Category Archives: Iran

Egypt, Iran, Media, Middle East, Politics

Who Toppled A Dictator?

Only president I know that toppled a dictator recently was George Bush taking down Saddam Hussein. At that time, the same protesters that took to the streets in Egypt these last two weeks were the same ones that protested the taking down of Saddam Hussein in favor of a democracy. And they were joined by most Democrats and the media.

Today, however, it’s a totally different picture. Today some of the media, like a University of West Florida professor (I’m still trying to find out her name)  that was interviewed by the Florida News Network as an ‘expert’ on Egypt and the Middle East, are trying to attach the overthrow of Mubarak to President Obama. Giving him ‘credit’ for Mubarak’s ouster. As if Obama had anything to do with it. She said it regains America’s trust in President Obama. Well isn’t this rich? Obviously, Obama has lost whatever trust and respect he may have had, as evidenced by this so-called expert, and as confirmed by Oprah yesterday. And for any number of reasons, not the least of which was his and his advisors’ handling of the uprising in Egypt.

And while we’re on the topic of toppling dictators, lets see what side Obama supports this time in Iran. Young people (same as in Egypt) there want to demonstrate in Iran again, this time to support the democracy push in Egypt, but the Mullahs and Ahmadinejad are warning them not do take to the streets. Will President Obama come down on the side of the youths wanting democracy, or on the dictator’s side like he did in 2009?

“I have made it clear that the United States respects the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and is not interfering in Iran’s affairs,” Mr Obama said.

Link: Demonstrations not encouraged in Iran

Iran

Iran Jails Journalists, Happy New Year

After interviewing Sajjad Qaderzadeh in October, two German journalists were jailed and remain in custody. Sajjad is the son of the woman who is sentenced to death by stoning. The German journalists were arrested for ostensibly journalizing without permission.

On this New Years Day, I’m so thankful that I was born in America.

Happy New Year from the land where Freedom and Liberty were born, and need preserving.

Link: Son of Iran woman to be stoned wants new sentence

Florida, Iran, Media, Race Relations, War On Terror

Quran Burning Day, Misquided

No doubt that Rev. Terry Jones, the minister of a so-called church (in Florida no less) is out to get some publicity. Regardless of the fact that doing so will only stir up emotions among the good Muslims or those ‘on the fence’ in being on the right side of the war on terror, this fool is hell-bent on doing it. There is also no doubt that he can do it, legally. The same as that Imam Rauf guy can build a mosque in a building that was hit in the 9/11 attack, making it actual ground zero. But in both cases it would be wrong and insensitive to do it. Chaulk it up to having a secular government with inherent freedoms.

Gen. David Petraeus expressed concern that this Quran burning party would endanger U.S. troops in theater. More than they are already in danger. Also no doubt, the General has a point. But let’s face it. The enemy there is and always will be our enemy until they either surrender or die. Not burning a Quran is not going to change that fact. And given the motivation of those radical Islamists, who betray Islam, the best thing the General can do is kill them. War is about killing people and breaking things. The responsibility to ‘finish them’ belongs to the Commander in Cheif. Think that will happen?

Also, have you noticed the same people who ran in front of the camera in support of that Imam are missing with respect to Rev. Jones? Same issue, rights and freedom. But like the proposed ground zero mosque, just because it could be done, doesn’t mean it should be done. Rev. Jones needs to get a grip, same as Rev. Wright needs to get a grip. Both are preaching and fomenting hate. One is a race bigot, the other a religious bigot.

There is an opportunity and a role that the media could play in this sick display planned by Rev. Jones. They could flat-out ignore him. Ignore him in print and on TV. That would be acting responsibly.

Also acting responsibly would be to deal with the real issues of oppressive Muslim society where it comes to stoning a woman in Iran. THAT ought to be front-page, above the fold. Not this jerk in Florida.

