I just heard a joint press conference by Hillary Clinton and the Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota. During the Q&A Hillary was asked what the USA’s position on the situation in Libya was and I was quite amazed to see how lame, how vapid, how completely banal her response was. I think that this shows that US diplomats are both overwhelmed, clueless and quite frightened by these developments. They seem unable to offer anything but vague pious statements about freedom, democracy, human rights and the obligatory condemnations of violence. I also think that the crisis in Libya really frightens them. Not only does Libya sit on a non-trivial amount of oil, it has a common border with Egypt, whose future is still in the balance: will the puppet-change in Egypt eventually lead to a real regime change? I would say that it is quite possible. Hence the clear mix of bafflement and fear which seems to paralyze the otherwise endlessly preaching mouths of US diplomats.
On another (but related) topic: any news from Algeria? How are bad old Abdelaziz Bouteflika and his minions doing?
Saker,
Guess who’s touring the middle east and doing bussines as usual?
39 army contractors went with him to sell arms!!!!
http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/latest-news/2011/02/pm-urges-reform-in-the-middle-east-2-60984
When all this stupidity will stop?
Will be good to find out more.
regards
@anonymous: When all this stupidity will stop?
God willing, within our lifetime. The problem is that is is likely that following the collapse of the USraelian Empire, some other nation will go crazy and try out the “benefits” of imperialism.
Although, who knows, maybe human can FINALLY learn something one day…
“How are bad old Abdelaziz Bouteflika and his minions doing?”
Hopefully his days are numbered, but at least he hasn’t resorted to throwing students off of bridges yet.
http://www.freedomessenger.com/?p=23540
I’m confused Saker…you seem like you want the American “empire” to crumble, yet you are insinuating that you want it to stand up to Muammar Qaddafi and his psychotic children.
@Corey: http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.com/2011/02/two-thirds-of-iranians-behind.html
Considering an Iranian who resents the regime is likely to be afraid just to utter the name “Khamenei” over the phone, I don’t see how anyone could possibly conduct a legitimate survey by phone in Iran — its a police state, for crying out loud, with a security apparatus that is actively hunting down those they consider to be “spies and seditionists”. The people who published this nonsense are almost as sick as the folks at the UN who have Libya on the human rights commission.
@C.H.: as I already told you, I pretty much have decided to let others reply to your post, if they are so inclined. But in this case, I will make an exception only because your latest post represents something of a Mount Everest of illogical thinking. I can’t possibly miss that opportunity to try to wake you up to the utter idiocy of what you are saying here.
You say that “an Iranian who resents the regime is likely to be afraid just to utter the name “Khamenei” over the phone” yet the survey shows that almost HALF (48%!) had no problem whatsoever expressing their dissatisfaction with the Iranian government’s performance. As for the 52 percent who did express support for the government they clearly would have no more fear of speaking the name “Khamenei” that the millions of Iranians who do so in the streets during what you folks refer to as “government organized demonstrations” or during Khamenei’s sermon at the Friday prayers.
So, if the 48% who disapprove have no such fear, and since he 52% who approve don’t have it either, we can conclude that 100% have no fear and that the *only* ones who truly are terrified the way you describe are the “virtual Iranians” regularly conjured up by the US State Department, the Israelis and the sniveling US corporate press for whom, incidentally, you work.
Of course, I am really jocking here. I am quite sure that there IS indeed, a certain percentage of folks in Iran who are truly afraid. Iran is not some heaven on earth and it has its share of problems and ugly sides and I hope that they will work on fixing it. What bugs me is not that somebody would criticize the Islamic Republic, but that folks like you LIE to do so, by making up facts or by using open ended arguments like the one you used today. Arguments which have no other purpose, no other design that the DENY ANY FACTS. If there are no surveys in Iran, its because of the “bloodthirsty mullahs”. If there is a survey in Iran, its because it is paid for by the very same “bloodythirsty mullahs”. And if that survey is made by folks who cannot be suspected of being supporters of the “bloodythirsty mullahs”, then this survey is “impossible to conduct”.
Corey – how stupid do you really think we are?! Do you really believe that this kind of total crap will have any tractions with folks on this blog? If you really do, you are even dumber than I thought.
But what really pisses me off in you is you total lack of intellectual honesty. That is even more offensive than you willingness to parrot all the nonsense which the Zionist Hasbara teams cook up day after day.
Corey – I can tell that you are the real thing: the kind of red, white n’ blue Imperial patriot who loves his Navy SEALS, his American flag (made in China, but nevermind), who simply *knows* that “we are number one”, that “united we stand”, “these colors don’t run” etc, etc, etc, You watch TV and you actually think that most of it is real, you work for “freedom” and “liberty” while faithfully serving an imperialist empire ugly to its core, hated by the entire planet, and which the last racist entity on the planet has turned into a colony. You have the same blind faithfulness to your regime of an SS officer barking out “my honor is called loyalty!!”. You probably even go to vote, being darn sure that your vote makes a difference. And all this is your right, keep it up if you like it. But please, do realize that there is a bigger world out there which does not live in doubleplusgoodthinking “lala land” with heroic Navy SEALS defending the world agaist evil “mullas” and “Islamic obscurantists who hate us because our freedoms”.
