PRESIDENCY

Programmer Craig

'I bet the israelis really, really wish they had given Sadat Gaza too, way back then.'

You said it man. Can't agree more. Keeping Gaza was a major mistake. A pointless mistake as well.

farhad, you're too brainwashed

First of all, the U.S did not kill half a million Iraqis.
the claim that U.S is killing half million Iraqi is just factually wrong, anyway you look at it.
Its one thing to oppose the war, another to make up stuff.
Get your facts rights.

Unfortunately, the half a million number of Iraqis killed by the US is an under-estimate. Mainly because US official (like the Imbicile Rumsfeld) doesn't like to keep track of actual numbers killed because they embarrass the US.

The US Sanctions imposed on Iraq in the 90's alone have killed close to 700,000 people, according to many many estimates. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that 567,000 Iraqi children under the age of five had died as a result of the sanctions. Here are a few sources. Make sure you read well because I don't have time for your non-factual excuses.

//www.fair.org/index.phppage1084
//www.medialens.org/articles/the_articles/art...
//www.casi.org.uk/

furthermore, the 2003 invasion has also killed many hundreds of thousdands if measured by epidemial or statistical methods. Those are the mosst accurate since US refuses to keep track of all the bodies. Most other methods count only media reports. But the media weren't there for the initial carpet bombing. They are now confined to the Green Zone missing most of the action all the time.

//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_casualties
//www.alternet.org/waroniraq/42867/
//www.opinion.co.uk/Newsroom_details.aspx?New...
//www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/sep/16/iraq.i...
//www.nytimes.com/2006/10/11/world/middleeast...

next you say.

fighting for their country’s future and to establish democracy in Iraq
Just like Angolan leftist rebels were fighting for the good of the communist movement overall, these people are fighting for the advancement of democracy.
This is really a STUPID thing to say. You're comparing unorganized guerillas with the strongest, most organized, centrally planned army in the world? Why aren't these selfless "freedom fighters" fighting in Saudi Arabia or China? Why are only places with oil that US does not already control are in need of gun-forced "democracy"?

finally, you try to escape your own words:
Your absurd argument that I’m pro Mujahedeen is nonsense

It's not nonsense. You are so brainwashed that you think your dear Uncle Sam will make the right decision as to who to bribe in order to bring down the IRI. The fact is, the MEK has been saying hte same thing: No to war, but empower Iranian opposition. That is their line. unfortunately, they count themselves as the "opposition" to be empowered. And if anyone ever listened to you about this, that means they will be getting US support to overthrow the regime and this is already happening.
//thehill.com/op-eds/empowering-the-democrati...

Iran's government is no one's business but Iranians. And not those who had the money and the means to come live in LA or London, the ones who are in iran right now. that means NOT ME OR YOU, FARHAD.

RPR

<i>he was practically running on the libertarian platform. Bob Barr, the
current libertarian candidate agrees with Paul nearly exactly.</i>

There's a hell of a lot more to being a "libertarian" than than any of the things you mentioned. First and foremost is the little issue of maximizing the empowerment of the individual. This means minimizing the role of government in the lives of ordinary people. The fact that you think somebody like bob Barr, who has a history that runs quite contrary to that, is a Libertarian tells me all I need to know about you.

When it comes to foreign policy, Libertarians have very little to say, being isoloationists at heart. It's kind of a "don't mess with me, I won't mess with you" attitude. Well, the US has been MESSED WITH. Big time. Ron Paul's attitude isn't libertarian, it is pacifist. Or, cowardice. 

And please don't tell me about what the self-styled "Libertarian" party has to say. There's a reason why 99% of Libertarians vote for one of the two major parties (usually Repuiblican because they seem to be the most consistantly "inline" with Libertarian philsophy.

You can take those fake Libertaqrians all teh way back to iran as far as I'm concerned. lets see how well their ideas fly, there. We don't need em around these parts. Isolationism only works when you are willing to defend your right to be left alone.

