Middle East, and to help pressure Israel to get out of the West Bank and the Golan Heights.
You are aware, of course, that many if not most upper-class Arabs have houses in Britain? And you think the UK will be kicked out of the ME? Dream on.
hans says:
October 11, 2011 at 4:18 pm
Hans , as mentioned before , I personally like your line of thought and in many points it matches , with what I grasped in the couple of last months , however on a complete other level , but this is not the issue.
Now you mentioned several times the gold of Gadhafi .
It can not be more than a few hundred tons max . ( my guess is less than 100 tons ) .
What would this change on a global level , I mean from finacial point of view ?
“U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters that the United States “will be consulting with our friends and partners around the world about how we can send a very strong message that this kind of action, which violates international norms, must be ended.”
but killing scientists after scientists are ok? clit’on please stfu.
pathetic mossad initiated conspiracy to nail Iran and demonize to justify a bombing. Whats wrong with these warmongering people?!
They say the Iranian told the Mexican that his brother is a big General and he’s carried out attacks in Iraq.
Yeah. Right.
How many times in recent years has the FBI manipulated some unfortunate delusional person into being their patsy, creating some fake terrorist plot? The accusation against Iran sounds like the same sort of thing.
But you know, even if it were true that Iran hatched such a plot, as unlikely as that is, how hypocritical is the outrage? The US and Israel have been running often murderous covert operations of all kinds in Iran, apparently, and very few people in the US seem to have any problem with any of that.
To: Photi,
Regarding the news story of an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi Arabia ambassador on U.S. soil, please explain how this could possibly make sense for Iran to do. It makes no sense, therefore it is probably bogus.
Why would Iran do it. To give the US the excuse that we are looking for to pull the trigger and invade?
This story smells phony, just like Gulf of Tonkin and Iraq’s WMD.
Curveball, anyone?
Today 11 October starts the Heaven 13, Day 7 of the ninth wave of the Mayan Calendar. This cycle ends on the 28 October the final cycle. We note the derivative implosion going from compression to smouldering to flames during this cycle. By the 15th of the month we should start to see the funeral of the Central Banking system. Libya is a failure, their gold is missing. This was a last bid desperate attempt to get hold of loot to save the Central Banking System.
Silver is in a see saw battle with the FED, this diversion of conspiracy against Iran is what the USA needs. I have said this is what to expect, Iran needs to thread very careful. Make sure that the unelected bigots and mullahs are held in check.
Be very careful and do not doubt the Ninth Wave, it is not a tin pot science it is reality.
Why in the world would anyone want to kill an ambassador in the US? What would it achieve for Iran?
It’s obvious that this is a major US conspiracy.
Photi says:
October 11, 2011 at 1:57 pm
As per Pirouz, I also find the idea if not an anathema, at least very uncharactristic of Iran’s usually cautious attitudes.
Here are a few points.
A) The alleged targets are imminently replaceable, and therefore of no strategic significance. If murdering people in of itself were a way of dealing with rival states, then surely everyday we would be finding folks showing up dead all over the globe.
B) As per assassination of archduke Franz Ferdinand, murdering high officials is a clearly recognized casus beli. Iran has been avoiding dircet armed conflict with the US and her neighbors for obvious reasons. In a situation where should war be on the cards, ala Iran’s nuclear sites being attacked, why would Iran give up the mantle of the victim, and wind up in a war where she is regarded as the aggressor.
All in all, I expect nonsense like this to make the rounds in MSM. Partly because there ain’t enough champagne to go round!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PiXDTK_CBY
ME Watcher says: October 11, 2011 at 2:50 pm
It will die on the vine; US-EU are not prepared for war and they have exhasuted their sanctions arsenal.
James Canning says: October 11, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Strategic aim of Iran is expulsion of US-EU from the Middle East.
30 years ago, that was viewed by many as Quixotic and Un-achievable.
Now, with US-EU offerring nothing more than more war and more blooshed, it is not.
Astonishing how marginal ideas become mainstream after 33 years.
I’ve been waiting for such an outrageous accusation against Iran for years now. The US is stuck in a dead end in its Iran policy, Obama is in deep trouble at home and abroad, and Iran is the easiest of targets. Anyone can tell that these are utter lies maximizes to create the greatest effect possible.
Pirouz,
I agree, it will be interesting to see the details emerge. And to ascertain the parties really behind the scheme.
Again, I cannot see the gov’t of Iran wanting to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the US.
Photi says:
October 11, 2011 at 1:57 pm
Some of the details and quotes included in this report are odd. It will be interesting to see further details emerge.
I’m wondering if this is actually a MEK operation.
Photi,
I very much doubt that the gov’t of Iran would seek the assassination of a Saudi ambassador to the US.
fyi,
Cordesman states that “it is increasingly doubtful that sanctions and negotiations will change Iran’s behavior. . .” And he does not mention Iran’s offer to cease production of 20% U! Is this being honest?
fyi,
Hasn’t Australia changed its policies on immigration, so that a large number of Asians have relocated in Australia in recent decades?
Some Australians have concerns about China, and they see that staying as close as possible to the US is a national imperative.
fyi,
Cordesman claims the US and Iran “compete” in “energy” and “arms control”. What does this even mean? Iran seeks a Middle East free of nukes. Isn’t that technically the US position? Even if Aipac et al. ensure no pressure is put on Israel to get rid of its nukes?
Surely Cordesman is aware of Ahmadinejad’s recent offer to have Iran buy its 20% U from the US rather than produce it itself.
James Canning says: October 11, 2011 at 1:30 pm
Australia is a vassal of US; she will do whatever US tells her to do.
They are so Afrias of the non-European people surrounding them (used to be Japan, then China, then India, and know it is Indonesia – the Yellow Peril and the Brown Peril) that they have zero room for change.
And then, this is the country that has been routinely supplying passports to Israeli Intelligence.
Mr. Rudd and Australia are enemies of Iran; no doubt.
true or false, this don’t look good:
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/us-iran-tied-terror-plot-washington-dc-disrupted/story?id=14711933
“FBI and DEA agents have disrupted a plot to commit a “significant terrorist act in the United States” tied to Iran, federal officials told ABC News today.
The officials said the plot included the assassination of the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States, Adel Al-Jubeir, with a bomb and subsequent bomb attacks on the Saudi and Israeli embassies in Washington, D.C.”
All:
Dr. Cordesman of Iran and US confrontation
http://csis.org/files/publication/111006_Iran_Sanctions.pdf
He finally has acknowledged the Zero-Sum logic of the US-EU vs. Iran.
“Implications for the Future” is interesting as he clearly states that there are no prospects for change.
fyi,
Kevin Rudd was an idiot to say that Ahmadinejad is “loathsome on every level”. And of course knowingly dishonest because surely he does not object to the Iranian president’s many statements that Iran is not the enemy of the people of Israel, but instead, the enemy of Zionist expansionism.
Is Rudd an Aipac stooge?
R S Hack,
I agree with you that Mitt Romney and Rick Perry are warmongers, and stooges of Aipac.
This description also fits Jon Huntsman.
Naiman is somewhat correct to say that the conspiracy to set up illegal war with Iraq was already “too far advanced” to stop by large demonstrations. (A key event, of course, was the snow job done on the British Attorney General, in Washington, shortly before the invasion was launched.)
R S Hack,
I am only too well aware that Obama is largely the creature of rich and powerful Jews, especially several families of Jews in Chicago who were able to put him into position to seek the White House, and get into it.
R S Hack,
Looking again at your post, I see that you in effect claim William Hague is lying when he says the UK is not seeking “regime change” in Iran. And you imply he lied when, upon coming into office, he said that the UK sought better relations with Iran. And you imply he is lying when he says the UK would welcome Iran’s normal participation in the affairs of the region and the world, if certain things were differenct.
R S Hack,
You contend that even if the UK opposes “regime change” in Iran, the US can force the UK to back an American scheme for regime change even if that course of action is contrary to the interests of the UK. True, US obviously is able to exert heavy pressure on the UK. But remember the foolish Vietnam War? US was unable to force the UK to back the war or to send any troops.
Mansoor Ijaz has an excellent piece in today’s Financial Times: “It is time to take on Pakistan’s radical jihadists”.
US-Israel behind Egyptian religious riots
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/us-israel-behind-egyptian-religious-riots/
All:
GCC vs. Iran
http://www.mepc.org/hill-forums/reawakened-rivalry-gcc-v-iran
Empty:
Further to your “How to Carve a Turkey” video, I give you The 99%’s:
Weasel Stomping Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k76IGLi6jWI
With the sheeple stompin’ their weasel politicians, it seems that the American Spring, er, Fall, (get it?) is starting to bear fruit!
All:
Another “friend” of Iran:
WikiLeaks scuttles Rudd’s Iran clout
Philip Dorling
October 12, 2011.
THE Australian government is ”deeply concerned” at the treatment of Iranian actor Marzieh Vafamehr.
But don’t expect Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd to cut much ice on this issue with the Iranians.
Mr Rudd’s influence in Tehran probably doesn’t count for much after the revelation in WikiLeaks that he privately derided Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a ”loathsome individual on every level”.
Mr Rudd’s assessment of the Iranian president was given in a meeting with Israeli ambassador to Australia Yuval Rotem shortly after the 2007 election and subsequently retold to US diplomats in Canberra.
The US embassy noted ”the Israeli ambassador believes PM Rudd is very concerned about the Iranian nuclear program”.
It said Mr Rudd’s strong public criticism had prompted ”retaliatory measures” that made it difficult for the Australian embassy in Tehran to conduct its day-to-day business.