So keep on weeping for Iran while watching Neda’s photo on your iPod, but please, stop expecting us to join you.
Oh and, Corey, your side is loosing. Everywhere :-)
Good nite, sweet (American) dreams!
The Saker
Saker,
“So, if the 48% who disapprove have no such fear, and since he 52% who approve don’t have it either, we can conclude that 100% have no fear”
No, you can’t. When I brought up the fear Iranians have of the phone (and this is a well justified fear), I was implying that it would leave the “survey” screwed up beyond all recognition by the time it was completed. I am not trying to say that no one in Iran is willing to talk about Khamenei over the phone, but that a large number probably are, especially today. Iran is a police-state run by religious fundamentalists, how you don’t see that as an obstacle to an honest poll by phone is beyond me. Some people might declare support to the regime just to be safe, while others might be willing to speak their mind and say they are disatisfied with the government’s handling of the economy, foreign policy, etc, while giving the thumbs up to the Guardian Council just in case their intrusive neighbor is listening in. Some people might falsely announce their support for Ahmadinejad and still criticize the economic situation, with the hopes of heading off surveilance while trying to improve their unbearable living conditions. Others might assume that some moron calling to discuss politics could be an undercover regime agent and decide to praise Islam, the Supreme Leader system, and Hezbollah. There were a lot of different questions asked, it appears.
Also, maybe those 48% were very brave and decided to speak everything they believed in. With that, there could be another 10 or 20 percent who wanted to speak their minds, but felt that someone was listening in on the phone or they didn’t trust the pollster. And how we know some of those 48% didn’t pay for it? Thanks to a media black-out and the tendency for political opponents to disappear in the Islamic Republic, many could have been threatened or arrested. We’ll never know.
“What bugs me is not that somebody would criticize the Islamic Republic, but that folks like you LIE to do so”
I’m sorry that you feel this way, and I am sorry that my experiences with people who live in Iran don’t match up to the views given to you by outside sources like IPI and Counter-Punch. I’d be glad to share real-life experiences I have had dealing with the IRI and the people it oppresses. Drop me a line anytime via email.
“by making up facts or by using open ended arguments like the one you used today”
Many things in Iran are “open-ended arguments” because the country is locked down from outside media access. The IRI regime relies on convenience…like the convenience that there were no media filimg in Shiraz 24/7 (unlike Tahrir Square). Otherwise people all over the world would be watching a student being thrown off a bridge.
“That is even more offensive than you willingness to parrot all the nonsense which the Zionist Hasbara teams cook up day after day.”
I don’t even understand what this is supposed to mean. We’re having a discussion about Iran and you need to bring up Israel and “Zionists”. I try to avoid Israeli press coverage of Iran at all costs, just so you know. I think that they give the regime power it does not have or deserve.
“Corey – I can tell that you are the real thing: the kind of red, white n’ blue Imperial patriot who loves his Navy SEALS”
You don’t know me all too well then. For some reason, you chose to come to this country and you live in work here…I leave every chance that I get, and would love nothing more to be sitting in a bar in Chennai, Colombo, or maybe Caracas right now. America just isn’t the place for me ;-)
“You watch TV and you actually think that most of it is real”
This is coming from someone who believes a phone survey conducted inside of a police state that declares its opponents “enemies of God.”
“which the last racist entity on the planet has turned into a colony”
Ah…we’re back to the Jews again. If you want to complain about Israel, you’re talking to the wrong person. I hear David Duke is considering a run for president in 2012, so go take it up with him, he brings up this nonsense about America being a Zionist “colony” all the time.
“You probably even go to vote, being darn sure that your vote makes a difference.”
You are quite good at incinerating your own arguments…you’ve been defending the election in Iran, which has been marred by hangings, shootings, media black-outs, and other God-awful acts of violence (along with a result that was declared as the polls closed), yet you have absolutely no faith in the American electoral system. Honestly, our system sucks too…but seriously, I don’t understand how you can praise Ahmadinejad’s “victory” but boycott American polls.
“So keep on weeping for Iran while watching Neda’s photo on your iPod, but please, stop expecting us to join you.”
I’m afraid to ask you what you think about Neda’s murder. Just be thankful that your calls for the collapse of United States are allowed here and even encouraged, so long as they are peaceful…you wouldn’t be able to do that in Iran. Neda and the many others who have suffered should remind you that you’re much better off in the evil empire than they are in Iran.