Think Progress

Note to Robert Gates:

By Nico Pitney on Jan 19th, 2007 at 4:54 pm

Note to Robert Gates:

We already do have leverage over Iran.



22 Responses to “Note to Robert Gates:”

  1. F Chucklenutz says:

    Lapdog to the Preznit…next


  2. Clyde the Ripper says:

    The argument that we cannot negotiate with Iran because we do not have the leverage to demand the concessions we want from Iran is idiotic. If we have the leverage to demand our way then where is the negotiation. A successful negotiation is one in which both parties are equally satisfied, or dissatisfied as the case may be. Our presence in Iraq should be one of the elements of any negotiation with Iran. If they want us to stay we find out what it is worth to them for us to go. If they want us to go the reverse is true. If they don’t care one way or the other but enjoy the advantage we hand to them free by being there then we should leave immediately. We, as a Democratic Country with a despotic pseudo president, have nothing, absolutely nothing to lose by a complete withdrawal from Iraq at the earliest, repeat earliest, possible time consistent with the safety of all our withdrawing troops and other support personnel. This includes all support for Iraqi oil companies. King George the Dumb apparently perceives such an action as tyranny against the throne. He is convinced that if he can prolong the conflict in Iraq and provoke Iran then his faithful subjects will crown him KGtD for life. This would be comical if it were not true and if there were not the unthinking 30% that choose to believe it as the truth.


  3. ForTruth says:

    Clyde its all about the Boy King’s legacy, and protecting the egos of the faithful. Nothing else would be lost by getting the hell out of there.

    I ask the question persistently for a couple days once. No troll even attempted to answer me.

    I asked what we would lose, besides people’s egos getting bruised, if we got out of Iraq.

    *Crickets chirping*


  4. veritas says:

    Henry VIII’s reincarnate, Dubya, is the center of the universe, or so he believes. It’s absolutely accurate that getting out of a Iraq and declaring it a “botched war” will besmerch the Boy King’s all-important legacy. Maybe worry about his Legacy might keep him from sleeping at night while losing 3,000 lives in an illegal, worthless war which is quickly bankrupting this country doesn’t cause him loss of sleep. As Bin Laden said early on….He need do absolutely nothing – we will engage in a worthless, bankrupting war which will tank this country economically and thus bring about it’s swift deterioration and self-destruction.

    It’s clear that terrorism is NOT our main problem in this country. It’s the “enemy within”…..our own selves. God help this country of ours if we have to endure two more years of this imperialistic regime’s rule. God help us – because we cannot seem to help ourselves.


  5. SouthWest Bob says:

    This may be the prelude to bushco bombing the crap out of Iran, so “they are now willing to negotiate, or we keep bombing.”


  6. katy says:

    but – what about the fact that iran WANTS diplomacy?
    does that count for anything?

    and, i don’t argue with the point of the article, but am i confused about TNR not being a reputable mag anymore? i could be getting it mixed up with National Journal…
    …anyone?


  7. Clyde the Ripper says:

    #4 For Truth

    I could not agree more! The thought did occur to me but I couldn’t work it into the point I was trying to make. I can agree with your frustration in not getting any response to your comments. Most of the time I stick to sarcastic “one-liners” to which I expect no response. Today, being in an academic mood because it is too damn cold to go outside (I know it is all relative but 50 degrees with a 20 mph wind is cold in Arizona) I decided to engage the trolls in a little intellectual debate on the Obama thread basically about the value of baseless generalizations in an open discussion. I got the same response as you:”Crickets chirping.”

    However, I have also been reading a little history of Viet Nam to find some damning corollaries between Iraq and Viet Nam. I found one interesting point in keeping with your crickets analogy. The Viet Cong, in their jungle operations at night, communicated by clicking bamboo sticks together in a prearranged code similar to our Morse Code. This ominous clicking became a symbol of impending unwanted consequences if not doom to our troops surrounded by the clicking. The bushco should listen very closely for they may very well hear the clicking of bamboo sticks instead of the chirping of crickets.


  8. RUCerious says:

    I get the feeling Gates likes the smell of radioactive fallout dust in the morning…


  9. Clyde the Ripper says:

    #3 Heritage Foundation

    “…you are not as popular as you may think.”

    You were not “… listed the 25 think tanks which were mentioned most often in the mainstream media news in 2005.”

    I apologize but I have a problem with your Proper Noun and your pronoun.

    When you sign as “Heritage Foundation” are you actually an incarnate of the organization, a representative of same, or a “wannabee” attempting to add some credence to your imbecilic comments. To whom do you reference when you use the pronoun “you.” Proper usage indicates that the antecedent to such a personal pronoun is the person being addressed or, as is the case, me, the reader.

