I expect that my parody letter was not all that far off.
From AP, with thanks to JE:
NEW YORK - Iran's president declared in a letter to President Bush that democracy had failed worldwide and lamented "an ever-increasing global hatred" of the U.S. government. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice swiftly rejected the letter, saying it made no progress toward resolving questions about Tehran's suspect nuclear program."This letter is not the place that one would find an opening to engage on the nuclear issue or anything of the sort," Rice said in an interview with The Associated Press. "It isn't addressing the issues that we're dealing with in a concrete way."...
The letter from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made only an oblique reference to Iran's nuclear intentions. It asked why "any technological and scientific achievement reached in the Middle East region is translated into and portrayed as a threat to the Zionist regime."
Because, sir, of your repeated threats to destroy it. It shows a particularly high level of chutzpah for you to rattle your saber for months and then pretend that you haven't been doing so.
Otherwise, it lambasted Bush for his handling of the Sept. 11 attacks, accused the media of spreading lies about the Iraq war and railed against the United States for its support of Israel. It questioned whether the world would be a different place if the money spent on Iraq had been spent to fight poverty."Would not your administration's political and economic standing have been stronger?" the letter said. "And I am most sorry to say, would there have been an ever- increasing global hatred of the American government?...
In this he plays skillfully on Leftist sentiments in the U.S. Oh, we are not loved! Therefore we must stop resisting jihad!
"There's nothing in here that would suggest that we're on any different course than we were before we got the letter," Rice said....Liberalism and Western-style democracy "have not been able to help realize the ideals of humanity," said the letter, obtained late Monday by The Associated Press. "Today these two concepts have failed. Those with insight can already hear the sounds of the shattering and fall of the ideology and thoughts of the Liberal democratic systems."...
This report of course doesn't say so, but when Ahmadinejad says this, he is leading up to the assertion that the only viable political ideology is Islam. In a similar way, Sayyid Qutb in Milestones stated that capitalism and Communism were both failed ideologies, and the world needed a third way: Sharia.
Yet the document makes no concrete proposals and does not suggest new talks. Instead, Ahmadinejad suggests that Bush should look inward, saying there was an increasing hatred worldwide of the United States, and that history shows how "repressive and cruel governments do not survive.""How much longer will the blood of the innocent men, women and children be spilled on the streets, and people's houses destroyed over their heads? Are you pleased with the current condition of the world? Do you think present policies can continue?"
No, I don't think they can, myself.
Was this a long letter? A statement of positions and philosophy by Amadinejad? A declaration that he can refer to in the future? He has the gaunt look of a true believer in the worst kind of madness Islam has to offer. Triumphalist madness
Bottom-line is that this was written not to Bush of course, but to those in the left who are the leading the Jihad appeasement camp.
That is who he was writing to.
And he could have taken his talking points directly off comments made on the web sites of the Bandar Beacon....
No concrete proposals, just Ahmadinejad throwing the toys out of the pram again. What a surprise!
And some amateur political philosophy just for laughs:
It's such a broad statement as to be meaningless. Take for instance the statement about "Liberalism". If we were to regard the project of Liberalism as John Gray does in Liberalisms: Essays in Political Philosophy as an attempt to set, through theory, precise limits to the power of the state, we would have to conclude that the attempt to do so has not been successful, and that, retrospectively, we can see that theory is almost certainly not capable of doing so. I don't suppose Ahmadinejad is aware of this, and goodness knows what he means by saying liberalism has "failed", but it is in fact so.
However, pause for a minute and ask yourself why we should go along with Ahadminejad's ludicrous attempt to define Western political life in terms of an ideology. We are not the inflexible ones; we do not attempt to bend reality to rigid sets of rules. We do not attempt to put society on a bed of Procrustes. If we perhaps should give up the idea that theory is capable of setting precise limits to the power of the state, that the idea of limited government should be discarded is a non sequitur. So let him prove not that liberalism has failed but more broadly that limited government is a bad idea. It can't be done. And as we watch, for example, the French economy heading for a smash, we might reasonably conclude that the opposite is true.
