Fleischer Claims ‘Substantial Reform Movement In Iran’ Is ‘Because Of George W. Bush’s Tough Policies’
Fleischer Claims ‘Substantial Reform Movement In Iran’ Is ‘Because Of George W. Bush’s Tough Policies’
The Washington Post’s Al Kamen reports this morning that former Bush flack Ari Fleischer emailed fellow Post reporter Glenn Kessler before any results had been issued in Iran’s hotly-contested presidential election to give credit to his former boss for the “reformists’ surge” there. “[O]ne of the reasons there is a substantial reform movement in Iran — particularly among its young people — is because of George W. Bush’s tough policies,” Fleischer wrote. He continued:
“A big push for reform is because of the desire of Iranians to get out from sanctions, to put an end to the country’s international ostracism,” Fleischer wrote and, most interestingly, “because Shiites in particular see Shiites in Iraq having more freedoms than they do. Bush’s tough policies have helped give rise to the reformists and I think we’re witnessing that today.” [...]
So “I think it’s fair to say the George Bush’s Freedom Agenda planted seeds that have started to grow in the Middle East,” Fleischer concluded.
Aside from the fact that Fleischer’s claim cannot really ever be verified (a tactic former Bush administration officials use when defending their failed policies), it’s clear that Iran’s power in the region has grown significantly in the region since 2001 — a point one wonders if Fleischer will also give Bush credit for.
The Shiites’ “freedom” in Iraq has actually emboldened Iran’s standing and created a key new ally in the region. Iran has emerged as the chief beneficiary of Bush’s fool’s errand in Iraq. As journalist Robert Dreyfuss noted, “Washington’s decision to topple Saddam’s government has put in place a ruling elite that is far closer to Iran than it is to the United States.” But also, Iran’s nuclear program has progressed greatly during the Bush years. Despite his “tough” policies, Iran has inched closer to a nuclear weapon, raising the possibility of greater instability in the region and even perhaps a new war.
It is also worth noting that hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became Iran’s president in 2005 (during Bush’s presidency), supplanting a former moderate who held the office. In fact, reformers there said at the time that they wanted the Bush administration to tone down the harsh rhetoric:
“You are harmful for us. We try to tell politicians in Washington, D.C., please don’t do anything in favor of reform or to promote democracy in Iran. Because in 100% of the cases, it benefits the right wing,” said Saeed Leylaz, a business consultant and advocate of economic reform and greater dialogue with the West.
Steve Benen notes of Flesicher, “[W]hat’s a ‘veteran spinmeister’ to do? Tell reporters on Friday that before anyone looks favorably on the current American leadership, it’s more important to extol the previous American leadership — you know, the one who was widely reviled throughout the Middle East.”
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We really can’t argue with Fleischer’s conclusions here, because we’re not exactly residents or experts of the Faux news right-wing alternate reality.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:03 amA big push for reform is because of the desire of Iranians to get out from sanctions,
Would these be sanctions that have been in place since Bush’s father was Vice President? It would be hard to credit him for that.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:04 amMore irrefutable theories from Fleischer:
Up is down.
Black is white.
Right is left.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:05 amSo, let me get this straight:
Everything good in the world: Bush’s policies
Everything bad in the world: Clinton and Obama’s policies
June 15th, 2009 at 10:08 amWillfully blind.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:09 amFleischer is slime.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:10 amNo, the fact that the election was stolen is a testament to George Bush.
Not because of his own legacy of election stealing, but seriously, because the Ruling Mulah’s were not prepared for a pro-Western reformer to be President because they aren’t ready to trust the West so soon after Dubya’s departure.
THAT is Bush’s legacy.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:10 amOpen mouth, insert d!ck…
June 15th, 2009 at 10:17 amThis shows the so-called ‘conservative’ gimmick: take credit for anything and everything someone else does that appears successful. Next they’ll say Obama won because of policies George W. Bush put in place. Oh, wait a minute… that would be right.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:18 amAnd the award for making up shit out of absolutely nothing….
The envelope please….
Ari F. Lie Scher
June 15th, 2009 at 10:18 amInstead of having a thread showing the abuses of the Iranian regime on the people. Or a post supporting the Iranian people, Think progress uses this to attack the Right. Real classy Progressives.
