Clinton: Iran is becoming a military dictatorship

[demoleft]

Source: ap

DOHA, Qatar — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday that Iran is becoming a military dictatorship, a new U.S. accusation in the midst of rising tensions with Iran over its nuclear ambitions and crack down on anti-government protesters.

Speaking to Arab students at Carnegie Mellon's Doha campus, Clinton said Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps appears to have gained so much power that it effectively is supplanting the government.

"Iran is moving toward a military dictatorship," she said. "That is our view."

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jZl0ZHDPBByIKpxXAI3NcI39Wb8QD9DSFUV00

---

...and from that view - what is it meant to come?

[Goldstein1984]

1. We have room to condemn??

Extraordinary rendition...extraducial extermination of U.S. citizens...reathorization of USA Patriot...Tehran-style treatment of G20 protestors in Pittsburgh...

When Clinton speaks, I can see Dich Cheney's lips moving.

[winyanstaz]

5. good point....

[cali]

11. lol. by your standards, Spain shouldn't be prosecuting bushcheney

After all, how dare they when they let hideous war crimes committed on their own ground go without investigation or prosecution?

And for the record, I think Clinton's words are less than helpful.

[Goldstein1984]

64. That's true; plenty of hypocrisy from the West to go around

I just want the ongoing investigation in Great Britain, and any other investigations that might occur, like this one, to disclose information that our own government has declared too sensitive to make public.

I think Clinton's words simply reflect a long-term strategy that really has nothing to do with democracy or human rights.

[saigon68]

31. When clinton speaks

The sewer opens

[awnobles]

62. Following our lead

I guess the CIA is taking them over too.

[JoeyT]

71. Yeah, as soon as I saw the title I thought

"And coming from here, she should know what a military dictatorship looks like."

[Goldstein1984]

73. We're 5% of the world's population...

and we do 50% of its military spending.

I don't believe we have ten times the enemies of the average human population. If we do, the fault is likely with us.

As a former Marine, I have been very influenced by the actions of Smedley Butler. When I was a Marine, his military exploits were taught, but his post-military rejection of imperialism and his bold statements (e.g. "War is a Racket" and "I was a hired thug" for U.S. business interests) were never mentioned.

We don't have a moral or ethical leg to stand on when it comes to how we deal with "rogue nations." We are the ultimate rogue nation.

[JoeyT]

79. I hope we don't have ten times the enemies of the average country.

Though it's entirely possible.

Unfortunately at this stage of the game "Supporting the troops" has somehow been twisted into "Keep the troops in perpetual fucked up wars against the craziest people we can find, then refuse to acknowledge their existence when they come back traumatized." which is pretty much the polar opposite of what supporting the troops should mean.

[timtom]

90. You're absolutely right!

I'm about ready to email the President:

"In the words of Jeremiah Wright, 'God BLESS America? God DAMN America!'"

[JetCityLiberal]

2. Well you voted as a Senator to slaughter innocent Iraqis Secretary

Your 'policies' and all.

Need more?

ugh...

Paul

[vegiegals]

12. As did any and all US Senators (and Repres) who voted to fund the war.

[Beacool]

24. Give me a freaking break!!!!!

That's NOT what she and the other senators voted for. Geez, it's comments like this that make the left a minority in politics.

x(

[Mr Goodfella]

74. Yes she did.

Those were the stakes. Lest there be any doubt, a brave Senator (Byrd I think) blew away that pretense on the Senate Floor:

"Make no mistake about it; this is a vote for war."

[EFerrari]

39. More immediate example: Clinton's State Department signed off

on the coup in Honduras -- which has now been militarized. The regime is repressive, it tortures, kidnaps, assassinates media figures, trade unionists and leftists. Not a word about any of these abuses from Hillary.

[Socal31]

98. Do you have this document that was signed?

That would be an interesting read.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

3. The problem: Iran's no longer OUR military dictatorship

we didn't mind military dictatorships when the Shah ran things.

:hi:

[truth2power]

54. ab-so-effing-lutely! "no longer OUR military dictatorship...

Bleh! What hypocrites.

[fascisthunter]

96. .

