By Nicole Dow, CNN
There’s a power struggle going on in the Middle East – a quiet competition between two nations over quite differing ideologies, approaches and rhetoric. The main players in this face-off? Iran and Saudi Arabia. But there’s an interesting twist.
Sectarian differences are at the root of the brewing rivalry for regional supremacy in the Middle East, a rivalry thrust into the spotlight as a result of the crisis in Syria. According to a former senior White House official, it is a case of soft power messaging vs hard power. But in this case, the soft power is coming from Tehran.
“We always think of Iran as a military dictatorship, but the Iranian message is clear, they want free and fair elections” in countries like Egypt, Afghanistan, Iraq, and also Syria, says Hillary Mann Leverett, a former White House official who worked on Middle East issues and held various roles with the U.S. State Department and the National Security Council.
In the case of Saudi Arabia, Leverett says a tougher stance has been demonstrated through the funding and training of fundamentalist Islamic groups. “They [the Saudis] support armed groups aligned with al-Qaeda – they are not mainstream Sunnis, who are not interested in killing other Muslims.”
Iran is a predominantly Shiite Muslim, non-Arab state that has found an ally in Syria through Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Sunni majority Saudi Arabia, in contrast, is an Arab state that has a close relationship with the United States, and also supports Syria’s opposition movement.
The inevitable tensions were evident earlier this month when Saeed Jalili, Iran’s top security chief, visited al-Assad in Syria. “Iran will not allow the axis of resistance,of which it considers Syria to be an essential part, to be broken in any way,” Jalili said, referring to Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas.
“The two big points of the Iranian push were for there to be a ceasefire in Syria for three months at the end of Ramadan, and that there should be free and fair elections,” Leverett said. “The Iranian message and belief is – if a country has free and fair elections, it will pursue independent policies that are in that country’s national interest. The Iranian belief is that if they pursue independent policies, they will inevitably be unenthusiastic about pursuing U.S. or Western policies.”
Leverett believes that Iran can apply its policy of supporting free and fair elections to Syria, despite the Syrian population being mostly Sunni, not Shiite. And this is not because Iran necessarily believes that any elected successor to al-Assad will be pro-Iranian or Shiite. “Rather, a free and fairly elected successor to al-Assad would not be interested in strategic cooperation with the U.S. and would not be interested in aligning itself with Israel,” Leverett says. “That would be completely against the views and histories of the people….For Iran that is an absolute net gain in geopolitics.”
Saudi Arabia, she says, is unable to take a similar tack.
“The Saudis cannot call for a ceasefire or for free and fair elections because the Saudis haven’t had free and fair elections in their own country. It doesn’t sound genuine, so they can’t do it, and they don’t want to do it,” she says. “No precedent has been to set to have everyone else doing it except them.”
But Leverett adds that there’s self-interest at stake, too. “The basic thing is, the Saudis aren’t interested in an outcome in Syria that leads to a government that carries out the interests of the people of Syria,” she says. “What the Saudis are interested in is a head of state who will be on their side. And their side is against Iran and its influence in the region. This is a big albatross that Saudi Arabia has on its neck.”
Geopolitics aside, though, sectarian differences are also constantly bubbling under the surface. “They [Saudi Arabia] also want to portray [it as] the Iranians don’t stand for Muslim causes, beliefs, independence or nationalism,” Leverett says. “The Saudis want others in the region to see the Iranians as Shiite, Persian, non-Arab, non-Sunni, and that what the Iranians are doing has nothing to do with democracy or freedom, but rather promoting a narrow sectarian vision. While the Saudi message is that the Shiites are infiltrating Arab affairs to undermine the Sunni community and the Sunni state.”
“They see the Shiites as heretical, non-believing, non-Arab Persians. Some Sunnis believe that, and the Saudis back that up with a tremendous amount of money and weapons,” she says.
The numbers would certainly seem to bear this out. Last year, Saudi Arabia reportedly purchased as much as six times as much military equipment from the United States last year as Iran's entire official defense budget. And the quality of its weapons systems also outshines that of Iran.
“Iran is not buying bullets, guns, and tanks,” Leverett says. “No one will sell it to them. They also want to be independent. The money they put in their military is for indigenous production.”
Included in recent U.S. weapons contracts to Saudi Arabia were reportedly F-15 fighter jets and Apache and Black Hawk helicopters.
All this means that casual perceptions of the tensions in the Middle east are worth closer scrutiny if the U.S. and others want to understand the regional dynamics – and how they may play into security issues aside from Iran’s nuclear program.
“The Islamic Republic [of Iran], we think of it as aggressive, has not threatened to invade other countries [since becoming an Islamic Republic in 1979],” Leverett says. “That’s where the conflict is today. It’s a battle today between this message that Iran has to promote of freedom, and the Saudis that are really trying to fight that message.”
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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SANA (ALEPPO) – Terrorists Killed, DShK-equipped Cars Destroyed in Aleppo, Terrorists' Den Raided in Homs
A unit of the armed forces on Friday clashed with an armed terrorist group in al-Khandaq Street in Bab Hood neighborhood and killed and injured its members.
A large number of terrorists on Thursday were confronted and killed as they were coming from the areas of Andan, Hayan and Bab Qara in the northern countryside of the province.
SANA reporter quoted a source in the province as saying that the terrorists were heading to enter the city of Aleppo through al-Zahra area.
The source noted that the cars used by the terrorists, which were equipped with DSkH machineguns, were completely destroyed including everyone inside them.
A unit of the armed forces on Thursday clashed with an armed terrorist group in al-Leirmoun area in the city of Aleppo and inflicted heavy losses upon its members.
SANA (HOMS) – Terrorists' Den Raided in Homs Countryside, Weapons Seized
In Homs province, an army unit raided a den for an armed terrorist group in the town of Ibel in the countryside of Homs inflicting heavy losses upon its members.
A source in the province told SANA reporter that the army unit seized an amount of various types of weapons, ammunition and advanced communication devices in the terrorists' den.
During clearing the aforementioned town, the army members found a number of explosive devices planted by the terrorists and dismantled them.
The source added that a unit of the armed forces pursued the fleeing terrorists in Jouret al-Shayah in the city of Homs and killed a number of them.
Thank you for the news udpate, Assad.
Indeed Aaron Chaney seemed to be Assad's mouthpiece!
The author Nicole Dow seemed to have overseen the significant role Turkey plays in the Syrian conflict. Yes, the Saudis may be "funding and training of fundamentalist Islamic groups. They support armed groups aligned with al-Qaeda" etc...These fighters are a boost to the rebel forces fighting against Assad. It's interesting to see what happens when the regime falls and whether the Syrians themselves would let the Saudis have a say in their future. It's more likely that Turkey's model would be preferred.
America has invaded sixty countries since world war 2.
In 1953, America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah of Iran. America helped Shah to established secret police and killed hundreds of thousands of Iranians.
During Iran-Iraq war, America helped Saddam Hussein and killed one million Iranians. America is the only country that shot down Iran's civilian air plain and killed all 290 passengers.
In 2003, America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and displaced 4,000,000+ Iraqi people.
Now, America is a failed country with huge debt. Its debt will be 24 trillion by 2015.
Every other day a city in America is declaring bankruptcy. ha ha ha
Your narration is an oversimplication of events. You should also explain why America got involved in those conflict. Your casualty figures are inaccurate to say the least. You should be ashamed with yourself.
You know what's really funny ha ha? Our intelligence agencies already have your IP address. Think I'm bluffing? Take your computer and have it diagnosed kid.
Why, just to keep it even, didn`t you include what the Soviets did in the same sphere of things? You propaganda just shows how limited your intelligence is.
I'm just tired of invading these countries and trying to set up democracies and help the people only to get kicked in the nards 10~20 years later by the same chumps. I say the US keeps rolling these loser countries over, but instead of helping the people we need to loot their resources and enslave their people.
Shah was not a brutal dictator you idiotttt
John, you might disagree with others opinion but don't react with threat......about knowing or reporting ones IP addresses etc.......It's all about freedom of expression here so let him exercise his right! We in the west proud of this freedom and erosion of this right should concern us all. I read all kind of weird and off topic stuff here and sometimes very obnoxious but I don't react to their level.
The Shah was not a brutal dictator? You'd better learn some history. He was far from being the worst but he was certainly brutal and was certainly a dictator and was certainly installed by the U.S. after an open election the U.S. didn't like. And yes we have invaded more counties in the past 60 years than all the other countries combined. Doesn't matter the reason. Vietnam, we had no reason. Iraq: we lied to find a reason. Haiti, we had no reason. Libya, we had no reason. Yugoslavia, we had no reason. What many call reasons are simply excuses.
