Clinton: Iran is a dictatorship

US Secretary of State interviewed by Kambiz Hosseini

26-Oct-2011
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Nader Vanaki

"We would like to see your regime change..." Hillary Khomeini

by Nader Vanaki on

هیلاری خمینی از این سوتّی ها زیاد میده.  یک نفر در رآس امور خارجه آمریکا اینقدر خِنگ و بَبو؟ ننه بلقیس من حرفاش بیشتر عقل و دریات داره تا این زنیکه. یکی نیست بگه "ابله کی نظر شما را خواست؟".  همین تحریم ها جیب قاچاقچی های سپاه رو پُر کرده.  اگه سیاست بلد بودین تجارت رو آزاد می کردین که مردم یه نونی از این بساط دربیارن.


anglophile

A golden opportunity was lost

by anglophile on

Thanks to the comfy questions put to Hilary by a kowtowing Kambiz, the only chance to challenge the former first lady on the issue of American softly softly approach towards the Islamic republic was lost, Why the Ameircan media in general and the migrant Iranian-American media in particular are so obliging and appeasing when it comes to seriously challenge their VIP interviewees? Not a single question made Hilary uncomfortable in the slightest. Well, I think Kambiz has an "excuse" at least. The secretary of State and the State department are the paymsters to the VOA.

masoudA

COP & VPK

by masoudA on

Iranians need help - don't kid yourselves.   We need to take charge and act - but at the end of the day we need support of all kinds.  This does not mean we must sit around and wait for a miracle enduced out of Washington but it would certainly help to have a humansit and a friend in Washington, next time people rise up.

As for the next election - If I were to vote today, 999 is my man. 


Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

Response

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on

 

  • COP Jan: You are so right and I don't mean right wing :-) This Perry sounds so attactive where do I sign up?  [sarcasm]. I mean they have been sticking it up my *** for so long I am used to it. Might as well get a bigger one! 
  • COP Jan: part 2 yes the only people able to rescure Iran are us. I mean all of Iranians inside and out. We better stop hoping some magic fairy grandmother will appear and pull us out. But my head is out of Islam believe me!
  • Payam: Hillary is a politician as the rest. She get the powerful appeased and happy. I have said before our hope for dealing with America is one thing. To convince them a unified Iran is in THEIR interest.

Regarding Iran: We must get AIPAC to agree a united Iran is in ther interest. At least then they will leave us alone. If not we need to be aware they will sow dissent. If may not work but they will try. No matter what they are not our friends. 

 


hamsade ghadimi

payam s, you sound like a

by hamsade ghadimi on

payam s, you sound like a propagandist.  a foul-mouthed one at that.


payam s

She is a propagandist!

by payam s on

She could care less about Iranians and democracy in iran. She, along with her colleagues are busy instigating tribal/ethnic violence and divisions and islamic fundamentalism (as in Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Morocco, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan, etc.) to divide up all these countries into smaller states that are easier to control and influence. if the Green movement establishes a democracy that prioritizes Iranian interest as opposed to the western corporate interest, they will prop up radical elements to destabilize the movement and to divide the people. For Americans and European powers, Instability and violence in the global south is better than a unified people opposed to global capitalist interest in their countries, because instability is a perfect condition under which the wealth of a country can be exploited without anyone noticing, and instability is a good pretext for intervention. Many Iranians are suffering from the same political amnesia that has consumed American political consciousness. It's as if they don't remember the plots of the colonial powers and the evil control of the US over their country. 53 coup, providing WMDs to Saddam during the war, and all their evil conspiracies around the world is not forgotten by most people. The agenda of the Americans hasn't changed since its inception: Domination and exploitation of all land and peoples for the purpose of accumulating more capital and wealth. Some people praising this witch are idiots who lack any political consciousness. Unfortunately this is the nature of Iranian Americans today.


Cost-of-Progress

Masoud Jaan

by Cost-of-Progress on

the only people who can fix Iran are Irnains. Unfortunately, that, my friend, does not appear to be a realistic prospect as long as we have our head up religion's ass and allow a bunch of rapist islamist pukes to rule over us with an iron fist.

People rise to their potential, and apparently this is our potential.

