Iran and US in 'heated exchange' at Saudi anti-terror meet: report

[bemildred]

RIYADH, Feb 7 (AFP) - Delegates from the United States and archfoe Iran engaged in a "heated" exchange at a counter-terrorism conference in Saudi Arabia, the local media reported Monday, but a US official insisted the encounter was "professional."

"The exchange that took place in the first general assembly was a professional one reflecting differences in views between the US and Iranian delegations," a US embassy spokesperson in Riyadh told AFP.

But the English-daily Saudi Gazette said the Iranian and US delegations at the closed-door conference were reportedly "locked in a heated exchange... when the issue of what constitutes terrorism arose."

Diplomatic sources told AFP that Saturday's address by US Homeland Security Advisor Frances Townsend had prompted the head of the Iranian delegation to give a speech in response. There were no details on the content of his speech.

TurkishPress

[maxrandb]

1. Anyone Who Thinks * is Not Taking His "Man-Date" on a Waltz

through Iran, must have their head buried in the sand.

It's coming, lock up your sons and daughters, we are going into Iran, we are going to go into Syria.

These people are effing nuts, and 51% of Amurika does not give a shit as long as they can get their $600 tax-cut.

It is going to be painful, but the only way to rid these people is going to be through the same thing that happened the last time they were in control of all three branches of government. That only caused the Great Depression and World War II.

Hold onto your butts. It's going to be a "long slog"

[mudderfudder77]

2. I'd be interested to know...

How "that" caused World War II

[davhill]

9. The Great Depression led to WWII

Hitler only came to power by blaming the depression on Jews and the World War I allies. If there had been no world wide depression, which started on Wall Street partly as a result of Republican policies, Hitler would have had nothing to hang his hatred upon.

[apple_ridge]

16. Wrong. It is much more complex than that. Germany was already

in it's own depression prior to our economic collapse. Much of this was due to the repercussions of Germany's actions in WW1, laid down in the Treaty of Versaille. We certainly didn't help the situation, but you can't say that it was caused directly by the US.

[maxrandb]

10. Hey!

Don't mean to feed those living under bridges, but if your side can argue that Bill Clinton was responsible for 9/11, then I can argue that Hoover caused WW II

It's simple if you think about it. That Repukelican majority pushed isolationism, and pretty much believed that if it didn't happen in our own backyard, then we didn't need to pay it much attention. Also, that Repukelican majority also crippled this country's economy. I mean more so than Bush, they buried our economy into the dirt. Maybe people like Hitler, and Japan, and others, saw it as a opportunity to begin pushing their plan for world dominance.

Hitler came to power mostly because he was able to convince Germany that their woeful economy was the fault of the west, and that he could return Germany to prosperity.

Also, the vindictive reparations that were imposed on Germany after World War I (I would add the Winston Churchill himself argued against the Treaty of Versaille) resulted in 2000% inflation in Germany. Hoover and the Repukelicans did nothing to help the German people, who would have turned away from Hitler in a heartbeat if we were able to help them economically.

Face it. The last time the Repukes controlled all three branches of the government we had the Great Depression and World War II. I think this fact would be something you would embrace. Look at all the good that came from the depression! We had Social Security, strong Labor laws, Unions, Medicare, the GI Bill. All things that the Republicans have supported for years.

[thefloyd]

3. You know what

We should go after Iran. We should have done that in the first place instead of Iraq.

[Ganja Ninja]

7. Well then head on down to your local army recruitment office ...

and sign up. You wouldn't want Bush to have to send someone else in your place.

[thefloyd]

14. All right all right

I have a big distaste for people that talk about war but never sign up as well. My dad was in vietnam, My uncle was in vietnam, Ggfather WWI, Guncle WWII, GfatherWWII. All Democrats of course So needless to say I have heard about war and people that call for it first and formost have never been. HOWEVER, In the past Democrats have always fought for their country and I can honestly say people do not see us that way anymore.

[maxrandb]

11. Yes! And the Twins Just Ran Down to the Marine

Recruiting station with their hair on fire.

Gung-HO. Come on girls!! It would be nice if his own family believed the bullshit he was selling.

[Just Me]

12. Are you an advocate for PNAC? Gather your family & friends,...

,...to volunteer to spend ya'lls blood for profit.

www.pnac.info

Good luck supporting the neoCONspirators war-profitting agenda!!!

:hi:

[tabasco]

26. Here ya' go Rambo:

www.goarmy.com

I did my 12 years in the infantry. Time for the young warmongers to do theirs.

[thefloyd]

27. well thankyou but if you look

above I apologized. Also, you can look at the list of my family members who have served. Trust me my father did not teach me to speak like that or he would have done the same thing you did.

[IranianDemocrat]

28. I hope they bomb the place most of your family is too.

And I hope they all die, how about that?

