Steve Clemons has some interesting posts about the unraveling situation in Iran. Brad DeLong has a collection of updates as well.
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Hmm … ultraconservative religious fanatics cling to power by stuffing the ballot boxes … haven’t we seen this movie plot before?
Ahmadinejad inspired by the example of Dumbya and Rove.
Who’d a thunk it?
@2 While no one really knows what’s happening in Iran, one possible scenario is that Ahmadinejad has pulled off a coup and overthrown the clerics’ regime, in which he was a highly visible but relatively powerless figurehead, and is now the dictator of Iran answerable to no one. Imagine this guy with his paws on nuclear weapons and a great big hard-on for Israel. The turmoil in Iran is not good … although the picture might get a bit brighter if someone assassinates Ahmadinejad in the course of the power struggle taking place, which is another possible scenario …
@3
Yes, it’s hard to know what’s really going on, but it’s starting to look like a situation where the ultra-nationalists have made an attempt to overthrow the theocrats. Should be an interesting week.
We should have crushed Iran back when Carter was head pussy in charge. Now look. ANOTHER FAILED LIBERAL ADMINISTRATION.
Were they diebold voting machines?
@5
We didn’t crush Iran when Reagan was head pussy in charge for the eight years immediately after the revolution either. Do you have a point or do you just like the way that clown suit shows off your beer gut?
I would think Lee and Ahmandinjihad are birds of feather in how they view Israel.
@5
Or when St. Ronnie was at the helm or Bush 1* or Bush two. Clinton, of course, was too busy killing Vince Foster and Ron Brown, fathering black “love children” and setting up a one world government under U.N. control to be bothered with Iran.
*Did a better job than generally credited.
Maybe we can invade Iran with all those black helicopters that Clinton had made…
@5 And then done what with it? Occupied it with troops for 50 years? While Iranians waged a guerilla war against us? Spent hundreds of billions a year and shipped home hundreds of soldiers’ caskets every year? You rightwing retards never learn, do you?
@8 I think you’re full of shit. As always.
@11
“Hell, we might be there for 100 years…”
@12
You’ve never heard Lee demonize and bash Israel?
@14
It’s a blog, you read it. You don’t hear it.
@14: Nope. What have you ‘heard’, lickspittle?
@14: What’s wrong with demonizing and bashing those who steal others’ land, lickspittle? Oh, I forgot. It’s OK if white people do it.
See Juan Cole for further commentary.
17 Ron Sims isn’t white.
Not only that, Raygun traded arms for hostages with the mullahs.
How right wing of him.
Does it matter who won in Iran they both are puppets of the mullahs.
Yeah, Israel is the bully. 1 Jewish state surrounded by 30 Islamic states. 6 million Jews surrounded by 300,000 million Muslims.
The Jews didn’t steal shit. Them damned, dirty, racist, sexist terrorists stole the land from the Jews. The Jews just took back their homeland. Muslims are pigs. They have enough land to live.
Islam = hate. Islam = terrorism. Islam = intolerance. Islam = sexism.
Go Caterpillar!
@22: “Them damned, dirty, racist, sexist terrorists stole the land from the Jews.”
That would be the Romans, right? You are lickspittle.
“The Jews just took back their homeland.”
No. They stole it using force. So if the Native Americans used force to take back their stolen lands, you’d cheer, right?
Smarter lickspittle, please.
@15
He’s referring to the voices in his head.
And by the way Troll, I view Israel as a country whose government (and a number of its more radical citizens) have done things I strongly disagree with. It’s also a country where I have a number of relatives and hope to visit with my son when he’s old enough to understand the world and his heritage.
Muslims aren’t pigs. You’re a pig. You’re the racist, and you’re the disgrace to humanity. Deal with it.
@21: The whole point is that there are other groups in Iran angling for power, Mike. Some are good, some not so much. But they all desire to supplant the mullahs. I suggest you learn more about the issues and the politics in Iran.
Believe me. It won’t hurt a bit.
Oh Troll, silly Troll. So how did the Muslims steal the land? When they beat back the Crusaders in the Middle ages?
And the rest of your post, blazing with hate and racism while criticizing hate and racism.
Another Troll classic.
A pig is someone who has enough, but wants more. They want it all. Muslims in the greater middle east have more than enough land. They have 99% of the land. The Jews have 1%. But the Muslims want that last 1%. They want Israel to be a Muslim state. So yes, Muslims ARE pigs. They are the very definition of what a pig is.
Come to think of it, they want the entire world to be Muslim, and it probably will be one day, too, about 200 or 300 years from now.
A good website where I learned about Islam is: http://www.thereligionofpeace.com
In 2007 Islam and Judaism’s holiest holidays overlapped for 10 days. Muslims racked up 397 dead bodies in 94 terror attacks across 10 countries during this time holy time, while Jews worked on their 159th Nobel Prize.