Jannai, you forgot to say why U.S.A. invaded Irak.What about Kwait, who invaded who first?
Jannai,
This is not about the USA, is it..While you are mostly right, and while the USA has meddled far too much with other people's affairs, there remains a fundamental fact : Iran is a dangerous power if it gets access to nuclear weapons... In any other case I would say live and let live... But that one threatens too many other nations, notwithstanding Israel....If you are looking for a Middle East nuclear holocaust, then support Iran.. If not....then try and help.
Iranian nuclear facilities will soon be reduced to smoldering scorched earth.
laugh at that
Was it necessary for the USA to overthrow the Australian government? How about the Greek government?, or the Argentine government?, or the Haitian Government?
yes we did this all, and we even tried to overthrow Venezuela in 2002, but it failed because the palace guard realized the coup leaders were setting up a dictatorship.
Americans will die for Israel because the Bankers who own Israel also own controlling interest in the Federal Reserve banks and will pull the plug on US.
@ MICK.....you hit the nail on the head! The Bank/shareholders of the PRIVATE Federal Reserve Bank are the same Banksters we, the American tax payers bailed out! Same with the IMF and the World Bank! A ponzi scheme! Don't hear much from the six MSM moguls about the 16 "banksters" involved in the LIBOR scandal!!??
when it come to money.. usa will come out clean before anyone know it
Allah Akbar between my legs, Learn your History before posting a comment , Camel Jokey.
Yoshi: the Soviets aren't the ones constantly claiming the moral highground. The US on the other hand constantly feels the need to shout from the rooftops that they suposedly represent freedom and democracy.
The Leverett's are well known Iranian apologists. Iran does NOT want free elections in Syria. That is just a lie. They are backing Assad to the hilt.
no matter what Iran does, you people always bad mouth them....just leave them alone stalkers
Where are you coming from innocentruth, and what history books have you been hitting? Are you even educated or are you just board with yourself and have nothing better to do with your time? How about providing some insight in your messages other than insults. Then maybe others would take you more serious.
Have you noticed how Iran bad mouths the US, or is it too convenient to overlook?
Iranians have a memory of their glorious Persian empire in history. No doubt the current leadership in the Islamic Republic want to wield its power and influence outside Iran. This raises hackles in Saudi Arabia, the stronghold of Wahhabists. Perhaps one should take a closer look at whether the Shia influence is really more destructive than Wahhabism.
@ j. von hettlingen, exactly my thoughts - I am no fan of Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. However, one should take a closer look at the Wahabi vs Shiite theory.
The author forgets to mention that Iran hasn't had, nor backed any sort of democratic elections ever! However, makes note more than once the Saudi's lack of elections. She goes on to use this example as a mian base of Iran's position. Which of course make this article even more ridiculous.
Actually, Iran had a history of democracy. The US CIA intervened when the people were going to elect a pro-communist leader. They helped overthrow the democratic government and installed a violent dictator instead. Source: Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA by Tim Wiener.
I agree with Dow. Can anyone not understand why Saudis don't want democracy next door to their dictatorship? Is it that difficult to figure out? I am neither supporting or opposing Iran or Syria here but asking this simple question....why Saudi Arabia or most countries in that part of the world would want to see democracy while they themselves so undemocratic? If one can't answer or understand this simple thing then he or she has no right to participate in this opinion forum!
If one country does not interfere in other countries affairs whether supporting elections or protesting against a dictator does not automatically classify her anti-democratic.......it could be because this country has no soft or hard power to spread democracy! Iran has no power or want to interfere in other countries affair.....good or bad, its out of their reach and this should be basis of judging country good or bad.
Ikram... Saudi Arabia had a democracy next door for 64 years. It's called Israel and it was until very recently the ONLY democracy in the region.
Thinker23, I agree with you about Israel being a democratic country in that region.....but not because arab countries encouraged Israel to stay democratic......its just that arab countries can't do anything about that! Hopefully, Egypt bemes and stays another good example if they don't influenced by their undemocratic next door neighbours. To me democracy doesn't mean to be western-style to all countries in Asia or Africa if that is what these countries have problem with..........but it should be inclusive and fair to both domestic and global citizen and the rest should be tailored according to their societies.
Rebeles!!!???? terrorists is the guy who take a gun against peoples or govermewnts this is American and EU or UN explanation of Terrorist but from begining in Syria gun used by Opponents!?? why because they know majority of Syrian don not want any Islamist br rulling them especially 80 percent of Sunnis .. this is why these terrorists can be name Rebeles and plus when Israeil back these Rebeles!!!?? it mean somthing is fishy!!? not!?
Who do you think is supporting the terrorist group MKO/MEK Mujadeen?
you are wrong, Iran asked for free election in syria previously but media made you believe the truth upside down
I think your conclusion about the nature of the struggle as well as your interpretation of Iran's behaviors are, I am sorry to say, naive.
That is because CNN is naive
Brutality of Shah is not labled by Iranian opponent but UN and all humanrights organization in West because CCCP and China just like now as Russia and New China !! still they never dare to say bad thing to Statate like saudi or Turkey .. Shah was
blamed by Western media and groups who were anti dictatorship .....If this lady called shah dictator she is right
Iran has not invaded any country since 1979 – yes that's true it pays Hamas and Hezbollah to do it for them. More iranian lies as usual...
cry a river Iran's stalker.....U.S pay terrorists to destroy other countries too
Pink, I agree with you, that is a fact, it's a proxy war. Iran is supplying the Syrian regime with weapons and supporting Assad.
I think as far as the US involvement, I am not for arming the rebels in Syria, but I do believe that we should put up a partial no fly zone to provide the civilian (especially the children) a temporary safe haven to run to in Syria. Other countries like Jordan are flooding with refuges and resources are limited.
Iran's history prove that they can not be trusted. True, they have not threaten other countries for over three decades until recently being Israel, because Israel has never hesitated to expose them in fearing for their safety.
You know that old cliche "the calm before the storm" . Perhaps the reason Iran has kept quiet the past three decades was because they did not want to attract attention that would intervene with their project of creating mass destruction nuclear weapons. They are itching for power of that such as the U.S. That gives me the chills!
I don't know what people in general are thinking, but I smell WW3 around the corner. I would support the US should it go to war with Iran because those Iranians are dangerous and their ideology polarization to the US. I don't believe anything they say, history speaks for itself.
this is very simple. The USA says to Iran either stop your nuclear program or we'll destroy all you nuclear bases. We have the absolute capability & all Obama has to say is either stop now or we'll stop you. end of story. This can be do with no lose of American lives, we have the bunker busting bombs. Stop screwing around with these maniacs. Either stop or pay the consequences.. We have the means to do this surgically without murdering innocent Iranian people and putting an end to one of the worst political problems the world has faced since WW2. Take Iran out and Hezbollah, AlQueda and the rest fall apart.
Hizbullah and Hamas Just defend their country.
Iranian in EXILE, undoubtedly you're and MKO member. Vile and wanted. DEA OR ALIVE! Iran is a shining star for the M.E region. You loser.
tell them......they are just jealous of Iran progress....they want to keep every other countries under them....how many latin america, even U.S neighbors progress? None! Congratulations Iran...
@ Jack, Members of he MKO/MEK Maujideen terrorist group were brought to the US and trained at a US military base in Nevada 2005-2008. When the Iraqi government told MEK to get out of Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011, the US offered a US military base for them to move to and would be provided protection by NATO troops!
Try to bad mouth about isreal in free and democratic coutry such as: USA,France or any western country and see what kind of responce you get.You might end up in jail if you live in free and democratic western country just not excepting holocast history (wheter is true or not) but you will spend good time in jail.
Whether it's true or not? I only wish for you to see first hand the horrors of the holocaust.
The Leverett's also deny that Iran's own fraudulent elections in 2009 were rigged. They're a joke. Why does CNN give these people a platform? Iran is not some altruistic power in the middle east the way the traitorous Leverett's have long portrayed them. They are propping up a dictator while he slaughters his own people and these treacherous idiots are making Saudi Arabia out to be the bad guy? Ridiculous. CNN needs to stop giving these laughable Iranian propagandists a platform.
The Leveretts fit right in with the other Hillary's State Department
How about the Presidential election in America in 2000? If memory serves me correctly, nine people appointed the President of the United States. Maybe we should look within.
bla bla bla bla, Die already. You terrorist! Anyone that kills police oficers, and security personnel is a terrorist in my book. Doesn't matter if what country they do it in.