____________

IRAN FIRST

____________


Cost-of-Progress

VPK

by Cost-of-Progress on

You can always vote for Perry, if nominated. However, even my staunch right wing nut case far right friends doubt that the new village idiot will make it to nomination by the RNC. If he does, look for US to be back in the "hands of Americans" and saving America by:
- Flat tax so the super rich will continue to pay zero taxes and you and I will have to bend down over even fruther
- Eliminating the EPA
- Repeal ALL regulations so Wall Street can openly rape us and big industry can freely pollute
- Abolish the Dept of Education - so even those 12th graders who read at 3rd grade level now won't even be able to do that and, and....
If that doesn't pan out, there's Herman Cain with his 9-9-9 plan. What's wrong with these people?

____________

IRAN FIRST

____________


masoudA

Dear VPK

by masoudA on

I share and understand your confusion....but Republican Establishment is not any better.    What we must focus on is "Morality"....we must focus on who is apt to do the RIGHT THING - which is to stand with the Iranian People against IR.   When it comes to morality....Liberals are probabaly not very high on the charts.... my overall take is the more conservative the higher morality.    From where I am - it appears there is a huge movement towards conservatism in America....and I do consider it a good thing.   The challenge is how to keep the move towrds conservatism and constitutionalism clean and free from religious freaks and the far right facists.   Trust me Americans will do it and will do it well - I am worried about where Iranian/Americans land and whether we would have a say when Morality is once again established in AMerica. 


Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

Yes

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on

 

It is a very sad truth that Democrats do not have a clue about Iran. Republicans on the other hand used to have a clue. McCain did hear Iranians but then picked Palin. If he had picked a decent VP he may have been President.

It is not just the Carter virus JFK forced the Shah to land reforms. Which turned out a disaster. I don't know who to vote for Obama is bad. Republicans are turning into Christian funamentalists. Hillary is anti-Iranian. I have no one to vote for!


masoudA

Shemnirani and Dr. M

by masoudA on

Calling every theory a conspiracy theory has become a new form of censorship....especially in politics which is all about the art of conspiracy.

Please see if you can follow my "Theory" - With huge lobby influence and much investment in the last USA elections - Northern Europe Royals (NER) are now in control of the White House, hence in control of US foreign decesions.   NER does not want IR gone...they pay $5-$10 for our USA sanctioned oil...why should they want IR gone?  When USA is back in the Hands of Americans (Congress is after 2010, and WH and Senate will be in another year or so) then yes we MAY count on help from Americans....meanwhile don't count on anyone.....


Dr. Mohandes

shemirani jan

by Dr. Mohandes on

I loved your comment.

You hit the nail right on the head. Indeed that was the case but such request did fall on deaf ears....

Sigh...


masoudA

Amazing

by masoudA on

the ignorance and the lack of intelligence....just how old are some of you?  I hope at least you are not suffering from Leader Parasti!! this is USA you don't have to kiss-ass the leaders and those in charge.

This woman in a lawyer by education and experience...the fact that she even accepted the role of being in charge of USA foreign policies shows how little moral she has......We always ridicule IR officials for accepting roles way above their head....it takes a certain veghahat........but at the same time in her defense, Hillary's job is quiet easy in fact.....USA does not have a foreign policy these days...


Shemirani

...................

by Shemirani on

She is indeed a great and intelligent Lady and if i was born in the USA i would probably choose her for president.....But i was born in Iran and her political view about my land is not beneficial to my people ...I don't know what is this "carter virus" all democrates seems to have when it comes to middle east issues....

In june 2009, 4 millions Iranians in streets ....and they asked for USA support when they all shouted "Obama ya ba mai ya ba oona" and i do remember McCain did heard them.......how come Obama administration didn't ? so please don't tell us Iranians didn't ask for help ! just say you didn't want to help them (maybe it wasn't in your interest or maybe at that time you didn't believe a revolution could accure from social networks, youtube, twitter..) but we did ask for democratic countries support !

Iran's governement is a dictatorship and NO DIALOGUE is possible with dictators !

Iranians will love it too, to have mutual good and respectful relation with the USA (and a American ambassy , great economical deals .... )

but ONLY WHEN A SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REGIME IS SETTLED IN IRAN ! and not until then ! we don't want this hell for 50 years more !


jmyt17

Right IRI is a Dictatorship

by jmyt17 on

Simple they do not have any place to go That is a reason every-body call them JERK or DIRT.

Just please do your best to kick these JERK from our home land.

But I have very simple question if is coming to Dictatorship how about  saudi and Jordan?

 


G. Rahmanian

با پنبه سر بريدن!

