Decision ‘08

Archive for 'Iran'

Friday, March 16th, 2007

The Coward Sadr Again Speaks From Exile

From his comfortable perch in Iran, the radical cleric has again declared war on America:
Radical Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr urged his followers on Friday to oppose occupying troops, raising the pressure on U.S.-backed Iraqi forces conducting a security crackdown in Baghdad.
In a possible setback for the crackdown, the mayor of Sadr City, a […]

1 Comment » - Posted in Iran, Radical Islam / GWOT, Iraq by Mark

Friday, March 16th, 2007

Will It Make A Difference?

The major powers finally agreed on a watered-down sanctions package to send to the UN Security Council yesterday, but it’s hard to imagine this slap on the wrist deterring Iran:
The proposed Security Council resolution includes a ban on Iranian arms exports, an assets freeze on individuals and firms involved in Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile […]

1 Comment » - Posted in Iran, Radical Islam / GWOT, UN/Oil-For-Food by Mark

Tuesday, March 13th, 2007

Dems Retreat - Also, The Sun Rises In The East

What is it with the Democrats and their constantly shifting positions on foreign affairs?
Top House Democrats retreated Monday from an attempt to limit President Bush’s authority for taking military action against Iran as the leadership concentrated on a looming confrontation with the White House over the Iraq war.
Officials said Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other members […]

30 Comments » - Posted in Iran, POTUS, Donkeys, Iraq by Mark

Saturday, March 10th, 2007

Whether You Call It ‘Direct Talks’ Or Not…

…it appears the U.S. and Iran had some words at the Iraq security summit - and it’s safe to say, things didn’t go very well:
In their first direct talks since the Iraq war began, U.S. and Iranian envoys traded harsh words and blamed each other for the country’s crisis Saturday at a one-day international conference […]

No Comments » - Posted in Iran, Radical Islam / GWOT, Iraq, Foreign Affairs by Mark

Saturday, March 10th, 2007

Dueling Journalists

The United States held direct talks with Iran today at the Baghdad security conference:
U.S. and Iranian envoys spoke directly about Iraq’s perilous security situation on Saturday in rare one-on-one talks that could help ease their nearly 28-year diplomatic freeze.
In other news, the United States DID NOT hold direct talks with Iran today at the Baghdad […]

No Comments » - Posted in Iran, Iraq by Mark

Thursday, March 1st, 2007

In Other News, Night Follows Day

Here’s the headline from the AP: Iran Blames U.S., Israel For World’s Problems. Hope you were sitting down…I know that comes as quite a shock. Alright, back to my little vacation…

No Comments » - Posted in Israel, Iran, Radical Islam / GWOT by Mark

Wednesday, February 28th, 2007

How To Tackle Iran?

It’s clear to even the most blinkered multilateralists that Iran has no intention whatsoever of complying with the UN’s ‘mandate’ that it give up its nuclear weapons program - oh, I’m sorry, peaceful uranium enrichment program. What can we do about it, particulary with Russia throwing up roadblocks everywhere? Here’s David Ignatius in the Washington […]

1 Comment » - Posted in Iran, North Korea, Radical Islam / GWOT, UN/Oil-For-Food by Mark

Tuesday, February 27th, 2007

In Today’s Iraq News…

…the country is one step closer to defusing one of the huge barriers to a shared national identity. I’m talking about the oil-revenue-sharing plan that has now cleared the cabinet and is heading to parliament:
The Iraqi cabinet approved a draft of a law on Monday that would set guidelines for nationwide distribution of oil revenues […]

3 Comments » - Posted in Condoleezza Rice, Iran, POTUS, Radical Islam / GWOT, Iraq, UN/Oil-For-Food by Mark

Thursday, February 22nd, 2007

As Predictable As Sunrise

It didn’t take a genius to see that Russia and the E.U. would be falling all over themselves to find ways to weasel out of the Palestinian boycott, despite the fact that the unity government still doesn’t recognize Israel’s right to exist, a supposed precondition to such a lifting:
Fractures between the United States and Europe began […]

No Comments » - Posted in North Korea, Iran, Israel, POTUS, Radical Islam / GWOT, Foreign Affairs, Iraq, UN/Oil-For-Food by Mark

Wednesday, February 21st, 2007

Cold War Redux: More Chest-Thumping From Moscow

Not only does Russia thwart our efforts to take a hard line on Iran in the UN, now they’re actually threatening our allies if we take the most basic military precautions:
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday described as “extremely unfortunate” a Russian general’s threat to target Poland and the Czech Republic if they host […]