Wow Jack, assuming you have seen some footage of the atrocities carried out by these so called policemen and security officers against the civilians in Syria, how do you justify their actions? With comments like that I am assuming that you are just as evil as they are or just plainly ignorant or perhaps speaking out of your a_ _! Fill in the blanks if you can spell!
In your book only.
http://pdmi.org/2010/05/iran%E2%80%99s-useful-idiots-flynt-leverett/
What a nice article for change. Media in every country just is very biased. Iran is not a psycho country like Saudi Arabia and other gulf countries. You never will see a shia suicide bomber. On the other hand saudis are funding people and promoting violence in pakistan, syria, afghanistan and most likely iraq too.
Doesn't Iran have centers that are dedicated to recruiting suicide bombers? LOL
stop with your lies.
G'Day, I believe a terrorist is another's 'freedom-fighter'. Look what's happening in Syria. Who is supplying the arms? Can you say 'Osama' That's what is being created now. I personally have no love of they Syrian government, but the fighters are Sunni and I think that a lot of these 'freedom-fighters' are Al Qaeda clones or something VERY similar. What kind of Government is Syria going to have in a few years? I truely pray that some semblance of peace will eventuate and the Syrians can safe productive lives.
Regards,
Woomera
Actually they don't. That is in Afghanistan and Pakistan amongst other places but not Iran which has not used suicide bombers.
yes they do but it is called CIA..dumb
Yes, but the final exam is buiding your own suicide vest. If it detonates on you, you pass, but if it doesn't, you flunk out., So there has never been a graduating class.
Rebel, you are naive or lying.......and you have have no clue how politics are played these days!!! Analyze and don't be emotional.......it doesn't work that way!
Absolutely right
The Islamic Repulic is one of the biggest terrorist supporter of the world today.
I think you are confused with Pakistan – As an Iranian American, this is my honest appraisal.
Might want to read "House of Bush, House of Saud." Do you recall the OVP "Operation Vulgar Betrayal" in 1998, of two Chicago FBI agents, Robert Wright and John Vincent investigation of WHO the foreigners were financing and supporting OBLiden/Al Queda and other "groups, through their "INC's. (Ptech) and "Charities" (Holy Land) in the USA and the money laundering....recall investigation of BCCI? FBI Director, Robert Mueller shut the "OVP" investigation down and Agents Wright and Vincent were gagged and NOT allowed to testify at the 9/11 Congressional Hearings nor at the 9/11 Commission Hearings. The information was too senstive, since these same foreigners were also big donors to Presidentail campaigns. Google that! It is all public information!
How simplistic can you get! The terrorist regime in Iran cannot be "promoting freedom". You and Laveretts have forgotten their barbaric crackdown of their own people in 2009- or perhaps you consider that was "promoting freedom".
What kind of "Cigar" are you guys smoking? And where do you get them from?
sound like the same crack down on Occupy Wall street idiot
I think many Iranians were disagree with the author of this article. Iran is by no means a free society although it does have some more civil freedoms than Saudi Arabia but that was also true in the Shah's time. Iran goverment is a theocratical dictatorship where anyone standing for public office must be approved the the clerics. The current Iranian government is supplying arms and men to the regime in Syria which is using MiG jets for riot control and arming extermist movements across the mid-east. The clerics have never used military force because since the fall of the Shah most of Iran's American military equipment that survived the Iran -Iraq was is well worn including the 79 F-14 Tomcats The Shah bought in 1977 of which only handful are still flying.
yeah because you represent many Iranians.....
I don't claim to be an expert on middle-eastern politics, but I do follow what happens rather closely, and unlike most westerners do understand the fundamental differences between Shiites and Sunnis and how they interpret Islam (the basic differences, I'm no expert on Islam either).
That being said, there is a lot in this article that should be taken with a big grain of salt. Others have pointed that out, and will continue to. So I want to highlight a few things in this article that are truly spot on.
Saudi Arabia is and has always been (in modern times, anyways) a dictatorship. Iran, on the other hand, does have elections (fraudulant, I'm sure, but at least they try to give the illusion of elections). Freely elected leaders in the middle east are less likely to back the United States and Israel, because the majority of the population, for one reason or another, does not like the United States, and this will thusly be reflected in their elected officials.
Think about it. The US is all about spreading freedom and democracy, but our biggest ally in the Middle East is the Saudi's, who are a dictatorship. We were also close allies with Egypt before the revolution, now our relationship is strained.
If you closely analyze this, you realize that America's presence in the middle east is not about spreading freedom or democracy, it's about protecting our interests (namely oil), and exerting power and influence over the countries that for whatever reason do not like us (I'm not saying they SHOULD like us, we're the closest thing to an empire the world has today, and if history teaches us anything it's that empires overextend and fall because the people whom they control eventually rise up).
I agree, good post.
USA is certainly not perfect but we are not an empire. We are doing the best we can to calm things. I think we are way to involved in the affairs of the middle east. Oil is prob the biggest culprit but anyone consumed by religion and not logic tends to be violent, just as the Christians and Muslims have done from time to time throughout history.
this has to be an april fools joke. Free and fair elections in Iran?!! there hasnt been free and fair elections since before the CIA put the Shah on his throne. I would expect this peice to appear in a IRI news channel. what are you doing over there CNN? have you just become a blog? Laverett has obviously never objectively looked at the iranian situation to see that iran is being occupied by a brutal and unjust minority of the population. has never even heard of their intent to push the entire would to wave the banner of a shiite caliphate flag over every nations capital. they are just doing as the militant markist tried to do by making extrimists in every nation, and not having to really get any actual blood on their hands. anyone that thinks iran wants free and fair elections is obviously living in a dream wold. in the mind of those radical twelvers i bet they do want peace. but their vision of peace is not coexisting, rather than extermination and then the rest of the shiite twelvers will have peace.
you think we are fools, Iran have a democratic regime since 1979-after Shah, a brutal dictator. from first year of Islamic Republic – FYI Islamic republic was also approved by 98% percent of iranians in the year of 1979- till now almost every year they had a free election.
I am a Russian Jew who moved to Israel cuz:
1) It's cold in Russia
2) My neighbors didn't like Jews
3) My gene pool( Y chromosome ) matches Iraq/Babylon's Abraham
4) The Torah says this is jewish land
5) Although I am white/caucasian I am also middle eastern, unlike the
Palestinians who are only middle eastern.
I hope that makes sense to all you anti-Jews and the semitic Arabs can live
in the Gaza strip and stay away from us whites
I am glad that you are so honest. Your honesty will not be accepted well by your compatriots.
Which "holly book of real estate" made your ancestors go to Russia (where is cold.)
What did Torah say about whose land is Manhattan or Florida? Many inhabitants of those places will not like your "real estate" rules.
Real Estate Rules? You mean rules like buy rocky land and clear it so it will grow crops. Buy swamp land and drain it so it will grow crops. Buy salt marsh and desalinate it so it will grow crops. In a few decades land that in 1867 Samuel Clemens described as "A desolate country whose soil is rich enough but is given over wholly to weeds. A silent, mournful expanse. We never saw a human being on the whole route. There was hardly a tree or a shrub anywhere. Even the olive and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country." Keep in mind that when General Allenby, the commander of the British military forces, conquered Palestine in 1917/1918, only about 5000 Arabs resided there. But under the care of Jewish people the land blossomed and then the surrounding farmers who spend more time in coffee shops than farming got jealous and destroyed Jewish crops and when Jews defended the crops the attacks became personal. Fast forward a few decades and the United Nations grants the Jews a homeland and the Jews tell the Islamic people that they are welcome to stay. Surrounding countries declare war and convince many of the Islamic residents of the new country of Israel to leave. Those who leave are not absorbed by the surrounding countries but instead are forced to live in poor conditions in camps. In March 1977, Zahir Muhsein, an executive member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), said in an interview to the Dutch newspaper Trouw: "The 'Palestinian people' does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel." You mean those kind of real estate rules.
#1: The Torah is just an excuse for the bloodthirsty conquest of other peoples land.
#2: Your neighbors in Palestine don't like Jews either, and they have good reason.
#3: Zionist racism is just ordinary racism wearing a yarmulke.
Well said. Tired of these rabid land grabbers!
iran will never be able kill all the jews in israel god will protect israel like he always has and the bible will continue to fullfill its prophecies
Don't forget it was the Iranian (Persians/same thing) that freed the Jews out of slavery in Egypt and in Babylon. Don't get too big for your boots laddy.