Anonymous8, here goes your

Anonymous8, here goes your illogical argument again.

First of all, the U.S did not kill half a million Iraqis. Most people that opposed that war (including me), don’t even make that argument. Yes, the U.S should not have invaded Iraq (rather it should’ve helped Iraqi people remove Saddam) the U.S should not have dismantled Iraqi security forces, and many other mistakes. But like I said before, the claim that U.S is killing half million Iraqi is just factually wrong, anyway you look at it. Its one thing to oppose the war, another to make up stuff. Like I said before, it is those brainwashed-by-the-IRI young Iraqi and other Arab men who are committing those horrific crimes. Even secular Iraqi opposition groups who fight the Americans, such as Baathists, don’t do that. Get your facts rights. And as far as hows the invasion helped “free speech”, maybe you need to read my post again, I said people who are fighting for their country’s future and to establish democracy in Iraq, and obviously I meant non-fundamentalist Iraqis, are the ones who should be praised. Just like Angolan leftist rebels were fighting for the good of the communist movement overall, these people are fighting for the advancement of democracy. You people just don’t get it, do you?

Your absurd argument that I’m pro Mujahedeen is nonsense, as the rest of your argument. Stop reading Prensa Latina Cuba.

Again, you engage in name calling, which, again, shows your character, which is common among many intolerant people like you. You represent everything that’s wrong with Iran. Its intolerance and thugness, like what you’re showing on this site, is what has killed any opportunity for dialogue and reconciliation in our country.

programmer craig, most libertarians support ron paul

he was practically running on the libertarian platform. Bob Barr, the current libertarian candidate agrees with Paul nearly exactly.

Libertarians believe in peace not war. Trade, not sanctions. Dialogue, not nation building. Even gay rights and abortion rights. If you are a true libertarian, you should be for

- ending the war in iraq
- stopping war on iran
- no sanctions and economic embargo on iran
- opening up diplomatic relations and trade with iran, just like China and Russia.
- no nation building in iraq and afghanistan
- cutting all foreign aid and military aid to Israel and the arab countries
- allowing gays to serve in the military

read some more here: //www.lp.org/news/press-releases/libertarian-...

i've seen many small government conservatives call themselves libertarians. but taxes and budget aren't the only issue. on foreign policy and military. what i outlined is the libertarian position on military and foreign policy, if you're with it, you can call yourself a libertarian.

Prog. Craig

As a true liberal (Libertarian) you should know and agree that the republicans and especially Neo-Cons for 8 years has caused the erosion of most essential liberties in this country and they declared the constitution of the united states dead ( Conservative Supreme Court Judge Anthony Scalia 60 min interview) and made the phrase liberal a dirty thing. As the far as the economy goes when republicans believe in down sizing the government they actually referring to making the government dormant of the big corporations. And they exactly have done that for the last 8 years, especially big oil. Yes Clinton worked with congress to achieve that and that is the fact but the difference between him and the current president is for 7 years he refused to work with democrats and he pushed their crocked agendas in all aspects. Clinton in contrast only had 2 years of Democratic congress in 1994 republican regained the both housed. I'm sure you remember Republican’s "Contract with America" or I should say Contract on America brain child of Carl Rove which was designed to capture the total control in the state and as well as federal level. Yet Clinton worked with them and gave this country 8 best years which this country ever had since the 50’s. 

PS. Socialists hate Liberals! Proud to be a liberal I'am.

Peace!

Khar

Ron Paul is the senior Republican congressmen form State of Texas who has run for Republican presidential nomination this year.

I should say the last
budget surplus was in year 2000 at 600,000,000,000 Billion dollars
guess who was the president, William Jefferson Clinton, a Democrat.

Yes, but the President doesn't have any control over spending. The President only signs the budget that the congress sends to him, or he vetos it. President Clinton shut down the US government several times, when he didn't approve of the budgets that the Republican controlled congress sent him. So, I'm afraid there are no kudos due to him on that one! Also, please make note of the way the Clinton Administration behaved when they had democratic majorites in both the House and the Senate.