Why no post on Iran shutting down access blogs and website?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:26 amFleischer, you are a lying sack of dog droppings. Everyone knows that the seeds of these events were planted when I, as a child (long ago) swatted a butterfly before it could flap it’s wings. Following “chaos theory”, the events unfolding since then have brought the positive things we see in the middle east. The negative things we see in the middle east these days were brought about by Fleischer’s childhood molestation of his sister.
So, Fleischer, exactly when did you stop molesting your sister?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:27 amThrow a shoe at this man!
June 15th, 2009 at 10:27 amIf the shoe fits….
June 15th, 2009 at 10:28 amIsn’t it just slightly possible that the reform movement in Iran has more to do with what Iranians want for their own country, and little if anything to do with the United States? I’d wager that Iranians are actually more concerned about unemployment, inflation, price controls, subsidies, overreliance on the oil market, and private sector stagnation than they are about what Bush did or Obama said.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:30 am“A big push for reform is because of the desire of Iranians to get out from sanctions, to put an end to the country’s international ostracism,” Fleischer wrote and, most interestingly, “because Shiites in particular see Shiites in Iraq having more freedoms than they do. Bush’s tough policies have helped give rise to the reformists and I think we’re witnessing that today.”
Well, that’s what happened here in the US , didn’t it?
Didn’t we all get sick of being ostracized by the rest of the world for illegally invading Iraq and torturing people?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:31 amDidn’t Bush’s tough policies give rise to the desire for reform in this country? LOL!
Bush administration officials will continue to claim credit where none is due, and deny responsibility where the responsibility belonged to them. This mixture of deceit, denial, and hypocrisy is peculiarly Republican, it seems.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:31 amSam – why don’t you get the hell off TP if you don’t like the posts. Ari is a liar and he doesn’t know what the heck he’s talking about – like most of you rightwingnuts! You open your mouths and nothing but wingnuttery nonsense flies out! STFU!
June 15th, 2009 at 10:32 amSam Says:
Why no post on Iran shutting down access blogs and website?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:26 am
____________
Why must there be a post about that? Isn’t it already blatantly obvious that censorship by the GOI is bad? Do you really need to see a post about it for validation?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:32 amSam Says:
Say, sam, do you think that Bush’s policies contributed to those negative things?
however, you missed the entire point of the post, which is the comment by Fleischer. This post is not about Iran, it is about a rightwing pundit and apologizer’s comment — and in fact his illogical claim of assosciation of events, a claim which attempts to glorify the rightwing policies of the prior administration through unrelated activities occurring in Iran.
Do you actually understand that, or are you really homeschooled?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:33 amIf Ari ever took responsibility for the mess he made, it would be easer not to snort with derision when he demands credit for other people’s bravery. George Bush did NOTHING for Iranians except make it easier for the regime to collate Iranian democracy seekers with unjustified American invasions.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:34 amSam has no doubt conveniently forgotten that Fleischer was privy to the outing of a covert CIA officer, which led to the immediate collapse of the CIA’s main intelligence effort in Iran concerning their nuclear program.
Real classy, Sam.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:34 amchiroptera toasterhead Says: “I’d wager that Iranians are actually more concerned about unemployment, inflation, price controls, subsidies, overreliance on the oil market, and private sector stagnation than they are about what Bush did or Obama said.”
No, no, NO! What the Iranian’s are obviously worried about are insufficient tax cuts for the wealthy, and illegal immigration!
June 15th, 2009 at 10:35 amRemember, kids, if the Neocons manage to wipe Tehran from the face of the Earth, there will be no interruption in Iranian internet service. We promise!
June 15th, 2009 at 10:35 amFleischer Claims ‘Substantial Reform Movement In Iran’ Is ‘Because Of George W. Bush’s Tough Policies’
But the current capitalist economic crisis and “road to socialism” are Clinton’s and President Obama’s fault.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:36 amCTH, you talk too much sense for a Monday morning. You’ll give the trolls brain freeze.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:36 amWell, at least they learned one thing from the Bush administration: how to rig elections.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:37 am5th Estate Says:
No, no, NO! What the Iranian’s are obviously worried about are insufficient tax cuts for the wealthy, and illegal immigration!
“In America.” You left that part off.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:37 amSo “I think it’s fair to say the George Bush’s Freedom Agenda planted seeds that have started to grow in the Middle East,” Fleischer concluded.
