This is the latest in a series of entries looking at what we can expect in 2013. Each weekday, a guest analyst will look at the key challenges facing a selected country – and what next year might hold in store.
By Mark N. Katz, Special to CNN
Mark Katz is a professor of government and politics at George Mason University, and is the author of ‘Leaving without Losing: The War on Terror after Iraq and Afghanistan.’
In addition to its ongoing economic problems, which are unlikely to be overcome next year, there are three potential crises that could affect Iran in 2013. One is the possibility of public unrest concerning the succession to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who cannot run for a third consecutive term as president. Another possibility is the incapacitation or death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei setting off a power struggle to succeed him which also results in public unrest. A third possibility is that the Iranian nuclear crisis boils over, and either the U.S. or Israel (or both) launch an armed attack to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The next Iranian presidential election is scheduled to take place on June 14, 2013. The leadership of the Islamic Republic very much wants to avoid the outburst of opposition that occurred in response to the widely-disbelieved announcement that Ahmadinejad had won re-election by a wide margin in June 2009. New regulations that further tighten clerical control over who is allowed to run for president are likely to be put into effect which even some regime insiders – most notably President Ahmadinejad himself – have voiced objection to. If indeed the only candidates allowed to run for president are just those few approved by the regime, the Iranian public may come to regard the entire presidential election process as illegitimate. With the downfall of long-ruling leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen (and possibly Syria by mid-2013) providing role models for what popular uprisings can accomplish, the Iranian public may launch a more concerted effort in response to what it regards as an illegitimate presidential election outcome in 2013 than it did in 2009.
In addition, Khamenei – who wields much greater power than the Iranian president – will be 73 years of age at the beginning of 2013. This is not particularly old, and he could go on to rule for another decade or more (his predecessor, Ayatollah Khomeini, lived to age 86). But if – despite his own vociferous denials – the reports that Khamenei is in poor health are true, it is possible that he could become incapacitated or even die sooner rather than later. Unlike the one and only previous occasion in 1989 when a Supreme Leader (Khomeini) died and Khamenei was able to move up from being president to the top position, it is not clear yet who could replace Khamenei.
More from GPS: Americans want to stay out of Middle East turmoil
Not being a cleric, Ahmadinejad is ineligible for this position – as would be any other non-clerical. Yet even if the next president is a cleric, the religious establishment might not consider him suitable for the supreme leadership post. Given the importance of this position, a power struggle over who should fill it could easily erupt. Finally, an unpopular choice could arouse public opposition not just to the new supreme leader, but to the institution of an unelected supreme leader exercising so much power over elected officials.
Finally, it may be especially difficult for the Iranian leadership to reach agreement with the P5+1 on the nuclear issue during a year in which there will definitely be a presidential transition and possibly a supreme leadership transition (or even just increased politicking over it). At the same time, work on Iran’s various nuclear projects is likely to continue – even if only as a result of bureaucratic inertia. Heightened frustration over this situation may induce the Israeli and/or the U.S. government to launch a military attack against Iran out of the conviction that this is the only means of preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Such a move, of course, could have enormous consequences both for Iranian domestic politics and for international relations more broadly.
Of these three crises, the most likely to occur in 2013 is one over the presidential election since this has now been scheduled. Whether armed conflict will take place over the Iranian nuclear issue depends on decisions taken in Washington and/or Jerusalem, while the possibility of a succession crisis over Iran’s supreme leader post depends most on the state of Ayatollah Khamenei’s health. The real question about these possible crises is the impact that each might have on the strength and stability of the Islamic Republican regime.
Domestic political unrest caused by a negative public reaction to the outcome of the upcoming Iranian presidential election could severely undermine the legitimacy of the Islamic regime, and could even lead to its downfall if a process similar to the successful Arab Spring uprisings unfolds. A negative public reaction following the selection of a new Supreme Leader after the incapacitation or death of Khamenei could similarly undermine the legitimacy of the regime. By contrast – and despite how much Washington and Jerusalem might hope and even expect otherwise – an American and/or Israeli attack on Iran to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons could result in a nationalist backlash and increased Iranian public support for the regime.
Of course, any two or even all three of these crises might arise in 2013. Indeed, if Iranian public opposition does arise in response to the outcome of the 2013 presidential elections (and possibly a crisis regarding the position of Supreme Leader), Tehran may actually seek an exacerbation of the nuclear crisis as a way of discrediting the Iranian democratic opposition through claiming it is being supported by America – the same country threatening to attack (or having actually attacked) Iran directly or via its Israeli ally.
Whether such a ploy would actually succeed at a time of heightened internal opposition to the regime cannot be foretold. Tehran, though, can certainly be expected to seize upon exacerbated international tensions over its nuclear program as an excuse to forcibly crack down on its internal democratic opponents. Western governments – particularly the United States – whose principle concern about Iran has been with preventing it from obtaining nuclear weapons, would do well to consider carefully how their policies regarding this will impact a crisis of legitimacy that the Islamic Republic could well face in 2013.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Mr. Katz referred to Jerusalem twice in this analysis, as if J'lem were the recognized capital of the Jewish state. Tel Aviv, not Jerusalem, is the Israeli equivalent of Washington DC. This subtle bit of pro-Israel spin is more proof that Helen Thomas was spot on.
The definition of capital is the sity where the government sits. The city where the Israeli government, Israeli Parliament (Kneset) and the residency of the Israeli President are located is... Jerusalem. Further, every country (and NOT anyone else) has the authority to decide where its capital is. The capital of Israel is JERUSALEM. Tel Aviv is the Israeli analog of New York, the center of business and entertainment and it is recognized as such.
Get a clue...
As far as Israel goes there are still significant territorial disputes, to imagine Jerusalem as capital of Israel is as unrealistic as the settler's dream of the promised land.
Some people have troubles to imagine that the Earth is round. Nevertheless, it is a FACT. Similarly, it is a FACT that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. If you have troubles to "imagine" this or, possibly, other facts faind a good therapist.
Israhell can claim al, that it wants that Jerusalem is the capital of Israhell all that it wants but that does not make it so. Israhell also claims Americans like that parasitic apartheid leech of a nation. The fact is we don't no matter how many times that Israhell claims this!
I'm afraid your "definition" of capital is incorrect. An example is the Netherlands. It's capital is Amsterdam and it's government sits in The Hague.
You are right.....Mr. Katz is trying to pull fast one on the matter of calling Jerusalem as if it is the capital of Israel! Wrong Mr. Katz.....Israel's capital is Tel Aviv so don't try to move it to Jerusalem, please!!!