Prog. Craig

Ron Paul is the senior Republican congressmen form State of Texas who has run for Republican presidential nomination this year.

Last Budget Surplus!

For those of you whom history is just a tool to prove your misleading political points and will refuse to remember the past as it actually happened; I should say the last budget surplus was in year 2000 at 600,000,000,000 Billion dollars guess who was the president, William Jefferson Clinton, a Democrat. Which the Republican Congress/White House for the last 7 years plundered it and more! Today we are in debt to Chinese up to our wazzu with 2 wars to fight and with a down turned economy which we haven't had for last 60 years thanks to the Republicans. Just remember you can only bullshit some of the people some of the time.

Anonymous8

The hypocracy from you is amazing. Only your type knows what is best for Iranians, who was good for Iranians and who is bad. Amazing.

Khar

No thanks! I'm a Libertarian, and I don't even consider him "one of my own". I ahev no idea what political party Ron Paul belongs in, but I'd rather he be kept as far away from me and mine as possible! But you go on ahead. Whatever makes you happy :)

Anon8

As a matter of fact, it's a tremendous amount of fun being me.

The point of my post should be crystal clear, even to you: Don't cause pain, discomfort, or misfortune to fall upon others. Even if realistically, I cannot exact revenge (for lack of a better word) upon future generations for misdeeds of their forefathers, remember, karma is a bitch who never forgets, no matter how long ago it was. As far as becoming what I despise, well, you may have a point. But in order to effectively go up against an adversary, one must put themselves in their place, so that they may be defeated at their own game.

Last I checked, the subject of this thread concerns Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama. Neither Reagan or Saddam are part of the equation. That can be saved for another thread if you wish. As far as what was mine, and what was taken away, I hardly think it's appropriate to discuss personal or family business matters with strangers.

farhad, how about you open your eyes?

question was how has killing half a million people and that fisaco invasion of Iraq made me and you more free:

you dance around some vague BS without answering the question, I did not expect you being capapble of anything else.

of course you are so brainwashed by fox news that you automatically equate any US action with "freedom". In reality it had nothing to do with it since US is just fine with many undemocratic allies, a lot more vicious than Iran or Iraq.

This "freedom" story is only a fairy tale given by oil and weapons industry to get you to pay for another costly war so they can retire millionaires.

Idiots like you fall for it everytime.

Freedom is not given by Bush or his soldiers. Why don't you join the Mojahedeen since you already approve of their agenda for Iran.

Again: Republicans should listen to one of their own, Ron Paul

And just keep that in mind Barack Obama will be elected as the President of these United States of America by the vote of the American people not the supreme court and that is what we didn't have in office for the last 8 years, Gvernment of the People by the People for the people. 

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ3T5REZ11Q&NR=1

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldgbOxDX6DE&feature=related

Now let's vote for The Change!!!!!

Anonymos8, well I’m glad

Anonymos8, well I’m glad you showed your true character. What you write, says a lot about you, and what it has shown me that you are a misguided, confused, illiterate, brainwashed, low life, and cold hearted individual. I’m responding to your personal attack here.

As far as your argument, democracy has been a universal idea since ancient Greece. (Iran was a liberal civilization, not a democratic one). Just like any ideology, it has a universal message, and people from all walks of life, and all nationalities, subscribe to it, and feel a responsibility to spread it. The same is true with Communism, Islamic Fundamentalism, Socialism, ultra nationalism, conservatism, liberalism, ..and others. Maybe you need to open your mind, and realize that many people who have worked for the advancement of human beings and for promotion of democracy around the world, had a universal agenda. So, yes, if democracy prevails in Zimbabwe, it’s a victory for all democratic forces around the world, and if democracy wins in Iran, it’s a victory not just for Iranians, bur for the global advancement of universal declaration of human rights. That’s why democratic forces, civil society, NGOs, Human Rights Organizations, UN, ,,and others, are working towards the establishment of democracy for people that don’t have it, people in Iran, Myanmar, N Korea, Syria, Cuba, and elsewhere. People that died in Normandy and are dying right now in Evin prison, all subscribed to the same principal, democracy.  