Please note that Ari made this statement BEFORE the results of the election were known. Quite sure we’ll see some revisionist statement from him very soon. As for that “Freedom Agenda.” Which one was that? The one that included invading and dropping bombs, and then occupying a country that never attacked us nor had the so-called WMD, etc? Or the one that included locking people up who were NOT on the battlefield, seemingly forever, that we simply swept up, including by paying money to warlords? Or did it include the torture and abuse of prisoners, violating every treaty we ever signed? Or did it include the wide-spread warrantless wiretaps and spying on the American public?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:37 amPost hoc, ergo proptor hoc is a logical reasoning fallacy, Ari.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:37 amWhat are the chances that our new friend Sam is also a plumber from Toledo?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:38 amCageyCretin Says:
Do you actually understand that, or are you really homeschooled?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:33 am
____________
Of course he doesn’t. He’ll never get it.
Simplistic, conservative minds like Sam’s cannot process more complex political arguments like the one this thread is trying to make. They can’t understand that one can be against terrorism and violence and censorship and oppression without reminding people of this fact every twenty minutes. They believe that if you don’t blatantly and obviously state the blatantly obvious – that oppression is bad, terror is bad, etc. – you obviously support these things.
It’s a frustrating bit of conservatroll illogic. And one I plan to use against our new troll at every opportunity. Starting now.
Hey Sam – I notice that you didn’t condemn the killing of laborador puppies by running them over with a steamroller. Why not? Is it because you’re pro-running-puppies-over-with-a-steamroller?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:39 amIIRC, the last election, which elected Ahmadinejad, occurred while Dubya was stinking up the Oval Office. The Dubya maladministration endorsed the reformist candidates against Ahmadinejad, and the Iranians basically said, “If Dubya doens’t like him, he must be worth something” and elected Ahmadinejad to succeed Khatami.
Cheers,
June 15th, 2009 at 10:39 amPhoto Caption: Being hated gives me a big, goofy grin.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:39 amI miss Scott McClellan—I really do!
June 15th, 2009 at 10:40 amThere was a man who lied through his teeth but still spoke the unspoken truth by sweating a lot and wearing his collar too tight.
Looks like Sam put his tail between his legs and hightailed it out of here.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:40 amchiroptera,
June 15th, 2009 at 10:42 amI’m sure another factor is they are sick of the regime’s oppression. Women want freedom to dress how they want and the Youth want Free expression.My point is that Think Progress should come out in support of the Iranian people. You are the only one who seems sensible around here and it was good speaking with you.
Keep telling youself that load of crap to assuage your own guuilt mr. fleischer.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:42 amWhy is it that right-wingers can only connect dots that don’t exist?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:44 amWhen obama’s policies fail, it’s because of the last 8 yrs. When Bush’s policies are proven to be working, obama and his cult members want to take credit. Is that about right?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:44 amchiroptera toasterhead,
There was no need for those rude comments. I was going at this blog, not you. if you look at my comments I complemented you.
I know take back my words, you are a typical progressive, miserable, angry and always attacking those who disagree with you.
I’m out of this cesspool. Now you all will bash me while remaining silent on the abuses of the Iranian regime. This just shows your true colors.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:46 amThese Bush people are sooooo delusional,they hated the Bush administration.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:48 amSam Says:
My point is that Think Progress should come out in support of the Iranian people.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:42 am
_____________
How? By endorsing an Iranian reform candidate for office? By repeating “oppression is bad” ad nauseum? How does this help, exactly?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:48 amCageyCretin Says:
5th Estate Says: No, no, NO! What the Iranian’s are obviously worried about are insufficient tax cuts for the wealthy, and illegal immigration!
“In America.” You left that part off.
Well obviously in America, that goes with out saying!