Maybe Iran cannot kill you all, but i'm sure you can kill all iranians and all arabs by using just a couple of your nukes and you can kill the rest of humanity with the rest of your nukes.
You're not Caucasian you're Semitic by your own claim.
You may not be even Semitic because you are Russian Jew .likely from central Asia.
You are a squatter on Palestinian land, and have no real link to it.
and your "point" is?
For the person who says that Iran doesn't have a suicide bombing force much less training centers. You really should watch your own television in Iran on your national military days. I even watched a video about Iran's 40K strong suicide bombing force. If I can do that and I am not in Iran, why can't you? Oh wait.. No freedom, forgot, well this is to inform you since you don't know any better.
40k suicide bombers right and what are they waiting for to explode? Stop spreading lies. I live in the states and I have been to Iran and trust me life isn't that bad there
This why you live in the US, ha? You ask every Iranian women and they would differ. I can assure you of that point. And when visiting Iran did you visit Karizak, Evin, Gohardasht and other prisons too ...
Did you ever visit a public execution ...
The empirical evidence would indicate that you like to live here better than there. . . . .
Public executions? Ha, ha, ha, ha.... Saudi Arabia is the epicenter and world leader in public executions.
Yes iranians have public executions but much, much less than Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia as a foregner they push you to be in the first row during executions to be "up close and personal". It is "entertainment" almost as corida in Spain.
Not very bright are you. Countries witht the most exicutions 2011: china 1000+, Iran 252+, North Korea 60+, Yemen 53+, U.S. 46+, Saudi Arabia 27+
Why would they use suicide????! Iranians have over 300,000 missiles all pointing at targets. What are you talking about???! This is not the Iran Iraq war, where the government was only a few months old. and the US pushed Saddam to attack the HATED the Iranians, and even then they couldn't' take an inch after 8 years and over a million dead with American might behind them. You better wake up and smell the coffee son!
Oh, Jesus Christ !! Will you just throw my wife or I on Tehran already ?? A good A. Balm or H. Balm should exterminate this extreme islamofascist republic once and for all !!
Remember Master Balm our savior ( Jesus? real Aramaic name unbeknownst ) who lived in the Gaza neighborhood was actually blonde and blue-eyed white caucasian as also his Mom. They were not middle eastern.
Put the crack pipe down! And get your wife's mouth off that black man's --!
Adam, can we assume you will enlist to assist in your "balming" endeavor of Iran?... or will you just sit safely in your home watching on CNN while your fellow Israeli's take care of the "balming" for you? Just wondering!
This is an excellent article and the one reflecting the true nature of conflict in the Middle East. It is quite encouraging to see voices of wisdom could come from Washington after decades of dismal foreign policy decisions. By aligning ourselves with Saudis, we are basically supporting Al-Qaida who in principle are cut-throat terrorists killing our troops and allies alike. If Washington cannot understand that, then I rest my case.
When are the free and fair elections in Iran scheduled for?
2013
Since Iran stil lives in 600 A.D., that's still a very long time to wait until they catch up.
In diametrical contrast to proclaimed policy of "supporting freedom and democracy" we have chosen to side with dictatorial autocratic monarchy that has never had free election (Saudi Arabia), and agianst Islamic Republic of Iran that actually had election (some more some less democratic), and once even by our standard democratic government (before 1953 coup) that CIA and MI-6 arrange to overthrow. I think that speaks volumes about our foreign policy. Saying one thing and doing opposite. And then we ask: Why do they hate us?
What a hay-day.
Now, you become my true Doctor. Because, you described my problem. I never ever had a problem with the Jewish State, but I always have problems with some Jews.
If the past generation (some) Jewish never gave-up the fight and remained in their God given land, we wouldn't be on this mess Today.
Currently, we supposed to see, Jewish Oil supplier to the World than newly formed Saudi-Arabia,...oil supplier. Don't get me wrong, I am just telling the Truth, nothing, but truth without taking any side.
Exam yourself and see the truth, nothing, but just truth.
Got to thanks those "Brits" for their "Balfour Declaration" given to Lord Rothchild. They actually first offered "Uganda" but it was rejected! ....Hummm trying to remember.... WHO financed both sides of WW I?
In our time, we have seen/still witnessing how the ME is a terrible places, although they supply more than 35% of Oil into several Countries. One of their problem is attached with their unbalanced Mentalities can't fit with their highest Wealth. Because, they did not use their head to create those massive and huge wealth, that has been created and monitored by Foreigners/non-Middle-Eastern.
This is like, someone have to prepared your basic necessities forever, while you are on Bed.
==============
Of course, the Jewish are also another problem, but the Jewish State is not the problem. Why? Because, there is no Jewish word/names without Jewish State. The name Jewish can not be seen separately from Jewish State.
What makes the Jewish State in question is because of the past Jewish Weaknesses.
If someone asked ME, who did the Egyptians made Slave? The answer is Jewish from ME.
Who did the Romans attack in ME? The answer is Jewish.
Who is Abraham and where did the name came from? The simple and Religious answer is Jewish.
So, which part of the current ME land belongs to Jewish?
Well, without second guess, most parts of the current ME or more than 90% of Middle-East Lands belong to Jewish and still this percentage would stay the same or will get higher, if the Jewish had power then.
Just curious, if Chinese go back to China;
If Europeans go back to Europe;
.....
Where do you want the Jewish to go?
The Holly Bible, Torah (Deuteronomy/Exodus/Leviticus/Genesis/Book of Numbers) and Qur'an: are proofs of Jewish people existences in Middle-East. So, why don't we accept Jewish and leave hate?
Truthfully, the current Jewish could be richest by Oil and Gold land, if the past Jewish didn't gave-up their own lands to current Saudi-Arabia,.....
Just simple example, look at the current Coptic Egyptians vs Muslim Egyptians.
The Coptic was there for Thousands of years, before the Muslim Religion found. Now, the Coptics are treated like refugees in their founding Fathers Land.
Peace to all.
This is a ridiculous, disgusting and appalling article twisting the truth about the Iranian regime. The US sees the Iranian regime as the prime state sponsor of terrorism and if I am not mistaken the Secretary of State describes the country as a military state in 2010 during a senate hearing.
But nothing surprise me when the so called “Iran Pundit” Mrs Leverett address the issue of Iran and the Iranian regime. She is an apologist of the mullahs and is the best explanation to why the US state department is failing so miserably in the Middle East through this last decade.
The real question is whether Mrs Leverett actually understands what is that she is saying in reality because it is hard to wash the Iranian blood from the mullah’s hand. Mrs Leverett is just setting the stage for Ahmadinejad’s arrival at New York later in September when the terrorist president would enjoy prime time coverage on the US National TV, including interviews with CNN, CNBS and so on lambasting the Americans for being dishonest, deny the holocaust and rebuff the Iranian nuclear weapon intentions. We have all seen it before… this is why the Department of State revived and resurfaced the case of the previous servicemen Hekmati, a US Citizen held in Iran and sentenced to death allegedly for spying for CIA. His case was like in the dark for almost one year before the Department of State’s spokeswomen mentions it during a news briefing shortly this week.
Mrs Leverett also asserts that Iran has not invaded any country during the last decades. That is truth. But on the second thought why should Iranian regime spend money on invading another country when the Department of State and the US are handing over Iran’s neighboring countries to the mullahs on a silver plate, like the case of Afghanistan and Iraq. Secondly Iranian regime has not bought any weapons from the US, (we should ask the Russians and Chinese and others) nevertheless who do Mrs Leverett think will benefit from the million dollars arm sales to Iraq, including the F-35 jets and recent tanks?
I'm an Iranian, so please do not speak for me. The Iranian Government fully represents the will of the Iranian people- if there are any differences within the country, that's issues for the Iranians to resolve, not for you to make outlandish comments about. Please refrain from making ignorant statements on behalf of other populations, because the media tells you to. Our media here in the states has not once shown the great achievements of the Iranian Revolution despite 30 years of sanctions. I recommend you do some more independent research to reach a more knowledgeable conclusion, instead of criticizing an author whose spent their whole career studying the international affairs of the middle east. Remember, Ignorance is not always bliss- and Iranians that fled the Iranian revolution 30 years ago for one reason or another do not represent the will of the people there- because afterall, they fled a populous movement
How's those elections going? Hahahahahahahhahaha
Please list those achievements.
Ditto Mohammad. Iranian leader is in the HEART of the Iranians and we follow him as he is the wisest and the kindest man in the world. Who else stands for the oppressed Palestinians. Certainly not these turds that call themselves Iranian and criticize our government. Surely it is not the United States, Saudi Arabia, the UN or the own people the COMPLICIT ARABS! Shut the hell up, before the real Iranians TEAR you a new one weakling!
