Exclusive to PJM: Fred Thompson on “300″
by Fred Thompson
The comic book movie "300" about the Spartans and the Persians in 480 BC is still breaking box-office records. Now it seems the rulers of modern-day Persia, Iran, are not amused.
“300,” shows a small band of Spartans saving the lives of their countrymen AND the seeds of modern Democracy by kicking the much larger Persians forces effectively in the backside at Thermopylae until the sheer numbers overwhelmed them. If I remember my history, that’s exactly what happened.
But the Iranians have filed a flurry of complaints with the United Nations, claiming “300″ is “cultural and psychological warfare.”
Who are these guys who are getting all flushed over our cultural insensitivity?
People who want to blow Jews off the face of the earth. The regime that stormed our embassy in 1979 and kept Americans captive for 444 days. Iran’s Hezbollah puppets have killed more Americans, than any other terrorist group except Al Qaeda. Explosive devices from Iran are being used right now against our soldiers in Iraq. They’re clearly more skittish about cultural warfare than the sort that actually kills people – like the one against Israel that Iran financed just a few months ago.
I must say that I’m impressed that Hollywood took on a politically incorrect villain. Must have run out of neo-Nazis. So now these sensitive souls in Iran think that Hollywood is part of a U.S. government conspiracy to humiliate them into submission. I can only wish we were that effective.
Fred Thompson is a former US Senator from Tennessee, an actor, and — many say — a potential candidate for President of the United States.
Please add Fred Thompson to the Pajama’s Presidential poll. Now that I’ve accepted that Newt cannot win it, I will not vote in the poll again until I see Thompson’s name in there.
If I recall correctly the criteria for adding to the poll is that the candidate must score above 1% on the monthly Gallup pole.
If that wasn’t the case, I’d insist to have myself added.
I can not beleive the former Sen/Actor does not score as high as Rudy or McCain. Who is in the Ballup poll? Liberals and left wingers only? If he does not score close to Rudy the poll should be questioned. Fred is needed.
I thought the embassy attack was in 1979?
He remembers his history incorrectly. BC, not AD.
Yep, the Iranian embassy attack was in 1979. 444 days later Ronald Regan assumed the Presidency.
Fred can’t be on the Gallup poll until he says he is “in.”
Then, Rudi better look out.
Oh, yeah, the LA Time’s “Magic Negro” may suffer a little damage as well.
How hypocritical of you to take advantage of Fred Thompson’s recent media blitz by blaring his photo on your web page, but you won’t include him in your poll as you will Newt.
Interest. Gallop or not, Fred’s training is rolling. Jump on board.
I like the overall message, but someone should proof Fred’s posts before they go out.
Go get ‘em, Fred.
Actually, the poll did include Fred for a couple of weeks about a month ago when the rumors started. If I recall he did quite well, was in the top three. I remember – I voted for him.
GO FRED!
In theory that’s jahiliya (from the pre-Islamic time of ignorance) and he therefore shouldn’t care. Ahmadinejad is trying to stoke Persian nationalism.
Global anti-300 seething, how long could it last?
We could never be so lucky as to have this man as the next president…
…far more likely we will get another dose of HilBilly.
But it is nice to dream.
I’d love to see Sen. Thompson run. None of the others really float my boat. He’s got a 90% rating with the ACU during his two Senate terms.
The fanatical leader of a small group provokes the world’s greatest superpower by needlessly killing several of it’s citizens.
The reprisal costs the lives of hundreds of his followers and leads to the invasion of his country.
It’s not an unfamiliar story, but I must say, I’m surprised at the side Thompson is rooting for.
Yes, PLEASE list Fred in the poll. I’ve been shuffling back and forth between two of the three leaders, voting for the one that offended me the least that week. I would much rather vote FOR Fred.
I’m with Fred, too. Go, Fred!
I remembered today that he was filling in for Paul Harvey this week (comes right before Rush, good timing) and listened. He read this during the broadcast. Yeah, he did slip and say “1971.” I remember 1979 all too well, thank you Jimmah Carter.
