iran makes a pretty convincing argument

[solypsist]

He criticized U.S. policies in Iraq and the Palestinian territories and compared U.S. President George W. Bush and Ahmadinejad.
"Those people currently running the government of the U.S. should understand and should compare their president with our president. Your president is hated within the U.S. according to your own polls. Your current government is the most hated in the U.S. history from the point of view of the people, whereas ours is the most popular in Iran in the last 100 years.

"Wherever your president goes in the world, there are demonstrations against him, and he is hated in Africa, in Asia and everywhere. In Latin America such as Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela, governments are elected based on the strength of anti-American slogans. The people of the U.S. -- they don't have security in their private telephone conversations.

"The government of the U.S. doesn't trust their own people to allow them to have private telephone conversations and have passed laws to eavesdrop on them. The recent visit of the Iranian president to Indonesia and his predecessors' visits to Lebanon and other countries were all warmly welcomed."

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/...ran/index.html

I'm sure some users here will ask why i hate freedom, but i figured i'd open this up to everyone else for comments...

[Reenk Roink]

Well, it's pretty clear with the happy reactions around most of the world (or the so called "third"/not just Palestine as the media showed) after 9-11, we, and our figurehead, are disliked...

[Brenus]

“The government of the U.S. doesn't trust their own people to allow them to have private telephone conversations and have passed laws to eavesdrop on them.” Right, and flowers are blossoming under the Iranians President feet… Except the few bombs and the repression, every thing is perfect in Iran.

[GeneralHankerchief]

The difference is threat on the Western World.

North America/Europe doesn't view US as a threat, thus they are allowed to do as they please without any international repurcussions.

Whereas the West is scared to death that Iran will nuke something/start a new war and so they throw all kinds of sanctions at Iran.

The recent visit of the Iranian president to Indonesia and his predecessors' visits to Lebanon and other countries were all warmly welcomed.

Let's see if he gets the same reception if he visits France or Britain, or the US.

[Tribesman]

Soly , I would have thought that the part of the speech where he desribed the US as showing its weakness , and its effectiveness being like a blunt razor would be more worthy of discussion .
Lets face it , his speech absolutely ripped current US foriegn policy to shreds , and it wasn't even that hard for him to do .

[scooter_the_shooter]

You are an American soly...these guys want to kill us and you sympathize with them!

[Xiahou]

He criticized U.S. policies in Iraq and the Palestinian territories and compared U.S. President George W. Bush and Ahmadinejad.
"Those people currently running the government of the U.S. should understand and should compare their president with our president. Your president is hated within the U.S. according to your own polls. Your current government is the most hated in the U.S. history from the point of view of the people, whereas ours is the most popular in Iran in the last 100 years.

"Wherever your president goes in the world, there are demonstrations against him, and he is hated in Africa, in Asia and everywhere. In Latin America such as Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela, governments are elected based on the strength of anti-American slogans. The people of the U.S. -- they don't have security in their private telephone conversations.

"The government of the U.S. doesn't trust their own people to allow them to have private telephone conversations and have passed laws to eavesdrop on them. The recent visit of the Iranian president to Indonesia and his predecessors' visits to Lebanon and other countries were all warmly welcomed."

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/...ran/index.html

I'm sure some users here will ask why i hate freedom, but i figured i'd open this up to everyone else for comments...

Yes, I'm tired of having my rights trampled- let's all move to Iran.

iran makes a pretty convincing argument

Convincing as to what? I was already convinced that Iran is run by jabbering loons.

[Ice]

Well, it's pretty clear with the happy reactions around most of the world (or the so called "third"/not just Palestine as the media showed) after 9-11, we, and our figurehead, are disliked...

The demonstrations and flag burning only respresented a minority. Showing sympthatic people mourning isn't exactly exciting news, no?

[Reenk Roink]

The demonstrations and flag burning only respresented a minority. Showing sympthatic people mourning isn't exactly exciting news, no?

Many, many anecdotes such as that. But more telling are polls showing that the majority supported the hits...in Greece. Luckily their government suppressed them...

[Tribesman]

Convincing as to what? I was already convinced that Iran is run by jabbering loons.
And America isn't ?

[Papewaio]

Latin America such as Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela, governments are elected based on the strength of anti-American slogans.

And a few EU countries too methinks.

Thing is even if this is the least popular US government in a hundred years and Irans is its most popular in the same period, a direct comparison will still have the US as more popular then Iran. People get far more upset about what their friends say and do then some escaped crackpot from a mental insitute.