Dear Mohammed,
Your ignorance or puppet response to what the world thinks of Iran is so infantile and so dangerous. Your leaders are bring your country down the path of destruction. Israel will pull the trigger whether or no not their allies will or will not. Once Israel goes to war with Iran, it's lights out for the honest, intelligent, peaceful iranian people. It's not hem that's causing the problems, it's your leadership.if you don't think Obama has the stones to back up his words, remember Bin Laudin and the lybians. The man carries a big stick but talks softly. Don't take that for weakness. Most of the civilized world hates the Iranian government and what they stand for.
If you make the World choose between protecting the home of Christ vs. the Iranian people, your going to lose. every time,
Bravo Muhammad !
Iran for Iranians !Mr Obama your extended hand of friendship is a lie just like your promise to close Guantanamo Facility or your pledge to withdraw your troops out of occupied middle east you are a lier and your naive subjects believe you keep your democracy to your self!!
I AGRRE. Barak Obama is a real DOG standing for zionists brutal cruel regime, murderer of thousends innocent children and women and men. zionists are controlling almost the whole media and it's time for free people to wake up and open their eyes. and those who don't want to believe they would better find a place to hide couse when the truth came out there is no way to deny it.
“That’s where the conflict is today. It’s a battle today between this message that Iran has to promote of freedom, and the Saudis that are really trying to fight that message.”
Is it not easer for the Iranian regime to promote freedom for its own people to begin with instead of the Syrians? Secondly, the Iranian regime’s Revolutionary Guard is admitting that it is present on the Syrian Streets assisting Bashar Assads’ killing machine so …
In the judgment of Mrs Leverett the Revolutionary Guards promoted freedom on the Iranian street during the protest of 2009 and are now actually implementing the same freedom ideals in Syria today.
Mrs Leverett promote the Iranian regime’s agenda as much as you want, but be sure to have answers for your coming judicial lawsuit when the mullahs are toppled, because they will go, and those “Americans” who side with the mullahs (for money and economic privileges) will be held accountable in the court of law for betraying the American democratic ideals and conspiring with enemy to undermine US sanctions, just ask Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank, RBS, and Bob Ney, and Namazee.
As a Political Science Fellow studying International Affairs of the Middle East I'm happy to finally read some TRUTH on CNN. I've been tired of reading the same articles repeating the same nonsense everyday, this has to be the first articles in years that I can concur on, reiterating a different perspective worth noting, studying, and taking seriously. We have to get out of the frame of references set by our war mongering politicians- Bravo NIcole Dow, I will be looking forward for more articles from you!
Remember everyone as the smoke clears and the dust settles, the truth will unveil itself! Saudi Arabia is not an alliance we should support, fund or negotiate with. They've held the Middlle East in the dark ages, while Iran- the first country to have a populous revolution in the past 50 years in the Middle East (40 years before the Arab Spring even erupted) has been on a scientific and academic expedition that is exponentially growing despite our internationally enforced sanctions. When you study objectively derived statistical data from 3rd party international NGO's who do studies in Iran, you find that the reason for their success in the past 3 decades, despite ALL sanctions, is that the vast majority of their population are in support of their government, and partake heavily in their electoral processes. Shiiite and Sunni are now political terms utilized in the Middle-East, with much less religious connotation or necessarily alliances. Iran was the first nation to congratulate Morsi of Egypt, the first and only nation to support the nationally elected government of Palestine, Lebanon, etc...while the Saudi's have made every attempt to do otherwise.
It's a great time to study Political Science, but also a difficult one- because it's hard to get our hands on primary data, and once done- political pundits make every attempt to disapprove it with the media and monetary influences. Again Bravo to NIcole Dow!
This article although insightful does not address the openly hostile rhetoric of the Islamic Republic. The Kingdom of Saud (being the religious capital of Sunni Muslims) does not openly advocate violence against Israel and the West. Also, look at the other Arab nations such as Bahrain, and the UAE. These places are very progressive, developed, and tolerant. Iran, with it's "free elections" still publicly advocated destroying Israel. This article is very misleading because Islamic Republic never threatened to "invade another countries", it only threatened to destroy them. It is also a little ridiculous to apply any credibility to these elections when the "supreme ruler" retains authority regardless. Oh yeah, then there is the pursuit of nuclear weapons...
Actually Iran has never actually said that they wanted to "destroy" or "wipe Israel off the map". Those were liberal interpretations first by the NYT and then continuously repeated. What their president said (and the speech is available on You Tube and even translated in Persian) was like the Soviet regime and Saddam Hussein's regime, so too "will the Zionist regime pass from the pages of time." There is no phrase "wipe off the map" in Persian. It was essentially a wish to topple the Zionist regime and return the land and homes of the Palestinian people, and not to harm Jewish people or Jews rights to live in the region. Regime change maybe considered offensive, but we say it all of the time to those countries in the middle east, including towards Iran. With that being said, Saudi Arabia is not really friends with Israel or the West, only the royalty is pandering for their security and wealth. The populace is far more anti-West than Iran and it is the place by the way that the majority of 9/11 terrorists came from. In Iran it is the opposite. The citizens are much more pro-western but their government is anti-USA and anti-Israeli. I am not condoning or approving of the stance of the Islamic Republic of Iran or its actions, but I think it is important to not pass on bad information. And for the record, the vast majority of middle eastern countries are also hoping for Israel to fall (I do not agree with that for the record), just saying it is not just Iran, but they happen to be the most vocal about it these days.
You play devil's advocate long enough you might actually fool yourself...
Great article! Kudos to CNN for some Truth
I'v been to both countries many times and I can say that Iran is a great great great country I'v been there and if I could I would even move down there. Saudi Arabia on the other hand.....
It can't be THAT great if they don't let you move there. Hahahahahahahahaha
when someone laugh this long, it is not normal, you are just a retard.....are you on welfare or something?
Write again when you walk your talk. I know and work with plenty of Iranians who would not go back with the current regime.
The GOP solution: Start a war with Iran (totally unfunded of course). Get the poor people to fight/die in the war while giving the rich people "no bid contracts". Thus killing two GOP birds with one stone! Use Iran's oil to pay for the war. And when the war is over, Iran will sell us cheap oil!!! Just like in Iraq!!! Oh wait.......never mind.
Bingo. Our interest in the middle east has never been promoting peace and stability. It's been about getting oil and resources, and supporting any regime that will allow us easy access to them. The reason Iran is so critical of U.S. foreign policy is this reason right here. We overthrew Mussadiq in a CIA backed coup and propped up the Shah's regime because Mussadiq wanted to nationalize his oil reserves and disallow U.S. oil companies the ability to drill it themselves.
Look at the other Arab nations such as Bahrain, and the UAE. These places are very progressive, developed, and tolerant. Iran, with it's "free elections" still publicly advocated destroying Israel. This article is very misleading because Islamic Republic never threatened to "invade another countries", it only threatened to destroy them. It is also a little ridiculous to apply any credibility to these elections when the "supreme ruler" retains authority regardless. Oh yeah, then there is the pursuit of nuclear weapons...
you are one of those fat dumb americans.....do saudia arabia(U.S ally in the middle-east) allow elections in its country? simply yes or no?
You really are a dumb little islamofascist. After Syria your little murderous, rapist, and pillaging regime is next.
cnn-where-are-facts-that-iran-is-closer-than-thought-to-producing-a-weapon.
Sheldon Adelson the Jewish casino billionaire gives a 100 m bucks to Gingrich and the next he says there is 'no such thing as a Palestinian people"; he gives another tens of millions to Romney and the next day he gives the green light to the Zionist state to start another war. The U.S presidential campaign has become a fight which the highest bidder wins. Put your money where your mouth is. Any guess as to who has the most money? Does Madoff ring a bell?
Are you saying that the Arabs and the Iranians are SO DUMB that they can not give $300 million to Obama so the next day Obama would say taht Israel does not have the right to exist?
The amount of petrodollars in the disposal of Arab kinds and sheiks exceeds by far the wildest dreams of all Jewish moguls combined.
once again claiming that iran is a shiite state implying that there is a difference between the iranian people and saudis that is hell bent of destroying each other. The liberals are no different than the conservatives in their ideals and their whitewashing of everything they touch. Did it never cross anyones mind that the Huge Majority of people in Iran do not give a damn about religion at all at this point and only want a country like America where religion comes last. They do not wake up every morning thinking about how to destroy the Sunnis in Saudi Arabia, they have much better things to do. . help change this regime and let the new one have nuclear power so they dont have to use that cursed oil that they have so much of but never held it above anyones heads.
