Comments on: WHEN THREATS ARE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE — THE IRANIAN NUCLEAR ISSUE IN 2010 http://www.raceforiran.com/when-threats-are-counterproductive-%e2%80%94-the-iranian-nuclear-issue-in-2010 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:25:25 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: DUSTIN http://www.raceforiran.com/when-threats-are-counterproductive-%e2%80%94-the-iranian-nuclear-issue-in-2010#comment-256 DUSTIN Sat, 02 Jan 2010 22:50:39 +0000 http://www.raceforiran.com/?p=1200#comment-256 I love it, I can read this stuff forever, keep em coming! Happy New Years! I love it, I can read this stuff forever, keep em coming! Happy New Years!

]]> By: Enda Marchi http://www.raceforiran.com/when-threats-are-counterproductive-%e2%80%94-the-iranian-nuclear-issue-in-2010#comment-240 Enda Marchi Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:33:20 +0000 http://www.raceforiran.com/?p=1200#comment-240 Hello i read your website often and thought i would wish you all the best for the New Year! Hello i read your website often and thought i would wish you all the best for the New Year!

]]> By: Lysander http://www.raceforiran.com/when-threats-are-counterproductive-%e2%80%94-the-iranian-nuclear-issue-in-2010#comment-194 Lysander Tue, 22 Dec 2009 06:26:27 +0000 http://www.raceforiran.com/?p=1200#comment-194 Clearly wigwag is sincerely devoted to democracy and human rights. I have no doubt that if protests erupted against US backed puppets in Egypt or Jordan he would be equally supportive. Clearly wigwag is sincerely devoted to democracy and human rights. I have no doubt that if protests erupted against US backed puppets in Egypt or Jordan he would be equally supportive.

]]> By: wigwag http://www.raceforiran.com/when-threats-are-counterproductive-%e2%80%94-the-iranian-nuclear-issue-in-2010#comment-193 wigwag Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:10:25 +0000 http://www.raceforiran.com/?p=1200#comment-193 Wow, what a piece of nonsense! Wow, what a piece of nonsense!

]]> By: WigWag http://www.raceforiran.com/when-threats-are-counterproductive-%e2%80%94-the-iranian-nuclear-issue-in-2010#comment-191 WigWag Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:41:16 +0000 http://www.raceforiran.com/?p=1200#comment-191 Can we expect Flynt Leverett or Hillary Mann Leverett to comment on the death of Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri? Of course not. They view him and the tens of thousands of Iranians who showed up at his funeral today as irrelevant to Iran's future. The Leveretts think that the United States is better off casting its lot with Ayatollah Khamenei, President Ahmadinejad, the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij Militia. Surely the Leveretts don't think that the current reactionary clique running Iran is better or more ethical than the regime's opponents; but they're realists which means they just don't care how the regime behaves (as long as American interests can be enhanced). One has to wonder just how repugnant a government would have to be before the Leveretts would advise against working with it. What’s next; asking Kim Jung Il to throw out the first pitch at the Washington Nationals home opener in April? The "grand bargain" advocated by the Leveretts would dramatically reduce the probability that regime change will ever happen in Iran. In effect, what the Leveretts are advocating is for the United States to become virtual allies with Ahmadinejad and Khamenei. Over 50 years ago the United States actively worked to thwart democracy in Iran when it supported the coup against Mossedegh and now the Leveretts want the United States to stab Iranian advocates for democracy in the back all over again. Following the June elections (according to today's New York Times) this is what the late Ayatollah Montazeri said, “A political system based on force, oppression, changing people’s votes, killing, closure, arresting and using Stalinist and medieval torture, creating repression, censorship of newspapers, interruption of the means of mass communications, jailing the enlightened and the elite of society for false reasons, and forcing them to make false confessions in jail, is condemned and illegitimate,” Ironic isn't it, that Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett want the United States to pursue a strategy that supports a more hard-line position than the man once destined to be the successor to Ayatollah Khomeini? It's not that the Leveretts like the reactionary elements in Iran; it's that they just don't care. Is it any wonder that “realism” is in such disrepute in both political parties? Can we expect Flynt Leverett or Hillary Mann Leverett to comment on the death of Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri?

Of course not. They view him and the tens of thousands of Iranians who showed up at his funeral today as irrelevant to Iran’s future. The Leveretts think that the United States is better off casting its lot with Ayatollah Khamenei, President Ahmadinejad, the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij Militia.

Surely the Leveretts don’t think that the current reactionary clique running Iran is better or more ethical than the regime’s opponents; but they’re realists which means they just don’t care how the regime behaves (as long as American interests can be enhanced). One has to wonder just how repugnant a government would have to be before the Leveretts would advise against working with it. What’s next; asking Kim Jung Il to throw out the first pitch at the Washington Nationals home opener in April?

The “grand bargain” advocated by the Leveretts would dramatically reduce the probability that regime change will ever happen in Iran. In effect, what the Leveretts are advocating is for the United States to become virtual allies with Ahmadinejad and Khamenei. Over 50 years ago the United States actively worked to thwart democracy in Iran when it supported the coup against Mossedegh and now the Leveretts want the United States to stab Iranian advocates for democracy in the back all over again.

Following the June elections (according to today’s New York Times) this is what the late Ayatollah Montazeri said,

“A political system based on force, oppression, changing people’s votes, killing, closure, arresting and using Stalinist and medieval torture, creating repression, censorship of newspapers, interruption of the means of mass communications, jailing the enlightened and the elite of society for false reasons, and forcing them to make false confessions in jail, is condemned and illegitimate,”

Ironic isn’t it, that Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett want the United States to pursue a strategy that supports a more hard-line position than the man once destined to be the successor to Ayatollah Khomeini?

It’s not that the Leveretts like the reactionary elements in Iran; it’s that they just don’t care.

Is it any wonder that “realism” is in such disrepute in both political parties?

]]>