Obama sends a direct message to the Iranian people.
Obama sends a direct message to the Iranian people.
Last night, President Obama sent “a special message to the people and government of Iran” on Nowruz, the beginning of the Persian New Year. Obama acknowledged the strain in the relationship between the two countries and said that he seeks “engagement that is honest and grounded in mutual respect”:
So in this season of new beginnings I would like to speak clearly to Iran’s leaders. We have serious differences that have grown over time. My administration is now committed to diplomacy that addresses the full range of issues before us, and to pursuing constructive ties among the United States, Iran and the international community. This process will not be advanced by threats. We seek instead engagement that is honest and grounded in mutual respect.
You, too, have a choice. The United States wants the Islamic Republic of Iran to take its rightful place in the community of nations. You have that right — but it comes with real responsibilities, and that place cannot be reached through terror or arms, but rather through peaceful actions that demonstrate the true greatness of the Iranian people and civilization. And the measure of that greatness is not the capacity to destroy, it is your demonstrated ability to build and create.
Watch it:
Matt Yglesias calls the video “well done,” with “a Persian transcript and a web video with Persian subtitles” on the White House website.
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Great move. The Iranian people are much more receptive and open to Western culture than the religious zealots running the country. We should have done this years ago.
http://www.pufferfishblog.com/
March 20th, 2009 at 9:44 amOk, I don’t know if this is a Youtube problem or something with my machine or what, but the Persian captions are totally screwed up. They’re reading left-to-right and all the connectors aren’t connecting – they’re just displaying in their solo forms.
Eek!
March 20th, 2009 at 9:46 amI know that he is teleprompted for speeches like this, but I can already see the distinct differences from Bush. No deer-in-the-headlights look.
I hope the Iranian people don’t see his as a disguised distrust, but more as a genuine hope to open diplomatic ties.
March 20th, 2009 at 9:55 amThis is a great tactic, and he’s doing it at home, too. He is not staying in DC, but coming out in the country and talking to people. Good for him!
March 20th, 2009 at 9:55 amAh diplomacy, I missed you the past eight years! If you change a few words it sounds a lot like President Obama’s olive branch to Repubs:
So in this season of new beginnings I would like to speak clearly to Republican Party leaders. We have serious differences that have grown over time. My administration is now committed to diplomacy that addresses the full range of issues before us, and to pursuing constructive ties among the Democrats, Republicans and the
national community. This process will not be advanced by threats. We seek instead engagement that is honest and grounded in mutual respect.
You, too, have a choice. American citizens want their Country to take its rightful place in the community of nations. We have that right — but it comes with real responsibilities, and that place cannot be reached through terror or lies, but rather through peaceful actions that demonstrate the true greatness of the American people and civilization. And the measure of that greatness is not the capacity to destroy, it is your demonstrated ability to build and create.
So far it hasn’t worked with the Repubs, they are still fixated on destroying what is left of this Nation. However, the leaders in Iran seem a bit more rational than what is left of the Republican Party.
March 20th, 2009 at 9:55 amI want to restate what Jack Cafferty wrote on his blog about how nice it is to wake up each morning and not worry about what the President is going to blow up today.
Excellent job President Obama!
March 20th, 2009 at 9:57 amAn adult in the White House – how refreshing.
March 20th, 2009 at 9:58 amPurple State Says:
A homogenous blend of Progressive speek and Rush Limbaugh talking points.
“I know that he is teleprompted for speeches like this…”
You live up to your name, an equal blend of red and blue.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:00 amDick Chaney:
“Obama reaching out will cause the next 9/11, it’s comming you’re all going to die if you don’t hate him for talking with Iran.”
Soon ether him or Karl Rove.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:00 amlarkohio Says:
This is a great tactic, and he’s doing it at home, too. He is not staying in DC, but coming out in the country and talking to people. Good for him!
I certainly agree, yet others would argue that he’s not doing his job by staying in D.C. during this time of crisis. If he did, they’d still be dogging him for not connecting to the people like he is now.
It’s a shame that they will never be pleased until he can clone himself and be in two places at once. And if he did, they’d blame science and stem-cell research for opening Pandora’s Box.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:02 amThank you.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:03 amA Patriot Acting Says:
“I know that he is teleprompted for speeches like this…”
You live up to your name, an equal blend of red and blue.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:00 am
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How is that a talking point? All politicians use teleprompters when giving a speech. So do news anchors and talk show hosts. It’s just a fact of production.
Are people seriously criticizing President Obama for using a teleprompter, like every other president has done since the invention of the teleprompter?
March 20th, 2009 at 10:04 amOf course this could be directed at the Republicants, Patriot. Are they not the self-proclaimed American Taliban?
March 20th, 2009 at 10:06 amPurple State Says: I certainly agree, yet others would argue that he’s not doing his job by staying in D.C. during this time of crisis. If he did, they’d still be dogging him for not connecting to the people like he is now.
They’ll always argue that, which is why he should keep defending himself and calling hem out when he speaksto the public. Except for the South, where racism still lives, his approval ratings are in the upper 70’s and lower 80’s. That’s incredible.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:06 amA Patriot Acting Says:
Purple State Says:
A homogenous blend of Progressive speek and Rush Limbaugh talking points.
“I know that he is teleprompted for speeches like this…”
Let me rephrase that. “He might be teleprompted for speeches like this…” There’s no way of really knowing that. My bad.
My point is that he is still a great communicator, technology or not.
I am hardly the Limbaugh advocate. I think I threw up a little in my mouth there. He is strictly RED; not a drop of blue in him. He will never be a moderate, nor will he ever be someone I look to for political advice.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:06 amWell, that’s it. We’re done. The world is gonna end. We’re talking to the terrists instead’a bommin’um…
/snark
I’m getting what I expected to get when I voted for Obama. For every one thing he does that ticks me off he does 2 or 3 things that give me hope for our future.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:07 amObama: Talk softly and carry a big stick.