If the US diverted 10% of its DoD budget to non-oil energy generation they would rip the legs out from many oil budgeted dictatorships. The more progressive ones that educate their people and put the oil money back into infrastructure will far outstrip those that are not. In the end of the day it would devastate many a theocracy, dictator and royal alike without even having to try and invade and install democracy.

So for a greener policy that will win the hearts of the left and rip out the hearts of the dictators go for non-oil energy production. And invest in research for safer fission and viable fusion.

[Joker85]

So basically, he parroted what liberals have been saying for the past couple years and we should be suprised that they agree (with themselves?)

Doesn't suprise me the left and achmawhacko have the same outlook on the world.

[solypsist]

Iran not being "free" doesn't make the observation that America is very less-free than in recent years, irrelevant.

Yes, I'm tired of having my rights trampled- let's all move to Iran.

Even idiots and fanatics can speak truth sometimes. I think he has less respect for human rights etc., compared to even Georgie, but he's made points that are valid in this and the letter from before ("The killing of innocents is deplorable" et al.) They're probably all wind, mere talking points he managed to glean from the 24 hr. channels, but still.

Who cares; George is going to bomb them anyway. He could come on TV tommorow and start singing Christian rock songs, and we'd still have Tehran turned into a crater come this time next year.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Siggied. Funniest thing I've read here in a LONG time.

[scooter_the_shooter]

We won't bomb Iran.

Wanna' bet? If it happens within a year you can ban me.


I'm serious.

[Navaros]

Wow. Bush & the USA got totally pulverized by that speech. That must be pretty embarrassing.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Honestly? No. Not really.

[Xiahou]

Even idiots and fanatics can speak truth sometimes.

Perhaps so, but what's the convincing argument that they're making? I still don't see it.

Certainly Bush has said many truisms when it comes to human rights, ect- but I dont see you praising him for it. Why pick a lunatic holocaust denier who's bent on nuclear weapons for praise?

[Tachikaze]

The conservatives have pretty much avoided analyzing the issues and are attacking the speaker instead. The truth is the truth, no matter who says it. If the Iranian government said that water is wet, it doesn't make the statement false.

The criticisms are more valid when the US makes itself a target through its arrogance and setting itself up as a beacon of justice and freedom. If the US, both the government and many of its people, would show more humility, I would personally be more likely to defend it.

As it is, the US had better live up to its bold boasts or it will be branded with hypocracy.

[Xiahou]

The conservatives have pretty much avoided analyzing the issues and are attacking the speaker instead. The truth is the truth, no matter who says it. If the Iranian government said that water is wet, it doesn't make the statement false.

Oh yes, let's analyze the rantings of a madman then- sure, why not?

Your current government is the most hated in the U.S. history from the point of view of the people, whereas ours is the most popular in Iran in the last 100 years.

Lets see... nope. That statement is demonstrably untrue based on polls.

Wherever your president goes in the world, there are demonstrations against him, and he is hated in Africa, in Asia and everywhere.

Yes, because they're allowed. Even when Bush had a 90+% approval rating there were protests.

In Latin America such as Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela, governments are elected based on the strength of anti-American slogans.

Peru, really? Maybe they'd better go look what happened to the Chavez supported anti-American candidate.

The government of the U.S. doesn't trust their own people to allow them to have private telephone conversations and have passed laws to eavesdrop on them.

Which laws would those be?

These hardly sound like 'water is wet' truths to me- more like anti-American claptrap. But yes, arrogance, hypocrisy, yada yada, we suck.

[cegorach]

Ohh ma favourite statesman ! He certainly knows how to find quick solutions like with the re-settlement of the Jews to Alasca.


The speech is nothing really, regimes opposing the USA often are so sympathetic to the horrible conditions of american society and its endangered democracy

It is nothing new - SU propaganda did this before many times and where is it now ? ...

[Fragony]

I wonder what makes the president of Iran so popular, his extensive human rights programs(ok and now without laughing), his charm, his beard, or hammering on the destruction of Israel. Man of the people.

[Dâriûsh]

Oh Iran, a wonderful country where people are hung from cranes, students are assassinated, and women have no rights.

[Fragony]

Oh Iran, a wonderful country where people are hung from cranes, students are assassinated, and women have no rights.

Now that is a good argument, let's remember that one for the next Dear great satan, loveletter.

[spmetla]

I don't think it's a very good argument at all. As I recall Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin were all very popular in their own countries and those of their allies as well which certainly didn't make them or thier governments 'good'. If Iran and Syria didn't oppress free expression I'm sure they wouldn't appear so popular.