So just to re-iterate, it is the right of every man-
–or woman-
-or woman, thank you Reg, or woman to have his-
-or her’s-
etc…
June 15th, 2009 at 10:48 amHow can you be a centrist when you are one of the 20% extremist, right-wing, authoritarian, groveling, deadender, Bush sycophants?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:49 amSam Says:
I’m out of this cesspool.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:46 am
___________
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
June 15th, 2009 at 10:49 amCome on! Is there anything Lord Bush didn’t do wrong to these people? It was always somebody else’s fault when something went wrong with the Bush Adm. And yet, even now, when Bush is gone, he has somehow, miraculously did something right? These people are delusional.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:49 amGuess what? They’ll be cracking heads and detaining “reformers” in Iran for years after this election. The voters for change in policy on the economy and other issues have caused this because they’ve basically shown the deep rifts in a nation run by religious fanatics. Workplace purges, gender discrimination and other repressions will grow because Bush pushed Iran into a corner with sanctions early in his admin. He blustered, with Fleischer’s help, and now the kooks and nationalists control the electoral and media apparatus of the country. The closer the reformers get the more the rulers Bush and the Neo-Cons put into place will resist. They are more polarized now than ever, just like the domestic politics of our own country. Orwellian, yes but read “the street” comments and Iran is like Wichita, Kansas: a place where religious zealots kill anyone who defies their appointed leaders and threaten the vision of the status quo.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:50 amSam Says: My point is that Think Progress should come out in support of the Iranian people.
Lead the way Sam.
Oh and the Teabaggers should come out in support of the Iranian people as well don’t you think?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:51 amHow sweet it would be if one day this headline read:
and
Instead of complaining about the threads at Think Progress, get your own website and put up whatever you want to talk about…
June 15th, 2009 at 10:53 amHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!
Ah, Ari, Ari, Ari – yer a funny little guy, aren’t you??
June 15th, 2009 at 10:53 amSo you disparage a post where ari makes baseless claims and want to change the subject….I think I understand.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:53 amto (non)-centrist,
June 15th, 2009 at 10:53 amYour post is really funny considering how you neo-CONs have blamed everything that went wrong during the Dumbya administration on Clinton. Of course, it was Clinton’s fault that Condie, Dickhead, and Dumbya paid no attention to the report “Bin Laden and Al Qaeda determined to strike in the the USA.” BTW, I have yet to see that any of Bush’s policies have been proven to be working, nor am I a member of any cult. If you have read any of my previous postings here, you should have noticed that I am usually polite. But I will make an exception this time, by telling you to go Cheney-off.
Well, one of the reasons there is a substantial reform movement in the U.S.A. — particularly among its young people — is because of George W. Bush’s policies. You can say that.
Do these people even know what causality is? Bush’s only policy involving Iran was to threaten it a lot. Creating the appearance of an external threat always emboldens right wing hardliners. If anything, the “seeds” Bush planted led to the crackdown. They certainly were what brought Ahmadinejad to power in the first place.
.
chiroptera toasterhead Says:
Simplistic, conservative minds like Sam’s cannot process more complex political arguments like the one this thread is trying to make.
His response is simplistic “I don’t like what they’re saying so I’ll complain they should talk about someone else.” Never mind that opposing rigged elections and total oppression are so obviously bad that they hardly make good grist for opinion discussion. “Everybody agree oppression is bad? Yep, yep, Ahmedinejad’s a jerk… so… now what do we do?”
Now if we were Iranian, we might have some more nuanced opinions for discussion. We might know who more of the 2nd and 3rd tier actors are, and could mock their lame justifications of oppression and idiocy. But as it is, we’re stuck the the fascist apologists we got. Fleischer, f’r instance.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:55 amFred Says:
So you disparage a post where ari makes baseless claims and want to change the subject….I think I understand.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:53 am
_____________
And I’m still waiting for Sam to denounce the brutal massacre of puppies via steamroller. If he’s not blatantly against it, he’s obviously for it.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:55 amchiroptera toasterhead Says:
They can’t understand that one can be against terrorism and violence and censorship and oppression without reminding people of this fact every twenty minutes.
Interesting observation. Though I suspect that the ones that have two neurons to rub together are actually aware of their dishonesty, but do it anyway because it is easy to do, being formulaic, as well as being distracting.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:56 amIt’s a symptom of their fear based cognitive dissonance…hallmarks of the conservative mindset…
June 15th, 2009 at 10:58 amCageyCretin Says:
Interesting observation. Though I suspect that the ones that have two neurons to rub together are actually aware of their dishonesty, but do it anyway because it is easy to do, being formulaic, as well as being distracting.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:56 am
__________
True. It is quite distracting, and sidetracks meaningful discussion. They get me with it every time. Perhaps we should change our strategy and put those puppykillers on the defensive from now on.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:59 amWhat?! The only effect Bush has had on Iraq is that he showed Ahmadinejad how very possible it is to rig an election. Look at the results of the last two elections, Ari – clearly that dog no longer hunts.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:00 amcentrist Says:
When obama’s policies fail, it’s because of the last 8 yrs. When Bush’s policies are proven to be working, obama and his cult members want to take credit. Is that about right?