[Wizard777]

4. Absolutely! They have merely traded a Potentate for a Pontiff.

Both deny the people their rule. The Aryan Book of Kings has been closed an Sealed. But if the government of Iran continues to deny the People of Iran their rightful rule. I will break that Seal and reopen the Aryan Book of Kings.

[Behind the Aegis]

6. Aryan Book of Kings?

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. The person you are replying to is, I believe, Zoroastrian

(hence their interest in Iran). I better let you 2 talk it through, but 'Aryan' probably has a very different meaning to them than it does to most of us.

[Behind the Aegis]

8. I was asking what it was. I did a search before asking.

I can't find anything with that moniker. I understand 'aryan' is not just the name of white supermacists or Jew haters.

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. It might be a reference to this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shahnameh

though that's just a guess from another Google search.

[Wizard777]

23. Very good. Ferdowsi did write an epic poem Shanameh.

But it's not the true Book of Kings that I speak of. This Shanameh was kept by the Magi. It more like the Jewish Sefer Melekhim (Book of Kings.)The Magi kept a Book of Kings for every Kingdom we consulted with. At the height of the Persian Empire. That was all of the known world. In this day and age as Democracy has spread around the world. We have had many instances to close and seal the many Books of Kings. There are several reasons to close a Book of Kings. Extinction of the bloodline leaving no legitimate heir to the throne. As with the Hawaiian throne. Over throw of the throne by the people. Also abdication of the throne to the people. But if the government of Iran is not under the rule of the legitimate heir to the throne, in this case the people of Iran that over threw the Shah, that is improper. The Aryan Book of Kings will be reopened to properly restore the legitimate heir to the throne.

[ChangoLoa]

70. Invoking the reincarnation of Kourosh in a massive popular movement? nt.

[Wizard777]

77. No merely pointing out that the prophesied extinction nears and Saoshyant has arrived.

[ChangoLoa]

80. Let's wait for Frashkan then.

[Wizard777]

92. Nah, Saoshyant is the third and final prophet. He shall take us back to the stars from which we came

[Wizard777]

19. Actually Mazdayasni. But you're basically correct. Zoroastrian wouldn't be misleading at all.

[ixion]

9. Pot, meet kettle...

'cause, see, it's okay that the US is well on the way towards militaristic dictatorship, we just don't want any competition.

[Wilms]

10. She's a tool.

end of story

:puke:

[vegiegals]

13. For the WH.

[pjt7]

14. We invaded both their neighbors & Israel

is dead serious about bombing them.

How can they not morph into a military dictatorship?

[vegiegals]

15. I really think we should look at the context of her words..........here.......

(edited for copyrights purposes-proud patriot Moderator Democratic Underground)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100215/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_clinton_mideast


...........

Speaking to Arab students at Carnegie Mellon's Doha campus, Clinton said Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps appears to have gained so much power that it effectively is supplanting the government.

"Iran is moving toward a military dictatorship," she said. "That is our view."..............

It also has absorbed the paramilitary Basij as a full-fledged part of its command structure — giving the militia greater funding and a stronger presence in Iran's internal politics.

Asked if the U.S. is planning a military attack on Iran, Clinton said "no."

The U.S. is focused on gaining international support for sanctions "that will be particularly aimed at those enterprises controlled by the Revolutionary Guard, which we believe is in effect supplanting the government of Iran," she said.

(snip)

[Wilms]

44. I doubt the Mullahs aren't in charge.

What face you see is the face they want you to see. Right now, they want you to see a military face.

Care to guess why?

[conturnedpro09]

20. Yeah, poor Iran...

:sarcasm:

[Wilms]

45. The poster wasn't looking for pity.

Rather, the poster aimed at providing intelligent analysis of the situation.

Thought you might need that pointed out.

[proteus_lives]

53. Israel is serious about them because their leader opens every speech with "Let's destroy Israel."

[lib2DaBone]

16. Hillary has been busy trying to get China put sanctions on Iran...

Of course China refuses.. because of the oil supply they get from Iran and billion of dollars in construction contracts with Iran.

Once again, risky US Foreign Polcy meddling in affairs that are not our business, creating more war and hatred.

