Informed Comment
Juan Cole / Juan Cole
02-Oct-2009 (10 comments)

Belief: Iran is aggressive and has threatened to attack Israel, its neighbors or the US

Reality: Iran has not launched an aggressive war modern history (unlike the US or Israel), and its leaders have a doctrine of "no first strike." This is true of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as well as of Revolutionary Guards commanders.

Belief: Iran is a militarized society bristling with dangerous weapons and a growing threat to world peace.

Reality: Iran's military budget is a little over $6 billion annually. Sweden, Singapore and Greece all have larger military budgets. Moreover, Iran is a country of 70 million, so that its per capita spending on defense is tiny compared to these others, since they are much smaller countries with regard to population. Iran spends less per capita on its military than any other country in the Persian Gulf region with the exception of the United Arab Emirates.

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Shah Ghollam

Lies like Iran threatened Israel as some claim

by Shah Ghollam on

It is amazing that how some who call themselves Iranians have such exeggerated claims against Iran. Iranian.com has not been spared by such people and numers of these individuals keep increasing. One wonders why? What is thier purpose to spread untrue non sense? Whatever that may be, Juan Cole, among many knowledgeable people speaks of this misinformations.

 



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NOT_AK69

LOL - Shah or Shoot?

by NOT_AK69 on

"Actuality: Iranian politicians are rational actors. If they were madmen, why haven't they invaded any of their neighbors?"

No; they are too busy slaughtering Iranians to bother with their neighbors, presently.

MARG BAR JOMHURIYE ESLAMI

AK69 WAS HERE


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by Shepesh on

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Almanac & Youtube prove No Holocaust!

by timothyfloyd on

Shah what are you and other looney tunes like Ahmadinjad out to prove next? That the world is flat? You know I could make a Youtube video in 3 minutes,perhaps the more dung I fill it with the more convinced you will be.Or maybe I should post here link's that prove the Holocaust to be true,would that change the Islamic brainwashing inside your head? I doubt it. It is not only disrespectful but also illegal to incite Genocide,then this is your proof,a Youtube video and some old Almanac's.That is absolutly nothing in compared to the proof the Genocide happened,complete foolishness.


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by Shepesh on

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Shah Ghollam

So you are a Shipish

by Shah Ghollam on

with no courage. I am glad to have found you dumb-founded after my reply. That is how I like my road kills!

 


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Well done

by Shepesh on

I am glad you wrote your enlightened and educated views of facts for others to see.


Shah Ghollam

Shepesh

by Shah Ghollam on

Personally, your reply is non sense. Let's go throug it as much as i think it will be a waisted time.

The author says some Iranians deny the Holocaust, some do not. Well here’s the proof of Holocaust:

Your links do not prove anything. The first one only prints a list and the other two are Wiki's links and to you that is proof.

Well, since you are so esily convinced, let me give you another link:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6utYDjBsb8

This one at leas will give you some numbers for convincing.

As for Wiki, well, do you know what Wikipedia is? Read the following:

A wiki allows a group of people to enter and communally edit bits of text. These bits of text can be viewed and edited by anyone who visits the wiki.

That's­ it. What it means is that, when you come to a wiki, you are able to read what the wiki's community has written. By clicking an "edit" button on an article, you are able to edit the article's text. You can add or change anything you like in the article you are reading.

Imagine, in Europe it is the law that people who deny holocaust are aprehended and jailed. many people have gone to prison as recent as a couple of months ago. This is in the center of democratic nations where we constantly get the lectured on Democracy and freedom of speech.

In North America, though you will not be gailed normally, however, based on the position you hold, you are castigated as Anti Semetic and that is enough and equal to be a terrorist and you know the rest of the story.

Now, what are the chances that Wiki will allow anything to stand in its pages that would put doubt on holocaust? Answer: nothing at all!

Ahmadinejad, if you watch his interviews, says the world has not truely researched Holocaust by neutral parties. He has a point. In fact, another way to say it is that Who dares to research holocaust apart from what the jews want? A swiss professor wrote a thesis on this subject arriving at a different conclusion, he was jailed!

If you have been reading the Iranian.com news pages as vigorously as you post anti IRI material, you should have learned, as we speak, the Jews of Israel smoked about 1300 women and chldren on live TV in Gaza (second time after Their Lebanon invasion in 2006). The UN has prepared a full detail reporting crimes against humanity committed by the Zionists. But with the hand at work, the UN has not been able to further the report and take it to security council. This is for a crime we watched on TV for 33 days live. How do you on earth expect reports of Holocaust denials to be discussed in academis much like we discuss God, religion, homosexuality, Mohammad, Jesus and so forth! you get the point.

Also, Ahmaninejad's point of view of holocaust is directly related to its effects in the ME. Many wars and a thousands upon thousands of innocent deaths because of creation of Israel in ME does give any ME politician a right to question how these people showed up in ME owning a country. As we have seen, Israel has been continiously expanding since it creation.

Ahmadinejad held a Holocaust cartoon competition and conference where he even questioned the fact that Nazis even used gas chambers to kill six million Jews in World War Two. This to Iranians is a vulgar travesty. 