The Iraq war and the collapse of the economy was a Bush policy. None of Obama’s policies have failed yet. The reform movement in Iran has nothing to do with either of their policy proposals, but it clearly mirrors the movement in America that got Obama elected.
Right-wing fascist wanna-be’s (Ahmadinejad, Bush) support each other by keeping one anothers’ populations terrified of the other. Orwell spelled the whole process out quite clearly. If it weren’t for Bush, Ahmedinejad might never have come into power.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:00 amLet’s see, President Obama has held office for about 5 months. On 9/11 President Bush had been in office 8 months and yet he refuses to take responsibility for allowing the attacks and blames Bill Clinton.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:02 amThat brings up a question which has always bothered me. Right-wingers in the US feel that right-wing extremism is fine for our country, but it is bad in other countries. They want Iran to be moderate, while they push the US to the right as hard as they can.
I just don’t understand.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:04 amcentrist Says: I don’t only support homeschooled republic fascist party cults, I also belong to one.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:05 amThis is like a flashback to the Clinton years when the economy was flurishing and there was a surplus….the GOPers (after 6 years)called it the “bush recovery” effect. …..These pathetic GOP reps will stoop so low to rewrite history. In reality their ideals and policies always seem to fall on the wrong side of history.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:08 amAnd I condemn the massacre of puppies via steamroller but I want to talk about why Cheney is defending it…..
June 15th, 2009 at 11:08 amThese delusional fcuks are scary.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:08 amchiroptera toasterhead Says:
True. It is quite distracting, and sidetracks meaningful discussion. They get me with it every time. Perhaps we should change our strategy and put those puppykillers on the defensive from now on.
They get most people with it every time. part of the formula is that they bring up something that the other person is going to comment on (e.g. “Oh, so you approve of torture in that instance, because you didn’t say you don’t approve of it….”). My brain is not all together this dreary monday morning, and I can’t recall the logical fallacies involved, but the point is that what they do is bring up something that you are likely going to want to defend your thinking on. I like you idea, but I think it should involve both hyperbole (like the puppies and steamrollers… on which I have not issued a firm opinion about….. …..), and the more ‘reasonable’ type that gets to them. This could be a fun new weapon in the whack-a-troll arsenal, if used properly.
Must go for a bit. Hope to check in later.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:10 amAnd tomorrow right wing talking heads will be calling for Leon Panetta’s head for suggesting Cheney want puppies dead.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:11 amIf Bush was still in office he’d invade Iran and kill off a few hundred thousand innocent people to correct the election results.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:13 amSam Says:
I’m out of this cesspool. Now you all will bash me while remaining silent on the abuses of the Iranian regime. This just shows your true colors.
I will never understand why people show up on a site they’ve never visited before and start criticizing the site for what they’re not talking about. I’m sure that with a little effort, they can find other sites that do talk about the subjects they want to discuss. Why do they have to come here and complain about what we’re not talking about, and not address the issues we are talking about?
TP, I would like to suggest that you begin (especially including weekends) a Daily Open Thread (call it “ThinkDOT”) so that visitors can bring up their off-topic suggestions for discussion. Then we won’t have to waste your bandwidth correcting confused visitors about what this site is about.
We’ve been asking you to do this very simple thing for years now. Would you do it if this comment got a lot of recommends?
June 15th, 2009 at 11:14 amActually, Shayne, Cheney may be criticized by his fellow reichwingers for suggesting that gay puppies ought to be allowed to marry, just like his lesbian daughter Mary.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:15 amOf course! That’s why Iranians were calling Zahra Rahnavard (Mousavi’s wife) “Iran’s Laura Bush.”
