Media Gives Ahmadinejad A Pass

(Correction) While the speech appeared on the web the morning of the 22nd, it was apparently given the prior week. The concept of painting a clear picture of what the world faces in Iran, and that the media overlooks a great deal which needs to be taken into acount, still holds. - Dan

When Iran met its self-imposed deadline of responding to a UN Resolution by August 22nd, much of the MSM coverage reported Iran's claim that it was ready for serious talks. That's exemplified by an AP article linked at bottom. But the MSM failed to tell the whole story of Ahmadinejad's day.

While some outlets did balance that with punditry suggesting it was mainly a ploy to buy more time, no MSM outlets reported how Ahmadinejad actually started the day. He gave a political speech calling for England and America to bow and surrender.

If you want to have good relations with the Iranian people in the future, you should acknowledge the right and the might of the Iranian people, and you should bow and surrender to the might of the Iranian people. If you do not accept this, the Iranian people will force you to bow and surrender....

But they (America and Britain) had the audacity to postpone the cease-fire for at least three weeks. They explicitly declared that the Zionist regime should be allowed to crush the resistance, and to occupy the land, and that [only] then would there be a cease-fire. I want to declare loud and clear, so that the whole world will hear: These two countries are not worthy of being members of the Security Council.

Were it 1938, I suspect they'd be showing us footage of Hitler walking in his garden, perhaps prepping for a Mike Wallace interview wherein he suggests he isn't anti-semitic, it's simply that the Jews would be better off if they re-located ... perhaps to the Middle East.

The media's failure to paint a clear picture of Iran and its leadership could make it more difficult for President Bush to build a political consensus if events require America to take a hard line in preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Also on video at lgf.

TEHRAN, Iran -        Iran said Tuesday it was ready for "serious negotiations" on its nuclear program, offering a new formula to resolve a crisis with the West. A semiofficial news agency said the government was unwilling to abandon uranium enrichment — the key U.S. demand.

Iran delivered its written response to a package of incentives offered by the United States and five other world powers to persuade Iran to roll back on its nuclear program — and punishments if it does not. The world powers, the five permanent        U.N. Security Council members plus Germany, have given Iran until Aug. 31 to accept the package.

Comments

[old trooper]

Ahmadinejad is delusional. But at this point in time, due to Media cheerleading, he is viewed as a dangerous man, a powerful figure in the region.

He reminds me of every neighborhood bully who dreamed of enlarging his area of influence to an additional street corner or two. Standing up to him now, giving Him that bloody nose and a pair of matching shiners is my school of hard knocks solution. Negotiating with him is not a wise use of time or your breath.

It is the mindset. He uses intimidation as a bargaining tool. His own population fears him. Give him something to fear, the use of overwhelming force, not just sanctions or threats of intervention. He will understand that! He is a punk and a thug, period. A failure to act soon only gives him more Media limelight. Or...you can give him more time to re-arm Hezbollah, refine more uranium and actually become a very lethal threat to his neighbors. His ally, Assad is already issuing threats against the use of international troops in southern Lebanon. Every minute wasted makes these despots bolder.

It is the mindset that must be defeated before the region becomes a danger to the civilized world. The UN is not a deterrent. It is only his forum. After spending 12 years in the Middle East, I know that the Saudis, the UAE, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the new government in Iraq do not, in their worst nightmares, want to live under his bootheel. They would respect armed intervention, if consulted. They do not respect unenforceable Resolutions or Sanctions without consequences. It is the mindset. They respect the use of force. That is Power. Getting wrapped up in disingenuous rhetoric deters nothing. Negotiations using western logic is worthless.

[Carol Herman]

What if iran is supposed to go out like a cancer patient? (Well, castro's dead. Cuba is also such a case.) And, it doesn't seem we're moving around a lot of military might.

On the other hand, there is troop build up. The Marines have called up their reserves. Syria, if Debka deserves "accuracy" for reporting anything, just said that syria's closing its border with lebanon. IF UNIFIL troops are stationed there. What kind of threat is this?

What kind of threat is that?

It seems there's a lot of "rolling up of carpets" going on. But not much evidence, otherwise.

"Negotiations," are a form of warfare before the shooting starts.

Are we politely stuck at the door, with a lot of "you go first" business happening? Are we waiting for Fall to arrive? There must be reasons for the delays. Because there usually are reasons. (With air traffic, right now, devoted to holiday goers. And, comers.) Which makes an after Labor Day, better weather, engagement entirely possible, too.

While the internals in iran, with their extremism producing HATE towards the imams; might account for why we don't fight.

We don't have anything on the drawing board that's gonna help ZOMBIES. Voting doesn't bring out the best, in them ya know? They tend to vote for Shiria ... diahhrea. And, that just boosts the EXTREMISM. ANd, breeds more ZOMBIES.

So, ahead. ZOMBIES OR MAGGOTS. Toe tags, either way.

[old trooper]

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

This is the unclassified version. These punks are the Baathist residue.

In regards to UNIFIL, they will just be witnesses, not participants in anything. Like they have been for the past 28 years.

This current conflict is not a cookie cutter pattern that matches the Cold War, WWII, Vietnam, Desert Storm, OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom ), OEF (Operation Enduring Freedom), Korea either 1951 or post 1951, western logic in negotiations or fighting past wars today is a recipe for failure. Rest assured, being polite with this band of thugs will get US that bloody nose and pair of black eyes. It takes a new plan and bold action. None of the old school rules apply or will offer anything more than a very ugly outcome. It will take an Alliance of the "Fearful", those neighbors of Iran that must choose not to live under Iran`s bootheel. The negotiations absolutely need to be made with those neighbors of Iran that will suffer the most and most immediately if Iran has it`s way.

I am not a diplomat, but I have been sent to too many places where diplomacy has failed. The Saudis, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and Turkey do not wish to hand over their futures to Iran. Talking with Iran has absolutely no value. Consulting with Iran`s neighbors has value beyond any other option.

Just my opinion, but I believe that I understand the mindset. I have worked with the Military from the neighboring states. They do not give unconditional trust to diplomats but they know that anyone who will commit to fight at their side shares their fate. They do trust that.

Yes, Carol, elections do not create Democracy. I agree with you. That sorry notion is residue from the bad old Carter administration. It holds the same value as a 100 pound bag of rat droppings. Another element of western culture that does not apply in the Middle East. It does not work in the mindset there.