Both Katz and Ekram's descriptions are nonsense. Because you cannot quote any historical proof that Jerusalem was never has been Israel's capital. All that we read in world history is that Jerusalem was Israel's capital and to no other nation on the face of the Earth!
Jerusalem has been been declared the capitol of Israel by the Israeli's. That ends the matter.
Jerusalem is the capital of Israel....no doubt about it.
and Christians, and there are a lot of us.
Even arabs know that Jerusalem was built by King David, do you?
I'm not sure the author knows much about Iran and Persian. They are not going to destroy their country like Syrian are doing it now just for the sake of changing one dictator for another. Not that they like the current regime of mullahs, but there is a sanity in their decisions. let's wait until Jan 1st 2014 to see the author prediction.
The author is a zionist retard. NO way we iranians would do something like what the Syrians are doing. Arab springs have all been faliures.. look at Libya, Egypt. all mistakes.
Of course a repeat of the Arab Spring will happen. You know where? It will be in America and its "allies". If they attack Iran. So that is why you see this drama of "Iran nuclear issue" did not culminate into an attack. No attack has happened even today. There will be no attack even in the future. In fact America will in future will toe the line of Iran and will fall in place. Just wait and see.
The unfortunate part is that most Americans have no knowledge about what is happening around the world and can be led to believe anything by such rubbish articles. The US leadership has leanred one thing only: defend and protect Israel or to look the other way, no matter what Israel does. We all know enough of history to understand how such actions end!!! God help the world becuase of conspiracies between USA and Israel!!!
Neither the US nor Israel will use force against Iran unless as a last resort in case there will be no other way to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. This is the simple truth some people refuse (or pretend not) to understand.
Thinker23, if you love Israel so much why don't you and your ilk MOVE there??
Hey, Elie.We live in Maale Adumim and are thinking of rtienng a cheaper place. Tzur Hadassa or maybe the moshav Mata. We have four kids and would love anything between 4 to 7 rooms, but can in no way afford a penny above 3,500 a month. We'd love a place with more nature etc but we don't have a car. How are the bus connections to Tsur Hadassah and to Mata?Tuvia
very good!
q
War is a disaster.
I just learn Iran out-smarted Jewish, who keep boasters themselves.
At the past, Jewish has many interests to cause Wars between CHRISTIANS. Such as between Westerners and they got succeeded.
As the result, Millions Christians dead. Trillions of Dollars wasted.
Here again, Jewish are portraying and PUSHING Christians to fight with Muslims and non-Jewish, for the benefits of Jewish.
I believe, neither Jewish nor Muslims are good for Christians.
For the first time, since the last few years, China took the first place to hold Intellectual Property or Patents, more than the United States of America. Who knows, may be Jewish stole and sold Americans' new ideas.
100% Wrong, What do you base your opinion on?
Jay he bases his opinion on all the backstabbing Israel does to the US. He bases his opinion on the apartheid regime that is Israel.
He bases it on rightfully on Jonathon Pollard and Israhell's murderous attack on the USS Libert and Israhell's parasitic leeching on America....
Anyone with an idiotic thought can find a medium to speak. Unfortunately, there are some people that believe these idiotic thoughts. Atleast when that idiot uses broken English and outrageous claims it's easy to dismiss.
Voice of Treason, you another Israel Firster. We're tired of you leeches. Why don't you move over there and leave the rest of us alone?!
Screw Israhell and Israel-Firsters....America's decline can be summed up in my phrase "Based on socialism for the rich (read endless government cash bail outs and tax write-offs given to the rich including both corporations and rich Americans), and capitalism for the poor (not even healthcare available so sell your home, use up all the cash, and go die because you cannot afford further treatment or medical care)!!!!
Notwithstanding what Israel-Firsters say, IsraHell shares none of the USA 's values notwithstanding comments from Israel-Firsters. Readers should look up/google the official web site of the American survivors of Israel 's unprovoked attack on the USS Liberty in international waters where Israhell murdered thirty-four Americans and injured hundreds more including even strafing survivors in life rafts in the water!
Like I said, Israel shares none of the good ole US of A's values – when was the last time that America leeched billions of dollars in aid from another country like Israhell constantly leeches off the USA. Americans work hard to make better lives and defend themselves. America does not keep on leeching at the tax dollars of other hard working people for perpeptuity year after year after and counting now into the decades as Israel has leeched off the USA in an amount in the hundreds of billions of dollars.
Yeah living is easy when it is at the expense of others. Oh well, America roads will continue to decay, schools will lack supplies, American children in their millions will live off food stamps and Israel-Firsters will keep on yammering about how Israel supposedly shares our values when the only thing that it shares, NO, takes, is the hard working tax dollars of Americans!!!
I stand with the tax dollars of hard working Americans being used in America to repair roads, bridges and highways!
I stand with the tax dollars of hard working Americans being used in America to pay for better schools for American children!
I stand with the tax dollars of hard working Americans being used in America to help create good decent high paying jobs for unemployed Americans!
I stand with the tax dollars of hard working Americans being used in America to pay for improving lives of ordinary Americans via better libraries, social and municipal services!
I stand with the tax dollars of hard working Americans being used in America being used to help Americans get off of food stamps!
I stand with the tax dollars of hard working Americans being used in America being used to energize American factories like autombile plants!
I stand with the tax dollars of hard working Americans being used in America being used to assist home-owners in renewing their mortgages and keeping their homes from being foreclosed!
I do NOT stand with Israel-Firsters in giving up the tax dollars of needy hard working Americans to Israel for year after year after year in amounts in the hundreds of billions of dollars.while Israel-Firsters keep on yammering about some ridculous shared values.
The USA has shared values with countries like Sweden , Norway et al who are similiar in size to Israel but who do not coming begging year after after year like a Hobo with cap in hand like Israel does.
Countries such as Norway, Sweden et al truly share the values of Americans including living off their own hard work, not demanding money from others with no end in sight, and basically succeeding without largesse from others and then falsely claiming how successful they are as Israel does all the while it leeches the tax dollars of hard working Americans!!!
'nuff said!!!!!!
Lance (Armstrong maybe?) and Jack O'Brian are just a couple of pathetic little anti-semites. Their views belong back in the 1930s and the internet is the only place they feel safe spewing their hate.
They would actually defend Iran, one of, if not the worst country in the world. They claim to love America but are openly supporting a terrorist dictatorship and badmouthing America's most reliable ally in the region.
sir I suggest you are completely off your rocker.... and have no clue what is reality..
Your grammar and spelling are horrible. Your views are just this side of racist.