This undated file image made available by Amnesty International in London on Thursday, July 8, 2010, shows Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a mother of two who was sentenced to death by stoning in Iran on charges of adultery. Ashtiani is now facing a new punishment of 99 lashes because a British newspaper ran a picture of an unveiled woman mistakenly identified as her, the woman’s son said Monday. (AP Photo/Amnesty International, File)

Related Links: EU decries ‘barbaric’ plans to stone Iranian woman |  Holder: Quran burning idiotic and dangerous

Iran

Iranian Cleric Calling For Nukes

The hardline spiritual mentor of Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has made a public call for producing the ‘special weapons that are a monopoly of a few nations.’ Referring of course to nuclear weapons.

In a book written in 2005 and reprinted last year, Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi wrote that Iran ‘should not deprive itself’ of the right to produce these “special weapons.”

This radical cleric claims that Islamic teachings justify acquiring nuclear weapons. Other clerics say just the opposite. Problem is, this guy has the ear of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who is making preparations for the 12th Imam.

Yazdi’s hardline views, including devotion to the Mahdi, a messiah-like figure to reappear ahead of judgement day, have had a strong impact on Ahmadinejad, who shows him more respect than any other senior cleric.

Here’s hoping that Israel delivers a 4th of July present to Ahmadinejad via an attack on his nuclear enrichment and weapons sites.

Link: Iran cleric wants ‘special weapons’ to deter enemy

Iran, Media, Politics

Blogger Flees Iran, To London

The blogger who sent the image of a dying protester, Neda Agha-Solta,  around the world a year ago has just arrived in London after fleeing Iran via Turkey.

Neda Agha-Soltan
Sayeed Valadbaygi helped make Neda Agha-Solta a symbol of the protest movement through a film of her death on street of Tehran.

Sayeed Valadbaygi thinks the UN sanctions are not enough. Ahmadinejad and his colleagues should be ostracised by all governments, he believes.

“We need change in Iran,” he said. “We want a proper system of government, elected by the people, for the people. I want to breathe, to speak freely. I want to be able to walk down a street holding my girlfriend’s hand.”

The United States ought to be doing whatever it can to help Sayeed and the opposition movement in Iran. It is unfortunate for the cause of freedom and human rights that we have a president with no guts to help. On the international stage, it’s called voting ‘present,’ just like he did when he was a U.S. senator.

Link: Blogger Sayeed Valadbaygi who alerted world to Iran’s brutal crackdown flees to London – Times Online.

Iran, Politics, War On Terror

Saudi Arabia Gives Israel Air Space

Where Israel is concerned, this is how an ally for a lasting peace in the Middle East should behave . Permitting Israel to protect itself from a nuclear armed Iran will not only protect Israel but the rest of the Middle East.  Saudi Arabia gets it.

Today’s news is chock full of lessons for the Obama administration and the United Nations who are suffering from the political correct illness of denial where Iran is concerned.

Saudi Arabia has conducted tests to stand down its air defences to enable Israeli jets to make a bombing raid on Iran’s nuclear facilities, The Times can reveal.

In the week that the UN Security Council imposed a new round of sanctions on Tehran, defence sources in the Gulf say that Riyadh has agreed to allow Israel to use a narrow corridor of its airspace in the north of the country to shorten the distance for a bombing run on Iran.

It’s not about oil. It’s about survival.

Link:  Saudi Arabia gives Israel clear skies to attack Iranian nuclear sites – Times Online.

China, Iran, Politics, Russia, United Nations

Barack Hits A Hard Place, The United Nations

There comes a time when rhetoric just runs out of steam. Seems that is the case now over getting tough on Iran for its secret nuclear ambitions.

Permanent Security Council member China has joined Russia in opposing Washington’s plans to impose tough, wide-ranging sanctions on the Islamic Republic over its refusal to suspend sensitive uranium enrichment activity and open up fully to U.N. nuclear inspections.

If there ever was a legitimate reason to walk away from the United Nations club and form a ‘new world order,’ this is it.