I think I read in John Fund’s piece on Fred that he writes his own bits for that day’s broadcast before going to the “Law & Order” set. Probably doesn’t have an assistant or editor. He’s doing a good job filling in.
I’d probably vote for Fred Thompson. I’ve missed seeing him in Washington. He was one of the few genuinely honest politicians around. He’d be a credit to any Presidential ticket, even if he settled for a Vice Presidential spot.
It’s all heating up into what will be the most interesting election in too many years.
Please include Ron Paul in your poll. He’s gotta be at least as popular as some minor GOP candidates like Mike Huckabee (I know Mike Huckabee. He’s no Ron Paul).
Why isn’t Ron Paul still in the poll? Course I happen to believe that Senator Thompson would do better than Ron Paul I still think we do ourselves an injustice by not including him. After all when Ron Paul was in the poll he scored very high.
My hope is that Fred Thompson becomes Mr. President.
@ff11: It was a different matter than you make it out to be.
Xerxes grew up with every intention of doing what his father failed to do: Subjugate Greece. From the day he was born, so the histories say (even the Persian ones we’ve had access to).
Xerxes first tried to do this by inviting the leaders of the most powerful city-states, Athens, Sparta and a couple others, to his capital to woo them with his power and splendour. Nearly all turned him down flat. Those who accepted did not return to their homes.
Then he invaded. The refusal of his invitation is the insult referred to in the (historically mostly inaccurrate) movie “300″
Knowing a bit more of the history than what is portrayed in the (again, filled with glaring historical errors) movie helps keep a person from saying silly things about what was protrayed.
My hope is that whoever becomes president is capable of laughing hysterically at the Iranian government complaining to the UN about a movie based on a comic book. (As opposed to reflexively, worriedly convening a blue-ribbon panel to examine “cultural imperialism and insensitivity in Hollywood” and “express our concern” or some such.)
Fred Thompson would be a great candidate for president. I am amazed at his ability to be both brief, inaccurate and incoherent.
oh, Dear Mr Fred,
I thouth that was only President Bush who before the election did not know who is who-what Country is where and so fort! well come to his Club. Sir Who has told you that PEOPLE of Iran are involved in this and that…. dont you know that bunch of terrorist are leading my home land that have been secratly supported by the West! are not you aware of all the challenges that Iranian people have done for the past 30 years to get red of those faciests!but they got arrested,brutaly killed, put in prisons and many more but never the United nation nor other human rights organisations sent their voices to the world. As an Iranian woman, I have to say that you and many other media are blind and deafh to see and to hear the suffering and the true voices of the PEOPLE OF iRAN OR ELSE YOU IGNOR IT.If you suggest to your close friends in Washington to take thier hands off the arms , instead give somehelping hands to my sisters and brothers in Iran, the people of Iran will first surprise you then the rest of the world. dear Sir, why dont you hear our crying voices for this mission!?!:
Fred would be a good choice for President! Tell pompous-ass Newt to kick rocks and stand in the corner with fellow esoteric good ole boy Trent Lott (frickin punks).
Wow. How long have we been waiting for someone to TELL IT LIKE IT IS?
I can’t tell you how happy I am to see a politician stick up for the U.S. by telling others to stuff it — Finally!
If Fred Thompson keeps at it like this, I’ll volunteer for the first time to work on a Presedential campaign.
Hell yeah, Fred!
Mr. Thompson should recognize the deep differences that run between the Islamic regime of Iran and the Iranian people. If he wants to be the US president, he has to act like President Bush who distinguished the differences between the regime and people of Iran. So I think Mr. Thompson should get his facts straight before commenting on others.
Thnx
Rudy is still my main man, but I would enthusiastically support Mr. Thompson were he to get the nomination. Like Giuliani he is a former high-stakes prosecutor. He is well grounded in reality. He understands the dynamics of the current dire world situation. Misstating 1971 for 1979 re the Iran hostage debacle does not accurately reflect his understanding of the events that have shaped the current world situation, and my guess is that the misstatement was the type of slip any of us can, and do, make when talking about things with which we are thoroughly familiar. He is an actor, and like Reagan, would be able to communicate his positions to the electorate (Bush’s inability to do this has, I believe, done enormous damage to his effectiveness as president and war leader). I do, however, have some questions of him that I would like answered.