Err…
June 15th, 2009 at 11:15 amAs much as the right-wingers in this country like to portray Islam in general as evil, if they lived in the Middle East they would be fundamentalist zealots for whatever the prevailing religion was. It is no accident that “the flock” is made up of sheep. Look at the similarities: religious figures dictating lifestyles, brutal repression of dissent, and the constant cry of “It’s God’s will.” Sounds like the GOP dream to me…
June 15th, 2009 at 11:15 amSpin…spin….spin…
They never seem to get dizzy. If George Bush was still President, Ahmadinejad would have won by a landslide, fairly. The people of Iran are proud people and they don’t take kindly to being threatened on a daily basis. It was the light they saw when we elected Obama President that encouraged this movement and got the young people out to vote in droves.
I find it interesting that the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has changed his tune and is now starting to recognize the fact that this was a stolen election. I guess he values his hide more than he values Ahmadinejad.
Oh how I wished that the people in this country had reacted similarly to the Republics stealing the 2000 election. If we had, our country might be in a much better place today.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:19 amThe city of ‘Denile’ must be getting very crowded, with all of the Bush cronies thinking it was ‘his’ policies that made a difference.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:24 amWish these clowns would just go away. They have had their 15 mins now it is time to move on.
Hey, Ari, wanna see the real effect Bush’s Freedom Agenda is having?
June 15th, 2009 at 11:25 am
centrist Says:
When obama’s policies fail, it’s because of the last 8 yrs. When Bush’s policies are proven to be working, obama and his cult members want to take credit. Is that about right?
And what policies would that be that have been proven to work? As far as I can see every policy the Bush Crime Family implemented has lead to this country being brought to it’s knees.
Also, which of President Obama’s policies have failed? I guess I missed that.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:29 amHoly crap, Bill Kristol says conservatives should support Obama regarding Iran. He actually said something correct. Holy crap.
.
Fred Says:
And I condemn the massacre of puppies via steamroller but I want to talk about why Cheney is defending it…..
His signature on the receipt at the steamroller rental place is still classified. But a large number of wingnuts have simultaneously hit the talk show circuit to explain how puppy-paved roads are good for your car’s gas mileage.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:30 amIt is a good thing that God (or the deity of your choice) doesn’t strike down liars because there would be no one left from the Bush administration.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:35 amGee, Iran probably wouldn’t be in the grips of the tyrant Ahmad today if the USA and its CIA hadn’t overthrown the Iranian democracy in 1953 and installed the dictator Shah. (After we installed the Shah, our lovely CIA taught the Shah’s secret police (Savak) how to torture. Thousands of Iranians were tortured and murdered under the Shah’s reign of terror. But nevermind, the Western imperial powers got their cheap oil…). The only serious resistance to the dictator Shah came from the religious right and the mullahs, and in 1979 the Shah fled and the Iranians had a new religious government installed. Since then, the young folks have been slowly demanding more freedom of expression and lesser religious rule.
To President Obama: hands off Iran. Get out of Afghanistan. Get out of Iraq. Stop droning and missiling and murdering Pakistanis.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:47 amAri, we all get it…you can’t get enough of Georgie’s sphincter around your nose.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:51 amAnother neocon, Marty Perez, is pulling for Ahmadinejad:
I’ve never heard anybody refer to Ahmedinejad as “Dr.” before. Did he go to Liberty University or something?
And a high margin of victory (reversing pre-election polling) is an indicator of fraud, not the opposite. But that’s a wingnut for ya.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:52 amOval12345678 aka James K. Sayre Says:
After we installed the Shah, our lovely CIA taught the Shah’s secret police (Savak) how to torture. Thousands of Iranians were tortured and murdered under the Shah’s reign of terror.
Liz/Dick Cheney would argue it “kept them safe.”
June 15th, 2009 at 11:54 amI’m late to this thread, but I think Sam’s point must be that nothing is real until ThinkProgress puts a thread up about it.
Wayne, I completely agree with your weekend ThinkDOT thread(s). I propose one each weekend dedicated to blender drinks…
PEACE
June 15th, 2009 at 11:56 amAri, did you forget to take your meds? Delusions can be controlled with heavy sedation.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:58 amFleischer can say anything he wants, but I will still point and laugh at him for being such a tool.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:26 pmBush was also responsible for a push for major change in America.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:42 pmen son videolar
June 15th, 2009 at 12:54 pmen son videolar
Bullshit. They’re rioting because they’re sick to death of the antics of their version of George W. Bush. Fleischer is an idiot.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:29 pmSo Fleischer emailed this talking point out this morning, huh? That must explain why I’m hearing this exact theory all over right-wing radio today then.
