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The real leadership
Reader comment on item: Assessing the Iranian Election

Submitted by hyman peskin (Canada), Jun 14, 2009 at 07:14

We all know that the president of Iran has no jurisdiction in the area of foreign affairs. He might make any outrageous threats he wishes and it means nothing, since he is powerless to implement his threats. The Mullahs have sole powers to make decisions relating to waging war or negotiating with outside powers.Iran has shown a history of acting pragmatically.They have not shown the reckless poor judgement in providing millions of dollars worth of arms and support to a group of Islamist fanatics that would ultimately turn on them and wreak havoc worldwide, as the Americans and Saudis did during the Afghan war against the Soviets.

Iran has not been reckless enough to attack and occupy the most xenophobic nation on earth as America has in Iraq.

Iran was practical enough to negotiate agreements with America in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and has restrained both Hamas and Hizbollah when it was deemed necessary.

Iran is a threat because of its growing strength and influence throughout the middle east. Its tenticles have spread to Syria,Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Kurdish Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states , and in parts of Africa-Sudan, Yemen, Somalia.

What has disturbed Israel is Iran's support of Hamas and Hizbollah- not. the nuclear issue which is not what it seems. Iran knows full well that a nuclear confrontation with Israel isn't winnible.The Iranians are quite aware that Israel would massively retaliate with their own nuclear weopons snd everything that Iran has worked so hard to win would be lost. There is no evidence at all that Iran wishes to commit suicide.

In a conflict situation, it is helpful to know your enemy-with repect to Iran, the identities of the ruling clerical council remain a deep mystery.


Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

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Reader comments (35) on this item

Title By Date
#928, Rooting for Ahmedinejad [193 words]Suren SukhtankarJul 3, 2009 10:28
Interesting points Dr Pipes [201 words]VikramJun 21, 2009 12:57
Obama's "Whatever" diplomacy [172 words]Fay VoshellJun 18, 2009 09:14
Progress is the only concern [245 words]edmond daherJun 18, 2009 05:40
I Think I Might Have Khamenei Figured Out [282 words]AlexJun 16, 2009 16:30
Tactics of the shah and Ahmadinejad [117 words]cibberJun 16, 2009 09:51
Caroline Glick offers an interesting comment [176 words]BrendaJun 16, 2009 00:27
The mad Mullahs wanted a lunatic face of Iran...and they got it! [88 words]M.D'SouzaJun 15, 2009 19:52
Iranian Election [140 words]JACQUES HADIDAJun 15, 2009 17:28
Re: Dr. Pipes, You Are Wrong On Three Points.
[w/response] [237 words]
Aymenn JawadJun 15, 2009 15:33
Shows the position is more than just a figurehead [72 words]BernardzJun 15, 2009 14:24
Agree. Better to have A'mad in charge. [56 words]Manuel MatamorosJun 15, 2009 13:55
Blood of Tyrants [165 words]Lou from Queens, NYC, USAJun 15, 2009 13:09
Everything has a purpose. [48 words]white anneJun 14, 2009 18:18
Ahmadinejad's appeal to the "Muslim world" [139 words]Jean GranvilleJun 14, 2009 17:57
what "pro-Islamist" policies?
[w/response] [166 words]
JeffJun 14, 2009 17:18
Analysing Iran's election [114 words]Joel ShapiroJun 14, 2009 16:59
Blessed be Ahmadi Najad [141 words]Salah AliJun 14, 2009 16:02
Iran leaders deliberately slap USA [62 words]AngelJun 14, 2009 14:00
Reasoning [22 words]MNPunditJun 14, 2009 13:43
COUNTING [34 words]MannyJun 14, 2009 13:35
The Mystery Deepens [61 words]Seymour CharlesJun 14, 2009 13:04
Eventually the Iranian nation will rise against their oppressors [122 words]Michael KurtzigJun 14, 2009 12:49
Tyrannous Brothers of Faith [308 words]Fay VoshellJun 14, 2009 11:01
Here is an answer to the mystery! [155 words]Saied AssefJun 14, 2009 10:44
Cyrus the Great? [330 words]John W. McGinleyJun 14, 2009 10:07
So, again, no moderates [52 words]Peter HerzJun 15, 2009 22:08
Consideration [224 words]Murray OrbuchJun 14, 2009 08:44
Baffled? [73 words]RuthJun 14, 2009 07:31
⇒ The real leadership [294 words]hyman peskinJun 14, 2009 07:14
they love death [58 words]solemnmanJun 14, 2009 04:16
Khamene'i loves Ahmadinejad and Twitters from Iran [318 words]LindaKJun 14, 2009 02:25
Ahmadinejad also Slaps the face of Brazilian President and Alli Khamenei Unusual Move. [170 words]SvetlanahJun 14, 2009 02:05
Wasn't the establishment of a functioning democracy in Iraq supposed to [86 words]DaMavJun 14, 2009 01:32
No mistake [81 words]SergeJun 14, 2009 01:10

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

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