Australian diplomats were reported as telling US counterparts that the Labor government was ”completely aligned” with the US on Iran and ”Australia wants the most robust, intrusive and debilitating sanctions possible” against Tehran.
Australian diplomats have also been serving as America’s eyes and ears on the streets of Tehran, with officials giving US diplomats detailed briefings during the 2009 protests in Iran. The Australian ambassador even drove around Tehran to answer US questions about the extent of anti-regime graffiti. The US does not have diplomatic relations with Iran.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/wikileaks-scuttles-rudds-iran-clout-20111011-1lj70.html#ixzz1aTzIuGBk
Mr. Canning: “Isn’t the primary object of foolish US policy toward Iran, an attempt to coerce Iran into ending support for Hamas and Hezbollah?”
No. That’s a side effect of regime change, nothing more.
“The UK has made clear it is not seeking “regime change” in Iran.”
The UK will do what the US pressures them to do. Obama never says he wants “regime change” either – but he does. So does the UK.
“I think Obama clearly was sincere in his wish to improve relations with Iran.”
No we wasn’t. Ever. He made it very clear in his Presidential campaign that he would bully Iran, even going so far as a naval blockade of refined petroleum imports. Look it up. His “engagement” policy was BS from the get-go.
“Or, Obama was too concerned about rich and powerful Jews who demanded that he be “tough” on Iran, and thus Obama foolishly “kept all options on the table”.
He is OWNED AND OPERATED by rich and powerful Jews like the Crown and Pritzker families, just like Bush was OWNED AND OPERATED by the oil companies. Look it up. He’s a slick politician who does whatever the real rulers of the US demand he do in order to get elected. Look at his craven behavior with regard to Netanyahu and the Palestinian bid for statehood.
This isn’t a SHRED of evidence anywhere that Obama is “sincere” about ANYTHING.
Stop believing politicians’ statements if you want to know what’s going on. Otherwise you’re hopelessly naive.
Robert Naiman makes a good point in this piece:
An Iran Policy for the 99%: Yes to the Medical Nuke Deal
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/an-iran-policy-for-the-99_b_1002536.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=56150,b=fac
Quote
And another key lesson of the last ten years is this: if we want to stop wars in the future, we can’t wait to act until the war advocates have all their ducks in a row. We have to “disrupt their plots,” to borrow a phrase. Millions marched worldwide a month before the start of the Iraq war. As an expression of popular clamor for peace, it was great. But as a means of stopping the war, it was too late. The war train had already left the station.
Right now, the prospect of war with Iran may seem remote to the multitude. But try this little experiment: go to the web, and search on “Romney” and “Iran.” “Key Romney Advisers Advocate War With Iran,” notes Ben Armbruster at Think Progress. Then search on “Perry” and “Iran.” Rick Perry is running as the “hawk internationalist,” reaching out to such neocon “experts” as former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Doug Feith, a key architect of the Iraq war, reports Josh Rogin at Foreign Policy.
Imagine the world after January 2013, if Romney or Perry is president, neocons resume control of our foreign policy, and Republicans control the House. (Unfortunately, whether Democrats nominally control the Senate might not matter that much, given the propensity of so many Democratic senators to vote with the war party.) That would be similar to the political terrain at the beginning of the George W. Bush administration, before most of the neocons were purged from the Bush Administration and Democrats retook the House. In other words, it would produce political terrain similar to that which existed in the U.S. before the Iraq war.
Suppose that the Netanyahu government or something similar were still in power in Israel — unfortunately, an extremely likely scenario. And then consider that the neocons would then have four years to line up ducks for their desired military confrontation with Iran. And then it could well be the peace movement standing alone against the well-resourced Netanyahu amen corner, with its agents controlling the executive branch and Congress and its privileged access to the nation’s media megaphone. Do you want to see the end of that movie? I don’t. We’d stand our ground as best we could, but the probability is high that the Netanyahu amen corner would roll over us like an Israeli occupation bulldozer.
End Quote
On Sunday, hundreds of people gathered in Tunis to protest against government ban on Hijab (a religious requirement for Muslim women) and and showing of 2007 anti-Islamic regime movie Persepoli which makes fun of several Islamic traditions.
Tunisian police arrested 50 demostrators in front of the offices of a television channel showing the anti-Islam movie Persepolis. The movie is based on Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novels about growing up during an after the establishment of Islamic State in 1979.
Marjane Satrapi was born into an Atheist communist family in Tehran in 1969. She studied in Vienna and Tehran. As a teenager, she got into trouble with Iranian police for attending illegal booze-dance parties. She married an Iranian man Reza at the age 21 but divorced him after three years. She now lives in Paris with her Swedish Christian husband Mattias Ripa.
Tension is mounting before an election later this month, the first since mass protests toppled Tunisia’s autocratic leader, that will pit Islamists free to express their beliefs for the first time against secularists who say their western values are under threat.
Several hundred protesters gathered outside the main university campus in Tunis, and from there went to the working-class neighbourhood of Jebel El-Ahmar, north of the city centre, where the clashes with police broke out.
Tunisians will vote in an October 23 election for an assembly to draft a new constitution. The Islamist Ennahda party is expected to win the biggest share of the vote, alarming secularists who have traditionally dominated the ruling elite.
Tunisia has been ruled by anti-Islam secularists for many decades. The recent regime-change in Tunis doesn’t reflect the feelings of the Muslim majority there. The new regime in place also committed to the pro-US-Israeli policies of the previous Ben Ali regime.
Some US foreign policy insiders believe that Washington wants Sakhr El Materi (son-in-law of Ben Ali), Chairman of the Tunisia-US Parliamentary Friendship Group, to head the new government. Sakhr El Materi met the Pentagon and State Department officials before the anti-Ben Ali protests. Israel-CIA authored Wikileaks has claimed that Ben Ali family is the most corrupt in Tunisia after it broke diplomatic relations with Israel in 2000. Wikileaks also says that Sakhar is very much concerned with rising influence of Iran.
http://rehmat2.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/tunisia-protests-against-hijab-ban-and-anti-iran-movie/
Kooshy,
Thank you for posting Zaman’s article. Turkey has its two feet two separating boats that are decidedly moving away from each other. Somebody’s لنگ ها for sure جر خواهد خورد …speaking of which: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqPog8yPJdM
Rd.,
That was a great post! At minute 1:15, the song goes: “Rawhide…Don’t try to understand them…..Just rope, throw and brand ‘em………Soon they’ll be kneeling high and wide”
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-259457-fathollahi-iran-is-more-influential-than-the-us-in-iraq-afghanistan.html
Fathollahi: ‘Iran is more influential than the US in Iraq, Afghanistan’
“Iranian Ambassador to Ankara Bahman Hosseinpour held a meeting with the participation of Turkish think tanks in Ankara on the morning of Oct. 7. The meeting was also attended by Islamic Republic of Iran Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia and Oceania Mohammad Ali Fathollahi, Chairman of the ministry’s Turkey desk Jalaladdin Nemini and Ahmad Nurani, chief of the same desk.”
James Canning – Frankly dear I give adamn what the Arab puppet rulers say. They have no moral or legal right to decide Palestinian fate. The final decision must be made by the democratically elected government of Palestinian majority – Hamas in Gaza.
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2009/10/06/can-hamas-be-beaten/
‘Locked-up’ in US Vs Iran
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/locked-up-in-us-vs-iran/
Rd.,
A good case can be made that the American “policy elites” to whom you refer, and screwing the American people good and hard.
Lacker,
Thanks for link to Alexander Burns’ brief notice on Jon Huntsman. Huntsman said: “What do you do when Iran all of a sudden develops a [nuclear weapon] over the next year and a half?” Of course, we can be sure the interviewer did not respond: “Are you not aware of the 2011 NIE on Iran, in which 16 US intelligence agencies agree there is no proof the gov’t of Iran wants to build nukes?”
Apparently Huntsman thinks one needs to be a whore of Aipac and the warmongers, to gain traction in the Republican presidential primary.
Empty says:
Re: Molana’s (Rumi’s) horse allegory, just so that there is no confusion, Molana uses horse as a metaphor for human lust and aggressive desires that need to be tamed and properly managed. Whereas nearly all US policy elites seem to insist on viewing the world as their own personal stables with people of the world as their personal horses.
..and you have to be wary of new techniques in managing horses, or cattle in this case!!! May be applicable to spring time!,,,,,
http://www.tvkim.com/watch/1361/kims-picks-unusual-cattle-roundup
aipac-puppet presidential candiate huntsmann keep warmongering.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/65531.html
Sure huntsmann attack Iran, Somalia, Yemen or whoever and THEN you got big problem, not that Iran nor Somalia or Yemen is a threat but you will get bankrupt and stuck with not just another war, an impossible war that you cannot win.
Unknown Unknowns,
Interesting article you just linked. What Syria needs most, probably, is money, and Syria is having difficulty selling its oil because it cannot arrange for independent oil tanker operators to uplift oil in Syria, for export.
Kathleen,
Writing for Bloomberg News, Asjylyn Loder and David Evans stated in recent story (“Company thwarts ban, sells goods to Iran”) that: “US companies have bee nbanned from trading with Iran since 1995, when President Clinton declared it a threat to national security.” Not mentioned, of course, is Iran’s effort to restore normal relations and the Conoco deal that was blocked by Aipac.
Selling Iran spare parts for Boeing civilian airliners is a “theat to US national seucurity”. Total crap, of course.
Rehmat,
Israel’s isolation is product of Israel’s decision to ignore the 2002 Saudi peace plan. I think Panetta is aware of this fact. And all Arab countries agree to accept Israel within its pre-1967 borders. Even if you do not like this fact.