Also, tell your beloved IRI to stop supporting Islamic Fundamentalism ideas, so some brainwashed Iraqi youth wouldn’t go strap himself with bombs, enter a girls elementary school to blow himself up, killing little girls, or strap himself with bombs, enter a vegetable market, killing innocent elder Iraqis; that’s how you prevent half million Iraqis from dying.

Mr Kaveh: May God give you some wisdom...

and give me some gold.

P.S. I like peanuts, peanut butter on toasted bread and peanut farmers.

Nouraee: what are you talking about?

What was "yours" that was "taken away" exactly?

You are right. Your mental status is definitly not healthy when you say "I want to make sure that your unborn great-grandchildren will continue to pay."

Even if you have been wronged, most SANE people do not hold other people's great grand children responsible for the crime of their fathers. This is the kind of thing uncivilized backward nomads used to do to each other. You are now becoming what you hate most, an arab nomad from 1400 years ago. How does it feel?

And how does it feel supporting a man who SOLD WEAPONS so the same Mullah's that you supposedly dispise? The same man who paid Saddam hussein to kill Iranians? Only someone insane has this kind of mental contradiction.

Must not be fun being you right now, Kaveh jan.

To Mola:

I'm thoroughly disappointed.

A two word response is the best you can come up with?

Wow, talk about a letdown.

Yeah I'm messed up in the head

You see I have been messed up in the head ever since an illiterate half Indian who thought he was the Mahdi came in with his gang of thieves and hoodlums and stole my country, doing their damnedest to turn Iran into an Arabestan. I'm sorry that I have this issue with this incarnation of Satan himself sending children to sweep for landmines at the front, armed only with childhood innocence and set of plastic "keys to paradise", made oddly enough, in China. I have a problem with babies being sent to their deaths "in the name of God". And I have a problem with people like Jimmy Carter who facilitated the entire process all because he was pissed off that he couldn't get a side deal with the Shah to buy Iranian crude oil at $8 a barrel (fixed) for 50 years.

I'm truly, deeply sorry. Call it a character flaw.

It's a funny thing. Steal from me, take what is mine, and I have this overwhelming tendency to want to make you pay for it for eternity. Not only that, I want to make sure that your unborn great-grandchildren will continue to pay. I'm not going to take it in the ass and roll over and die. I'm going to make sure that the ones who have wronged or harmed me are the ones who will roll over. Harm me or my family the way the mollahs did and I'm not going to be a forgiving person at all. If that's messed up, then call me insane. I will be proud to wear the label. I'd rather be called messed up or insane than be called vatanforoosh.

I wear a 44 Regular (strait)jacket. 100% tropical weight wool only please. I despise man-made fabrics.

farhad, I don't know if I should laugh or cry at you

people are fighting for my freedom killing innocnet Iranians in Shiraz? Invading Iraq and killing half a million people has givn me "rights" to freedom of speech? Can you explain how this works? How brainwashed can you possibly get?

You are such a big lunatic, I'm not sure it's wise for anyone to waste time even reading you.

You are right, you are not right wing. No right wing organization would dare associate with you for fear of being called Nazi. You are way beyond just "right wing."

There is more intelligence and humanity in Carter's little finger than all of you idiots put together, the mentally challnged author included.

You crave war, and a "dog eat dog" world so much that you can't recognize a real peace maker when you see one.

Kaveh Nouraee is typical of the brainwashed. The man (Ronald Ray-guns) who FUNDED Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein is his idea of a good leader. The guy who invaded defenseless nations in Latin Ameria and sold weapons to the Ayatollahs (that you supposedly dispise) is your idea of a good leader? I can't even imagine how messed up in the head you must be.