Sorry to say Brian, America has the best life of the world even if we give to other counties. We are free and maybe we do pay for alot but I don't think you appreciate what you have. Go live in Iran,north korea syria and see how you feel after a few months. If things escalate around the world I would not worry about our roads etc ..
My comments are for lance..Sorry Brian
It seems the "west" is more on the tenterhooks and on the edge as far as Iran is concerned compared to the people of Iran. this is good. The west is very scared they are loosing foothold in the ME. They are scared of loosing influence. They are scared today that Iran is not afraid of their trillion dollar military attack gear around Iran and infact Iran could win the war is there is one. The west is scared if they loose the war, most of their governments will go the "Arab Spring" way because of sky high inflation and the resulting worldwide economic disaster.
Thank you, Vin. You said it all!
You're welcome!
.....Vinay Prasad
The West's interest in the ME is based on oil. But this interest is slowly diminishing because of other countries becoming also suppliers of this commodity. It will come a time when oil from the ME won't be as critical to the West, then the West will look the other way when civil strife breaks loose as it is happening in many regions in Africa.
B.M NDUNGU REAL ESTATE APPRAISER Kinyua Koech LTD P.o.Box 72223 Nairobi Tel.0202225039
________________________________
Whoever succeeds Mahmoud Ahmedinejad in next year's elections, let's just hope that he won't be another stooge for the West. The U.S., Great Britain and France already own much of that part of the world!
Quigley, that will never happen. The Iranian president has no power. He is just a figure head. The true power in Iran lies with the Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Lion of Persia. The presidents are just a figurehead.
"The Lion of Persia" ?!? What a joke.
P.S. – If your real name is "Jack O'Brian" then mine is Ahmadinejad.
You keep telling people on this forum to "move to Israel". How is life in Iran these days "Jack"? LOL
Ssssssssss, Booooooom, Baaaaaaaaaaaaah. The last one is the sheep the towel head was doing.
Take your meds please.
The heck with Israhell and Nutty-Yahoo of Israhell.....if it walks like a parasitic leech, if it swims like a parasitic leech, and if it quacks like a parasitic leech, then it is Israhell, the parasitic leech sucking the life blood of We The American Taxpayers. Now it wants to see American men and women die for it. Screw Israhell and Nutty-Yahoo. My son, Jason, who is in the Marines said he did not sign up to fight for Israhell and that many of his brothers in arms say the same thing. He has already said that many of them will refuse orders if it means launching an immoral war against Iran for the benefit of PRECIOUS (said like Golem in the Lord of the Rings), ISRAHELL-HELL....' Nuff said!!!
Iran will collapse soon. Their blind pursuit of nuclear weapons will be only one reason for their downfall. Ask a Persian living here what Iran is actually like. People in the west who defend Iran are most likely anti-Americans, anti-semites or fools.
I don't know About American military (but I think it would be along the lines of ours) But the Canadian military would willfully step-up at any time to help Israel. I love how my country and Australia will say it with pride. Israel (whether you like their politics or not) is a gem stone sorrounded by some of the most barbaric, oppresive countries in the world. FACT.
The conservative clerics play an important part in political life in Iran and dominate the society.
Only clerics can be elected to the Assembly of Experts, which appoints the Supreme Leader, monitors his performance and can in theory remove him if he is deemed incapable of fulfilling his duties. The Assembly is currently headed by Iran's former president Ali-Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is described as pragmatic and conservative. Perhaps he might replace Khamenei, should the latter be incapacitated.
The former president Ali-Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is described as pragmatic and conservative, called several times for destruction of Israel and argued that Iran should nuke Israel even if half of Iranian population would perish as a result.
Most Iranians would like Israel gone. Thats why who ever says they'll wipe out Israel, they'll get the vote.
make no mistake, nobody in Iran likes Israel. However the way things are going in Israel, I don't think Iranians have to lift a finger.
I hope very much that Iranians will not even try to lift a finger against Israel. The fact is that Israel does not have strategic bombers, aircraft carriers or millions of troops. Therefore, its options to defend itself from an attack coming from Iran, a country having ten times greater population than Israel and eiighty times larger territory than Israel which is located thousands of miles away... Israeli options to defend itself are rather limited.
It is amazing how much paid war mongering is been published every day talking about agression on yet another Middle Eastern nation like it is something completely normal. What "preventive strike"? International aggression against another nation.
I do not know what is in mind of this so called professor but his students should think about who is "teaching" them. Mr. "professor" of "governmen and politics" should know something about international law, but this article just shows why is American educational sytem in crisis. With "professors" like that it is no surprise that the only thing students get out of their colleges is huge debt.
Hey paranoid71, It's a crying shame that the United Nation has become such a useless organization, taken over by your Muslin friends, then this nut bar fron Iran comes to New York once a year to spread his hate, about wiping Israel off the map and then bleeding heart's, like you think's he's a peaceful man that needs nuclear for ernergy and peacful purpose. This is why the UN and the Arab world has loss all credibility.
maddness is what becoming of you people, if isreal countune this way we will eliminate them in the world
maybe he is not as talented as Bibi to draw ridiculous cartoons.The balance of power is shifting in the ME and there is nothing we can do about it. I think of Isreal wants to survive, it has to rethink it's policy. Even the Professor says here that things are not going to change unless Khamenei dies or there is uncontrolable unrest after the elections, both very unlikely scenarios.It is obvious that Iranians have transformed Hamas and Hezbollah into forces that Israel will have difficulty fighting. So instead of whining about the UN have your "professors" come up with a solution. This guy is hopeless.
mardjan... How exactly you would like Israel to "change its policies" while not sacrificing safety and security of its citizens and its territory?
Israel will not only survive and thrive but will continue to kick this Muslin's spirit in the rear end everytime. Palestinian will never get their state because they are squatters on Israeli land, Israel will not allow Iran to finish their nuclaer bomb. 2013 is going to be an interesting year for God chosen people and another bad year for the Muslin's world, because hatred never wins, until they realize that Allah and Muhammed can't do anything for them, but the God of Israelt will always Bless the Jews, and always curse those who promote Anger,Hatred,Jealousy.
JJ please take your meds. Thanks you.
Canuck4Israel, you're no Canuck. You're just Israel. GO BACK TO TEL AVIV!
Hey Canuck4 Israhell: if you love Israhell so much, why don't you move there instead of wanting for Israhell to leech off of America for perpetuity! Screw off, ya Israhell-Firster!