I rememeber well the Senate investigation into 1996 Democratic campaign finance abuses, some of which appeared at the time, and continue to appear, to have involved the sale of information to China that has advanced their military capabilities by decades to the detriment of our national security for campaign contributions to Clinton/Gore (remember Loral and the the Buddhist monk fundraiser?). Senator Thompson chaired that committee. Will he be tough enough to stand up to the Democrats as well as a hostile world? He was a campaign chairman for McCain in 2000, which gives me pause. And just how socially conservative is he? I don’t think anyone who embraces too tightly the religious right’s more extreme positions such as outright ban of abortion is electable.
For me, how the next president will perform in the interantional arena is the one make or break issue of the upcoming campaign. Mr. Thompson seems to have the understanding of the issues. I think he has the backbone. I can support him if he is the last Republican standing. I am not sure I can say that about some of the other candidates.
I’ve been rooting for
Giuliani so far….but Fred is an old friend of my family back in Tennessee….either a Giuliani-Thompson or Thompson-Giuliani ticket would win in a walk
Commenter rhino is right on. Fred’s my man!
Fred Dalton Thompson – 44th President
Fred D. Thompson would get my vote, as well.
http://jedimeditations.blogspot.com/2007/03/president-thompson.html
Thompson is showing himself an idiot with this drivel. “Blowing Jews off the face of the earth” is the ad nauseum repetition of a sure-fire demonizing mis-quote that flows as smoothly as castor oil down the throat, with the exact same result…a pantful of sh*t. Ahmadinejad, publically, in foreign speeches abroad and in the US…to Mike Wallace and Time magazine… has called for a Palestine-wide referendum in which Israelis and Palestinians would elect a single government to govern Palestine. Because this idea is so out of the norm, so beyond anything that Israel would agree to, it is dismissed out of hand, and the lie allowed to propagate.
A second lie, that defies logic, is that when Iran acquires a nuclear weapon, if they indeed seek to, they would use it against Israel. For what purpose, to commit suicide? Is Israel’s nuclear arsenal a deterent arsenal, or an offensive one? If one has nuclear weapons that can easily be used against a near neighbor, isn’t likely that neighbor would feel the need for parity as a deterent? Where is the logic in nuclear suicide?
Soo sdemetri,
You are denying Ama-Nut-Job’s public Proclamations that encourage the Destruction of Israel and the West??
Meds, Take Yo Meds!!
Unbelievable, The Demented Left, Denyian the UNdeniable!
SDemetri, Israel is a modern nation that has had nuclear since the seventies and not used them. Iran is a nation led by a looney-tunes who doesn’t believe in the Holocaust, but believes in the coming of the Mahdi and that women should all be ensconced in veils and divorced by men on a chant. Religious police in his country harass women as if we were living in the year 1200. He has has said numerous times that Israel should be extinct. It is you who are defying logic.Do not trea us like imbeciles or yourself like one.
Iran is a country with nearly 2/3 of its population under the age of 30, with a huge percentage of that number having favorable feelings toward the West, that would welcome more integration with the international community, that see the isolation and jingoistic attitudes of their president as a hinderance to Iran’s prosperity and peaceful existence with its neighbors. Change is inevitable in Iran. Not through muscle headed, chest thumping, neandrethal brutality by chickenhawks, but through attrition of a backward regime that ages by the day and is not supported by the masses they dominate. I hope that is not too nuanced a response, mike or Reynolds, as it is fact.
sdemetri – As usual in America, we are both blessed and cursed with freedom of speech. We are also cursed with freedom to not think. You, my dear, seem to be doubly cursed.
astonished, if you can only answer my comments by insult, I would hesitate saying I am unthinking. Stones and glass houses and all that, you know.
Honestly the only reason the Iranians are up in arms about this movie is that they haven’t seen it yet.