G. Rahmanian


With the seige of Iran and the ever-expanding sanctions against IR, there's no need for a war to bring down the regime. It will eventually self-implode. Protests and strikes are the most effective methods to expedite regime's downfall.


Faramarz

Hilary and the Sisterhood of Travelling Pants!

by Faramarz on

Hilary Rocks!

Kambiz's sneakers are so cool! He is probably the first person that has interviewed a Secretary of State in a clean pair of sneakers.

Hilary and Obama are the two finest and most intelligent people that the US has produced. I hope that we get 4 more years of both. The Regime will be gone by the end of Obama's second term.

 


Azarin Sadegh

Hillary for President!

by Azarin Sadegh on

I LOVE her and admire her intelligence and charisma! I wish she'd change her mind and participate in the presidency race...I hope to see her as the first woman president of the country. Go Hillary!

Great guest Parazit!!


Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

DK is right

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on

 

What is the problem Iran under Shah was a dictatorship. I lived there and knew it. But I would gladly live under the Shah again. Because I was free to do all the things DK said. I am not going to lie to myself.

It was a political dictatorship; a benevolent one but no question about it. I applaud DK for his honesty and realism. We might as well be honest or will never get anywhere. Thanks DK.


amirparvizforsecularmonarchy

Darius Kadivar, misleading

by amirparvizforsecularmonarchy on

"Dictatorships don't necessarily interfere in the private lives of
it's citizenry. You can wear what you want, eat what you want, listen to
what you want, see who you want but you cannot say what you want when
it comes to politics......

Iran under the Shah, Jordan's Monarchy, Pinochet's Chili, Ben Ali's
Tunisia, Mubarak's Egypt even Bachar El Assad's Syria on the otherhand
can be considered as dictatorships but not totalitarian states."  Remind me to encourage you to read more & to expand your understanding on the subject of dictatorships. Very Disappointing to read your comments. 


Hafez for Beginners

Persian Carpet

by Hafez for Beginners on

I would have asked:

"And madame Secretary, can we take a moment and look at this wonderment that is adorning this room, this Persian Carpet? Iran isn't a country piecemieled out of the Ottoman empire - lines drawn in the sand - oh let's call this one Iraq, let's call this one Libya! Look at the majestic arts it produces. Iran's been Iran for 2500 years. Rome, Persia, China the world's 3 most enduring, continous civilzations."   As an Iranian, I was baffled that a fellow Iranian, VOA's interviewer - did not point to such a glaring reality. That the "mehman-navaz" in the room, was a Persian Carpet they were sitting on. It was astonishingly beautiful. Dude, do please point it out next time. Iran has virtues, too - this one was sitting right under your feet - and you still couldn't see it? Thanks! 

Bavafa

I heard her on NPR last night…

by Bavafa on

When she was making reference and expressing regret about the US involvement in the 53 coup and the downing of the Iranian airliner.  I did not hear the entire report and in what context it was being said, nevertheless it is heartwarming when an abuser confesses and apologies for its abusive behavior.

 

'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory 

Mehrdad


masoudA

1 more Year !!

by masoudA on

Dear Mr. Kadivar – thanks for your thorough post – very true and significant. Dear Hillary – You are too ignorant to be running the US foreign policy and you know it.   However, when it comes down to the Obama Administration -  you are a perfect fit. Dear Kambiz Hosseini – You were too soft on her.   But here is a little something for your own benefit.    Over the past 40 years, United States has had two presidents who did not really work for America!!  They were implants who found their ways into the White House via foreign influences of all sorts…Carter and now Obama.   You can rest assured USA is not a player in the middle east these days – it has not been in the last 3 years.   That is why you are witnessing US interests totally undermined everywhere in the middle east…..even Ghadafi was punished for coming into terms with Bush in 2006......You want to know what happened in Libya, follow the oil trail and find out about the next Libyan oil contract.  When it comes to our beloved Iran, Hillary has no plans and is just following what is being dictated to her from Europe….a policy which seems to be preservation of the IR and further expansion of Islamism in the Middle East.   What you must not forget is the fact that although USA and northern Europe kingdoms (England, Norway, Holland,….) are good allies, but when it comes to oil and the Middle East, they are in serious competition with vastly contrasting interests.     Norway is now the second major exporter of refined oil - they will give two more Noble peace prizes to Obama (at $2 million each!!) to keep him in the White House, making sure IR remains in power but more importantly the sanctions on Iran remain in place so they can buy our oil in the black market at $5-$10 barell.....


comments

Stop talking about Iran.

by comments on

I think American war policy has changed and it became based on maximum number of Google hints.  Let's use "Iran" less in our comments.  We can use something else.  Any suggestions:) 

 

"It's not about what we believe. It's more about how we behave and influence." Comments


Rastin

Not that this comes as a surprise, but ...

by Rastin on

At the end of the original version Clinton says "we would like to see your regime changed" (//www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9-GLaGU3ys), but the translated version above says "we would like to see your regime change itself". 