Takeyh is a filthy and dishonest hypocrite like all the other so called experts on Iran that are close to the American political order.
“For starters, Pollack and Takeyh admit that their past prescriptions have been a bust.”
Complicit in crimes against humanity more like it. Pollack USGov1 (handing off US highly classified intelligence to Israeli officials) in the Aipac espionage investigation and 9 time delayed and then dismissed trial.
” possibly inserting Special Forces into Iran (!), and engaging in cyber-warfare and other forms of pressure…”
I thought Seymour Hersh wrote about US and Israeli special forces in Iran 3 or 4 years back? Israel’s Stuxnet cyber attack. And the Mossads killing of Iranian nuclear scientist. Acts of war all ready
AND the MSM still allowing way too many unsubstantiated claims about Iran to be repeated. One of the host on CSpans Washington Journal (Olivia) allowed Rep Chabot and a caller to repeat false claims about Iran. Then the host repeated them herself.
Unknown Unknowns,
One more thing about IATA, I think the article misrepresents the role of IATA. The article does not have it correct that it is a “regulatory body”. It is not. It is jutst an association with airline members. It’s a powerful association which could influence policies but it has no regulatory authority.
Unknown Unknowns,
RE: International Air Transport Association suspending Iran Air ….
There is a tit-for-tat game going on between foreign airlines (mostly Europeans, Arabs, and Turkish) and Iran. The refusal to fuel Iranian passenger planes began with none other a “friend of Iran” (according to one of the posters on this site), UK. These are dirty tricks to grab the very small share of few passengers that Iran Air gets and the resulting revenue.
The Palestinias, Lebanese, Syrians and Egyptians have refused to forget the occupation of their ancestral lands by the Zionist regime. However, the Saudi ‘royals’ or the Western Zionist-occupied mainstream media have hardly ever mentioned the Jewish army’s occupation of Saudi Arabia’s Tiran and Sanafir Islands in 1967.
The two islands are located at the southern end of the Gulf of Aqaba, leading to the Red Sea.
Tiran Island, which has an area of about 80 square kilometers, is located at the inflow of the Straits of Tiran. Sanafir Island, with an area of 33 square kilometers, also lies to the east of Tiran.
The two islands were given to the former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser for logistics use in the Six Day War of 1967 against Israeli forces.
However, the islands have been occupied by Tel Aviv since Egypt’s defeat.
The Straits of Tiran, which has remained under the control of Tel Aviv, has strategic significance since it serves as Israel’s only direct access to the Red Sea.
Regional observers say while Saudi Arabia has maintained a total silence on its own Israeli-occupied islands, it vigorously pursues baseless claims by the United Arab Emirates against three tiny Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf.
It seems the Saudi ‘royals’ are quite happy with Jewish occupation of two Muslim island as small price to keep powerful western Jewish lobbying groups off their backs. After all US-Israel are helping Riyadh to keep the ‘Arab Spring’ away from the Kingdom.
http://rehmat2.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/israeli-occupation-of-two-saudi-islands/
Unknown Unknowns,
Your phrase “bani gavcheroun” was quite funny. An interesting تلفیق [amalgamation] of two concepts of “bani adam” and “gavcheroun”.
Re: Molana’s (Rumi’s) horse allegory, just so that there is no confusion, Molana uses horse as a metaphor for human lust and aggressive desires that need to be tamed and properly managed. Whereas nearly all US policy elites seem to insist on viewing the world as their own personal stables with people of the world as their personal horses.
میان ماه من تا ماه گردون…..تفاوت از زمین تا آسمان است
[The difference between my moon and the moon in the sky equals to the distance from the earth to the sky.]
I hope the cowboys apply their magnificent horse-training techniques to tame their own hegemonic desires. Perhaps then and only then, they could begin to know how it feels to be free (in its truest sense).
Unknown Unknowns, thank you for your interest. americans tend to ’stick to the facts’ because we have low social IQs. Or at least i do anyway;).
for the most part my family has been fairly sane about my becoming a Muslim. The most intense debates came from my father, though his objections to my conversion are mainly due to objections against religion generally. ‘To each his own’ is a sentiment fairly well represented in my family.
Rumi and Donne !!
a good day
Thanks for sharing. So I’d be very interested to hear of your family’s reaction to your reversion to Islam, but I guess that’s too personal for this website, which, for some reason, everyone just sticks to the facts, ma’am :o)
In any case, masha’llah.
Panorama (Not the British news program):
Safavi: Turkey maintains relations with Israel behind the scene
Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, the military advisor of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has doubted the tensed Turkish-Israeli relations describing it as a political gesture, writes “National Turk” paper.
“Turkey’s gestures and stance against Israel are merely a facade, it has only political and strategic purposes and the Turks have maintained their relations with Israeli government behind the scene,” stated Safavi.
WaPo: Iraq, siding with Iran, sends essential aid to Syria’s Assad
More than six months after the start of the Syrian uprising, Iraq is offering key moral and financial support to the country’s embattled president, undermining a central U.S. policy objective and raising fresh concerns that Iraq is drifting further into the orbit of an American arch rival — Iran.
Pollack mouths off further on down in the article.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/iraq-siding-with-iran-sends-lifeline-to-assad/2011/10/06/gIQAFEAIWL_story.html
Unknown Unknowns,
Mainly my family is German Protestant with some English thrown in genetically. My My Grandmothers came from Nebraska and Kansas, one i never knew while the Kansan says we are Lutherans (although i am related to a Catholic by marriage). Both of my Grandfathers are from around the Pacific Northwest, one being a dry-land wheat farmer born to the children of German immigrants and the other with a spicier background than that. Either his father or my Grandmother’s father fought in WWI on the German side, while my grandfather himself was stationed at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed by the Japs.
¿ew York Times.
Seeing as it faces the wrong way, I might as well just stick to
?ew York Times.
Thanks anyway, Photi.
Sp what is your heritage if not latin?
From Uskowi on Iran:
“BBC is reporting that the International Air Transport Association, IATA, the world aviation’s regulatory body, has suspended Iran Air after the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) included the airliner in its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List. The list includes individuals as well as companies owned or controlled by countries under US sanctions. IATA’s director of public affairs has told BBC that Iran Air’s suspension went into effect on 5 October.
The action means the country’s national airline would not be part of the global airlines clearinghouse. Iran Air still can fly but cannot use other airlines’ facilities and non-Iranian travel agents would not be able to book passengers on its flights. The action severely limits Iran Air’s ability to service its foreign destinations.”
I guess if the hegemon can kill several of her own citizens with a drone strike and not have the ?ew York Times say Boo, it can act in this outrageous way too. The usual suspects, China and Russia will say nothing, as usual. If either country was lead by moral people, they would give the ultimatum to the US that either reverse this ruling or we will pull out of the sanctions. But being degenerate brown-nosing money-grubbers that they both are, they will do nothing of the sort. Of course, the Poodle Club is worse, as they positively relish this kind of thing. Don’t they, James? Hmmmm? What say you now, Neville Chamberlain?
*though i am not latin
UU,
Alt+0191 on the number pad
¿¿¿¿
Ah, thank you Fior jaan. I thought it would look the other way, like a J. Oh well. Thanks anyway.
¿ copy and paste
An oldie but goodie:
Looney Tunes Reports:
The head of the UAE jet fighter squadron reported to NATO Command for duty. The NATO commanding officer greeted him: “Good morning, Sir.”
“Sir morning good!” he is reported to have replied.
Az bikh…
Blast from the past:
Unknown Unknowns says:
March 3, 2011 at 2:38 pm
Arnold Evans says:
March 3, 2011 at 2:15 pm
“Jew York Times” is crude and beneath the level of discussion we like to maintain here.
What, crude? Moi?? that’s just my Peurto Rican accent, man! Jew know?
But OK, I’ll try to bee-hive, as my buddy Austin Powers used to say, god rest his mojoless soul.
*
Having chewed on this cud for a the gestation period of nine months, I have come up with a comnpromise position (without conceding Arnold’s point that “Jew York Times” is crude): I will henceforth transcribe the name of Amerika’s “Paper of Record” thus:
?ew York Times
As an upside down question-mark would be more orthographically correct, I would appreciate any pointers from any of our latin brethren as to how one can get the upside down question-mark used in the beginning of Spanish interrogative sentences to appear on the computer screen. Much obliged I’m sure.
A nation of (impromptu!) poets:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=G9UrEvnpKi8
adoring our beloved leader.
(Another casualty of democracy, by the way: when you go from the charismatic to the bureaucratic, you will not see these kinds of adorations.)
Leon Panetta: ‘Israel is increasingly isolated’
According to NY Jewish Week (October 3, 2011) Panetta told Zionist regime: “we’ve got your back covered so don’t be afraid to make peace, and don’t attack Iran“.
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/leon-panetta-israel-is-increasingly-isolated/
Fior jaan:
It is a beautiful poem. And I do see close similarities:
Take mee to you, imprison mee, for I
Except you’enthrall mee, never shall be free,
Nor ever chast, except you ravish mee.
My will is to be annihilated in Your will…
There are many ways to climbing the escarpments of The Mountain. At the apron, each horizon is different, but at the apex, the view is the same.
A corollary to that perennialist view is that if you are arguing about which approach to take, you are not climbing. You might be infatuated; but you are not in love.
Omid,
Do you think the entire effort was a charade? Obama apparently did not grasp the fact that talking about carrots and sticks was just not the way to get the job done. Or, Obama was too conerned about rich and powerful Jews who demanded that he be “tough” on Iran, and thus Obama foolishly “kept all options on the table”.
I think Obama was in fact sincere. This does not mean Obama was not inept, incompetent in his execution, etc etc etc.