"They hate us for our Freedom"

12 Afghans killed in errant rocket strike as U.S. offensive continues
At least four of those killed were children, an Afghan government official said.

[onehandle]

18. Duh. Iran is a Mini-China. An oppressive dictatorship for profit.

One Communist. One Muslim.

And I cannot believe that anyone at DU cannot see this and wants to attack Hillary for what the truth is.

Remember the green flags?

[bertman]

21. Duh. If you can't see that WE live in a faux-democracy run by the Military-Industrial-

Corporate Complex, you haven't had your eyes open.

Consult a world map, onehandle, and observe which MILITARY power has massive troop concentrations on BOTH sides of Iran, plus a huge naval fleet in the Persian Gulf, and an ally (Israel) that would love any excuse to nuke Iran into the Stone Age. Oh, and don't forget Iran's archenemy, the Sunni dynasty in Saudi Arabia, who would love to see their Shia brethren bite the dust.

Duh. Indeed.

[WriteDown]

26. Please see post 25...

It looks like your eyes are open.

[WriteDown]

25. Everyone knows that Neda was a CIA operative working as a liason with the Mossad....

Open your eyes.

[Wilms]

30. Can you support that with a link?

Or is the another reason you posted that?

[WriteDown]

41. See post 33. nt

[Wilms]

46. Didn't make sense to me.

But if you have a link of a DUer or other claiming NEDA was a spy put it up.

That, or quit smearing people. Kay?

[Name removed]

50. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Wilms]

58. Did Chavez steal your milk money?

:eyes:

A lot of people are suspiciocuois about US involvement in Iran. But You claimed that a poster here said Neda was CIA or Mossad. I asked you to back that up.

I'm waiting.

Thought of a few people when I read this...and your Neda post.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=125&topic_id=281170&mesg_id=281170

[WriteDown]

59. Please prove this:

"But You claimed that a poster here said Neda was CIA or Mossad"

[Wilms]

60. .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4269653&mesg_id=4269862

edit to add

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=125&topic_id=281170&mesg_id=281170

[WriteDown]

61. In neither of those did I claim that a poster stated that and you are being disingenuous....

At least Chavez sees the truth

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/ahmadinejad-hails-antius-brothers-on-venezuela-trip-20091126-ju3n.html

But keep supporting the US led "protesters" who are fighting against Ahmadinejad's vision to help his people.

[Wilms]

67. The only position I support is the US staying the hell out of it.

Keep stirring.

[WriteDown]

75. And you are perfectly within your rights to think that...

Kind of like these guys:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4267667

[Wilms]

81. .

:eyes:

[WriteDown]

33. Its "the another"...

It's just common sense.

[BlueJac]

22. She should keep her mouth shut.........

she should work on a trade deal or free trade, a Clinton trademark!

[harun]

55. Maybe a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new Nike shoe factory in Haiti?

[Beacool]

27. Reading some of the comments here is why I know that the left will never be in power.

The government of Iran is repressive to its own people. Yes, the US stuck its thumb in Iran for decades, but are we now supposed to praise the SOBS who have tortured and killed many of those who spoke against its rule?

Yeah, let's just gloss it over and pretend that they are the good guys........

:eyes:

[Wilms]

32. Did anyone here "praise" the "SOBS" (sic)?

Did anyone pretend anything?

And because they're such bad guys we should just get in line behind a military threat being delivered to yet another nation?

Do you understand the word, "tool"?

[EFerrari]

63. Well, that's what she did in Honduras. Just glossed over

and rewarded them with millions of dollars in contracts.

[Joanne98]

28. Pot call kettle black.

[earcandle]

29. so is the USA, thanks to you and your husband with bush/cheney ties.

[Prof Lester]

40. When Jack Was Murdered!

The military coup in the USA happened when Jack was murdered. Okay, it's been a "soft" dictatorship.. for some folks. But not for others. It's been a hard slog for lots of us. NOW, they are pulling the rug from under millions of formerly happy white folks AND now it "looks bad" to them. NOW they say it's "becoming" a dictatorship. Uh-huh.