Whenever Israel-Firsters use the argument that Palestinian fighters hide behind civilians and use them as human shields, I encourage readers to challenge this by asking why are Israeli soldiers are hiding behind Israelis civilians? Point out and ask why are Israeli soldiers using public transportation including buses and taxis to ride in and out of their military bases which are embedded deep inside of Israel’s major population centres, and why is Israel locating its munitions and armaments factories, and munitions production centres inside of its major cities.
Please free to share with others and feel free to keep on using any of the variations of the phrases below and rotate them so that they are always in the faces of Israel-Firsters and so that journalists can become aware of, and challenge Israel-Firster sound-bites and spokespeople directly also!
Notwithstanding Israel-Firsters’ best efforts (which are pretty pathetic), fellow readers, please feel free to use any of the short responses below whenever Israel-Firsters complain that the Palestinians are making use of civilians as human shields. These responses should be used one at a time and can be modified as needed so that the Israel-Firsters no longer have a monopoly on the subject of “human shields”, which they use to justify attacking Palestinian civilian infrastructure like apartments, buses, ambulances, press headquarters, factories, houses, apartment blocks et al each and every time!
My only advice is for different people to take the responses required and use them individually one at a time as required multiple times on as many web forums as is feasible. Saturate the use of this information to the point that it is widespread with both the media and other readers so that Israel-Firsters become laughing stocks whenever they complain of Palestinians using civilians as human shields when it is obvious that Israel has turned its entire population into human shields that the Israeli military cowardly hides behind!
This agression is translating into violent actions by youngsters killing children. After all 24/11 violence is advocated as the right way to deal with issues. The US in its propaganda on behalf of Israel has become totally devoid of any damage such violent discussion results in. The youth in USa have seen this for decades: blocades in Iraq killing hundreds of children, pre emptive strikes killing hundreds of children, thousands of orpahns in Iraq, Afghanistan. Drones killing hundreds of children in Pakistan. No body even keeps count any more? Where is all this leading to and what kind of society are we living in?
What stupid comments these are, the Jewish comments are really stupid or moronic. Where are your brains, you must not have any.
"...the Jewish comments are really stupid or moronic. Where are your brains, you must not have any."
If you say so, Einstein...
)
YAWN! These Israel Firsters are like Parrots! Da Vinci, Ferdowsi, Edison. What's your point???! Oh yeah Einstein was Jewish! I get it! SO WHAT????! He wasn't the ONLY smart guy in the world. YAWN!
Hey Jack! Better to be a parrot than a nazi pig.
this is another garbage article....wake me up when the america allies in the middle-east the saudis, bahrains, and kuwaitis start holding elections otherwise stfu about Iran already..
Hitler told muslims "the Jews 're your problem", so muslims led by iran, vowed to wipe Israel off the earth surface
There the Israel-Firsters go again....now they claim that every person has a gas oven in their home to fry Jews. I have a gas oven but I don't see any itty-bitty Jews frying in there. Let me look again....nope, no Jews there. Can everybody else look in their ovens to see if they can find any Jews there, please? Now wasn't Adolph Hitler of Jewish origin and did he not have lots of ovens that he used on plenty of his fellow Jewish people....ahhh so that's where Israel-Firsters paranoid delusions of everyone having a Jew in the overcomes from....now now there there, Israel-Firsters must take their Prozac.😜😜😜😜😜
Hey Lance.....read a book. Your knowledge of history seems to be about as solid as your knowledge of current events.
I think U .S.A AND IT's friend will have problem to solve the isue of iran and it's sue israel will get the most problem and even may collapse down the Economic of united states will no longer boast and iran will insist it's peacefull Nucleur and have right the way the U.S.A HAVE RIGHT TO HAVE THE NUCLEUR EVEN IRAN is the most acceptable and accurate than the U .S.A another thing u have talked about the leaders they have planed before u have talk khumieni's replacement will cause no problem and Ahmedinajad will be his position insha alah
Lots of wishful thinking. The fourth and most likely scenario is that none of these things happen and at the end of 2013 Bibi will have another cartoon, US is still unhappy about Iran, the sanctions are in place and forgotten like the other ones in place for 30 years.Iran's nuclear program is progressing and we are pretty much where we are today. As for Israel attacking Iran, ple...e...a...a...a....s...s....e!
marjan... You have to consider that Israel CAN NOT AFFORD nuclear armed Iran because nuclear Iran means a death sentence not only to Israel but possibly to the entire human civilization. This means that Iran will not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons at all costs. Hopefully, sanctions will work. If not then force will have to be used.
Nuclear or non-nuclear Iran, nothing will happen to Israel so she should not worry about it.....so please stop this nuclear-Iran propaganda! Both Iran and Israel just playing fear card for their home consumption. Both countries know that attacking each other will have huge consequences. So guys quit spreading rubbish!
Ekram... Are you telling us that the Iranian President, its boss the Supreme Islamic Leader of Iran, the Iranian generals and the majority of Iranians who voted for them are ALL LIARS and that YOU know better what Iranian leaders and Iranian people want and will do? Somehow I tend to trust THEM more than I trust you... With all due respect of course.
No Thinker23 she is not lying. Iranians much like the rest of the world hate the warmongers!
All of you idiots who support the crazy Islamic Nut Jobs in Iran or the rest of the world, pull your head out of the sand, or the camel's ass which you rode in on. Radical Islamic extremism is a threat to the entire world, and to anyone that doesn't buy into their barbaric cult. For you to be bashing Israel, a country which is surrounded by millions of jihadi nut jobs openly calling for its annihilation and the genocide of its entire population, while ignoring the brutality and oppression these same jihadi nut jobs bring on their own people, is quite disturbing. You all need help, or better yet, got to Gaza and pick up a rocket with the other animals, and do something! See how quickly you get taken care of. Chumps.
Its time you took your meds.
From your negative and idiotic posts, it looks like you've been hitting the sauce again, O'Brien.
Did you fall off the wagon again? Too many shots of whiskey for breakfast, Eh?
Nice comeback Jack. Why don't you use it another 100 times?
Just a propaganda piece having little value as to what will happen. With all the lies in the media and censorship, manipulation of comments to get us into wars , it is hard to know the truth.When Mossadeh was replaced with Shah in Iran , our man Kermit Roosevelt directed 2 groups of mercenaries in Tehran from the US Embassy's basement which was never reported in our media at the time .So it is today in Syria and propaganda goes on while we lose freedoms and are bankrupt. When will it change ?