Who's telling whom about failed ideologies? For consider the following:
Wow! The West really needs lessons in political philosophy and political economy from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
He was simply starting a dialogue - and in islamic terms, this means explaining Islam, or proseytizing. (Da'wa)
check
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Da'wa
http://soundvision.com/info/teens/dawatips.asp
Robert,
I think you are a visionary because after just reading a few paragraphs, the letter that the president of Iran had sent to President Bush is not far off from what you wrote yesterday. The president of Iran simply is throwing his toys out of his playpen.
use
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawa
as the one with Da'wa did not link properly
Yojimbo,
Years ago, my late father had told me at one time that if you had the people of the then Iron Curtain countries and brought them over to the USA and have them see the American sucess, they would riot back home because they want what Americans have. Now in 2006, do the same thing, this time with the Iranians, the young ones in a special way. Do you not think that they would do the same thing in Iran?
...on a bed of Procrustes.
Hmm, sounds tasty. Escalope of Islam on a bed of wilted procustes, lightly drizzled with self-pity.
Dear members of jihadwatch
Whenever I hear the ramblings of this crazed Iranian dictator, I feel concerned for the Israelis.
Look at the situation being presented to them. Here we have a pseudo psychotic regime arming itself with a nuclear arsenal. This regime already possesses the delivery system in the Shaheb 3 missiles (a 1000km 700kg payload long range missile-Nuclear warhead capable) In addition to this weapon, the regime also possesses the earlier Shahebs which can target Allied bases in Iraq.
The Iranians have learned lessons from the Osirak chapter and have disseminated their production and research facilities all across Iran, and most of them are located underground established and clandestine military bases.
The Iranians already has the Security Council hesitant, if not split already by its association with Russia and China. In fact both of these countries have made significant contributions to the Iranian nuclear program (God;Sometimes I wonder whether these guys will ever realize that after these islamofascists are done with the democratic infidels, that they will go after the autocratic ones)
The fact that Iran thinks that it can get away with anything (for example-fooling the world for 18 years before exposing its own clandestine nuclear program), makes this regime more belligerent and more prone to genocidal measures like unleashing a nuclear attack without precaution for humanitarian considerations (lives of isrealis, palestinians and iranians)
The limited natural resources(water and the like) of israel are limited and a nuclear strike could have serious demographic impact on israel.
The fact that a retaliatory nuclear strike will be taken a symbolic strike on islam and further justify the "causes" of these so called "freedom fighters", while at the same time bringing out "popular dhimmi propaganda" forcing and brainwashing more "west is evil and the cause of all destruction" syndrome among an already backward bent over series of dhimmi infidel governments. Add a few petrodollars to the equation, and you have got the perfect recipe for an unstable chaotic and short sighted infidel alliances-the perfect puppet in the hands of a scheming masterminding islamic ummah that will stop at nothing for global domination.
Nor is invading Iran seem a good option. History old and modern seems to indicate one thing, the open war, the straightforward one is the war that islam will never fight. Iran may lose a straight on fight but most probably with two consequences
1.A nuclear strike by Iran, if it gets through will cause significant loss of life.
2.More importantly is the followiing wave of guerilla tactics that islam is famous for..(you know kill the infidel, and then hide behind your two year old)
For the first fallout,if our response is not pre-empted by a first strike on strategic missile sites(preferably bunker busters and limited nuclear warheads), stands little chance of being resisted...why- The patriot system is highly exxagerated and Israel's arrow system still only looks good on paper.
For the second and more difficult issue. We have yet to come out with an effective tool to counter islam's devious mix of unmatchable brutality and shameless deception. For this situation, I am not sure.
All I can say is that, I respect the Israeli people. I sympathize with what they have gone through, I admire their acheivements and I wish them prosperity for their future. India is one of the few countries in the world, to provide uninhibited sanctuary for the Jewish People. My prayers are with you
For a free world
the hindu
"It questioned whether the world would be a different place if the money spent on Iraq had been spent to fight poverty."
