By Fareed Zakaria, CNN
There's not much foreign policy talk on the campaign trail except for one issue - Iran. Everyone is talking about Iran's new strength and assertiveness - its missile tests, its progress on the nuclear program, its moves in Iraq. Mitt Romney, the Republican front-runner, describes Iran as "the greatest threat that the world faces over the next decade." Newt Gingrich has compared the Iranian challenge to the rise of Hitler’s Germany. More measured commentators also see Iran’s rising influence and power across the Middle East.
In fact, the real story on the ground is that Iran is weak and getting weaker. Sanctions have pushed the economy into a nose-dive. The political system is fractured and fragmenting. Abroad, its closest ally and the regime of which it is almost the sole supporter - Syria - is itself crumbling. The Persian Gulf monarchies have banded together against Iran and shored up their relations with Washington. Last week, Saudi Arabia closed its largest-ever purchase of U.S. weaponry.
The simplest measure of Iran’s strength is its currency. When Barack Obama became president, you could buy 9,700 rials with one dollar. Since then, the dollar has appreciated 60 percent against the rial, meaning you can buy 15,600 rials.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told parliament recently that the latest sanctions were “the most extensive . . . sanctions ever” and that “this is the heaviest economic onslaught on a nation in history . . . every day, all our banking and trade activities and our agreements are being monitored and blocked.” The price of food staples has soared 40 percent the past few months, Reuters reported this week.
The Iranian government's reaction to the prospects of sanctions that could hit its oil exports shows its desperation. First, one of its admirals threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, invoking the Persian expression that this would be as easy as "drinking a glass of water." But a senior commander of the Revolutionary Guards - Iran's crucial power source - quickly backtracked, explaining that Tehran has no intention of blocking the strait.
Frankly it would be madness to do so because Iran would suffer more than any country. Blocking the strait would result in a near total shutdown of Iran's exports and imports; and with 60 percent of Iran's economy coming from oil exports, that would bring the government to a standstill.
Meanwhile, Iran’s nuclear program is making progress. This is inevitable: Nuclear technology is 70 years old; Iran has a serious scientific community, and it sees a nuclear program as an emblem of national security and pride. But do we think of North Korea as strong and on the rise because it has a few crude nuclear devices?
The Obama administration has put tremendous pressure on Iran on a variety of fronts — far more pressure than the Bush administration was ever able to muster. This is, in part, because the pressure has been brought to bear, wherever possible, with other countries. The United States does not buy oil from Iran. But European nations, Japan and South Korea do, and if they go along with a new round of sanctions, Iran faces the real prospect of an economic freefall.
The Obama administration seems to have concluded that the Iranian regime is not ready or able to make a strategic reconciliation with the West. The regime is too divided and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the ultimate authority, the Supreme Leader, is too ideologically rigid. So for now Washington wants to build pressure on Iran in the hopes that this will force the regime into serious negotiations at some point.
This strategy is understandable. But it also risks building up pressures that could take a course of their own — with explosive consequences. The price of oil is rising during a global slump only because of these political risks. Without a carefully considered strategy, these risks will grow. Weak countries whose regimes face pressure can sometimes cause more problems than strong nations.
Read more of my thoughts on Iran in my recent column in The Washington Post. For more of my thoughts throughout the week, I invite you to follow me on Facebook and Twitter and to visit the Global Public Square every day.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Lol US make misstakes everywhere in the mideast, letting Al-Qaeda rule Libya, Supporting Israel thus making US hated in the region, Fight a unwinnable war in Afghanistan, Got Kicked out of Iraq, Got its puppet state Egypt wrecked, and now they try to fight a war against an even powerful state thats not in the interest of America just a obvious *PAC.
I don't think you know what you are talking about.
You got that right.
I believe JACK said exactly what is the Truth. We believe it or not will not change the reality on the ground....lol
US is supporting Israel which is an hiddle enamy of not just for Muslim World but infact US itself.want to prove?
See US reputation around the world before siding with Israeal and Middle East INVASION and Now. Watch carefully
Wow, someone should watch "Watch Carefully" very carefully.
So the two professors – Jack and WatchCarefully – prefer US to side with those who wants to destroy the state of Israel, such as Munich terrorists and Hamas for example. Yeah, that would improve the US "reputation" dramatically.
It's also sad that those posters support blatant terrorism and religious extremism, but to each his own.
he don't know jack lol
Yes US should not side with the country which is already known as "Women and Kidds Killer" rather it should take right stand by Palestanian side. which can improve its lost reputation and double standerds, By the way I dont have to convince my fellow writers...... The results are alreay vigilant... for more details look at "Jack" explanations once again ....... Cheers
** See US reputation around the world before siding with Israeal and Middle East INVASION and Now. Watch carefully
Us reputation around the world is fine with our allies.
We dont worry about our reputation with our enemies.
You listen to way too much propaganda.
The reason why Watch Carefully is so into "Jack's" comment is because they're both the same person. Take a close look at the grammar and sentence structures. That should be enough to convince. Nice try though.
No my Friend humanbean, and Dino Droppings. I am not Jack even I don’t know him. But I just noticed his point of view and could not stop myself from adding up my explanations into it.
Yes i am happy that US citizens just care about themself, their reputation with just Israel not with other countries but the not one can rejact the truth which is ......... US Deficit level in Trillions (China help them to keep US from breaking into pieces), Failure in Afghanistan (Even after killing lots of very poor & needy Women and Children), Failure in Iraq(Horrible defeat), Loosing image as very powerful nation (Now getting defeated from very poor nations in the world), facing worst recession / BD Economy (HAD TO CUT OFF ARMY BUGET)
My dear friends, don’t be offended by my explanations , Watch yourself......... Watch Carefully!!!!! Cheers
I agreed
>WatchCarefullyWatchCarefully:
You mix apples with oranges, Israel has nothing to do with Iraq (where the lunatic Bush never had to go, of course). As to Israel, it's sad that you justify suicide bombings as well as killing of women, kids and other civilians.
You for sure lack common sence...Jack is absolutely right
you are correct we must immeiately attack Iran and may be Pakistan, this would ensure safety of Israel and also keep our economy based on military / industrial complex going, other naive Americans are stupid
only catch is to find out were is Iran, I have heard it is next Venezula
RS, What kind of drugs are you doing?
WatchCarefully, why should the United States care about the opinions of a bunch of violent, murderous, hateful, desert-dwelling barbarians?
Even if the west were to give them everything they wanted and sprinkle them with fairy dust and gold doubloons on top of, they'd STILL hate the western world because we're INFIDELS and they're stuck in a 13th century mindset.
To Jack and Watch Watch: there are two things that scare me about you two: 1- you are capable of reproducing.
2- You vote. Both things are potentially rather scary.
@watch carefully, and of course you would call Israel the women and children killers when your buddies are targeting school buses with laser guided missiles and lobbing homemade qassam rockets with no guidance systems into civilian areas. Yea, we really want to side with you. In this part of the world, not everyone is a stupid and brainwashed as you are.
Jack is actually right on the money. You Americans are a joke now. Worry about yourselves and stop trying to pick another fight. Iran will be backed up by Russia and China now
Have DVD's run 24/7 of Kim Kardashian, Snookie & all the other bimbo's on Iranian TV...they'll crack in days.
Why would your opinion matter? I don't see you getting headlines and writing for CNN. What is your pay for the supposed expertise you subject us to?
There's an old joke that illustrates that Arabs tend to believe their own BS. Now, I'm really not trying to stereotype, but WatchCarefully is a classic example of the origination of that stereotype.
Look here, Watch...thousands of women and children did die in both of the US incursions into the Middle East. It's tragic, but that's what happens when your cowardly men hide among their women and children. If US forces had been turned loose to fight the conflict to their utmost abilities (WITHOUT nuclear weapons, I'll add), there would today be no Taliban, no Al Qaeda, or any other terrorist group torturing the very women and children they hide behind. You should hope the day never comes when US forces are allowed to conclude a conflict. Losing the image of being a powerful nation is very different than losing the actual military capabilities that in part make us the most powerful nation. Those capabilities are still there.
May God keep reason in our heads, but I fear that some day the ankle-biters in the Middle East are going to bite one too many times, and then WatchCarefully and all of his pals who are still ideologically stuck in the 7th Century will get the lesson of their lives.
America: a nation of mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging, semi-literate, high fructose corn syrup sucking morbidly obese inbred bullies, telling the rest of the world what to do and how to do it. One day, we'll be stupid enough to pick a fight with someone who can actually fight back. Those 4000+ killed in ten years in Iraq will become 4000 killed in one week. I won't be one of them, but some of you "my-country-right-or-wrong" gawd and country bumpkins will be. One can only hope.
THE best post so far:
Tom
Why would your opinion matter? I don't see you getting headlines and writing for CNN. What is your pay for the supposed expertise you subject us to?
January 9, 2012 at 1:53 pm |
You overestimate our level of value for your, or the rest of the world's opinion. Grossly overestimate it. Fact is, we're going to bankrupt the Iranians, deplete all the other nation's oil reserves meanwhile stockpiling our own, and we have all the nukes that can reach anywhere, anytime. We also control the high ground – information via the internet. In wartime, serious wartime with the US, you'll get to see how we use that against you too. We're here to stay, and we are just getting started.
Can I be the one to point out that everyone is grouping an entire country, sometimes an entire region of the world into one person or one type of behavior? Most ppl in Iran don't even like the regime. Just because the person in charge of their country is a lunatic, it doesn't make all of the people that live there crazy. I for one would be happy to not be responsible for every decision our government makes. The same goes for other cultures. We have crazies inside the US just like every other country. A good example being that kid arrested in Tampa for trying to bomb several places. Born and raised in the US. And what about Skinheads??? Stop being so high and mighty and accept that each country is filled with individuals.
I think you need to educate yourself, or change your name to Nonsense. On top of everything that Jack pointed
out, our use of depleted uranium in our weapons has caused health issues in the area. I think both the US government and the Israel government are out of control. We need to show more respect for our men and women in uniform by
using them only to defend our country and not send them to fight 'dumb wars'.
Wacky post.
Total fantasy.
Was that Apple Jack bootleg ?
Spot-on Fareed. The US doesnt need to fight other countries' wars. We can find all sorts of reasons to attack many many countries in the world but I am sure the opposite i strue-r. All wars in the ME have benefited one country and one country only. That country is NOT THE USA. Why????????????????? HOW COME? Those who say that inerests of the US and Isreal is one and the same, hate America, we know that now. Those who brain washed the American public into belieaving this myth will not let go by themselves. Unless if they are exposed in ways that does accept doubt or welcome questions. They have so much power and influence and they are gifted. Being gifted and having money is ok, of course, but when you combine that with intentions of USING the USA to kill millions of innnocent people, the whole is in danger and at the end, no one will benefit from this. What the american gov. is doing, by de-escalating with Iran, reducing the mil. budget and doing away with the war propaganda is reponsable, reasonable and just plain smart. We don't need wars we need to spread peace and focus on the American and world economies. Instead of the US becoming the wold dog of "I", the US can use its influence to help the people of the ME to live in peace. It really can. But the US has to get out of its own misery of being used for a long time and being "tricked". When the US wakes up, to this fact, the world will becoming even a better place. God Bless the United States of America. Long leave peace; long live every SMALL step towards peace.
>TCClark:
It's good that you know the word "brainwashed" because you know your sorry condition then.
must be comforting to live in a fantasy world....
Lala land post.
haaaa, fantasyland
being a muslim,fareed is trying very hard to prove his americanism.when everone sees american economy as bad,fareed sees it as good.now he sees 70-million people,oil rich country as an easy pray.btw,read asia news or russian pravda,there are some interesting news that american media skips,like american soldiers being sent to israel.
Do these Russian news sites have English translations? I'm tired of this American bias I have to read. I want unbiased news and CNN is the last place to find what I'm looking for. Currently, I'm reading CNN/Fox/AlJazeera/BBC, but they all have biases. It's total BS.
The US sends military missions to many nations.....Iran needs to be taken at its word. Its word demands that the West continue to tighten the noose until this rogue nation cries "uncle". Anything less would be tantamount to Chamberlain's appeasement of the Hitler regime.
The US military has been in Israel for decades. I spent a year in Tel Aviv in 1969. So what else do these soviet publications tell you?
John Geheran...........Just a note on Neville Chamberlain, he was well aware at Munich, that Britain was not ready yet to challenge Germany alone and was playing for time. He was also well aware that he could not count on US support. To wit, WWl started in 1914, yet the US declined to get involved until 1917. The same was true to a lesser extent in WWII which started on September 1, 1939. The US sat it out until December 7, 1941.
to rs:they do.irna.com has news in english.after you enter pravda.com,type russian news,it will give you an option in english.there was an interesting comment by russian leading general stating that russia will not allow west to attack iran.american news are just brainwashing for rednecks.i think it is going to be all-out fight middle east against bullies/real axes of evil:usa/uk/israel.
Just was wondering how you can have an access to CNN when it's blocked in Iran!?
Will not allow the west to attack Iran?
If NATO decides to attack Iran, mark my words, Russia will not get involved. They are not going to risk open conflict with the combined forces of the west for the sake of little old Iran. They are well aware that they lack the ability, technology, manpower, or hardware to engage in a wide ranging global conflict.
Even with the combined forces of a Russian-Chinese alliance, it would be a losing proposition for them, costly in lives, money, infrastructure, and global standing, and not the least of which because they both lack the ability to effectively project military power outside of their immediate region. It would, in essence, be a suicidal move, like drawing an unloaded gun.
So, really, this doomsday scenario wherein Russia and/or China starts World War 3 over Iran's sorry butt is just farcical at best.
Aga, Fareed's view is based on honest and objective analysis. We Americans are very lucky to have a such a journalist around us
@RS. The idea that Russian news sources would be unbiased has given me the best laugh of the short new year.
My cousin has trained Israeli pilots.
He has been to Israel 4 times in the last 10 years.
You see boogie men hiding behind your sofa.
Ha ha! Bigboard, I was thinking the same thing.
russia/china also said that they will not allow US to attack Afghanistan. then they said they wont allow US to attack Iraq.
Then libya. Look what happened. what moronic conspiracy theorist muslims like you dont see is that US doesnt care for what China or Russia or any other country says. it does what it has to.
The "oil rich" country rations oil to its own people. did you know that?
Fareed Zakaria is not a Muslim but an atheist. Besides, you can't dismiss the legitimacy of his arguments solely on the grounds of his religious bias. So now that we know his views do not flow from religious bias, may I assume you agree Fareed is right?
AK do you want unbiased news. Than go to rt.com or presstv.ir ... Cnn/LaJazeera,Fox,and BBc are controlled by Israel. They are all propanganda.
RS do you want unbiased news. Than go to rt.com or presstv.ir ... Cnn/LaJazeera,Fox,and BBc are controlled by Israel. They are all propanganda.
Unbiased Russian news? Haven't there been protests in Russian streets about biased election results? The Russian media cut out part of a televised MMA event when the crowd booed at Putin. Sounds incredibly unbiased (sarcasm).
Breaking News Story: All media has bias! Farreed is bias here as well. He compares the Iranians having nuclear capabilities to North Korea because he has a natural bias for the area his ancestors are from. There are just crazy people in charge of North Korea vs. religious fanatics in Iran. The crazies in N Korea want power and to stay in power (less likely to give a dirty bomb to terrorists); religious fanatics that think they go to heaven committing suicide should not be allowed to harness the power of the atom.
On your second point, of course the US sends in military forces to Isreal, they send them here as well. Logistical support and training between allies is a common military practice for all nations. The day the US sends a whole Division to Isreal be worried. Personally, I don't think military action or sanctions are necessary at this point. Sanctions only harden the populations' negative opinions of the countries that are sanctioning them, for it is the poor masses that suffer not those with the power. Greater education, economic power and government tranparency are the only thing that can truly "free" people.
Yea, trust the Russian news sources, You just revealed your true intelligence. And so what, we are friends with Israel. We can do whatever we want to with them.
Mr. Zakaria you must watch press tv or access internet you will get the real picture....9/11 attckers were from Saudi Arabia why the world is silent..who promote Taliban..We can get all information from internet its not easy to hide info anymore....
Regards
Oh yes!! I for one believe everything on the internet is pure truth :-/ Not!!
Naive
Some of the 9/11 "attackers" actually wound up being alive and well after the attacks. Don't believe all the propaganda you read.
Don't be so quick to judge. The Internet is a worldwide collection of all kinds of information. Unless you're totally stupid, it's not hard to differentiate credible sources from crappy ones. Besides, it's common knowledge that the 9/11 terrorists were Saudi Arabian.
Fareed Zakaria make no sense.. Hi political view to please his bosses
"""Some of the 9/11 "attackers" actually wound up being alive and well after the attacks. Don't believe all the propaganda you read."""
Oh, the irony of this statement. I agree with your 2nd sentence but leery of your first.
Have you seen video of any of these purported 9/11 attack survivors? Any evidence at all? I've heard this rumor too but have seen NO proof that it is true. If you have evidence to the contrary let us know.
The 9/11 attackers were actually Nigerians who were angry because nobody replies to their emails. ;p
Iran has been the objective since the beginning. Before we attacked Iraq, WMD's major threat to the us? afganistan? major threat there. Have we forgot that the terrorist of 9/11 were saudi's the ones we just sold f-15's to. the country with a non democratic government.
If you don't want to believe alqaeda was used in Lybia, look it up we supported a known terrorist to lead the resistance against kadaffi. We have bigger ambitions in the middle east, we just need to brain wash the public into supporting our war machine.
Iran a threat to the U.S. is a joke!
Obama is sympathetic to Muslim extremists. He wanted Egypt and Libya over thrown so more extreme Muslim's would take it over. Obama is making the region more hostile towards Israel because he is an extremist.
@galespoint, it's not a joke. Iran could be a threat, not because it's strong, but because it's not longer vulnerable and can afford to be aggressive without much to lose. Fareed is right when he said, that "weak countries whose regimes face pressure can sometimes cause more problems than strong nations".
Iran a threat to Israel is also a Joke. Iran has nothing against Jews there are nearly 20000 Jews living in Iran and they even have parliament representation. It has the largest number of Jews than any Middle east country. Even if Iran has nuclear weapons were are they going to use it? In Israel and wipe out even the Palestinians ? The western media played on and twisted the quote of Mr. Ahmadinejad of wipe Israel out of the map when in the speech there was no word as MAP was used. It seems common sense is not so common to understand the real facts!!!
The US cannot fight one war nevermind two. I suggest that we get rid of teh military and instead hire teh Taliban. These guys are great. They can beat the USA with just a rifel while we eqquiped our soldiers with all the high tech. The Taliban should teach Americans not our useless Generals.
Good point. I often wonder about the same. Why are the Talibans doing so much with so little and we are just the opposite?
The American can most certainly fight, and win a war. It isn't worth doing now because of being overly concerned with collateral damage. One day our enemies will push us far enough that we no longer care.
The U.S. would have ended the Taliban and Al Qaeda years ago if the military wasn't trying to save innocent lives. The U.S. is the reason cities have not be leveled all across the Middle East. Our troops are handicapped by the fact that the United States cares about saving lives. We punish our own soldiers for making mistakes like killing a civilian, while Muslims don't care how many people die.
Put down the gun, before you hurt yourself.
Hank, it's the home court advantage.
Hey Hank, it's called home field advantage involving some of the roughest terrain in the world, and your enemy doesn't know who they're fighting because everyone looks the same, just like it was in Vietnam. Please do some brain exercises.
are you kidding me? This war could be completely over if the U.S. would commit to the end of the Taliban. When the country you liberated is "negotiating" with the enemy, It's rather hard to make progress. On top of that the Taliban are playing between national lines of afghanistan and pakistan. Winning the hearts and minds has never worked in guirella warfare not in Vietnam, Korea, or afghanistan. When the U.S. fights conventional warfare they win. My simple thought is this, help the people who help you. Kill the people who fight you. I'm tired of this we have to help countries/people who we defeat in combat. No "The spoils of war go to the victor" Just because you fought, and lost doesn't mean you get to negotiate your terms. You pray for the mercy of the victor. On top of that, any country that supports a local terrorist/militia group such as Iran should be considered as guilty as the terrorist group.
lol
The U.S. can steamroll the entire middle east; exterminate everything that moves, flatten all standing structures, and generally make the land unihabitable for any life. The only reason that has not happened is because it is just wrong on every level of human sanity. Make no mistake, we are the ones who hold ourselves back, and that leaves us open to things that would never happen if we did not care about life in general.
Iran is playing a game of democraty.they are sending pigeon on the air and everyone wants to catch it,it is well plan from them.
imagine if the blocked as they said they would do the canal,,,what do you think other country would do?did you heard from them some reactions,no.USA react but i did not heard from Quatar,or the others!!!
USA must always be the champion of truth!
And the Russian news,did you know that MOST of the informations there is state control.
i prefer listening at different of our info sources then listening at the russian.
Farreed contunue your great point of opinions.
Gervais
!
the US doesn't care about libya (why we let NATO take care of it), the US pressured the old egyptian regime into leaving power (or else the protests would've been crushed), we have dealings with many middle eastern countries in spite of our relationship with israel (we did just complete a multi billion dollar transaction with saudi arabia for fighter jets), the situation on the ground in afghanistan is pretty light (many deployments to afghanistan have been totally stopped and rerouted elsewhere in the world) we left iraq based on an old agreement (signed shortly before obama took office) and iran threatening us? FFS im more worried about north koreas army over iran's, remember they actually have nuclear weapons, iran just has a bunch of crazy generals and some missles, big deal
jack you are so full of ITSH
It not the 'US'-it's called 'Congress'.
Any embargo pushes a nation united together towards its leadership with a radical agenda. Same for China in 1950'and 60'. Any oil embargo also put the global economy 5-10% decline and oil prices go up another 30%. Iran is not as strong as Pentagon says. China is not US enemy. Why did you hear your enemy loan you money?
They don't "loan" the US money. They're investments. Huge difference.
biggest mistake of america is opposing the mighty hezbollah
there will not be peace in the world until the jews are dealt with properly... america will do well to understand this
You just made me laugh. That was the most amusing thing I've read all day. You're a funny troll.
It certainly doesn't sound like peace you're advocating, Adabadi.
Mr. "Hot_for_Islam BadBaddy"
Nowhere has the US declared a conflict with Hezbollah. What you talking about ?
Really? Did you actually just call Hezbollah mighty? This is the same terrorist organization whose leader hides in a bunker because he's terrifired of getting clipped by Israel. Hezbollah should consider itself lucky that the U.S hasn't waged war on them...wait, isn't that what Israel is for???
Did he say "mighty hezbollah" ?
That is the freaking funniest thing i have ever heard.
After that last confrontation, Israel learned a valuable lesson.
Next rocket from Hezbollah, and southern Lebanon will be erased from the map.
islam is religion of peace. only when evils of international zionism and western imperialist arrogance are erased from pages of time will true peace be possible in world. this is mission of great iranian nation and her allies.
What a nutjjob. ISLAM will be a religion of peace when anyone that disagrees with its tenets have been killed. That is similar to the mantra of every madman the world has ever known...
No .. sorry, but Jack is dead on! Some of us pay attention.
China is helping Iran and Obama is a fool to think attacking Iran will be easy.
Obama isn't thinking of attacking Iran. Obama and the USA are willing to take action if Iran blocks the strait or takes offensive action against the US. China isn't dumb enough to get militarily involved in a situation like this, they need middle east oil too.
Mistake or not, I live in California and I love it. I have a good life, I sleep in and I make tons of money and I have my beautiful country to thank for that. God Bless the United States
Got room for 1 more?
yes jack the usa has made mistakes but this is no time to ignor the facts, iran has repeatly stated , death to the jews and the usa. iran has aided terrorist and the murders of usa military personal in iraq and afghanistan. this is the M O of iran leadership. just the facts , period.
Jack you don't know Jack.
watch carefully jack off
Gee. You would think some of these places might take some responsibility for themselves. The USA did all that? All by themselves? I find that just a little difficult to swallow.