, DECEIVE YOUR ENEMIES. Look weak, when you are strong.And, there were a lot of prsesures, coming from the White House, to Condi, trying to FORCE Olmert into bombing syria. (To make the Saudis happy. And, to solve the sunni problem; where hezbollah, playing with Iran, was encouraging Shi'a development; at great costs to the "other gang." The sunnis.) Olmert played this very close to his vest. AND, BALKED.Condi then just got used as a tool to the french. Burning up all her own "presidential timber" stock.Now, even if the saudis "like" the idea of a black woman as Prez; this won't fly. It's like seating Harriet Meirs on the Supreme's Bench. Ill political winds blow back, HARD.And, Karl Rove is no dummy.So even if hurting Israel, is a plus to Condi. Or at least, a place she saw no downside. The president has let her "go on vacation." And, Olmert REMAINS IN CHARGE!Here, I'll even bet Bibi is angling his way into Olmert's government. And, YaYa'lon is about to join the Likdu party. (Not as reported, Labor. WHere he was supposed to go after Amir Peretz with Braverman, in tow.)Okey dokey. It's possible, if this happens (as rumored, today, in Ha'aretz), then Bibi's IN. And, Amir Peretz loses his portfolio. Goes to YaYa'alon. Hurts Labor? Well, Amir Peretz hasn't really supplied Olmert with a top dog crew from Labor, who listens to what the government wants. But definitely, the music begins. For the game of musical chairs.Here's my brainstorm. And, remember I don't work for the Bush team. So, I pretty much had this one on my own. But I think GUILIANI could replace CONDI at State.As Karl Rove gears up for the 2008 race; wouldn't he want a polished Guiliani, able to really take on the mantle of "presidential timber?" It's only if he's show-cased can he do it.True, Reagan did a lot of leg work to work around the insiders in the GOP tent. But he had been governor. I don't think presidents are found among city mayors. (Or Lindsay would have made it up there. And, didn't.) Lindsay was just another pretty GOP face that faded away.But what if Guiliani has possibilities with the mainstream? Far beyond Condi's reach.Wouldn't you, if you sat in the Executive Office, see what bringing talent on board could look like, for later on? Senators don't have a chance.Okay. What can I do? I'll wait. But it's my brainstorm, first.
Iran is the greatest threat to world peace, of any country on the globe.
I certainly believe that the 2013 presidential election will cause problems and there will be unrest but how great, no one knows. There is a grievance with the Iranian people and regime and the people want more freedom, more choice, less corruption and more of a say.
Ayatollah Khamenei is in theory the leader or Shah for want of a better word. In reality, he may be ill and I believe it is the Revolutionary Guards and General Jafari who really rule Iran. The fact they need Khamenei and a presidency show the military junta are not confident enough to rule on their own. That the Rev Guards took over Iran before the late Khomeini (who by 1979 was a poorly depressed old man) but appointed/allowed Khomeini to be "leader" shows their policy is to hide behind a popular figurehead who meanwhile uses a president as a scapegoat for unpopular policy and the president can be blamed, removed or demoted as we have seen.
So, my guess is if Khamenei (who was in 1989 when he was appointed a popular president) does die, the regime will not force an unpopular hardliner like Mesbah Yazdi on the people, it will instead be some compromise figure like Rafsanjani (who may not be liked by some but can reinvent himself for anyone). Khamenei himself favours his own son who also happens to be high up in the Revolutionary Guards junta, but the junta may give him a lot of power but not the fronter role.
As regards Israel: I think there are a lot of people in the world who make a hobby out of hating Israel and its treatment of Palestinians. Sure, there are loads of these in Iran as well as in Western nations. But also Iranians care more of what happens to Iran and other Iranians cannot bring themselvs to back up Palestinian militias who once were funded by a REAL enemy of Iran called Saddam and who sided with Saddam in the Iran Iraq war. Israel secretly supplied Iran against Saddam in the 1980s and Saddam would have been more successful without this backing. So, I think from talking to Iranians, the issue of Israel is not black and white but gray. An Iranian can commonly praise and denounce Israel at the same time and for different reasons.
Very informative post! Thank you.
Also, a thing we got to remember about Iran is that it is a very diverse country. We can climatically divide it into the dry desert south and the cooler more fertile north. We can politically divide it into West and East.
West Iran is richer, has oil, has most of the main cities including all the recent and ancient capitals like Tehran, Esfahan, etc. and has the most economic activity. It is also the religious capital's Qom's location. So, secular or religious, the West has the power centres.
East Iran meanwhile is poor, neglected and has suffered more from earthquakes and the like. Also, the nation's only real ethnic conflicts arise in the Sistan Baluchistan region. Drug smuggling and the drug wars are also a problem and al Qaeda terrorism (yes, Iran suffers attacks from them too!) is a major problem.
However, East Iranians are more receptive to Palestinian causes and are more against Israel for many reasons. For starters, Saddam never was able to get into East Iran. Also, a huge amount of East Iranians are Sunni not Shia. As well as this, East Iranians tend to be very conservative when compared to West Iranians and of course they are often very poor. The lack of oil can be very much seen here.
The next president and current/next supreme leader and the military who really rule all have to deal with a three way problem: uniting Shia and Sunni under a one fits all Islamic banner, granting social freedoms (limited or otherwise) to the enormous young and educated West Iran population and keeping minorities like the Baluch and Arab populations contained but relatively happy. Relations with other nations are essential to be positive longterm and who knows what will happen there.
The earthquake point is quite interesting. They're building a ramshackle atomic weapons plant out of used German parts and sketchy Soviet talent atop the intersection of 3 of the most unstable tectonic plates in the world. And they don't have building codes or quality control. And they periodically stumble through earthquakes that kill 40 or 50 thousand people where that same event might kill 9 people in California. And oh – they're building it right where 40% of the world's oil enters a narrow shipping chockpoint.
And yet the radicals, the leftists, the Greens and such can do nothing but sing their praises and fire their rhetorical AK's in the air cheering the imminent world-changing global environmental, economic and nuclear accident just waiting to happen.
Sounds like a plan to me. Allahu Glow-in-the-darq.
Notwithstanding the author's particular perspective, I agree with his assessment of the three main sources of instability in Iran. The most interesting thing will be who will be the candidate in the presidential election: I wonder if Mojtaba Khamenei will give it a try? Rafsanjani is disqualified by age, I guess reformists won't get through the vetting and the rigging system seems well oiled so he must be in with a good chance.
Remember the USS Liberty and time to take back America.....the stench of Israel-Firsters and the United Rabbinate of America is becoming stronger and stronger as AIPAC and Israel-Firsters make America and Americans their lapdogs!