Very appropriate question from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad indeed. As I recall, striking Iranian transit workers and other unpaid government employees recently protesting in the streets of Tehran had pretty much that to say about Ahnadinjad's grand gesture toward the Hamas government in the PA. If asked, I suspect they'd probably feel similarly about the money Iran gives to Hezbollah, Fat Boy Sadr and others.
"It questioned whether the world would be a different place if the money spent on Iraq had been spent to fight poverty."
The same question should be posed to all those oil billionaires who could be spending their money for this purpose rather than on themselves and on the building of mosques and spreading of "religion" that does not fight poverty; rather it creates poverty.
from another book always ignored today......and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish,because they received not the love of the truth.that they might be saved......and for this cause GOD shall send them strong delusion,that they should believe a LIE.............as as israel goes...it was once told...thus saith the lord unto you,be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great mulitude.for the battle is not yours,but gods......i try and try to tell people iran will do whatever it takes to bring on the hidden imam...who will only come when the world is in chaos..you dont have to belive it....but they do!!!!!...money..kindness..gold or silver will not stop them!
bigcatgirl13106,
I don't know.
One can point to one type of society and say it is better than another in some clearly defined sense. Tocqueville does this in Democracy in America, comparing the right and left banks of the Ohio (p. 362 ff in the Everyman's Library hardback edition.) So you have stagnation on one bank, and a lively and productive society on the other.
I imagine many people over there are less than happy with what the regime is doing. But I don't know they'd conclude that the American way is best, or know how to get there if they did. And how does one get there, anyway? Big question.
I'd not be too optimistic for any positive change there after reading V. S. Naipaul's Among the Believers and the follow-up Beyond Belief. Many people Naipaul met in the first book people who weren't Muslims seemed to be Communists. Interestingly, he also felt that the Iranian Marxists seemed to be touched with a peculiarly Shi'ite melancholy and obsession with suffering. Better for them that they'd never been invaded by the Arabs; but it's happened now. And how does a people escape thoughts, feelings, emotional attitudes that have seeped into its being over hundreds of years? It would be like trying to pull up brambles with your bare hands - except that in that situation you are those roots yourself, as well.
I don't think Ahmadinejad has chutzpah, he is just dogmatically kooky and riding some imaginary pious wave of blessed invincibility. If you think your touched by God, then everyone else is inferior and you act accordingly. One of the leading problems of Islam. Convert or die!
The letter is nothing more than Iranian public relations meant only to stir up the real liberals who will chant "war mongering" when it is dismissed as irrelevant.
Two points that may be of interest:
1. President Ahmadinejad has no real power. He is just a sock puppet for the mullahs who really run the show in Iran.
2. The Quran requires that before slaughtering infidels, the Muslims are required to offer them a chance to embrace Islam or, if they are not polytheists or pagans, to become dhimmis and pay the jizya. Is this letter that final ultimatum to America?
people refuse to belive that islam knows no borders..sadr and his mahdi army are waiting for the hidden imam also..as is damascus..iran is no laughing matter.
Asked by reporters about the letter, Ahmadinejad said: "We will wait to see the reaction of the recipient and we will act based on the reaction."
Bob;
It's funny how close to the truth you were about this letter to President Bush. It's a wonder why you're not on some national agency or think tank on Islam. Iran's "Terrorist in Chief" makes the claim that democracy has failed. Democracy didn't fail, Muslims failed. The sense of freedom to a Muslim is like a pearl to swine. It means nothing to them. Only Islam. The cruelty of Islam. The
narrow-mindedness of Islam. The pretentousness of Islam.
The "Terrorist in Chief" makes threats to blow Israel off the map and then acts like he didn't do anything serious. Threatening to end the existance of an entire country is serious business. And that is what makes Iran gaining the atomic bomb a threat to the region. It's bad enough that Pakistan has nuclear possiblities.