If anything the Spartans come off looking just as bad as the Persians. (Though slightly less like drag queens.) The Spartans in this film are portrayed as incredibly violent, and with little respect for human life. The Persians are portrayed as being a large empire controlling diverse and somehwat hedonistic cultures seeking to take over Greece. You end up rooting for The Spartans mostly because they are the underdog, and Americans just hate the idea of the big empire taking over the little city states.
But really neither group comes off looking rosy. In the movie Xerxes is an irrational drag queen, but (mini spoiler) the Spartans use dead Persians as mortal for a wall! How’s that for enlightened?
In the end the real cultural warfare is that the Persian people have been told what to think about a movie they have not yet actually seen.
sdemetri – You cannot deny that Iran’s leaders’ proclamations on the imminent demise of the state of Israel are strongly provocative, to say the least. And, the danger is not so much Iran launching trackable missiles against Israel (though, who knows what these kooks might do to accelerate the appearance of the 12th Imam) as it is that they will farm them out to their toadies in Lebanon or elsewhere who are capable of even less thoughtful behavior. An undetected border tunnel and a Ryder truck could then obliterate Tel Aviv without leaving any fingerprints as to the ultimate culprit. That is why I think Israel should announce that if they are attacked with nukes from any source, whether Iran can be shown to have anything to do with it or not, Tehran would be vaporized.
“Not through muscle headed, chest thumping, neandrethal brutality by chickenhawks…”
Yeah, yeah, we heard it all when people were criticizing Ronald Reagan for challenging the Soviets, and all the beautiful people said the USSR was here to stay and we had to live with it. No, Sir. Outside pressure is essential to bringing these unstable outlaw regimes to the tipping point.
Oh and, on Fred… I adore President Bush but, any honest person would have to admit he is the worst public speaking President we have had in a long time. It would be nice to have a smooth, articulate guy in the office able to appeal above the heads of the liberal media directly to the American People like the Gipper did.
sdemetri, “chickenhawks” IS an insult, my friend. You are projecting. And you are not helping your cause.
Bart, you make good points that don’t necessarily conflict with mine. Iran has said it wants to eliminate the “zionist regime” not the physical state of Israel. We disagree there, but a covert attack as you describe would without a doubt be pinned on Tehran whether it came from them or not. So Iran having a deterent is still the logical response for them. Outside pressure is not a bad thing, if it is responsible, as a deterent to bad behavior. Irresponsible military action from chickenhawk politicos with an agenda does no-one any good. Not Israel, the Middle East, the US, or, god-forbid I should say it, Iran’s young west-leaning population.
sdemetri – A deterrent is needed if someone credibly is interested in taking offensive action against you. Iran would not be in danger of retaliation if it were not the likely source of any nuclear attack so, saying they need to be able to deter attacks that might be launched because they have a deterrent is a rather severe example of the logical fallacy of circulus in probando.
Who stands, as of today, under a greater threat of a nuclear attack…Israel or Iran?
Again, I ask, is Israel’s nuclear arsenal a deterent arsenal, or an offensive one?
I am not advocating for an arms race in the Middle East. I would rather see non-proliferation and disarmament.
How refreshingly un-PC. He just doesn’t talk like a politician. I would be thrilled if he ran for president.
Would like to have Fred run. Would vote for him. The bride and I lived in Iran, 1977 until Shah left in Feb.1979. The country then as now, as is our country, being run by 18% of the population. The 18% voted for crooked politians, both countries, and the remaining 82% let them run the country, ours also.
Sdemetri,
The reason you want “disarmament” is that you want to remove Israel’s ability to deter attacks from the neighbors who want to destroy her.
The reason you suggest that Iran’s politicians only desire the destruction of the “the Zionist entity” is because you agree with their wish to dilute the Jews ability to defend himself on his own land. I don’t see anyone suggesting that Jordan, which is a Palestinian State, should simply absorb their Palestinian brothers and let the Jews live in peace. Instead they want to de-Jew the Jewish State.
