“john samford,
That’s debatable. I assume you’ve read Krauthammer’s view:”
Yes, which is just as debatable as my own.
The only evidence iare the words spoken by both sides. As far as America goes, BOTH sides see us as the ‘great satan’. Both sides want nuclear weapons, although they both call it a nuclear program so the terminally ignorant can pretend it’s not about nuclear weapons. Ahamadamnutjob actually has a lot of support among the older, rural portion of the population. Opinion polls arent worth much in a nation where having the wrong opinion can get you murdered, but what polls are out there have been predicting an outcome not unlike what actually happened. Urban voters want a change, rural voters want to keep things as they are. The rural population of Iran is about 2/3, the urban about 1/3.
The vote was about 2 to 1, which is pretty much how the population breaks down. We have seen the Urban/Rural split that has dominated human politics since the first city was built. Nothing new here.
I respect Mr. Krauthammer, but he would be the first to tell you that he isn’t perfect. Let me be the second.
Historically, The USA has always created more problems then It’s solved when it intervens in civil wars. If you want examples; Cuba, Philippines, South America & Central America (many countries, manytimes), Vietnam, China, Soviet Union, the list gos on, that is just a sample.
I assume you mean this Krauthammer article;
http://townhall.com/columnists/CharlesKrauthammer/2009/06/19/hope_and_change_-_but_not_for_iran
Let me fisk it a moment
“This revolution will end either as a Tiananmen (a hot Tiananmen with massive and bloody repression or a cold Tiananmen with a finer mix of brutality and co-optation) or as a true revolution that brings down the Islamic Republic.”
Maybe. He present no Evidence, just a hope. Charles is seeing what isn’t htere, IMHO. This is not atrue revolution, by a struggle over which set of Mad Dog Mullahs rule the kennel.
My evidence, of their own words is slim, since all these guys are natural born liars, but it is better then no evidence.
“Even from the narrow perspective of the nuclear issue, the administration’s geopolitical calculus is absurd. There is zero chance that any such talks will denuclearize Iran.”
I agree totally, but I’m not sure what the point is. The ONLY thing that will denuclearize (not sure that is a word, but since Charles used it, I will too in the sincerest form of flattery) Iran is a few US Army Divisions…. whoops, a dozen Brigades. Krauthammer gives the impression here that Some sort of action on the Usurpers part will change that. He knows better so that is one nasty bit of ambiguity.