And who care how the Middle East feels about the United States. It's not like the Middle East ever helped "We the People" anyway. Unless there was a kidnapping that had to be done. And for that, jihadists don't even have to be asked! Just draw a cartoon of the pedeophile, phalse prophet, child molestin' Muhammad and watch the kidnappin' hoot-nanny begin!
But it's curious how the "Terrorist in Chief" makes reference to "Liberalism and Western-style democracy." Does he really think that President Bush is a liberal? But one thing the "Terrorist in Chief" is right about, liberal democracy is a failure. And it's true that it has not been able to help realize the ideals of humanity. The sense of achievement. Self worth. Rugged individualism. On this, I agree. Liberalism is a bane to the whole world at large. But Islam is even worst, and that is not easy when compared to liberalism.
This letter is an attempt to convince the President to convert to Islam and accept Allah as god. To make the United States of America a Muslim state. Just as your mock letter stated. I'll be glad when our Executive Branch of government gets a clue and do the right thing. Make Iran a non-issue.
Let the Rockets Red Glare!
How funny the sock puppet of the mad mullahs dared to say something about the US's charitable giving...pray tell name another country that gives more?
Possibly if we stopped giving money away to people that hate us and want us all dead they just might understand how much the US directly benefits their miserable wretched disgusting lives?
Naw jealousy is an ugly thing.
We would have more luck if we just whacked the mad mullahs and the sock puppet to create a power vacumn and encourage the youger popualce to setup a government.
Apprently the letter was 17/18 pages, thats a hell of a lot of BS to read.
And if sharia was so perfect why isnt it used anywhere in the world, 100% sharia that is.
Yojimbo,
I should have added the words, bringing these folks over by airplane flight. The one group that would be of the most interest is the people in Iran under the age of 35. These folks barely remember Kohommi and are very pro western.
None. No-one gives as much as Americans do. Mark Steyn:
http://www.westernstandard.ca/website/index.cfm?page=article&article_id=1626
Yojimbo,
What I should have added, the words, to bring over to the USA. Sometimes my fingers type faster then my brain is thinking.
Yojimbo,
Right. This country gives more then any other nation by far.
Now, why does this insolent, puerile missive bring to mind Ted K. in his Montana treehouse, hunched over his Underwood's keys, furiously lambasting the modern world?
thehindu wrote...The patriot system is highly exxagerated
We have been busy as bee's here in the USA.
http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/program/abl.htm
Eisenhund,
The one thing that makes the two writers similar is the fact that they ( Ted K. and the president of Iran ) is that they hated ANYTHING western. This is what shows up in their writings.
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will address the leader of another ``important'' country following his letter to U.S. President George W. Bush, an Iranian official said today.
Mr. big balls Spencer, baned my IP address because i speak truth and it may have an effect on selling his "books" and of course, on his income. Do you really think real people wrote "ur webite" or "sir i am pakistani but in reality i am a muslim"???
Do you really think that some people DOSed his "attractive" blog? He just wants to make it seem important... and make money from you people by dontating.
"A message from Robert Spencer
Dear Jihad Watch reader:
As I write this, there are people who would like nothing better than to see me dead. In fact, we just received another threat last week.
"
Who would like to see you dead Mr spencer? Why? You are not a threat to no body. Nobody even gives your website attention accept me and naseem because we feel sorry for the people who post here. Otherwise, you would see groups of moslem people posting here (now to filfull this, you will start to fake them). I was here just to debate, but then i quoted some verses from the bible, and i was banned because you are afraid from people knowing the truth.
"If each of you gave $1,000, we'd be well on our way to our meeting our crucial goals. Now, that might be a lot for some, but, if those who could, gave more, we would still meet our present needs -- and more important, begin building a stable base for future action (we have quite a few things we would like to do, if only funding permitted). And eliminate the need to make special, urgent requests like this one."