On behalf of the Iranian people,

A big "fuck you" goes out to you.

[PsychoDad]

30. I was thinking the same.

My friend.
It's too easy for americans, even some who would call themselves progressive, any more to wish death and distruction upon other human beings they don't know, or who for some reason see as "lesser" folks.

[thefloyd]

31. I Sincerely apologize I should have never said that

[tnlefty]

4. I do trust that the young republicans are enroute to recruiting

stations.

[Tempest]

8. Not if recruitment numbers are any indication

The Marines missed their target in 2004 for the first time in more than a decade.

All other branches missed their targets, the NG by about 27%.

[thefloyd]

17. I am pretty sure the dip in recruiting is not due to the

Massive exodus of young republicans

[Tempest]

18. It sure isn't from young republicans signing up to fight

In a war they support.

[thefloyd]

23. I know I was being SARCASTIC

I was not clear enough

[Supersedeas]

5. Have you noticed "archfoe" attached to Iran in "news reports" here

lately?

I thought that our archfoe was Al Quaeda.

But we have always been at war with EurAsia.

[daleo]

20. Archfoe? Is this a Superman comic now?

The dumbing down of the media just gets worse and worse.

I suppose Archfiend will become respectable usage soon.

[The Magistrate]

22. Arch-Fiend, Sir?

Now has that ever really gone out of style...?

[daleo]

25. Well, it was in the spellcheck

While archfoe wasn't. So, I guess that says something. I suppose the next adjective Bush can go to war against is "arch-fiendery".

[TexasLawyer]

6. Great-- a loose definition of what constitutes "terrorism"

This is just what we want here at home when dissidents start getting shot under the new "JCS Conplan 0300-97."


<snip>

The English-daily Saudi Gazette said the Iranian and US delegations at the closed-door conference were reportedly "locked in a heated exchange... when the issue of what constitutes terrorism arose."


(The US delegate) invoked US President George W. Bush's remarks from his State of the Union speech in which said Iran "remains the world's primary state sponsor of terror."

But a member of the Iranian delegation said the US accusations were "baseless," adding that "Iran is a country that has been negatively affected by terrorism throughout the past two decades."

Re the spooky JCS Conplan 0300-97:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x104218

[The Magistrate]

13. Once Again, My Friend

It would be nice to allow the comedic aspects to outweigh the serious elements of this brouha. What we have here is an apt illustration of the uselessness of the term "terrorism" as a meaningful descriptor, and an illustration of the fatuous uselessness of that popular amphibious formulation "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter."

Iran views as "terrorists" the remnants of People's Mujahideen, left secularist despite the name, who have continued to assail the mullahs' reign where they could for many years, and views as "freedom fighters" the Hezbollah and other groups they themselves support, probably even extending the same characterization to the various jihadist types they have allowed passage through their land en route out of Afghanistan. Any U.S. administration would certainly take an opposite view.

"Capitalism is the exploitation of man by man. Socialism is the exact opposite."

[bemildred]

15. Indeed.

"terrorism" == "violence we don't like"

What I find interesting is that the veneer of diplomacy seems to be
wearing thin.

[The Magistrate]

19. My Favorite Definition Of Diplomacy, Sir

Calls it the art of murmering "nice doggie..." while feeling about for a brick. Perhaps by now each side feels the requisite stone under its palm, or at least has seen the other's hand taking grip....

"War is like love; it always finds a way."

[bemildred]

21. Excellent. Worthy of Mencken.

However, a situation where neither party feels it necessary to be
polite or conciliatory does suggest we are in for some excitement.

[The Magistrate]

24. Young Mr. Gailbraithe, Sir, If Recollection Serves

But it has lodged so deeply the original source is long grown obscure in my mind....

It does seem that our current regime will attempt some military action in this matter, and any such is certain to be very badly mis-judged. The sort of enterprise they have embarked cannot remain static, but must press ever forward or fall flat on its face from its lack of balance.

The Iranian mullahs, on the other hand, will be just as certain if not more so of divine favor to their arms, and so just as prone to over-reach in their calculations of what they might achieve in combat.

For the rest of us, it would seem time to begin making side-bets and selling score-cards....

[bemildred]

29. I don't think it's Mencken.

I can think of a couple others from those times, Bierce or Twain on a
good day for example, that might be up to that level of well taken
cynicism. Searching the web turned up a couple instances, but no
attribution.

I've been assuming the American object was to provoke an attack, and
that the Persians would be wise enough to see that that would be stupid,
but perhaps I'm being too optimistic. In any case I think you are right,
it's a good time to set one's affairs in order.

[gottaB]

32. Some attribute it to Talleyrand

which might be rather appropos

En politique, ce qui est cru devient plus important que ce qui est vrai.

(In politics what is believed becomes more important than what is true.)

[bemildred]

33. I don't believe that.

:-)