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Ahmadinejad: Threat to world peace or just another nut-job in a bad suit?You're not off to a good start
Ahmadinejad is the talking head for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei'…'He pulls Ahmadinejad's strings and makes him dance'.'..'It is the ruling religious elite whose ideology comes from the President's mouth.
Mike,
Seriously, is this the level of competence you're going to bring to this debate, because I honestly have to ask myself what's the point of even having a having a debate when you say things such as this. How have you arrived at such conclusions, and do you have any reasonable sources to support them?
Submitted on Tue, 2007-09-25 20:39
reply 
 You're kidding me, right?
[quote]How have you arrived at such conclusions, and do you have any reasonable sources to support them?[/quote]
You're kidding me, right? Is this the level of intellectual honesty you're going to bring to the debate?
This was one of the main arguments of the article YOU provided...specifically that Ahmadinajad is not the threat the west believes he is BECAUSE the REAL power is consolidated in the religious elite, specifically Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who screens and approves all candidates for office.
[quote]Political analysts here are surprised at the degree to which the West focuses on their president, saying the denunciations reflect a general misunderstanding of their system. Unlike in the United States, the Iranian president is not the head of state nor the commander in chief. That status is held by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, whose role combines civil and religious authority. At the moment, this president's power comes from two sources, they say: the unqualified support of the supreme leader, and the international condemnation he manages to generate when he speaks up.[/quote]
Are you disagreeing with the article YOU provided? We've seen what happens to opposition candidates...they end up in prison or dead. So If he controls Ahmadinejad, then he is the puppet master when Ahmadinejad rants against the west. You suggest otherwise?
You are suggesting what? There is no threat because...
1. Ahmadinejad has no real power, so his rantings are not a credible threat?
2. Power is too fragmented in iran to be weilded in an offensive manner?
3. Iran prefers to fight a proxy war through insurgencies and would never directly engage in nuclear warfare or direct offensive operations against its neighbors?
4. If you close your eyes and click your ruby slippers together, Ahmadinejad will just go away?
Submitted on Thu, 2007-09-27 18:38
reply Threat is from the USA
The French see a threat of war. That threat, clearly, comes from the USA or its proxy, Israel.
Submitted on Tue, 2007-09-25 21:06
reply Threat is from the USA
herric, "The French see a threat of war. That Threat, clearly, comes from the USA or its proxy, Israel"? And we thought Ahmadinejad was the master of wild rhetoric. Move over Ahmy.
Submitted on Wed, 2007-09-26 01:41
reply Jose Ahmadenijad
Ahmadenijad looks very like recently departed Chelsea manager,Mourinho.
Submitted on Wed, 2007-09-26 08:51
reply .
Actually, there was in fact a very good chance that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad might have simply disappeared in the not too distant future, up until the shameful and arrogant way your country treated him on his recent visit that is, not to mention the embarrasing and pathetic pandering to the American masses by Columbia University President Lee Bollinger. Now he's seen as a hero in the Middle East for standing up and taking his lumps in America. Your country, once again, looks petty, arrogant, anti-Islamic, and hypocritical to many of the Middle East and well beyond. Good Job!
Submitted on Thu, 2007-09-27 18:55
reply .
if anyone is interested, here's the full transcript of ahmadinejad's speech at the university.
and here's a few more links:
UN speech
and Charlie Rose interview
Submitted on Thu, 2007-09-27 19:56
reply sounds like Bush
[quote]"There is a proverb in Persian saying: 'This coat is too big for you.' It's used for someone who pretends to do what he or she is too immature for. Since Ahmadinejad became president, we started having feelings of regret because this proverb started to make sense about him. To me, [Ahmadinejad] is so politically immature that he rarely thinks about what he puts himself into and what future outcome his remarks might have. That or he does think about it but his framework of thinking is so far from reality. He is a simple man for whom the presidential chair is too big -- so big that after two years, he still could not come to comprehend his own position and has never learned to abide by the normal diplomatic behavior that is expected from a president." [/quote]
link
Submitted on Thu, 2007-09-27 19:57
reply
Vote for "nut-job in a cheap suit?"