 

Parsis Victor


Darius Kadivar

Hey Hillary What about the Saudis ? Do You Smell dictatorship ?

by Darius Kadivar on

New Saudi "Air"


 

Maybe the YOU ESS OV A should reconsider it's own Political establishment too:

 

ROYAL FORUM: Fareed Zakaria asks «Does America Need a Prime Minister ?»

 

allowing for a multi party system which would be more representative than your BI POLAR Political system that leaves no choice other than between "Bado Bad Tar" aka between "Bad and Worse" ...

 


John Cleese vs Extremism

Oh and Do send my Regards to Your Nobel Peace Prize of a President But I recommend you to also Keep a Safe Distance:

 

FART ALERT: Nobel Peace Prize Committee Struggles to Choose 2011 Laureate 

 

Oh and for your Education:

 

OIL KINGS: Mika Brzezinski interviews Andrew Scott Cooper on new Book

 

How Nixon Courted The Shah (PersianRealm.com) 

 


Darius Kadivar

Thanks Rea Jan

by Darius Kadivar on

There can be No Copy right infringement when it comes to learning from one another.

Warm Regards, 

 

;0) 


Rea

DK

by Rea on

Really interesting remark on dictatorial vs totalitarian regimes. Simple, yet very true. Will translate and use, even if no copyrights. ;o) 

PS. I would, however, take Libya off the totalitarian list and would add it to the dictatorial one.


Disenchanted

Very kind and nice Madam secretary but...

by Disenchanted on

 

       But we do still remember your statement in the heat of the presidential election of 2008 when you said: "We totally obliterate Iran"!

      Of course you have not used that kind of rhetoric against no other country. Perhaps an apology to Iranian people was in order. The Iranian people you say you are so fond of are same those you threatened to obliterate in 2008!

     Of course we all know at the time you were trying to please AIPAC in order to win the White house race!

 Don't you think an apology is in order to Iranian people?!


Darius Kadivar

WRONG ! Iran is a Totalitarian State Not Merely a dictatorship

by Darius Kadivar on

And it Always Was from DAY ONE !

 

pictory: Bakhtiar Denounces Bazargan's Provisionary Government in exile (1979)

 

Hillary Jaan Do you get the difference ? ... If Not watch Speech below by Mostafa Tajzadeh ... if an Idiot like him sees the difference I do not see how the Secretary of State of the so called First Super Power doesn't ?

 

Totalitarianism encompass dictatorships but dictatorships don't necessarily encompass Totalitarianism. 

 

Example: 

Dictatorships don't necessarily interfere in the private lives of it's citizenry. You can wear what you want, eat what you want, listen to what you want, see who you want but you cannot say what you want when it comes to politics.

 

Totalitarian Systems on the otherhand try to control EVERY Aspect of the People's Lives. They Try to create a New Individual or HomoSapians which "Genetically" fits the Ideological codes of their regime.

Hence enrolling people and especially the youth from a very young age into State Run organizations like the Hitler's Youth under Nazi Germany, or the Basijees under the IRI or the Chinese Youth Organizations during Mao's Cultural Revolution or North Korea and it's own social organization.

Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Mao's China, Cambogia's Red Khmers, Gaddafi's Libya to name a few can be considered as Totalitarian States

Iran under the Shah, Jordan's Monarchy, Pinochet's Chili, Ben Ali's Tunisia, Mubarak's Egypt even Bachar El Assad's Syria on the otherhand can be considered as dictatorships but not totalitarian states.

Saudi Arabia given the religious doctrine upon which it was founded is a regime whose definition is something in between the above two. It is a monarchy which is apart. It cannot even be compared to let's say Jordan or Morocco where the monarchs although defined as "Divine Kings" ( very much as current monarchs in Europe except that the latter's don't have political power) and deemed descendants of the Prophet are nevertheless at worst absolute but reform minded monarchs. In Saudi Arabia it is more of an Oligarchy than a genuinely a Monarchy. Same for the Emirates and some of the Persian Gulf Kingdoms. So Saudi Arabia is something in between a Totalitarian system and obviously a dictatorship but again it is truly a regime apart due to it's very foundation at the heart of the Islamic world.