Seems that limiting alternatives, like the Russia and China are doing, is their game. When the alternatives are limited, if tougher sanctions are off the table, the choice then becomes to let Iran develop a nuclear arsenal or go the military route, including a blockade. Whatever other sanctions could be imposed would be ameliorated by Russia and China.

It is diplomatic propaganda for Russia to characterize sanctions by the United States and the European Union and ‘other western nations’ as being unilateral if it does not include the United Nations. Clearly, they hang their hat on their puppet called the United Nations.

It’s crunch time for President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Their choices couldn’t be more clear. Does the United States stand with the EU and like-minded allies or will we find a face-saving way to leave the EU and the Middle East at risk and back down? I guess we will soon see exactly what Barack and Hillary mean when they speak of improving our image around the world.

Watch for yet another apology tour, while China and Russia are ROTFL.

Link: Russia warns U.S. against unilateral Iran sanctions – Yahoo! News.

Iran, Russia, United Nations

Russia To Rest Of The World, Chill Out On Iran

Here  we are again. Time is running out for Iran. If time is running out, then where is all this extra time coming from? This reminds me of the furniture store on the corner that has been running ‘going out of business’ sales for the last 8 years.

Now stirring the pudding even more is Russia. They’re telling the rest of the world to just chill with this tough talk. I guess at least until Iran has their bombs and delivery systems ready.

See what having no spine, all bark and no bite, gets you?

Link: Russia warns against rushing to Iran sanctions – Yahoo! News.

Iran, Politics, Russia

Time Is Running Out For Iran

To say that history repeats itself is a given. And stupidity is doing the same thing every time and expecting a different result.

There is no room for a wimp when it comes to geopolitics when the stakes are nuclear and the President of Iran is a Holocaust denier, calling for the annihilation of Israel. And by ‘wimp’ I mean the United Nations, pacifists, and heads of state that don’t know when negotiations end and plan B begins.

Where Iraq is concerned, what was it, 8 years delay and 16 UN resolutions later before action was finally taken? Saddam had his nuclear bluff called and it cost him his life. But for all those years, before and after he kicked the UN inspectors out, Saddam bought time. Enough time to scatter what nuclear capability he had. Essentially, he played the UN, the United States, and the world community like a piano. While Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinijad, and North Korea’s Kim Jong-il took notes.

With Iran, history is repeating itself. And Ahmadinijad is playing the UN, the United States, and other world leaders like a piano.The UN inspectors have already been kicked out. And more time is all that Iran needs to produce a bomb to threaten its neighbors with.

Here’s some history and who said ‘time is running out for Iran,’ and when.

Sept. 28, 2006– Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice . . .

The United States is willing to give European Union negotiator Javier Solana a bit more time to pursue negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program before pushing for U.N. Security Council sanctions, but Iran’s time is running out, according to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. It is important in keeping a coalition together to — if people want to explore something that doesn’t move you very far off course — to go ahead and explore it, Rice tells journalists.

July 10, 2007–Israel’s Military Intelligence

Predicting that sanctions will ultimately fail to stop Teheran’s nuclear program, Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser, former head of Military Intelligence’s Research Division, told The Jerusalem Post on Monday that time to launch an effective military strike against Iran’s nuclear installations was running out. According to Kuperwasser, who stepped down from his post last year, Iran is “very close” to the point that it will cross the technological threshold and have the capability to enrich uranium at an industrial level. Once they master the technology, the Iranians will have the ability to manufacture a nuclear device within two to three years, he added.

Nov. 15, 2009– President Obama . . .

“We have to continue to maintain urgency and our previous discussions, confirming the need for a dual-track approach, are still the right approach to take. We will begin to discuss and prepare for these other pathways,” Obama said.

Unfortunately, the only country with the clarity to know when negotiations end is the one with the most to lose, Israel. And where Israel is concerned, if you need to defend yourself, do it.