WikiLeaks: Ayatollah Khameni has terminal cancer

[The Straight Story]

WikiLeaks: Ayatollah Khameni has terminal cancer

Ayatollah Khamenei, the chief religious leader of Iran, who holds the final word in state affairs is a hardliner well-known to be hostile to America. Details of the health and lifestyle of the 71-year old are shrouded in secrecy.

Any credible information that he was dying would fundamentally change the diplomatic stakes in negotiations between Tehran and its Western adversaries.

The US consulate in Istanbul reported in August, 2009 that a businessman close to Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former Iranian president, that the Supreme Leader had been diagnosed with a fatal form of Leukaemia. The source said Ayatollah Rafsanjani believed his great rival would be dead in a "matter of months".

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/8168672/WikiLeaks-Ayatollah-Khameni-has-terminal-cancer.html

[de novo]

1. That 'matter of months' has been 15 months so far.

I wouldn't shed a tear for him, but seeing as he is still alive, I question the credibility of the businessman.

[jberryhill]

5. Why do you question the credibility of the businessman?

A consular official said:

That a businessman said:

That Rafsanjani said:

Khamenei would be dead soon.

Khameini is not dead, but why do you assume it not credible that Rafsanjani said what he said?

[de novo]

6. Either/or.Someone in that chain misspoke.

Really, I guess the credibility gap would be with Rafsanjani's source of the info. Rafsanjani would have little benefit in making it up, as it led to backing down from his campaign.

[jberryhill]

7. I don't know if Rafsanjani has a medical degree

He might, but, he may have simply been misinformed or misjudged the condition.

There is also always the "whisper down the lane" effect.

But what I really can't wrap my hand around is if the leaks are supposed to uncover some kind of corruption and crimes, why it includes all of this trivia.

[de novo]

8. See, I don't think there is much motive other than the release and

let the chips fall where they may. I really think it is a "let it all hang out approach". The good, the bad, the ugly as well as the stupid, inane and baseless.

I think there is a value in seeing behind the scenes. We live in an information age. It is easily transmitted, and increasingly harder to hide, and I think that is a good thing.

[Lasher]

2. Don't tell me, he wants to go to the US for treatment.

Wouldn't surprise me a bit.

[jberryhill]

3. Better headline: Anonymous businessdude says Rafsanjani says Khamenei has cancer

...and would die in "months" more than a year ago.

I am shocked by the evidence of US corruption demonstrated by this document.

[stray cat]

4. Weakileaks is like a photocopier - garbage in garbage out

[de novo]

9. And we are all the better for it. We are capable of understanding what is of worth.

[BolivarianHero]

10. I won't shed a tear...

That regime killed exponentially more leftists than Pinochet. I don't want Washington there, but I do want every last one of the bastards in Tehran to rot in Hell.