They got their orders from Fleischer and are falling into lock-step to defend Bush (despite the obvious flaws in Fleischer’s agrument).
June 15th, 2009 at 2:46 pmAnd my crap smells like lollipops and Twix after two bowls of bran flakes.
Nice try Ari, but just let history be your executioner.
June 15th, 2009 at 3:12 pmI would love to ’smoke’ what bhushies/neocon do!
June 15th, 2009 at 3:13 pmSomeone should tell Mr. Fleischer that if he wants to hang out in Fantasyland, he will need to book a flight to Anaheim.
June 15th, 2009 at 8:00 pmHow funny.
I agree that it is very presumative (of Mr. Fleischer) to think that Iranians where in any way affected by President Bush’s policies. The vast majority of Iranians never read or see any news that is not controlled by their government. They DO know how much they are suffering under that same government. Yet, despite my disagreement, I don’t see the point in personally attacking Mr. Fleischer.
How can you be so concerned with the so-called “rigged” elections of 2000 and 2004 (the Supreme Court begs to differ), yet have no concerns over the ACORN cover up regarding the last election? Did you not see footage of armed thugs threatening voters?
You refer to Fox News as “Faux News”. I’d ask why if I thought an erudite answer was forthcoming. Or even better; from someone who actually watches the network as opposed to regurgitating negative opinions found on web sites such as this one.
I suppose I will log back on in a few days and laugh at the typical verbal abuse directed at me because I disagree with the immature, factually incorrect, personal attacks listed above. You of course have the right to vent. But that won’t eradicate the fact that your disparaging comments will only serve to lessen your credibility.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:30 pmbisch,
You are so woefully mis-informed that I won’t even bother to address your allegations. You wouldn’t be convinced anyway, right?
Just didn’t want you to feel ignored!
June 16th, 2009 at 12:11 amIn reality, I give George Bush credit for Iran and North Korea’s nuke weaponizing ambitions.
Bush Invades Afganistan, pre emptive war and occupation of Iraq. Iran pursues Nukes because they see that Bush would not enter Pakistan ans needed a “permission slip”. Because Pakistan unlike afganistan and Iraq who did not have nukes. Pakistan does.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:51 ambisch
What is funny is what a brainwashed idiot you are. Rush said it, you regurgitate it, thats the stupidity of it. You do know you are stupid and pathetic dont you?
June 16th, 2009 at 7:12 amIt is idiotic to witness all these former Bush Stooges running around the country as a cheer team for poor, poor George who wrecked the economy drove the US into the worst economic hole in US history, with no knowledge of things military, listened to two other mutts, Wolfowitz and Cheney the authors of this ridiculous plan in 1992, and know, Ari Fleischer. This mouthpiece for Geroge, sang Georges praises, whilst lying like a sidewalk throughout his career. I guess he noticed his toothpaste was working anymore and was tire of gargling with napalm for the countless lies he expectorated and deserted George. Only to be followed by three others one of which died lying for George. Damn Fleischer anyway.
tedbohne
June 16th, 2009 at 1:00 pmN321MM@msn.com
All Bush did was threaten the Iranians. With nukes at one point. At NO POINT IN TIME DID THEY EVER HAVE CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE THAT IRAN HAD NUCLEAR (NOO KLEER for the idiots)CAPABILITY. AT NO TIME. But what the hell, they had nothing on Hussein either. Ari Fleischer is an asskissing liar, nothing more. I don’t know why Bush even had a press secretary. The bastards never had anything of truth to utter anyway.
tedbohne
June 16th, 2009 at 1:05 pmN321MM@msn.com
BWWWAAAAA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!
The comedians said that there wouldn’t be any comedy material when Obama got elected. Ari Fleischer, Bill-O the Clown, and Rush Limpballs have become funnier than the people like Jon Stewart that mock them.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:21 pmAri right on – this is on the same level as saying …”may your people thank Adolf Hitler for his tough stand on the Semites, so that they won finally their own country against the Palestines…”
June 16th, 2009 at 9:47 pmoutsch what deranged thoughts!