Richard Steven Hack says:
October 9, 2011 at 11:19 am
wow , I loved it that was good :))
{I think Obama clearly was sincere in his wish to improve relations with Iran.}
WHY SOME PEOPLE NEVER LEARN ANYTHING?
Unknown Unknowns says:
October 9, 2011 at 12:27 pm
John Donne wrote a similar sentiment in more abstract terms (with Christian allusions).
BATTER my heart, three person’d God; for, you
As yet but knocke, breathe, shine, and seeke to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow mee,’and bend
Your force, to breake, blowe, burn and make me new.
I, like an usurpt towne, to’another due, 5
Labour to’admit you, but Oh, to no end,
Reason your viceroy in mee, mee should defend,
But is captiv’d, and proves weake or untrue.
Yet dearely’I love you,’and would be loved faine,
But am betroth’d unto your enemie:
Divorce mee,’untie, or breake that knot againe;
Take mee to you, imprison mee, for I
Except you’enthrall mee, never shall be free,
Nor ever chast, except you ravish mee.
(or maybe not so similar, but I always liked the poem, and recited it as a prayer for many years.)
Voice of Tehran,
I should say here that Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands, who helped to set up the Bilderberg group, was a close friend of a friend of mine.
The object of the group was to work toward avoiding yet another catastrophic war in Europe and beyond. What higher goal was there on this planet? What higher goal is there now?
R S Hack,
I think Obama clearly was sincere in his wish to improve relations with Iran. However, he obviously lacked the experience and confidence necessary to get the job done. And of course he had made the job much more difficult by packing his administration with supporters of Israel right or wrong.
R S Hack,
The UK has made clear it is not seeking “regime change” in Iran. Yes, fanatical “supporters” of Israel right or wrong, in the US (and the UK), would like to see “regime change” – - thinking it would help Israel to continue its programme of ethnic cleansing in the West Bank.
Unknown Unknowns,
Preservation of Iran’s territorial integrity after the Second World War would have been impossible without stong support from the US.
R S Hack,
Isn’t the primary object of foolish US policy toward Iran, an attempt to coerce Iran into ending support for Hamas and Hezbollah? The real object being to “protect” Israel, even if Israel is engaging in ethnic cleansing – - Taki’s viewpoint- – in the West Bank.
A legitimate concern, by the US and the UK, and other countries, is that if Iran does go forward with development of nuclear weapons, Saudi Arabia would follow.
Even FYI sees a terror threat from fanatical Sunnis as posing s serious danger for Iran in years to come.
Unknown Unknowns,
Are you familiar with the role played by the Bilderberg group, in avoiding another European (and global) war after the end of the Second World War?
More on Horses and the breaking in thereof:
You know how it is. Sometimes
we plan a trip to one place,
but something takes us to another.
When a horse is being broken, the trainer
pulls it in many different directions,
so the horse will come to know
what it is to be ridden.
The most beautiful and alert horse is one
completely attuned to the rider.
God fixes a passionate desire in you,
and then disappoints you.
God does that a hundred times!
God breaks the wings of one intention
and then gives you another,
cuts the rope of contriving,
so you’ll remember your dependence.
But sometimes your plans work out!
You feel fulfilled and in control.
That’s because, if you were always failing,
you might give up. But remember,
it is by failures that lovers
stay aware of how they are loved.
Failure is the key
to the kingdom within.
Your prayer should be, “Break the legs
of what I want to happen. Humiliate
my desire. Eat me like candy.
It’s spring and finally
I have no will.”
(Mathnawi, III, 4391 – 4472)
From ‘Feeling the Shoulder of the Lion’
Translated by Coleman Barks
Coleman titled his beautiful rendition of this ghazal, “Desire and the Importance of Failing”. Would that our American bani-gaav-cheruuns (whose ancestors were cowboys [literally less than two or three generations ago]) would learn the importance of failing. Ameen.
The book in which the poem appears is recommended. And can be purchased for a pittance (used) here: http://www.amazon.com/Feeling-Shoulder-Lion-Teaching-Stories/dp/1570625220
VoT:
I loved that pyramidic picture! (Why does Firefox keep redlining my perfectly good words?! MS Word had that same nasty habit.)
Do continue to keep us abreast of the latest in your research endeavors into the netherworld of the Necromancer.
joined *us*, that was supposed to read.
Good to have you stop in once in a while, Richard.
RSH!!! (*_*)
Unknown Unknowns: (~_~)
BiBiJon says “There is psychiatric help for this condition. But, the cowboy must first pay the bill in full, then be diagnosed as cured, … and lastly, have his first session with the doc.”
Reminds me of my Jewish friend who went to see the doctor, who gave him three months to live. He couldn’t pay the bill, so he gave him another three months.
I’m up late, late for work and late for dinner, but I’m not “late” late. Yet.
Empty:
I was using the figure of speech in a figurative way, just as it was used originally, meaning that someone whose absence is felt, and who is only late and will be joining us shortly.
Ah, I see that the late Richard Steven Hack is no longer late, but has joined :o)
BibiJon,
I think you and Huxley are both correct that the cowboy is indeed trapped in شغب as Sa’adi might say.
Cyrus Safdari, cited below, hits it RIGHT on the head!
Quote:
As I have written repeatedly and others gradually are realizing, the responsibility for the continued standoff rests with the US, which is always moving the goalposts, killing off opportunities to resolve this dispute peacefully, and making ludicrous demands on Iran that they know cannot be met, precisely because the US does not want to see the issue resolved because it needs the pretext. See, Takyeh and Pollack are not inadvertently giving a false impression that the US is insistent on regime change, as Walt seems to think. That IS indeed the policy, Walt.
Even Mohammad Elbaradei, the former IAEA head, noted that the US is operating with an ulterior motive here: creating a pretext for regime change. Like I’ve written before, it is nice that top level foreign policy experts are starting to openly state a taboo — that the US stance is extending the standoff and the Obama administration was never serious about engaging Iran — but I wish they’d think more logically about the next question of WHY the US is doing this instead of simply attributing it to “stale thinking.” Like I said, if you play chess, you can’t watch your opponent engage in a series of moves that can only lead to one outcome and suggests a deliberate strategy, and yet simply ignore it.,,unless you’re deliberately blind.
End Quote
Absolutely correct. And blind is what people are.
Unknown Unknowns,
RE: “Wasn’t it the late Richard Steven Hack that kept on saying…”
What do you mean by “late”????? I hope this is not correct and you’re just using a bad metaphor….:(
A critical difference is that the “donkey” there represented an association with repeated favorite subject matters (e.g., war)….
PART II
To continue to observe through our own religious and cultural prism…..
خور و خواب و خشم و شهوت، شغب است و جهل و ظلمت…..حیوان خبر ندارد ز جهان آدمیت
به حقیقت آدمی باش وگرنه مرغ باشد…..که همی سخن بگوید به زبان آدمیت
مگر آدمی نبودی که اسیر دیو ماندی؟…..که فرشته ره ندارد به مکان آدمیت
اگر این درنده خویی ز طبیعتت بمیرد….همه عمر زنده باشی به روان آدمیت
From: Kolliyat Sa’adi, Collection and Corrections by Mohammad Ali Froghi, Ghazalliyat, No. 16, Verses: 3-6, Page 890. Nashr Arvin Publishing.
*All translations are interpretations by design.
[Eating, sleeping, anger and lust,
Cycles of mischief dark and unjust
Trapped in a cage of animal pulse
Clueless to a universe of human impulse.
Become human in its truest sense
Or remain a parrot, animal in essence
Endlessly speaking in human terms
Yet clueless to a universe of human essence.
Aren’t you human with highest capacity,
To break shackles of endless impiety?
Even the archangels that are known to man
Cannot enter the realm of perfect human.
Tame the beast of aggression and lust
Tame your impulse for bloody thrust
Observe how you shall live in eternity
When you immerse in true humanity.]
Just to re-cap, in part I, we observed that L&L (Leverett & Levertt that is) found S.W’s (Steve Walt’s that is) suggestion of lowering the sticks and holding up real carrots to Iran (the horse that is) devastatingly sharp. Videos in horse training and how to approach horses based on their personality types were highlighted. Personally, I have found those videos devastatingly sharp as well and strongly recommend them to anyone who wishes to follow a cowboy-and-horse relationship with the community nations and people of the world.
I think, it is imperative that we examine how specific methodologies have evolved in the cowboy land. The brief outline below could be a good start:
1. The white men/cowboys trained the horses using mostly sticks as negative reinforcement. The use of positive reinforcement (carrots that is) was not as prevalent.
2. While negative reinforcement had proven somewhat effective in most horses, research indicated that a combination of positive and negative reinforcement was far more effective in certain types of horses especially the چموش or disobedient type.
EquiSearch [2] discusses how “horse training and the horse training equipment used for horse training has changed dramatically over the last 20-30 years. Because we understand what motivates different behaviors in horses so much better than we once did, much of the brute force of traditional horse training equipment has gone out of training.”
The Equine Research Foundation, for example, has several specific, simple to follow guidelines: 1) Give your horse credit for being the smart, adept learner that he is; 2) Use positive reinforcement, whether food, praise or petting, to help your horse learn better and faster; 3) Develop a “bridge,” a secondary reinforcer, to span the gap between your horse’s correct action and his reward; 4) At first, reinforce any effort in the right direction. Then become more selective about the actions you reward; 5) Condition and reinforce politeness and respect. Ignore or discourage any rude or pushy acts; and 6) Be patient and consistent when applying these methods.
