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Richard Haut
millennium club
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 1128
Location: Nice, France
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 Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 8:25 am Post subject: Iran's new President |
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Iran's new President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has said that he intends to lobby for the elimination of weapons of mass destruction worldwide and for international justice.
And America's response ? According to BBC radio news, the US administration wants to withhold an enrty visa for the President to stop him making his address to the United Nations.
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Richard Haut has worked with the architectural profession for over 25 years and produces the weekly Richard Haut's Competitions, which has given architects details of many thousands of projects for which they can apply across Britain and Europe. |
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Ed Ziomek
Joined: 07 Jun 2005
Posts: 475
Location: Stamford, Connecticut
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| Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 4:43 pm Post subject: More sadness and Divisivness |
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Rich, if your story is true, and I sadly believe you are probably correct, then it is another black eye on America. We seem to go out of our way to antagonize.
I find Iran's come-uppance very healthy, actually. And did you see the photograph this week of the Iranian President shaking hands with the new Iraqi President?
The word on the street that I hear is that America provided the Iraqi people the opportunity to elect whomever they pleased, .....provided of course they did not represent the Shia or Sunni or Kurdish or Bathist parties... (smile)
Well, surprise, surprise, the people overwhelmingly elected a person who happened to be Shia, now presenting Washington with the dilemma of a Shia triangle of influence... Iran, Iraq, and Syria...
And now they are SHAKING HANDS! People are ... hold your breath... organizing OUTSIDE of the influence of the United States?!
Oooooops. Not what the doctor ordered.
But I say this is supremely healthy and good for the world, and wonderful for the Middle East. From my amateurish, idiotic point of view, why does America seem to make all the "perceptively wrong" moves?
What is Bill Clinton doing lately? I think he needs to go back to Washington to encourage an openess for the Iranian President to speak to the United Nations.
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Richard Haut
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Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 1128
Location: Nice, France
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| Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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Ed
it gets better. Before the new President was elected, a billion dollars was pledged for urgent reconstruction (such as water supplies) in Iraq. Who pledged it ? Iran.
Yes, what you say is effectively what is happening. The world is realigning without taking any notice of the US.
It seems hard to believe, but even harder to believe is what the Uzbeks have done. They have served a full Eviction Order on the US base in their country (crucial for operating in Afghanistan). That means out within six months - and they mean it. Personnel, equipment, everything.
Maybe we will even see the musical event of the New Millenium - Sunni and Shia back together again.
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Richard Haut has worked with the architectural profession for over 25 years and produces the weekly Richard Haut's Competitions, which has given architects details of many thousands of projects for which they can apply across Britain and Europe. |
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DR
Joined: 01 Aug 2005
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 6:00 am Post subject: |
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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Wasn't he one of the leaders who seized the U.S. embassy in Iran in 1979 and held Americans hostage there. He was one of the top two or three leaders at that time. That must make this new president of Iran a potential terrorist to US interests.
The fact that the US knows the true identity of who is running things should make that "witholding visa" decision a whole lot easier. |
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Ed Ziomek
Joined: 07 Jun 2005
Posts: 475
Location: Stamford, Connecticut
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| Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 6:31 am Post subject: DR Yes, and DR No! |
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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's had been photographed escorting some of the hostages, past the actual takeover. Was he one of the top three leaders, possibly yes, possibly no.
And remember Bani Sadr? As I understand it, he was also one of the Iranian leaders at the time of the takeover many claimed to have ties to the CIA. He was exiled by the Iranians after he called the American rescue troops "Heros".
Gotzbadeh? Remember him? Wasn't he also a leader of the Islamic revolution? Another claim of CIA connections, and he was executed by the Khomeni people.
In my optimism, I believe there were Iranians who were sent into the embassy after the student activists or radical clerics initially took over the embassy, basically to calm everyone down.
Did anyone die in the hostage takeover? I don't believe so. Mistreated yes, but not at the level of most prisons in the United States today.
And wasn't the Iranian takeover resolved in the "October Surprise", with the Republican candidate Reagan and his people negotiating with the Iranian leadership to KEEP THE HOSTAGES IN IRAN, until 30 minutes AFTER REAGAN'S INAUGURATION, simply to embarrass Carter, and not get him reelected. Isn't that the way the story goes?
DR... clue me in... I am clueless, yet I have come across college kids and genius high school kids who verbally outlined the construction of the first atomic bombs. In ten years, with the super computers on our desktops, teenagers will be designing these suicidal weapons.
But who needs to fear the suicide weapons... you know, use them once, and the milk supplies 10,000 miles away show increased radioactivity, your grandchildren will die from it.
No, the danger I believe is in the alienation of peoples, and the "need to control" entire cultures, not the weapons of mass destruction anyone can build in their local supermarket or garage.
Fear the divisive politicians who demonize whole cultures at the same time their corporate interests are reaping 10's of millions of dollars per day continuiing wars.
Fear those who shut the doors, not those who open windows.
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DR
Joined: 01 Aug 2005
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 6:53 am Post subject: |
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The Cinton Administration opened the window many times over as the story continues to evolve, and look where it led us to....holacaust on 9/11 of 3000 Americans.