Somehow the Iran-Iraq war where Sunnis and Shia's happily killed over a million of Muslims rings the bell... At least MY bell.
and was U.S a bystander? No...U.S supplied chemical weapons to Iraq to killed Iranians..and what happened next? U.S killed Saddam Hussein because he was tired of war with Iran!
Thinker, Iran-Iraq war was no shia-sunni war! If anything, it was Saddam's war with some elements of fear and dislikes for Iran being the persian country....i.e., a historical rivalry between the arabs and persia. Saddam also attacked and occupied Kuwait which is a sunni country so it was Saddam was being Saddam and nothing to do with shia or sunni. Also, there was US involvement in the war for the reason of taking revenge from Iran for its storming of the US embassy and hostage taking.
who do you want to see HELP iran?
and what form of HELP?
same help as foe Iraq or afganistan or better yet vietnam?
Iran needs no help you idiot what it needs is for the sanctions that hurt the Irannian (midlle-class) that will bring change on hisowen,without any american help.
Shahin
your narrative of being Iranian is much like most of Iranian Exiles and upper class !open your eyes and see the country you came from it does matter being shiate is part of being Iranian look at the pilgrims to Karbala in their tens of thousands and then come and tell me Iranians dont care about religion !
First off Syria started it's revolution on it's own, and it was Iran that stepped in to help prop up the regime. It should be clear to everyone including the Sunni's that Iran wants to control the territory from it's borders all the way to the Mediterranean. They have used Syria for years as a conduit to supply Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia group that has dominated Lebanese politics with violence and intimidation and assassinations. Syria was directly involved interfering in Lebanon for years as well. The joke is Syria is a predominantly Sunni country like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and so on.
There is nothing soft about Iranian power. They beat and intimidate their own population and free elections are a joke if the leaders all have the same policies. All they know is force and they are helping Syria apply force to their people. Unlike in their own country, however, the Syrians are Arabs and not Persians, mostly Sunni and not Shiite. Any new government is more likely to be friendly towards other Arab nations and be openly hostiel to Iran for propping up Assad. It may not be better for Israel but it certainly won't be worse, and as a bonus for them Hezbollah will be cut off from it's supply lines and will be diminished in Lebanese politics. Even Hamas turned against Iran, thus underlining my analysis, the ARABS don't trust the Persians, and in general don't like the Shia dominated countries.
Great piece of lousy journalism – portraying one person's view of an issue. The Leveretts are professional Iran apologists whose careers rely on rare access to Iranian leaders. Iranian leaders will not allow access to the foreign press. So, why would they repeatedly allow the Leveretts the opportunity?
The "soft power" discussion may have legitimacy, but the intentions of this article's source should be clear.
I take my view of Iran from Iranians I know who unanimously say the current Iranian regime is medieval, self-absorbed and dangerous. These Iranians speak with sadness about what the regime has done to their people and culture.
Thank you.
Tpt
I'm an Iranian living in Iran(brown Passport) ,I do not agree with your Iranians (blue passport)
Nudge me when Iran is a parking lot and 'I"mAdickajob" is roach food.
Iraq became an enemy because the Jewhadis said they are enemies; now Iran is an enemy because the Jewhadis say they are enemies; only because Iran doesn't think it is JUST for a Russian Jew to come and settle in the middle east and bulldoze and kill Palestinians in their desire to escape the bitter cold of Siberia.
As an Iranian I think this article is written by a delusional Author, Leverette family get paid by Ayatullahs whom are morality and strategically bankrupt. This last struggle to portray mullahs something else rather than what they are might only fool Leverette family and their small group of followers. Tyranny of mullah is not hidden to anybody with clear conscious and moral stance. To put a make up on this ugly and rotten bride and resell it to the world is a vain struggle,
I am surprised that CNN is so Naive and stupid than even publish this none sense. to let the world know Black is white, but people can see black is black.
Mossadeq? The brutality of the Shah was nothing to be proud of.
The hatred against Iran cheerled by the Zionists has nothing to do with the mullacrocy in Iran, but everything to do only with their position on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Today if the mullas said kill as many Palestinians as you like and come and inspect our nuclear sites, everything will be fine. Remember the most oppressive regime, i.e the Saudi is big pals with the Zionists
samontrusty... If tomorrow Israel will REMOVE all settlements, ALL militayr bases, ALL checkposts and will withdraw to the cease fire lines of 1949... WILL THERE BE PEACE? Will Iran recognize Israel? YES OR NO?
Dear Hooman,
show me your proof?I guess NIAC is also on the IRI payroll !?in fact for likes of you any one who has a different opinion is on IRI payroll
Yes, let's write an article where we even bother publishing a politician's assertion that Iran is interested in free and fair elections. More cr4p from CNN.
Pakistan is a TRUE friend of Iran, and together we will fight against Jewish dominance. The world needs to be a fair playing field.
You do not expect CNN followers to believe anything truthful about Iran. Most of them are used to the usual lies CNN type about Iran everyday. Talking about elections, your secetary of states hillary clinton just visited Africa and met with Nigeria leader whose party won elections by butchering, mass-murdering, twisting, stealing elections ballot and so on. Ghadaffi 40 years of dictatorship in Libya is far more better than the 40 years of demo-crazy of other African countries. Go to Nigeria and see the states/conditions of the country under decades of demo-crazy. So stop all these rethoric about Iran elections. Iran standard of living is far better than most of the countries in the world. Defending its country against invasion from U.S is not an evil thing to do. The countries U.S have involved in in the middle-east are in shambles, devastated, shock, war, and don't even know what election means!
You want the truth? How about the fact that Iran is a corrupt and murderous dictatorship just like their pal Assad. The only reason they are still in power is because they had their Revolutionary Guard goons and Basij rapists harshly repress the Iranian population after the fraudulent 2009 elections. That is the truth and Iran cannot hide it from the world any longer. We all witnessed the harsh ongoing crackdown after their fake election.
iran stalker.....the only truth i know is that you are a rebel (an american terrorist)......so go drink beer for breakfast
Do Saudi-Arabia (U.S ally) allow elections? Please simply yes or no?
No, it does not. The same is true for ALL Arab states with a (very recent) excemption of Egypt.
if no, why stalking iran all the time....leave iran people alone with their elections. it is their problem not yours. solve your ally elections problem first.....oh wait U.S ally do not hold elections....i remember hillary clinton complained about russia elections too that almost caused a riot......your americans cry baby are pathetic
Everything we read about Iran and most other middle eastern countries comes from the media, who have an agenda and get their talking points from the State Department, various governments, and "scholars/fellows" who learn everything they knowfrom reading books written by other people. I don't believe a word of what they say. I bet the authors of 99% of these articles have never been to Iran, or actually talked to an Iranian. I'd rather go there myself and find the truth.
WHY don't you read something coming form OTHER sources, genius? Information is free and accessible.
Thinker, most of these info are crap! its hard to find correct and unbiased info these days.....people write whatever they choose and like and believe they are coming from an expert! In the internet days, there is very little that we can verify and rely online info.
Saudi Arabia is not friends with Israel, but they do officially recognize the independent state of Israel (Iran not only does not, but also denies the Holocaust happened). I realize that there are hostile factions within Arab nations that desire to see Israel destroyed. One of those factions was organized by Osama Bin Laden who recruited the 9/11 hijackers. The difference between a faction and a government is that the later lacks legitimacy. The leaders of the Islamic Republic are legitimately recognized by (most of) the International community. When they are openly hostile towards a nation, and they encourage this hostility within their own populous it is generally a pretext to war. What you call "bad information" is anything opposed to your skewed perspective. I suppose I would consider my views wrong also if I was opposed to Liberal Democracy.
are you a high school student?
Iran may have soft power, but Dairy Queen has soft cones.
"Iran is working to promote freedom in Syria." I didn't realize this was PressTV... where's Mohammad Marandi??
America has invaded sixty countries since world war 2.
In 1953, America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah of Iran. America helped Shah to established secret police and killed hundreds of thousands of Iranians.
During Iran-Iraq war, America helped Saddam Hussein and killed one million Iranians. America is the only country that shot down Iran's civilian air plain and killed all 290 passengers.
In 2003, America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and displaced 4,000,000+ Iraqi people.
Now, America is a failed country with huge debt. Its debt will be 24 trillion by 2015.
