He, and the clique of IRGC, Baseej and his allies among the scholars await the judgment of the Iranian people. This judgment wil be delivered in the fullness of time as sentiments, and alliances mature and become the governing factors.
The knowledgable in the West and Israel know that this is the truth. They know that this clique will be replaced eventually by a different group whose understanding of the world is more sophisticated than the bomb throwers of a generation all but passed.
The war parties in the US and Israel have taken up a new propaganda theme. They are now saying that a "military coup" by the IRGC and other "radicals" has taken place and that the resulting regime is no longer under the influence and control of the Shia 'ulema. The new theme insists that the new "coup junta" symbolically headed by Khamenei is even more dangerous and more likely to rashly use nuclear weapons as an expression of their lunacy.
This is an obvious attempt to twist the situation in the best agitprop tradition for the purpose of obtaining American popular consensus for war against Iran.
Ahmadinajad is a fool and he will undoubtedly play into the hands of the propagandists.
Much the same crew is seeking to flood the American media with stories of conflicts between Obama and General Jones. These stories are directly related to those of the return to glory of Dennis Ross. We will see… pl
Check this interesting analysis of the current situation in Iran from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
Oops, let me add that the links adds to the Colonels analysis.
Sadly, only blogs and a comedy show carries the Anti-Neocon point of view.
Yep. The war parties will argue that the latest upheaval proves that the Iranian regime is oppressive, unpredictable, and genocidal just like Hitler.
And you can count on the warmongers relying upon — or, if you prefer, usurping or exploiting — the cult of Lincoln to argue that only military force will free the Iranian people. Here’s neocon Ira Stroll writing in the Daily News from awhile back:
“The Obama administration is going to be faced with policy decisions on negotiating with Hamas, Iran, North Korea and others whose hands are stained with crimes akin to slavery. It may help President Obama structure the internal discussions if he considers whether he wants to perceive America’s conflicts in the fashion of Lincoln, his fellow Illinois politician, or in the manner of Carter, waiting around for a peaceful termination while today’s victims and slaves suffer beatings and are deprived of their freedoms.”
http://tinyurl.com/d8gzno
Ah yes. The march of democracy via the bayonet or maybe by turning the launch key at Dimona while reading the last three verses of Psalm 149.
Makes me want to get away for awhile and take a hike on the Appalachian trail or read Pablo Neruda to a dark eyed woman from Argentina, although hanging out at Sullivan’s Island just outside the Holy City really suits me fine too.
Khamenei owes Michael Jackson big time! The entire planet headline news suddenly is about Michael Jackson. Iran who?
If Khamenei doesn’t say anything stupid in the next 3-4 days. Nobody will remember what Iran was all about. And he can do whatever he wants as long as it’s not on global press. (Man, seriously. Iran really needs to get a press agent and PR agency. LOL.)
The War Party’s quick recovery and pivot to develop a new angle of spin mean we need to try counterspinning however we can. And also offer ideas that someone (anyone) might be able to pick up and use.
Is it too crass to suggest that clever people with language skills come up with a “name” for the protest movement in Iran? A name which will resonate in mainstream Middle America? Something which would carry the same sort of positive charge that “Civil Rights Revolution” carried/carries?
If the Iranian Reformationaries can keep their movement visibly going for at least a few weeks, and can get word out with twitters and you tubes; their broad public image gets wider and deeper entrenched in this country. And to be crass again, many middle Americans like to experience unfolding political events as if watching a movie. If the movie is exciting and gripping, the audience will want to watch it all the way to the end, especially if they think the ending might be uplifting, with the good guys winning and justice being served and upheld. If Middle America gets that absorbed in the ongoing Freedom Reformation in Iran, then they might react to suggestions of bombing Iran the same way they might react to bombing a movie theatre before the movie is over. Crass I know, but could thinking about it that way lead to actions which would arouse Middle America to delay or deny efforts to attack Iran?
If it could, and does; then perhaps the Iranians might forgive the conceptual crassness of this approach if it actually short-circuits and aborts war.
I still think that Russia’s enthusiastic support for Ahmadinejad can be invoked as a reason not to accept NeoCon advice to go to war. If Middle America (rightly, in my view) could be brought to believe that Russia is supporting Ahmadinejad’s worst instincts so as to lure America into a war with Iran which Russia wants to see happen; then Middle America’s distrust for Putin might be turned into an unwillingness to step into Putin’s baited trap.
One might well spin an Evil Putin scenario based on the James Bond movie Goldfinger, which millions of Americans might still remember. If “Oilfinger” Putin can cause a war between America and Iran; a war which destroys a lot of the oilfields in the Middle East; think of how much more money the oilfields in Russia become worth. Do we really want to let the Russians trick us into making them the “masters of the petroverse”?
These are the counterspin thoughts I have.
Ellen Tauscher was confirmed earlier this evening as Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs, State Department, and therefore will resign soon from the House
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/6/26/746987/-Tauscher-confirmed-to-State-Dept,-opening-up-House-seat
(She is a real pro-Israel rightwing wacko. With zero experience in weapons. This is pure aipac appointment. This is going to be fun.)
Expect tons of nuke reports leading to UN embargo. Syria specially. She will say anything.
If Iran is really a fascist police state, then why aren’t the Shia fleeing to American-occupied and “liberated” Iraq? Many Iraqi Shia fled to Iran when Saddam skulked the Earth.