You have Arabs and Persian, in the Middle East, concentrating their efforts on destroying Jewish independence. This is why Israel may, or may not have, developed nuclear capability. Israel has never expressed the will to destroy another people’s right to self-government. Israel has not denied the proven tragedies that dot the history of another people. Israel has not denied that Arabs come from Arabia or that Persians come from Persia. You do not see a world of people denying the Persians a right to Iran simply because they ethnically cleansed Babylon of the Babylonians (as people still harbor a grudge against Jews for the Canaanites) nor do you see Israel destroy the millennia old places of worship that foreigners built within its borders. Today, you do not find the great synagogues that were build in Sura, Pumbadesa or any of the other great centers of Jewish study and learning that resided in Persia since before the Persians came (BTW, Persians used to come to Rabbis for arbitration in civil cases. The Persian authorities recognized the incorruptibility of the rabbis and the sorry state of their own justice system. That’s a pretty good sign of Persian tolerance of foreigners in those days. Things have obviously changed). In Arab land the Jewish centers that had stood for centuries were quickly torn down. Where a great Church once stood there is now Muslim super cession or destruction (this includes the PA). Yet, in spite of the Muslim aggression against her, Israel has protected the Muslim, and Christian, holy sites. Israel has provided Muslims civil liberties equal to a Jew’s. Israel has carried out repeated, perhaps suicidal, attempts to make peace with those who make repeated calls for her destruction. Yet you seem to think it sensible that Iran, which still claims what you do not (that she is producing nuclear capability for peaceful purposes), is the party that requires nukes for its protection.
The only reason Israel is less under nuclear threat then Iran is because Iran has yet to develop the ability. Once Iran’s mullahs and their followers have nukes the shift to Israel’s detriment is pronounced. This, more then the hope for a Persian Youth Movement, is your desire. If these youths manage to mature and wisen up to the point that they remove the doomsday loving mullahs from authority in Iran, then we might discuss the wisdom of allowing Persians to have nukes. If these youths then show themselves to be reasonably liberalized we will not have issues with Iran developing its energy capabilities, its economy or its contacts in the world. Until then, the Iranian people, for allowing this mullahcracy to continue, deserve the challenges to their economic development and to her ability to wage nuclear war. If the mullahs get nukes then Israel immediately becomes hundreds of more times more likely to be nuked then Iran has ever been.
Have your little Persian Revolution and remove the mullahs. Then we can talk nukes. Persia has a history of tolerance that stretches from the Cyrus up to its last few decades before the Muslims took over. Then again, for a number of decades, the Muslim Persians were relatively tolerant of diversity (We are comparing them to the Babylonians, the Greeks, the Romans and the Byzantines. None of these are the best example of tolerance). If Persia can regain its tolerant spirit there is no reason for any of us to want to see it disadvantaged. Until then, we are enemies.
Ami,
The disarmament I suggest relates to nuclear weapons. I am not so unrealistic to think the neighborhood is not a dangerous one for Israel and they should be left naked against those that find its policies and behavior intolerable. The UN Charter allows for self-defense.
“Israel has never expressed the will to destroy another people’s right to self-government.” I am not sure the Palestinians in Gaza or the West Bank would agree with this statement.
“…to de-Jew the Jewish state…” I don’t see that. The one state proposal lets Jews be Jews and Palestinians be Palestinians. I see Arab and Persian efforts aimed at Zionist independence, not Jewish. Peaceful co-existence, as in your examples, should be the goal.
I also see historical disputes…ethnic cleansing of Babylonians or Caananites, or American Indians for that matter, as answered largely by education. If everyone passionately held to centuries old hostilities we would be a much, much darker world for it. That holds for the destruction of sites. There are no excuses and no good answers.
I also believe the much trumpeted “Holocaust denial” sin Iran is accused of is mis-represented. Moderates have said Ahmadinejad’s comments are not reflective of the thoughts of the population at large. The historical record is undeniable, according to them. If Israel relies on the historical record to cover a multitude of other sins, it is a misuse of the record, and dishonors its dead.