Jack, no one knows what your talking about?????
i dont think you understand why there is much hatred for Israel in the middle east.....Israel expelled 750,000 palestinians out of what is today called Israel so that it would be a jewish majority state....those 750,000 have become 4 million and they live in horrible conditions in refugee camps waiting to return home....the Israeli occupation of Gaza, the west bank, and the Golan Heights in Syria have also contributed tot the hatred because they oppress the the native people of these lands and they also build settlements for Jews only....Israels unfair treatment of the Palestinian people is a driving force because when you have someone like the US who says we have an unbreakable bond with Israel that means in other terms sorry Palestinian your out of luck because we dont give a crap about you....in 2002 every Arab state said they would normalize relations with Israel if they allow the creation of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders and allow all the Palestinians who Israel expelled to return to their homes....Israel said No....Israel is the main one standing in the way of peace because they always choose expansion over security
Israel did not expel 750,00 Palestinians as you profess. The Arab leaders ordered the Palestinians to leave to facilitate their invasion of Israel and the extermination of the Jews. The Jewish leaders at the time begged the Palestinians to stay and help defend Israel. The Palestinians chose to go on the promise from the Arab invaders that the Jewish property would be given to them once the slaughter was over. The Jews warned them that if they betrayed them to their enemy then they would never be welcomed back. They left, Israel won, and the Palestinians who left have not been welcomed back, the Palestinians who stayed became citizens of Israel. That is the true history.
You also failed to mention the 800,000 Jews expelled from Arab countries in 1948 who had all of their property taken from them.
simply untrue and a load of crap. keep teaching your children this revisionism history and hatred and that killing is good and that murderers by suicide and homicide bombing are "martyrs" and you will be singing the palestinian mantra forever: "woe is me, woe is me, everyone but us is responsible for our misery". cant you see after 70 years that the mantra is actually, "woe is me, woe is me, we are our own worst enemy". keep sending rockets and crying, :"woe is me, woe is me we send one rocket and they send back three". even now, a recent poll showed 6 of 10 palestinians oppose a 2 state solution and still want to push the jews into the sea even though its not going to happen
"expel", you mean the ones that left with a promise by the arab attackers that expected to win that they would get not only their property back but also the property of the Jews they expected to push into the sea? what about the ones who stayed and became citizens with their own party in the israel parliament. your lies are old and tired and are the reason that 70 years after the fact, so many palestinians have been unable to get out of their refugee camps waiting to return to the lands they relinquished. The world hates a whiner
Moebar is trying to re-write history.
FAIL.
You had been offered a state in 1948 but you refused.
You didnt want to share the sandbox, you wanted the whole box.
Its too late to cry.
Man up, and make peace, or shut up.
How conveniently you decide to start at a point in history that seemingly supports your hateful position. Why not go back into history farther and find out that the ancestors of today's Israel were on the lands long before Arabs. Your convenient approach has another name: propaganda.
Sad but true. Our bond with Israel makes us look more bad then anything. Not saying we shouldn't involve ourself with Israel anymore but we should judge them as we judge other countries.
funny, what else you got?
The US has made some mistakes, but support for Israel isn't one of them. Islamist hate America regardless of our standing with Israel and it only makes sense to support a nation that is so much like our own. Sense when should we let their petty and misguided hate for Jews dictate our foreign policy? They hate women and oppress them, does that mean hat we had better abandon women's rights and treat them like they do so that we can avoid their anger? Get a back bone.
Nonsense. Israel was created on the bones and bodies of the Palestinians. You can believe the non-sense propaganda (land with no people for people with no land), or you can read the historical records written by the early israeli leaders who admitted that the land was taken away from the Palestinians by force and that much of that land was ethnically cleansed. The Islamist extremist use Palestine as an excuse, but that in way justifies what the israeli did and certainly does not justify our support for an occupying state ( a religious state mind you – if Israel has the right to declare a certain interpretation of a holly book and act on it, then maybe others have the same right! is that what we want ???)
Jack is absolutely correct. Iraq was a disaster caused by "he tried to kill daddy, mama" and the idiotic US penchant for instant gratification. Iraq is a society that has been around since the US was nothing more than an outhouse for mammoths. The US has changed absolutely nothing about Iraq and they know it. It was nothing more than an exercise in the futile deaths of thousands of young men and women. Now the US thinks they can do the same with Iran. Talk about stupidity squared. The US nor Israel nor Europe has a single iota of rights to tell Iran whether or not they can have a nuclear program, even more so considering that Israel is not a signatory to the NPT and does NOT allow -any- of the inspections that we think we can demand from Iran. Most people in the US also DO NOT TRUST Israel, period. The country has become a terrorist sponsoring nation, with a gaggle of cowards they call the IDF that kill hundreds of children, toddlers and babies at a time with completely impunity - crimes what would get US soldiers a long stay at Leavenworth, if they were allowed to live. When you measure countries with different rulers, you pay the consequences. NONE of the actions taken against Iran will bear fruit. Libya is a perfect example of that. So is Iraq, so is Pakistan.
actually most of the people in the US trust Israel and harebor gerat mistrust for anything said by people like you who exaggerate and prevaricate in the name of Islam. Its you and your clients that bomb school buses, send rockets into civilian areas, kill athletes, sneak into private homes and kill innocents including recently a 3 month old baby and then cry like infants when israel retaliates . keep lying to yourself and your children that you are the victims and you will never get out of the rut you have dug for yourself after attacking Israel in 1948, 1967 and 1973. Keep teaching hatred and that suicide/homicide bombers are "martyrs" instead of murderers and keep singing the palestinian mantra: "woe is me, woe is me, we are our own worst enemy"
In principle, however, nothing in international law or in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty forbids the enrichment of uranium. Besides Iran, several other countries, parties or not to the treaty, enrich uranium without being accused of "threatening the peace." And in Iran, this activity is submitted to inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency. These inspections, it is true, are constrained by a safeguards agreement dating from the 1970s. But it is also true that the IAEA has never uncovered in Iran any attempted diversion of nuclear material to military use.
Iran is to be independent in producing peacefull nuclear-energy-full-cycles ACCORDING TO NPT since the sanctions ban it from buying them on foreign markets. It is the purpose. Other things are TOTALLY nonsenses/BOGUS/DEFAMATION such as wipe israel off the map, wikileaks, Saudi murder plots etc LIKE IRAQ WITH WMD.
Wikileaks, Saudi Ambassador murder plot, negative IAEA report against Iran, ARE THESE ALL REALLY TRUTHFUL ? US AND ITS ALLIES HAVE NEVER PROVED THEM BUT AT LEAST USED THEM AS JUSTIFICATIONS TO INITIATED SOME ACTIONS IN THE UN SUCH AS SANCTIONS.IT IS A IRAQ WAR WITH FAKE WMD LITTERALY. THIS ACTIONS ARE COMPARABLE TO THE COMMON SITUATIONS WHERE A MUSLIM WORKING IN AN AMERICAN COMPANY IN THE US ALWAYS GETS ACCUSED OF SOMETING HE OR SHE DOESN'T DO, ONLY IN ORDER TO GET HIM FIRED FROM THE JOB WITH CAUSE. THAT IS ISLAMAPHOBIA.(IN ISLAMAPHOBIA, THERE IS NO DIFERENCE BETWEEN SHIA AND SUNNI)
Let Iran be the pioneer of peaceful nucler energy industry in the Muslim world, since there ain't any in the Muslim world yet.
A military attack will give the Iranians the best excuse to pursue the nuclear race and quit from NPT. Khamenei will say 'I was attacked by a country with nuclear capabilities; my nuclear programme was peaceful, but I must protect my country now using nukes LIKE THEM.'
UN CHARTER VII ARTICLE 51:
Provides for the right of countries to engage in military action in self-defense, including collective self-defense (i.e. under an alliance) FOR IRAN TO NONSTOP FIGHT FOR ITS RIGHTS AND FREEDOM, LIBERTY. IRAN IS A LAND OF THE BRAVES.
Let me whittle that mess down to a nut shell.
If Iran has nothing to hide, just open it up to inspection.
Its that simple.
But they refuse.
I wouldnt trust them either.
IRAN funds and supplies a "Proxy War" against Israel using Syria to arm Hezbollah and Hamas – under you're logic AND the UN charter you quoted Israel would be legally within its rights to attack Iran in "self defense" and you should therefore support Israel...
And now we're playing chicken with a nuclear power in the middle of the world's oil fields. It's the height of irresponsibility. And what do we want to achieve? To keep a nuclear power from becoming a nuclear power, or just to keep our war factories running and justify milking the American taxpayer to the tune of 1.2 trillion a year?
A "nuclear power?" Ha ha! Just one more in a long line of hilarious comments made on this board.
Well said, Jack. Thank you.
Thanks Dogamus, looks like you are really inspired by my thinking.....
Yes US should not side with the country which is already known as "Women and Kidds Killer" rather it should take right stand by Palestanian side. which can improve its lost reputation and double standerds, By the way I dont have to convince my fellow writers...... The results are alreay vigilant... for more details look at "Jack" explanations once again ....... Cheers
Grog can tell that you write for Hamas.
Lousy newspaper.
Too many lies.
Bad Hamas.
palestinians blow up school buses, kill unarmed innocent olympic athletes, send rockets daily into civilian areas and as recently as 2011 snuck into a rabbis home, murdered him and his wife and 3 small children, including a 3 month old baby and have the nerve to call Israelis killers of women and children. Arabs attacked israel in 1948, 1967 and 1973 and lost and complain that Israel is built on the bones of the arabs/palestinians. who put their bones out there? dont put your bones out there and maybe you will keep them. stop the whining and start talking about peace instead of returning to all the land you relinquished or lost. nobody likes a whiny loser crying "woe is me, woe is me, everyone but us is responsible for our misery." God, you're pathetic.
JACK/watch carefully: lol
It seems to me the best way that the world community can ensure the proper conditions exist for another fanatical and ultra-nationalist regime to perpetrate a holocaust is to force the Iranian economy into chaos as a result of its collective fear, ignorance, and immorality.
Thankyou for this article Fareed – on the CNN's predominantly anti-Iran propaganda coverage you wrote a piece with reason. With your interview with Ahmadinejad what do you think the real chances are that he is not trying to create nuclear weapons?
Iran already has nuclear weapons, and Israel well knows this. That's why they're preparing to shut down their weapons reactor in the underground complex at Dimona, which only a nuke could take out. Why Israel would want to start a war with Iran is mysterious. They know that tens of thousands of missiles will rain down on them, and a few will have nukes. It could well mark the end for Israel.
*** They know that tens of thousands of missiles will rain down on them, and a few will have nukes. It could well mark the end for Israel.
Wont happen.
Some of the most advanced weapons on this planet are in there.
And by chance a few do get in,
Whoever is launching them will be crushed.
Israel has many allies and Iran has no way of launching those nukes.
It sounds like you want this to happen.
The relationships between nations in public,
are much different behind closed doors.
Fallout from a nuclear device would not only affect Isreal, but cause
complete mayhem for Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Kuwait,
Oman, Yemen, Iraq, Bahrain, and Iran.
Not just the humanitarian disaster of refugees,
But the collapse of global economies from oil, trade, and banking.
You dont think for one minute that all of this has not been discussed,
and every measure taken to make sure it wont happen ?
You still think, as many others do, about nation states, and borders.
There are others in power that think of this as one planet,
and will do what needs to be done for the planet.
Any nation that threatens that order, will be removed.
JDavis – Kind of like the missiles Saddam reigned down on Israel during the first Gulf War, not one being a WMD. How many people even died from Saddam's missile attacks?
It's hilarious and pathetic to read many of the comments on here, people have no idea. Iran is this rogue state huh? How about the country that is invading and slaughters thousands in the name of "freedom", as if the oxymoron name given to our crusade (The War on Terror) isn't blatantly obvious. Similar to the prestige of the Patriot Act. How would we feel if a foreign regime invaded & took over Canada along with Mexico, how would we react? Just replace Iran with Iraq and this could all take us back to 2003 and the rush to war by the Neo-cons with wave after wave of propoganda. As far as Iran even being a threat, Iran was engaged in a border war with the Pakistanis and the Taliban before we invaded Afghanistan. They were fighting against the people we are currently fighting!!!!!! And if you don't know it by now, then yes, news flash, Pakistan is our enemy. Furthermore, Pakistan has nuclear weapons.... as do India and Israel. All these countries can take care of themselves. Israel is more than self sufficient, they don't need my taxes and I'm tired of seeing them wasted over there.
So why are we threatening Iran? I wonder just how much the Saudis have to do with this, how much the Saudis have invested in the oil fields in Iraq and soon to be Iran. The Saudis, our true enemies, 16 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis. And then the Pakis, also obviously enemies... and guess what, we have sold billions in weapons to both these countries. Just read about what has been happening with the smear campaign against Dakota Meyer and defense contractor. The guy watch his buddies slain by Paki insurgents....
And while you morons quibble about Iran, our own country is slowly but surely stripping you, me, of our liberties under the false flag of patriotism and safety. Patriot Act vs. Hitler's Enabling Act and now this latest masterpeice passed by Obama's Administration. The election of Bush in 2000 marked the beginning of the end of our Republic, Obama continues that path... don't be so naive as to suggest the GOP and Dems are two different parties, you will simply demonstrate you lack of understanding of what is truly happening to our great country. Enjoy 4 more years of Obama.
cannot agree more
Yes Jack, you are absolutely right. Those hired "expert" void of common sense are just misguiding the US foreign policy. And time will show us the truth as it did in Iraq. Zakaria has no common sense and his statement of a weak and weaker Iran is nothing but a weak and false statement to make believe that our foreign policy of sanctions is working. This guy (Zakaria) is nothing but a pure propagandist for the Zionist lobby and media (like CNN), he does not provide any strong facts to support his allegations or opinions.
This guy "Adam" "jack" or any other friggin name he uses
is/are paid and official propagandist of Countries such as Iran and Venezuela.
They actually do hire such people unlike US government. US government's word has enough go still, that we dont have to hire salespeople in the media. Media people just do it cuz they know whats up if they dont! and its called FREEDOM OF SPEECH. any idiot can come and say what he wants about whatever. right now i betcha there is a website and channel with millions of viewers thats voicing the exact opposite of opinion.
At least in a free, western, american society, when one MAKES UP stories it is easy to spot, the dude wont become a friggin national star, a friggin head of state or near that position, with a FAKE phd from OXFORD!
Zakaria is an opinion guy, of course he's influenced from the back by some1. for god's sake this is cnn. just like any big political name out there, they obviously have their own inclinations to certain groups and theories.
How far up Jacks butt is Adam nose ?
Adam have big crush on Jack.
OOooohh, Puppy luv.
Maybe Jack and Adam get room ?
Jack dress up like Nazi Germany,
Adam dress up like Poland,
Jack can invade Adam....ha ha ha
Grog make funny.
QUIT LYING !
U R NOT "JACK"!
Well said Jordan!
Jack, i warned you about taking the brown acid.
You didnt listen.
Too bad.
waw!! I guess Al-quida is everywhere write??? Wrong, Al quida is an invented name that everyone uses to brand people as anamies and take away thier humanity. If there was al-qida. It was a small number of people in Afganistan. It might have been able to send a couple of people outside Afganistand but that is it that is the limit of alqida. It only exists in your head and some politicians heads.
Iam an Arab, but also an american, been back to Arab world many times, wont talk about the Israeli Palestinian conflict cause the brain washing is way more powerful in the media then my reasoning...but i would like to tell u that if a sane person would be forced to choose between Iran and saudia arabia as a friend...Iran is definitely closer by a mile....that is if we really care about what we preach for...Freedom, women in saudia cant even drive...no churches allowed freely but in iran...churches synagogue are there...
ok amin , the people of iran have not said that they want death to jews and the usa, but the leader of iran has. and iran has aided terror and the murder of usa military personal in iraq and afghanistan. we must take out the nukes and any and all threats from iran because the leadership sponsers terrorist and if iran gets nukes terrorist will have nukes.
Iran is no more free than Saudi Arabia. They can't even claim to be a democracy anymore since the last election was obviously a sham and the president isn't even the power behind the country anyway. Re: the Israeli/Palestinian conflict you are right, brainwashing overpowers reason on this issue, but the brainwashing is here in the Arab world where more than 99% of the population believes that Jews are evil monsters and that it is their religious duty to take Al Quds back from the infidels. There's no reasoning with that mentality.
Ahmad, it wouldnt matter if we wanted a friend like Iran. Iran is not interested in friendship with the US. They have had an anti US agenda ever since the ouster of the Shah.
Funny that Newt can "compared the Iranian challenge to the rise of Hitler’s Germany" when he fully supported and continues to support the Patriot Act. Now if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black, well, definitely not the first time for good ol' Newt.....
Whats obvious, is that your delusional and misinformed!
Jack is a moron.
Wow, that's a lot of spin for one short comment.
Has Fareed Zakaria ever been in Iran?
Yes, Fareed Zakaria has been to Iran. He recently (within past two months) did one of his Sunday mornng shows that featured Iran. The man knows whereof he speaks. And he makes a lot more sense than some of the morons who feel to demonstrate to the world that they are brain dead.
The US left Iraq because they wanted to, they had nothing to do with the fall of Mubarak, they enabled revolutionaries in Libya but that has nothing to do with Al Qaeda, they already won the war in Afghanistan a very long time ago (Taleban was ousted, bin Laden was killed, that was the mission. What we have now is an occupation, not a war), and finally support of Israel is the morally right thing to do and in the interest of all free people around the world. Nobody is trying to fight a war against Iran. Iran is the one instigating. Common Sense is right.
I agree with Jack 100%. I think no one can solve our internal and foreign problems but Ron Paul
I can't say better
anybody who does not want to adopt american democracy
hand over their natural resources to american corporations
is a drug kingpin like chavez
or terrorist like ahmemdinajad
was zakaria describing the US economy
I'm not from America but I know they have more power than Iran. If you actually take the time to look at the records you'll see that the US wins the majority.
@ Watch Carefully:
I'll consider what you have to say when you can say it in a proper sentence in English.
Thank you for a perfect example of what somone believes when they completely lack in education or any real understanding of anything going on in the world.
Jack you are an outstanding Moron
What happens in Iran is in the interests of the USA. 40% of the worlds oil passes through the Straight of Hormuz. Closure of the straight will cause a temporary jump in oil prices that could derail the recovery in western economies and in particular our own which is why the Iranians have to be sent the message that the Straight of Hormuz should not be messed with.
It will impact you too as the price of gas for that crappy car you are about to drive to your shift at McDonalds will also go up making even a life as ignorant as yours more difficult.
Jack you are OFF.
I hope to the core of my sole that a traitorious idiot such as you doesn't live in the U.S. This country is too good for the likes of you.
Jack. You don't know Jack. Go back to school and do some more studying.
They hate us because we are free, and not converts to Islam.
They hate Israel for the same reason.
They hate everyone, even their own people. There's plenty of evidence for that.
So, nothing we do can change that. We should not lift one finger for Iran. Even to rescue sailors.
Step away from the crack pipe and go find a fact.
I just love all these foreign astroturfers trying to "comment" on politics here. How much is Iran paying you clowns? Your syntax, spelling, and tone give you away EVERY time!
Jack and watchcarefully and watchcarefullywatchcarefully how is the gay love triangle thing working out for you 3, or 2 or how ever many you pretend to be? Not easy being the sons of hores huh? Didn't have much schooling either I suppose. Your mommies and daddies were brothers and sisters first and that explains a lot. Iran is doomed and so are you 3 Cupcakes. So move there before we destroy them, please?
you are not correct we must immeiately attack Iran and may be Pakistan, this would ensure safety of Israel and also keep our economy based on military / industrial complex going, other naive Americans are stupid
only catch is to find out were is Iran, I have heard it is next Venezula or may be Cuba
Jack, What planet do you live on? You are worse than the GOP candidates making up things because they have no credibility to go up against Obama on foreign policy.
Too much propangada from you. US is more afraid of Somalian pirates than Iranian Navy in the strait. Tell your Iranian employer to learn that nuclear power is old technology since WWII so don't tell us you are developing old technology for your energy needs. Raise more camels with your reasoning for transportations.
JACK, i couldn't agree more.
Jack,
Your view of the situation indicates your lack of knowledge and understanding of the United States' position of a free global economy for all. No country could want freedom for all more than the United States, proven by our long standing commitments worldwide for the good of ALL people. We allow foreign auto makers to mass produce great vehicles in our country, much to the detriment of our economy, because it is fair and just. We despise the lack of human rights in any country and fight to free all peoples from unacceptable tortures and lack of freedom. We truly care about ourselves and all peoples and get very little respect from many people like yourself. You truly do not know what America has done for the world and continues to do today. We as a people care unilaterally about a peaceful world and people like you fan the flames of chaos and laugh as we experience financial issues and spill blood for a worthy global cause. Do not under estimate the power of good fighting evil. This is what we do and will continue until the job is complete. Have a good day!
exactly
LOL. That is the most ridiculous post I've yet to read this month. Not only is it fragmented conceptually but literally amounts to gibberish. Jack, don't give up your day job. Up the King's English.
I think for once, the proper and smarter approach is being done... Obama is hitting this nail on the head... Brain over Brawn... Always! this way everyone wins, nobody comes home in a box, and our children/ children's children will actually have a planet to live on.
I also think the media has to stop bloating this escalation more than it is.. The biggest threat since the rise of hilter? are you serious? Iran would not be able to front a war... they do not have nearly the strong enough economy to wage such a war. The US has advanced long range/ air superiority capabilities... They could technically tomahawk the **** out of the country and sit tight, Iran wouldn't be able to invade anything. Not to mention Israel is probably salivating at the idea to pounce.
USA should blow the middle east off the map. Then we'll see who made a misstake.
Hello Iran lovers. Ever hear of Lockheed Martin. If the U.S. desires to remove your nuke program no matter how far underground, it's gone. Period.
Iran has one (1) decent export, Oil. Once that commodity is further diminished, you have nothing worth trading. Wake up, dump your neanderthal religious fools. Invest your average Iranian brain trust to build something that can be exported besides oil. Otherwise, be quiet and fall in line with other decent people in the world.
Lastly, get your butts out of the U.S. If you live here and write BS like I see posted on this CNN blog.
Have a nice day.
Dr. Spot.
If this breaks out into a shooting war the US would destroy Iran. But we cannot stop the Iranians from destroying the Saudi oil fields. Since the US will not put boots on the ground in Iran, we will not be able to over throw its government. The Iranian government stays in power and the US looses its largest oil supplier. I'm not seeing where this benefits the US.
When the missles start flying you can count on the US Navy losing somes ships, possibly an aircraft carrier. This will be Irans victory. History shows that once the war starts people rally around the flag. This will happen in Iran, and The Mullahs and there supporters will be deeper entrenched. The Iranian nuclear sites are dug in and underground making it near impossible to take them all out. We start bombing there goes the oil fields.
The only way we deal with Iran is through sanctions. We let the Iranian people decide the course of there government and if it stays. Eventually all tyrannical governments fall.
we don't get oil from Iran
Reading a lot of articles on Fox News huh?
The US is still just as strong as ever. Only someone from the Middle East would think otherwise. As for our reputation, I believe most Americans care greatly about our reputation, and most Americans are just fine with where we are in the world. The countries that "hate" us? Let's examine, Jack, I mean WatchCarefully, let's examine: Iraq, North Korea, Venezuela, Iran is probably 75 hate/25 don't hate. So really, it's just the lunatic nations that hate us.
Israel is not your problem, Jack. Neither is the United States of America. The UN isn't your problem. The Monarchies that are falling all over the middle east is not your problem. Your problem? It's the lunatics in your religion, that kill innocents in it's name, THAT is your problem.
Seems to me that you better take care of that first.
CNN doesn't do article saying, "US getting weaker and weaker" but is after Iran full-time.
Farid Zakaria, I get confused listening to you every time! are you saying we should apply pressure on Iran or we should avoid it? One minute you are criticizing the regime in Iran, and next minute you are defending them! It's probably CNN's views you are reading, but whose ever words they are, they seem to make no sense. You never discuss the fact that Iran is continuously threating us and the rest of the free world and N. Korea, as evil as they are, have never said death to USA or any other nation. Do you really think we should let these dangerous religous zealouts in Iran make a Nuclear bomb? Do you really think we will be safe with such a consequence? I am not sure what to think of you guys at CNN!
You are obviously very misinformed.
Thanks Fareed, I always enjoy Alan Simpson's commentare, I continue to marvel that Grover Norquist is not identified/classified akin to Bill Maher, Dennis Miller: he is, after all, a comedian by trade.
I am not a Republican, but I agree that Alan Simpson is one Republican with whom I can agree. I watched the show Sunday (It's a must-see show here). Simpson can be humorous, but he knows what he's talking about. If the U.S. had a functioning government (instead of a dysfunctional Congress and a President who has far more ego than ability) we would have enacted the Simpson-Bowles recommendations into law. It was a compromise that would have left all of us a little unhappy but all of us a lot better off economically.