How fast the Islamists forget

That it was the Peanut Farmer Carter himself who ordered US troops to invade Iranian soil because of the Hostages. How quickly they forget and forgive.

To warmongers: Carter-Obama rock, Republicans-Israel suck

It's obvious.

Mammad, I thought we agreed

Mammad, I thought we agreed not to use offensive language, but I guess you guys don’t believe in free interchange and exchange of ideas in a democratic fashion, do you?

Oh sorry, I forgot, Democracy is an “imperialist and American concept invented to plunder the wealth and dignity of worker class, and non-white people”! My bad!

Unlike your beloved IRI, we don’t have a “Godfather” system. Our people, who are liberal and freedom loving people around the world from all nationalities, have fought and died in Okinawa, Normandy, Alamain, Korea, Vietnam, Moscow, Berlin, Prague, Budapest,and now are fighting in Tehran, Shiraz, Havana, Damascus, Pyong Yang, Caracas, Baghdad, Kabul, Ghandahar, ,,so people like you have the right to come on here and bash us, instead of being enslaved in “education camps”, or under a fascist, medival, brutal religious fundamentalist regime.

 For you info, I'm not right wing.   

Which Carter, some Ali Asghar Geshtapos are cheering about?

Are we talking about the same "Jimmy the wusse" who got terrorized through his whole presidency by their Arab jehadist regime in occupied Iran via hostage taking,bombing & subversion?  Or the same "fairy tale Jimmy" who practicaly was forced to whine & beg Arab regime to negotiate and was ridiculed,despized & bashed for 2 yrs?

Obama, at best is an Ivy league "opportunist" protege of bill Clinton & at worst a very comical elitist version of cotton farmer Jimmy Carter..But being an opportunist that He is(already proven coming to centre), Jehadists should be careful what they wish 4..You may not get another 4 years of inaction & begging but a man who says and does anything to save his own butt.He is unpredictable. Remember rev Wright?

For Khalifate regime "The end always justifies the means" even through sheer hypocracy of wooing Jimmy.

Mola......

Before you continue your rants against President Nixon, as well as your fawning praise over Jimmy Carter, it bears remembering that the last time the United States enjoyed a balanced budget, a surplus even, was when the Republican controlled Congress eliminated the deficit and was instrumental in retiring some of the debt. Since the Democrats have taken over Congress, they've spent money like my wife. And like my wife, they can't account for a single dime of it.

Democrats have never saved the country from disaster. In fact, they create disaster, with their standard operating procedure that precludes all personal accountability and responsibility of any kind and at all costs.

The U.S. became the laughingstock of the world, specifically the Middle East, when it became obvious that Jimmy Carter was completely inept, impotent and ineffective in all matters of state, even against an uneducated half-Indian cleric with a bad case of narcissism.

Jimmy Carter's biggest blunder was his inability to bluff the others seated at the poker table of geopolitics. This fool wore his "tells" (which in fact are the "tells" of the U.S.) so prominently that this country has not truly been taken seriously since 1980, save for the instance when Ronald Reagan ordered a ballistic missile suppository for Moammar Khaddafi.

Look at Habitat for Humanity. They have come under constant criticism for misuse of funds. Those elections he "supervises"? It's all a show. Half the time he's not really invited, and even in the cases where he is, it's all a meaningless show. What can he possibly do to secure a fair electoral process? If you believe otherwise, then please contact me very soon, as I have a nice bridge in Brooklyn I wish to sell, and I think you would just love it as an investment.

Sticking out his neck to protest the inhuman treatment of Palestinians? You cannot be serious. This "great man" as you call him has also sucked up to Nicolae Ceaucescu, Fidel Castro, and Kim Jung Il. Great humanitarians, right?

I, for one, am not frightened by Carter. (Nauseated, perhaps.) Be frightened of the possibilities if Obama were elected. He's a nice guy, but the rest of the world will take his kindness and interpret it as weakness.