The United States was attacked on 9/11, and several times before that over a 20-year period. For years we tried to sweep Islamic terrorism under the rug and pretend it wasn't a problem. But it kept coming back. Now we're doing something about it, and people don't like it. Too bad but a higher level of security seems to be the new way of life we are headed for....not closing the door, just securing it when appropriate.
The rest of the world thinks we should turn the other cheek when it comes to terrorism. Let's hope that idea isn't catching on at home. |
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Ed Ziomek
Joined: 07 Jun 2005
Posts: 475
Location: Stamford, Connecticut
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| Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 12:00 pm Post subject: Dr Yes and Dr No |
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Well, hold on now. Some of the things you are saying are very true, and I actually agree with you.
But Clinton was not Captain of the ship on 9-11. But yes, I agree, trying to do some good (???) militarily after decades of "turning the other cheek" might be all the options some people think we have.
Let me be the first to give you my opinion, that the first catastrophic attack was planned under Clinton, for Millenium New Years Eve, on the World Trade Center and possibly Los Angeles. That effort was thwarted by an observant border crossing guard in Washington, I believe.
I will go to my grave believing that Clinton's prevented a terror attack on the scale of 911, because he was reaching out to the Palestinians and the Arab world, yet even he suffered the Cole bombing situation.
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dgt
Joined: 22 Jul 2004
Posts: 92
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| Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:33 pm Post subject: |
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The Clinton's are responsible for 9/11? Is that what you are saying? Well at least he was impeached. Obviously it was not for that but he still suffered some accountibility for his 'extracurricular' actions.
Since both admins (Clinton and 2nd Bush) are in glass houses and everyone is so keen on throwing stones...
Condoleeza Rice had a memo from the CIA eight months before 9/11 stating that Osama Bin Laden was planning on attacking inside the U.S. to cause the greatest civilian casualties. Where is the accountability? Actually she got a promotion instead.
Regards,
dgt |
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Richard Haut
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Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 1128
Location: Nice, France
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 10:26 am Post subject: |
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Clinton did use military force and made considerable efforts at negotiating with the Taleban to hand over bin Laden.
whether or not those efforts could have averted 9.11, we shall never know since they appear to have been completely sidelined by Bush.
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Richard Haut has worked with the architectural profession for over 25 years and produces the weekly Richard Haut's Competitions, which has given architects details of many thousands of projects for which they can apply across Britain and Europe. |
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Ed Ziomek
Joined: 07 Jun 2005
Posts: 475
Location: Stamford, Connecticut
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 4:38 pm Post subject: The truth is too sad to contemplate, but hope is on horizon |
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As far as I understand it, Condoleeza Rice was asked during the Senate Hearings on 911, about the report on Osama Bin Laden that was given to her.
And the exchange went something like... "What was the name of the report that was on your desk on 9-11?"
And her response, God forbid if it is true, was something like... "Uhhhh, gee whiz, I don't know, something like "Osama Bin Laden planning catastrophic attack on United States using airplanes."
From Fox News, just minutes ago, comes word... that the 9-11 commission members were approached by a Naval Officer who stated that some super secret military unit knew that Muhammed Atta and others were in America planning bad things, and that they were called off the hunt and apprehension. Also, apparently 11 boxes of information were never researched by the 9-11 hearing group, with the explanation that ??? the credibility and confidence level of the source of the information was not high.
But all this is water under the bridge. We are all geniuses "looking back" with "what ifs".
I ask... "What NOW?" "What in the future?" Forgive the ugly past, if we now understand our mistakes.
Are we making friends in the world, or are we making enemies? The answer is still a mixed bag. America is winning on many fronts, we are losing on some fronts, at a horrific horrific price.
Iranian citizens spontaneously demonstrated IN SUPPORT OF THE UNITED STATES, the day after 9-11. How are they today? They generally represent the Shia culture, so vastly present in the Middle East.
This is why I say a Clinton-style diplomatic openess and point of view, flawed as it was, is what I think America should aim for.
Have you noticed, though, that I believe George Bush is now showing a more open, a more understanding, less caustic point of view lately?
And the Iraqis government is showing a new resolve to make their disastrous situation into something workable.
I am optimistic at this moment. I am seeing positive signs happening.
Your thoughts?
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Richard Haut
millennium club
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 1128
Location: Nice, France
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| Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2005 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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Perhaps all I can say is that I would like to be optimistic, but I am not convinced that Bush, Blair and the others have been learning from their mistakes.
Whether they learn from them or are just driven back into the shadowy places where they belong and can do less damage makes little difference.
Afghanistan, Iraq, and ... ?
| Quote: | | "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is Enemy Action." |
- Ian Fleming's evil character Auric Goldfinger.
(rumour has it that the name of the character (and possibly more) came after Fleming had met architect Erno Goldfinger).
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Richard Haut has worked with the architectural profession for over 25 years and produces the weekly Richard Haut's Competitions, which has given architects details of many thousands of projects for which they can apply across Britain and Europe. |
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