I am not a republican ( I think ) not in todays standards but Alan Simpson is one guy who makes alot of sence and I wish the GOP would rallly around a guy like that so we could get things going again !
FAREED, you apologetic boot licking Indian, why don't you go back to BOMBAY and pontificate your NON-SENSE over there. YOUR BS is too much like the AIPAC playbook.
What a nut case ! Do you have any real ideas !
Sometimes Mr.Zakaria posts are non sense or maybe only propaganda to American people. American people do not have their heads stuck in sand. Being ignorant patriotic cannot be compared with being smart patriotic. Risks are involved, Mr. Zakaria and every one knows very well, who or which country or countries are inciting and infuriating the equation in the gulf.
Yep, it's the USA.
No. It's Israel.
Maybe of Iran didn't threaten to wipe Israel off the map of they got nukes the rest of the world wouldn't be so apposed to them getting nukes. Maybe if Iran wasn't the power behind Hezbollah, a terrorist group the rest of the world wouldn't be so apposed to them getting nukes.
Until Iran gives up it's quest for nukes they will be in the crosshairs.
WMD's!
Belive everything you hear
Iran wanted nuclear power in the worst way, so they bought a plant from Russia. Now they are saber rattling to get out of having to buy fuel rods from Russia, the great extortionist. Never depend on Russia for anything, you can't trust price or delivery.
judging by the replies obviously not everyone knows who is instigating problems in the Gulf. It's not the USA nor Israel, I'll tell you that much. Iran is the biggest culprit here. They are trying to make a power grab for more influence in the area. The Arab countries are interested just in preserving the status quo, except for places where the Arab Spring has already destroyed that (Egypt, Syria). Israel wants to be left alone in peace. The US wants regional stability and low oil prices. Iran is the one player that is trying to gain something by upsetting the apple cart.
Both the Economist and the IMF recently praise Iran's Economic Reform Policy, which have been highly successful. Sanctions have actually forced Iran to make great progress in many areas. Economist: Iran's Bold Economic Reforms: http://www.economist.com/node/18867440
I like your name
I like your name AAAAAAa !!!
Is this name equivalent to a new kind of credit rating?
So you are telling us the the sanctions are actually helping Iran.
Nice try.
Iran traded goats for chickens.
Good policy.
the us is saber rattling we will never use military action against iran. we would pay to heavy of a price . iran in not the pushover that the military wants us to believe.
Actually, they are a push over in military terms. We sometimes forget the gap that exists between a Superpower and little more than third world nations. Iraq and Iran fought themselves to a standstill over many years. USA took Iraq in a few days. It now is trying to rebuild but its militrary strength has gone, lost in a one way exchange of leading edge technology against old. US could cripple Iran in a couple of days and that is based on current assements of NATO and US. They would be another basket case within the week and need the next decade to get themselves half way back. You sound a bit like Comical Ali, denying the US was anywhere near whilst we all heardthe firing in the background. It is a no contest walk over in real terms.
The difference between Iran and Iraq is very big. You should know that Iraqis are arabs and 70% shia and was cripled by years of sanctions. On the other hand Iran is more than double in size they are Persians and not some Arabs in the US pocket as Sadam was. Shia islam has clear religious hierarchy just as catholic church has therefor you would not have people greet potential us soldiers like shia Iraqis did but to the contrary they will fight until the end. Take the example from the Iraq – Iran war.
Fareed Zakaria is just mad because of the highly negative comments he got last time he was in Tehran. This is his payback, at the cost of total professionalism. As to Gerry's comment; yea, Iran is a pushover if US and NATO are going to use nuclear weapons and WWII style bombing blitz against Iran; but then by the same token so is China, Russia. India, France and England a "pushover". The reality is Iran has the means to fight back and it will, and if you listen to US and NATO commaders, they caution against war because of the conflgaration that will involve the entire mideast with unintended consequences (precise words of US commanders).
so we've all heard this jazz, 10 years of threats against Iran since Iraq war, yet Iran has continued on the path of nuclear, industrial, military, economic and political advancement.
So yea, a pushover, a cake walk, comical ali, etc etc...........
Gerry seems to be in fantasy land if he wants to use Iraq or Afghanistan as comparables with Iran. This ain't the same by a long shot.
Iran is weak and they know it. It makes sense that they would want the bomb as an insurance policy.
No, actually, Gerry is right. Tehran would be seized in a matter of days.
There is ZERO comparison between Iranian military technology and US. Between laser and satellite guided missiles fired off of ships, submarines, stealth aircraft, gunships, and mobile ground units, cutting edge artillery and armour, better trained soldiers, better communications and far-superior command and control, there is really nothing there to fear militarily that Iran can throw onto the battlefield.
Just like Baghdad, it would pretty much be a straight march to Tehran.
However, it's pretty clear that the US mostly wants to avoid doing so, and I think if it comes down to actually attacking the country, it will mostly be blockading their ports and striking military and nuclear facilities. Just enough to remind them just how inferior they really are, and that they've stepped too far out of line. One way or another, Iran needs to be put back in its place.
Zakaria is not too far off here.
Most people dont understand how the Soviet Union fell.
Billions of dollars had been drained out of thier economy by the world banks.
Some silly people think Reagan said "tear down this wall" and it happened.
The same principle is in place here.
You dont need an army to bring a nation to its knees.
The only problem here is you cant know how Iran will react.
@Jack
The only difference between Iraq and Iran is the size of the population. If large portions of their population decides to become combatants, then the other difference with Iraq will be the amount of targets we'll have to shoot at.
It was us who created the war between Iran & Iraq, after Iranian revolution. They both had the same boundries for ages. US provided all facilities for Iraq to fight against iran, just to weaken Iranian army! All these, is because of OIL. This goes back to years of 40's and 50's (how Americans and English got rid of Mossadegh). Now they have to create another motive to get oil cheaper. They don't give a damn to people's life! I don't need to explain that. Helping to take care of people's life? It is better to read unbaised history to understand that.
I never heard any member of the military say Iran was a pushover.
But it is.
they lost to Iraq how many times?
What?? I love it when people with no knowledge of a particular subject take it upon themselves to leave a dumb comment for everyone to see. The Iranians and Iraqis only had ONE war that lasted eight years and for seven of those eight years Saddam Hussein was begging the Iranians for a cease fire but they wouldn't. The Iranians finally accepted Iraq's cease fire request and the war ended in '88. Do your homework before posting comments.
Iran NEVER lost to Iraq in any conflict. Get your facts straight jacka$$.
Pushover or not, they will have severe sanctions on them until they give up their nuclear ambitions. If they attack so much as a small US fishing boat they will be met with all the US and their allies can muster against them. If you think Iran can go up against US/NATO/ UN unscathed you are dreaming.
The US could and would take out Iran in a matter of weeks. No one is afraid of the instability it will bring to the Middle East just like no one was afraid of what attacking Iraq would do. 10 years there proved that the Persian Gulf could handle a military conflict in their backyard.
The only thing that would be of concern is the impact the conflict would have on oil prices. Though i'm sure the Saudis would step up and fill in the void in production just like they did went Iraq was offline. Iran has very few allies in the region and the Saudis are definitely not one of them. Unfortunately, they are one of the very few that matter.
Compared to the US, Iran's military is an absolute joke and they pose absolutely no threat to Americans. However, the main difference between Iran and Iraq is that Iran would be a much more difficult country to occupy. The country has different terrain and a larger population, plus the largest paramilitary force in the world. It's not that the US could not take Iran in a straight-up fight, and if it ever came to total war the US could completely and totally destroy Iran and kill every single living organism in the country about 100 times over without losing a single marine... but... if it comes to occupation then Iran makes a very very unattractive target.
I am sure we will prevail at last, but at what cost. Are we doing well here in homeland. Why did we lose 5000 men in Iraq. It was a walk in but what happened there. We never think, how much a soldier cost, or worth, not as human lives. We spend a lot of money on them to make them world class and then lose them to a useless roadside bomb. Israel understand that, if they lose a single soldier, they more worried than loosing couple of fighter jets. We have military to fight, but not unnecessarily.
Just think what did we get out of Iraq, nothing, but helped Chinese to get all the contracts, whereas our companies did not get anything....I mean zippo. We are not the saviors of this world, we did our part, and we are not saints too. We went there to protect the oil, not the people of that country. We need to be realistic. Think of Rwanda.
I think a "bromance" between Israel and Turkey just about now would make these economic sanctions more effective. Overall I believe the economic sanctions do nothing more than to fuel the "burning flame of the national pride" , especially in the Middle East. The economic sanctions might put pressure on Iranians but I think it also alleviates the internal pressure on the current Iranian government under the disguise of "hurt national pride".
pride goeth before a fall
Yes, and the Zakaria's headline and tone are very antagonistic to that pride. It's like a dare, and too provocative in my opinion. Snakes can still bite after they die as a final desperate act. At this point the world has to hope that internally Iran is stable enough to stave off any audacious act (like blocking the Strait of Hormuz), because Ahmadinejad is definitely a snake in the grass. Syria is historically an ally. Egypt and Lebanon could go rogue at any moment as well. Israel is like the snake charmer. And it's now 2012. Please, let's not self-fulfill prophecies.
What a wicked evil face, that of Fareed Zakaria. He is an agent of Zionism, and only talks what masters want. Like all CNN. I think that on contrary – you are weak and getting weaker.
Nice tin foil hat you have there.
dont think that just because he writes something thatyou dont agree with that he is all of a sudden a puppet. come on....lets get real...
Look behind you, its a mossad agent....
B O O !!!
It's Bush's fault. He invaded Iraq instead of Iran, where no WMD's were found. He KILLED IRAN FIGHTER SADDAM in Iraq. (Note: Bushehr plant is not so named to honor GeorgeW)
The way the current regime in Iran treats US, Europe and other non-Islamic nations is similar to the ruthless way it has treated its own native Zoroastrian religion people. Shah of Iran was more tolerant of the Zoroastrians, his neighbors and the Western world. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Zoroastrians 'The 1979 Islamic Revolution was equally traumatic for the remaining Zoroastrians, and their numbers reduced drastically. Immediately after the revolution, during Bazargan's premiership, Muslim revolutionaries "walked into the main Zoroastrian fire temple in Tehran and removed the portrait of the Prophet Zoroaster and replaced it with one of Khomeini."... etc'
1.00 USD=11,145.00 rials as of today not 15,600 rials. Zakaria get your figures right.
NO Tom, you are wrong. What you mentioned is the government Fixed Rate, which is not available to anybody anytime. The real market rate is what zakaria mentioned.
I wonder what $1.00 would buy you in Iran?
The sanctions are working no matter what the pundits are saying. What is more likely to happen than not, is that the Persian people will finally over throw this Arab Theocracy occupying the Persians. The Persians have always been contributors to society until the Terrorist Islamic occupiers used this land to headquarter their hate machines. The Persians are beginning to feel the pain of everyday life and the scarcity of food. It is the beginning of the end for the Supreme Leaders rule.
I only wish that this could be the beginning of the end for the MIC(military-industrial-complex) in Washington D.C. Tragically enough, it isn't!
What you seem to fail to understand is that every major empire that has ever existed in the word has maintained a very, very strong military. From Egypt to Rome, to Germany, to Russia, to France, then England, and finally the US, every dominant world power of its time has had this same complex.
Not only does it provide work and jobs, but throughout history, technological development has been spurred by military development. In fact, the military industrial complex is responsible for the existence of the very medium through which you've chosen to express your opinions.
This extremely grim assessement here shows just how much the right-wing thugs in Washington have gotten control of the Middle East and Central Asia. The whole thing makes me sick to my stomach as the state of affairs deteriorate day after day arould the world while the thugs in Washington get ever richer by profiting from the misery of others. It makes one hate to get up in the morning!!!
"woe is me, woe is me, everyone but me is responsible for my misery'. arab/palestinian/muslim mantra recently adopted by the Iranians
Completely agree, 100%!
Completely agree, 100%! with Onesmallvoice.
If Iran had capability and launched a full scale nuclear strike against Israel tomorrow, I am confident that the discussion panel that you had on your show today would blame the United States and Obama for their action rather than blame Iran. Ten years from now a fully nuclear Chinese naval fleet will be partolling the Straight of Homuz and keeping the Americans out. I am sure that at that time your discussion panel will again blame the United States for allowing China to become the worlds jaggernaut – and at that time they will be right. Perhaps one day America will realize that an American consumer and an American worker are two sides of the same coin, and when you give your jobs to China and your money to China to buy consumer goods, China ends up with all of the jobs and all of the money while America ends up with all of the losses and all of the debt. This creates a weak America where minor countires like Iran can suddenly destablize the world. Please wake up. Realize that the interests of American global corporations are no longer in the well being of the American nation or in its people, as their profitability lies elsewhere – they only wish to strip you of your money and your jobs. They no longer return value by creating American factories and employment – they return value only to the elite American investor, that 1% that does not need America and seeks only to avoid paying their fair share of tax. Recognize this threat and balance it with the needs of the American people, for this internal threat is far greater than Iran can ever be, and if left unaddressed, it will surely destroy America as effectively as any nuclear strike.
sad but true
we do not need to create enemies all over the world. ron paul 2012
it's apparently iran has reach the end point of the game, it's only a matter of time
Leave Israel out of this, Israel has done nothing.
Israel is the most threatened by Iran, and yet they have played nice, and not started a war mainly because the US and NATO as asked them to show restraint.
Save your Israel hate comments for when(if), there is anything to talk about.
Israel is there to stay, and so is Iran.
Neither country is going to pack up and move out of the region.
Yeah Israel has done nothing except started a nuclear arms race and assassinated multiple Iranian scientists.
Yes let's have inspectors into Israel, a dangerous country that thinks its citizens are special and beyond the reproach of the goyem. Talk about Aryanism
hey moe, keep crying the arab/loser mantra: "woe is me, woe is me, Israel is the cause of our misery". you should try the mantra that fits: "woe is me, woe is me, we are our own worst enemy" keep teaching your children to hate and that killing jews is better than making peace and you will sing this mantra for another 70 years from your refugee camp.
*** Boggy
Yes let's have inspectors into Israel, a dangerous country that thinks its citizens are special and beyond the reproach of the goyem. Talk about Aryanism
Israel is only dangerous to those who attack her.
Play nice or get hurt.
In terms of military strength, Iran ranks just above the Eskimo Army. Those penguins throw rocks.
Iran projects a facade, somewhat like the mighty Chihuahua dog with hair standing on its back trots out to take on the daily garbage trucks as they pass by in the alley.
No penguins in Alaska where the Eskimo's live. Off point. But just sayin
Leave penquins alone.
Grog like penquins.
Happy feet.
the cnn jews are obsessed with bombing iran
More than half the billionaires in the US are jews: We're going to war with Iran.
i'm interested in the basis for your conclusions.It appears that as an arab/muslim/palestinian apologist, you dont hesitate just to make up the crap you spew as you go along.
Iran is a country with – like most – a mixed complement of people. Ahmadinejad bashing became so strange at one point that he was supposedly part of a community of thousands.....Jews.
Dont like jews much, do you ?
Shame you havent evolved yet.
Keep trying.
every US presidential cycle there are rumors of war..why to embolden the sitting presidents position. Obama is in big trouble and he knows it...so the white house floats rumors of conflict with Iran. Iran's military is a bunch of left over russian crap from the cold war. US military hardware will rule any engagement with Iran. The big loser in all this, the US tax payer and the poor Iranian civilian or grunt in thier military. The Iranian people are good folks...thier leadership sucks...a lot like US leadership..one thing the Iranian and US people can agree on...government sucks...
How is Obama in big trouble? The Republican primaries have started and they still haven't sound a single viable candidate. Santorum? Really? haha..
I liked this short article, and found its quality to better than some others that Mr. Zakaria and most other mainstream journalists produce on a regular basis which are more opinion than actually reporting on an issue. A lot of Americans might be surprised to know that many international relations experts conclude that sanctions on Iran will only drive the Iranian people to support the current regime. More fact based articles like this one are needed to make CNNs international section worth reading on a regular basis.
I don't want to disrespect anyone on this forum but the today's economy, WAR is not the answer. PLEASE start the dialogue and create a common understanding between the countries. If not, we will create more hatred against the american. I don't think Washington understand that, they are putting US citizen life in more danger for their "whatever" benefits. The people are still civilized and educated in the world. This is not difficult.
Talk to Israel and AIPAC, they're the ones pushing us to war.
Doctor – I agree with your statement
join shagpal in singing the arab/palestinian mantra "we are the victims". actually its the "victors" in the song but so long as you blame everyone but yourself for your problems, you will remain victims of your own actions
actually its CAIR and its support of terrorism in the middle east and your "patients" that are pushing us to war , doctor. This post is admittedly as relevant as your posts
Israel has every right to be alarmed about a nuclear-armed Iran. Hell, they don't even need to build an atomic weapon to create a WMD. Do you have any idea what a dirty bomb is and what it does?
Iran has been pulling a "North Korea" for years.
Hard to start a dialog with them, when they keep walking away
from the table.
Its just a ploy to buy more time.
Some interesting comments on here.
George Bush had this problem on his desk for eight years
and did nothing, yet people are bashing President Obama for this.
Selective memory.
Selective memory must be contagious.
When Iranians finally got rid of their tyrant the Shah they were the bad guys. In fact, Iraq,Iran,Libya, North Korea all worked towards nuclear disarmament – which made them a nuclear threat according to weapons merchants. Check out Treasury`s sanctions entries...and note dates. Yet Reagan managed a relationship with them. Ever hear of Iran Contra
Swilling media koolaid rots brain cells.
They called Iraq dangerous too. then you would expect Iraq to put up with more than two weeks of resistance.
How did something so dangerous collapse so quickly? Now Iran?
Now I declare average American people hopeless dimwitted
Hitler was only wrong because he was stopped. America is not wrong for starting wars all over the world because no one can stop us.
you need to see a doctor...the one thing the USA has never done is occupy to keep...we go in kill everything that we deem bad..then leave.Hitler killed every living thing...
Yet.
Hey, joe Einstein: Sunoco, Exxon, Shell, BP are all operating oil wells in Iraq right now.
I'm sure Iran and the U.S. both have many individuals within their nations that believe if we somehow settled are differences, found our similair strengths and fortified them, we could both greatly benefit each other. Iran certainly has many intelligent individuals, evident by their hacking of a U.S. Drone and by their development of nuclear facilities despite being denied means necessary. U.S. is most certainly lacking in that category, with people becoming less and less concerned about education and more about their peers opinionated views everyday. Iran could benefit from our resources and in working with the U.S., they would gain access to more resources from other nations that trade with the U.S. However, both the U.S. and Iran also have their individuals who harbor hate for each other through ignorance, pride and fear. Therefore they deprive the rest of their nations, very possibly damning them to a very bleek and violent future. Violence that will cost them the lives of their sons and daughters. It's obiviously too much to ask for though, since that's how it's been since human civilization existed.
CNN and its Z1onists want us to go to war with Iran, we get it!
Now, now, Doctor...... if you read far enough into Fareez Zakaria you would know by now that there is nothing we can't solve with enough infrastructure and green jobs.
Speaking for me, I can't wait for November.
i didnt know CNN and the Jews threatened Iran with extinction or threatened to close the straits of Hormuz. I guess if you call yourself "doctor" you think people think you know something. not in this case
you must have a headache from the deep analysis you engage in, "doctor" . concluding that CNN and the jews want a war from reading the posts to this article would give me a headache too. i assume your doctorate is in something really deep like theatre or the culinary arts
Seems to me that its the Republicans and christians
who are screaming for war.
thank you for posting this article.
hopefully people will realize we don't need to continue bankrupting our country by spending and borrowing trillions to fund our oversea activities.
Ron Paul 2012.
"activities" ? Is that the new word for WAR now?
Yup, dis Obama he got to go.
Invade Afgamistan, atak Irak, Kill billions in Libistan,
Killed off all the Polar bears,
Now he is after penquins and smurfs.
Those libbytards we gotta wipe dem out,
Grog now hear that Israelistan have ten billion nukes
and next week will have time machine
to go back in time and kill arabstans.
Grog just want to go back and live in cave,
Arabstanians, pick up your rocks,
ack allah be raised down with great stain
we shall overdone.
Grogs head hurt, who threw rock ?
Grog funny. Make BigDobber laff.
There is no such thing as weak when you've got your finger on the nuclear trigger and a lot of crazy people who are more than willing to sacrifice themselves to shove that nuke up your enemy's ass.
Are you paying attention, Mr. Obozo?
So you think i should just press a button and murder millions of people ?
Sorry, i am not like your hero George Bush.
I do not rush into confrontation.
I will do my best to protect Americans, but will also do my best
to protect the lives of others.
All life is precious.
Todays world is a tangled spider web,
Tied in many knots.
We learn from day to day, how to untie those knots.
Without letting the spider get us.
Dont underestimate America.
We will do the right thing.
Sasha says dinner is ready.
Gotta run.
B.
That's funny, Ron Paul has been saying this for the past 4 years, yet we seen hell bent on going to war with them. No mention of this in the article of course.
Ron Paul also thinks the US military invaded San Antonio in the run up to the Iraq War. I heard him talking about it on the Alex Jones radio program.
Ron Paul is the Koo Koo Bird of politics.
every time i check out one of these reports about paul i find that the poster has mistated or taken what was said out of context. ive even seen sarcasm taken seriously. so – post the link with the actual message from Paul.
The greatest conflicts in American military history were the end result of underestimation of threats, both in the European and Asiatic theaters of concern. We don't really need to go through the very same thing now with Iran, do we?
Underestimating is used by the people who WANT to go to war. It always worked, and it will work for Israel and CNN again.
After the Soviet Union fell,
The Neocon think tank decided that we needed a new enemy.
So they created one.
Osama Bin Laden.
Funny how close the Bush family was, and still is with the Bin Laden Family.
Oil, weapons, and politics.
If you think i am just bashing him because he is republican...wrong.
Americans are now offered a republican or a democrat to vote for.
Two sides of the same coin, hand picked by your masters.
The masters dont care about your politics
as long as they control your finances.
Red state, blue state, gay rights, health care, they couldnt care less.
They control the banks, the oil companys, and that is what dictates nations.
I am an American, who has watched my country being taken over
by the military industrial complex, and politicians who worship
wall street, and oil execs, ever since Kennedy was murdered.
This planet runs on oil.
He who controls that, is king.
The rest of us are left to fight for what is left.
We, as a species are a snake eating its own tail.
The rich cant stay that way without the resource they control.
That resource is............Human beings.
Stop being cattle.
Government and religion are killing people.
you are a genius! you figured it out. 25 years after the soviets fell we created osama bin laden.... thats sarcasm, if you cant tell.
Iran is getting weaker? I guess it only took sanctions since 1979 and a devastating war with Iraq to weaken them, finally. Some chicken; some neck. If US were to get their wish and see Iran broken, the result could be far more calamitous then they are willing to admit. A civil war in Iran would not only be devastating, it would free up even more radical elements with Iran. The one thing that caused peril when the Soviet Union collapsed was that the structure that maintained control over their extreme elements was broken, causing considerable uncertainty. If Iran falls, who knows what will go wrong next?
Its crazy that some of you rely on opinion to formulate your arguments againt this article. If you feel that what is being said is false you need hit the ground in Iran and see for yourself what is really going on. For those who questions US policies you need to pack up and move to Iran lets see how far you will make it without the freedoms and libertys that does not exist there.
Those in fear of Iran's military might should look up the history of the Iraq-Iran war. In a nutshell, they spent 8 years fighting a replay of World War 1 style trench warfare along a static front. Iran responded to Iraq's superior military hardware using human wave attacks of Basij – largely teenagers.
In addition, Iraq was using WMD's supplied by Americans with a Republican Administrations support at the time ( Donald Rumsfeld delivered our goods ) and Iran was also using American weapons against Iraq at this time. Iran's Air Force is presently made of American planes from the 1970's. Americans are knee deep in this bloody mayhem.
It is true that Iran does not have a comparable military machine comparable to the US and its allies but facts have never stopped Republican nominees ( other than Ron Paul ) from trying to hype up fear to motivate its voter base. The question is, are Americans going to be persuaded enough to mistakenly throw military lives and tax payer money at a boogeyman or is Iran going to be provoked enough to foolishly decide this consequence for us?
Great interview with Alan Simpson. Candid and sensible. Hope to see more of such quality stories.
How strong can Iran be? Their 2010 defense budget was $7 billion. By comparison the contract for the new US Presidential HELICOPTER fleet was $13 billion in 2009 and climbing.