Candace,
Interesting proverb that fits better than the cheap suits preferred by Ahmadinejad. But are you too suggesting there is just empty rhetoric here and no threat?
Ahmadinejad may be a nut-job, but he is ranting under the authority and with the approval of the ruling religious elite. Mouthpiece or moron, his rantings are a clear window into the ideology which guides a foreign policy which fights proxy wars through terrorist organizations (Hezbollah) and supplies insugencies that undermine security and democratic nation-building efforts in Iraq. It is the motivation behind nuclear enrichment program in a country with 1,000 years supply of oil.
Submitted on Thu, 2007-09-27 20:17
reply .
Mike,
After reading his address to the UNGA, his interview with Charlie Rose and his speech at Columbia University, I would have to say that the address to UNGA was the most interesting possibly revealing as to how Iran is viewing the standoff with the west; a bit alarming, but not impossible to deal with.
I think ahmadinejads own image and the image of Iran is very important to him. He wants to appear to be generally reasonable; willing to work with all countries. He also repeatedly refers to the great history of Iran and the pride in their culture. As far as our public relationship with Iran, he would be easy to work with. I dont think he presents a challenge in that way.
His speech to Columbia University and his interview with Charlie Rose was obviously an attempt to gain some popularity with americans and at home. In that way I think it was valuable because it gives insight into popular middle eastern perspective on what was discussed.
As far as whether he is dangerous or not... I think he wants respect from the US for Iran and for himself more than he wants to fight. I have always felt that the comments about wiping Israel off the map literally meant removing the word Israel and replacing it with Palestine; meaning that the occupying government leave-not to one day drop a nuc on Israel as some people have suggested here before. I think they will always support terrorist organizations as a way of keeping Israel and the US "away" from Iran. In which case I think the only answer really, if we want stability in the middle east- is to work with, (not dominate) Iran in a way that shows some respect, but not necessarily to be soft. I know thats vague, but I am sure you get the general idea. Not that I believe we are considering that direction, (questionable action) and understand that my opinion would be considered naive by many people, and there are other international dimensions to the problem with Iran- like economic, but I am not interested in going there for now, ok. ever. :-)
Submitted on Fri, 2007-09-28 09:18
reply no edit option
oops. I posted the wrong link for the UN speech.
here it is -hopefully ;-)
Submitted on Thu, 2007-09-27 20:21
reply hmmm...
[quote=Iron Mike]But are you too suggesting there is just empty rhetoric here and no threat? [/quote]
I'll get back to you about that. I gotta take off for a few hours.
Submitted on Thu, 2007-09-27 20:28
reply .
['Ahmadinejad may be a nut-job, but he is ranting under the authority and with the approval of the ruling religious elite.'] Candace, The sad thing is that in some parts of the world the same thing is being said about George Bush, the Christian right (read ruling party) and your country. The difference is your government has much more innocent blood on their hands. Mike sees what he wants to see, he saw Saddam as a threat and supported your government in destroying a country based on lies and propaganda. Six years later he is still blood thirsty and he now sees Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the threat based on more propaganda. Must Iran and the Iranian people be the next to be sacrificed in the name of American imperialism?
Submitted on Thu, 2007-09-27 20:52
reply 
Listen you all Ahmadinejad
Listen you all Ahmadinejad is a cool guy, he speaks gently, kind of sexy, plus he is smooth, calm, and classy. I like the intriguing ambiguity of his words, he is interesting, not too pretty but cute, therefor I don't feel threatened so I don't know what you all are so riled up about. Besides, most of the answers he didn't give are true. L.W.
Submitted on Thu, 2007-09-27 22:10
reply 
The Special Juan
[quote]
Ahmadenijad looks very like recently departed Chelsea manager,Mourinho. [/quote] Recently departed?!! He's only resigned - not died - Mourinho, that is! Apart from the 5o'clock shadow and small stature, I can't see a lot of similarity myself. Still, if Mourinho's next job is with Dinamo Tehran, I'll bear your thoughts in mind!
Submitted on Sat, 2007-09-29 11:12
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LOL 
Boring and enraging Liberals with the truth since 2004