Israel-Firsters who would sell out the the USA for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and out source the job of the President of the United States of America to Israhell and its leader BeenYammerin' Nutty-Yahoo. Thanks to traitorous Israel-Firsters and other Republican and also Democratic politicians, they have made the US Congress Israhelli occupied territory as Pat Buchanan said.
Rabbis and their Israel-Firster buddies have made American politicians their lapdogs.
The USA has become a Rabbinate against the wishes of the American people and Israel-Firsters try to make Americans think that the mullahs are taking over the USA when AIPAC already has!
Only knuckleheads care.
What if china gives them some such weapon. That would trick the U.S. In believing that china isn't behind it. Once they bombed us then china could before we have a chance to recover. Their goes the U.S. What if this does happen were all doomed.
I don't like CCP at all, but isn't that the Cold War mentality？
Iran needs to be stopped at all costs........If they dont peacefully disarm then force is a must!! but How is Israel gonna deal with the Palestiniians?? They cant sweep them under the rug?? They have to give them some kind of state and rid themselves of those people once and for all!!! Stop building settlements and solve the Palestinian problem!! Rid Israel of this problem.....so the Arabs can stop whining about the Palestinian problem!! I look forward to the rebuilding of the Temple in Israel..........it is said the MESSIAH for mankind will walk right out of it after its built!!
God bless the Jews.........but they can also be very selfish people! They don't promote JEWISH beliefs enough and they withhold a lot from the world. The Jews are hiding the Tablets the 10 commandments were written on by the LORD!! They don't want the rest of the world to marvel at their beauty!! The Jews have a great responsibility to make all men turn their swords into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks!
Jews propaganda does not stop .It's keep coming in . Everyday they are coming with something new.
You win the idiot comment of the day. Everyone knows we Jews control all media so if you personally are permitted to speak at all it's because you're obviously a Jewish spy.
Absolutely right, Canadian. These Israel-Firsters are Jonathon Pollard clones who want every last American to go and fight needless wars against countries thousands of miles away for the racist apartheid state of Israhell....screw Israhell and Israel-Firsters!
I really wish someone at CNN could unfold a map. Iran is not in the Mideast. It's a central Asian country with more in common with Kazakhstan and the Caucuses than it does with the Mideast, or Pakistan which CNN also seems to think is in the Mideast. Which is s bit like saying China is in Africa and Philadelphia is in the Midwest. Geography matters. It defines their history. The Arab states HATE Iran as much for their Shiia religion as they do for their Farsi, their history, their ethnicity and their history of oppressing Arabs just like Arabs have oppressed everyone else. It's a kind of stupid liberal bigotry to lump everyone east of Greece together as the same thing. But since they're stupid bigots generally this shouldn't amaze anyone.
agree with that. GEOGRAPHY MATTERS!
fk iran
F&L Israel-Firsters and remember the USS Liberty!
NATO lead bu usa should attack Iran before April until June and use the month of may 2013 where the solar storm is very strong in that region to shut down all Iran communication and allow Israel to get red of Hezbollah and Iraqi SHIIA , Syrian SHIIA then the Arabs will finish the job and get red of all SHIIA in Bahrain Iraq Lebanon and send them back to Iran.....NUC THOSE BASTERED EVIL SHIIA GET RED OF THEM FROM USA AND CANADA THEY HAVE SAFE HOUSES AND WEAPONS TRAIN CAMP AND SEND CASH TO HEZBOLLAH TO KILL SYRIANS
People tell me that iraninas women have very nice pu ss y and they are excellent FK , i wish i am USA army invading those evil iranians................................. we can take 600 strong marine and go to those evil persions
U CANT TAKE OVER JERUSALEM IT BELONGS TO IISREAL.WE ARE NOT TALKING OF CAPITAL WE ARE TALKING OF BOU NDARY HERE. IF YOU ARE EYEING TO TAKE OVER JERUSALEM YOU ARE PLAYING WITH FIRE.BE WARNED.
Osama was found, so were all the other terrorists who were wiped out,. achmed whatever his name is can be too. but he is nto the problem,, the mullahs are....and as long as they sit saftely in their mosques and holes the Iranian situation can never be solved except at the end of a missile.
IRAN WILL GET THE A BOMB USA AND NAGTO ARE SO COWERED TO DO ANY THING............
Iran is taking the region toward a path of destruction....... The best thing the Jews could do is extracate and completely seperate themselves from the Palestinian peoples by making some type of negotiated settlement!! Hardline jews must understand that the Arabs are not heartless people like Hitler or devious like the Gentiles!!
IT IS ABOUT 70,000 CEVILINAS ARE KILLED IN SYRIA BY THE IRANIANS BACK GOVERNMENT BACKED BY RUSSIA WEAPONS FROM IRAN AND IRAQ AND FIGHTERS FROM IRAQI SHIIA AND HEZBOLLAH THOSE EVIL TERROR SHIIA THUGS USE TAQEYA TO LIE TO USA.the number 70,000 is the correct number plus more than 54000 child women and old men died from hunger ,sickness illness related to war which is not count for, and more than 143000 prisoners all Sunni , kurds captured by the alwayet SHIIA cult 12% of the populations . while usa, France, NATO and UN doing nothing why Libya and Iraq were attacked for only 400 death!!!!!!!is it because there is not much oil in Syria!!!!shame on you OBAMA..........................
All the ifs and buts and the neverending razmataz about iran & its nuclear issue is only due to that country's ever increasing achievment in science & technology, a thing the west is really scared of , no attention is ever paid to others in the middle east, the arabs, turks or the like, why? simply because İranians are and have always proved to be a race apart, given the chance they overtake the westerners and will beat them at their own games, be it political, cultural , scientifical or other, well done to them, persians, keep up the good work. may cosmos defeat ur enemies
What a spin ! No wonder our presidents were ill advised and squandered our treasury. A very well written propaganda piece for the media parrots. "You can fool some people, some of the time, but not all the people all of the time."
If we had a free press and a democracy things would be different.
What the article seems to overlook is the danger, not only to Israel, but to us all. Russia and China are now major players due to American Fiscal Abyss. When the leadership in both countries realizes the role Communism played in destruction of their countries they may become more aggressive.
There is no danger to us as Israhell-Firsters keep on yapping. The biggest danger to America are AIPAC and Israhell-Firsters....
eom
Israhell is a parasitic leech on America....