3. It does appear that in parallel with educating the US public about an evolution of this “two-track/carrot-stick” approach from a “mostly sticks” to “smart sticks” to “mostly carrots” to “smart carrots”, the US public also needed to be convinced that blacks could be good cowboys too. In addition, blacks needed to internalize their own cowboy instincts. Therefore, we begin to see “Posse (1993),” “Wild Wild West (1999)”, “Rough Riders and Black Cowboy Legends (2004)” as good examples of capable black cow boys.
4. As far as research showing that sticks are not as effective as rewards especially in nations (sorry, I mean horses) that had suffered “trauma”, the public began to get “Horse Whisperer (1998)” with none other than the handsome and beloved hero of “Out of Africa (1985)”, Robert Redford, which, interestingly enough, happened in Kenya Colony. He (Robert Redford that is), by the way, makes a reappearance in the movie “Buck (2011)” which has receive (so far) quite a few notable awards from the “world” community and, I think, is quite in line with the way many progressive US foreign policy think tanks express their views. You may view a clip of the movie here: http://www.buckthefilm.com/ I have a hunch that S.W. Steve Walt that is) will enjoy this movie (if he watches it, that is). I love this line from the movie: “A lot of time instead of helping people with their horse problems, I help horses with their people problem.” This should be written in gold and become a printed motto on progressive “pro-Iran” foreign policy sites.
5. Useful blogs and sites are also available on the internet. Cowboys Showcase site, for instance, has some interesting pointers about “how to teach a horse to stand still while a rider mounts” [3]. This is particularly useful when, for example, the US-EU duo would like Iran to stop enrichment while negotiating to decide future saddling (I mean, relationship). It states that “One of the most irritating problems for some riders is a horse that walks off while they are mounting.” I know, I know. Ain’t that a bitch? What the heck is the horse thinking walking out of a meeting (I mean while mounting)?
6. This more humane (smart carrot) approach is so useful in other dimensions as well. Behavioral scientists have found that even criminals and convicts (those who have actually killed a few people) could train horses. It seems that they are especially good at it and it’s a win-win situation for both the horse and the convict. In a Nevada camp, for example, a few “convict cowboys train horses and seek redemption.” Lechuga, a convict cowboy, says, “I used to have it my way, do what I wanted……You can’t bully a horse. You got to earn its trust. I always say patience. I’m still working on it” [4].
In summary, it does appear that the real conflict among foreign policy elites in the US is basically about where on the “all sticks >> mostly sticks-a few carrots >> some sticks-some carrots >> a few sticks-mostly carrots >> all carrots” spectrum their worldview falls.
آنک یافت می نشود آنم آرزوست
1.SuperStars of Horse Training, access online at: ;http://superstarsofhorsetraining.com/
2.EquiSearch, access online at: ;http://www.equisearch.com/uncategorized/horse-training-equipment-carrot-or-stick/
3.Cowboys Showcase, access online at: ;http://www.cowboyshowcase.com/mounting.htm
4.Las Vegas Review Journal, access online at: ;http://www.lvrj.com/news/convict-cowboys-train-horses-seek-redemption-at-nevada-camp-126078013.html
p.s. Don’t forget to catch “War Horse (2011)” by Steven Spielberg.
Energy levels of Crab Pulsar defy explanation – Tehran Times
The funny statement in the above article is this
”The finding shows that the theory is not there yet,” Krawczynski says. “We know less about these systems than we thought.”
I hope the elected representatives of Iran are observing these Wave, I hope that they start to view changes as progression rather then religious bigotry. Duality is the main advancement in the coming cycle. Watch out Zion it is coming to an end.
Empty says:
October 8, 2011 at 3:45 pm
Can’t wait for part II.
Meantime, the cowboy is trapped in some kind of vortex and unaware is travelling back through time. As Aldus Huxley describes it, one of the features of travelling backwards is that the cowboy never has trouble finding a cab. In fact there’s always a cab waiting for him. This taxi-at-the-ready feature of reverse time travel causes much euphoria in your average NY resident cowboy. However, the giddiness lasts only as long as it takes for the taxi to arrive at the destination, which is invariably, precisely where the cowboy does not want to be.
There appears to be no shortage of vehicles, diplomatic , covert/overt military, etc. to go for a ride on. And, as predicted by Huxley, the time-travelling cowboy finds himself at the end of each and every ride in the exact geopolitical place that he has a singular urge not to be at.
There is psychiatric help for this condition. But, the cowboy must first pay the bill in full, then be diagnosed as cured, … and lastly, have his first session with the doc.
James Canning says:
October 8, 2011 at 6:45 pm
You wrote:
“”William Hague’s attendance at Bilderberg conferences is a good thing.”"
Yes a very good thing.
Where would you put the Bilderberg in following chart , I see CFR and The Round Table , RIIA , Scull and Bones etc. , but I fail to see the Bilderberg , strange strange.
I think I have to extend my research…
http://thebiggestsecretpict.online.fr/nwo/Illuminati_pyramid_structure.jpg
James Canning says: October 8, 2011 at 6:51 pm
Action speak louder than words.
Mr. Hague, just like other US allies, is opposed to the Iranian power.
I challenge you to find a single statement, from a US/EU leader over the last 7 years, stating that they are not opposed to Iraian power.
James Canning – Last year British Jewish Chronicle reported William Hague telling the British Friends of Israel: “I am a natural friend of Israel”, and to prove it he asserted that “it would be a mistake to ever rule out military action against Iran (Jewish Chronicle)”…..
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2010/05/13/hague-i-will-fight-iran-for-israel/
Joe Biden irks Jewish Lobby over Pollard
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2011/10/09/joe-biden-irks-jewish-lobby-over-pollard/
Empty:
Huh! And here I was all this time thinking the rulers of the Free World were talking about Donkeys not Horses. And I must say that I don’t think I was alone in this. Wasn’t it the late Richard Steven Hack that kept on saying,
“Talk about the Donkey, Dad. Talk about the Donkey!!!”
James:
Hague might want Israel out of the West Bank, but what Hague wants does not matter. A poodle might want to be let out of the house to relieve himself, but if the Master doesn’t open the door, he’ll make a puddle of piddle right there in the living room.
And as to your statement that it is a good thing for the Foreign Secretary of a once great nation to attend a meeting which is held in secret, with its agenda, also secret, undoubtedly at odds with the demands of his portfolio, well, what can I say except that you have outdone yourself?
Not that something is likely to be passed as law in any of your “democracies”, but if were the law of the land in all nations that one could not hold *any* governmental position while being at the same time a member of a secret society, or having been a member of one at any time in the past, the rate of growth of the rot would be somewhat modulated.
I recommend “Romney’s scary Middle East advisor”, by As’ad Abukhalil
http://politics.salon.com/2011/10/07/romneys_scary_middle_east_advisor/?source=newsletter.
Rommey has taken aboard his campaign an ardent Zionist-expansionist propagandist.
What a surprise.
fyi,
You are quite wrong that Hague is “an enemy of Iran”. I think you will remember that a Zionist propagandist in England claimed Hague had said the UK was “the enemy of Iran”, and the British embassy in Tel Aviv denied it immediately.
Voice of Tehran,
William Hague’s attendance at Bilderberg conferences is a good thing.
Voice of Tehran,
One can be a “natural friend of Israel” and seek better relations with Iran. Better relations with Iran in fact would be in Israel’s own true best interests.
Hague wants Israel out of the West Bank. Have we heard Hillary Clinton say that?
Reza,
Let’s remember that Hague made clear when he came into office that he wanted better relations between the UK and Iran.
Reza,
William Hague just last month said the UK would prefer to see Iran enjoy “normal and productive relations with the outside world”.
The immense power of the Israel lobby, in the US and in other countries, always must be considered a factor in statements that are made.
fyi,
I agree that Obama’s blunder in trebling the US military presence in Afghanistan was largely a political move. I think he had his eye on the 2010 elections. Nwo, of course, with 2012 in sight, Obama is keen to be seen as reducing the US troop presence in Afghanistan.
James,
I have to agree with Voice of Tehran. Hague has made some very outspoken tirades against Iran lately and hasn’t really voiced any real hope for better relations. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office that he heads is staffed with civil servants who take a hard line against Iran and apparently still think Britain has an Empire in the region.
Jack Straw was one of the few British politicians to try and mend fences with Tehran against the advice of the mandarins at the FCO. Also, Norman Lamont continues to argue in favor of improved trade ties.
I found this on the periodical’s website:
The Washington Quarterly is not a peer review publication.
And that is why it accepts the work of Pollack and Takeyh. The article makes as few as 10 citations. It is not a work of scholarship or anything for that matter.
For Willburr
New footage shows Zionist brutality
http://www.presstv.com/detail/203466.html
James Canning says:
October 8, 2011 at 2:10 p
You wrote:
“”William Hague continues to favor better relations with Iran. And he opposes any idiotic US or Israeli attack on Iran.”"
James you must be joking:
http://wideshut.co.uk/new-foreign-secretary-william-hague-the-pro-zionist-warmonger/
…In an interview with Israeli website YNetNews – the headline quote reads “I’m a natural friend of Israel”.
Well good for you! Does that mean you’re just pretending to be a friend of the British people?
The article continues, “The most urgent thing is the Iranian nuclear program. We have consistently been the party arguing for tough sanctions and a strong European approach over the last few years and are very frustrated that that hasn’t emerged strongly enough.”…
…Old Willy is also an attendee of the Bilderberg meeting, the Euro-American establishment meeting that favors a move by big business and banking in to a new world order…
PART I
Where to begin but through our own cultural and religious prisms………
دی شیخ با چراغ همی گشت گرد شهر: “کز دیو و دد ملولم و انسانم آرزوست.”