This battle is between

This battle is between those who love "imperialist" America and those who hate America. Those who want communism and theocracy and those who want to hold on to democracy and freedom...

Revisiting the Crusades and the Cold War in the 21 centurey, indeed!!!

As expected, the focus of

As expected, the focus of this article is lost to Islamists who picked up on the marginal issue of Iran under the Shah, despite the fairly accurate description of the past Iranian affairs in a few sentences.

The main point here is the current state of affairs in US politics. The US is once again at a political junction similar to the early to mid 1970's; an unpopular war and a mistrusted administration. The result of which was the election of the less experienced candidate, as president, who was perceived to be trustworthy. What followed in the coming years was major strategic setback in the US foreign (and domestic) policy in terms of loss of prestige and misguided global leadership, or lack of it. Iran was a casualty of this era and the seed for the bigger murderous Islamist cult that the world will continue to deal with in the foreseeable future.

Similarly today, electing a popular and a less experienced candidate promising change is just as risk prone as continuation of the current unpopular foreign and economic policies, with a greater element of uncertainty. The fact that Obama is more popular among the young electorate, who are showing greater participation, is an indication of demand for radical change. Change for the sake of change is potentially too costly at the hands of less experienced statesmen, on the other hand, trustworthy incumbents who can bring positive change are a rare breed. If anybody, Iranians should know better than everyone else, the risks associated with youthful demand for radical change

PPS to sadegh

There was nothing inevitable about Camp David...read a little about
Sadat and Menachim Begin (a terrorist during the British
mandate period)...

Now that I have given you your requested citation, how about an apology for the insults?

Not holding my breath, since it seems apparrent from your insistence on referring gratuitously to an Israeli prime minister as a "terrorist" makes your bias pretty clear. You wouldn't have supported a peace treaty between israel and Egypt, would you? So why do you praise Jimmy Carter so much for having "achieved" it? That doesn't make sense to me. Does it make sense to you?

Israel Is 'Canceled' in Berlin

Israel Is 'Canceled' in Berlin

Iranian calls for the destruction of Israel are almost routine these days. But for a former official of the Islamic Republic to call for the destruction of the Jewish state in the city where the Holocaust was planned adds a repugnant twist – especially as the German government sponsored the event that gave the man from Tehran a Western stage.

At a conference on the Mideast in Berlin on Wednesday, Muhammad Javad Ardashir Larijani said the "Zionist project," which has "created only violence and atrocities," should be "canceled." Mr. Larijani, a former deputy foreign minister, is the brother of Iran's former nuclear negotiator and current parliamentary speaker, Ali Larijani.

//online.wsj.com/article/SB121538153156830807...

I am reading and reading and

I am reading and reading and searching on a daily basis( I began my search too late in life since I am 54 years old) trying to learn, to put the facts together to rationalize matters with the limited information I have (and there is available)regarding the TRUTH.
TRUTH is what I am seeking.

I have come to realize people are people --probably they should be considered/judged more as an 'individual' and not only by affiliation.

What if we don't want 4 more years of McCain/Bush, and what if we don't think that Obama is going to be able to manage either!

What else is there to do?

What if we Want the IRI out asap , but we don't want War, Death, Destruction and Misery for the people?
What If we don't want another Iraq , or we don't want the size of Iran to diminish and let Kurdestan and Balouchestan and Azarbaijan and perhaps even Khuzestan(!) disappear from the map of Iran?!

What If we don't believe that the Monarchy(Shah) was the best for Iran (although he was certainly not as bad as some make him out to be), that he could have, should have had better/wiser and true lovers of Iran around him and he should have been open to criticism and should have made enormous changes in his policies in Iran, but then again -- how much of his power was actually his own and not given to him (allowed to him ) by the Super Powers?

Perhaps I am seeking Nirvana?

I have no double-triple plus Phd's.
I only have a long ago gotten BA.
Some here may find my babble extremely naive and childish, but let me tell you, maybe so, but I know of numerous people who actually believe the same way!!

We just want to be able to exhale!