    To shorten this enough to hold your attention I will assume you are referring to the sponsoring organization of this Blog. Which points out the error of your assumption. The fact that TP was not mentioned in a study that just counted the number of times an organization was mentioned in the mainstream media in 2005 has absolutely nothing to do with the POPULARITY of that organization in 2007. Obviously you do not believe it either or you would not have resorted to such a transparent and obvious slander.


  10. PeterW says:

    Gasp! The know-nothing bloviating institutions that are generously funded by right-wing corporations are overly represented in the right-friendly corporate media?

    Who would have thought?


  11. Spudge_Boy says:

    Dumb ass, the mainstream media is conservative, so why the fu*k would they talk about progressive or liberal think tanks.


  12. TripMaster Monkey says:

    PeterW, Spudge_Boy:

    The quality of trolls here at TP has taken a severe downturn….the latest wave actually debunk themselves…no intervention from us necessary. ^_^


  13. rachel kinnardi says:

    Here is a list of the people I will converse with on this site. Anyone else who responds to any of my posts will be ignored without question.
    If you are on my ” no fly list ” any attempt to communicate with me will be wasted keystrokes on your part.

    The reasons for those who are included in my list are as follows.

    The short list: Reasons Why

    1) You are not up to speed with my intellect and political ability.
    2) You 9 times out of 10 add zero to the debate.
    3) When faced with bare facts you cannot defend, you resort to slanderous accusations.
    4) Your lack of viewing the ” Big Picture ” in politics is astounding to me and the public majority.
    5) I question your ability and motives at this thinktank and in life in general.
    6) You speak out of turn when I am in a heated debate with a particular poster.
    7) You come to the aid and comfort of the defenseless here with even more preposterous, nonfactual claims.
    8) When things do not quite go your way in a debate, you scream bloody murder for Judd and cry ” foul ”
    9) You defend policies the Democrats believe in because it is in ” vogue ” and is ” fashionable ” knowing full well it is not what is in your heart.
    10) You will twist facts, slander other posters with opposing ideas and ideals and generally engage in some form of ” group lynching ” if all does not go well for you.

    The ” no fly ” list:

    Note: Names on my ” no fly ” list are not to be construed in any particluar order.
    Note: I will append my list from time to time as the need arises.

    Here are the opening winners.
    I give you the ” Dirty Dozen ”

    1) Sy Bil
    2) ForTruth
    3) Trueblue
    4) Barfly
    5) Unbelievable
    6) Briseadh de faire
    7) VerbalKnit
    8) John Gilpins
    9) Krazny
    10) Robert
    11) Chimpeach
    12) DieNowForPeace

    I am open to any meaningful and thoughtful debate on any topic on this blog with anyone else with the exception of the above aforementioned.


  14. upside00 says:

    #13 The quality of trolls here at TP has taken a severe downturn….the latest wave actually debunk themselves…no intervention from us necessary.

    Trip, too some other troll-like creatures in the Bushco WH can’t not only debunk themselves, but self-destruct too.


  15. Spudge_Boy says:

    rachel kinnardi,

    Please add me to your list.


  16. Jeremy Henderson says:

    and, i don’t argue with the point of the article, but am i confused about TNR not being a reputable mag anymore? i could be getting it mixed up with National Journal…
    …anyone?

    I still find it pretty reputable. Perhaps you’re confusing it with the other TNR, The National Review, which is a neocon mouthpiece.


  17. Clyde the Ripper says:

    #14 rachel kinnardi

    Since I am not worthy of your list please pick a time and subject and I will be happy to accommodate you and test your debating skills. However, I do have one requirement: I refuse to enter into a battle of wits with an unarmed woman or even one only half armed as you seem to be.

    See you soon.


  18. Jay Randal says:

    rachel can converse with itself > lol.


  19. midwestblue says:

    Wow, the more I hear from Gates, the less and less comfortable I am. He’s a pretty fringe character (IranConta, etc). The Senate only confirmed him because he wasn’t Rumsfeld. I have a feeling Gates is in his element rigth now and wallowing in it.


  20. Mary Poplins says:

    Why is anyone responding to this rachel kinnardi. She is arrogant, self centerd person. Who cares if she doesn’t respond to this no fly list.
    She put this on every topic that TP has. You are wasting your time on this person. She distracts from the topic.


  21. mrJJ says:

    China & Russia will turn their backs on the US if Iran or a proxie attacks their main energy source supplier. The Shia world would call out for blood revenge throughout the Mdddle East. Overtures could be made to N. Korea’s Kim Jung Il to sell some of his weaponized enriched plutonium. Idiot in Chief needs to stop the “We don’t negotiate…. We dominate…” bullshit. Bush and his neocons helped Iran complete the Shia Crescent. Too late now… The Shia will never share power with the Sunni’s in Iraq. The Shia dominated government of Iraq is now an integral part of the Shia Crescent… thanks to GW Bush and his Republican neocon advisors… Heck of a job they’ve done for America… Heck of a job…


  22. grubby says:


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