گفتند: “یافت می نشود، جسته ایم ما.” گفت: “آنک یافت می نشود، آنم آرزوست.”
Source: Molana Jalaleddin (Rumi), Kolliayt_e Shams, Corrections and Margins by Badiozaman Frouzanfar, Ghazl No. 441, Mesra’e 4639-4640, Page 255, Amir Kabir Publishing, Tehran.
*Please note that all translations are interpretation by design and I took a strong liberty in interpreting these verses to convey meaning:
[Searching the city in broad daylight
Holding a flickering symbolic light
“Brutes, devils and the beasts, I spurn,
Human essence with dignity, I yearn.”
Dispirited and hopelessly they cried:
“A search in futility, we tried,
Travelled the world, round and round,
Dignified and true humans are not found.”
Resolute and steadfast in the quest,
Disregarded the misguided failing the test,
Uttered wisely with conviction:
“Finding that ‘unfound’ is my true mission.”
I asked (myself mostly), what is the core, essence, or the overarching framework, if you will, of Steve Walt’s (S.W.) response at Foreign Policy to the article by Ken Pollack (K.P.) and Ray Takeyh (R.K.) published in the Washington Quarterly that the Leveretts (L&L) found so devastatingly sharp that they (L&L that is) want to highlight and bestowed upon Steve (S.W. that is) a decidedly clear bravo?
Here it is in a nutshell: K.L. and R.T. apparently had proposed (so they claim) to Obama a “two-track” policy approach with respect to Iran. This approach (with which I doubt anyone frequenting this site is unfamiliar) is a more diplomatic term for the “carrot & stick” approach that is used to train horses so that they (the horses that is) behave exactly as the cowboy wishes them to behave. It suggests exacting pain when the horse disobeys and offering carrots if the horse follows the orders. K.L. and R.T. believe enough carrots have been offered to Iran (the horse, that is) and Obama (Obi -on behalf of the cowboy country) has to now double down on sticks because it’s time to bring the horse (Iran, that is) to her knees. S.W. believes Obi did not offer Iran (the horse, that is) real carrots just claimed that he had. He (S.W. that is) therefore suggests less sticks and more real carrots: the approach would require ratcheting down the pressure, making concrete offers instead of vague hints, and exercising a lot more patience instead of expecting a quick and decisive breakthrough. But because this approach—which has never been tried—is anathema inside the insulated Beltway mind-set, we end up with the endless recycling of failed approaches. L&L believe this is sharp and confirmed it with a bravo.
To nudge up the discussion to a much higher level thinking that would be worthy of human dignity, I first decided to fully immerse myself in learning about what is out there in terms of horse training guidelines, failures and successes, and the current condition of the field. A website called “Super Stars of Horse Training” [1] offers invaluable insights in the form of DVDs, books, and training packages that allow one to “discover horse training secrets that create respect, eliminate spooking, and cure dangerous problems fast” Plus, one learns to ride like a pro …..and have one’s horse do what one wants him doing. I have not actually watched the videos (they are not free), so I used the descriptions on each video (as provided on the site) to classifying each video based on appropriate techniques that are suggested to train specific horse “types” and establish parallels between those “types” (of horses that is) and real-life humans/nations types (according to my understanding). I have then made suggestions of which video to order based on which US foreign policy relationship you’re interested in. I hope these suggestions are useful and you get your money’s worth in terms of foreign policy approaches. The statements (when in quotation marks) are directly from the site as cited (See 1).
Video 1 titled: “How to Move and Control All 4 Corners of Your Horse?” In this video, one learns how to a) “start teaching a Green horse to turn with so little effort that it’s like driving a sports car”; b) get “the ultimate” in one’s “horse collection”; c) get one’s “horse moving with the grace and agility of a ballet dancer” (that is, one “discovers how to transfer the horse’s center of balance up over his withers to back under one’s seat”); and d) “constantly rewards one’s horse and keep him (the horse that is) wanting to work with you.” I believe this is an all-purpose guideline for the people of the entire globe. So, this, I think, must accompany all other specialized videos that I have listed below.
Video 2 titled: “How to catch and saddle a horse that doesn’t want to be caught or saddled?” I classified this as “US-Iran Foreign Policy Guide”. This is basically used when you “have a disrespectful horse that won’t stay with you, runs away as you approach him with any kind of tack, ignores you, or just won’t let you saddle him.” It turns a “fearful, don’t-touch-me horse into a trusting, do-what-you-ask masterpiece.” It also reassures you and urges you to “always remember that if you have trouble with a horse perhaps it’s more the horse than it is you.”
Video 3 titled: “How To Install An Operating System In Your Horse: Get Your Horse Turning, Bending, Giving, Stopping, And Cooperating Like You Never Thought Possible.” I classified this as “US-Turkey Foreign Policy Guide.” In the description, two key parts worth mentioning are: 1) “Get him (the horse that is) to move different parts of his body how you wish, and you have an incredible horse that’s fun to ride”; and 2) “the 4 Critical Zone Exercises that teach your horse (and you) how to put everything together. Watch your horse do amazing movements quicker than you thought possible.” This video, I think, should be used by US (as well as EU) policy folks only as a refresher to make sure the horse (Turkey that is) remains well trained because, I think, you had Turkey “at hello.” [If I may borrow a phrase from Jerry McGuire.]
Video 4 titled: “How To Make Your Horse Safer, More Responsive, And Easier To Ride” is another good video that has excellent points about “how to tell if you really have control of your horse and how to get control if you don’t have it” as well as when the “horse is getting resistant.” I classified this video as “US-Egypt Foreign Policy Guide.” The video also highlights points about “how to talk your horse out of being mad. If your horse is mad, you won’t teach him anything but how to not listen to you.” So, this is a particularly useful one when trying to relate to Egyptian people.
Video 5 is titled: “How To Teach Your Horse To Respect Your Space, Build Trust, And Keep Him From Injuring You.” . This video, I think, is the best US-Iraq policy guide that could be ever offered. Just awesome gems of advice hidden in every corner of it. “It’s about having a respectful horse that is safe to be around. Having a respectful horse also makes him easier to train.” It’s about “beginning every session with your horse as you train” and “gets the horse wanting to be with you, wanting to be caught, and wanting to do what you ask.” The video offers two golden rules called the “Opposite Rule” and the “Rhythm Rule.” The “Opposite Rule” convinces your horse (Iraq that is) to do what you want – not what he (Iraq that is) wants. The “Rhythm Rule” almost magically forces a horse to move as you need or want. Other techniques prime your horse (Iraq that is) “in synchronization with you and help accomplish feats with your horse (Iraq that is) that seemed impossible yesterday.”
Video 6 is titled: “How To Understand Your Horse And Discover The Nature Of The Beast. PLUS Learn The Safety checks You Must Do Before You Ride Your Horse And Know If He’s Saying ‘Yes!’ Or ‘NO!’ To You.” I classified this as US-China/Russia policy. Explore the content for yourself and you’ll know why.
These guidelines, I think, nicely show how the dual-track could be fine tuned to saddle Iran, make Iraq respectful, have Turkey dance like a ballerina, discover what Russia and China are thinking, and finally change the Arab spring into an Arab gallop (pun very much intended, of course).
Wilbur,
You pose the wrong questions. Jews have stolen our lands and have carried on wars of conquest, and have done their utmost to “wipe Palestine off the map” for close to a century. What’s not to hate?
William Hague is an enemy of Iran, no doubt.
fyi,
William Hague continues to favor better relations with Iran. And he opposes any idiotic US or Israeli attack on Iran.
Philip Giraldi has some excellent comments re: US stupidity on Israel/Palestine
(“No One Messes With the Superpower”) Oct. 8th:
http://www.theamericanconservative.com/blog/
fyi,
Yes, logic supports Indian purchases of oil from Iran. and making noises seemingly hostile toward Iran has a logic, if one considers the situation in Indian Kashmir.
Wilbur,
Have you forgotten the 2002 Saudi peace plan? All Arab countries offer peace and recognition to Israel within its pre-1967 borders. ALL. AND HAMAS, AND FATAH, accepted the Saudi peace plan.
Are you doing Israel a service, by being in effect a champion of delusional Zionist-expansionism?
Fiorangela was interested in how many “Russian” “Jews” (or Lithuanian, or Polish, or UKrainian, etc etc) were enabled to relocate in Israel even if they in fact were not “Jews”. The number is in the hundreds of thousands, and they are prominent in the effort to prevent resolution of the Israel/Palestine problem.
James Canning says: October 8, 2011 at 1:46 pm
Indians have a choice of not buying from Iran and buy from someone else at a higher price.
There is not that much oil available on the world oil market.
Dan Cooper,
The Palestinians should continue to push for full membership in the UN. And I agree with you that “negotiating” with Netanyahu only gives cover for continued scheme to steal large portions of the West Bank permanently.
Palestinians need financial support from Saudi Arabia, to resist American pressure (caused of course by numerous stooges and whores of the Israel lobby in the US Congress).
fyi,
If India in fact were so “anti-Iran”, why would it continue to buy oil from Iran?
How much of what India says about Iran in fact is generated by concerns in Indian Kashmir?
fyi,
Delusional “supporters” of Israel right or wrong, other American warmongers, and fellow-travellers try to put Obama into a box, and convince him he has to continue to make the same mistakes, and even aggravate them, in order to save face, “stand tall”, etc etc etc. Of course it is not true. But they try to portray the situation as one where the US (and some European countries) have no option but to increase the pressure on Iran. I think they are quite wrong, and it may well be many of these warmongers in fact are lying through their teeth, in hopes of deceiving the American people yet again.
fyi,
I am sure you have noticed the foolish policy toward Iran advocated by all Republican presidential candidates, except for Ron Paul.