Bush: Talk aggressively and carry a big Dick Cheney.
This is change I believe in. Thank you, President Obama.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:13 amhussein toasterhead Says:
I’m well aware that presidents use teleprompters toasterhead, but If you haven’t noticed, it has become He’ll begin his statement along the lines of, “I know his teleprompter told him to say…”.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:15 amThe trolls have taken it and ran with it. I don’t view Purple State as a troll by any means but it is becoming the Rushbots new “Democrat Party” type of cheap dig.
Ok, I know I’m going to sound sappy but seeing that message brought tears to my eyes. Seeing our president reaching out in a thoughtful, diplomatic, and intelligent way to the Iranian people makes me feel even prouder to be an American right now.
This was a huge gesture on President Obama’s part…one that will surely resonate positively in the world except with the American far right and the extreme elements of the Iranian and Israeli governments who need to get a clue.
We have a grown-up in the White House!!!!!!!!
March 20th, 2009 at 10:16 amSorry! Should have read, “…it has become Limbaugh’s favorite new dig at the President. He’ll begin…”
mea culpa and I apologize if I offended you Purple State. Wasn’t trying to imply that you are a Rushbot. I know better, just that the whole “teleprompter” thing sticks in my craw.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:19 amA Patriot Acting Says:
The trolls have taken it and ran with it. I don’t view Purple State as a troll by any means but it is becoming the Rushbots new “Democrat Party” type of cheap dig.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:15 am
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Fair enough, but it’s just silly.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:20 amDo we get to watch them implode? I’ll get the popcorn!
March 20th, 2009 at 10:21 amA Patriot Acting Says:
I know better, just that the whole “teleprompter” thing sticks in my craw.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:19 am
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That’s exactly why they’re going to keep using it – cause they know it pisses us off. We need to try and let it roll off, like the “George Soros” comments and the Al Gore’s “private plane” comments and the “secret Muslim” comments and all the other crap the right has substituted for legitimate debate.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:25 amWow! how refreshing to have a President who can walk and chew gum at the same time. After eight years of a President with the IQ of a tennis ball, who only knew how to say “when do we bomb”, its really nice to have brains running the country again.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:31 amNot one smile in three and a half minutes? I expected all that good will and thoughts of family celebration to produce even the tiniest of grins. Alas, no.
Obama wasn’t alone in crafting a message for the Iranian people. Israeli President Peres said Tehran’s leaders should ’stop spending their days dealing with bombs and uranium – is this in the name of God?’
Israel bombed its democratic neighbor to the north in 2006 with bombs, specifically millions of cluster bombs as the cease fire neared. Peres’ Israel bombed the ghetto known as Gaza, while holding 1.5 million people under siege. Israel also has 150-200 nuclear weapons, either made from enriched uranium or plutonium. Is this in the name of God?
Coordinated message management from the good cop/bad cop?
March 20th, 2009 at 10:34 amMore babble from Bert.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:35 amhussein toasterhead Says:
That’s exactly why they’re going to keep using it – cause they know it pisses us off. We need to try and let it roll off, like the “George Soros” comments and the Al Gore’s “private plane” comments and the “secret Muslim” comments and all the other crap the right has substituted for legitimate debate.
And Bert’s here, right on cue. Commence ignoring him now.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:35 amhussein toasterhead, I agree that we should take a laugh-it-off approach to a lot of the ridiculous tactics used against us. Not silence, but hearty, belly ache causing laughter.
Q: What brand of teleprompter is used by Republicans?
March 20th, 2009 at 10:37 amA: Rush
WTF is Bert babbling on about? I need a translator please.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:38 amBert Says: Blah blah blah blah and blah, blah blah blah. Also dems are blah blah blah blah…Bert.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:39 amThe USofA is the mightiest “rogue” nation on the fcuking planet.
Where does this sump of violence, injustice, venality, crime, and corruption get to tell ANY other nation how to behave?
The fcuking ARROGANCE is appalling…
March 20th, 2009 at 10:41 amHopefully, this is the beginning of a relationship where we will respect a country with a much longer history in the world than ours.
It would be satisfying for our country to act maturely without fear and without using the military to advance corporate interests around the world.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:42 amI think Bert is warning President Obama not to take the same path he, Bert, took in life. Bert is a caring person, even if a tad bit confused.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:43 amI’d suggest we all start flagging bert. It worked on archie b.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:44 amSure, Obama is doing great things here and within the international community, but has he cleared any brush? That stuff doesn’t clear itself!
PEACE
March 20th, 2009 at 10:46 amPurple State Says
March 20th, 2009 at 9:55 am
I know that he is teleprompted for speeches like this, but I can already see the distinct differences from Bush. No deer-in-the-headlights look.
_____________________________________________________________
I suspect that’s just the difference between reading your OWN words off a teleprompter and reading someone else’s. Bush always tended to look like he was seeing the words for the first time.
And then there’s Clinton, who drove his teleprompter operators crazy because even though the words on the prompter were his, he had a tendency to deviate to unscripted tangents whenever he got passionate and enthusiastic about what he was saying.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:47 amBert and the Neocon apologists have no idea how to go about foreign relations. It doesn’t occur to them that you can’t talk tough publicly and get things accomplished. If you talk like a bully in public, NO ONE is going to pay attention to what you say. What occurs in public and what occurs behind the scenes are completely different. This is what diplomacy is all about.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:48 ammisshusseinmolly Says:
Bush always tended to look like he was seeing the words for the first time.
____________
Perhaps you just hit on something there. By the end, maybe George wasn’t even bothering to LOOK OVER his speeches before mumbling thru them on camera.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:50 amKlatu, is that your idea of a joke? You think someone who is a Special Olympian is as dumb as bush? Give me a break will ya, I’ll stick with the tennis ball.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:50 amHussein, it’s an opinion. Ignore it.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:54 amRush and his ilk will be screaming at the top of their lungs that, Obama has sold us down the drain to the Islamic terrorists. They will be branding him a secret Muslim again and foaming at the mouth. I’ll bring the popcorn, you guys bring the drinks.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:55 amHowever, if you’d like information on the Peres message go to:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3689602,00.html
Pssst. Learn something…
March 20th, 2009 at 10:56 amKlatu Says:
What was I thinking?