Can we all encourage CNN to stop using the phrase "on the ground"? Are they really "on the ground"? In a car? On a street? Does it matter?
I say bomb the hell out of them, send in a massive ground force, find the Supream leader and amadidijad, bury them up to there waists, and let the women stone them to death on state run TV. Put a woman in power and watch the country develop into democrasy with rights for the people.
Power to the people.
Another wonderfully hateful thought from a someone who probably calls themself a Christian.
Why is no one asking about Israel's ILLEGAL nuclear weapons? They have them, we know it, and everyone just turns a blind eye, It is clearly evident that the West is NOT evenhanded when it comes to dealing with Arab countries. So why should anyone trust them? As soon as Iran gives up it's nuclear capability the West will attack it, history tells us that.
israel has not threatened Iran and at this time, Iran doesnt have a nuclear capability. any other salient points you'd like to try to make?
Could somebody please explain why the Republican party seems to feel that they only way they can get the attention they need to succeed in the forthcoming elections is to behave like cowboys, protecting their own and of course rescuing the world. If somebody suggested the draft system should be brought back for all they would be playing a different tune.
To many of this generation have been lost or wounded in the name of saving another country. It is time to get the American House in order.
America is a great country and it will come to the rescue against some tyrants. Enough of the saber rattling for the election, the populous is not that easily taken in.
I'm feeling kind of depressed these days. Nothing cheers me up better than the first month or two of a war. I say we do it.
The third month onward is less enjoyable. I'm guessing from your name that you would agree.
Suggestion: watch the movie with Dr. Strangelove and get it out of your system.
You be ok as soon as you turn democrat.
Grog sends you hug.
"But do we think of North Korea as strong and on the rise because it has a few crude nuclear devices?" No, North Korea is not strong because it could use the weapons. What if it sold them? How hesitant would North Korea or Iran be to sell them if there's anti-Western sentiment among its people and poverty resulting from sanctions improsed by the West?
Also, I can't help but wonder about America's motivations in encouraging other nations to stop buying oil from Iran. Whatever the wisdom of the policy itself, I suspect part of the motivation is to decrease the supply of oil and increase its price.
The American Neocon think tank decided that the biggest threat to America
was oil.
America not only needed it, but we have to control it.
The oil was never for American consumtion, but for American control.
When i say American, i dont mean the American people,
just those who "control" America.
911 solved many Americans problems.
Building 7 came down for no reason,
but it contained all of the law suites against insider trading on wall street,
Enron, California energy disaster, and so much more,
Dont want to trace that back to the Bush White House.
AAAhhh, the Bush White House,
Please Republicans take off your brand for one minute,
Try to put aside your love of your brand and listen, OK ?
Prescott Bush, father to George Walker Bush, was a banker who lent money to
the Nazi regime in Germany.
His son, George Walker Bush was the head of the CIA,
He was also photographed in Dallas Texas the day Kennedy was murdered after swearing he was never there.
Bush Jr. ............... Oh how do i start.....
Maybe in the next installment of how to control a planet,
i will fill you in, but this tired one has had a long day,
A grumpy partner, and a sick kitty.
Seek peace.
the aswer is
I say bomb the hell out of them, send in a massive ground force, find the Supream leader and amadidijad, bury them up to there waists, and let the women stone them to death on state run TV. Put a woman in power and watch the country develop into democrasy with rights for the people.
Power to the people.
You really don't have to be a Rocket Scientist to figure that out. Remember Iraq's boasting of how great their Republican Guard WAS? That Desert Storm invasion was almost a complete laugher. So now Iran is talking big about their Military Guard and how long would it take for them to appear with rifles above their heads. This is becoming so stupid that the mid-east can provoke us into a fight that will cost the US untold billions. That is what those countries want and what they are succeeding in getting.
Iran's army is no longer the famed invincibles , but they will fight us if we put people on the ground. That should not be our goal by any means. We have an ideological disagreement with their regime ,which ever since the fall of the Shah has been nothing but a thorn for the US . I hope we have learned once and for all that beating a country with our high- tech weapons and being on the ground and trying to change people into being like us is not the same thing. Iran should abolish their nuclear dreams of domination and destruction and join the rest of the world. But as long they insist on destroying US and wiping Israel off the face of the world, we have a big problem. A nuclear confrontation between ISrael and Iran is not in anyone's benefit and we are the only one's that have the capability to prevent that as we have prevented ISraeli's from taking care of business ever since 9/11. NOw Iran is poised to become Nuclear and that is a pandora's box that should never be opened. Tough sanctions are a first step in that direction but unless the government collapses, a military strike at their nuclear installations might be the only way.
Get a crayon and start filling in the recognized national border lines for the last 200 years and you will see Iran has not been an aggressive country. Also. make a list of how many times western 'christian' nations have attacked Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran and other saracen nations over the last 200 years. You will be shocked to see what we have been up to. Some ally or we attacks every 50 years like clockwork.
They are the ones threatening to nuke a country and destroy us as well along with stopping all oil traffic in the HOrmuz Strait. Doesn't sound so peaceful to me. THey just threatened our navy as well this week and us attacking them had something to do with 9/11 and most muslim states celebrating as the towers were coming down. And lets not forget Iran's history from several thousand years ago when they were on a conquering warpath for hundreds of years , these nukes are their way of bringing back the past glory. But perhaps your history lesson only goes back 200 years. Look war is only in the interest of the weapons manufacturers but nuclear posturing and threats is what got them here. Deal with it.
I think Obama's approach is the logical one, and it is a gamble, but so is letting Iran have its way. The other concern I have is the possibility of alienating the Iranian citizenry to such an extent, and angering them with a forced impoverishment so great that they turn towards the US with some kind of violent extremism. This seems to be a common occurrence in that part of the world.
Ahhh, it's CNN's daily Iran article. When will it stop? If someone takes a shi t there, CNN writes a story about it, and how it must be a sign the country is failing. It's hilarious. I live in Toronto, Canada and just got back from visiting family in Tehran. I an assure you that the economy is not failing. Their government is doing all it can to keep things alive during these illegal sanctions. Much more than western government heads of state seem to do for their own countries' economic problems. If Iran is illegally invaded, Iran does have a strong military, and will easily fight back and cuase many, many thousands of casualties before ultimately caving in. It would also be a political nightmare to whoever tries it as citizens here would likely take up arms defending her as well, as they would if the US were ever invaded. As for their oil industry, they are being assisted by China, Russia and others, and that industry will stay afloat.
you are just so f**ing liar. if everythings are good, go back to your country
Right. I'm sure that the view on the street from one foreign laymen is the truth of what's really happening in contrast to all those lying guys around the globe who hold economic doctorates.
Seriously, mate. It's called hyper-inflation. When a nation's currency begins doing that, it is economically collapsing. There is no possible argument to be made against it. If their oil exports are banned from the global markets, the country is bankrupt. No "if"s or "but"s about it.
So what happens now? If they're smart, Iran will look for a graceful way to back down and save some face. Sadly, they aren't. The country isn't ruled by reason.
If you visited Iran and got back out you're lucky. Most people get put in prison for spying. The latest one today got the death penalty.
why did you have the zionist guy from jerusalem post on ur panel fareed? you stupid americans will be pushed again by jews to fight thier war not urs ....act nice to iran see what u get ..u get more...........same as the british empire your empire will be destroyed in the east .....long live palestine death to jews
your an idiot
the palestinian mantra couldn't be clearer: "woe is me, woe is me, everyone but us is responsible for our misery". keep teaching your palestinian children to hate and kill and you will stay the way you are for another 70 years. by the way, there is no palestine and the way your people are responding to the proposed 2 state solution, there may never be one. get smart
Where we (USA) messed up is not turning all that sand in the middle east to glass years ago. Wipe out all those ragheads and give the spoils to Israel. The muslims hate us because we are infidels. Take them out...Like it or not, Believe it or not, Israel will be the last one standing.
Does the noise in your head bother people?
The only noise in my head is the sound of "Shock and Awwwww" over Tehran...Long overdue.
Get a crayon and start filling in the recognized national border lines for the last 200 years and you will see Iran has not been an aggressive country. Also. make a list of how many times western 'christian' nations have attacked Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran and other saracen nations over the last 200 years. You will be shocked to see what we have been up to. Some ally or we attack every country in the Middle East every 50 years or so like clockwork. I am Christian but not stupid.
Your cut from the same cloth as yacoub nasrallah.
Trump said war them and take our losses back in the form of iol unlike Iraq. the betrayers
What's iol?
Trump could still enter the Pesidential bid as an independant
with a kardashian as a running mate....
Fareed if you have any professional ethics as a honest journalist, please disclose to the many gullible and ignorant Americans who read your articles, that you are a Sunni Muslim, who have historically been arch enemies of Shias, and Iran is predominantly Shia. Therefore your take on Iran is inherently biased, just like Saudi Arabia's and most other countries of the Middle East is, which are predominantly Sunni.
You are confused, I think. Fareed is Indian-born American, and really not a religious person to begin with. He is one of the most brilliant people on earth and is equally critical of all sides of the politcal spectrum. Sunni, Shia, Kurd, Turk, Israelite, westerner, he points out all their dumb ideas and mistakes.
I, for one, find his journalistic integrity unimpeachable.
Absolutely agree. Zakaria's program is the only TV program that I regularly watch. He certainly has a lot more intelligence than most of the people writing comments here.
if you would like close and friendly relations with the great iranian nation all you have to do is shut up your jews... they are cause of all troubles and evil in world.
Did you say "great iranian nation" what a misnomer. did you say "shut up your jews". are those the jews threatening Iran with extinction or the Jews threatening to close the straits of hormuz? you must be specific. It would help if you were rational however before you attempt to express yourself.
Let me see if I understand what you are saying:
If you want to be my friend all you have to do is betray your other steadfast ally and friend, Isreal. And BTW, all those things I did to you over the years, like kidnapping and ransacking your embassy, chanting Death to America, and blaming all of my internal problems on you - well that's only because you chose to be friends with horrible Israel and the Jews! Other than that we are totally willing to be your friend!
Be ware of those who call them selves Jews , and who are not
So Iran is turning into the next Detroit?
Fareed, out of 4 commentators, you had 3 pro-Iranian government and out of the 3, 2 have been overt and blatant supporters of the regime. How is this a fair or balanced representation?
Stop the killings of Christains youf@#king Muslim assh0ls. God will burn you to the ground!
Get a crayon and start filling in the recognized national border lines for the last 200 years and you will see Iran has not been an aggressive country. Also. make a list of how many times western 'christian' nations have attacked Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran and other saracen nations over the last 200 years. You will be shocked to see what we have been up to. Some ally or we attack every country in the Middle East every 50 years or so like clockwork. I am Christian but not stupid.
i doubt that you are christian,i know that you are stupid, and your name belies the "truth" as all you spew are falsehoods.
christian = muslim = stupid algebra of religion
Iran fought a 10 year stalement with Iraq and got nowhere. US destoryed Iraq military in 2 weeks.
and yet the freakin Muslems are still killing. was it the military we have to still worry about or the freaking Muslems
just stating a fact about the military, not the pockets of muslims that have guns.
Why would anyone read your garbage anymore Zakaria? You were dumb enough to be for the Iraq war.
Your credibility is gone forever.
I'm appalled at the amount of saber rattling and second guessing of the administration being done by the Republican candidates for PTOS regarding Iran. It is one thing to discuss strategy and another to question specific actions in a manner which undermines and threatens the security of the US. I hope the American people see this political posturing for what it is.
Were you the same when Obama undermined Bush?
Just asking!
Stop all Muslem imigration, Re-patriate the ones already here. Deport them back to there sepool and lock the door. Let them have Sharia in thier home land and not in ours
Soory Fareed
The problem with that idea is that the ones who move to the west are generally the sane, civilized ones just looking for a better life and a safe place to raise a family.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The problem with Islam isn't Islam. Western Muslims are generally decent folk with progressive, modern values. The problem with Islam is Arabs (and "Persians").
However, I do agree that it might be time for the West to close its borders to the middle-east.
this iran is the only leader in the world that is calling for death to the jews and to the usa. iran has aided terrorist and the murder of usa military personal in iraq and afghhanistan. a terrorist hit a usa war ship and an usa embassy, and bill clinton shot a one timer at him, his name was bin laden. never under estimate your enemy. its not the hardware of the enemy one must be concerned about but rather the nature of the beast. crush this hitler now.
... Iran is in the media all the time because the Zionists and War-Mongering Hawks want to fight another war... sick
hay cassandra chu aka cchu: your mantra is strikingly similar to the arab/palestinian mantra: "woe is me, woe is me, i wonder why i have no credibility" . old, tired, anti semitic rhetoric that fails when your muslim clients threaten to extinguish Israel and attack the west.
Would someone please tell us why Iran is the greatest threat? China is the one we should fear, not so much because of its military, but because of its economy. The long term hope in China is the people will eventually tire of the authoritarian regime and overthrow it. It is inevitable – when is the question and will it be too late for the US?
I wonder why the news posted on CNN is so old and dated. Most of your news is no longer relative. Surely the Web Site could more current. Christmas news about the Dateline is really useless as is a lot of the other non News.
Come on CNN what's happened to you?
Hey Fareed - why don't you add something POSITIVE to the world by talking about Peace and Negotiation instead of buying into the Jewish and Military Industry Complex positioning? Integrity? Humanity?
hey cassandra aka cchu: 'woe is me, woe is me, everyone but you is responsible for your misery" . not getting tired of posting crap yet?
First "Baghdad Bob" now " Tehran Fareed"!
Bagdad Bob works for Al Jazeera now. Not kidding. He really does.
a leaderless bankrupt america is not nearly as strong as it was and worse yet iran and north korea know it!
Fareed says Iran is weak and getting weaker. Perhaps, but that will change overnight if they get the bomb. Which is the whole point of the current debate in this country about Iran. Seems to me Fareed is overlooking the elephant in the room.
The elephant in the room is that Iran might want a a nuclear deterrent just as the United States does and Israel does.
If you desire a nuclear free zone in the Middle East, best to start with removing Israel's capabilities and not allowing America's nuclear armed subs and the like in. This would be true balance. This will not happen, so it is rational that Iran could want to have nuclear weapons.
It may be rational, but its a bad idea. A nuclear Iran is bad for everyone, especially Iran. Iran is a dogmatic Theocracy. Iran is internally torn. The government is very insecure about its own future. Iran is not on good terms with most of its neighbors. I'm convinced having the bomb would be a terrible thing for this country.
Peace and negotiation has not worked. While we are over there anyway...wipe them out!!! Allah was a man that put his pants on like the rest of us. One leg at a time.
Not knowing how something works does not make it weak.
So, what are we waiting for? We should have invaded and occupied oil-rich Iran months ago. We could have already installed our own puppet regime by now. WIth all those jobless troops sitting on the sidelines, and buckets of new, no-bid "defense contracts" to be had, just what in the world are we waiting for?
Guess we are waiting on this pitiful election circus we have coming up...Shame we have nobody qualified or honest enough to run and be elected. We are in a heck of a state...for real.
I suppose this means that you and the others who think like you are all ready to sign up to take your places on the front lines of the battles. To insure and oil supply for some other country??
We are waiting for a Republican Administration ( excluding Ron Paul )
Say what you will, fact is majority of the Democrats in Congress voted
‘NO’ against the Iraq War! 147 ‘NO’ and 111 ‘YES’ ( Look it up )
Beware of a cornered tiger, even a weak one. Iran is not the great military power it would have the world believe, but its ability to cause mayhem in the region remains high. Plus it doesn't take much military power to upset the delicate supply of oil from the region.
The US should never rush to war, but a strategy for containing regional anti-American influences (particularly ones with or gaining nuclear technology) is badly needed and a legitimate subject for political discussion. Don't minimize the threat, Mr. Zakaria, with such shallow analysis.
The right-wing jingoists are making a big deal out of Iran to scare votes out of the American populace. Most people in America take things at face value from whatever political affiliation they have and never look into the truth or into their own party's motivation. The reason why Iran would want a nuclear bomb is to make them a regional power, not a world superpower.
Earth to John: There's a great big hole in Lower Manhattan where the World Trade Center used to be.
Preach it brother...
What the hell does Saudi Arabians, who had attacked us on our own soil and killed hundreds of Americans while vowing to continue killing Americans if it was we continued to refuse to remove military bases in the Holy cities of Mecca and Medina after repeated warnings from them and then making good on their promised threats, at all got to do with Persians who have never attacked America even once?
Slammo, the Persians have taken our citizens hostage, remember? They have also aided and directly acted in attacks on a US embassy and ship. Don't think they've been innocent for a second.
U.S. troops also have taken Iranian citizens hostage in Iraq. Do you remember the civilian Iranian airplane which was shot down by U.S. missiles and all its 290 passengers were killed including a lot of children on board? Do you remember the CIA backed coup which resulted in overthrowing the democratically elected government in Iran? Can you name any actions by Iranian government toward U.S. citizens which can match above examples in hostility? Don't get me wrong, I don't want to justify Iranian government actions but you are talking as if it has been Iran who has always been hostile toward U.S. and now it is U.S.'s right to attack Iran!
Interesting comments. . .just a short point – in discussing the US and Iranian relations, or lack thereof, I was kind of amazed that during my 10-month deployment, as a DoD social scientist in AFghanistan, we had to fly around Iran (and its lofty mountains), adding a few hours to a relatively short flight from Kuwait. This was in 2009-2010. The US could not fly through Iranian airspace. Really?? War with Iran is not an option, though let's all hope that Israel doesn't strike first. I support Israel whoeheartedly but agree that our policies, allowing the repression and occupation of Palestinians, is wrong and is also a poor strategy. Thanks to all military and civilian personnel who work in areas of high conflict.
Regardless of whether it's weak or whatever, if they get the nuke bomb, nations will bow down to it.
Not if we make Hitlerdinajad understand that we'll burn him to a crisp if anything happens to an American city. I am sure that somewhere in that evil little brain the man is concerned for his own mortality. After all, I've never seen him or any of the Ayatollah's blow themselves up. They make the other idiots blow themselves up.
Who bows down to North Korea ?
One of our biggest problems is that we have a president who thinks in the long-term and an electorate that doesn't. Couple that with Obama's rather lofty reluctance to toot his own horn and you've got one wholly under-appreciated Chief Executive! That time-will-tell is still a crapshoot; one hope he's not relying on it for reelection.
The leadership in Iran is hoping the US will attack. 2 years ago, I spent quite a bit of time with a young woman from Iran. We talked about her homeland, and what average Iranian people there thought about its place in the world, and their political situation at home. Although not an active protestor herself, as she and her husband were both artists, they used their art as their voice. Sometime last year, she stopped corresponding, and there has been no way to find her on line. She said that the young people were hoping that the US and its allies would stay out of the situation, that slowly over the next 5 or 10 years, they believed that as the old guard died off, and current political leaders fought amongst themselves behind the scenes, that a true democracy would emerge in their country. If war broke out, all would defend their country, pro westerniszation citizens would be forced into supporting their unwanted government, and that government would have a huge excuse to clamp down on the citizens as part of state of war situation. Their route to democracy would be set back by decades. So lets hope the US will stop the posturing, offer moral support to the people who are quietly working for change, but other than that stay out of it. Any hostile action, according to our Iranian friend, will be to play directly into the hands of the hardliners.
I agree with you, ladybear. The Iranian clergy pray for the US to attack so they can divert attention from their dismal economy. But there are some things we just can't ignore.
Can you imagine the Ayatollah or Hitlerdinajad with a nuclear weapon? How long do you think it would be before they sailed it into New York Harbor?
I think you watch too much "24". If Iranian government wants to plan a terrorist attack in for example New York and let's assume they are capable of doing that, they can use other types of bombs. Yes, a nuclear attack will cause more collateral damage and if they mange to build one bomb and they decide to use it on American Soil, that basically means the end of Iran. North Korean have nuclear weapon and they have pretty crazy leaders, have you asked yourself why they haven't used it again U.S?
Utter nonsense Zakaria, Making a judgment that a country is weak because its currency is not as worth as much as another currency is a total spin. If Iran is getting weaker they wouldn't be launching sattalittes into orbits with delivery rockets, they won't be building their own submarines, destroyers and they won't be hacking our stealth drones. On top of all of this they won't have their stock market sky rocketing in 2011 more than any other country in the whole world. Look we can win Iran war but we have to be ready to drop nuclear bombs on every major city they have! but in this case we will be acting like a mad man with a strong potential for a world wide nuclear war as Russian Generals stated recently.
Iran is a lit match in a volatile location. It has the power to bring the world to it's knees by starting something in the mid-east – even if it knows it can't win. Starting a war will drive oil prices through the roof.
North Korea is dangerous because it's people are starving, let alone living in mostly 3d world conditions. And it knows China will probably side with them.
But the greatest threat over the next 10 yrs is China. I thought Romney said it was China, but guess I'm wrong. China wants Taiwan back, and once it has enough military eggs in its basket, who knows what they'll do. Hopefully they'll keep in mind that them starting something would mean instant sanctions (let alone us at war against them), bringing down their economy. China is prospering thanks to cheap labor and Americans buying their stuff.
Really, more pressure than the Bush admin was ever able to muster? Really? US military to the west of them in Iraq and US military to the east of them in Afghanistan. That's not major pressure? Come on, stop with the blatant Obama fan-boi trash. The reality is that there is a spectrum of activity from purely military to purely diplomatic. Having a strong military position greatly enhances your diplomatic options.
The fact is we have been manipulated for years now by CNN and Fox. They both have political motives and fabricate news. If you want real news then use reuters.com Come here to have some laughs lol
Fareed Zakaria is another warmonger, giving the carrots to the American people. In another words, the message pushed by these war criminals is. . ."come on! it should be easy!" . . . the death of innocent people is inconsequential to them, while cheer leading for war. is just like they are talking about a football game. is sick.
Do unto them before they can do unto you.
fareed – u're a tool. You'll say anything to please your new owners.
Do not be fooled. The aggression toward Iran is due to currency exchange. Iran wants to trade its own oil for its own currency. The west will not allow this to weaken the status of the US Dollar as 'World's Reserve Currency'. Iran's economy is what is being attacked – not any phantom WMDs. Prepare to hear more propoganda pieces where we'll be told stories about how we will be greated as 'Liberators' by the Iraninan people just as we were told we would be greated as 'Liberators' by the Iraqis....who also were selling their own oil for their own currency, other currencies other than dollars, and gold. All wars are always about money...all other excuses are lies.
Claiming that North Korea isn't viewed differently because they have nuclear weapons is a fantasy.
North Korea is viewed as a major destabalising element in South East Asia and have to be taken more seriously because of their nuclear capability.
The biggest difference between North Korea and Iran is that Iran also has the missile technology to be able to deliver their nuclear armed warheads, something that North Korea, for the time being at least, is lacking.
If anything, Iran needs to be taken MORE seriously because of their combination of nuclear and missile technology.
If you don't take a nuclear armed nation more seriously, you are a fool.
The west seems bent on squeezing Iran until it has nothing left to lose.
In that sense.....Farreed is right when he says that weak countries could be more dangerous than strong ones.
Iran might as well go for a nuclear bomb. Only then would the west treat it with more respect.
Anybody in the future will think the same way after seeing what happens to Iran. (They watched Iraq get clobbered also)
So why do our leaders think this makes for a safer world?
The answer is to allow Iran have a civilian nuclear program. The west is "not" allowing it to have that. For example: The west turned down Iran's offer to exchange processed nuclear fuel on it's own soil. Instead......our leaders choose war.
Are we all mad?
"...because the pressure has been brought to bear, wherever possible, with other countries."
Please ay it out and loud, Fareed, that by "other countries" you mean ISRAEL. The terrorist nation that has more than 200+ nukes and more weapons of mass destruction than any other in that region.
Iran needs nuke to balance out that power. India and Pakistan both have them and at least they are contained mutually.
Shame on US to continually blind-sidedly support Israel... mostly its all to get Jewish votes in US.These ISRAEL-FIRSTERs of US needed to imprisoned because they live here, feed off of US but care only for their Eratz Israel.
Fareed's view is based on honest and objective analysis.
We Americans are very lucky to have a such a journalist around us
Thanks Fareed
Republicans need a “strong enemy” to generate the election year fear they rely on to sway the so-called independent voters (it worked in 2004,) and so they talk up Iran like its Nazi Germany circa 1939. (I’m lookin’ at you, Newt.)
The reality is that for Republicans, War is the only economic stimulus they know; it assures that money goes to the “right” people (name a left wing armament manufacturer or private military contractor,) keeps the excess population manageable.