@14 Israel needs some bashing. When a government gives its enemies no alternatives except to fight — they’ll fight.
@19 What land did Sims steal?
God damned I admire Israel. A great, peace-loving country. I just feel bad they are surrounded by some many hate-filled, angry, intolerant Muslims. That must suck.
@22 “300,000 million Muslims”
That’s an awful lot of Muslims. That figure comes to, uh, 300 billion Muslims. But there’s only 7 billion people on the planet so I think your estimate is off — they’ve been busy in bed, but not that busy.
And yes, Israel is a bully. The Israelis go way beyond what is necessary to defend themselves. They could easily co-exist with an non-occupied Palestinian state, if they chose. They have nuclear weapons, technologically advanced weaponry, a highly trained and well disciplined (not to mention extremely motivated) army, and U.S. backing. There’s absolutely no chance of Israel being overrun by Palestinians armed with Kalashnikovs and homemade nail bombs. If the Israelis weren’t such pigs — they take 90% of the water and crowd the Palestinians off their own land — maybe peace negotiations could actually get somewhere. But no chance of that as long as one side insists on the abject surrender and submission to eternal poverty and subjugation of the other side. Hey, I’m not saying the Palestinians are innocent victims — they’re not. But if I were in their position, I’d fight too.
@22 (continued) “Islam = hate. Islam = terrorism. Islam = intolerance. Islam = sexism.”
Your white ancestors who ran the Indians off their land and enslaved blacks fit this description pretty well, too. Hell, a lot of present-day Republicans fit this description.
31 So….it’s OK that they ventilate their frustration by taking it out on the Muslims who they have surrounded?
I admire Israel, too. I also love America. In fact, I’m fond enough of both to wish to see them, and us, make amends when we’ve fucked up.
This is all “Short Attention Span Theater”, folks. While we’re letting Ahmadinejad make us twitch and debating how many more bombs Isreal should drop on Gaza…even while we’re still mucking around in Iraq and Afghanistan…the Taliban is inching further toward gaining control of Pakistan and it’s already functional nuclear arsenal.
Hope y’all sleep nice and warm tonight, folks.
@21 No, they’re not, and that’s the problem. A secular dictatorship at odds with the mullahs but bent on destroying Israel and/or dominating the Middle East is a possibility, and that’s why it matters who wins. From the West’s point of view, the mullahs are actually a better option than at least one of the alternatives — a nuclear-armed Ahmadinejad who doesn’t answer to anyone.
@33
Got news for ya. The history of humans everywhere on earth is nothing but one group running another group off their land. Invaders either killed them, enslaved them, raped and conquered them, or ran them off their land.
@27: Jews does not = Israelis. Similarly, muslims does not = Palestinians. Take your straw men somewhere else, lickspittle. You only continue to embarrass yourself here.
Foolish HA swineflu weasels… ACORN at work. They saw how “the messiah” did it and they copied it to a T
Execute Mumia Abu-Jamal. Free Amanda Knox.
@27 The Palestinians don’t have access to all the Arab lands, only their own, dolt. That’s sort of like two white male Republicans living on 5-acre lots in rural King County, just because they look alike doesn’t mean that one of them gets to move onto the other one’s land if someone takes his own land, know what I mean? You seem to think the Arabs are one great big related family, which shows how little you know about the world. The only land that’s relevant is (a) Israel, (b) the Gaza strip, and (c) the West Bank. The Jews have all of Israel, control the Gaza strip, and are plastering settlements all over the West Bank. Which leaves the Palestinians — how much? Do you think they should move to Saudi Arabia, or more accurately, invade Saudi Arabia? Doesn’t Israel’s continually expanding encroachments on the Palestinian territories resemble more than just a little bit Hitler’s lebensraum policy? It’s the Israelis, not the Palestinians, who are pigs in this situation, jackass. The Palestinians don’t want anything except their own land. Well, okay, they want Israel too, but they can’t get it and know they can’t get it, but they’re sure as hell going to fight to keep what little is theirs. And so would you, if you found yourself in a similar situation, and so would I or anyone else. And that’s the point. The Israelis are keeping this conflict going by giving the Palestinians no option but to fight.
K –
Do you understand religious history?
Do you understand why Protestantism came along?
Do you know why it’s called the Dark Ages?
Do you know why it’s called the Middle Ages?
Do you know why it’s called the Inquisition?
Do you know about the Crusades?
For an IVY League educated libtard you are a first class moron!
The Catholic Church is the reason. Why did Pope John Paul apologize?
@27 Troll would have us believe that the Palestinians, who not only live in abject poverty but also have Israeli settlements and Israeli troops on their land, “have enough.”
Really. They don’t even have villages or homes they can call their own. They have no way to make a living except to cross into Israel (when the Israeli authorities let them) to work for Israelis for whatever the Israelis feel like paying them. And you think they “have enough.”