Every other day a city in America is declaring bankruptcy. ha ha ha
I read on CNN the other day that Iranian speed boat is a threat to U.S national security. Speed boat a threat after U.S is spending trilions of dollars both on homeland and national security, yet they are still not secured. I don't even know who is dumber, maybe it is the american people, the government, or its media that report on all these pathetic stuffs to the world. America military budget will feed the whole Iranian people for 10 years.
China went to Africa to invest money in businesses, constructed schools, roads, water, and energy. America went to Africa to invest weapons, terrorists, war, crime, hatred, deaths, and diseases, regional instability, every possible evil things you can ever imagine.
right... And all those Chinese made AKs in African are from where? Are you in highschool?
IN September, 2001 twenty Arabs with box cutters became a threat to US national security, genius.
Thinker23
IN September, 2001 twenty Arabs with box cutters became a threat to US national security, genius.
Everytime i read this it still makes me laugh.
So many idiots believe this crap.
The US has the biggest and most well funded military with state of the art equiptment,
but we "let" 12 morons who could not fly a cessna,
attack us ?
Until the day 911 happened, everybody in the Bush administration said,
they had no idea who these people where, or even how they got
into the country.
Yet two days after 911, the CIA releases the names, PHOTOGRAPHS, ages,
and countries of origin on all 19 hijackers.
They had NO IDEA how to stop 911, yet they knew who did it
2 days after it happened ?
People really are stupid.
I read on CNN the other day that Iranian speed boat is a threat to U.S national security. Speed boat a threat after U.S is spending trilions of dollars both on homeland and national security, yet they are still not secured. I don't even know who is dumber, maybe it is the american people, the government, or its media that report on all these pathetic stuffs to the world. America military budget will feed the whole Iranian people for 10 years.
China went to Africa to invest money in businesses, constructed schools, roads, water, and energy. America went to Africa to invest weapons, terrorists, war, crime, hatred, deaths, and diseases, regional instability, every possible evil things you can ever imagine. Leave Africa, Middle-east, alone, they don't want your problems, your bogus democrazy.
always comical to come here and see the sad attempts at propaganda, more and more people know that the zi0nist media is trying to lie to get in to another war
You know, something you never think of might make things around, friendly.
In My opinion, Iran is not that advanced, comparing with the current 21st Centuries Technologies that already achieved by Western. The Jewish State benefited the Western style Technologies, through education and other means.
So, why don't the Jewish State give a hand to build Nuclear Technology to Iran? At least, they know what they built and it will give them to have control on it. On the other hand, they will build friendships peacefully, by winning the Heart and Minds of Iranians.
In Christian Faith, goodwill plus God-will = Goodwin.
go preach that to your christian brothers (isreal and u.s) then you will realized there is nothing christian and peaceful about them. if isreal is a peaceful country...what is it doing with dangerous chemical and nuclear weapons that could destroy humanity? why can't isreal be the peaceful christian and extend peaceful talk with Iran? Didn't your Jesus said "love your enemies and pray for them"? isreal in so many times have threatened to attack Iran nuclear facility? will it be justify if Iran attack Isreal facility? please stop these hypocrital nonsense that is very common under christians who always proclaim themselves to be the saint and others as villian. If Iran is an evil country as U.S and Isreal claimed, why would they have waited this long to build atomic bomb?
It is pretty difficult to be peaceful when those around you are doing everything possible to kill you and your family members, genius. It is pretty simple to realize that if the Arab states were assured that Israel DOES NOT have nuclear weapons they would try to destroy Israel again as they've done in 1948, 1967 and 1973. The ONLY reason there was no large scale war between Israel and the Arab states for the last 40 years are Israeli nukes.
Zakaria, remorse has its course on you. Finally you found out that you cannot hide the true and that Iran is moving softly toward a regional power WITHOUT struggle with anybody. Iran is only following its natural path to a free and independent regional power where it exist. It is redemption time for you before you see the light that splits your soul from your body and you be judged for your journalistic sins.
“We always think of Iran as a military dictatorship" ... no, "we" don't. That's strawman rubbish – a false premise to set up a false winning argument. Iran is a rogue tyranny that was elected by its citizens. The nation lives with the consequences of those elections. If there's a non-democratic driver, it's the theocracy of the Ayotollah. It borders on sick to cuddle up to one of the worst menaces to peace on the planet. Reform in Iran has to start by re-opening the freedom of the internet – only weak and dark ideas can't stand the challenge of open debate.
This didn't start as a sectarian-driven chasm – it was a movement of reform and modernization driven by popular demand. Assad double-crossed them. Assad drove the sectarian wedge. Assad dragged the international community into it. Spinning this as chessboard politics ignores the evidence and the audit trail.
Speaking of audit trails, how did this blog get from there to here?:
http://www.krsi.net/news/detail.asp?NewsID=11271
Hillary Mann Leverett and her husband Flynt Leverett are two of the most astute observers of Iran. I wish more American media would interview them and present their views instead of constantly listening to right-wing pundits who know almost nothing about Iran.
No they aren't. They are on Iran's payroll to effectively act as an Iran lobby. They sold their corrupt souls. They are a modern day Tokyo Rose. Their dealings should be investigated by the FBI.
So, what is your evidence? What did they say that was untrue?
The true traitors are all those American politicians and reporters who sold their souls to the MKO, including Juiiani, Howard Dean, General James Jones, former Governor Casey and even Carl Bernstein who admitted recently that he got $12,000 form them. Most got a lot more, about $50K for giving 10-minute speeches.
Rebel
untill FBI comes up with the result of their investigation ,please do shutup
This article wants to downplay Iran's military buildup, its violent rhetoric, and nuclear weapons research by pointing out that Saudi Arabia is not a democracy. What about Bahrain, and U.A.E? Are these not progressive places that are Saudi neighbors? I find it humorous how the Iranian government hypes its people into an hysterical frenzy, constantly boasts and displays its weapons capability, and defies the international community all while the Grand Ayatollah promises Iran is a peaceful nation. "The Holocaust didn't happen, Israel has not right to exist, we will shut down the straight of Hormuz, but we are not trying to get nuclear weapons are we are a peace loving people.. " Tell it to Salman Rushdie
You are unbelievably ignorant. Bahrain is progressive? Have you been sleeping for the last year? They have been beating up, torturing and killing demonstrators with the help of Saudi forces for more than a year. I won't even bother responding to the rest of your nonsense.
What about U.A.E. and Qatar? Both are much better off than Iran... Both are peaceful and developed. You are just another sad apologist of the threatening behavior by the Iranian regime. Just another Neville Chamberlain
Qatar is progressive? Are you kidding? Along with Saudi Arabia, it is the main funding source of the catastrophe that is going on in Syria. They fund stupid Turkey to arm and train the murderous mercenaries who are wreaking havoc in that country. Also, their Al Jazeera news service lied so much about what is going on in Syria that two of its reporters resigned in disgust.
Besides, none of the countries that you mentioned has even a semblance of democracy. They all have phony monarch dictators. Iran is in fact the most democratic country in the Middle East. Even stupid Israel is not a democracy. It is an apartheid theocracy, where there are numerous laws that discriminate against its Palestinian citizens and where religious zealots have enormous power.
quinterius... You've obviously never heard about relativity. You see, EVERYTHING can only be evaluated in comparison with other things. Qatar and UAE are indeed progressive in comparison with other Arab states. Similarly, Egypt is technologically advanced in comparison with Central Africa states.
Thinker23: I don't think I want to get into a debate with you. But, I didn't even get into the meat of the falsehoods that OffTheWorldPolitics was espousing. Everything he said about Iran is false, but I am sure you disagree with me. I just responded to his claim that Bahrain and some of the other Persian Gulf countries are "progressive." Qatar has lots of money, but it is using it in a very destructive way right now in Syria.
Assad, and Ahmadinejad have lots of money and are using it in a very destructive way. Your making value judgments. Tell us, what do you think the ideal solution would be?
Excellent Article!
In Iran, there are churches, Christians, Jews & synagogues. In Saudi Arabia, churches are prohibited. Jews are not allowed to enter or reside. Synagogues do not exist.
What does that tell you?
It tells me that Saudi is not flexing its military might, and developing nuclear weapons. The Iranian regime does not seem to have a problem with jews living under their control, but they have a big problem with the independent state of Israel. Jews also lived in Nazi Germany, and look what happened to them.