This is his whole goal "If each of you gave $1,000"... To make money from you people... by begging people to buy his books, and by donating cash to him.
No problem. i will go. take care and good luck and thank you Mr. Spencer for at least giving me a chance to post a few posts. Have a good day.
bigcatgirl13106,
I'm sure there's always hope. Iranians ought to have been staring into the pit for long enough for at least some to have worked out that Islam isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Yeah. Here are two for you:
Here's your false prophet:
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles.php?article_id=5404
And, by God, do we see his fruits every day. Here's just one example: Islamic use of a soccer pitch (other cultures use them to play games on):
http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles.htm#women
moslemguy1, we can take anything you have to say. Quote the Bible till you are blue in the face, I can match you with the qur'an and hadith. I really doubt RS banned you because of Bible quotes.
I wonder where we got that idea?
Thursday, October 27, 2005; Posted: 2:33 p.m. EDT (18:33 GMT)
Associated Press
Saturday, April 15, 2006; Page A16
In all the animal kingdom, homo sapien is the one and only that kills for his set of beliefs. This is open to argument if we humans should be regarded as animals, but, biologically, there is no difference between the basic needs of a dog,and my own basic needs. What sets humans apart is the ability to think,to reason, to create with his own hands. This creation might be a tool, a painting, a small machine, or VLSI devices. We did kill for our beliefs in the medieval ages,but, we rationed,we reasoned, we understood pain and suffering. And now, Civilization means just that.
A lion kills only when it is hungry. Same with all carnivores. BUT, a muslim kills because of his belief. And he will not listen to reason.He will not understand the pain he is unleashing on the people he considers his enemies. He is programmed by a small book, and anything outside that book, he denounces. We, the civilized world, have to kill so as to save ourselves from this foe. We have seen the killings by the muslims,over the last millenia of the savage destruction of cities and nations and cultures,and we do not want these things to happen to us,our friends,our loved ones,our countrymen,the civilized people.
"Cry Havoc !, and let slip the Dogs of War"
Shakespeare
I'm with you Bigcatgirl. I'm sure if the women had the opportunity to let their hair blow in the breeze, walk the street without garbage bags over them and not worrying about the clothes police whapping them for an ankle showing, they would love it. If they had the chance to sit next to their male friends in public without going to jail they would love it. Or go to a ball game. Smile, laugh, walk with cloppy shoes, wear makeup , do their hair, wear fingernail polish....etc.etc.etc.
Men on the other hand....they have it too good in islam to want it to change. Although they probably would like to have music.
I don't know why the mohammedon women in free countries still want to wear the get up. They do look silly. But, maybe its a rebellious thing. Maybe they just want to be different. Flaunt their islamy way of life.
The US is certainly a better entity than Iran, though not perfect and not immune from criticism as a few people seem to believe.
The democracy of the US can be quite weak at the national level, but Iran cannot teach any lessons to the US. Iran wants to prevent evolution, the US has a system that can evolve that is what decides the longevity of systems.
"repressive and cruel governments do not survive." - Ahmadinejad
Pot v. Kettle rides again!
-Ladies and Gentlemen,
Re moslemguy and moslemguy1
Here and here. Compare to above. Syntax, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, while consistent within individual postings, jump around too much between messages to be attributable to one having an off day now and then.
Draw your own conclusions.
Don't bother trying a riposte, mohammedan. I've shredded you before, and but for respect for Mr. Fitzgerald's admonishments to desist, I could do it again.
If it continues to be "business as usual" in Washington much longer, we are in deep, deep trouble.
Links from above, Here and here.
President Bush and Congress, wake up and realize that America and the world is threatened with violence and subjugation if America does not take swift and decisive action.
The Texican.