As for Iran, the problem is added to by the fact that the Iranian leadership is all bluster, all the time, and that they are diplomatically about as subtle as a Westboro Baptist Church member at a military funeral. Close the Straight of Hormuz? Against the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet? And we’re supposed to believe a country whose best missile has a range of 1,200 miles (the Sejil-2, per Jane’s) is a threat to America?
Tell me another one.
Earth to Rich (in name only) in Reno: There is a great, big hole in Lower Manhattan where the World Trade Center used to be.
It's almost as big as the one in your head.
USA, UK, FRANCE, GERMANY THE NATO must attack Iran now before it is too late.
USA must help mojahedi khalq opposition group who are stationed in Iraq,. help the Iranian Kurds up north more than 7 million Kurds in Iran, help Arabestan Sunni region in Iran with more than 9 million Sunni who are repressed by those evil Iranians, help the Assyrian christens in Iran, the Iranians Turks blossh, and many other repressed minorities , Isolate Iran, freeze their assets, also embargo china and Russia \if the deal with them, destroy their electronic by viruses, don't allow them to come to USA AND CANADA , ATTACK THE TERRORISTS HEZBOLLAH AND SYRIAN BASHAR AL KALAB THE EVIL HANDS OF Iran IN THE REGION. Iran is a paper tiger as soon as the tomohak start flying and get red of their command and control their navy peace and the radars then the sky is control by USA make it 24 hours non stop hit until the surrender attack them, from turkey, Afghanistan the gulf, the red sea the Arabian sea and the Arabian gulf. If Obama attack Iran he will win the election too.Help Iraqi Sunni to counter attack the Iranians group in Iraq, the world will be in peace with our those majoos thugs and the dark evil empire of Iran must demise.
I am never fond of this Zakaria guy-one who likes to put himself in the middle of issues by tapping into *special topics* and who is determined that Buddha was born in India. Reading his articles has always been like summing up all the editorials and news all over. No facts, no figures just an English major student writing a summary report. Please let us know something we don't know !
Yea' and you would rather have that Hindu Baal Thackray and Raj Thackeray writing for CNN and supporting Hindutva and your dharmayudhha.
Check your facts about Thackrays before commenting as regards to where they belong !
There's a proverb which says the cat never claws unless trapped in a corner...the situation is true for the persian cat.
And this big dog will fight when you rattle his cage.
Toby Keith.
Spoton Fareed. The US doesnt need to fight other countries' wars. We can find all sorts of reasons to attack many many countries in the world but I am sure the opposite i strue-r. All wars in the ME have benefited one country and one country only. That is country is NOT THE USA. Why????????????????? HOW COME? Those who say that tinerests of the US and Isreal is the same hate and America, we know that now, and brain washing the American public into belieaving this myth. They have so much power and influence and they are gifted. Being gited and having money is ok, of course, but when you combine that with intentions of USING the USA to kill millions of innnocent people ... no one will benefit from this. What the american gov. is doing is reponsable, reasonable and just plain smart. We don't need wars we need to spread peace and focus on the american economy. Istead of the US becoming the dog of Isreal, it can use its influence to forst the people of the ME to live in peace. It really can. But the US has to get out of its own misery of being used for a long time. When the US wakes up, the world will becoming even a better place. God Bless the United States of America. And the rest of the world too. Long leave peace!!!
I am not sure I believe much of this article. He is making a judgement about a country where I believe we are only
hearing part of the story. Is the international monetary fund directing these actions of the US and other western Countries?
This dude works for CNN and why should we believe anything he says? People need to be asking more questions. I have heard it said that banks are the task masters behind some wars to get a country to "pay".
Never, EVER underestimate your enemy.
The only reason any of these countries care about Iran is there close proximity to the oil capitol of the world.
you conveniently forget that TERRORIST fakee nation called ISRAEL. aptly to be called EZRAHELL.
What else did you expect? If their number one export was broccoli, do you think we'd give a dam?
By Zakaria's logic Kuwait is three times stonger than the US because their Dinar buys 3 dollars!
And they invest in a lot of infrastructure.
It makes my blood boil every time I think about these worthless politicians in Washington wanting to start another useless war halfway around the world. I wonder if they have any notion of just how much pain and misery it brings to ordinary people. I guess not nor do they even care, except how to win votes and get reelected over and over again. How sickening it is!!!
The facts are that Iran is an aggressive regime more than ever, supporting terror more than ever, and that it is developing nuclear weapons. Talks and other peaceful means that the Obama administration tried many times clearly failed. Fareed, time to stop writing what you want the facts be and face the reality: Iran must be stopped by all means necessary by the free world led by the US.
" Iran is an aggressive regime" and ISRAEL is not..... ha ha ...keep support that sandpit. we went to iraq for israel and oil.
Open your eyes and do some genuine research. Israeel wants to US to fight their wars. Jews killed Jesus, our Lord by instigating Romans. They always play behind the scenes.
You're nuts.
Yep, Jews killed out Saviour, the Lord Jesus and they have been behind the screen wanting the US to fight their wars for US.
Think about it a bit: Jesus was a Jew, born to a Jewish mother, who lived his life and preached amongst Jews.
Perhaps some Jews wanted to kill him (I have no way of knowing), but why then bother instigating the Romans to do it for them? It seems unnecessarily complicated and likely to go in a direction they didn't want.
Finally, even if the Jews were the ones to instigate the Romans to kill Jesus, doesn't that make both parties complicit? Particularly the party who actually did the murdering? Unless the Romans were under-age, maybe that is their defense... How come the Romans get the Vatican while the Jews get the blame for the past 2000 years? Pretty damn clever deflection if you ask me!
Come on Reality Check, get serious, will you? The only aggressor nation in the world now is ours. The bottom line here is that the right-wing thugs in Washington want Iran's oil, plain and simple and don't care how many people they kill to get it!!!
The Republican fear machine requires a boogeyman to function. If it's one thing a politician can do (Definitely not lead) it's lie, so here they go.
Earth to Klaark: There is a great, big hole in the middle of Lower Manhattan where the World Trade Center used to be.
It's even bigger than the one in your head.
Yes and that big hole caused by Saudi Arabian terrorists whose leader was killed in Pakistan that ironically has nuclear bomb. I'm not sure which hole is bigger, the one that you mentioned or the one I can see in your argument.
It's the most vulnerable people that will suffer the most. I feel bad for the Iranian people.
Spot-on Fareed. The US doesnt need to fight other countries' wars. We can find all sorts of reasons to attack many many countries in the world but I am sure the opposite i strue-r. All wars in the ME have benefited one country and one country only. That country is NOT THE USA. Why????????????????? HOW COME? Those who say that inerests of the US and Isreal is one and the same, hate America, we know that now. Those who brain washed the American public into belieaving this myth will not let go by themselves. Unless if they are exposed in ways that does accept doubt or welcome questions. They have so much power and influence and they are gifted. Being gifted and having money is ok, of course, but when you combine that with intentions of USING the USA to kill millions of innnocent people, the whole is in danger and at the end, no one will benefit from this. What the american gov. is doing, by de-escalating with Iran, reducing the mil. budget and doing away with the war propaganda is reponsable, reasonable and just plain smart. We don't need wars we need to spread peace and focus on the American and world economies. Instead of the US becoming the wold dog of "I", the US can use its influence to help the people of the ME to live in peace. It really can. But the US has to get out of its own misery of being used for a long time and being "tricked". When the US wakes up, to this fact, the world will becoming even a better place. God Bless the United States of America. Long leave peace; long live every SMALL step towards peace.
If Iran want the nuclear bomb, I think the US should give them one.... from the air, and right on top of Tehran.
WWIII will start out of Persia(Iran). We are already in the beginning stages since September 2001. This will be an 18 year world war as predicted by Nostradamus. The bear and the eagle will be united as brothers before the end is near.
Here were Zar your wrong.
Iran though is suffering from the sanctions, the govt will not allow for change, the Muhlas will allow for the destruction of its people lives to withstand sanctions ot overthrow their govt. It's a matter of time when Iran will respond in War to raise National attention against Western powers even if it means Total War.. the Kumbaya moment that so many Idiots like fareed is a pipe dream... Iranian Military/Revolutionary Guard has a big stake in projecting its power and terrorist around the world.. War is a reality within two years if not sooner. Iran continous to make threats, but again you all are missing the message. The Iranian Govt wants this War, shift the blame to the evil Satan, draw up support from around muslim world, if possible use smaller Nukes to project its resolve to get Respect as they call it. It does not matter what they say about coming back to the nuke talks, they will stall and lie and lie until they are ready or near ready.
POTUS Obama is a fool, so is Penetta is wants to draw down our military strength on some BS Peace chip thinking..
Evil is alive and kicking around the world, growing stronger as we go weak and remain appeasors to International Tyrants and Terrorist... VP Biden said, the Taliban is not our enemy, the White House agrees. Now Obama wants to release Taliban Leaders on the Hope, the Taliban will negotiate a peace with the Afgan govt. Right... Sure...
The exchange is for allowing for Taliban office being build in Quatar... No release of the American soldier being held by the Taliban no thats too difficult, too wrong to ask for.. Get that Ask/beg for... Yep Iran and Tyrant nations are seeing The United States as weak and will continue to cut our throats bit by bit.
Truth... )0v0(
In principle, however, nothing in international law or in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty forbids the enrichment of uranium. Besides Iran, several other countries, parties or not to the treaty, enrich uranium without being accused of "threatening the peace." And in Iran, this activity is submitted to inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency. These inspections, it is true, are constrained by a safeguards agreement dating from the 1970s. But it is also true that the IAEA has never uncovered in Iran any attempted diversion of nuclear material to military use.
Iran is to be independent in producing peacefull nuclear-energy-full-cycles ACCORDING TO NPT since the sanctions ban it from buying them on foreign markets. It is the purpose. Other things are TOTALLY nonsenses/BOGUS/DEFAMATION such as wipe israel off the map, wikileaks, Saudi murder plots etc LIKE IRAQ WITH WMD.
Wikileaks, Saudi Ambassador murder plot, negative IAEA report against Iran, ARE THESE ALL REALLY TRUTHFUL ? US AND ITS ALLIES HAVE NEVER PROVED THEM BUT AT LEAST USED THEM AS JUSTIFICATIONS TO INITIATED SOME ACTIONS IN THE UN SUCH AS SANCTIONS.IT IS A IRAQ WAR WITH FAKE WMD LITTERALY. THIS ACTIONS ARE COMPARABLE TO THE COMMON SITUATIONS WHERE A MUSLIM WORKING IN AN AMERICAN COMPANY IN THE US ALWAYS GETS ACCUSED OF SOMETING HE OR SHE DOESN'T DO, ONLY IN ORDER TO GET HIM FIRED FROM THE JOB WITH CAUSE. THAT IS ISLAMAPHOBIA.(IN ISLAMAPHOBIA, THERE IS NO DIFERENCE BETWEEN SHIA AND SUNNI)
Let Iran be the pioneer of peaceful nucler energy industry in the Muslim world, since there ain't any in the Muslim world yet.
A military attack will give the Iranians the best excuse to pursue the nuclear race and quit from NPT. Khamenei will say 'I was attacked by a country with nuclear capabilities; my nuclear programme was peaceful, but I must protect my country now using nukes LIKE THEM.'
UN CHARTER VII ARTICLE 51:
Provides for the right of countries to engage in military action in self-defense, including collective self-defense (i.e. under an alliance) FOR IRAN TO NONSTOP FIGHT FOR ITS RIGHTS AND FREEDOM, LIBERTY. IRAN IS A LAND OF THE BRAVES.
Couldn't have said it better. Hope US understands and NOT listen to Israelis in US of A.
Man are you bought or what.. Slave of Iran to believe in that crap your tooling...out..
The truth about Iran? The CIA put Hezbollah in power, and they have worked together ever since on and off. Look at Iran–Contra, that was a CIA job.
Why is it that every time oil prices start to go down the USA does something to provoke other countries and cause conflict that just drives the price of oil back up? Why is this?
That's because the right-wing politicians in Washington want to get themselves reelected and unfortunately, war with Iran is quite popular with the ignorant American public now! They can always lower oil prices at any time since we already own both Iraq and Libya!!!
It should be obvious to anyone who has studied the history of U.S. involvement in Iran and the Middle East over the past 50 years that this rhetoric directed at Iran involves oil, not a putative nuclear threat, national security, or any other phony rationale. In fact, anyone who is old enough to recall the phantom WMDs of Iraq should be able to put two and two together.
Now that control of Iraq's oil fields has been secured, the next target is the reacquisition of Iran's oil (the control of which was lost when the ruthless U.S. puppet Shah was deposed–for the second time–in 1979). But apparently a significant portion of the American population is naive and gullible enough to believe nonsense that Iran is bent on nuclear war and world domination. Amazing, especially given the events over the last decade.
Beautifully put, KentAZ. I couldn't agree more!
Your comment positively resonates truth. . . and I agree with you 100 %.
Armies are expensive: Existing, nuclear-armed satellites in strategic orbits, programmed to re-enter earth at a moment's notice; a very, very real possibility ...... A few minutes to impact .... Faster delivery than any I.C.B.M. and without chance to intercept....... SCARY!
If Iran is weak and getting weaker why we don't stop threatening them? Why this propaganda is going on on a daily basis? Come on Fareed. Don't fool yourself. You know better than everybody else what is going on. You just don't ant to accept it.
I think Zakaria likes to come up with some absurdity just to produce a topic of conflict between the intelligent readers and the pseudo-intellectual frustrated right wingers. Bravo Fareed, keep up the good work.
Who says the issue is about Iran's strength? The issue is that Iran cannot be trusted. It is committed to disrupting our relations in the Middle East, and its willingness to throw the entire region into war and poverty in order to exercise control from the Ayatollah.
Is this the reason Obama wants to decrease our armed forces. Okay?!
The US doesnt have to set foot in Iran. It just has to destroy a few assets. That is where the carriers come in and why Iran gets so nervous when they are around. Iran has few friends and that is their big weakness. While Russia and China have economic interests in Iran neither one of them has any interest in Iran with Nukes either. Its too close to their back door. Obama has shown resolve with respect to the latest punishing sanctions. He also kicked ass in Libya and has killed most of Bin Ladens buddies up to Allah. Iran is between a rock (US) and a hard place(Israel) and they know it. All those troops pulled out of Iraq make an Iranian miscalculation much riskier in their minds.
Good article Fareed – I enjoyed your thoughtful analysis of the topic.
Biased reporting= Reporting that does not hew to your beliefs. example: for Republicans, MSNBC, for Democrats: Fox News
I can't believe this article mentions the candidates positions and not that Ron PAul has been saying all along that Iran is weak and it is war propaganda to say they are a threat to the United States.
I guess Dr Pauls 15 minutes with the press is over already.....they are back to ignoring him again.
RON PAUL 2012 !!!!!!!!!
We need to address the great number of mosques being built in the US.
Islam is the enemy of America and they want world domination. Do the math. They're not here because they like the west.
They're here to build numbers and are able to hide under our freedom of religion policy. Islam must be re-classified from a religion to a terriorist organization that they are.
Muslims can't be trusted in America.
Excellent analysis from a Islamphobe, right-winger, hate-monger,rascist, bigoted person. If anything we are going into their countries and bombing them:
Jesus said "I come not to bring peace, but to bring a sword" (Gospel of Matthew 10:34)
So the Christians are the biggest TERRORISTS
Ah, the Chamberlin theory of appeasement "there is peace in our time"; so everyone ignored Germany and went home to stick their heads in the sand. The only peace they got was a piece of the German war machine. This is the same theory put forth by the appeasers and half baked pundits, like Zakaria, constantly telling everyone "don't worry, be happy" Iran means no harm or Iran is weak while Iran has called for the destruction of The Great Satan (The United States) and of Israel. Just how naive can one get?
Zakaria's headline and tone are very antagonistic to that pride. It's like a dare, and too provocative in my opinion. Snakes can still bite after they die as a final desperate act. At this point the world has to hope that internally Iran is stable enough to stave off any audacious act (like blocking the Strait of Hormuz), because Ahmadinejad is definitely a snake in the grass. Syria is historically an ally. Egypt and Lebanon could go rogue at any moment as well. Israel is like the snake charmer. And it's now 2012. Please, let's not self-fulfill prophecies.
I will try to be objective. The threat of Iran is being exaggerated for the benefit of Israel only. Iran may pose a threat for Israel, but not for the whole world. And Iran is too strong and too close for Israel to attack. That's why they decided to involve the rest of the world to amortize the cost.
The "Don't worry, be happy." argument. All it really means is an unstable and more dangerous Iran.
US must partner with the Arabs on Iran. US needs to let the Arabs lead on all negotiations with Iran. US must show restraint.
Restraint? huh... So Iran builds nuke, uses it against Isreal, which most likely be the Capital... and the world should take a Kumbaya moment with them..?? And if you think the Irans wont use a nuke.. your buttering yourself for the bake. Iran has nothing to lose.. Going to war with the west will keep their people subdued with national pride to defend Iran and Muslims. Of course they say, destroying Isreal with Nukes will eliminate Isreal, but what of those Muslims living in Isreal, wont they be melted down by Iranian nukes.. oh thats right, they will all go to Paradise as martyers...
So your ok with that..?
Learn to write coherent sentences instead of writing like a lunatic. If you love Israel so much go join their IDF. We are tired of fight Israel's wars.
Response to Unique Comments:
Learn to write coherent sentences instead of writing like a lunatic. If you love Israel so much go join their IDF. We are tired of fight Israel's wars.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Look.. my point is what the hell are we going to do? . Should we all sit back and let the world go Evil....Is Evil is good for you all? Not for me..
Look, No American Wants war... Niether Do I< but What should we all do..? Honest folks.. Ask yourselve that.. Should we Walk away, become an isolationist country...? stop being part of the world situations... remove the United Nations to another country.. Keep our borders open for everyone around the world to come into our country without security? Pretend everything will be alright.. ignore those countries that want to impose their religion, 1 person Rulers.. Dictators..?
Do you really believe they want a Kumbaya moment with The United States...?
Be freakin real... by the way, I've already serve a defense force...
0v0
Because "we are tired of fighting Isreal's Wars"
As usual, we have the war mongers and the Ron Paul big_oted anti-semites ranting. The simple fact is sanctions are working and Paul has vowed to lift them from all our enemies, a very, very dangerous and st_upid idea on his part.
No wonder we're in such a effin mess.
Ron Paul has the right solution for the middle east - stay the heck out of it.
Yes, Iran is weak, so what?
Taliban is even weaker, and who can beat Taliban, who?
iran just became stronger when a leaderless america gave it the drone technology to power its new nuclear war heads..
Good article....the simple truth is that the military-industrial complex has seized on Iran as an enemy, because there are so few of the traditional boogeymen left.
Reading these comments is quite painful. Not because of the content, which is 90% grabage, but because of the horrid grammer that most of the radicals on here use. Push your grabage ideals elsewhere. The middle-east sees the western world as a threat in the same way the western world sees the middle-east as a threat. Different ideals and philosophies have often been viewed as a threat, and it is no different between the west and the middle-east. Both side's ideals threaten one another, but it doesn't have to be that way. What EVERYONE should be doing is respecting that other cultures have different beliefs and ideals, and let them live in peace. Theres too much hate and violence in the world. It's my hope that a new generation of up and coming bright minds, who weren't even alive when most of this prejudice and hate between the west and middle-east was concieved, can concinve their governments to move past the age old rhetoric of threats, terror, and hate, and learn to work with one another.
Tollerence is the goal that everyone, both the west and middle-east, need to get on board with, or these conflicts will never end.
Fareed is the one of the most unbiased and objective news analysts in the US. I like his show because he asks important or well-known people for their opinion instead of giving his own. If I needed opinions, I'd just watch everybody else or better yet Fox. As such, I do have a healthy dose of respect for him.
Do unto others that you would have them do unto you. He who is without sin cast the first stone.
The more we manipulate foreign gvmts, invade/occupy/bomb middle east nations, and keep the blinders on about what our gvmt is doing, the more enemies we create for the terrorist recruiting pools. Look at the history of what has bred Middle East hatred for us, and ultimately incited the 9/11 attack: US agents overthrew Iran's elected leader in 1953 and put the Shaw in power so we could extract their oil. After 20 years of oppression, the Iranian people overthrew the Shaw and put their own leader in place who hated and denounced the US. Then the US funded and supplied young Saddam Hussein in his invasion of Iran. When Saddam later turned on Kuwait, we funded and trained Osama Bin Laden and his Saudi Freedom Fighters to fight Saddam. We put military bases in Saudi Arabia and ticked off Bin Laden and the Saudi people. Bin Laden masterminded the attack on 9/11, using 15 saudi nationals as hijackers. 9/11 was a result of what the CIA calls blowback - unintended consequences from the covert actions of our gvmt. Meanwhile our news has shown us footage of these people burning US flags to fuel public fear and support for attacking them further. The only winners are the war contractors, oil companies, and news corps. who prifot from war. Meanwhile our soldiers die or come home messed up, hundreds of thousands of innocent bystanders are killed, and we burn oil in our SUV's without knowing how many people have died for it.
Iran's weakness is exactly what makes them dangerous. They are frantically stalling for time in order to make a nuke. Once they have one they will use it. They have nothing to lose. Google the 12th Imam...that is the motivation behind everything coming out of the country right now.
Google and research the Rapture theory of Christians and the coming of Mosiach theory of the Jews.
Xtians want all Jews to gather in Israel so Jesus will convert them to Christianity and Jews want to have their Land promised by their G_d. This is a marriage of convenience and they both are stabbing each other in their backs.
America really has no problem with Oran...america is being drown into beef with Iran because israel says so...and since israel runs both foreign and local policies in US ..america has to do what israel want them to do...that's why they are not going after north korea who has more advance nuclear program
It is amazing that so many of our Christian brethren want to support Israel blindly. We have done more harm to Iran than the other way around.Wake up and realize that the Jews and their high Rabbi were instrumental in killing Our Lord ,The Saviour Jesus Christ. And these are the same Jews that want us to fight against Moslems for their Jewish Israel.
guys, you tend to forget when US did the same story just before invading Iraq by promoting Iraq as ranked 4th in military power in the world and it has all kind of mass destruction weapons. Did we find any and how come it took few days for US forces to get to Baghdad facing no resistance at all! where are the millions soldiers?
This is a poorly written article. You think you seem to know everything and are our "Savior". However, I feel you should be less objective and more perspective, because it is obvious at times that your great liberal bias exists.
another wishful thinking article.
Iraq=mess
Afghanistan=mess
Israeli support=mess, making US hated than ever
Libya=Runned by al-qaeda
Mubarak toppled, Tunisia regime toppled and US still think they could wage wars.
RON PAUL 4 PRES!
RON PAUL all the way
Mr Zakaria, North Korea has never threatened to blow Israel off of the map. But, you already knew that.
i am not a big fan of Iran but in all fairness Ahmedinejad was misquoted ".....have often heard 'Israel bayad az naghshe jographya mahv gardad' — Israel must be wiped off the geographical map" from your own NY Times.
Amazing how you white supremacist twist the truth and misquotes Muslims.
"As the imam said, Israel must be wiped off the map."
"The Zionist regime is a rotten, dried tree that will be eliminated by one storm"
-Ahmedinejad
Try and spin that.
Trump is right on that issue....Trump needs to vote for Ron Paul to make this happen...
In political science class in college, we learned that the most dangerous countries were those with hungry people, weapons, and not much left to lose.
That seems to describe both North Korea and Iran to me.
If the Iranian economy keeps going down the tubes, I foresee a revolution very soon, because hungry soldiers and guns are a bad combination.
Please ask this in your class. The world's top most 2 terrorist are neither poor nor illiterate.
Bin Laden was a multi-billionaire, and that guy Dr. Zwahiri (his henchman) has 2 Phds.
Whenever you create illegal occupations, illegal war for OIL and ISRAEL you create "terrorists".
Israel pre-dates the false 'prophet' Muhammed by 3,000 years.
The word "Jerusalem" appears more than 800 times in the Old Testament.