Israhell is a parasitic leech on America and will not last as a nation given that it cannot succeed on its own but only as long as it can perpetually suck off the teat of the American taxpayers for free. This is a valid statement given that Israehell cannot sustain itself without leeching of WE THE AMERICAN TAXPAYERS....Economically it is not viable that a racist apartheid state can continue to leech tens of billions of dollars off of America for perpetuity as Americans are fed up with Israhell coming like hobo with cap in hand year after year after year.
Can Israel-Firsters not get it that America is broke and we need to look after our own needy who are in their tens of millions in the USA.
Fact is that Israel has to prosper on its own without parasitically leeching off of Americans and that is something that that nation is incapable of notwithstanding that Israel understands that living is easy if it is off the hard work of others, namely, WE THE AMERICAN TAXPAYERS!
Fact is that once aid from America stops, Israhell is no longer capable of sustaining itself and if a nation cannot sustain itslef on its own, it will vanish from history and that is a reality that will face Israel notwithstanding all the obfuscation and misrepresentations of what Iran or Ahmedinajad said!!!
Any readers wanting to re-post this article anywhere has my permission to do so as these "Never Again" Israel-Firster protesters that did Israhell's Nutty-Yahoo bidding by demonstrating in front of OUR President's campaign offices on September 29 are traitors to America who are corrupting America's body politic by putting the interests of that foreign power called IsraHell ahead of America's!!!!
These Israel–Firsters are clearly showing that their loyalty is to a foreign state called IsraHell and NOT to America.
They are trying to put a Holocaust guilt trip on Americans to get more Americans needlessly killed in useless wars for their PRECIOUS (said like Golem in the Lord of the Rings), Isra-Hell, in a way that will bankrupt the American treasury and put tens of millions of Americans out of work.
As many ordinary Americans are now saying, these Israel-Firster traitors can go and shove it as We The American Taxpayers are sick of the Holocaust Industry being rammed down our throats so that Israel-Firsters can leech our dollars off of it for the benefit of both themselves and Israhell which is the biggest parasitic leech on We The American Taxpayers for fifty plus years in the amounts in the hundreds of billions of dollars if not trillions of dollars with no end in sight.
Judaism is a noble religion and has given many noble values, principles, and precepts to all of humanity and we should not deny the Holocaust but pray for the victims of the Nazi's including Jews, Russians, Gypsies,among others.
The fact is though that it is sad that Hitler (who I unequivocally condemn), was so ashamed of his own Jewish Ashkenazim/Khazar/Berber origins that he murdered his own people in such horrendous numbers, and Israel-Firsters have ohhh so conveniently hidden or masked this fact for far too long!!!
The Holocaust did happen and we should be sad about it and the millions of other victims of the Nazis and of Hitler but let's not ignore the origins of those that did it either.
The reality is that Alfred Rosenberg wrote the ideology of the Nazis – wanna guess what his religious background was?
It's sad that a person with origins from a great religion like Alfred Rosenberg came from designed Nazi ideology....google and verify fer herself, Israel-Firsters 'cause yu kin run but yu cain't hide as sound items cain't cut it no more...
Incidentally, when was the last time that anyone here went to a museum on the terrible inhumanity of slavery?
How about a museum on the horrible treatment of American-Indians/South American Indians?
How about a museum on the scourge of colonialism and it's horrible effects to this day on billions of human beings in Asia, in Africa, in North and South America?
After all, these evils went on for centuries and affected billions of human beings all over the world while the Holocaust despite its terrible evils went on for a paltry four years between 1941-1945.
Where are all those other museums to man's inhumanity and why are we lambasted with the Holocaust all day and all night in every movie or tv show or news story and every museum on the street corner?
Why have people but especially Americans not had an opportunity to go these other Museums on slavery or colonialism et et?
I'll tell you why!
It is because other groups don't try to leech money off the miseries experienced by their people and other fellow human beings, and they have not made a business industry to profit off of these horrible activities for perpetuity as Israel-Firsters have done!!
It seems that Israel-Firsters want to hammer Americans and everyone else with the reality of the Holocaust that was instigated by a person of Jewish origin, namely, Adolph Hitler, on his own Jewish people, and they want to put the guilt of the Holocaust on each and every human being while hiding or obfuscating about the prominent role that people of Jewish origin played in this terrible event, and trying to portray it as the most terrible event that ever happened in human history. And all the while, they leech money of it in the most greedy immoral manner!!
Guess what, Israel-Firsters?
We Americans had nothing to do with the cannibalization of your people by one of your own, namely, Adolph Hitler, so it's time to end the business industry that you have made around the Holocaust and trying to profit off the miserable end of millions of innocent Jewish people in the gas chambers of Europe at the expense of decent hard working Americans!
If Iran is indeed trying to build its own nukes, then they will probably build numerous devices and disperse them secretly around the country creating a fait accompli before announcing to the world their possession of nukes. Furthermore the west should not hesitate to recall or imagine what horrible consequences such as a 9-11 type event, that could arise if the Iranian mullah fanatics were to plan and carry out a nuclear "spectacular" in a western capital by secretly sneaking a nuke into a capital before the world is even aware that Iran has such devices. That is, you don't need a sophisticated missile to weaponize a simple nuke. Something clunkier and crude like a barge, truck, railroad car, container, old jet freighter, semi-submerged tank, small private jet, fishing trawler, any sea-going innocuous rust bucket vessel etc., etc. will do along with some plain old fashioned sneaky, clever, unanticipated or imagined, diabolical plan with some fanatical but disciplined type individuals might get the job done. The horror of the "unthinkable" must be thought of and dealt with before and not after it's too late.
No offense, but everything you have written sounds like something out of a Tom Clancy novel. Wake up dude, this is reality and in reality people get killed by making decisions based solely on perception. There is a deep crisis here in the US and most people are completely clueless to the fact that its occurring. You are being fed only one side of the story. Go to youtube and type "Apologize to the world Mr. Wallace and return that Emmy." Ahmadinejad never threatened to wipe Israel off the map. Mike Wallace manipulated his interview with Ahmadinejad and they gave him an Emmy. They lied to us to manipulate us into another useless war for the sake of...yes...Israel.
9-11 was no Tom Clancy novel.
After almost a decade people still have no idea what the truth about 9/11 is. I will personally never know if it was an inside job or not but what I do know is that the media has suppressed the fact that every Al-Quaeda leader has stated that the main reason for the attack was because of US support for Israel. Why are they hiding these FACTS from us? Why is it that Israeli politicians point the finger at Iran's nuclear development while Israel is the only nation in the Middle East to reject a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone? Why aren't we told the truth about Israel's treatment of Palestinians, and how it is becoming increasingly apartheid? Why do they have an enormous amount of lobbying power in our government? Why are Israelis so willing to get Americans involved in conflicts which they have no intent of paying the bill for or shedding blood for? Above all why aren't any of these questions being addressed in the media????
GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS ISRAEL, AMEN
The Fact of the Matter is its not about Israel and not about Iran. After reading numerous posts ive realized that its only the few that really know whats really happening with the world and they might not really know. Israel is the U.S and U.K in the ME. Its where Nato stock piles there weapons and were American Troops ready themselves and train for war in the region. Nothing is carried out by the U.S Army without Israeli Presence and Vice Versa. All conflict in the world today has only to do with wealth of Companies (Used to be the Wealth of Nations), and there is a race by the Wealthy to Secure whats left of the Planets resources that has yet to be secured. Media is controlled by the wealthy to obtain overwhelming support of the common man, who in this equation equals = 0.0000001. And its the medias job to keep them this way. Israel can never be destroyed without the destruction of the U.S first. Because a war on Israel by any nation means an automatic War with the U.S, and i don't know which nations dares to bring that kind of fight to their doorstep. Iran is Russia. And as the Cold War ended decades ago Formally. It has still been going on underground and in secret and the race to power in Asia is still in full swing. So really my friends in terms of nations Israel vs Iran = U.S.A vs Russia. so pick a side. Open your eyes and you will see that while we the common man (from all races nations and religion) are on here posting comments on a blog with unconditional support to a side nation religion or person and wasting our time, those we support unconditionally don't even acknowledge our existance and don't care about it at all and are working night and day to secure the future of their great great great x1000 grandchildren and make sure they all have unlimited wealth, while they will not even let one of your dear family members into a hospital to be hospitalized even if they were dying and they would not throw you a crumb if you were dying of hunger (and this goes to all sides of this conflict). We the people of the world, the 6.9999billion are the real victims and are all the same, share the same needs same wants, same problems,and same life... Iranians, Israelis, Americans, Russians, Chinese, Arabs, Europeans, Africans... We are all the same and have much more in common than anyone would think (The Common Man).. So before you publicly and without any kind care call out for more destruction of man and bloodshed and death for any party, remember that we are all humans and that the person you are wishing death upon most likely has nothing to do with what is going on in the world. Most decisions for everyone on the planet are made by less than 0.5% of the worlds population and they never feel the consequences of their decisions because they will cowardly hide in there million dollar mansions somewhere in Switzerland, while they leave the thousands and millions of people that just want to make ends meet suffer through the wrath, even though they had nothing to do with it to begin with. Open your eyes because its much bigger but yet much smaller than you think. We actually have nothing to do with any of it
The goal of Iran is to produce a delivery system for an atomic weapon and an atomic weapon. Not that they may be in a hurry to use it but at this point they can wreak havok on the world and world markets. Once they have at least a tactical nuclear bomb there really is little chance of a ground invasion against them but they can create all sorts of problems for all the surrounding countries. Any world leader who cannot recognize this needs to retire and go play shuffle board they are obsolete.
Exactly !
Mr. Katz never brought up the issue of Jerusalem being or not being the capitol of Israel.
There is nothing slanted about saying that Jerusalem will do this or do that.
Almost everyone understands that the government of Israel makes it's decisions there.
Um, LANCE??!?!?!
Are you really that out of it? The USA has not given free aid to Israel for decades – what we DO do is sell arms to Israel for cold hard cash, which helps the American economy. Crack open a history book from time to time, for God's sakes.
Ahmadinejad is an international hero.
Another Iran/Iraq war erasing 2-3 generations of the male populations in each country would be very productive. Relatively peaceful conditions would last for about 15 years when the new generation of sub-human 'hate zombies' is ready to kill.
IRAN EVIL LEADERS ARE destroying bahrain, iraq, lebanon ,palestine, and the gulf region to control the oil and the terrorists hizboallah and the killers shiia in syria USA , NATO, UN , FRANCE AND UK ARE COWERED ATTACKING WEAK AREAS IN THE DERSERT AND LEAVING SYRIA AND IRAN ALONE KILLING MORE THAN 76000 SO FAR AND RAPING 20,00 WOMEN KILLING 12000 CHILDREN AND HAS 134000 PRISONERS SOME SHIPED FROM SYRIA TO IRAN PRISONS!! AND SOME SENT TO IRAQI SHIIA PRSIONS!!!!! WHY USA SO DUM
Nothing will happen in Iramn until Khameni is alive, but when he bits the dust, the rock-and-roll time lady and gents.
The scenarios presented in this article show that the author has no understanding of Iran and global politics.
1) Ahmedinejad will simply step down after his term is over - he is a University Professor, for God's sake, and how different is he from Professors all over the world? No biases or misquoted statements please.
2) The mullas will never make public any internal arguments. They have a strong hierarchical system and they are all answerable to God ultimately. Sure, there may be some politics, but they will never let YOU know that. Khamenai was #4 after Khomeini. The #2 and #3 guys were assassinated, remember?
3) Too late for any attack now. Moreover this is the wrap up prep year for Afghanistan, Iraq's again in flames, and the rebels in Syria are getting a good beating. It will be two years in March since the rebels are trying to throw Assad and the people are fed up now. If Assad stays in one more year, the people themselves will turn against the rebels as their lives will be disturbed for too long ..... just like in Pakistan ..... now the Average Pakistani is against the Taliban as they have understood that mullas are noo good.
And, I am not an Iranian .....
If they do not have nucks already they will and if they donot have them hide they will and they have the mentality that they would have them wired to be set off if they were loseing a war and go to there god then be taken over I really believe this could happen and I fear that for any county going in to Iran
Why USA, NATOM FRANCE, UK, UN AND NATO ALONG WITH CN MEDIA COEVRING THE TRUTH FROM iraq !!!/
THE SHIIA THUGS REGIEME OF NORI AL MALEKI open fire on the peacful demonstrators and killed people while praying killed kids women and old men with machine guns while they are walking peacfully in a demonstartion is this usa democracy? usa brought thos evil iraninas for a reason thats why USA AND SO CALL THE FREE WORLD ARE DOING NOTHING TO IRAN AND SYRIA AND GAVE IRAQ ON a silver plater to ira, shame on you
US Hypocrisy And Double Standard Towards Iran's Nuclear Program
The Iranian people have been repeatedly submitted to inspections, cameras and satellites. We have been the victims of sanctions, of even basic medicines; been the victim of covert operations, including the assassinations of our scientists. Therefore, it is time for us to claim our need of a confidence-building exercise from the IAEA, ISIS and the western world.
ثقلصقبفلسی