My reference to the age of the Iranian population is not an endorsement of a “Youth Movement.” The CIA World Fact Book puts the average age of Iranians at about 25. As I stated above, it is inevitable that change will happen in Iran simply because they do not hold the Iranian revolution in the same manner as the mullahs. Economic, and social forces are much more likely to drive Iranian society toward moderation, in the absense of a wrongheaded invasion by either Israel or the US.
Recent history suggests, from pre-emptive attacks on neighboring states, that the advantage at this point in time is with Israel. How many billions in US military aid goes to Israel yearly? I still don’t see how you support the claim Israel would be “hundreds of times” more likely to be attacked. What is your evidence? On what do you base that claim? Recent history, or even not so recent history? For Iran to attack Israel would result in a very severe retaliatory attack. Why would Iran do that? Defies logic.
On most of the conservative blogs that I visit where Fred Thompson is listed as a choice in polls he appears to be the overwhelming choice. Just wondering why Newt is listed in the Pajama poll and Fred is not. Newt would have less chance of winning a nonination but his choice being offered in the Pajama poll only seems to say the voters are looking for someone with more conservative values than all others listed. I think by offering Fred as a choice he would out-pace all the others.
Anthony in LA, I also wish someone would have proofread his posts. I cringed too, since I am a professional writer. My editor, while a #$% of a human being, really saves my bacon sometimes.
I think the presidency is Mr. Thompson’s to give away–it is his right now if he wants it.
So please, Mr. Thompson, let someone edit your stuff before it goes out the door. The spoken English language is not the same as the written. And I like you too much to let you write this way…
sdemetri asks: “Again, I ask, is Israel’s nuclear arsenal a deterent arsenal, or an offensive one?”
How long have they had them? Have they ever used them? Have they ever threatened anyone with them?
The Jews are not going to submit to dhimmitude. Why should they? Why should anyone?
sdemetri,
I will address each of you errors after a quote from you.
“The disarmament I suggest relates to nuclear weapons. I am not so unrealistic to think the neighborhood is not a dangerous one for Israel and they should be left naked against those that find its policies and behavior intolerable. The UN Charter allows for self-defense.”
— The UN Charter is only a ribbon on top of the package of rights of a people to have a nation and defend itself. The UN is not a body through which nations are legitimized. It is a forum for nations to try and settle disputes as a community and to avoid or solve catastrophes.
— It is not Israel’s policy and behavior that is intolerable to Israel’s neighbors. It is that Israel is a Jewish State that these countries refuse to accept.
“Israel has never expressed the will to destroy another people’s right to self-government.” I am not sure the Palestinians in Gaza or the West Bank would agree with this statement.
— There is little value in the acceptance of fools and lunatics. Israel does not wish to destroy the Palestinian’s right to self-government. Israel does nothing to topple the government in Jordan, which is Palestinian. Israel is defending itself against a faction of Palestinians who have been terrorizing Israel’s population for decades. Until 1967, the territories Israel now holds were Egyptian, Syrian and Jordanian. None of these Arab Muslim nations offered these territories to create a second or third Palestinian, Arab country. Israel offered these territories back to the nations they captured them from for peace (exempting Jerusalem, which is Israel’s eternal capital) and these offers were not accepted. Since then Israel has offered the territories to the PLO and this was not accepted without the “Right of Return”.
“”…to de-Jew the Jewish state…” I don’t see that. The one state proposal lets Jews be Jews and Palestinians be Palestinians. I see Arab and Persian efforts aimed at Zionist independence, not Jewish. Peaceful co-existence, as in your examples, should be the goal.”
— The, so-called, Right of Return and the de-Zionification of Israel undermines the Jewish nature of the State of Israel. Taking from the Jew his right to his one nation, for the sake of Arabs who have many or for Palestinians who have one nation already, is unacceptable.
—What is the difference between Jewish and Zionist independence? The Zionist idea is to have an independent Jewish nation. Lets not be pedantic here.
“I also see historical disputes…ethnic cleansing of Babylonians or Canaanites, or American Indians for that matter, as answered largely by education. If everyone passionately held to centuries old hostilities we would be a much, much darker world for it. That holds for the destruction of sites. There are no excuses and no good answers.