You know what? And I hate to have to say this: the military has been the only damn thing in this country that has proven to be a good thing for millions of black people. Service to this country has given millions of black people a chance to walk proud as American servicemen and servicewomen. Black people in the services love this country.

BUT the Military-Industrial-Complex, ie., fascism, murdered Jack in 1963, then murdered his brother.. AND his son.. and Paul Wellstone.. and.. well, why go on? We all know the truth.

Life here is a terrible paradox. I can see why millions of people choose to dull their minds and not think about these terrible conflicting facts about our lives.

[earcandle]

97. True, but the best of us still have a brain and a heart and are in action. They cannot win forever.

Once we turn on the lights and shake and wake the 300 million
sleepy people, we can have back our glory.  

Thank you DUers!  For bothering.  I think we are worth it.  

[Adsos Letter]

34. US warns Iran on nuclear pursuit

Source: Al Jazeera English

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, has said Iran has left the international community little choice but to impose harsh penalties against it over its controversial nuclear programme.

Speaking at a US-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar on Sunday, Clinton said there was mounting evidence that Iran was pursuing a nuclear weapon.

"The evidence is accumulating that that's exactly what they are trying to do," she said.

"Iran has consistently failed to live up to its responsibilities. It has refused to demonstrate to the international community that its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful."


Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/02/2010214172432220260.html

[Don Caballero]

35. We must stand united in our resistance against a nuclear Iran

They leave us no choice but to enact harsh sanctions. Israel has every right to defend herself against any threat in their region.

[AtheistCrusader]

47. Must? Why?

Can't Israel protect itself, with it's 200+ likely warheads of varying yields?

[Don Caballero]

48. Israel has never revealed if they have a nuclear program

They probably do but what business is that of ours. They are our number one ally in the world. Iran is an apocalyptic society whose stated goal is the destruction of Israel.

[AtheistCrusader]

51. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Number one ally in the world? POLAND has more skin in the game with us in the War on Terror. I would think the UK, and Canada, fighting alongside us in Afghanistan, might rank higher than Israel..

[Flaneur]

57. Our number one ally won't tell us if they have nuclear weapons?

I do not accuse this poster of being a paid IDF shill.

[JoeyT]

72. The exact same business it is of ours if Iran has nukes, I'd think.

Well, it would actually be even more our business if Israel has them, since we probably either gave them to them or bought them for them.

[clixtox]

82. Israel already attacked the USA in 1967 and KILLED 34 Americans!!! 2 US Marines!!!

Some allies!

Just as you surmise that Israel's nuclear capabilities are none of our business it is the height of hypocrisy to say that Iran's nascent nuclear program is any business of the USA, the only country who has used a nuclear device to murder tens of thousands of civilians, TWICE!

[AtheistCrusader]

84. Just in case we're keeping score, the Japanese killed almost 10 million chinese civilians.

Since we're casting aspersions here, thought I'd just remind you of this.


War's a bitch. Don't start 'nothin, won't be 'nothin.

(and today, Japan is an ally, China, which was a friend in WWII is an economic partner, and somewhat hostile militiary entity. The world is a strange place)

[clixtox]

89. Keeping score? I didn't realize there was a game on!

I am not "casting aspersions" so to speak, but enlightenment about "covered up" history.

Remember the USS Liberty... 34 dead, 174 wounded! Check out the memorial site please at <http://www.gtr5.com/>

June 8, 1967!

I will never forget!

The world is a strange, and scary, place, especially if your perspective is the typical world view of the US citizenry.

I am living in Vietnam most of the time now and I do appreciate how the more things change, the more nothing changes behind the curtain erected to keep the truth obscured and the sheeple quiescent and bamboozled.

I wonder if the USA has passed the 10 million killed milestone yet?

Who's keeping score?

We have been massacring innocents wholesale since we nearly wiped out the Native Americans while appropriating/stealing their land.

A few thousand murdered here, a few thousand killed over there and, hot damn, pretty soon we are a talking about a real horrific, if an almost hidden, history.

Our USA history.

One of the main reasons we enjoy such lavish lifestyles.

Well a very few of us really do, but the rest of us suckers can dream...

