June 15, 2013

"This victory is a victory for wisdom, moderation and maturity... over extremism."

Said Hassan Rouhani, the President-elect of Iran:
But he also urged the world to "acknowledge the rights" of Iran.... "The nations who tout democracy and open dialogue should speak to the Iranian people with respect and recognise the rights of the Islamic republic."
Crowds in Tehran are chanting: "Long live reform, long live Rouhani."

29 comments:

somefeller said...

Something tells me that the term "moderate" means something different in Iran than here. Still, any positive change over there will have to come on their cultural terms instead of ours, so here's hoping.

Palladian said...

"The nations who tout democracy and open dialogue should speak to the Iranian people with respect and recognise the rights of the Islamic republic."

And vice-versa, honey.

Lydia said...

The guy's a former nuclear negotiator.

Doesn't that tell us all we need to know?

Smilin' Jack said...

The nations who tout democracy and open dialogue should speak to the Iranian people with respect and recognise the rights of the Islamic republic."

It has the right to remain silent.

edutcher said...

The speculation is that this is a ploy to get everybody off their necks so they can finish their weapons program.

Seems reasonable, given how eager the soft hearts were to believe Saddam had no WMDs.

somefeller said...

Something tells me that the term "moderate" means something different in Iran than here

For once, I agree, but is his "moderation" for show or go?

Unknown said...

Is he the change he's been waiting for?

Ambrose said...

All candidates including him were screened by the ayatollahs. He's no moderate and Iran is still at war with us.

Cedarford said...

Lydia said...
The guy's a former nuclear negotiator.

Doesn't that tell us all we need to know?

-------------------
It tells you that the guy is smart.

As for Iran's nuclear program, even the pro-American part of the Iranian population, which is alomost half the population in polls and a majority amongst university educated younger people, the professions, and middle to upper class Iranian....strongly support Iran's nuclear program.

For two reasons:

1. Iran has a short reserve life on oil left. They need to diversify energy supplies. THey have a substantial amount of uranium and thorium ore.

2. Iran is surrounded by nations with Nuke weapons. Their old enemy Pakistan, Israel, Russia, and the Western nations as NATO up to the Turk border and possibly if yoked by Israel into a war against Iran. The Supreme Leader has characterized nuke weapons as immoral, un-Islamic, and Iran would not develop or use a weapon at the present time (meaning they appear to wish to have the capacity to develop one if invaded)

Lydia said...

It tells you that the guy is smart.

No, it tells me he's a cunning, duplicitous SOB.

jr565 said...

What's this guys view on the state of Israel existing? And how coopertative is he going to be with his nuke program?

campy said...

"This victory is a victory for wisdom, moderation and maturity... over extremism."

A paraphrase of every winning candidate in every election in history.

Tim said...

"Crowds in Tehran are chanting: "Long live reform, long live Rouhani.""

Yeah, we've seen this before.

"Hope and Change."

Meet the new boss.

Same as the old boss.

wyo sis said...

"Is he the change he's been waiting for?"

He's the *change* we've been waiting for...even though he isn't, of course.

Once written, twice... said...

It should be noted that Iran, unlike some of our close allies like Saudi Arabia, is a democratic republic. Also, unlike some of our close friends they are not nearly as oppressive in terms of the sexes, etc.

bagoh20 said...

Neda Agha-Soltan.

Lydia said...

And Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani

Unknown said...

I honestly don't understand how someone who doesn't take any America politicians' words at face value can turn around and blithely accept the Supreme leader's assurances about nuclear weapons. Keep in mind that in his list of nuclear powers he listed a country that has repeatedly denied they have nuclear weapons.

I get that Israel is lying when it says that and I thinks it's pretty pathetic that they keep up the passive aggressive charade, but if we are going to assume the Israeli's are lying why accept the veracity of the Iranians. Again this is the one nation in the past forty years who has undertaken an act of war against us.

This is why for all my discomfort with the neocons I just can't take the paleocons seriously. For people so skeptical of their own government they seem quite amenable to what the Russian and Iranian governments are shoveling.

Unknown said...

But Marge it works for all the Ayattolahs.

That might have been the last funny line on the Simpsons.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gary Rosen said...

C-fudd has always been pro-terrorist as long as they have it in for da joooos, once blowjobbing Iran's Hezbollah stooges for their "heart and courage".

Gary Rosen said...

Derek, if you're talking about C-fudd he's not a "paleocon", just a Jew-hater. He will twist an argument any way he can and contradict his previous views at the drop of a hat as long as he can stick it to da joooos. It's the only thing that gives his pathetic "life" any meaning.

Methadras said...

I have zero doubt that the people of iran love america. It's that fucking crazy religion of islam that they cling to that is causing them the problems. Get rid of it.

Methadras said...

Will Dinnerjacket get a new jacket?

Unknown said...

A democratic republic in which all candidates have to be cleared by a central religious oligarchy. Something tells me Jay Retred wouldn't call the US a democratic republic if Pat Roberton, archbishop Dolan, and Rick Warren were responsible for deciding who the Democrats would be allowed to run. "Zell Miller is a pretty representative Democrat in my book. Maybe Mickey Kaus would be a better pick."

lgv said...

Suckers. The true moderates from the last election are currently in jail.

The candidates, including the "moderates", are authorized by the Ayatollahs. It is merely theater.

More of the same.

David said...

We'll see.

Is Death to Israel still the policy?

Generally moderates do not want to wipe out a whole nation. They do not envision Jew killing as a societal goal.

Rusty said...

bagoh20 said...
Neda Agha-Soltan.


Yeah.

DrMaturin said...

Let's say that the only people who could run for President of the US were white, male, Evangelical Protestants whose candidacy was approved by a committee chaired by Pat Robertson. Would anybody be talking about who was the most "moderate" of that group? Because that's basically what is going on in Iran.

Hagar said...

The Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the Supreme Leader of Iran.

Nobody else matter all that much.

Known Unknown said...

"You don't have Dinnerjacket to kick around any more ..."

-- Ahmadinejad.