Sarah Obama Palin

Other Tea Partiers may argue against war with Iran

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Sarah Obama Palin
by Flynt and Hillary Leverett
24-Dec-2010
 

Sarah Palin -- former governor of Alaska and Senator John McCain's running mate in the 2008 U.S. presidential election -- published an op-ed in USA Today, that takes the most fanciful neoconservative myths about the Islamic Republic and turns them into a tortured argument for "truly 'crippling' sanctions", U.S. support for regime change in Tehran, and military strikes against Iranian nuclear targets.

Given the disastrous consequences of neoconservative foreign policy ideas regarding Iraq and other Middle Eastern issues in recent years, those ideas and the people who framed them should have been discredited and should now be marginalized -- meaning, not taken seriously -- in future policy debates. But that is clearly not the case. The neoconservatives and their particular approach to American foreign policy in the Middle East are back in force, and the current focus of their advocacy and activism is pushing the United States into a military confrontation with Iran.

It is even more striking that many "progressives", "liberal internationalists" (we like John Mearshimer's description, "liberal imperialist", better), and "human rights advocates" -- who would recoil at the suggestion they were conservatives of any sort, neo- or otherwise -- are buying into and helping to legitimate bad neoconservative ideas about the Islamic Republic. By doing so, these left-of-center forces are bolstering the neoconservatives' drive to war, whether they intend this or not. We saw this happen in the run-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, too.

Interestingly, one of the few pockets of politically engaged people in the United States who are prepared to raise serious questions about the wisdom of another ill-conceived U.S. military adventure in the Middle East is found within the "Tea Party" movement, of which Sarah Palin is a leading light. Notwithstanding Palin's acceptance of the neoconservative narratives that have come to dominate foreign policy discussions within the Republican Party in recent years, the Tea Party is, in fact, deeply divided on foreign policy. Some of the movement's other leading lights -- including at least a couple who will be sworn in as United States Senators in a few days, like Rand Paul (R-KY) -- are stalwart in their criticism of the Iraq war and their determination that the United States not launch another "war of choice" in the Middle East that will end up doing even greater damage to America's interests and international standing.

It seems a daunting challenge for truly principled conservatives to take on what has become the entrenched consensus on foreign policy in GOP circles. But to the extent some of the Tea Partiers are inclined to try, we wish them well. It would be one of the great ironies of recent American history if the most outspoken congressional opponents of potential moves by the Obama Administration toward military confrontation with Iran turned out to be serious conservatives who actually care about the U.S. Constitution.

First published in www.HuffingtonPost.com. A version of this post will also appear on www.RaceForIran.com.


AUTHORS
Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett, Director of the Iran Project at the New America Foundation.

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bushtheliberator

I love you,Sarah,but you're not helping Iran's reformers when

by bushtheliberator on Sun Dec 26, 2010 12:04 AM PST

you directly attack the IRI's  founding cleric > I know it's a creepy,"every body know,nobody tell "policy, but you need to learn when to hug the Beards.Note O-Bambi's statement about the death of Montazeri (you should only praise dead clerics,but never live ones ). Iranians can't dismantle the IRI, and establish a democratic republic without a war ; and no reform can succeed without at least a patina of clerical leadership. Once, our dear Uncle Sam kissed Joe Stalin's bloody hand ;and in this Long War,too,we can't be too picky about who's in our cohort. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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G. Rahmanian

Self-Interest Rules!

by G. Rahmanian on Fri Dec 24, 2010 05:44 PM PST

That is as low as you and your ilk get when it comes to Iran and Iranians: So, whoever defends the murderous regime is welcome. Ends justifying the means, isn't that a fact of your life? Shame on you!!!