Not even one of our great intelligence agencies in the west predicted the demonstrations in Iran. It shows how much good information we really have on whats going on there.
How so, Curious? You sure about that?
Bad News day to broadcast this gem, but maybe an attack on Iran today, tomorrow and etc., might not be noticed?
Fulfill the Ark’s Tigris/Euphrates prophesy?
Curious,
OMG, another AIPAC looney appointment (right next to sliding Denny Ross) by the Obama Admin., why am I not surprised. One has to wonder how long it will be before Hillary has had enough of Tauscher’s nonsense and puts Tauscher in a backroom sorting mail.
Ahmadinejad may surprise you. For sure he is lousy at Western style PR but I think he’ll make a few internal changes when he’s ready.
It’s all Michael Jackson all the time now. I agree w/ curious that short attention span of public has frozen the media frenzy on Iran (and M. Sanford).
The House even had a moment of silence for the King of Pop today. Unbelieveable.
We shall see how Iran goes, but this certainly gives the current Iranian regime time to catch its breath and stop the downward spiral. Michael Jackson, King of Pop Monster, may have saved the day for them. Crazy stuff.
Tauscher’s district includes the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. That’s her weapons experience.
Funny, isn’t it? Even with all its problems, Iran seems like a liberal paradise compared to Saudi Arabia; Saudis have funded more nasties than Iran ever will. The big difference is, I suppose, that Saudi Arabia has a friendly monarch. When 15 girls died because Saudi religious police pushed them back into a burning building because they weren’t in proper attire, they were as certainly killed by their government as Neda was. Where was the call for revolution then?
If it is true that Saudis must chart their own course without US interference, then so it is with the Iranians.
Tauscher’s district includes the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. That’s her weapons experience.
Posted by: cs | 27 June 2009 at 01:34 AM
Her BA is in early childhood education. My question: why not get a real weapon expert from livermore? Why put warhawk hack?
Thanks again to the Colonel for this blog. I really don’t miss the media hysteria at all by not watching cable news. A good internet connection is quite valuable, however.
btw, speaking of dennis ross. Somebody better tell the Syrian, they are next big regime change target. We are talking less than a year. There is going to be internal rumble and weird protest and march.
It is fascinating to me that many of these comments are premised on the fact that the current administration once again can only imagine force as the technique applicable to policy development in the US. Well let’s see how it looks by Labor Day.
It is fascinating to me that many of these comments are premised on the fact that the current administration once again can only imagine force as the technique applicable to policy development in the US.
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 28 June 2009 at 04:25 AM
The national standing and influence in the world has greatly diminished. Nobody takes our words at face value anymore. When dealing with us, everybody asks, what is he really saying, what’s in it for me, what’s his angle, how much is he going to eff me?
Relationship with china would be prime example, specially the little trade scuffle, currency exchange, and energy supply.
same with minor smaller country. (I read the news Obama calling Najib in Malaysia. It’s the most embarrassing stuff I read.)
What Obama doesn’t seem to realize all his “wording” followed by what he does give everybody chilling memory of colonial era and cold war. I am not sure if it’s naivite or innocent faux pas. But the subtle damage is enormous. It’s the difference being perceive as a hustler or a friend having a bad moment.
The entire states department is fairly dysfunctional. It only has 2 programs running: defend Israel or cold war great game. So you got the perceived effect above to the rest of planet.
A call or visit from US president, these days only means : a) cash shake down b)demanding troops c) whacking Israel’s rival one way or another. d) threat of this and that if demand is not filled.
As the case in china and everywhere else, we greatly overestimate our exceptionalism, that the other guy need use so greatly that they can’t possibly refuse. (true in short term, but not long term. China’s position for eg. is direct result of early 90’s foreign policy. Russia is learning their lesson from past 10-15 years. etc. No doubt eastern europe will smarten up and have entirely different position in 2020. We haven’t seen the full result of bad Bush policy yet. destruction of bond/dollar credibility for eg.)
It’s almost embarrassing to see how diplomacy has degenerate to such level. inevitably, the world will distant themselves from us, like seeing a crackhead hustling on the street corner.
We are back at neocon scheduled programming. (can we bomb Iran media narrative is turned on.)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/01/AR2009070103020.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
Time for an Israeli Strike?
By John R. Bolton
Thursday, July 2, 2009
With Iran’s hard-line mullahs and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unmistakably back in control, Israel’s decision of whether to use military force against Tehran’s nuclear weapons program is more urgent than ever.
Just because the Washington Post chooses to keep catapulting the propaganda, that doesn’t mean that America in general
will be so receptive to it as before. Especially if the drama of ongoing opposition is tweeted, you tubed, and reported on as an ongoing political drama. Opportunities will exist for
spokesfolk from the “Don’t attack Iran” lobby to question why certain persons wish to bomb the very Iranians who are defending themselves against Khamenei and Ahmadinejad. The fairness of such a Pearl Harbor attack could be rightly questioned. And the utility of a loudly pre-broadcast and extensively telegraphed Pearl Harbor attack could be rightly cast-doubt-upon.
(By the way, if Iran has a
lot of Michael Jackson fans living there, even secretly; that fact should be found out and reported. It would lead America’s Michael Jackson fanbase to wonder why someone wants to bomb Michael Jackson fans in another country. Hey! if
God gives you kitchen sinks, make kitchen sinkade…)