Now the level of cruelty and intolerance displayed by the above regimes can vary based on who is in power.

For instance there is absolutely no comparison between Mubarak's Egypt or the Shah's Iran in the handling of their respective revolutions with let's say Syria's Bachar El Assad's.  

Yet nothing in Bachar's upbringing ( a dental surgeon by profession and western educated) seemed to suggest that someone like him who in addition seemed happily married to an educated and upperclass western educated bourgeois wife and who is a good father and family man could display the same level of cruelty as a Bedouin Megalomaniac Baffoon Tyrant like Muammar Gaddafi.

Yet he did ! 

Syria's dictatorship today has committed as much horrendous crimes as Gaddafi's regime did by resorting to Tanks and Aircraft to bombe his people to smithereens in order to stop them from demanding their rights.

On the otherhand dictatorships like Jordan or Morocco which have Kings have chosen dialogue. And until further notice they have not resorted to violence to clamp down on their people:

 

Jordan's King Warns: 'No one has any idea what to do about Syria' 

 

Dictatorships don't necessarily try to change an individual entirely including it's political prisoners into becoming different people: Listen to what Iranian writer Shahrnush Parsipur say's about the difference of treatment of political prisoners under the Shah and under Khomeiny.

 

Shahrnush Parsipur: "I was Never Physically Tortured by the SAVAK"

 

Totalitarian Systems do.  

 

Dictatorships can actually have a healthy economy and bail out Europe ... 

 

ROYAL FORUM: China signs $7.5b deals with Juan Carlos' Spain 

 

So why are you folks making deals with them knowing perfectly that freedom of speech is not respected nor are minorities like the Tibetans ? 

So being a dictatorship may not please Salon Intellectuals but if it delivers prosperity to a nation and it's people, I do not see what objective criteria can be held against them particularly if they are to be lectured by "Bankrupt" Democracies ? 

 

This only proves that even former totalitarian systems can evolve into a dictatorship and maybe only maybe on the long run into a democracy even if it is not a generality.

China today has nothing with the China of Mao yet this is a country which also cracked down on it's citizens not long ago at Tienanmen Square.

Yet Today America and the Capitalist World depend on an Ex Communist Run Economy.

Proving that calling a regime merely a "dictatorship" as a criteria for demanding Regime Change is in itself at best an ambiguous ...

Ataturk's Turkey was also a dictatorship but today it is not only a democracy but also one which can accept the election of a religious party and President / Prime Minister and yet remain a Secular State.

So dismissing a regime merely because it is a dictatorship is not enough an argument to calling it illegitimate.

The IRI is not merely condemnable because it is a "dictatorship" but because it is an irresponsible Totalitarian State but also because it has proven time and again that it is unreliable and encourages terrorism not only in action but in it's political dialectic. Not to say all the misery and economic bankruptcy it has imposed on it's own people.

America clearly needs to redefine it's entire Foreign Policy for the decades to come if it wishes to earn a minimum of credibility in the International Arena.

 

Niall Ferguson Blasts Barack Obama For Failed Egypt Foreign Policy


At this state I am afraid the US is merely displaying a Kindergarten level of diplomacy which has made it ridiculously impotent at the UN Security Council only to be double crossed by Russia and China's growing political and economic influence.

 

It is China and Russia ( neither of which are genuine Democracies) and maybe India which will be pulling the strings in the coming decades and reshaping a new World Order.

 

The Shah of Iran was right when he said the Western World has to wake up. Yet he was mocked and dismissed as a Megalomaniac for those prophetic words:

 

Interview with Mike Wallace 

 

Shah's Message to the "Blue Eyed People" - YouTube

 

 

 

Shah to Nixon on "Revolutions" vs "Evolutions" in Middle East (1969)

 

 

Best,

DK 

 

 

 

 

Recommended Watching:

 


Mostafa Tajzadeh:Former deputy Interior Minister's speech a month before June 2009 elections ( Arrested Since):

Tajzadeh ( his name means "born with a Crown") speaks about all the social Freedoms which existed prior to the revolution and Khomeiny's desire to change the Constitution.


//www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLD8XkPMFpI

 

 

Related Blog:

 

LSE IDEAS : Niall Ferguson On Nuclear Arms and Human Rights