The Word "Jerusalem" does not appear even once in the Qu'ran.
when media talk about a country,they always say the nation of this or the nation of that,it might be right in most cases but not quite right when it comes to Iran,in Iran you got two million or so Mullahs and their families who are very similar to the former soviet union communist party members,then you got the Nation of Iran,a seventy million ordinary Iranians. who got nothing to do with mullahs,in fact Iranians hate Mullahs for their ignorance ,adventurism and backward ideology,you got a bunch like mullahs in almost every country but in most cases they are benign,but in Iran they got the power in their grasp at the moment.in other hand mullahs hate Iran and anything related to ancient Iran and Iranians,they force Iranians to put Arabic names on their children to prove they are Muslims and so on,,please separate the account of Iranians from mullahs,and please from now on call the gang of mullahs something else other than Iranians anything you want.ordinary Iranians don't hold any grudge against US or Israel,they are like the rest of people in the world,they worry about their families and mortgages and food on the table,,mullahs in other hand want to impose a stone age ideology on not only Iranians but the rest of the Mideast and the world if they can,in this regards they don't care if the whole world goes down the tube,since the Islam always comes first.
thanks for reading!
You are so ignorant. You probably live in Israel. I can refute your whole post but I'll just refute one here. Not all names of our children are Arabic but they come from Farsi (Persian for simpletons like you),
You guys are so ignorant about other culture oust side US and Israel that its disgusting. Why would we name our children Elizabeth and Samuel. WE ARE PROUD PEOPLE AND WE WILL DIES FOR OUR MOTHER IRAN.
Time to grow up and stop this tribal garbage.
We have one planet.
We all have to share it.
You Islamist have 22 countries,
and yet you want Israel too ?
I hope that it is not true that Muslims want to
take over the world, but it sure seems that way.
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the British came into control.
The Jews and The Arabs had been offered a state.
Israel, and palestine.
The Arabs already had many states, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt.
But the Arabs said no.
You cannot have a "Jewish" state.
But its ok to have an "Islamic" state.
So your Arab countries and armies told thousands of Arabs
to leave thier homes, and after we drive the jews into the sea,
you can have everything.
But you lost the war.
And now your own Arab countries dont want your refugees,
as Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt have forced you out.
Yet you still blame the Jews.
Arafat was made many offers for Palestine, but he refused them all,
He got very rich from other nations donating money,
but he kept his people poor, and hateful.
There is no such thing as a "Palestinian".
We have a place on the US map called Yellowstone,
But there are no "yellowstonians".
Nice how you can just change your name, and demand
a state.
Put down the guns, bombs, rocks and weapons,
Maybe you will find peace.
And if you try and build a bomb you will get your wish. A pity you have moved so far away from once-great Persian leaders like Cyrus the Great.
Isn't it funny? As soon as you lash the word Zionist out, there goes the chain reaction of angry undoers. But he! bad luck for you the world is waking up to your "domination", Did you hear about "Occupy"? This was in 2011 and the new movement is coming back.
Mr. Zakaria, you are simply VERY WRONG. We all know you are cow towing to your bosses at CNN ad-revenue generating war mongers, but this time you have gone way too far! It is of course obvious all of the Middle Eastern Rooted people working for CNN “are bought and paid for” slaves of the US and Western commercially driven ad-revenue generating TV, and all other media, including Mr. Zakaria.
A) 10, 000 Iranian Rials used to be near equal to One $1.0 over 20 years ago. And the fact that it has taken over 20 years for this currency rate to jump to 15,000 IS THE SURPRISE not the fact that it has! I remember this very clearly, because some of the stupid Iranian youngsters were jokingly saying that President Bill Clinton had said he wanted to force make 10, 000 equal to one American dollar, and laughing like the stupid, they were. They too were sell-outs like the so called Iranian so called journalists who appear regularly on CNN.
B) At the time when we in the US are screaming our hearts out saying China is devaluating their currency to make their economy better, how a sharp decrease in the Iranian currency should be called a disaster for that country?
C) Of course, after four rounds of US Lead UN economic sanctions against Iran, plus many unilateral US and EU sanction against Iran, it is expected that if Iranian people should have difficulty exchanging their Rials when buying US dollars. But we need to remember that unlike the rest of the Persian Gulf countries that are nothing more than puppets on US-string and totally depend on US for their livelihood; Iran (and Iranians do not need dollars) is a very large and self-sufficient country. It has many forms of experts other than just oil and does not need to import but something like less than 5-to10% of her needs.
D) The internal government struggle you referred to, AND LABEL AD IRAN’S WEAKNESS; is nothing less than a great proof that Iran in fact has one of the most (Middle-Eastern Style) modern democracies. This is also proven by the fact that during the last 30+ years Iran has had 10 separate elected governments, and like the US president, the Iranian President can only service two four years terms. Whereas all of the poppet governments (surrounding Iran) in that region have dictators with lifetime shakhdoms, that we continue to support, while they tremble all over every possible right of their citizens!
E) Iran, since 1991 revolution, (even with every possible obstacles we (US and the WEST) have thrown at them – the 8 years imposed “Iran-Iraq war” that US collaborated with Saddam Hussein – all of the other sanctions – killing Iranian scientists in Tehran, labeling Iran as supporter of terrorism when the west kills their scientist and spy on them in every turn) has become one of the strangest countries in the region. We did not have to waist trillions of dollars to do any Iranian nation building or to help them grow; but they have grown despite of our every effort to stop them.
F) They used to be the largest importer of war weaponry under the (previous) Poppet government of the Pahlavi dynasty, when US and Europe sold them the weapons. Now do not buy weapons since they are the weapon manufacturers themselves, and actually are completing with US in selling arms to the countries of the region. They even have started completing with US in space research technology and have sent their own homegrown satellites in the orbit!
Now be reasonable, can we really call Iran weak and getting weaker?
Steven Sym – F.Z. is indisputably reasonable. You sound like an Iranian propaganda pamphlet and it reeks of desperation. And here's why:
A. The point you provided made no grammatical sense. So I will skip this one. But the rial has slipped into dramatic decline and there is no denying this. I'm not sure what "Iranian Youngsters" and former President Clinton have anything to do with this.
B. China's devaluation of the Yuan is used to monopolize foreign investments because more companies want to exploit China's cheap labor, services, currency, etc. To compare Iran to China in this regard is misguided, Iran is not a hub for foreign investment and sanctions/economic punishment has prevented many nations from conducting business with Iran.
C. You claim that Iranians do not need the dollar, and are self-sufficient, and that the other Persian Gulf nations are puppets on the "US String" – whereas testimonies from actual Iranian citizens suggest that they are investing in the Dollar and the British pound because of the uncertain future that lies ahead and the prospect of the Rial further sliding in to decline. Unemployment is astounding, and Iran's closest ally, as FZ already mentioned w/Syria, is crumbling.
D. To declare Iran a "modern democracy" is laughable. I voted in the 2009 election and it was a complete sham. There's no transparency, fairness, equality or justice in the Iranian governmental system. The Expediency Council, Majlis, Guardians, etc. are all rife with corrupt, self-serving politicians, blinded by chauvinism. Any and all protests and requests for a recount/investigation was crushed by violent repression. That's tyranny.
E. This point also fails to make sense grammatically, and you don't substantiate your claim with any real evidence. You simply say that Iran is the strongest nation in the region. Prove it?
F. Because Iran manufactures weapons and has attempted space excursion does not make Iran a powerful or hegemonic state. How much is the IRI paying you? You are delusional and khol
What I find interesting is that those Americans who yell the loudest against Iran or any other country are the most ignorant.
>WatchCarefully
You mix apples with oranges, Israel has nothing to do with Iraq (where the lunatic Bush never had to go, of course). As to Israel, it's sad that you justify suicide bombings as well as killing of women, kids and other civilians.
Zakaria, the perpetual partisan plays another shell game with the truth.
Iran's economy is irrelevant. North Korea, vastly less economically capable than Iran, succeeded in producing atomic weapons.
Fareed, you remind me of the label on a bag of sugary candy that says "Fat free". Its all sugar thats going to make you fat. "Fat free" is a literal truth that is deceptive in intent.
Fareed's analysis is exactly right. We are witnessing the final acts of the Islamic regime. Soon, their closest ally in the region, Syria, will be gone. Their economy is under tremendous burden from sanctions, corruption, and poor management. Most importantly, their people are yearning for a more open society and have turned against this regime. Expect to see them gone by their next "election".
Iran's economy IS a factor....as is ours (the US economy) . Iran is getting weaker and their 'show of force' supports this; if they were strong they wouldn't have to tell anyone they were.
As much as the media likes to beat everything down (it is easier to be negative in any debate), a new spring is starting to take place for the American economy. Will it be a great fiscal era approaching?...or one that will barely keep us going as the world weathers the aftermath of worldwide corruption and maniacal behavior (e.g. Ahamedijian's antics and Pakistani flip-flopping as a true ally of the world....yeah, right...they didn't know where Osama was....). A lackluster fiscal season is most likely on the horizon as little in the world seems to be happening in regard to checking the power of the richest few. That is...until people have had enough and they will put their lives behind their words....which brings me back on-topic... the Iranian people continue to suffer real hardship under the current regime and will do something to change it.
On paper your theories are somewhat sound. In reality, anyone who opposes the regime is an enemy of the state and is jailed or put to death. Maybe with some outside support this might happen but rememeber how Obama sat back and watched last time protests began ? No help will arrive and the opposition will be silenced once again.
Silly Fareed. Don't you know the Republicans have to have an external enemy to keep people frightened so they'll see Republicans as the party who will keep them safe?
Iran is playing a very dangerous game with its Arab neighbours. Its bolstering of the Shiaa government in Iraq, turbulence in Bahrain and the Eastern Province of KSA and extreme support for the Syrian regime is a death sentence for Iran.
Iran was fighting war with Iraq, and they were kept in check by Iraq. Iran did not have time to develop nuclear weapons,as they were worried by Iraq, and was monitored by Saddam. Also we allowed Saddam to drop chemical bombs in Iran and we turned our eyes away, about it. When Cheney decided that he could use Saddam and a Iraq war to make profits for Halliburton, and Bush went along with it to end his fathers war, this useless war; started in the name of WMD and also to save American interests. But Dick used the same national interest to make profits for his old pals Halliburton. Dick wont be sent to hell, but GOD will find some place worse than hell to pay for what he did to this country
.
Coming to the point, what USA did was to join the Shiites from Iraq with Shiites from Iran. Saddam was Sunni . That is why Iran wants to move into Iraq to live and do the dirty work of getting rid of infidels from this world, with their brothers. So effectively we did the job for Iran and freed Iran to concentrate on a nuclear bomb. Now many of these republican wants keep and send more troops to Iraq, to cover their blunders and blame Iran for that, as they do not want Americans to find out how they screwed us. They blame social security and medicare for our problems, but willing to spend bliilions of dollars in Iraq for our lifetime , like what Perry said to send more troops to Iraq. Someone needed to say enough is enough, end the war and get out of Iraq.. Bigger the hole you dig(Bush and Cheney) more time and soil you need to fill it(Obama). You know something, all the contracts from Iraq went to China, where we shed our blood and money (Of course Halliburton made profits from there) and our companies did not get nothing, not even oil. Bush did not know the oil
price anyway.
Whatever Obama does is going to be wrong as far as far as selfish republicans are concerned. After all, for them he would be a Muslim, if he extended friendly terms, or he is the enemy of USA if he put sanctions, as per the lady who was the advisor to Bush and appeared in GPS last time. This lady who was in charge of Iranian affairs , allowed Bush to call Iran as evil and be the enemy. Now at GPS she was saying that Obama made a mistake in not acknowledging Iran's congrats message, and failed to share the dinners with Ahmedijinadad. I am an independent voter who voted for Reagan, Clinton, Bush and Obama is very confused and becoming insane with present repulicans who are twisting everything. I am not comfortable with Democrats also, as they cant unite to do anything like republicans. Republicans are united even to destroy the country so that they can come back to power. NOW THEY ARE WORRIED THAT UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HAS COME DOWN. The rule for them is country should suffer so that they can come to power. Sad part is many reoublican voters support it, as for them party first, country and people second..
Looks like all our problems are due to Obama from the beginning of time, so the solution is get rid of him and bring back a republican moron, then America will do better . So in nutshell , make America like Russia, only ruled by republicans, and get rid of Democrats
Well written!
Iran like Hitler's Germany? Has he ever seen a map of the area under control of NAZI Germany in 1942? The USA built the first nuclear bomb in only 3 years for a reason – FEAR.
Fareed you hit it on the button here. I had a recent conversation with someone from Iran in my travels. He told me with worry in his eyes.....exactly what Fareed wrote. One thing Fareed missed though is that many Iranian's do not care at all for many of the other choices in the Iranian political system. When I asked the Iranian about which person would he support if there were a general election he said none of them. So not only are those in power divided the people are equally confused and extremely worried about the future of their country.
Iran is even more powerful than the US.
Yes individuals in CNN, BBC Farce, VOA Farce, and Euro News Farce should say like these to make your bread bigger but it is clear that Iran and its people are more stronger than before, especially after the Western lead Green revolution things are different.
Zakaria? Someone give him a vacation or something.
Each one of his analysis has been proven wrong. CNN really needs to think if they need someone with fancy writing skills BUT zero credibility and zero analytic skills.
Of course, it's getting weaker. But, the real matter is will the nation and its citizens be able to weather this economic sanction and for how long? Look at Cuba & N. Korea... these nations have been under economic sanctions by the US and most of the free world for over 50 years! ... And yes, they're weaker... but they're still surviving with their defiance leaders, governments, and ideologies in tact.
No one is the ME has nuclear weapons except ISRAEL , this is false war against Iran , time has come for American people to wake up and see what is right and wrong otherwise another WAR economy down loose jobs , how long ..they already got defeated in IRAQ and Afganistan , now to laugh CIA and USA government is doing business with Taliban to save their ASS they reliased they can't win war against afgan so they make pact with Taliban shame on US , Shame on Farid Zakaria who is also puppet of american government , why you all are living in darkness wake up call , If Taleban and AlQaeda waged 9/11 , then why peace deal of taliban , every knows Osama died long time back of kidney failure in dubai , they declared on fine morning to make excuse to bring back troops that Osama is dead , business is finished , such a foolish people of america they don't understand what is good and bad ......look at CHINA they are improving their economy every day . you see every street every shop around the world chinese product they already captured the market , by keeping USA engage in one war to another they making US economy begging some time printing excess money , some time raising debt ceiling , you americans are living in hell paying almost 50% of your earnings in tax es , time to has come realise the fact otherwise soon USA army will be mercy for $$ , china will control everything , as per IMF they will surpass US Economy by 2015 , so good going CHINA and poor USA foot licking ISRAEL kill you both in Economy and miltary wise , Media has to play postive rule and bring awareness to US Common people not just faking what jews says and foot licking of Israel 's , before it is too LATE i hope this will publish not censored
Mark, this is your (witch) Doctor...you need to stop trying to think and get back on your meds, or we will have no other choice than put you away again.
lay off the weed kid. You cells are just about ALL GONE.
anyone else think this article sounds way more academic than realistic?
you are correct we must immediately attack Iran and may be Pakistan, this would ensure safety of Israel and also keep our economy based on military / industrial complex going, other naive Americans are stupid
only catch is to find out were is Iran, I have heard it is next Venezula
GOD is the only one and great planner, no one can make a plane better this his plan. If poor Afganistani Talibans can defeat the whole NATO then Iran is still a very stable country. INSHALLAH a time will come when the whole world will be treated equally, i will not be that one person is having money for his 10 generations and one is dying out of hunger.
may be Zakaria sound right but we can't say that US getting stronger , its getting weaker than iran itself and what happened with the soviet union in the past is happening now with USA ,America now is living on its old reputation about the world super power ( the strongest ) but behind the scene its dead like Salomon stick , there is a new super power emerging its not Iran nor china , its milestones is not clear yet like the baby in the first days the first day of its birth was in the Arabs revolutions wait for it to put the real end for Israel , America , Iran
the "blackknight" and"farhan sitting in a hut, one is coo coo the other a nut"
So...the sanctions are helping to weaken the economy and hurt the civilians, just like in North Korea, they still got nukes, I"m pretty sure that it won't keep Iran from getting them either. Infact Iran had a better start than North Korea when they started working on them. So....what have the sanctions accomplished? Well it seems that it has caused Iran to look for allies south of the U.S. Think the cuban missle crises was bad wait till Iran gets their nukes...Oh I forgot, we have been waiting.
Wrong Fareed, have you read the news? Obamas slashing the military here. It's US that's getting weaker.
Does your trailer park manager know your using his computer again?
When has efficiency been classified as weak??????? Look up that word: Efficiency
It's amazing how the Western leaders are blind, NATO spends billions on useless wars, worrying about countries that can do nothing, while feeding the real enemy of the people in Western in this century, China that are stealing jobs, technology and breaking companies of all Western countries from Brazil to the U.S. through Europe. And our leaders insist on wasted money and power.
Its all about the control of the oil, nothing more nothing less. Pipelines to move the oil and gas. Iran isnt going to attack anybody, unless directly attacked first! The nuclear issue, is just a smoke screen, for future events to be perceived as a legitimate cause for military action, which will happen eventually happen. The US, will have Iran's oil, no doubt about it, and will do anything needed to get it....period. If you look at the facts of the situation, to what advantage would a nuke benefit Iran? Seriously, think about it, it cant be used, so why even bother with it. Oil, black gold, TEXAS tea!!!!!!!
Zakarian's mind is becoming weaker and weaker...
The only thing that is positively getting weaker around here is Fareed's grasp of reality. He is absolutely clueless and one would assume on the DNC's payroll!
FZ, in schilling for Obama in this article, makes claims that he can't support. This is just more Leftist propaganda.
When I see firm evidence that Russia, China and North Korea are NOT giving aid, and that the sanctions are not being cheated on, as before, then I might believe him. Until then it's just election year propaganda noise.
OK, so Iran is wounded and getting weak. What usually happens next? Perhaps the wounded animal strikes out as it has nothing left to lose.
"getting weaker" and being injured are two different things,Fareed. At this point, Iran is more likely to lash out than before. And, I guess, by nature of being from the Indian subcontinent and a non practicing muslim, he is now an expert on Iran. is there anything this man cannot do/does not know?
Let's just invade em and get it over with. If we keep trying we may actually start a war we can win.
It seems “JACK and the other buffoon “Watch Carefully”, feel the Iran is a threat to the rest of the world. Hate to ruin your cookies, it’s not. It barely ranks above any South American “Banana Republic” , but right there with a “Dictatorship”. It’s military cannot stand up to a modern Army. It’s leaders are the worst type, preying on a peoples religious beliefs in order to maintain power. Sorry Iran is not a threat to anyone but themselves and if they feel that war will “improve” there world standing, then defeat is all they will know. It order for them to be a world partner, is stop acting like this week Morons.
The rethuglican detractors in this story are on par with Dubya/Dick, who blew everything out of proportion & got us into 2 wars that never had to be fought just for the sake of oil concessions. Our brave men & women in uniform lost life limb & genitalia over the blood for oil lust of Big Oil. Lets show them the proper respect and not alarm Amer again with lies & spin.
Try not to Wrestle with a pig. 1. You both get dirty. 2. The pig likes it. 3. Pigs don't know pigs stink.
Corky did a fly and he did ride it... C-C-C-C-Crambone
Evil learns to survive. Surely the Iranians have learned from themistakes of Sadaam Hussein and other Arab/mideast tyrajnts, Hiter and the like. And a surviving evil is very dangerous. Just think of all the good stuff Sadaam ,Hitler and other tyrants did while weak.
Totally disagree.
Iran is not only seeking nuclear weapons, they are currently seeking cooperative countries in our hemisphere, from which to launch weapons against the US. They have been friendly with Venezuela, and now they are seeking friends in Central America, who may be less than friendly with the US, all in an attempt to find launching pads for weapons against the US.
They are pretty obvious, in what they are doing, but only to those who have the insights to recognize their motives. Those who don't have that ability, will see nothing.
i agree with you regarding their desires, but don't lose any sleep over their abilities to get a foothold on this side of the planet. just remember 3 words: Monroe Doctrine and Cuba. Its not going to happen.
Iran is a mosquito. Or more like a "no see um". Hahahahahahahahahaha.
This couldn't happen to a more deserving country. If Iran does not play ball with the global community they will remain on the outside looking in. Nuclear weapons in the hands of a madman is reminiscent of a James Bond film. Send in the US and Israel equivalent of 007 to take them out using stealth.
A weak country with a strong military can also be very unpredictable, and actions can be taken in desperation, which could have tragic consequences. When a weak country becomes a desperate country, logic no longer rules their decisions.
Except in this case, they don't have a strong military.
Half a million troops, 261 naval ships, 3 destroyers, 19 submarines, 1800 tanks, 1030 aircraft, F-14 and MiG 29, short range and long range missiles (and a really nice high tech drone aircraft) certainly is not a "weak" military.
Dave is lost. There equipment is older than Iraqs. F14's???? Where??? they have F5's Nam era. Before you post stuff, know what you are talking about. They have NO SHOT. PERIOD. We can not stay there, that is all. No rebuilding, not replacing govt's, etc. LEt me also make something else clear. i do not want a war, but if there was one. Six weeks and Mission accomplished flags could rise.......then we leave, Not stay around like we did the last two.
I think they have like 12 "real" ships in their navy. the use F5 phantoms we sold them after Nam. Dude, they are WEAK. Their columbian cocaine subs are junk. WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?????????????????
Perhaps you guys should do a bit more research. You are underestimating them.... http://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.asp?country_id=Iran
http://www.haaretz.com/news/background-how-big-is-iran-s-military-1.7084
Can they survive against the full force of the US military? Of course not. But to say they are "weak" is a misrepresentation of the facts. The strongest weapon they have is the same as North Korea, their unpredictability.
Fareed, I love how you just had to insert a plug for your boy, Dear Leader Obama, in there, with a veiled "it's Bush's fault" all rolled into one sentence. Nice job, liberal, in the tank much?
Did foxnews leave the heater off again? Is that why you're over here?
Do not underestimate Iran's capability to cause serious trouble. And do not buy into Fareed Zakaria's assessment that Iran is weakened to the point of collapse. The Bush administration bought into another assessment by a middle easterner, Chalaby, who predicted that an incursion in Iraq would be met by masses of Iraqis with flowers for the victorious occupiers. Nothing was further from the truth. Almost ten years after this strategic mistake, nothing has changed. The Sunnis are still fighting the Shias and both groups blame us for their problems. The most devastating result is that now Iraq is more closely aligned with Iran than it is with us. If an impoverished country like Afghanistan cannot be subdued after ten years of "nation building" it is naive to think that a petro power like Iran will be brought down by sanctions when a majority of the world is dependent on their oil.
I agree just about 100%. I think we killed most of the insurgents...hopefully. i know one thing, they cant have a nuke. How that will play out, I do not know. i do not want war, but they cant have a nuke. i am tired of people thinking Iran is a superpower, or trying to instill fear unto others. There is no comparison when it comes to our military and theirs. NONE AT ALL
Enough with your propaganda assh0le!
"The simplest measure of Iran’s strength is its currency. " How does Zakaria reconcile that analysis with Noth Korea which steals food from its civilians to feed its immense and strong standing army that we spend billions to contain? Iran has huge oil reserves. North Korea has squat. Zakaria is a twit to suggest that Iran is not becoming a stronger threat as Iraq becomes less stable. Go back to covering local spelling bees, Zakaria. Who gave this guy the mike,
Who gave YOU a computer?
North Korea's army isn't strong or powerful. They're laughably weak. Worse than Iran, even.
However, to answer your question, NK is directly propped up financially by China. That is how they survive. Iran is not, and never will be because even their Chinese and Russian allies don't trust Iran.
"The Obama administration has put tremendous pressure on Iran on a variety of fronts — far more pressure than the Bush administration was ever able to muster. " What did Obama do besides read from a teleprompter while Iran crushed the civilian protests? Zakaria must be looking for a White House appointment if he does his job well for NOV 2012.
Farheed is right about that (for a change), maybe because it's so obvious. Obama is actually able to talk sense to the leaders of other countries and get their support, as the article says. Bush was never able to accomplish anything like that because the entire world viewed him as an incompetent buffoon.
Fareed is right on that count. Bush had alienated our allies and abused their trust so badly that their populace had a hard time trusting anything we said, and thus was impossible to build the kind of international cooperation necessary to apply this amount of pressure on Iran.
Sadly, Condoleeza Rice could only do so much to repair the damage caused by extremely poor foreign policy.
Is it possible to forget Iran for a while? Don't we aldready have enough domestic problems to solve? If the cleric-led israel wants to fight the cleri-led Iran, I'll give them an OK thumb anytime...that's their problem and no one else's!
Let's focus on the main issues of this dying planet , that's more important than the regional agenda of israel..
israel has a real parliament that even includes arab muslims. Israel is not 'cleric led'. It might be better for you to think about what you are saying before you post, assuming you know anything to think about.