_____________
Apparently, nothing of value…
March 20th, 2009 at 10:58 amKlatu, like the President, we can all say dumb things. I just hope I didn’t offend any tennis balls out there.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:00 amheh. aure s/b sure.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:00 amI don’t know about your being a retard Klatu, but you aure as hell are an idiot.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:01 amarbereshe Says:
Ok, I know I’m going to sound sappy but seeing that message brought tears to my eyes. Seeing our president reaching out in a thoughtful, diplomatic, and intelligent way to the Iranian people makes me feel even prouder to be an American right now.
This was a huge gesture on President Obama’s part…one that will surely resonate positively in the world except with the American far right and the extreme elements of the Iranian and Israeli governments who need to get a clue.
Bears repeating, as I have precisely the same sentiment and it’s exactly what I would have wrote.
It’s about time we remembered (we used to know it) that the vast majority of the world’s people want peace, and they want to admire and respect the U.S. When I travel, even to Egypt, all I hear regarding American politics is, “We love America and Americans, but we’re not very excited about how your government is behaving.”
This is what will cement us as “the shining beacon on the hill,” as righties are so fond of quoting Saint Reagan as saying, not the pompous, bombastic swagger of the p8 (p8 is my new acronym for “the past 8 years under the Bush administration).
March 20th, 2009 at 11:01 amHeh heh… can you picture Obama clearing brush? From what I read this morning, he’ll be weeding the kitchen garden. Leave it to a progressive to do something, you know, useful.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:03 amdear think progress,
get a clue will ya…? “persian” subtitles…? puh-l-e-e-e-eze…! iranians speak FARSI…! d’oh…!
And, yes, I DO take it personally
March 20th, 2009 at 11:04 amTake your own advice.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:07 amAs we all learned w/ archie b, last night, flagging does work, folks.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:07 amThe “full retard” comment from Bert Convy was a failed attempt at capturing the humor of Tropic Thunder.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:09 amprofmarcus Says:
get a clue will ya…? “persian” subtitles…? puh-l-e-e-e-eze…! iranians speak FARSI…! d’oh…!
March 20th, 2009 at 11:04 am
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Um, “Farsi” is just the Persian word for “Persian.” Just like we call our language “English” but Spanish speakers call it “ingles” and Arabic speakers call it “inklizi.” It means the same thing.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:14 amhussein toasterhead Says:
Um, “Farsi” is just the Persian word for “Persian.” Just like we call our language “English” but Spanish speakers call it “ingles” and Arabic speakers call it “inklizi.” It means the same thing.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:14 am
_____________
Okay, fine, TECHNICALLY it refers to the more Arabicized Iranian dialect, as opposed to the Afghan Dari dialect or the cyrillicized Tajik dialect. But still, the terms are interchangeable.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:15 amBERT CONVY Says:
flagged. The economy was dead when he got here.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:22 amDon’t game show hosts use teleprompters? Well, OK, the OLD ones just used cue cards. Troll Bert, obviously, lost his cue cards many, many, many years ago.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:22 amAnd the measure of that greatness is not the capacity to destroy, it is your demonstrated ability to build and create.
It’s a nice sentiment, until you remember that:
1) Iran has attacked no one, and despite what our elites claim, there is no evidence that they are building nuclear weapons;
2) The USA has the biggest weapons arsenal in history, and it and its allies are tops when it comes to destruction. (Obama has been no exception — how many times has he bombed Pakistan already?)
Clean your own house first, Mr. President.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:22 amYou have that right — but it comes with real responsibilities, and that place cannot be reached through terror or arms, but rather through peaceful actions
Errr…so I guess the US has’t been financing mercenary states like Israel or Egypt.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:23 amBert baby, you think you made up a catchy little line “Obama lied and the economy died”. You really are witty in the dim whit sense. Get a clue guy, all you do is show how stupid someone can be, when they are let out of the home.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:25 amClean your own house first, Mr. President
Don’t you think this speech was just that? The first paragraph was about the U.S. and the second about Iran. Notice the order.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:25 amI’ll say it again.
FLAGGING WORKS.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:27 amI’m with ros, just flag the troll.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:27 amFlagged.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:28 amY’know, the really stupid thing about wingnuts’ new “teleprompter” silliness isn’t that every president has used a teleprompter since the invention of the teleprompter.
I mean, granted, that’s silly enough. It’s like criticizing a president for riding in a car.
No, the really stupid thing about it is that they used to try to take a strength and turn it into a liability. Now they’re taking a strength (inspiring public speaking ability) and just trying to pretend it doesn’t exist, trying to convince us that the world is different than what we can clearly see.
Good luck with that, guys.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:30 amBERT CONVY Says: Also flagged.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:30 amdamn, you guys flagged that troll outa here so quickly I didn’t get a chance to flag ‘im but two or three times.
Let a brother join in the fun once in a while.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:32 amBERT CONVY Says:
Here’s a quick fact for you coolaiders 46% of America didn’t vote for Barry McPrompter. Almost half of America voted for the guy who can speak without a script.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:30 am
__________
Ralph Nader?
March 20th, 2009 at 11:32 amralph, I am also thoroughly amused at how the wingnuts are going after President Obama for being on TV with Leno. It’s just the modern day version of the Fire Side Chats or Nixon going on Laugh-In (only with more finesse!). Presidents who want to stay in touch with We, The People get out to talk to and with us where we are. President Obama’s willingness AND ability to do this scares the unholy crap out of the wingnuts.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:35 amThen go to their website!
