"The continued unwillingness of the U.S. to engage Iran will make other [UN Security Council] states hesitate to support, and possibly oppose" stricter actions like sanctions...

"You can't deal with people who want to kill you - there's no point in talking to them, and we will not...".

At this point, all diplomacy with Iran will fail, and is designed to fail.

Washington at that time thought Mosaddegh was a pinko, though in fact he was a relatively conservative aristocrat. At the height of the crisis, Mosaddegh wrote a letter to Eisenhower, which was ignored. Ike had the CIA overthrow the elected, parliamentary government of Iran and install the Shah as a megalomaniacal dictator. So the tradition of letter-writing by Iranian leaders at times of tensions with Washington isn't replete with successes.

"Of course, Saddam was a murderous dictator. But the war was not waged to topple him, the announced goal of the war was to find and destroy weapons of mass destruction. He was toppled along the way towards another goal; nevertheless the people of the region are happy about it. I point out that throughout the many years of the imposed war on Iran Saddam was supported by the West."

"Do you not think that if all of us come to believe in and abide by these principles, that is, monotheism, worship of God, justice, respect for the dignity of man, believe in the Last Day, we can overcome the present problems of the world - that are the result of disobedience to the Almighty and the teachings of the prophets - and improve our performance?
"Do you not think of that belief in those principles promotes and guarantees peace, friendship and justice?
"Do you not think that the aforementioned written or unwritten principles are universally respected?
"Will you not accept this invitation?"

Can the possibility of scientific achievements being utilised for military purposes be reason enough to oppose science and technology altogether?

"We have our sensors in place in the U.S., Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, and most Arab countries. We know ahead of the time when they are coming...
...
The country has been able to stand on its feet for the last 2,500 years and will do so in the future. Look at the last war we had with Iraq, which by the way, was shortest war we had during the last 200 years." More...

You can't negotiate with these people, you can't try to talk sense to these people.

--George W. Bush

but suggested that the United States give up its liberal, democratic, secular system and turn more toward religion.

But the war was not waged to topple him,

Judging by the responses here, it seems to be working.

Isn't that the whole argument? Bush says they are and Ahmadinejad says they are not.

It made only an oblique reference to Iran's intentions, asking why "any technological and scientific achievement reached in the Middle East region is translated into and portrayed as a threat to the Zionist regime."

Ahmadinejad will be very visible but not very powerful in the presidency, which has grown considerably weaker as an institution in the past eight years.

With Khamenei rather than Ahmadinejad firmly in control, Iran's domestic and foreign policies are likely to be less extreme than many have predicted.

Khamenei will want to avoid triggering US interference in Iran's domestic affairs. He also will want to maintain or expand Iran's economic relations with EU countries and avoid a US-EU united front against Iran.

--Mark Gasiorowski, Professor of political science and director of international studies at Louisiana State University

The country's highest-ranking religious leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has already warned his protégé that he was "elected to solve the country's social problems, not to go to war with Israel." At the same time, Khamenei upgraded the powers of the Expediency Council, which is charged with oversight over the government.

Even the conservative majority in the parliament is making life difficult for Ahmadinejad, forcing him to submit four candidates for the post of oil minister before providing their stamp of approval -- clearly in a reflection of their aversion to turning over control of the country's oil revenues to a loyal follower of Ahmadinejad.

There are even rumors floating around in Tehran that Ahmadinejad's days could be numbered, and that pragmatic forces within the regime are preparing for a coup. Apparently, Iran's political elite wants to prevent this president from turning the country into even more of a pariah on the international stage.

Why are you people so f***ing blind?

Khamenei will want to avoid triggering US interference in Iran's domestic affairs. He also will want to maintain or expand Iran's economic relations with EU countries and avoid a US-EU united front against Iran.

Iran is buying time and is most likely accelerating the weapons building process, as it has been proven, it is better to have a bomb and not need it (North Korea) than to need a bomb and not have it (Iraq).

What Iran will do now is challenge the US in the UN, using secret prisons, gitmo, our nuclear warheads, illegal war etc to obfuscate the issues and demonstrate the hypocrisy of our foreign policy. Those challenges will be sufficient enough to provide the necessary delay (3-5 years with watered down sanctions) to build nuclear weapons. Utterly irresponsible foreign policy has put the US in this position and every flag waving, don't question your government, Bush voter should take responsibility for their ignorance.

"Their house is their fortress -- good for them," he said. "But that means that we also must make our house strong and reliable." "We must always be ready to counter any attempts to pressure Russia in order to strengthen positions at our expense," Putin said. "The stronger our military is, the less temptation there will be to exert such pressure on us."

Those are scientific poll results right Squeaky?

And dont give me that "they do it b.s". Alot of Nazis were self proclaimed Christians.

Q: Why is every Muslim Middle Eastern country characterized by either rigid oppression or chaotic violence? A: The coercive use of violence is the only way to ensure Muslims in the Middle East will live up to any obligations, including basic social order and function. Middle East countries where chaos currently reigns, like Palestine, Iraq, and Afghanistan, are merely examples of what Muslims are like without coercion.

Think about this the next time "Uncle Mah" starts talking about using his nukes to provide electricity for starving farmers and poor school children. He's not lying; he's just trying to tell the PC West (our collective jugular), what it really wants to hear. He's a pleaser, and he's out to "please" you!

And the Europeans? I thought they couldn't do anything right. Funny how you'll use them when you need to, but not when it seems to undermine your argument. That's logical inconsitency.

Youre just gonna have to go back to Viagra and Abu Graib photos. But if it'll make you feel better: YES! THEY'RE ALL EVIL! THE VERMIN MUST BE EXTERMINATED!

Meanwhile, the MSM siezes on every shred of evidence, trying to prove those of us who think democracy will happen wrong and those who think "orangeducks" is correct.

hmmmm - It should have read..

.... Iranian sources tell me that Ahmadinejad's letter and its talk of failed liberalism of the west sounds an awful lot like the gist of many editorials of a hardline Tehran daily, Kayhan, closely affiliated with the Iranian security services. "Kayhan is very famous in Iran," one source tells me. "In the history of journalism it is unique because, in the last fifteen years, whenever Kayhan writes against somebody, a few days later he will be arrested."......

Posted by Jondee May 10, 2006 08:28 PM ppj - I never said you said that.

Posted by Jondee May 10, 2006 03:21 PM Jim - Lets face it: you just wanna get your war on. At all costs. More than anything. Unfortunatly, Ole blood 'n guts, it isnt going to happen. Youre just gonna have to go back to Viagra and Abu Graib photos. But if it'll make you feel better: YES! THEY'RE ALL EVIL! THE VERMIN MUST BE EXTERMINATED! Now run along. Im sure you have some kind of reenactment or other to go to.