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Niloufar Parsi

whatever is in it for individuals

by Niloufar Parsi on Fri Dec 24, 2010 05:12 PM PST

the content is superb, and their analysis is outstandingly sharp.

their jab at 'liberal imperialists' is sobering and poignant.

peace


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masoudA

Moosir Joon

by masoudA on Fri Dec 24, 2010 04:56 PM PST

My uncle Rush is fine - but unlike Soros he does not distribute anti American grants in America..... 


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MOOSIRvaPIAZ

what about your uncle Limbaugh?

by MOOSIRvaPIAZ on Fri Dec 24, 2010 04:39 PM PST

How he is doing by the way? heykal meykal mizooneh?


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masoudA

What is in it for the Leverett's ?

by masoudA on Fri Dec 24, 2010 04:35 PM PST

Depends on how happy George Soros is with them..... and what kind of mood he is in!!  these days uncle George is in a bad mood - very bad mood...


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G. Rahmanian

What's In It For The Leveretts?

by G. Rahmanian on Fri Dec 24, 2010 04:19 PM PST

What's the going rate for writing articles of this nature? Or is this volunteer work on the part of these two people! Would it be indeed possible to find selfless individuals such as this couple who would tirelessly and without any financial rewards spend their time defending the illegitimate regime in Tehran? Especially when one takes into account the time-honored and self-serving American cultural motto, "What's in it for me?"


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Bavafa

And the crap duster may just come and dust AIPAC agents

by Bavafa on Fri Dec 24, 2010 04:10 PM PST

since they are nothing but crap 

Mehrdad


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MOOSIRvaPIAZ

neocon warmongering crop-dusters

by MOOSIRvaPIAZ on Fri Dec 24, 2010 11:42 AM PST

It is not absolutely necessary for the Rabid Zionist louts to show off
their violent nature and abysmal upbringing all the time.

It is time for them to grow up, stop mooching off the Iranian people and get an honest job.


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Sargord Pirouz

the "rabid" replies from "Fred"

by Sargord Pirouz on Fri Dec 24, 2010 11:00 AM PST

Why is it that the standard reply from the person that provides comments for the "Fred" effort is either "rabid" or "Islamist" or both, whenever they disagree with someone?

It's like arguing with an ignorant child on the school yard.  

The only explanation I can think of is this person is intellectually shallow and their discussion points are not so defensible.

So we're left with responses like "rabid" and "Islamist" every time this effort cannot defend itself in commentary.


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Fred

Islamist Palestinian crop-dusters

by Fred on Fri Dec 24, 2010 09:10 AM PST

It is not absolutely necessary for the Rabid Islamist louts to show off their violent nature and abysmal upbringing all the time.

It is time for them to grow up, stop mooching off the Iranian people and get an honet job.


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Bavafa

"truly 'crippling' sanctions"

by Bavafa on Fri Dec 24, 2010 08:56 AM PST

Is it chicken or egg?

One wonders if Fred writes the "crippling sanctions" material for Sarah or Sarah writes them for Fred?

Or is it possible that they both get their hand outs to read or publish in a two-blog-a-day from the same source. The only thing that is clear, both feed from the same hand, AIPAC

Ey beshkane on dasti ke aashob kare!

Mehrdad


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MOOSIRvaPIAZ

Islamist Leverett

by MOOSIRvaPIAZ on Fri Dec 24, 2010 04:29 AM PST

neocon supporter of war (airtight sanctions) Fred says:

"Too bad they can’t label President Obama as a neocon, but hey, reality is the furthest thing from this couple’s agenda."

pot meet kettle. apologist for all things Likudnik (even a war on Iran), defender of all things neocon and their out of touch bankrupt unrealistic world view, Fred is the very definition of chutzpah. 


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Fred

Neocon Obama

by Fred on Fri Dec 24, 2010 04:21 AM PST

And of course the husband and wife, who frequently enjoy the hospitality of the Islamist Rapist Republic, find nothing to say about the warmongering policies of their savage Islamist host.

Too bad they can’t label President Obama as a neocon, but hey, reality is the furthest thing from this couple’s agenda.


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