March 20th, 2009 at 11:36 amBut not half, right? Right. Just so we’re clear.
Too bad, so sad, better luck in 2024, which is when Americans might be willing to trust another Republican with the Presidency.
No promises, mind you.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:37 amWingnuts have short memories. Didn’t bush go on some stupid game show?
March 20th, 2009 at 11:37 amBut he lost by 9 million votes because he couldn’t keep his story straight……maybe he should have, eh?
March 20th, 2009 at 11:37 amAnd another point that trolls continually get wrong:
“disagreement” is not, for most of us, enough to identify a troll. Many of us wish there were more reasonable conservatives on here to debate issues.
No, a troll is pretty easily defined as a poster who has no interest in reasonable debate, who simply wants to get his undescended rocks off by provoking others.
Trolls used to get their jollies making prank phone calls, until Caller ID made that practice too dangerous. So now they stalk discussion forums, make fart noises and giggle when they’re dismembered through logic and judicious use of reality.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:38 amAlmost half of America voted for the guy who can speak without a script.
Oh, THAT ONE! Sorry, I forgot about him. The problem is he NEEDED two scripts – one to keep his ever-spinning message straight and one for his constipation.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:39 amSo McCain’s “bomb, bomb, bomb Iran” wasn’t on the teleprompter? The moron should have stuck to the script.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:48 amDon’t you think this speech was just that? The first paragraph was about the U.S. and the second about Iran.
It’s a start, I guess. But really meaningful ways to clean house here would be things like drastically reducing our military budget; ending our occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan; telling Israel to end its oppression of the Palestinians and not to attack its neighbors again, and cutting it off from military aid if it refuses to comply; and supporting international law agreements that don’t give our own government a veto power against any meaningful enforcement.
If we aren’t willing to do that, then we have no business lecturing anybody else on how to be a good neighbor.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:53 amGood job Mr President!
Maybe we can negotiate, maybe we can’t. But definitely good to open the door and try to find some form of communication.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:55 amTo Bert Convy above :
amazing how you want to keep fighting the election results.
Not to mention that when Bush won less that 1/2 the popular vote, the statements were about the great political capital he had.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:58 amIf we aren’t willing to do that, then we have no business lecturing anybody else on how to be a good neighbor.
Agreed. And from what I see, I think President Obama is willing to do those things but they take time, practically and politically. As long as President Obama moves in the right direction, I’ll trust his skills in doing so in a “safe” pace.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:59 amA Patriot Acting Says
March 20th, 2009 at 10:15 am
I’m well aware that presidents use teleprompters toasterhead, but If you haven’t noticed, it has become [Limbaugh’s favorite new dig at the President.] He’ll begin his statement along the lines of, “I know his teleprompter told him to say…”.
The trolls have taken it and ran with it.
___________________________________________________________
This is what I don’t understand. Limbaugh takes things that are completely meaningless and turns them into “digs”, trusting his dittoheads to run with the ball even though the ball isn’t even inflated.
Example: “Democrat” Party. Is this supposed to be insulting? It just seems to me a demonstration of bad grammar. Yet we now have dittoheads all over the place using it as a pejorative.
And now Rush is going full-tilt on making “his teleprompter says” stick. What are you saying, Rush? Are you suggesting that President Obama’s teleprompter is possessed of a life of its own, and is effectively running the country by telling our President what to say? Or are you implying that others write Obama’s speeches and tell him what to say? Um…that was the last President — not this one.
Rush hasn’t got the stones to accuse Obama outright of being a puppet, because he’s got nothing to back it up. So he spouts this snide drivel hoping it will grow legs and people will repeat it ad nauseum.
This is the way the wingnuts work – a drivel, rinse, repeat cycle for the next four years.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:01 pmThank you for your endorsement of President Obama, BoldFaceLiar. Your opposition means so much to those of us who endured BushCo for eight long years and find President Obama’s change refreshing, inspiring, and hopeful. Please, continue to describe how President Obama is going in a direction that is philosophically and practically 180 degrees from yours and BushCo. It strengthens us.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:05 pmTroll JK, I think it’s time to change your underpants again.
Don’t worry; we won’t make fun of you while you’re gone.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:07 pmwow, john kerry, you play the part of the cowardly right wing pansy quite well
March 20th, 2009 at 12:07 pmspeak for yourself. i reserve the right to make fun of JK as often as possible
he’s too much of a quivering little right wing coward to not be scared of anything Rush tells him to fear
March 20th, 2009 at 12:08 pmHi John Kerry:
March 20th, 2009 at 12:09 pm“why not” isn’t really an answer now is it? Tell me you aren’t that lame? Why use the bold? Is it to be annoying? Is it that you seek attention?
Bravo Barack…Bravo….
I am so proud!
March 20th, 2009 at 12:10 pmRanting Tommy, I was just trying to make Troll JK feel comfortable enough to leave the room to change his skivvies. The smell was beginning to get to me.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:11 pmWow. I really like President Obama. :-)
March 20th, 2009 at 12:12 pmfair enough, it’s just that right wing pansy cowards really annoy me, being too easily frightened to live in the land of the free and home of the brave and so I ridicule them at every possible opportunity
March 20th, 2009 at 12:13 pmJust name a topic!
March 20th, 2009 at 12:15 pm—
Stem cells? endangered species?
oh and the pulled pork is marvelous…
March 20th, 2009 at 12:15 pmJohn Kerry Says:
…nothing of value.
Can you guys flag this one out of here?
March 20th, 2009 at 12:16 pmI’m eating lunch and appreciating a return to use of diplomacy and some nut starts screaming about uselessness.
John Kerry
since we are banning trolls, it’s time this one who disparages a war hero’s name was banned. At least he will have to choose an new moniker to come back. Flagged.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:18 pmJK perfectly represents the overwhelming cowardice of the typical right winger: easily frightened into supporting authoritarian leaders
March 20th, 2009 at 12:18 pmOne thing that would impress the Iranians as well, would be to have the courtesy to call them Iranians, their culture Persian, and their LANGUAGE by its proper name, Farsi. Not “Persian transcript and subtitles”. I know it’s hard, but these things matter to foreigners.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:20 pmHow much did reagan spend supporting terrorists?
