“What to do about Iran?”

Amir Taheri;

Western powers interested in Iran failed in their diagnosis of the “Iran problem” for two reasons.

The first was that they focused almost exclusively on certain aspects of the Islamic Republic’s disruptive foreign policy. They did not realize that a regime’s foreign policy is a reflection, even a continuation, of its domestic policies, and that a regime that has problems with its own people is unlikely to have problem-free foreign relations.

More importantly, they overlooked the schizophrenia that has afflicted Iran under the Islamic Republic.

Grab a beverage. (h/t Adrian)

21 Replies to ““What to do about Iran?””

  1. There would be no reason to do ANYTHING about Iran if it were not for Jimmeh “Killer Rabbit” Cahtuh. Iran was our staunch ally until that God damned filthy maggot forced the Shah from power and turned the country over to the Ayatollah. Yeah, Barry Sotero sucked as pResident, but he was nowhere near as bad as that filthy peanut farmer.

  2. “a regime that has problems with its own people is unlikely to have problem-free foreign relations”

    And the MSM in Canada wonders why Europe, Trump, and the entire world has told us we are on our own with respect China and Huawei…

  3. Why should Iran trust the West? The West not only stood by as Saddam invaded Iran but actually financed it. Millions of Irnians were killed. The West points fingers at radical Iranian backed Islam but ignore the worst villian in that piece, Saudi Arabia. The Sauds have spent 100’s of billions of $ spreading radical Sunni Islam globally. Iran has a better political system than the Sauds hands down.

    With Trump pulling out of Afganistan and Syria he is acknowledging a practical geo political reality. The strength in the ME is Israel, Iran, Egypt and Turkey. The Americans seem to be throwing in with the Turks. I do think once the USA asserts its economic power over the Iranians via the oil embargo that the Iranians and the USA can establish a working relationship. The Sauds are going down, as they should. They are the most disruptive force in the ME and much of the world.

  4. One would agree with the glass option were it not for those normal people in the place.
    Remember the lament on the destruction of certain places a few thousand years ago in the middle east?

    1. Ya, right, that was Stalin’s problem, too, wasn’t it? And it was because of religion that Pol Pot and Chairman Mao killed their millions? And the knee deep blood of the French Revolution? No doubt because of religion, too? Your comment speaks volumes about intellectual laziness, one of the prime causes of violent war.

      1. rob, as stupid as yer comparison is, you have one thing right. It is all to do with the psychology of human nature. Communism and socialism do function as a religion, as does green theocracy . Now try keeping up, so yer stupidity doesn’t keep tripping you up!

        1. NME, you’re a genius. War is because of religion and everything is a religion, including communism, socialism and environmentalism. By your implied criteria for religion, atheism is extremely religious. Hence, all the troubles in the world are because of religion after all. Aha, so you were right all along. Everything is about religion.

    2. The problem here is assuming it’s religion, an uncompromising and stupid way to look at it.

      These mullahs are no more “religious” that the medieval power popes and their nun baby mommas and monk boyfriends.

      Iran considers itself the Shia rival to Sunni Saudi Arabia as the predominate Muslim theocracy, but they’re not doing it for Allah, they’re doing it for their own political power. While SA tries bribery and force to contain terrorism, Iran uses it as a tool.

      Under Obama Iran had some chance. Trump has crushed that. I agree with him and say leave it to them to deal with the mess.

      Get out of Syria, make them fight in out, maybe even in Lebanon too. If a direct threat surfaces, destroy it. Fire and forget.

      Trump may turn out to be the most “liberal” president since JFK, with two years to go. You’ve got to love political irony.

      1. “If a direct threat surfaces, destroy it. Fire and forget.” Exactly.

        All too often that simple axiom is forgotten. To look like they are doing something they spend a fortune in lives and treasure over many years and have little to show for it. Witness the mess all over the ME. The Israelis have it figured out and wast little time, lives and treasure to eliminate the threat.

    3. The problem is Islam. The once-proud Persian nation has fallen under the spell of the Amalekite cult. In the long run Persia’s options are to turn to the God of Israel and be forgiven, or to die with Amalek.

      Of course, you will never admit that, NME, as for reasons best known to yourself you blame the Jews for everything wrong with the world.

    4. I can see that you’re upset about region.
      Perhaps you could say why.
      I don’t care much for religion either.
      The thing is, there is God.
      And have experienced prayer for help works, though it won’t work if you’re asking for free stuff. It works when you’re in trouble, like getting stuck in middle of nowhere, like when you’re laid off, when you’re down. Yeah, that was my experience.
      You can say there isn’t God, it does not bother me.
      The trouble is what all the assorted religionists are doing to God.
      They all talk so stupid pretending to have direct line to Him.
      Yeah, they are the low life, that’s not to say that I’m high, we’re probably even.
      I don’t claim to know more than what is written. Don’t pretend to be a holy man, don’t pretend to be without sin, hell, sin is probably the best I can do.
      The more screwed they are the more they pretend that God is talking to them.
      They claim to actually know the mind of God, how stupid can one get?
      Anyway, there you have it.
      Here is hoping you feel better.

      1. “The trouble is what all the assorted religionists are doing to God.
        They all talk so stupid pretending to have direct line to Him.”

        That is the crux of the problem.

  5. I think Sarah Palin had it right.

    Get the hell out of the Middle East and Let Allah sort it out. Eventually they’ll only be one survivor in the Sunni /Shia world.

    1. It’s this wierd sort of bible interpretation that discredits the Christian faith. No, Ezek. 38 and Dan. 7 have NOTHING to do with modern Iran or the rise of Islam. You need to learn how to read. Just go back 50 years in the history of interpretation of prophecy and you will find nothing but a nearly endless sequence of failed predictions. You can start with the madness of Hal Lindsey. Give it up already.

      1. Here’s something you can believe…a third part of the world is Christian…ceasing to be Christian (spiritual death) at the 6th Trump when they worship satan (anti-Christ means ‘instead of Christ’) pretending to be Christ. Christ doesn’t come until the 7th Trump.

        G473 – anti
        an-tee’
        A primary particle; opposite, that is, instead or because of (rarely in addition to): – for, in the room of. Often used in composition to denote contrast, requital, substitution, correspondence, etc.

        Rev 9:14  Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. 
        Rev 9:15  And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. 

        2Pe 3:16-17
        (16)  As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
        (17)  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeUwvuV0GJ4

        The Formulation of Ezekiel 38: Russia, Turkey and Iran Join Together to End Syria’s Tragedy

        1. Again, this approach of trying to match current events to Bible passages is doomed; I’ve been around long enough to have seen innumerable failed predictions arising from misguided exegesis of Biblical texts. Nobody should pay any attention to what American dispensational evangelicals say about eschatology.

      2. Just saying. Here is a more relevant passage from the Bible – Ishmael, son of Abraham, forsaken for Isaac.

        “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.” (Genesis 16:11-12).

        “God heard the boy (Ishmael) crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar. Do not be afraid, God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation. (Genesis 21: 17-18).

  6. Keep in mind also that the population of “Persians” in Iran is only about 51%. Iran has to control the Kurds in the North and Balochs in the SE (where the oil is).

Navigation