[AtheistCrusader]

93. I'm with you on the USS Liberty.

and the mistreatment of indigenous people in what we named the Americas.

But on the 'innocent' civilians of Japan, I'd suggest reading 'Hiroshima' by John Hersey. The book is couched as an anti-war piece, but it actually does a very good job covering the support the Japanese Military received from the civilian populace, and the war production efforts of the city. If Berlin and London were valid targets, so too were Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

One wonders how long the war would have dragged on without the Axis opening that can of worms, and events like our MAXIMUM EFFORT bombing campaign, Dresden, et al.

The hardest part of winning a war is convincing the civilian population that backs the military of one of the combatants, to pack it in.

Edit: I see the confusion. We are on the same page with regards to Israel. So I siezed more upon your comment about Japanese civilians.

[provis99]

87. our number 1 ally? will they stop spying on us, then?

Thank goodness reliable countries like the UK and Canada aren't our number one allies; its much better to have an oppressive, warmongering, rogue state like Israel as an ally.

[Wilms]

69. Do you have a PhD in Jingoism?

You could.

Does Iran, in your opinion, have "every right to defend herself (sic) against any threat in their region"? Or is it only Israel?

[dixiegrrrrl]

36. I won't believe it till I hear Colin Powell say it at the UN !!!

:evilgrin:

[MidwestRick]

37. Huh?

"Iran has consistently failed to live up to its responsibilities. It has refused to demonstrate to the international community that its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful."


Really, have they used a nuke against another country? How does a country prove it's nuke program is peaceful?

-MR

[saigon68]

38. A bag of Fart

[Bragi]

42. How very American of them /nt

[Politicub]

43. It's a global party and you're invited! And the US is on the verge of becoming facist

Celebrate good times, come on!

[LeftishBrit]

49. 'Becoming'? When wasn't it one?

Hoping very much for democratic change from within.

Any military intervention from outside could set that back by decades.

[harun]

52. Like Egypt, like the U.S., do tell Hillary?

[heli]

56. Just making sure "one day this untamed fire of freedom will reach the darkest corners of our world”

Same old shit.

[Grinchie]

65. I see a new flock of Chickenhawks is now starting to Fledge in Washington

Perhaps the U.S. can stop huffing and puffing in front of its Magic Mirror where it see's a country that actually has the mandate to poke its nose in other countries business.

Keep up the bellicose talk Hillary, we know that DLC just loves to lap it up so they can shovel more pork onto the bloated money pit that is called the U.S. Military.

Don't expect us to invest in your Bonds of T-Bill, because they aren't backed up by anything but hot air and ridiculously expensive military hardware.

Your end game of a third war isn't going to fly.

[prezpeng]

66. Of course

After removing Saddam, what else do we expect?

[Vidar]

68. Our military plutocracy is so much better/

[discocrisco01]

78. Yeah

Yeah, how we are going to make war with Iran. War with Iran is the dumbest solution

[fascisthunter]

95. because of this wonderful militaryu of ours

we can't feed, house nor clothe Americans yet we are in the middle east policing foreigners in their own countries.

[and-justice-for-all]

76. It is actually a Theocracy...nt

[Alamuti Lotus]

83. she bellows this from Qatar, a loyal American dictatorship

And was this before or after a posh visit to Saudi Arabia, another loyal American dictatorship.... blind, idiotic hypocrite on a bloody evil power trip.

[EFerrari]

85. This is the way things are now.

It would be breathtaking were it not so commonplace.

[yurbud]

86. wow-- so they spend more on their military than the rest of the world combined and occupy

two smaller countries on the other side of the world and claims they were a threat?

Oh wait, that's us.

[yurbud]

88. this is like a bad onion article on par with ''Chimp hurls feces of mass destruction at terrified...

zoo visitors.''

[Delphinus]

91. Leave Iran alone.

Let's work on solving our own problems - leave Iran alone. Damn it.

[fascisthunter]

94. due to the fact that our military is so big

it's time for this government to realize the US has been dictating the World for too long, and her idiotic comment is just another example of this government's arrogance.

Keep screwing with the middle east, you idiots and shit just gets worse...