Effective control of US news media by Israel lobby explains the situation, in part.
NIE on Iran is not about to change, under Obama. Possibly, if an idiot Republican gets into the White House, there will be another effort to change the National Intelligence Estimate (concluding there is no proof gov’t of Iran wants nukes). No US attack on Iran without a change to the NIE.
Israel is a wild card, to be sure.
James Canning says: October 8, 2011 at 1:28 pm
Mr. Obama escalated in Afghanistan for the reasons of US electoral politics.
Everytime a US soldier dies in Afghnaistan is or maimed for life, you have to tell yourself that: “That is to ensure future US presidents could Democrats.”
So next time you are in a Veterans Administration Hospital and you meet a quadraplegic soldier rotting there for the rest of his life; you tell him that he is there so taht a Democrat could be elected president.
Utter corruption; Shame, Shame, Shame.
Those who follow PressTV will enjoy Ismail Salami’s “Obama’s cyclopean look on Afghan war” today.
What, by the way, is current number of US troops in Iraq? Number of American-paid mercenaries?
James Canning says: October 8, 2011 at 1:18 pm
The United States, EU, India, and a number of other states have invested too much in their anti-Iran policies for them to back-track now.
The intertai of their investments – so to speak – is carrying them onwards and onwards without any possibility of course correction.
The thinking in Washington on Iran – if it may even be characterized as “Thinking” – consists of the “Double-Down” Game, “Containment Game”, and “Wait-for-a-Sunni-Extremist-state-to-threaten-Iran Game”.
All 3 cases are predicated on eventual Iranian surrender or concessions.
Those who advocate war must be prepared for 2 things:
1-Introduction of US ground troops into Iran
2-US attacks on neutral (e.g. Russian) resupply convoys to Iran.
In my opinion, none of these policies are tenable.
But that they are untenable does not make them unattractive to US-EU-India leaders; they have no longer any options left.
Rehmat,
It does appear virtually certain the Nato mission in Afghanistan will fail to end the insurgency.
The American people can thank General Petraeus, Hillary Clinton and Robert Gates for talking Obama into trebling the US military footprint in Afghanistan, and thereby enlarging the war at a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars.
Rehmat,
I think the current financial crisis in the EU will result in another treaty strengthening the EU (to preserve the euro). Yes, the crisis is a considerable one.
Israel was not invited to join the EU. There are many people who want Turkey in the EU to make it easier for Israel to join. Which would be a colossal blunder for the EU to make.
Did anyone notice the foolish programme advocated by Mitt Romney yesterday? More spending on “defence” and a “tougher” stance on Iran. Has anyone notice the great number of Jews Romney has on his foreign policy and “defence” team?
James Canning – As many western analyst are predicting the end of euro and the European Union (EU) in the future, after watching the violent riots in Spain and Greece – most Turks are happy that Turkey did not get admitted into EU. It’s now clear why Israel choose not to join EU even though Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi offered his services in this regard while addressing Knesset last year.
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/is-turkish-israel-romance-rekindling/
Castellio,
I very much agree that the Israel lobby promotes hosility between the US and Iran, to facilitate continuing oppression of the Palestinians by Israel (and the related Zionist-expansionist programme). How many of the proponents of American stupidity actually think “regime change” is a realistic object? One wonders. I think it is more a cover story, to conceal the fact the US has spent trillions of dollars in idiotic effort to facilitate retention by Israel of a substantial portion of the West Bank. And would spend more trillions, if these Fifth Columnists get their way.
Dan Cooper – Benjamin Netatanyahu, is NOT the son of a Lithuanian immigrant to Palestine.
Benji is son of Jewish professor Benzion Netanyahu who taught at Cornell University and Tzila Segal. Benzion father was a Rabbi. Benji has studied both in the US and Israel. He carries dual citizenship and worked as a furniture salesman till 1982 in the US before joining Israeli embassy in Washington DC.
Being a dual citizenship, Benji was able to travel freely between both countries, study in the U.S., receive federal loans to cover his education costs at MIT and work legally. Like every U.S. citizen, Netanyahu has a social security number, a credit account, and numerous other files in a variety of government offices.
According to Benji’s American records, he has used four different names to cheat US government – Benjamin Netanyahu, Benjamin Nitai, John Jay Sullivan and John Jay Sullivan Jr.— one man, four names.
some background from Jewish Encyclopedia on Kol Nidre, customarily recited on Day of Atonement ie. Yom Kippur ( :http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=2093&letter=A).
Fara,
Turkey has not even begun proceedings on numerous issues that must be resolved before entry into the EU could be achieved. Chances of entry into EU in next few years is zero.
“The use of Special Forces and other military means to ramp up the pressure”!!!
I know the Zionist professional propagandists learning from their history of collaboration with Nazi propaganda minister Dr.Joseph Goebbels – love to live in their ’self-denial’. After ten years with 160,000 US-NATO boots on ground – both American and German Generals believe US-NATO have already lost to non-conventional fighters of Taliban.
NATO: ‘Taliban are returning’
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2011/10/08/nato-taliban-are-returning/
Benjamin Netatanyahu,the son of a Lithuanian immigrant to Palestine has This vision for peace:
NO to the 1967 boarders.
NO to the right of return of Palestinian refugees.
NO to the militarised Palestinian state.
NO to “stopping the settlements”.
NO to the Jerusalem or part of it ever being the capital of Palestine.
But for propaganda purposes and in order to brainwash the international punblic opinion, he is constantly taunting the Palestinian to come to negotiating table.
Can anyone tell me what is left for Palestinians to negotiate for?
Fiorangela says:
October 8, 2011 at 8:57 am
Not just the ramblings of a rabbi, but the sitting PM, Netaneyahu’s attitude towards Iran is described authoratively as ‘think’ Amalek. I.e. “Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.”
http://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2009/05/the-specter-of-amalek/201298/
Wilbur self-servingly might contend that only Muslims don’t want Israel to exist. Reality, of course, is no decent human being wants to see the continuation of appartheid regime anywhere on the planet.
Wilbur, Apology accepted; thank you.
Your post raised many issues that require thoughtful consideration before responding. I have other demands on my time just now. Until I do, however, here’s one small indicator of why some non-Jewish people are “obsessed” with Jews. The following statement was written by a rabbi who is a contender for a major reward from one of the largest American Jewish organizations:
When asked by Moment Magazine a few years ago, “How Should Jews Treat Their Arab Neighbors?”, this was Friedman’s response as reported in the Forward:
“The only way to fight a moral war is the Jewish way: Destroy their holy sites. Kill men, women and children (and cattle),” Friedman wrote in response to the question posed by Moment Magazine for its “Ask the Rabbis” feature.
Friedman argued that if Israel followed this wisdom, there would be “no civilian casualties, no children in the line of fire, no false sense of righteousness, in fact, no war.”
“I don’t believe in Western morality,” he wrote. “Living by Torah values will make us a light unto the nations who suffer defeat because of a disastrous morality of human invention.”
One of the major elements of the “special relationship” between Israel and the US, it is claimed, is that the US and Israel “share values.” Rabbi Friedman, however, states unequivocally that he “does not believe in Western” values but does believe in “Torah [Jewish] values,” which he defines as destroying the people, property, and shrines of others.
So what is a non-Jewish person to think, Wilbur, when confronted with such a declaration?
In September, the Syria Steps news website said Syrian cyber specialists had uncovered an anti-Damascus plot devised by Turkey and France.
According to the plot, Turkey would facilitate the implementation of France’s strategic plans in the Middle East, especially in Syria, Israel, and Lebanon.
Iran was late in fully endorsing Syria’s crackdown on the extremist elements funded and supported by Saudi, Turkey and NATO (includes Israel). The unelected religious bigots who run Iran’s foreign policy initially were supporting Turkey until they realised that Turkey was in cahoots with the above mentioned states. Why because Syria is secular, women have more freedom and the ruling class are Alawites, for many of the bigots this is kafir. These bigots must be curtailed from Iran’s decision making leave the policy to be decided by elected member. I have warned about this in my many previous posts. Come the 11 Oct, 2011 we are entering the final phase. I hope Iran is rationally thinking and not bigotry blinding their superb analysis of politics. This is no time for religion and the hidden Imam, it is time to know who your friends are. Do not rely on China, Russia they are just convenient good to know states.
To be fair, Wilbur, it’s occured to all of us that the governments in the Middle East aren’t paragons of virtue, and that there are many and extensive problems that are intrinsic, native, and rooted in histories that long precede Zionism.
However, a simple question, why does the US sign an agreement to sell $60 billion worth of arms to Saudi Arabia, truly a totalitarian country with an on-going civil rights problem, and which vigorously backs the most regressive of regmies and religious movements, while simultaneously trying to weaken Iran through an economic blockade?
Once you answer this question honestly – and the reasons for the difference are not rooted in America’s much trumpeted but clearly illusory support for international moral norms – then perhaps the interest of others in the Israeli role in US foreign policy won’t be immediately perceived as racist or incongruous, but as an attempt to deal with real historical forces.
I could go on, but you know these facts… you may stubbornly wish to deny them, but you know them.
One of the thrusts of your post is to lament the unfairness with which Jews are treated in the Middle East. My God, if you consider the intent and actions of revisionist Zionism, which now holds sway not only in Israel but in Congress, you may decide that the lament is more than a bit one-sided. And while considering that, you might recognize that what needs to be publicly lamented is what Revisionist Zionism has done to detroy Arab-Jewish relations not only throughout the MIddle East, but increasingly throughout the world.