March 20th, 2009 at 12:21 pmRebecca Lobo Says:
No and No. Next…
March 20th, 2009 at 12:24 pmNot that I’m aware of. Do you have some ind of support for this supposition?
Uh… if by “negotiating” you meant “issuing a diplomatic statement” and if by “terrorists” you meant ” a sovereign nation of brown people that scare the bejeezus out of right-wingers”, then sure.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:27 pmRalph, Rebecca Lobo is still living in the pre-recession mindset. They still think that what they think matters.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:29 pmIsn’t that nice? A right-winger who offers nothing to back her claims has the effrontery to whine about someone answering “with nothing to back it”.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:30 pmJK says: “JUST NAME A TOPIC!”
Well fool here are a couple to get started. Mind you that this is just the first several weeks of his Presidency. It seems that President Obama has accomplished more positive things for America in less than two months that George W. Shithead did in eight years all while tackling the economic mess that your boys so gleefully created:
Passing Schip, Ending Guantanamo, an end to the Iraq fiasco, passing the stimulus package, allowing stem cell research, reversing Bush’s Provider Conscience Rule, reversing the casket ban, enforcing the Endangered Species Act, allowing states to set their own fuel efficiency standards, the Equal Pay For Equal Work bill and withdrawing oil and gas leases for drilling near national parks in Utah and putting the kibosh on all the last minute ammendments that Bush tried to leave like a turd in the White House toilet on his way out the door.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:30 pmRebecca Lobo
March 20th, 2009 at 12:31 pmDoesn’t it bother you that reagan supported terrorism?
SKdeA Says:
One thing that would impress the Iranians as well, would be to have the courtesy to call them Iranians, their culture Persian, and their LANGUAGE by its proper name, Farsi.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
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Proper according to who?
The proper name in Middle Persian is actually “Parsi,” but this changed some time after the Islamic conquest of Persia to “Farsi” because Arabs don’t have the bilabial plosive “P” in their language.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:34 pmI see Rebecca offered a link this time, instead of just plagiarizing some wingnut source and pretending it was her own words.
But unfortunately for her, the link really doesn’t say what she thinks it says.
Of course, when I say “unfortunately” I’m assuming she actually has an interest in proving her point. Some opposing voices who post here have no interest in anything but disruption.
Let’s see if she’s one of those.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:38 pmRebecca Lobo Says:
No and No.
That’s it? “You’re wrong” with nothing to back it?
March 20th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
___________
You are wrong, according to the link you posted. Obama’s position hasn’t changed. He’s consistently said that he’d be willing to talk to Iran, provided the talks are substantive.
And no, it’s not “negotiating with terrorists” unless you consider Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists. That’s not a universally accepted opinion.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:39 pmEven the author says “evolving” you misquoted him and said flipflopping destroying your credibility in one fell swoop.
the word terrorists was not mentioned either, putting the final nail in your coffin of credibility.
Bottom line, you are below the barrel, scraping it for something, anything but you got nothing.
It is very telling that you would distort things so badly to try so desperatly to make some kind of a point. I find you amusingly simple minded.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:42 pmWhether it works or not, it sure is nice to have a President that can speak like a human being. I’m sure his offering will be well received by many, many people in Iran. Excellent work.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:42 pmRebecca Lobo Says:
That’s twice someone has told me I was wrong with nothing to back it. Is that how it works, here? No opposing facts?
March 20th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
___________
You provided the opposing facts yourself – the article you posted is attempting to create an inconsistency that doesn’t exist.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:43 pmWhy do Republicans like Ms. Lobo regard ‘evolving’ as a bad thing…
March 20th, 2009 at 12:43 pmthe world is change and we have to change with it…
we’ve seen what a President with an unwavering world view unaffected by changing conditions gets us… and it wasn’t pretty…
Actually doesn’t it bother her that raygun
in to terrorism?
March 20th, 2009 at 12:43 pmNo negotiating with the Terrorist fugitive, Dick Cheney.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:44 pmThe only ones that disagree with the experts that decide who is a terrorist and who isn’t are hamas and hezbollah and the likes.
Where are these ‘experts’ located? Is there a ’sorting hat’ in the Pentagon that declares… ‘Hmm, brown and strage…TERRORIST! NEXT! Lively but obedient, could do well with military support… FREEDOM FIGHTER!’
March 20th, 2009 at 12:45 pmYes, when you open with lies and distortion and have nothing to back it and when pressed you provide a link that proves you to be a liar, that is what you should expect.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:46 pmHas he “evolved” or not? I’m getting conflicting info, here.
He’s certainly willing too… I don’t believe I said he position had evolved- you did. I just wondered why you think that is a bad thing?
March 20th, 2009 at 12:47 pmRebecca Lobo Says:
The only ones that disagree with the experts that decide who is a terrorist and who isn’t are hamas and hezbollah and the likes.
___________
Isn’t this statement a tautology?
BTW, how could any American President meet w/ any foreign leader w/out “advancing the interests of the American people”?
Try making a point WORTH making.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:49 pmThe only ones that disagree with the experts that decide who is a terrorist and who isn’t are hamas and hezbollah and the likes.
—
March 20th, 2009 at 12:49 pmSo Ms. Lobo were the Contras terrorists or weren’t they?
So Ms. Lobo were the Contras terrorists or weren’t they?
Only the ‘Sorting Hat’ can tell…
March 20th, 2009 at 12:49 pmRebecca Lobo Says:
The only ones that disagree with the experts that decide who is a terrorist and who isn’t are hamas and hezbollah and the likes.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
As well as the European Union, the UN, and many scholars and experts on the Middle East who also don’t list these organizations as terrorists.