“I also believe the much trumpeted “Holocaust denial” sin Iran is accused of is mis-represented. Moderates have said Ahmadinejad’s comments are not reflective of the thoughts of the population at large. The historical record is undeniable, according to them. If Israel relies on the historical record to cover a multitude of other sins, it is a misuse of the record, and dishonors its dead.”
— Whether Holocaust denial is popular in Iran, or not, does not matter. Those in power, the representatives of Persian political and military might, are standing up and denying the Holocaust. When its leaders cease to behave in this manner then what the general population thinks will be of interest. Until then, the general population of Iran bears no relevence. The people are not the ones with their finger on a button.
— I am guessing that you are suggesting that Israel rationalizes its defense against Arabs because of the Holocaust. That is simply idiotic. Israel defends itself against the Arabs because Israel wants to survive. That is the nature of life. Jews and Israelis bring up the Holocaust to point to events that happened because there was no Israel to which Jews could escape. Jews and Israelis do not “cover up crimes” with the Holocaust. Show me evidence of this.
‘My reference to the age of the Iranian population is not an endorsement of a “Youth Movement.” The CIA World Fact Book puts the average age of Iranians at about 25. As I stated above, it is inevitable that change will happen in Iran simply because they do not hold the Iranian revolution in the same manner as the mullahs. Economic, and social forces are much more likely to drive Iranian society toward moderation, in the absence of a wrongheaded invasion by either Israel or the US.
— If these young Persians manage to take over the government in time to avoid the mullahs getting the bomb then we will be greatly relieved. I hope the change you suggest occurs and soon. Until then, Iran is our enemy. Israel was an ally of Iran until the mullahs took over and I expect that reasonable Persian leadership could win over Israeli support again. One certainly hopes that an invasion is not required. I don’t suppose you care to qualify your notion that Israel could invade Iran. The US would find it very difficult to make war against Iran, how would a nation of 6 million people invade a nation of dozens of millions?
“Recent history suggests, from pre-emptive attacks on neighboring states, that the advantage at this point in time is with Israel. How many billions in US military aid goes to Israel yearly? I still don’t see how you support the claim Israel would be “hundreds of times” more likely to be attacked. What is your evidence?”
— The history, the propoganda and the stated goals of Israel’s enemies promise us that if Israel does not have the military advantage then it will be overrun by her enemies. The reason the US lends aid to Israel is to avoid the catastrophe a clear disadvantage, had by Israel, would entail. The argument being made by many superior minds is that if Iran gets nuclear capability, Israel’s advantage is either finished or nearly so. That is why Iran cannot be allowed to develope this ability.
— Israel has supposedly had the bomb for decades now. It has not used it. Israel has been under attack a number of times since supposedly getting the bomb and has not used it. Major Iranian leaders have expressed the will that Israel be wiped off the map. One former president said that one bomb would empty the land of Jews and that there are enough Muslims to survive whatever the dying Israel might do in response. Whatever the specific likelihood of these nuclear attacks, Iran does not recognize Israel’s role as the Jewish homeland. Israel recognizes Iran as the Persian homeland. Iran’s leaders mimic the style of demonization of Jews that other groups, known to demonize and murder Jews en mass, have done. This copying of style is an unveiled threat. Israel has never murdered people en mass nor does it care to.
“For Iran to attack Israel would result in a very severe retaliatory attack. Why would Iran do that? Defies logic.”
— If we take your logic and apply it the other way around we can see why Iran does not need nukes. For Israel to attack Iran would result in a very severe retaliatory attack. Why would Israel do that? I defy your logic for Iran’s need for nukes
Run, Freddy. Run!
P. Ami
Most excellent post. I agree with most all of it but I’m not so sure about “..The US would find it very difficult to make war against Iran..”
I say true if you mean a full scale invasion to Tehran, but theres no point in doing that. The key targets in Iran aren’t the nuke sites but the Mullah’s personal bank accounts.