You know, I can bet you did not go through the very link you provided on the Holocaust Cartoons. Because if you did you would realize that that competition was primarily raising awareness of the suffering of Palestinian people. He made his point, why do we constantly hear about Holocaust that happened sixty years ago and pay at least with emotional currency and yet the daily killings of palestinians on TV that every north American goes to sleep with is out of serious question? That is simply because the profile of Holocaust raised so high that any criminal act by the Jews or Zionists must be seen in the context of their suffering sixty years ago.

I and most Iranians I know am ashamed of the way Ahmadinejad/ Khamenei are using Holocaust manipulation as a political strategy against Israel. These types of comments should not be used on the international scene. Ahmadinejad represents the people of Iran abroad, and this is an insult to Iranians and does little for the Palestinian cause.

To be frank with you, i sincerely doubt above statement. How on earth you can be appollogetic about what Iran's leaders say against the suffering of a people but in the meantime you have no mercy on the suffering of masses of people that you watch on TV daily in your own private home? Concious is not pick an choose as far as humanity is concerned you either have it or you don't. Anything else, you are playing politics to say the least.

I as an Iranian feel proud that Ahmadinejad raises the world concious (in spite of his own many shortcomings) on Palestinian, Lebanese, on Bosnian people under brutal circumastnces. Franky, If I were you, I would not speak on behalf of Iranians. You have no understanding what Iranians on this issue think and no one gives you the right to speak about what I and others think!!!! If so, i can equally claim Iranians are ashamed of people like you who disappoint our culture of not having compassion on a great number of innocent civilians that are being killed as we speak and have been for the past sixty years. Hope you got that alright!

The Iranians sent the letter informing the IAEA of the Qom site only on learning that the West knew about it. The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog said in remarks published on Wednesday that Iran was "on the wrong side of the law" by not declaring its second uranium enrichment plant when construction began.

I see what a patriot you are. What tune would like your country play for your satisfaction? If Iran had not decaled it you anti patriot would blame Iran for subversion and if Iran does you are still having a grudge. This is a molla Nassreddin case. I am glad you are noone of importance, otherwise vay be hale me mardome Iran!!!!!

Iran is tottaly withing its rights have declard the existance of an EMPTY site at the time that Iran did. The catch is that IAEA has on its own put restrictions on Iran that others do not have to abide and Iran has consistantly rejected such biased rules. I as an Iranian applaud Iranian government to demand equal rights for Iran as far as the nuclear regime is concerned. But I don't know about a patriot like you.......!

* Belief: Iran is aggressive and has threatened to attack Israel, its neighbors or the US

Iran supplies Hamas and Hezbollah.

The flow of funds to groups abroad wedded to the destruction of Israel and the weakening of the West – estimated by those close to the president as having been beefed up from US$2 billion in 2004 to a current level of close to $6 billion – is controlled only by Khamenei. US has stated Iran  is supplying Shiite extremist groups in Iraq with deadly weaponry, including a roadside bombs.

You are amazingly arrogant! Why should't Iran help lebanon to defend herself from 20 years of israeli occupation? Why should't Iran help palestinians to free themselves from their own occupation after sixty years?  You constantly claim you want Freedom in Iran but you back off when it is actually done i Iranian name by IRI.

I as an Iranian want the lebanes to stop Israeli bombs on their civilians, I want Israel to pay for the damage they caused to lebanon for twenty years, I want israel to leave every lebanes territory and I want Israel to stop constantly flying over lebanon and so forthg. I wish the same for Palestinians. if There are groups that want the destruction of Israel it is because Israel has been detroying their countries and existance in their own lands. If israel is really worried about being wipped out should immediately reliquish the lands it forcefully and against all UN mandated captured. israel was given borders by UN in 1948, I challeneg any Israeli to accepet what The UN had already given to israelis in 1948 and retreat to within those borders alone.

As for how much Iran spends on both palestiisn and lebanes, I bet your NY time cannot prove beyound vague statements that how much Iran really spends on these two entities. ifact, the Israelis themselves were quoting something like 200 million a year as maximum amount going to Hamas per year. I bet you do not even have a slightest idea what 6 billion dollars is and what it can but. Iran's total military budget, with all the wepons IRI produces for its half a million military is no more than six billion dollars. Only naive individuals like you would believe six billion of Iranian assistance going to lebanonamd palestine. for your information, The total hezbollah force is no more that 6000 fighters, they do not caryy heavy weaponary. this force could not use a billion dollars of weapons even if you give it to them, palestinin case is even far far less because no appreciable weapons can get into gaza because of their muslim brothers, the Egyptians and the Israelis. The Hezbollah kicked israeli ass historically with only light weapons but with a very well iranian trained militia. I can ssure you, the hig tech, and one of the most expensive armed forces in the world, the Israeli defence forces, would get kicked misreably even by Palestinins if these people were allowed to lightly arm themselves.

Again, as an Iranian, i am proud that my country put it name in history books as far as helping the palestinian, Lebanes or the Bosnians are concerned. I can challenge your patriotism against your self claimed patriotism any time if you have any doubts.

Capish!!!!!


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by Shepesh on

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Confrontation is a Religous and National duty

by timothyfloyd on

Recent words of Ahmadinejhad.But before that the chanting in the street's similiar and worse is threatening enough.Tell me,what does the Church expect? Juan Cole could twist a piece of steel. It's not lies,I wish they would understand why people are feeling threatened.