1 Comment » - Posted in Iran, Foreign Affairs, UN/Oil-For-Food by Mark

Tuesday, February 20th, 2007

Two Foreign Policy Items…

…neither good, from my perspective. First, as expected by any sentient human being, Iran has rejected calls to freeze its uranium enrichment one day ahead of the twenty-fifth UN deadline for doing so.
Equally discouraging is the news that Tony Blair will announce a partial withdrawal timetable for 1,500 of the 7,000 UK troops currently serving […]

No Comments » - Posted in Iran, Radical Islam / GWOT, Iraq, Foreign Affairs, UN/Oil-For-Food by Mark

Tuesday, February 20th, 2007

Iran’s Nuclear Program: Good News And Bad News

Enrichment, yes, and soon - a bomb, maybe a little time left:
Iran could be as little as six months away from being able to enrich uranium on an industrial scale, having mastered the technology since last August, the head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog warned in an interview published today. However, Mohamed ElBaradei, the International […]

No Comments » - Posted in Iran, Radical Islam / GWOT, UN/Oil-For-Food by Mark

Thursday, February 15th, 2007

People Of Iraq: Who Is al-Sadr Loyal To?

How I wish I had a large audience of Iraqis, particularly Iraqi Shiites, to pose this question to: why, during a surge calculated to crack down on extremists who are destroying your country, is al-Sadr hiding out in Iran? Why did he desert you in your hour of need? And why Iran?
As with Hezbollah and […]

5 Comments » - Posted in Iran, Radical Islam / GWOT, Iraq by Mark

Wednesday, February 14th, 2007

In Spite Of It All, I Love This President

Today’s press conference provided some stellar examples of why I once thought, pre-Katrina and disastrous early occupation of Iraq, that President Bush would be remembered as one of the greats. At times, he is so on target that his directness overwhelms his sometimes awkward delivery.
Consider:
President Bush said Wednesday he did not know if orders to […]

21 Comments » - Posted in Iran, POTUS, Iraq by Mark

Monday, February 12th, 2007

A Non-Denial From Ahmadinejad

This speaks volumes, unfortunately:
In an exclusive interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad refused to address accusations that his country was supplying weapons to insurgents in Iraq, saying instead that Iran asked for peace and was against conflict of any kind.
Ahmadinejad skirted questions about weapons smuggling and stressed instead that the key […]

3 Comments » - Posted in Iran, Radical Islam / GWOT, Iraq by Mark

Sunday, February 11th, 2007

The Evidence Is Presented, But Is Anyone Listening?

Glenn Greenwald has a new home (and I congratulate him) but he is playing an old tune: complete and utter distrust of the Bush Administration, this time regarding assertions that Iran is supplying weapons that are killing Americans in Iraq:
Over the past few weeks, The Los Angeles Times has published several detailed and well-documented articles […]

5 Comments » - Posted in Iran, POTUS, Radical Islam / GWOT, Iraq by Mark

Sunday, February 11th, 2007

The Ignorance Surrounding Military Planning

Jason Steck tries to make a distinction I’ve tried to draw myself:
Speculation is running hot that the dreaded “neocons” in the White House will attack Iran sooner rather than later. The British Guardian newspaper reports today that plans are advanced and that an attack could be ready as soon as Spring, 2007. And an L.A. […]

3 Comments » - Posted in Iran, POTUS, Iraq by Mark

Saturday, February 10th, 2007

The Last Man I’ll Take Advice From

The increasingly autocratic Vladimir Putin thinks he knows what’s best for the U.S.A.:
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Saturday that the United States’ increased use of military force is creating a new arms race, with smaller nations turning toward developing nuclear weapons.
Speaking at a conference of the world’s top security officials, including the Iranian nuclear negotiator […]

No Comments » - Posted in Israel, Iran, Radical Islam / GWOT, Foreign Affairs, UN/Oil-For-Food by Mark

Wednesday, February 7th, 2007

There Are Far More Important Stories Than Edward’s Bloggers, Of Course…

…including this one:
Israeli leaders rarely invoke the Holocaust in the face of enemies. The Jewish homeland founded after Adolf Hitler’s genocide has, for the last generation, felt secure enough to fight its many battles with little or no help.
But the specter of a nuclear-armed Iran has rattled Israel’s self-confidence. Its politicians and generals warn […]

7 Comments » - Posted in Israel, Iran, POTUS, Radical Islam / GWOT, UN/Oil-For-Food by Mark

Monday, February 5th, 2007

Iran Cures AIDS!

Yep, believe it:
After 7 long years of arduous work, Iranian scientists here on Saturday introduced a herbal medicine which cures Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Of course, the ‘cure’ sounds suspiciously uncurelike:
“The drug named ‘IMOD’ is completely effective and safe with no proved side effects,” Iran’s Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Training Kamran Bagheri Lankarani […]