Iran is a kleptocracy. The Mullah’s are rich and powerful CEO’s that control various parts of the IR’s state economy. Between those ventures and their Charity rackets (as in, “protection” syndicates) the Mullah’s have millions in cash available to fund all their pet projects like Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Shiite militias in Iraq. All under the table, so to speak.
Anyway, forget about conventional war in Iran. I say go underground and terrorize the terrorists.
A very disappointing and cultural imperialistic comment for someone looking to run for president.
I’ve linked your post to a post on my blog.
Here in Nashville, there’s a local TV news blogger who claims to be a ‘conservative’, but he’s invented a new term for Conservatives who support the war, and slaps this label on Fred Thompson: MurderCon.
He certainly is conservative, huh?
I urge you to add Fred Thompson to your poll. Please, give Americians a chance to express their desire to have a leader with common sense, who can speak without having to resort to rhetoric, who believes in protecting our borders and who has experience with working with Congress as well as being understood by the average person.
Over the last two weeks the Draft Fred Thompson movement has gained considerable support and momentum, yet the national polls seem to avoid including Senator Thompson.
I ask that you be among the first to break with that trend and include Fred Thompson on next week’s straw poll. You will surely find that he will outscore most if not all of the other Republican candidates.
Please be among the first to recognize the growing support for Fred Thompson’s candidacy.
Thank you,
Tim
Great article. Considering all the media hype, I think Senator Thompson should be added to your respected straw poll.
Funny how Thompson conveniently fails to mention anything about how the United States OVERTHREW Iran’s democracy back in 1953 by using the CIA to overthrow democratically-elected Iranian President Mussadeq, and place the brutal dictator/U.S. puppet Shah Parvez in his place. (Hint: The Shah’s brutal, U.S.-backed reign, and Carter’s decision to let him find asylum in the U.S. while he was dying of cancer, are a big reason why the Iranians were pissed off enough to take hostages at the U.S. embassy back in 1980.)
I guess the U.S. was looking out for “freedom” during the years 1953-79, huh Fred? I guess the U.S. was demonstrating the superiority of its democratic values back then . . . by looking out for the interests of the Anglo-American oil industry, and its selected “warloard over all of Greece –er, Iran,” our lovely Shah.
Why is it with you right-wingers, this piece of history never comes up in conversations? Are you just INGORANT of history? Or are you just dishonest and self-delusional liars that purposely omit FACTS so that you can tell lies?
It seems to me as if the Americans have more in common with the Persians of the movie “300″ than they do with the valiant, freedom-loving Spartans this stupid editorial and its mindset so like to extol.
By the way, i am 100% Arcadian by blood. My ancestors (according to Miller’s movie) faught with the Spartans at Thermopylae. Plus, I know a lot more about real ancient Greek history than Thompson does. So, if anyone has a right to talk about the legacy of the Spartans here on this board, it is me.
Senator Fred’s editorial is unmitigated bullsh*t.
Why dont you donnate some sperm to yourself spermDonnor? All Greeks are not supporters of mullocracy and islamofascism as you are… neither Greeks are all against Jews and Americans… Why dont you go and stay with the fascist islamic regimes to test their legitimity??? If it was not for the Americans you “Arkadian” you would speak today either German or Japanese…
philkan
I really do not know what to say,as I think there is no word to show my anger about all ur bullshits u said about my home land any its people…Just wanted to remind u It was nor Iran who attacked Vietnam,Japan,Afghanistan,Iraq and many many more over the past century.U definitley have no idea of history,but a great passion for American killers who starves for inoccent people’s blood..300 is a totall bullshit and the most FUNNY THING IS this country,Iran did not look to be so bad about 28 years ago when shah was running the country as Americans could get everything they want..Just do a favour for all Iranian,SHUT UP AND GET YOUR DIRTY HANDS OFF FROM OUR HOME LAND..U know that Iranian are the ones who make everything possible in this World..
Below is a web site where over 9500 people have signed petition asking Fred Thompson to run for president.
Thank you.
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?FDT_08
Hey, that’s a good reason for my husband and I to watch “300″ –again! Just to piss them! (Who says life can’t be fun?!)