Freedom, the only choice at any cost and the cost will be immense.
moslemguy
All you did while here was post tu quoque arguments. It's one thing to use that while rounding off ones arguments, but another to use that exclusively. If you were to bluntly say, "Yes, we do belive in imposing Shariah, Jiziah, executing apostates, honor killings, wife beatings and what have you because that is the right thing to do", you might have been more respected on this site. We wouldn't have agreed, but we would have admired your candor.
christians who support israel are distorting their true faith,and have adapted satan as god and comprise the greatest danger to world peace,according to a senior islamic palestinian authority cleric...focus on jerusalem website has this answer...FOJ Note: As usual, the demonic inspired clerics of fundamentalist Islam have been led by Satan to turn things around 180 degrees. It is obvious that it is a top priority of Satan’s Last Days strategy to isolate Christian Zionism, (which did indeed help create an environment for Jehovah to bring a remnant of Jews back to the Promised Land) and to encourage the World’s False Church to eliminate Biblical teaching that is supportive of God’s providence with his chosen nation, Israel. Unfortunately, there are many so-called Christian denominations and Churches that are blindly following the demonic-rhetoric out of Satan’s camps in the Mid-East.
the islamic clecric must be speaking of the church of jimmy carter and bill clinton.
SM:
History will prove that the only thing that has weakened American Democracy has been our own stupid willingness to toss away the Western values upon which the Founding Fathers crafted it. There is nothing weak about the U.S. Republic when it is not meddled with by minority revisionists and enemies both foreign and domestic.
We need to take this country back to the people and stop allowing outsiders to assimilate us. If people can't even have enough respect and admiration for the American Way to learn English, for example, then it's a short walk across the border to a Spanish-speaking nation: go.
And attacking Judeo-Christian values is another habit that needs to stop in the United States, not because anyone should be forced to believe in a certain religion, but because nobody should have the right to condemn the very religions that were front and center when the Republic that we all hold dear was first imagined. It is one thing to ignore a benign philosophy because you don't personally cater to it, but it is something else entirely to attack it because it earns you activist buttons and brownie points with subcultures that would as soon walk hand in hand with CAIR and Communists, as they might espouse their support for "democracy."
If we spurn our very heritage as a Western culture, we have nothing so firm to believe in as our enemies do, because Muslims certainly find zeal in their own mistaken beliefs. That much should be obvious by now. We need to start finding ourselves as a people again before it is past time, because in war it is always best to believe in what side your on. There is nothing wrong with reviling your enemy, despite what all the Utopian-complex pollyannas of the world might say to the contrary.
How many pollyannas do you think survived Stalin's reign?
i agree,please check out the focus on jerusalem website...one of the best christian sites on the web.
I have been writing my elected representatives for years...I almost never get a reply, and the letters have done no good as things keep going from bad to worse.
Where did Ahmadinejad get the idea that he could expect better treatment than the mere voters over here. Silly person.
This is supposedly the Letter in pdf format from
La Monde's Site
Or you can read it on line Here along with some comments from Muslims, and Right Wing Dhimmi's.
Mr Spencer said: "In this he plays skillfully on Leftist sentiments in the U.S".
It isn't just the leftists that are the problem
on this forum Here
The climate is predominantly "antiZionists" (ahem, look up codeword), but these aren't leftists, besides being Muslims galore, most posters are "homophobic","antiabortion", "traditional family values, patriarchial and dyed in the wool dhimmi's.
And sadly, with but one exception the "right wing, family values Catholics, on that forum are allied with the Muslims, because Muslims are "also supposedly anti abortion, and adamantly pro traditional "values".
Most of the Islamophilic dhimmis in training that I have encountered are not leftists at all, but what I consider right wingers.
Last paragraphs of his letter (from the above links)
"Liberalism and Western style democracy have not been able to help realize the ideals of humanity.
Today these two concepts have failed.
Those with insight can already hear the sounds of the shattering and fall of the ideology and thoughts of the liberal democratic systems.
We increasingly see that people around the world are flocking towards a main focal point – that is the Almighty God.
Undoubtedly through faith in God and the teachings of the prophets, the people will conquer their problems.
My question for you is: “Do you not want to join them?” Mr President, Whether we like it or not, the world is gravitating towards faith in the Almighty and justice and the will of God will prevail over all things.