Saudi's are not building nuclear weapons because they don't have and because if they ever needed one, can buy one from Pakistan or USA in exchange for oil........any way, Iran has not built any atomic weapons so far and probably never will but if we don't stop cornering or threatening them then they might resort to building atomic sheild around their country.......it's their right to protect their citizens from outside attack. I am not an Iranian supporter but believe in fairness for all and I don't see or hear much about giving respect that they deserve. I also believe in Israel's right to live in peace and respected by their neighbours and vice versa. Can you imagine oil wealth in that region can do miracle for every country of that region, including Israel which can provide technological expertise and brain right next door to these oil-rich countries........!!! Am I crazy or just a dreamer for saying all this?
Ekram... WHY would anyone be willinf to attack PEACEFUL Iran? On the other hand, I can assure you that sooner rather than later force WILL be used against Iran if Iranian leaders will continue doing everything they can to convince the world that Iran IS developing nuclear weapons.
It's funny how you guys believe Saudi could buy a nuclear bomb like shopping at a grocery store. Iran makes a lot of money from oil also, but no one is willing to selling them a bomb. When you talk about Iran needing to defend itself, defend itself from who? Iran was (until recently) doing business with the west, Porsche, Toyota, Sony, exc. were all being sold in Iran. The Iranian regime invents threats to keep its people hostile, and continue building its military.
How many sunni mosque's are there in tehran? Why does Iran treat sunnis,arabs, kurds, Bahai, women, gays, and all their other minorities as second class citizens who are subjected to torture and even execution?
It is called Islamic democracy.
It is extremely difficult for a theocracy to be a democracy.
In this way , American people are brainwashed . There is no riverly between Shia & Sunni Muslim . But Soudi is proxy of the west who are exploiting division to protect western interest by creating tension in Middle east . An unified Middle east with honest government system protecting national interest is debacle for the USA . Any government on earth if want to protect national interest will be enemy of the USA because the USA pillage people's wealth .
What is a "riverly"? If you're going to act enlightened then at least learn how to spell check. Moron.
Rebel... People are human and they constantly make mistakes... I make spelling mistakes all the time. This being said, however, if the only thing you do not agree with in my posts are spelling mistakes I'm glad.
There is no riverly between Shia & Sunni Muslim .
BS.
the author talks about democracy and elections in Iran, i wonder if the last 2 Iranian elections count ? there were obvious cheating and changing of results, not to forget that the regime would not let people run, they eliminated candidates even before the election (check about how the election committee refuses candidacies ). after those elections people went to the streets only to get killed without anyone around the world showing real support or even voicing there case the right way.
the entire regime is based on different level clergy committees and councils most of whom get assigned rendering their elections worthless. the big decisions are forced.
the author also mentions that since the Iranian revolution the country haven't threatened anyone, i think you can find at least 10 speeches by their president or by their supreme leader (a religious figure) calling for the removal of Israel from the Map (they didn't seem to be talking about drawing a different MAP but rather do the actual war had they had enough power).
one can also mention that they smuggled arms to Hamas, Hezbollah and Afghani insurgents, and this has been proven over and over again, so wonder how come they didn't send arms to help Assad ? especially that Syrian opposition keeps talking about Iranian revolution guards on the ground ?
NB: none of this makes Saoudis more democratic, or tolerant. But to insinuate that Iranians are is just too much.
what country has more freedom saudi-arbia or iran
Yes, Sauds has little freedoms, but to suggest that Iran does or wants to promote freedom is insane. Iran wants arabs to be weak, so that the Iran-centered shia Islam takes the center stage. And Khameni hates Israel because the Jewish state is in the way. It is blatantly obvious.
lol little freedom....now you can quantify freedom? you sound like a grade 7 student....so in your world there is something called little freedom? lol enjoy your little freedom in the U.S. of Anti-freedom! go watch WAR ON DEMOCRACY...then read some books then study about Iran then come and comment...ok small boy ted?
This is exactly the topic of my book "perplexity of Iran"
you can read the summary of this 70 page book in my website http://www.chamanara.net
This proxy war been going on for 200 years since the creation of Saudi Arabia and Wahabism.
Blah blah blah – I'm going to the beach let the idiots in the middle east kill each other. Why should I care.
If Iran gets nuclear weapons there will be no more Saudia Arabia.
Bravo CNN. The best analysis you have done in a long time. I'm stunned!
Iran wants "free and fair" elections they can control.
Iran isn't a military dictatorship the united states is pretty close to one though
I have to agree that Iran is not a MILITARY dictatorship. It's an ISLAMIC dictatorship.
Saudi Arabia is the most brutal theocratic dictatorship on Earth, the fact that we side with their bigotry is insane especially since they're just as antisemitic and warlike as the Iranians, only even MORE so.
How hilarious. What a joke of an article. The Islamic Republic wants "free and fair elections". LOLOLOLOL... how about letting the Iranian people live in freedom and democracy?
Ayatollah Flynt Leverett and his concubine Hillary Leverett no longer even try to act neutral or on the side of freedom and human dignity. They are actively working on behalf of the Islamic Republic and the interests of the Islamic Republic. For someone to claim that the Islamic Republic wants "free and fair elections" is a joke and demonstrates this very truth. Frankly, the U.S. government should be investigating their bank accounts to see where their money is coming from. They have even indicated on their blog that their "friend and colleague" as someone who works on behalf of the Islamic Republic regime.
IRAN, SYRIA BASHAR AL ASAD AND HIZBOALLAH ALONG WITH IRAQI SHIIA THUGS OF NORI AL MALEKI AMONG THE 4 CORNERS OF EVIL IN THIS WORLD WE MUST STAND UNITED AGANBIST THE SHIIAZIM IDIOLOGY AND THOSE EVIL PERSIANS THUGS AND KILLERS SAFWEEN WHO MARRY THERE SISTERS AND RELATIVES AND WHO KILL , STEAL AND LIE UNDER THE NAME OF TAQEYA ...WE MUST ATTCK IRAN NOW SYRIA WILL FALL ALONG WITH HIZBOALLAH AND ALL THE IRAQI SHIIA THUGS WHO THREATEN THE PEACE IN THIS WORLD
USA RE REALY STUPID...THEY ATTACK IRAQ FOR NO REASON,,,,,,AND 100% OF THOSE WHO ATTACKED USA CAME FROM SAUDI AND PAKISTAN AND 100% OF THE WORLD TERROR NOW COME FROM IRAN, HOZBOALLAH AND BASHAR AL ASAD OF SYRIA ALONG WITH IRAQI SHIIEA WHO KILLED MANY AMERICANS WHY USA IS COWRED WATCHING AND DOING NOTHING TO SYRIA AND IRAN.............IS THAT BECAUSE THEY EAT TO MUCH KFC!!!!!!!
KFC...
You mean.......Khomeine....FIre....Clarics....
They come in pack of 8 or 12......deep fried and totaly high....
That would all be true IF Iran HAD FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS....But the world KNOWS this is NOT the case...The leaders of the Arab Spring Know this is NOT THE CASE.. in all fact IRAN was the FIRST NATION to SUPRESS a Popular Protest against it's Government and Religious Councils a few years back..This Protest was supressed with the homespun brutality that it IRANS signiture in hte Middle east...We can see that same signiture in Syria now...
The premise behind SOFT POWER must be credibility..and Iran used all that up a long long time ago...
And for those wondering why so many supporters of such "useful idi ots" Ayatollah Flynt and concubine Hillary posted here... they posted this on their blog! A blog in which self-identifying members of the Basij and Revolutionary Guards post!
Useful idio ts: http://www.pdmiran.org/2010/05/irans-man-in-washington.html
Flynt & Hillary Mann Leverett: Apologists for Murder: http://www.pdmiran.org/2012/02/flynt-hillary-mann-leverett-apologists.html
Excelllent article. Leverett is right on the money (no pun intended). Iran is a much more socially advanced and like the US then any other Arab Nation. We are idiots to demonize them. We need Iran to stabalize the ME. Iran is politically and socially advanced to work with us and our culture
Yes, the Iranian PEOPLE are great people. The terrorist regime of the Islamic Republic is a medieval and primitive regime that has ruined the once great nation of Iran. Shame on you for justifying the actions of evil madmen. Evil madmen that ra pe our young sisters before executing them so that they don't "die as vir gins" as "vir gins go straight to heaven". Truly shame on you.
Fareed, your work is outstanding. How do you get away with it without being harrased by the CIA?
What happened to Hillary Leverett's face? Did somebody beat her with an ugly stick? The mullahs would throw a veil on that ugly mug just so they wouldn't have to look at it.
So then my question is that if this s true why is the US supporting Saudi Arabia rather than Iran?
Soft-head vs Hard-head