One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. The only difference between is who we’re paying.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:50 pmIs this a tacit agreement of belac’s proposition? That Republicans like you regard “evolving” as a bad thing?
Sounds like she wants the kind of leader that Colbert described:
He believes the same thing Wednesday that he believed on Monday, regardless of what happened on Tuesday.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:50 pmSince when is “talking to” equivalent to “negotiating with”? Diplomacy is not only about negotating, sometimes it involves just face-to-face confronting. This is in contrast with talking at or about and threatening, our tactics in the last eight years.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:51 pmWhy are we sending a man in to do a woman’s job? What happened to our beloved Secretary of State? Oh, wait, the Islamic world respects men more than women (in fact they degrade women to less than men).
Iran has no regard for other peoples, colors, or creeds. The only culture they do respect is their own. Throughout all of human history, unfortunately, the people of Iran and the whole Persian gulf region have only responded to- have only respected power, strength, and force. What’s going to make them change this time?
The solution here isn’t simple, especially as simple as President Obama’s words to the Iranians.
Find your hope in more than a man.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:51 pmralph the wonder llama Says:
Is this a tacit agreement of belac’s proposition? That Republicans like you regard “evolving” as a bad thing?
March 20th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
___________
Whaddya bet she’s from Kansas…
March 20th, 2009 at 12:51 pmIs that how it works, here? No opposing facts?
March 20th, 2009 at 12:51 pm—
No I have asked you several times now to explain whether orm not you supported reagan’s support of terrorism and you have elected to not engage in polite conversation on the subject of material support for terrorists
Well wolf girl, you proved that you were wrong with your own link so I’m gonna have to agree, it’s getting pretty funny.
Got any facts?
March 20th, 2009 at 12:52 pmAnd we see a pattern emerge… Rebecca is adopting a variation of the “Source?” gambit that was a favorite Habib, I believe. It works like this: make a claim, whoever outrageous or unsupportable, then claim that every response lacks support. When support is offered or demonstrated, pretend it has not been. carry on this way indefinitely.
It requires a lot of patience, but can be effective, if your only purpose is to waste the time of others.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:55 pmIran has no regard for other peoples, colors, or creeds.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:55 pm—
That is so odd. Do you know any Iranians/Persians?
It occurs to me that one reason that we cannot engage in a reasonable dialogue with trolls such as Rebecca Loco is there is not a willingness from them to “talk to” us. They are “talking at” us, a la BushCo’s approach to “diplomacy”. After a fair attempt to engage, as has been shown with Rebecca Loco, I think we should go with the “talking about” tactic.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:55 pmfor a quadraped you have an incredible grasp of behavioral pathologies…
March 20th, 2009 at 12:57 pmRebecca Lobo Says:
Would it be safe to say he is for “negotiating with terrorists” at this point in time
I’m assuming you call the Iranians “terrorists” due to Hamas and Hezbollah’s activities in the Palestinian region.
If the IDF’s disregard of civilian life during the Lebanon and Gaza wars can be considered a “terrorist tactic”, and the US funds Israel every year, then it could be said that the Iranians are indeed negotiating with terrorists. Namely, the USA.
Is that how this logic works?
March 20th, 2009 at 12:57 pmIs that why we are trying to remake the middle east in our image? Because we only respect our own culture and no other? You trolls have to make sense if you want to be taken seriously.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:57 pmhopeismorethanaman Says:
Iran has no regard for other peoples, colors, or creeds. The only culture they do respect is their own.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
____________
And how is this different from any other culture in the history of the world?
Kindly show me one culture or people in history that has regarded another culture or people more highly than their own.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:58 pmAstute observation, PLC.
I know I’m guilty of assuming that trolls are interested in what we have to say (why else would they post on a discussion board?) and I am slow to recognize the signs that they are not.
Rebecca is clearly not.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:58 pmThroughout all of human history, unfortunately, the people of Iran and the whole Persian gulf region have only responded to- have only respected power, strength, and force.
That’s weird… through all of human history?
March 20th, 2009 at 1:01 pmI could have sworn that they had a pretty early concept of human rights and took a ground breaking stand against slavery, too… and something about the largest empire in history leading to a peaceful era of science and philosophy that inspired Athens, no?
But Fred, then they wouldn’t be trolls.
It’s a conundrum.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:01 pmLuis M Says:
If the IDF’s disregard of civilian life during the Lebanon and Gaza wars can be considered a “terrorist tactic”, and the US funds Israel every year, then it could be said that the Iranians are indeed negotiating with terrorists. Namely, the USA.
Is that how this logic works?
March 20th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
__________
You don’t even have to go through Israel to make that leap – you can cite our tacit support of the Mujaheddin e-Khalq or our direct funding of Blackwater mercenaries.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:02 pmwolf girl comes in with guns a blazing claiming the sun rises in the west and provides a link to prove that it rises in the east.
Then she is surprised when we tell her she is wrong. funny stuff.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:02 pmI learn something every day. I only know that it drives my Iranian friends nuts, and they pronounce it and spell it Farsi.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:03 pmRebecca Lobo Says:
I’ve seen no rebuttal. That must be how it works. Later!
March 20th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
__________
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
March 20th, 2009 at 1:03 pmI’ve seen no rebuttal.
Rebecca in her Sgt. Schultz voice says:
“I see nothing! Nothing!”
Oh, Hogan…
March 20th, 2009 at 1:04 pmIt sure is nice to have a President that thinks and acts like an adult…
…and be soooo Presidential doesn’t hurt either…
…FU Bush, this is what a real President sounds like.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:05 pmhussein toasterhead Says:
You don’t even have to go through Israel to make that leap – you can cite our tacit support of the Mujaheddin e-Khalq or our direct funding of Blackwater mercenaries.
Excellent point. Which brings to mind another one of those things that annoyed me a lot ever since the Iraqi invasion.