Arab-Jewish relations were not always thus. Nor do they have to remain thus.
Judaism fought hard to free itself from the most conservative nationalist forces which now continuously claim to speak in its name. You know that history, don’t you? The roots of Reform Judaism? Contrast that to the Israeli Orthodox Judaism of today. Is this a move in the right direction, do you think?
So now what? And that’s the tough question. Israel in the 1967 borders? No? Israel as a one-person one-vote state with equality of citizens? No? Subjugation of all internal ethnic threats and
perpetual war on all borders, coupled with policies to degrade the economic and military capacities of its numerous enemies and neighbours (Ie, current policy)?
Peace? Based on what?
Revisionist Zionism doesn’t belief in peace at all. Hamas is no worse than Jabotinsky or the Likud party in this regard. I believe you know that, too.
But perhaps peace based on an “Iron Wall” coupled with military superiority to be maintained and enhanced over time is what you want. And if that policy is followed, do you not think resistance will increase?
What do you want, Wilbur? Which path reflects your goals?
You tend to assume that people are pre-occupied with Israel from inherently racist leanings. But Americans want to know the basis of the ideology which is shaping their government, not only in foreign relations, but increasingly in domestic affairs, as domestic policies are skewed to support unpopular foreign policies.
Judaism as a religion of universal norms is threatened from within. Really, many people saw what was going to happen by following this path. Read the letter to President Wilson in 1919 from prominent members of the Jewish community. In fact, it’s hard to find a better analysis of the current situation, and that was written almost a hundred years ago.
http://my.telegraph.co.uk/javaandbritain/johnpitcher/207/1919-american-jews-petition-the-president-against-israel/
We need people who can speak freely about what is to be done today: time is short before the Middle East erupts in flames again. The war, in whichever direction it goes, will not be initiated by Iran nor by Lebanon, but by Israel with American nods of agreement and material support.
To counter this, the Leveretts argue that an historical rapprochment with Iran is possible. I agree. I also support the one person one vote future for Israel, ie. a democratic Israel that then must face its internal problems of racism (from all groups) in a mature way. A huge project, but not impossible.
Naive? Well, state the path you’re following.
What, Wilbur, is to be done? When you start to answer that question, much of your anger (ire) will fall away as you act and think not only in resistance, but towards something.
These are important times.
Fiorangela,
Sorry I took so long to get back to your post. I have been busy with work. Yes I do owe you an apology. Regardless of what I think about your position you have a right to speak your mind. Thus I do humbly apologize for partaking in an ad hominem targeting you. I rarely if ever do that but it speaks volumes to the level of frustration I have with folks that have an obession with Jews. So I hope you understand my ire is simply because I see this issue crop up on almost every single website talking about the middle east. Not suprisingly it accompanies a lot of “west bashing” with an almost absolute silence of the actual problems in the region. Yes the US and Israel play a huge role(many times a detrimental one) in the region but it amazes me how almost each and every time the subject matter on posts about Iran get consumed with discussions on Jews/Israel/Zionists. Has it ever dawned on everyone that just maybe some of the problems in Iran are due to a theocratic dictatorship that is one of the world’s worst human and religious rights abusers? Apparently for most posting on this board its all someone elese fault, which not so ironically is a problem endemic across the Middle East. Simply put the problem is an utter lack of accountability–it is always someone elses fault.
So my question to you is why do you have an obvious interest in everything Jewish? An example was a recent post you had was asking how many Russian jews emigrated to Israel. Well with that question in mind have you ever asked yourself how many Jews were forced to leave Arab lands when Israel was created? Well it was anywhere from 600,000 to 1 million and least of all lets not mention their land, funds, and business were all taken. The sad truth is that the Muslim world can never accept that Israel exists smack dab in the middle of Dar Al Islam. Ponder that for a momement and consider that the charters of Hamas, The PLO, and Hezebollah all call for the destruction of Israel. Add to that Iran’s clear position that Israel shouldn’t exist and ask yourself why should Israel even bother with peace if it will only be used as a stepping stone for the eventualy destruction of Israel(please note no less than Arafat even indicated peace with Israel was only a stepping stone to destroying it.) Israel is far from a saint but when you remove all the rhetoric their actions are actually quite predicatable when one objectively analyzes all the facts. The key word of course being objective.
Thx
Wilbur
I have to say, though, that it’s a bit odd to read about US foreign policy in the Middle East without clear reference to the Israeli influence on it. This is true both of Walt’s piece and your own.
It leaves intact the discredited idea that US foreign policy, and Pollack’s comments on them, are somehow rooted in US interests, when clearly they’re not.
The primary and driving intent for regime change in Iran is to stop Iranian supprt for the resistance to Israeli expansion, and to degrade Iranian national cohesion and economic development so that it won’t “threaten” israel for many generations to come.
The “doubling down” scenario, to which the US is already committed, is simply the continuation of that same primary and driving intent which led to the invasion and destruction of Iraq, the continuous and successful attempts to degrade and destroy Lebanon, the tightening economic isolation of Syria, and the successful attempt to destroy Palestine.
In other words, if one doesn’t answer honestly the question of “why is the US committed to remaking the Middle East”, one is left with the false naratives that Pollack adroitly juggles.
He is throwing colourful balls into the air, trying to convince the American chattering classes that their ignorance is informed. Don’t let him get away with it.
Don’t worry about the balls in the air, explan why he’s juggling.
Off-topic. Why is Turkey supporting (promoting) the unrest in Syria.
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed a media report claiming that President Bashar al-Assad and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu recently held a meeting.
“What was published regarding a meeting between President Assad and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that allegedly took place recently is false,” the ministry said in a statement issued on Friday.
The statement noted that the last time the Syrian president met with Davutoglu was in August 2011, the Press TV correspondent in Damascus reported.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Selcuk Unal has also denied that the meeting occurred, saying, “The news report is completely untrue.”
Turkey strongly supported a draft resolution that would have censured Syria for the “crackdown” on anti-government protesters, which was proposed by European states but vetoed by Russia and China at the United Nations Security Council.
Syria insists that the recent unrest in the country has been largely orchestrated by elements that are well-paid and armed by foreign powers and some neighboring states, including Turkey and Israel.
In September, the Syria Steps news website said Syrian cyber specialists had uncovered an anti-Damascus plot devised by Turkey and France.
According to the plot, Turkey would facilitate the implementation of France’s strategic plans in the Middle East, especially in Syria, Israel, and Lebanon.
Ankara would also help the efforts to depose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by supporting the Syrian opposition, among other things, the Syria Steps report added.
In return, Paris would make efforts to accelerate the process of Turkey’s accession to the European Union, enabling it to join the EU before the end of 2012.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/203361.html
As an Iranian, I hope Iran leadership build the bomb ASAP and put an end to all these BS. There is no color beyond black, if Iran has the bomb US and it s allies could not do any thing. We are already under sanctions so we do not loss much
Stay with it Leveretts! Take the time to get your manuscript right, so that it may travel further when finally launched.
(You must have noticed that the contributors on this board maintain an on-going conversation with very little prodding.)
masoud,
Cyrus Safdari should have mentioned that just the other day, in the US, Ahmadinejad offered to have Iran cease production of 20% U, and there has been zero response from the Obama administration. Obama cannot afford to offend rich and powerful Jews when elections are just around the corner.
masoud,
Yes, warmongers like Pollack try to keep pressure on Iran, and their very bad advice has of course worked against achieving a resolution of the dispute. But CIA keeps its 2007 and 2011 position that there is no proof Iran’s gov’t wants nukes. Warmongering neocons and other delusional “supporters” of Israel right or wrong see the NIE as an obstruction. With good reason.
Philip Giraldi (at amconmag.com) on Oct. 5th said: “That [William] Kristol, [Charles] krauthammer, the three Kagans, and Continetti (not to mention David Brooks) are still in our faces via the mainstream media is disgraceful. They are a bunch of pencil pushers who have done more damage to the United States than the Soviet Union ever did.” Could also be applied to Pollack.
Cyrus Safdari should be highlighted over here.
Walt however makes a mistake when he attributes this continuation of the standoff with Iran to chutzpah by these authors and “stale thinking.” No, this is something more sinister than that, I am afraid. It is part of a deliberate policy of building up to something.
http://www.iranaffairs.com/iran_affairs/2011/10/walt-on-pollack-takeyh-regarding-iran-policy-slowly-coming-around.html
Pirouz,
Yes, Russia and China are not going to get bamboozled the way they were with the UNSC resolutions on Libya. Even Con Coghlin at the Daily Telegraph sees that Russia and China are not about to allow the same sort of deception to recur.
Bravo! Kenneth Pollack is a warmonger and an apologist for previous stupid and self-defeating policies by the US regarding Iran (and Israel/Palestine).
How many trillions of dollars has the US squandered by pursuing idiotic strategies recommended by Pollack?
Well, the Ken and Ray pony show might be trying to set up a war with Iran, but the hawks these days are right now salivating over what they perceive as a vulnerable Syria. They were hoping to use the “Libya model” on Assad but were dealt a setback by Russia and China (with BRIC) at the UNSC.
But they remain fixated on the old plan of forcing regime change through war in the order of 1) Iraq, 2) Syria and then 3) iran remains the goal. Syria, for it’s part has only managed to duck the crosshairs by regional circumstances out of its control: first, the successful Iraqi insurgency, and now by BRIC’s alarm at NATO taking advantage of a UNSC resolution to go full blast for regime change in Libya through direct military intervention.
Even though according to the plan, number 1 on the list, Iraq, turned out bad for U.S. interests, the hawks still have their “eyes on the prize”: number 2, Syria and number 3, Iran.