I'm a conservative and think that Iran is plenty fine, thanks. They're no superpower, but they're working on it. Do we need to do more than what we're already doing? Nope. Because we don't have the will, the resources nor the resolve.
I'm a conservative, but I think that barring reaction to anything that they literally do, we should do nothing more than sanctions. Unless they do something like shut down the straight of Hormuz. That would be shutting of the oil not only to the US, but large parts of the world and it cannot be tolerated.
Barring something like that, I truly believe that it's going to take something like them lobbing a big old bomb into a neighboring country for people to get that they are a problem. Then the left will go OOH NOOOZ, why did they do THAT? While the rest of us wearily shake our heads.
No more intervention is my current stance. No more intervention in the world, while the world gripes about the US, but silently and gleefully takes advantage of the hole in the powerbase that we've created for them. Nope, no more being the policeman of the world, where we risk lives and money, while they sit on their butts.
Like sane conservatives, sane liberals know the kind of destabilizing force that Iran is and why it needs to be contained.
Unfortunately, we've also go the insane ones on either side of the spectrum, such as the ones on the left who feel that the solution is to hand them flowers and roll over on our bellies, and the ones on the right who feel that the solution is a pre-emptive nuclear strike. Both are idiots.
Disinformation again.
Iran is no superpower, but it can take down any US ship with their Sunburn missiles.
That's a lot of assumptions in one little statement, mate.
You're assuming 1) that they could actually hit the broad side of a barn with those things from 10 feet away, 2)That the US warship is already capsized, likely from everyone onboard laughing so hard, 3) That the the cutting-edge anti-missile defense systems on the ship are offline and the guy manning them is both drunk and asleep, and 4) the the submarines already in place haven't already blown the offending ship or launcher into atoms three times over.
hey hate us because we are free, and not converts to Islam.
They hate Israel for the same reason.
They hate everyone, even their own people. There's plenty of evidence for that.
So, nothing we do can change that. We should not lift one finger for Iran. Even to rescue sailors.
For information our media leaves out, and if you want some perspective go to globalresearch.ca atimes.com or rt.com otherwise just grow some wool and go out to pasture.
I think the older generation in Iran need to hurry up and age out of power because I think the younger generation is much more modern in their way of thinking. I think they want their leader out of office as much as anyone. Too bad they have to suffer under him.
What is missing for me is WHO is supplying Iran with Nuclear know-how and equipment. These people couldn't tie their shoes without help (same for North Korea). We should be focusing on shutting these companies down and their money flow. Who sold Iran the centrifuges, and who taught them how to use them, maintain them? You never EVER hear of these people. My guess: many companies from Europe and the Russians.
you should update your datas..clerics and engineers are not the same thing! Any engineer speaks the language of science and science is not exclusive to USA Europe or Russia! White anglo-saxon supremacy is only in your dream, redneck!
700 or so years of global dominance by Western Society says otherwise.
willy busy playing with his willy while willying away the hours between classes, not bright , not educated and not credible is Willy
Zakaria is correct in his general principal that Iran is weaker and weakening but history has proven that is the point when a nation becomes most dangerous and aggressive. Like a wounded animal trapped in a corner it is most likely to lash out and thus the resent threats over the Straights of Hormuz. If Iran were to close the straights their flagged oil takers would still be permitted to travel through thus oil would sky-rocket to $150-$200 bbl and Iranian tankers would still have full access through the channel. China would continue to buy the oil out of pure necessity while most other countries would turn to other nations for their oil. Of course the US would open the Straights in about a week at most and likely attack other facilities inside Iran as punishment so that is where the true discouragement lies.
you ignore the fact that Iran is incapable of closing the strait. Rest assured that there is already a flotilla of submarines in the vicinity and the Fifth Fleet of the US Navy on standby. They've threatened this before, and the last time, the Navy just escorted vessels through.
It's an empty threat, as I doubt even the towel-heads are dumb enough to actually attack a state of the art warship.
it would appear Iran likes playing games with the U.S. just to tempt us to make a move. not sure how they think the rest of the world will react, but i do not think the reaction will be the one they expect. i feel a bit of deja vu all over again (sic Iraq) with regard to how some of the presidential candidates would like to react - get those troops in there fast. i think our biggest challenge will be to stop Israel from reacting too quickly. perhaps we should let Iran implode and allow the religious element to fight with the secular government - there is certainly animosity there. recently i have thought that if military option is the one taken, it should be taken by NATO. after all, the actions by Iran can affect all of us.
Nuclear technology is 70 years old – - a glimpse of the nuclear propulsion NERVA rocket engimne from the 60's – -
Gosh, now this jive of Iranian 20 % enriched uranium makes sense at last.
THEY ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO THE PLANET MARS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Because thats the only use anyone has figured for twenty percent enriched uranium ( ordinary nuclear power requires only a scant 2-3 % enriched fuel ) , well unless they are going to further enrich the material to 90 % for obtaining cough, cough ahemm .. weapons grade stuff
No thats not the only use for nuclear material. Enrichment is required to create isotopes used in medicine. Why should the West control all medical supplies and charge an arm and a leg?
isotopes don't require 20% enrichment.
You know what does?
A dirty bomb.
Know who the only folks are who are interested in such a weapon?
Terrorists
Know what rogue middle-eastern country financially and materially supports global terrorism against Israel and the west?
Iran
*GASP* oh noes! A logical thought process.
Iran is a weak country. Its government chooses to seek a conflict with the US, Europe, and its neighbors to try and hide the fact that they are incompetent. There is a high level of corruption in Iran as well as a lack of sound policy planning. Their misguided pride in nuclear weapons development just shows how dumb these people are. Nobody wants to invest in Iran since the 1970s. Iran is not worth invading. A containment policy works well enough.
Once again the EuroSocialist Zakaria attempts to push the Obama agenda and tell Americans how they should think and what they should believe. Hoping for the day when CNN can hire more native Americans as reporters rather than their foreign born correspondents.
The world would be a better place if on Mr. Zakaria would share share of those drugs he's been taking.
Iran is smart not dumb, this could also be a distraction. Remember we do not know what really is going on over there trully, and all we know is based on speculation and what we can get out from them.
I think Zakaria is right. But the Ayatollah does not care. He will still continue with his nuclear program even if the whole country starves. The people are also not in a position to rise up. The Revolutionary Guard has complete control. What sanctions may do is actually prompt the regime to use the weapons once developed. The regime will not change course because of sanctions. The best way would be true international isolation, which would include isolation from Russia, China and India. The other options are diplomacy and military. All these options have a better chance of working than sanctions. Sanctions is the easy one, but the least effective.
"But do we think of North Korea as strong and on the rise because it has a few crude nuclear devices?"
North Korea is not a Theocracy waiting for a message from Allah through some Ayatollah.
Once they have the Nuke, they'll use it to extort whatever they want out of the region and cause all manner of trouble.
Zakaria is usually on the right track...he researches and does not say anything he cannot back up – which is more than I can say for politicians that want to ride the boogie-man, Iran, into the 2012 elections. Iran is nothing more than a region bully...and not even much of a bully. If they even get close to nuke capability, the CIA shakes them up, or we call Israel to run an airstrike. What is anyone worried about? They cannot even explain their irrational fears.
Iran wants a nuclear bomb we sould send them a few with a good bye letter. This is to the Iran goverment u are worthless you need to be behead and beatin. I would do it for free.
Fareed, overconfidence is a weakness. Never underestimate the power of your enemy. Expect the unexpected. How could you say Iran is getting weaker? If a man like Ahmadinejad feels his back is against the wall, that is when he is most dangerous.
A much worse weakness is having an inability to decisively prioritize global threats. If you think Iran makes the top of the list, please tell us why? If you can...
I never said they were the "biggest" threat. Nothing to take lightly for sure.
Fair enough, I did not mean to misinterpret... I'm just so weary of our internal politics twisting our global policy. When America leads in this world, we cannot show our weaknesses or politically driven irrational fears.
Iran is like most bullies, when confronted or challenged they won't be able to back it up.
"In fact, the real story on the ground is that Iran is weak and getting weaker" Right fareed, it's like backing a wounded wild animal into a corner thinking he will behave... Fareed, you must be reading Obama's daily briefing - becasue he, like you, see no real threat in Iran --a paid of clueless bystanders
OK, DC Observer, why don't you tell us about how bad a threat Iran is... and why in our national security outlook on the entire world, we should prioritize Iran differently than this administration already has?
DC never said that either. Why wouldn't you put Iran at the top of the list? Answer that and we can debate.
I would agree Iran is weak (they've been stronger) and are getting weaker BECAUSE: We have successfully kept them from becoming a nuclear power on several occasions (between us and Israel). Iran has only ever been a border bully during the war with Iraq and has of late not reached across borders...the likelihood that they will is not growing. On top of all this, Iran's "leadership" is losing (NOT gaining) in popularity and support w Iranians. OK, now, anyone want to tell me why they feel the opposite? Does anyone feel like Iran is getting stronger? Why?
Of course Fareed would feel this way he's one of them.Iran is and has been an enemy of the United States.And Romney is correct Iran is the greatest threat to world peace.And China is already a major threat to the US interests at home and abroad.Of course the Obama apologists blame the US 1st crowd will feel differently.
Keep those neocon dreams alive. Hopefully no one will listen !
THIS COMES FROM SOMEONE WHO WORKS FOR THE WHITEHOUSE ANY QUESTIONS
OK, so you disagree – can you tell us WHY? Can you even begin to explain why you think Iran is strong and growing stronger? Didnt think so.
Read "Wrekcful's Run" for the long and short of Iran.
Obama's perverse Iran policy will cause a nuclear war in the Middle-East within 1-3 years.
How is his Iran policy any different from George W. Bush's? Except for that time where he tried talking to them, and they turned him down...
The fact is that only Bush's invasion of Iraq in 2003 stopped Iran's work for the Bomb for awhile...Obama is seen as a weakling in the Middle East. An enemy of US allies (like Mubarak) and a friend of US foes (like Iran,) Irresolute, naive and soft. Someone they don't respect and certainly don't fear at all. They see a free road to the Bomb, which they'd use to start a war, as soon as they get one or two.
Either Iran is stopped militarily, or it would get the Bomb and start a nuclear war in the Middle East. There's no other way realistically. Everyone knows that but some don't care. Like the appeasers of Nazi Germany in the 30s, Iran apologists today like to think only the Jewqs have to worry. How shortsighted. Read "Wreckful's Run" for a chillingly realistic view of the results of Obama's current Iran policies that, like Zakaria, start from the patently wrong premise that theocratic Iran is a normal state. It isn't!
Fareed is one of the best in his field. He has the respect of many knowledgable minds in the world and has the respect of most leaders in the area of the middle east. The firebrands and neocons do not want to hear that Iran is getting weaker because they want to insite another war to get back at this bad actor called Iran. We do not need to be sending anymore troops in harms way to try to get the control of their oil. We need to keep the sanctions going and eventualy the Iranians will take do their own government !
Zakaria got it right, but we had better be careful. A squashed nation is likely to do anything to get back up!
Let's hope for the peace and stability both in the region and across the world. But I believe in case of any confrontation, this won't be an easy war. It's true that American navy is far better equipped, but one shouldn't underestimate the Geo-strategic upper-hand of Iran in such conflict. It has all the northern coastline of the Persian Gulf under it's control, giving it the land-to-surface attack advantage. Plus it has many proxies all over the Middle East, in the Mediterranean coast line (Lebanon & Syria), and across the horn of Africa (Somalia & Eritrea, Sudan). Just one explosion in any of the oil facilities of Persian Gulf's Arab states, or even an RPG attack on oil tankers in the horn of Africa by so called 'pirates' every couple of months is enough to keep the price of oil at unprecedented highs for a long long time. Therefore, Iran is quite able to opt for a lengthy un-conventional war with the west, whilst selling its oil at a discount to the high global prices to China to keep them happy and prevent any UN security council agreement.
Hence I believe that it's better for everybody that the oil be kept out of the conflict as this would not be beneficial to either sides in the longer term.
lol yeah Fareed, its the Iranians who are like the rise of Nazi Germany – oh wait, are you sure thats not America?
He was quoting Gingrich.
It *does* seem that Iran has becoming more and more desperate recently. The question is – does that make them more or less dangerous?
When World War III happens all you fools saying you want war with Iran will be weeping for it to end. You want war until it happens. You disgust me. Along with your hate-filled minds that love death. NO WAR WITH IRAN!!!! Ron Paul 2012 = Sanity.
Half of you posting comments here can barely cobble together a sentence. It's obvious English isn't your first language, but if it is, you should seriously consider going back to grade school and reviewing some rudimentary language skills. Nothing undermines your opinion faster than poor spelling and bad grammar. Internet: the land of dummies.
US should hold Israel against it's history and call them out on their deeds done. Israel's behavior is akin to Hitler himself, in how they are treating the Palestinians. Historically, Jews has lived in that strip of the Mediterranean, that is a fact. So has the Palestinians. Just read the Bible. They have been at each other's throat for thousands of years. Read a little further, you'll find that they are blood brothers. How stupid is that? Israel would not exist if it was not for Britain and US's involvement after WWII. People have been displaced from their homeland throughout history. It's par for the course. But to force a new state for people who were brutally treated during a war was not the solution. It has simply created this whole fiasco we have now. Both Israel and Palestinians needs to let go of their hatred and realize their unbreakable bond and learn to live with each other. Create a a new state that includes both of them as one. Work on peace and harmoney, not bloodshed and revenge.
If this breaks out into a shooting war the US would destroy Iran. But we cannot stop the Iranians from destroying the Saudi oil fields. Since the US will not put boots on the ground in Iran, we will not be able to over throw its government. The Iranian government stays in power and the US looses its largest oil supplier. I'm not seeing where this benefits the US.
When the missles start flying you can count on the US Navy losing somes ships, possibly an aircraft carrier. This will be Irans victory. History shows that once the war starts people rally around the flag. This will happen in Iran, and The Mullahs and there supporters will be deeper entrenched. The Iranian nuclear sites are dug in and underground making it near impossible to take them all out. We start bombing there goes the oil fields.
The only way we deal with Iran is through sanctions. We let the Iranian people decide the course of there government and if it stays. Eventually all tyrannical governments fall.
Well, actually, Canada is your biggest oil supplier...
Below quote from the story highlightsd why the GOP can hardly attack Obama on foreign policy, a subject long considered to be a Republican strenght:
"The Obama administration has put tremendous pressure on Iran on a variety of fronts — far more pressure than the Bush administration was ever able to muster. This is, in part, because the pressure has been brought to bear, wherever possible, with other countries."
This, and more of his FP successes give Obama a clear edge in 2012. Job well done. Not only is the US more respected abroad again, they also can munster international support against those countries that defy international standards.
A big thumbs up for Obama!
"the US more respected aborad again".... what are you smoking?
Its called truth, Ricardo. You should look into it.
NEVER underestimate the enemy nor the journalist who prints underestimation.
Don't overestimate your enemy either.
The problem with Iran, as did Iraq, is that they don't understand how the USA works. I see they are making the same mistakes that Saddam Hussein made (twice), thinking that they can bluff their way out of their predicament. They can't. They will be squeezed with sanctions and the moment they overreact, the theocracy will be destroyed in less than 1 month.
Fareed Zakaria is the only REAL journalist working at CNN. I love reading what he has to say. He's a true non-elitist/Hollywood journalist.
Excellent assessment. Let us not fall prey to Israeli and fundamentalist claims that we need to go to war with Iran. That may suit Israel, but not the US. We have already made so many sacrifices for Israel, and the more we support them the more intransigent they get. Let's call it quit, unless out own security is at stake.
The Republican and right wing attacks on Obama, especially with regard to Iran, is an attempt to attack one of Obama's administrations successes–foreign/defense policy, with their usual approach, The Big Lie. Fortunately for America foreign/defense policy is one area that the Republicans could not filibuster and otherwise subvert so they are left trying to redefine history by using the Big Lie.
Unfortunately, while the Big Lie approach works, especially for the low hanging fruit of the American electorate (which tend to vote Republican anyway), it will not be enough. Once Obama takes the stage against the bozo the Republicans eventually select as their candidate, the American people will see thru this feeble attempt and make the wise choice.
Lou, I agree with your post 100%.
saw gps, 1/8. thanks for having hillary mann leverett on to balance the zionist slug, bret stephens.
BS went off on a tangent because he couldnt respond to the many historical facts given by leverett.
only zakaria changing the subject saved BS from drooling all over his self from his idiocy and lying,
Iran laughs at Obama's naive appeasement efforts, all the way to the Bomb.
Fareed Zakaria has more knowledge and understanding of the Middle East in his left pinky than all of us combined. People in high places should listen to what he says.
Yes keep listeing to the moron and the little voices in your head stupid!
Good ! Never give a single chance to terrorists, not the Iranian people but the Government .
Just so everyone knows; Zakaria is a neo-con tool that loves to spread misinformation and propaganda.
The claim that Iran is weak and getting weaker has not completely hit the target...
This claim is false where we stand now, Iran is economically squeezed, because of the sanctions...
Germany was in the same situation before WWII, for Germany, the only way to save itself from economic collapse caused by the sanctions was war, and sadly the same case applies to Iran...
If it does not resort to war, it will get weaker at an alarming rate...
I would like to hear your opinion, since the opinions in the country I live in are hardly satisfying and are made by uninformed people...
To avoid disturbing someone, I wont mention the country...
I will be known by the same name throughout the website
I agree that Iran is spiraling downward. However, it precisely this persipitous decline that makes them more dangerous now than ever before. A they continue to decline, they will have less and less to lose by taking assertive action. Injured animals are hazardous, because their fear makes them irrational and unpredictable. The same applies here. Until their government has been replaced by one that is more open and progressive, we must remain vigilant.
I agree....
Not to forget that Iran is not run by completely rational people...
If their economy continues to plummet, what will they lose in an oncoming war?
Population? I dont believe they care...
Economy? What's left of it?
Not to forget, Iran's valuable ally in the same geopolitical area, Syria, is not in very good shape...
Iran will whup americans puny ass.. just wait and see
Although I am not a large fan of the US, I hardly see any truth in your statement...
Assuming Iran declares war on the US, US's military might alone will lead it to victory, and that is not including it's various allies...
If NATO assembled an attack so easily on Gadhafi who did not directly attack a Western Power, the same can be done with Iran
We made Iran the "bad boy" of the area to sell expensive weapons to the Gulf States. Guns for oil.
I would hate to see us start another war in the middle east so soon, but some one aught to shut iran up for once and for all.
War is inevetible, since Iran's might has been dwindling rapidly...
Let us just hope it won't lead into bigger repercussions like a Sunni-Shiaa war in the Gulf...
Well-said Tom! Jack knows jack about the matter. He has NO expertise. Just blabbing away.
fareed zakaria is a globalist. He was at the last bilderberg meeting. Obviously he's trying to sell war to the public. Too bad Ron Paul has more military campaign contributions than all other candidates combined! Our own VOLUNTEER military doesnt want war. How can you send a military to war that obviously opposes it. There is no moral for this except to further a globalist agenda of world resource dominance.
I agree. Iran is getting weaker. And that is what scares me. Weakness begets desperation and Iran will act more and more desparately.
Desperation which will lead to actions that will drive other countries desperate too...
Yeeehaaa! Iran sounds just like Iraq. We will walk over them in two weeks, we will be greeted as liberators, and the oil will pay for everything. Just like Iraq.
Not exactly like Iraq...
This regime made sure it has some support internally..
Moreoever, most iranians, regime supporters or not, would not approve of US interference
Yee-haw, Jester's dead.
You're everyone's problem. That's because every time you go up in the air, you're unsafe. I don't like you because you're dangerous.
That's right! Ice... man...I am dangerous.
CHOMP
There is a difference between a general categorization of weakness and the fact that one nation may have some limited strategic vulnerability. You have described a limited vulnerability, but have not factually supported a conclusion of general and growing weakness, as you claim. Iran has a well stocked, well trained and extremely large military. They have strategic alliances with Russia and China. They have economic ties with neighbor states. They have roots of their poisonous tree infiltrating Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Syria and more. They have a state budget that blatantly funds terror operations and terror organizations. They can count of some of those well-organized and well-funded terror organizations to repay their past favors when the chips are down.
While there is some economic vulnerability on Iran's part, we have seen first-hand, in Iraq and with Sadam Hussein's regime, that even crippling financial sanctions and isolation are never enough to bring about fundamental change. I believe you have far overestimated the impact of sanctions, as well as deeply underestimated the resourcefulness and connections that Iran possesses to overcome (or at least endure) such sanctions.
I'm a liberal Democrat, not some Republican hawk. But with respect to Iran, I suggest we adopt the teaching in an old Chinese proverb. One must kill the baby tiger in its crib, lest it grows up to consume you. I applaud the sanctions in place, support more and deeper measures, and support military intervention against Iran at the earliest possible moment. I do not see the attainment of nuclear weaponry by a radical Islamist state as acceptable or tolerable.
Trust me, the Saudis are very interested in bring about a "fundamental change", specifically, fundamentally changing who reaps the profits from the oil fields in Iran. Hmmmm and I think I know who they plan on sending in to execute this "fundamental change"....
"I do not see the attainment of nuclear weaponry by a radical Islamic state as acceptable or tolerable." Really, then what do you propose to do about Pakistan? How about a fundamental Christian nation or a fundamental Jewish nation? The propaganda bainwashing is strong with this one. Ask yourself how much you supported the rush to go to war with Iraq in 2003, I'm guessing you were all for it.
Funny that Newt has "compared the Iranian challenge to the rise of Hitler’s Germany" when he fully supported and continues to support the Patriot Act. Now if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black, well, definitely not the first time for good ol' Newt.....
I think Mahmoud is wearing a hair hat.
Ah don't worry about poor little ol' Iran. Once Mother Russia is done providing specs, parts and labor for their nuclear reactor, they'll be able to turn on their lights for the next 10,000 years when Tehran becomes the next Chernobyl.
Agreed, if Iran ever had the infrastructure, intel, and stability to become a nuclear player, they've lost all 3. They won't finish. Even if they could, we would not let them. Folks here forget history too easy.
Fareed Zakaria is the most hateful person the US, you can tell by listening to what he is saying .. you can see that he hate that the US is a super power, and he want nothing but having Iran not to be touched by the US or Israel, so they continue development of they power but Iran need to be stopped by force .. US need to be active with such states .. and stop listen to the people (Like Fareed Zakaria ) that they want to destroy the US from inside
I think that Zakaria is not looking at the world with open eyes. The fact that we base power on economics today is foolish. Iran might be getting weaker economically, but its influence is only getting stronger every day. We need to look at the heart of the human being and his/her beliefs. The ability to control an individual ideologically and give them a sense of hope and community will empower that individual to do anything that will satisfy his/her most basic needs. The ability to feel that you are part of something greater than yourself and reach a fulfilled state of mind is worth more than anyone can pay. These cases are evident in some of the world where people are still held ignorant by the lack of information and governments/religious leaders restricting people from seeing life with their own eyes.
"Iran might be getting weaker economically, but its influence is only getting stronger every day." With all due respect, WHAT Iran are you thinking about? They have to shoot down their own people in the streets. They know that as soon as they gain any advantage over any of their neighbors, that advantage will be nullified immediately. Is the U.S. intelligence presence gone? Is Israel airpower gone? I don't think Zakaria is the one whose vision is skewed here. Sorry.
Look at Iraq and then tell me that Iran has not gone beyond its borders.
die yankee die
...eventually. Only fools think they will live forever.
You die first, see? Your friends might get me in a rush but not before I turn your head into a canoe.
Even if Iran possessed a nuclear warhead and the means to deliver it, they wouldn't; it would mean the destruction of their nation. Every other western nation would attack them immediately. And they seek nuclear power, so what, every modern nation runs on nuclear power. The real issue is destabilized Pakistan, because they DO have nukes and lots of em'... and Pakistan had a direct role in 9/11 that most people in the United States are unaware of. Furthermore, these talks of war and sanctions only hurt our economy and Iran's economy – the people in Iran particularly suffer, and the western nations suffer as oil prices shoot up due to instability. Do not support attacking Iran.
la3ana allah nori al maleki al jaban. down with moqtada al qather al jaban, down with iran.
DR DHARGAM- NIAGRA FALLS – CANADA
Can the FBI or the U.S. Department of Homeland security PLEASE look into blogger 'WATCH CAREFULLY'
He just made a threat against the United States, which is completely unacceptable. There should be consequences for people who threaten the United States. End of story.