Can you call someone who places IEDs “terrorists”, if their objective is to attack military personnel?
March 20th, 2009 at 1:05 pmLater!
March 20th, 2009 at 1:06 pmWas it that reagan/terrorism link that scared you?
SKdeA Says:
I learn something every day. I only know that it drives my Iranian friends nuts, and they pronounce it and spell it Farsi.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
____________
Fair enough – I can understand how some people would be sensitive tot hat. There are also Iranians I know who dislike the name “Farsi” as a remnant of Arab conquest, and insist that the language should stop using the Arabic script and instead switch to either Roman letters or an ancient Persian writing system. It’s all perspective, really.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:09 pmI’ve seen nothing to rubut, bu bye.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:09 pmThe Republic of Stupidity Says:
Rebecca Lobo Says:
The only ones that disagree with the experts that decide who is a terrorist and who isn’t are hamas and hezbollah and the likes.
___________
Isn’t this statement a tautology?
March 20th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Not only is it NOT a tautology, it’s not even a sentence.
TP got Becky Loon at the Dollar Store — in the half price bin.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:09 pmtroll, jk, tell us what you really think. flagged. It’s time for this guy to get a new moniker.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:11 pmralph the wonder llama Says:
And we see a pattern emerge… Rebecca is adopting a variation of the “Source?” gambit that was a favorite Habib, I believe. It works like this: make a claim, whoever outrageous or unsupportable, then claim that every response lacks support. When support is offered or demonstrated, pretend it has not been. carry on this way indefinitely.
_____________
Scrub, rinse, and repeat… this is from Chapter 11 of the Big Book of Internet Trolling, BTW.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:11 pmDo you think Rebecca typed her comment in front of a big banner in her bedroom?
March 20th, 2009 at 1:11 pmJohn Kerry Says:
Dude, take your Diazepam. Really.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:11 pmJK,
“Talking over me doesn’t make your points any more persuasive.”
March 20th, 2009 at 1:12 pm- Laura Ingraham
hopeismorethanaman Says:
Oh, wait, the Islamic world respects men more than women (in fact they degrade women to less than men).
____________
Well… THAT certainly ’splains why the Bush family gets along so well w/ the Saudis.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:12 pmJohn Kerry Says:
This is a FAILED administration and it’s JUST starting!!
___________
Talk about a jilted lover… he’ll NEVER forgive Bush for disappointing him so…
March 20th, 2009 at 1:15 pmMost of the things you mentioned are detriments to our country!!
—-
See John Kerry now you screwed yourself with that word “most”. You now are self contridicting your initial premise of “total” failure.
I see you won’t deal with the bold question in any sincere manner either.
I think you are weak.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:15 pmOh and John do you have any lame ass cd’s like maybe Menudo I can buy from that successful mailorder music gig of yours? Who the hell buys music mailorder anyway? Regular people download it…
March 20th, 2009 at 1:16 pmIt’s heartening to see Troll JK’s doctors have adjusted his medication to bring him out of his previous depressive state, so that he can now comment more than once per thread, and with more than a few words at a time.
Now their next challenge will be to tweak his pharmacological regime so that he can begin making sense when he comments.
Of course, they went for the low-hanging fruit first.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:18 pmOh, that silly, moron, JK..
…he just hates that Obama is succeeding and doing things that actually HELP America…
…he liked the way Bush did things, corruption, war crimes, cronyism, bribes, illegal spying, destroy the constitution, lies, you know, all those Republican Values.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:19 pmhopeismorethanaman Says:
The solution here isn’t simple…
__________
Then we should all thank Dog a simpleton like Botch isn’t running the show anymore, huh?
__________
… especially as simple as President Obama’s words to the Iranians.
__________
Or yours to us?
__________
Find your hope in more than a man.
__________
Or in YOUR case, clearly much less than a man…
March 20th, 2009 at 1:21 pmJeezus, enough with the teleprompter, ok? A teleprompter is a high-tech scroll of parchment… very biblical, really; these are prepared remarks, put together with thought. They’re supposed to be read.
,
March 20th, 2009 at 1:28 pmWhat I don’t understand is, is our friend Rebecca wanted people to agree with her when she claimed that her link said President obama “flipflopped” on talking to Iran, why didn’t she post a redstate or some other place where their eagerness to see Democrats fail leads them to disregard reality?
March 20th, 2009 at 1:28 pmmarquitin Says:
Purple State Says:
I know that he is teleprompted for speeches like this
Jeezus, enough with the teleprompter, ok? A teleprompter is a high-tech scroll of parchment… very biblical, really; these are prepared remarks, put together with thought. They’re supposed to be read.
And I had apologized. Didn’t mean anything bad.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:29 pmralphie, b-cup is over on the Think Fast thread, waiting for someone to come over and debate him…
I’m due someplace, but if you’ve got the time…
March 20th, 2009 at 1:31 pmThe Republic of Stupidity Says:
ralphie, b-cup is over on the Think Fast thread, waiting for someone to come over and debate him…
I’m due someplace, but if you’ve got the time…
I see you’re playing favorites, TROS. Sniff.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:35 pmTRoS, I’m trying to quit.
I know I have a problem. I admit it. I’m trying to overcome my b-cup concern dependency.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:42 pmFlagged for being a racist.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:49 pmSorry, I didn’t mean the comment personally toward you. I see teleprompter teleprompter teleprompter over and over and over day after day after day. It’s just a dumb meme meant to denigrate the obvious talents of Obama. He speaks extemporaneously like a writer writes… he’s composing and rearranging words as he goes. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just who he is. He is a writer… and a thinker… who measures his words for their impact and accuracy. Not easy to do on the fly.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:50 pmDoes anyone know if a series of exclamation points is an arithmetic or a geometric progression? And, are bold fonts catalytic or directly involved in the process?
March 20th, 2009 at 1:51 pmJohn Kerry Says:
THE TELEPROMPTER RULES!!