Never in human history has any enslaved and subjugated people thought they had “enough.” You should get on your knees and thank whatever God you pray to that your ancestors didn’t settle for that, or you would be cleaning toilets for some Tory.
Hey Mort Zuckerman, you wholeheartedly supported “the messiah” and now you have issues with his middle east policies?
“Arab villagers do not need to have guards at their shops, cafes or restaurants. Why? Because the Israelis do not target the innocent. The President could have acknowledged the suffering of Israeli victims of Arab terrorism “for more than 60 years” when he talked of the “suffering” and “pain” of Palestinians “for more than 60 years.”” – Yep you are right Mort. He didn’t he pandered again! Kind of like a flip-flop!
“Meanwhile, the hatred of Jews is cultivated throughout the Arab Muslim world without drawing any rebuke from the moral arbiters who are so ready to condemn Israel for the smallest infraction. The anti-Jewish campaign is so dishonest, so vicious, so persistent that it surpasses that of Nazi Germany in its heyday.” – Yep, many of these types live on HA as swineflu weasels!!!!!
@41
If I follow your logic correctly, then you admire Sirhan Sirhan, correct?
Wow Pelletizer you really need oxygen…
Equating Israel policies to Hitler? Aaaaaaaamazing.
@43
Take a look at a map of the greater middle east. Look at the land area. Look at how many countries are Muslim countries, and look at how many countries are Jewish countries.
No, I am correct. The Muslims have enough land. They don’t need any more.
And just as an aside, why are so many Muslims moving to European countries, and infesting their cultures? They aren’t even assimilating! Stay in your own God-damned countries and work to make them better!
You must be talking to someone else…
None of my relatives were democrats.
Marvin, Puddy’s relatives weren’t here either. Too bad the dumb bunny’s brain is constipated.
Sounds more like a flock of rabbits when they encroach on peoples veggie gardens.
The bunny is bitter that he’s stuck in a small little hole in the ground. Other rabbits get to bang jessica rabbit and the rabbit is too old to even bang his ears together.
@43
The Israelis also drill deep-bore water wells, where the Palestinians have shallow surface wells. The Palestinians have no future where they’re at as the Israelis are in the process of drinking their wells dry.
Like it or not, this is pretty much a done deal. We need to find the Palestinians a new place to live. No one is going to stop the Israelis from drilling wells and the Palestinians are eventually going to run out of water.
@33
My white ancestors did indeed enslave African folks, but when the Civil War came around they fought for the North. So, I guess that makes up for it.
As for the natives, rather than running them off the land my ancestors shacked-up with them. But, not so much that I could go to college for free… Lame…
Joe biden informed us…
Vice President Joe Biden said Sunday that “everyone guessed wrong” on the impact of the economic stimulus, but he defended the administration’s spending designed to combat rising joblessness.
Someone should tell joe that not everyone guessed wrong.
The conservatives that were against the stimulus are being proven correct.
Isn’t it great that the obama administration was reduced to “guessing” and wouldn’t you know it, they guessed wrong.
Biden said inaccuracies in unemployment predictions shouldn’t undercut the White House’s support of the $787 billion economic revival plan that has not met the expectations of President Obama’s team.
Inaccuracies are exactly what conservatives have been saying abut the obama “creating & saving” jobs.
But at least acorn received a chunk of that stimulus so the democrat party will profit.
I’m looking forward to the global warming, as are many others.
Global warming is needed now, not 20 years from now.
Crops under stress as temperatures fall
For the second time in little over a year, it looks as though the world may be heading for a serious food crisis, thanks to our old friend “climate change”. In many parts of the world recently the weather has not been too brilliant for farmers. After a fearsomely cold winter, June brought heavy snowfall across large parts of western Canada and the northern states of the American Midwest. In Manitoba last week, it was -4ºC. North Dakota had its first June snow for 60 years.
There was midsummer snow not just in Norway and the Cairngorms, but even in Saudi Arabia. At least in the southern hemisphere it is winter, but snowfalls in New Zealand and Australia have been abnormal. There have been frosts in Brazil, elsewhere in South America they have had prolonged droughts, while in China they have had to cope with abnormal rain and freak hailstorms, which in one province killed 20 people.
None of this has given much cheer to farmers. In Canada and northern America summer planting of corn and soybeans has been way behind schedule, with the prospect of reduced yields and lower quality. Grain stocks are predicted to be down 15 per cent next year. US reserves of soya – used in animal feed and in many processed foods – are expected to fall to a 32-year low.
Oops, never mind.
I forgot that the global warming supporters have changed their message from global warming to climate change. I guess that’s what happens when the global warming predictions didn’t work out the way they want.
We should just get the hell out of the Middle East. I don’t care about Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan or any other place over there. I’ve been hearing about this shit for my entire life, and I tired of it!
We ain’t gonna change Islam or anything else in that area. Just get the hell out and stay out. Israel can take care of itself.