Welcome to the world of the Department of Defense. People have been making threats against the US since 1775. US Army/Navy/Marines/Air Force/Coast Guard have been dealing with them all along. Thank the next member of the military that you see, they've done their job well for over 237 years now.
SSDD.... Leave it to a Neo-Con like Gingrich to play the Hitler Card, crank up fear and hate. Same old Same old.
Zakaria has it right, they are failing and will dissolve of their own rigidity, like the USSR. No need to fire a shot.
Same as Viet Nam war, same as the Iraq War, declare "them" to be a huge threat then take them out. Wrong policy.
We demonized the Spanish in advance of the Spanish-American War.
We demonized the Germans in advance of WW-I.
We demonized the Asians for the Korean War.
We demonized more Asians in advance of the Viet Nam War .... the "Domino Theory."
We demonized Iraqi's and Muslims in advance of the Iraq War, and we still do in a general way.
Now we are demonizing the Iranians, most of whom are wonderful people, like most of the Iraqi people are/were.
Time to open a new page in our relations with other nations....time to end the endless round of wars....time for all of those so-called Christians to reach out and invite others to live in a world of equals, not send endless hateful viral emails....
What makes countries like Iran and Pakistan so dangerous is that they are completely insane. They believe in a religion that says if you murder westerners you will wake up in a magical 'heaven' and be given 100 virgins.
Anyone who believes this is completely insane and EXTREMELY dangerous.
Mike, that is actually a typo, you get an 87 year old virgin, Male or female, whichever they have on hand at the time to give out.
I respect F. Zakaria’s opinions usually.
It is Iran’s weakness that makes them dangerous. A cornered animal is more dangerous. A cornered animal with a nuclear weapon is even more dangerous. Also I have seen several references to Iran having the most advanced internet hacking abilities of any unfriendly country. (Has anybody seen a missing drone lately?) A cornered animal that can hack my bank account just gives me the willies.
FZ mentions that, “The Persian Gulf monarchies have banded together against Iran and shored up their relations with Washington.” Well if monarchies are so stable and friendly in the gulf region maybe we need to relax about exporting democracy and let the locals decide what they want. Not every culture relates to authority the same way Americans do. It seems that in the near future Libya, Syria, and Iran will have new forms of government. If the US is going to try to influence the outcome we need to have simpler requirements for who we support. I.e.: Play well with others. (Trade, war, espionage, pollution, etc.) Play well at home. (Treat your citizens and guests as well as the rest of us do. Not too high a bar.)
About the Straits of H: The US got schooled in Viet Nam about asymmetric warfare. Hopefully we have learned from experiences in Afghanistan & Iraq. I expect the US Navy to be ready for zodiacs, mines and missiles.
Mitt baby! Sorry but this situation is not going to grow slowly for the next 10 years. Iran will be in chaos or Ahmadinejad will be gone (or both) within a year or few.
I don’t want to forget the Iranian, Syrian or Libyan people. The trick is to squeeze hard enough for Ahmadinejad to pop out the bottom without torturing the population so badly that we become the enemy. The Libyan people seem to have good reason to think highly of NATO and the US right now. (Somebody insert Syria into the last sentence and tell me what is taking so long. Where’s the invite from the Arab League?)
Invade Iraq? Have you seen the news in the last decade? Remember the latest war in Iraq and add in a lot + a lot more troops, a lot more $$$, a lot + a lot more US casualties, a lot more time. Did Russia or China make threats when we were building up to Iraq? Were Iraqis demonstrating against the government before we invaded?
You are all Idiots. If you are so enthralled with these other place how about you move there and save us all the trouble of reading this garbage!
The fact that we sold a huge stock pile of modern weapons to Saudi Arabia recently is more troublesome than anything Iran might do. Some day soon the bloated and corrupt royal Saudi family will be swept away and a bunch of moslem fanatics will get their hands on those weapons, and on the oil. What then, US? What then? r
Remember the fall of the Shah and the US Embassy hostages. Didn’t they trade those hostages for airplane parts? My understanding is that the high tech warfare we are investing in is very maintenance intensive.
@joe I think that this would be the best case scenario. Let these morons in the Middle East kill each other. I do not care and neither do most of the people I know....
Why do you think we're making them look so dangerous? Its simple, the government is trying to make Iran look like a threat so we can invade and further destabilize the region and increase our influence. Then we can begin our indoctrination of pork sandwiches, apple pie, beer, pickup trucks, central banking, political correctness, cheap loose b!tches, and "minority rights". America, F#@k yeah! (that's sarcasm)
won't be the first time that has happened
You know what there is none of you that is right or wrong. The truth we are spiraling towards that great inferno and one we all will be in amazement of how stupid all of are. We will bring forth our own demise regardless of what faith or color we are we all will stand alone or next to a love in bewilderment of the hatred that has caused the end of the human civilization.
Something tell me you think you one of the lucky ones that is going to miss the show.
Fareed Zakaria is a moron and a closet terrorist operative.
I hope to be right in the middle of all of it.
Relax its just Republican fear and war mongering as usual,but don;t fear we are in capable hands with President Obama. When you talk about the three c's cool calm and collective Obamas got my vote before anyone of the republican stooges.
Wherever U.S. has gone to "help", they have been hated. Whether they support Israel or otherwise, U.S. is the most hated country in the world.
The best part is that we live in a country that allows expression of these views. Try doing that in any of these mid eastern countries and the great prophet will ride down on you in the guise of any of these countries armies. All of your points are now moot!
I tell you all that hate the U.S.A to go f-urselves and shoot urself in the head cause the U.S.A is not going anywhere except into your backyards to put away you hateful fears
I think what bothers me the Most is that CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, ect have failed to report the we(the US) have just deployed THOUSANDS of troops into Isreal. I am glad we did so and am tired of the Iranian threat, but cmon MSM, why hide this fact from the US people?
Iran weak and getting weaker??? Iran's influence has done nothing but grow over the past few years and looks to continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Iraq is moving towards becoming a virtual puppet government of Iran's and all the "Arab Spring" regime changes seem to be falling Iran's way (Islamist). Why CNN keeps this largely discredited and irrelevant propagandist...err....contributor around, I'll never know.
It's quite correct to say that Iraq is increasingly becoming a proxy of Iran. This is not because its a "muslim" nation, but because the power is in the hands of the Shia muslims, rather than the minority of sunnis and kurds. Similarly, most nations undergoing regime change via "Arab Spring" are sunni nations apart from Syria & Lebanon. There has never been a pan-islamic muslim state starting from Algeria to Indonesia, simply because its dotted with pockets of "Shia" nations. For the majority of Islamic people, the "shia" are considered apostate, "infidel" if you like.
Duh!!!!!!! It took Obama 3 years to conclude that Iran is ideologically rigid. Now that really proves he is a quick student. It's called sarcasm, folks. The naivete of Obama is both alarming and frightening. This is the same guy that claimed that Syria's Assad was a reformer. Obama contended that all we had to do was push the "reset button", talk nice to our enemies and Shangri-La would suddenly make its appearance under his leadership. Claiming Iran is getting weaker reminds me of how Khruschev responded to Mao's claim that America was a paper tiger. Khruschev said, "Yes, a paper tiger with nuclear teeth." Iran is more dangerous than ever when it has nuclear teeth. North Korea is weak also due to sanctions and inept leadership of its ship of state, but no one is holding their breath waiting for the regime to fall. He is not a credible observer or reporter of the world's relationships. He is so blatantly biased, why doesn't Fareed Zakaria just go on his TV appearances and wear a big 12" diameter button with "I love Obama" on it.
All free and democratic countries have to aid and support the Iranian people in their struggle for reform. The entire world knows that the polity has been hijacked by Ahmadinejad and his Quds backers. The entire world also knows that Iran will increasingly become a proxy of Russia and China, if The Free World decides on isolation as opposed to engagement. Finally Iran is the nation overwhelmingly despised by muslim countries as well. It's religion considered apostate by an overwhelming majority of sunnis, and its "persian" heritage as puffed up, vain glorious goo.
The world is aware of all these things. Syria and Iran are the biggest troublemakers in the region. Fareed Zakharia is wrong about iran getting weaker, financially or otherwise, because its in the interest of China and Russia that it doesn't.
sanctions are an act of war ! It kills babies as it did according to the UN 500,000 children died in Iraq in the 90s just due to the sanctions imposed and the world knew!
dE JA VU all over again... first we were lied to about Iraq having WMD.
Now it is Iran ... Oh how soon we forget!!!
Fact of the matter is that that is 500,000 ppl that will not be trying to kill Americans. Make no mistake you if are an America they will kill you too! @truth_alone
Fareed always does his homework and he's right. Great article. CNN needs to give Fareed the lead and let him run with it. He's not opinionated or bias. He simply reports the facts and this is what I like.
There goes Fareed again writing about a topic he has little or no knowledge of. CNN, it's time to delegate Fareed assignments that are in his area of expertise. For examples, India struggles to feed its billion of citizens, its backward caste system and culture, its corrupt government, how to improve the country's overall sanitation,etc.
America needs an enemy. Since the biggest bogeyman of all (USSR) went bust, the US has consistently chosen petty saber-rattling dictators to demonize as the most dangerous threats on earth. Most of them were installed in their positions by the US decades ago and then turned after they had bilked the US for massive amounts of aid, which they promptly hid away for themselves. This Iranian regime is a direct result of the US overthrowing the elected government of Iran in the 1950s and installing the Shah as absolute ruler. You reap what you sow.
Lot of people make mistakes everyday. But not the same one Mr Zakaria. At least you should learn from your own experience that bluffing can only go so far.
Pure Propaganda.
The first reason Zakaria thinks that Iran is becoming weaker is the economic sanctions and pressures on Iran. To prove his statement he gives the fluctuated condition of US dollar in comparison with Iranian Rials in recent days as an example. On one hand, everyone knows that this fluctuated situation has a lot of reasons most of which have nothing to do with beyond the Iran’s borders. On the other hand, although Iran is under a lot of foreign pressures and economic sanctions, according to Google Public Data, Iran’s GDP, the most reliable measurement to gauge a country’s economic power, has been increased from $101.2865 Billion in 2000 to $331.015 Billion in 2009. So we cannot accept it from the author that Iran is becoming weaker and weaker in terms of economy.
Another reason the author tries to prove his hypothesis is the adverse situation in Syria, as a supporter of Iran. First, things happening in Syria are different from what we saw in countries like Egypt or Tunisia. The Bashar-Assad’s regime has still many supporters and he can handle the problems of his country by doing some reforms. Secondly, let’s imagine the Syrian regime is overthrown. Who says that the next regime is a regime against Iran? The third point is that if we accept that the Iranian friends are changing into Iranian enemies, something that is in question, why do not we take the new friends of Iran into account. Taking this fact into account that some of them, like Egypt, even has more strategic values than others. The author says that the Persian Gulf monarchies have banded together against Iran. But he should take this fact into consideration that the these states might be against Iran but their nations are not. This is soft power. Iran governs the hearts of the nations and it has many reasons ranging from cultural issues to others.
The author then argues the conflicts among the different branches of the Iranian state. Between the Supreme Leader and the President or others. I think not only do these conflicts make problems but they help the country progress. What we witnessed in conflicts between the legislative and the executive were all constructive conflicts not destructive. And I think what the author talks about the Revolutionary Guardian’s dictatorship, the division of the clergy and this fact that Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mohammad Khatami are against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are journalistic ideas and not worth being discussed.
He then starts to defend Obama Administration’s policies toward Iran and says that they were much better than the Bush’es and here he sounds very much Democrat and anti-Republican which is not beyond the expectations as he writes for the Washington Post. And finally, he puts everything he said by saying that Iran could be a potential threat.
"But do we think of North Korea as strong and on the rise because it has a few crude nuclear devices?"
No, we don't. But North Korea has nothing else, especially food. It's not like they can bankroll any other threat.
The Iranians have oil and use it to try to get whatever they want. Letting them develop a nuclear weapon will only make them more dangerous. Poor arguing point Zakaria.
hi
IRAN IS HELPING THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION HEZBOLLAH WHICH 100 TIME WORSE THAN AL QAEDA, IRAN THUGS ARE HELPING SYRIA MINORITY GOVERNMENT WITH MONEY AND WEAPONS M IRAN PAY RUSSIA THE MONEY AND RUSSIAN EVIL EMPIRE BRINGING THE WEAPONS TO SYRIAN SEA PORT,,,,IRAN HELPING IRAQI SHIIA THUGS TO KILL CHRISTEAN'S AND OTHERS, THEY ALSO DESTROYING LEBANON BAHRAIN YEMEN AND HAMAS.....THEY ARE EVIL CULT
, WORSE THAN HITLER..WE MUST ACT NOW, RON PAUL IS THE VILLAGE IDIOT IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY NO BETTER THAN THIS HALF MUSLIM PRESIDENT ( OBAMA), IRAN DO HAVE WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND WHEN THEY HAVE WORSE THEY WILL USE IT THEY ALREADY MENTIONED THAT ON TV AND IN THE UN GO READ AHMEDI NEJAD SPEECH IN THE UN..... NOW IRAN HELPING CHINA AND THE COMMUNIST VENEZUELA REGIMES...AND EVEN EXPANDING TO AFRICA OPENING SAFE HOUSES UNDER PRAYERS PLACES CALLED HUSAYNIA..!!!THOSE EVIL WILL NEVER STOP UNTIL THEY DESTROY EVERY GOOD IN THIS EARTH......EVIL CAN SMILE AND LIE EVIL CAN SHOW YOU HE IS GOOD...DONT BE FOOL. WORLD PEACE , IRAN DONT HAVE PEACE IN THEIR DICTIONARY.
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Zakaria< It is understandable of Your analysis.I don't think, You may have something else.
either way, thank you so much.
علم هدهد سليمان ومن مصدر امني مهم , أن هناك طائرة نقل إيرانية تحط أسبوعيا في مطار النجف الاشرف وهي محملة بالمليارات من الدنانير العراقية المزورة من إيران وبعد ذلك يتم نقل هذه المليارات من الأوراق النقدية العراقية المزورة تحت حماية أمنية مشددة وبإشراف عدد معين من كبار المسئولين في أحزاب الائتلاف الوطني إلى البنك التجاري العراقي فرع النجف الاشرف لغرض إيداعها به , ومن ثم سحب البديل عنها بالعملة الصعبة والتي تقدر بالمليارات من الدولارات ثم تحمل سراً بنفس الطائرة لتقلع بها إلى طهران . this is a fact every week an Iranian plan fly to iraq and directly to najaf province not baghdad in this najaf province the evil province in iraq , this plan brings billions of Iraqi dinars faked Iran dinar from iran and exchange it with USA dollars in janaf under the watch of al hakeem and al maleki group, bringing billions of dollars back to iran and then give to Syria , Russia and Hezbollah. WHY USA DONT DO NOTHING , WHAT IS THE USE OF SANCTIONING IRAN AND KEEPING THE EVIL IRAQI PRIM MINSTER DOING THIS EVIL DEEDS WAKE UP OBAMA
موقف روسيا والصين هو موقف الغرب كذلك اتجاه الشعب السورى الذى يبذذ من مجرم صهيونى ويحرق من حكمهم وهذا كله امام انظار العالم وهدفهم ان لا تنتصر ثورة السوريين ولا اى ثورة عربية والحمد الشعب غير المواقف بيده وما اسعد واجمل من شعب واعى بحقوقه ويكتشف اعدائه كل يوم وصامد واقف بوجههم جميعا فوحده الشعب السورى من يغير ليس الا مواقف العالم اتجاهه بل يحل ما حل به بداخلهم ليست روسيا ولا الصين بمناى عن ما يحدث بشعوبنا لا بعيدة عن ثورة الشعب حتى بامريكا نفسها والنصر لثورتنا العربية والنصر للشعب
Iran is NOT the real threat. They are doing front work for China. China is the dangerous one. They are in a cold war with the west and they are winning.
أكد وزير الخارجية التونسي رفيق عبد السلام اليوم السبت أن حكومة بلاده اتخذت قرارا بطرد السفير السوري في تونس، فيما أعلن الرئيس التونسي أن بلاده سحبت اعترافها بشرعية حكم الأسد، وذلك في وقت دعا فيه رئيس البرلمان العربي سالم الدقباسي الدول العربية لطرد السفراء السوريين المعتمدين لديها.
وقال عبد السلام في مقابلة مع الجزيرة، إن قرار الحكومة التونسية جاء احتجاجا على المجازر التي جرت وتجري اليوم في حمص وفي غيرها من المدن السورية، وأوضح أن وزارته ستقوم بتنفيذ القرار في القريب العاجل وستستدعي سفيرها في دمشق.
وتوقع الوزير أن تحذو معظم الدول العربية حذو بلاده في هذه الخطوة، وخص بالذكر مصر والمغرب ودول الخليج، وقال "نحن ننسق مع شركائنا في الدول العربية".
A man born in India and raised with out knowing his culture commenting on how weak Iran is? Mr. Zakaria, Iran is no Iraq and I dont think it will be walkover. Sanctions are hurting no dought, but you are again underestimating the ability of the country to create trouble for you. Remember the revolution and how that was underestimated? look where it stands now.
I have no particular respect for Mr. Zakarias views they are at best choriographed to suit CNN needs on spewing propaganda against our countries. Good luck but have no interest in your views whatsoever.
1. ذكرت في الحلقة السابقة ( السادسة ) اطمئناني لإخواني المترجمين العاملين في القواعد العسكرية الأمريكية الذين اتصلوا بي ليعنوا في رسائلهم توبتهم الى الله والوطن والشعب والذين تم تسميتهم بالأرقام بدلا من أسمائهم الحقيقية حرصا على أمنهم وحياتهم من قوات الاحتلال الأمريكي , وعاهدتهم بأنني سأقوم بتحويل أسمائهم والمؤشرة إزاء كل منهم أرقامهم السرية الى الجهات الخاصة المتعاونة مع المقاومة العراقية وهم كل من :
أ. المترجم التائب رقم ( 10) محافظة نينوى .
ب. المترجم التائب رقم ( 15 ) محافظة بابل .
ج. المترجم التائب رقم ( 20 ) محافظة التأميم .
د. المترجم التائب رقم ( 50 ) محافظة بغداد .
هـ. المترجمة التائبة رقم ( 75 ) محافظة بغداد .
و. المترجمة التائبة رقم ( 100 ) محافظة بغداد .
ز. المترجم التائب رقم ( 125 ) محافظة صلاح الدين .
2. أرسل لي المترجم رقم ( 50 ) من محافظة بغداد معلومات خطيرة عن عملاء مزدوجين للقوات الأمريكية والإيرانية وموثقة بالوثائق والصور التي تثبت ذلك وهم :
أ. العميل ( حسن سعيد حسن الكليدار ) مهنته ضابط شرطة متقاعد – محكوم سابق في زمن النظام السابق بتهمة مخلة بالشرف ( الرشوة والاختلاس ) لمدة سنين في سجن أبو غريب أثناء حكم النظام السابق .
عمله الحالي – عميل مزدوج للاستخبارات الأمريكية والإيرانية .ويكلف الى الآن بمهمات استخباراتي داخل بغداد وخارجها وخارج العراق
عنوانه : يسكن بغداد – الجهاد حي الأطباء
ب. العميل ( أمرو ألقيس حسن سعيد الكليدار ) قضى حياته في السرقة والنصب والاحتيال – هارب من الخدمة العسكرية أيام النظام السابق – خدم كجندي في الجيش الأمريكي في فرقة الخيالة الثالثة – كان من ضمن الفرقة القتالية التي اقتحمت الفلوجة – أنتسب الى الجيش الأمريكي عام 2003 والى الآن .
يعمل حاليا ضمن الاستخبارات الأمريكية في خدمة الجيش الأمريكي – عميل مزدوج للاستخبارات الأمريكية والإيرانية – ويكلف الى الآن بمهمات استخباراتية وقتالية داخل بغداد وخارجها وخارج العراق .
- لديه ورشة تبريد لتغطية أعماله الإجرامية
-عنوانه : يسكن بغداد – الجهاد حي الأطباء.
ج. العميل ( مروان حسن سعيد حسن الكليدار ) خدم مترجم لقوات الاحتلال الأمريكي – أنتسب عن طريق أبوه ( حسن سعيد حسن الكليدار ) الى الاستخبارات الأمريكية عام 2004 – والآن منتسب الى الاستخبارات الأمريكية
– يسكن بغداد – الجهاد حي الأطباء .
د. صديق عائلة حسن سعيد حسن الكليدار العميل المزدوج ( مازن التميمي ) يسكن مدينة السماوة ويعمل معهم ويرافقه في كل شي وهو احد أعضاء المجلس الأعلى للثورة الإسلامية (فيلق بدر)
د. صهر امرؤ ألقيس أي زوج بنت حسن سعيد واسمه العميل ( إبراهيم حربي إبراهيم القيسي ) وهو نائب ضابط سابق في الجيش العراقي ويعمل الآن مع القوات الأمريكية وقد نسبته القوات الأمريكية لحماية امن السفارة الألمانية وبعدها عمل في المنطقة الخضراء وكان يركب سيارة كولف حمراء .
عنوانه : منطقة المنصور حاليا .
3. إليكم الوثائق الموثقة بالصور أدناه للعملاء الجواسيس أعلاه ومعهم الكثير من العملاء العراقيين الذين باعوا دينهم وشرفهم للمحتل الكافر الأجنبي من الضباط والجنود الذين خدموا الاحتلال الأمريكي راجيا من أبناء العراق النشامى وفي حالة معرفة كل من يظهر في هذه الصور ان يزود المقاومة العراقية بأسمائهم ومناطق سكناهم او تزويد الشبكات والمواقع التي ستنشر هذه الاعترافات بأسمائهم وعناوين سكناهم وأية معلومات أخرى يعرفونها عنهم , والوثائق هي :
• اسمه ( أمرو ألقيس حسن سعيد الكليدار ) قضى حياته في السرقة والنصب والاحتيال – هارب من الخدمة العسكرية أيام النظام السابق .
• خدم كجندي في الجيش الأمريكي في فرقة الخيالة الثالثة
• كان من ضمن الفرقة القتالية التي اقتحمت الفلوجة
• أنتسب الى الجيش الأمريكي عام 2003.
• يعمل حاليا ضمن الاستخبارات الأمريكية في خدمة الجيش الأمريكي .
• عميل مزدوج للاستخبارات الأمريكية والإيرانية – ويكلف الآن بمهمات استخباراتية وقتالية داخل بغداد وخارجها وخارج العراق .
• لديه ورشة تبريد في منطقة المنصور لتغطية أعماله الإجرامية .
• يسكن بغداد – الجهاد حي الأطباء.
والعميل الجاسوس : امرؤ ألقيس حسن سعيد حسن الكليدار : هو من مدينة سامراء ومن عائلة الكليدار التي تسكن المدينة وهي عائلة مشهورة بالالتزام الديني والتقيد بالعادات والتقاليد , نشأت هذا العميل في بغداد , والده شرطي واسمه حسن وهو معروف بسقوطه الأخلاقي وانحرافه وقد حكم عليه سابقا بالسجن (10)سنوات بتهمة الاغتصاب والرشوة وطرد من الخدمة .
iran must be attacked, iran is not a muslim country, all the muslims 1 billion are sunni and the shiia are only 150 milions iran 65 millions are not all muslims , they have 10 million sunni and 5 million kurds, and 3 million christeans and jews etc...iran is evil and we dont consider them muslims. teh shiia cult is a devil worship called almahdi he the son of lusefer the devil
The world waited while Germany rearmed itself...all in the name of self-defense and national self-esteem following the Armistice in 1918. The result of waiting was more than six million innocent jews murdered by a fanatic who wrote his plan years earlier. Iran has made it clear through words and its ongoing sponsorship of Hamas and Hezbollah (not to mention the murderous Assad regime) that they are without honor, cannot be trusted, and will kill as many Jews (and Americans) they can. I can never forgive them for the Iran Hostage crisis. There support of terrorist acts through the 80's and 90's including the killing of an American in a wheelchair is a testament to the evil of the Iranian government.
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Zakaria is an idiot or a liar:
"Iran has a serious scientific community, and it sees a nuclear program as an emblem of national security and pride. But do we think of North Korea as strong and on the rise because it has a few crude nuclear devices?"
What kind of high-school sophistry is this? WAKE UP, Fareed, North Korea doesn't have Iran's " a serious scientific community".
Zakaria, master of taquiya.
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