Ah, another fan of Alternative / Post Punk music, I see.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:52 pmPatrioticLiberalChristian Says:
Does anyone know if a series of exclamation points is an arithmetic or a geometric progression? And, are bold fonts catalytic or directly involved in the process?
March 20th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
____________
Technically they’d be geometric, since each exclamation point is a factorial.
THE TELEPROMPTER RULES! = T*H*E*T*E*L*E*P*R*O*M*P*T*E*R*R*U*L*E*S
So I guess THE TELEPROMPTER RULES!! would be the factorial of the result of the above.
March 20th, 2009 at 2:12 pmSo can we assume that you are just trrying to be annoying and you just want attention? It certainly seems that way and since you are too lame to address it what else am I too think?
Oh and about that Menudo cd?…
March 20th, 2009 at 2:19 pmTroll JK, I wonder if you’d help me out. A relative of mine has a malady with similar symptoms to yours.
Can you tell me what medications your doctors have you on these days?
Thanks.
March 20th, 2009 at 2:19 pmJohn Kerry Says:
This clown can’t even say anything without one!
March 20th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
___________
flagged for racism
March 20th, 2009 at 2:19 pmSo I’ve calculated so far that THE! = YA in Base Z, though I may have screwed up by forgetting to include a zero.
Lemme try this again.
March 20th, 2009 at 2:25 pmhussein toasterhead, well, then, I guess we should really, really, really pay attention to all those exclamatory pronouncements…..
Oops, they’ve met the power of Subtraction!!!!!!!
Subtraction Rules!!!!
March 20th, 2009 at 2:29 pmOk so if A is my zero in Base Z, then the factorial of “THE” (THE!) is UM.
This is really difficult – I don’t think I’ll be able to work out the double factorial of THE TELEPROMPTER RULES. I’m sorry. :(
March 20th, 2009 at 2:32 pmtoasterhead, quite OK. I would never be able to understand it anyway. I’m lucky I remembered that there is a difference between arithmetic and geometric progressions. That’s about where my math background ends.
March 20th, 2009 at 2:44 pmPatrioticLiberalChristian Says:
Obama: Talk softly and carry a big stick.
Bush: Talk aggressively and carry a big Dick Cheney.
Now that’s fun-neee!
HAHAHAHA
March 20th, 2009 at 2:51 pmTHE TELEPROMPTER RULES! = T*H*E*T*E*L*E*P*R*O*M*P*T*E*R*R*U*L*E*S
Um, no.
THE TELEPROMPTER RULES! = 1 * 2 * … * (THE TELEPROMPTER RULES – 1) * (THE TELEPROMPTER RULES)
March 20th, 2009 at 2:59 pmProve that the eqaution:
THE TELEPROMPTER RULES! = T*H*E*T*E*L*E*P*R*O*M*P*T*E*R*R*U*L*E*S
is unsolvable if the ! is greater than 2.
March 20th, 2009 at 3:07 pmDr.HusseinMatt, the NYT noted the timing of the two tapes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/world/middleeast/21iran.html?hp
Good cop/bad cop? Obama would be the good cop, Peres the Israeli hammer.
March 20th, 2009 at 3:26 pmWow, skimming through this thread and reading the trolls is something else. One thought for the idiots that think a telepromter is a new space age invention.
Way back when Bush was debating (was it) Gore or John Kerry, he had that mysterious hump in the middle of his shoulder blades and it was was a concern for many who thought it may have been a receiver to provide him answers. Honestly, that’s the much better way to go, because we all know he couldn’t read, or speak, or make a coherent sentence, or a good decision or…. Boy, that could go on forever.
March 20th, 2009 at 3:35 pmGary Kleppe Says:
Um, no.
THE TELEPROMPTER RULES! = 1 * 2 * … * (THE TELEPROMPTER RULES – 1) * (THE TELEPROMPTER RULES)
March 20th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
_________
Ah, crap. You’re right. I was way off, sorry.
Ok so in Base Z (with A=zero), A! = A*A = B
B! = B*B = B
C! = B*C = C
D! = B*C*D = G
E! = B*C*D*E = Y
F! = B*C*D*E*F = EQ
and so on.
My brain really hurts now.
March 20th, 2009 at 3:39 pmBack to the topic,
All of the Iranians I know (quick, you better turn me in!) are good hard working people, and most of them actually call themselves Persians.
The general population of Iran is fairly progressive and they no more like the lunatics in charge of their country than we like the war criminals in charge of ours.
If there is a way to open channels and get a moderate government in Iran you would find that we have more similarities than differences.
The right wing should just quit fear mongering. There is nothing wrong with the Iranian people any more than there is with americans because of Bush and Cheney. Good move on the presidents part.
March 20th, 2009 at 3:39 pmExcellent points, Rich H.
We know that nothing draws a people around their leaders more quickly or surely than an external threat.
By indulging his own juvenile bellicosity for eight years, all Bush succeeded in doing was in strengthening the power of the Iranian regime. It was stupid foreign policy, driven by emotion (fear, primarily) and a desire to look “tough”.
March 20th, 2009 at 4:10 pmHi Ralph,
Nice to see we finally have a President who sees the big picture, planet wise. Honestly, I don’t know what’s up with all this republican fear mongering. You would think they’d get a clue after getting blown out in the last election. But I guess it’s hard to modify a reptilian brain.
March 20th, 2009 at 5:49 pmgreat job, keep going Obama.
March 20th, 2009 at 8:38 pmObama-America’s unsmiling good cop
Peres-Israel’s taunting bad cop
“Things in Iran are tough,” said the Israeli president at the start of the address that preceded the blessing. “There is great unemployment, corruption, a lot of drugs and a general discontent? You can’t feed your children enriched uranium, they need a real breakfast. It cannot be that the money is invested in enriched uranium and the children are told to remain a little hungry, a little ignorant.”
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072683.html
March 21st, 2009 at 12:09 am