Vasalam Ala Man Ataba’al hoda Mahmood Ahmadi-Najad
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran "
This sounds like the call to "faith" before the Jihad is launched.
Also note that he atacks "liberalism", which of course he would since Islam is by it's very nature conservative.
This is not a clash of religions, or civilizations it is a clash of conservatives.
they are called people of the book,because they live by the book..some chose the koran as the book to live by....some chose the bible..some neither...you can not fit all people in a box..either left or right...only a very simple minded person thinks people are left or right....its right or wrong...its always been right and wrong.
The entire letter is disingenuous and tactical, of course, as Hugh noted earlier about Ahmadinejad; evil does not imply stupidity.
The Iraq war has certainly proved a benefit to Iranian ambitions; the United States has its hands bound and must worry about thousands of Shia police, militia, and military turning on them if any action is taken against Iran. All the while Iraqi Shia jihadists work to establish political dominance and eventual autonomy over the oil rich South at the very least, all under the protection of the Americans. American policy paves the way for the expansion of Shia political power, and a triumphal claim to the destiny of Islam, which Ahmadinejad surely sees in his future. The latest letter seems to be another stall tactic to stifle efforts in the UN for sanctions and turn the conversation instead to the guilt of Bush and America; and in the meantime Iran marches toward a nuclear bomb, and jihadists in Iraq prepare the way for the a resounding victory over the Infidels.
Ahmadinejad and others like al Sadr also seem to hold out some hope of uniting the Shia and Sunni in jihad; as the Americans leave in shame, and the Iranians reveal their nuclear bomb, perhaps there is hope that Sunnis will jump on the bandwagon in a grand Islamic triumph, a worldwide communion of potential suicide bombers with nuclear capabilities.
And this possibility has been created by the idiocy of the United States government and their policies in Iraq.
This is a bit off-topic, but it is about Iran..yesterday, I was at the doctor and, while in the waiting room, I perused the latest issue of Hudson Valley magazine, a regional magazine for lower New York state. In this issue was an article about some local group of interfaith like-minded souls who, in the cause of peace and understanding (clearly, they had absolutely no understanding of Islam before or after their visit) went to Iran to talk to the people there. They came away duly impressed by Iran's modern highway system and friendly, open people, and even visited (under the watchful eye of the Iranian police) Jews and Armenians. Group members who were quoted in the article sympathized with the Iranian complaint that, due to the US-imposed trade embargo with Iran, Iran's mostly US-built airplanes are in disrepair and parts are unavailable, rendering the planes unsafe. The Iranians, the group sagely and sadly informs us, blame us for jeopardizing their safety while aboard such planes. Also, these peace-and-understanding folks decry the lack of access Iran has to the latest developments in information technology because of the US trade embargo.
It didn't seem to occur to the group that denying the fanatical Iranian leadership access to replacement parts for aircraft and to computer technology might actually be a good thing for the West. Frankly, I was unaware that the trade embargo was having such damaging consequences in Iran, and was heartened to learn of it. Irritatingly but not surprisingly, the writer of the article never questioned the conclusions of the peace group, and this omission signified tacit agreement, and therefore validation, of the group's opinions and conclusions. But this is a snobbish, elitist magazine, more interested in the best and cutest bed and breakfast establishments and in where to find bakeries that serve English high tea. Jihad? Mass influxes of Muslims into Poughkeepsie and vicinity? Dangerous? Pooh. Hey- look..here's a review of a country club that has eighteen holes and a great nouveau cuisine restaurant, with a prix fixe dinner for only $46 per person. Gotta go.
Anything that has butchered as many millions of innocent human beings as has Islam need not be dignified with any response other than a volley of fireballs.
No one need answer to Islam EVER. No one need answer to the Iranian government EVER. Paying heed to a blackmailer like Ahmadinejad will only embolden him.
Any and all letters from the Iranian government belong in the Post Office's Dead Letter Department.