Fareed Zakaria, in the latest issue of Newsweek reminds us that "The American discussion about Iran has lost all connection to reality." He speaks, of course, about the insane notion being spread among the populace that somehow this third rate nation (no offense, jihadists) is a threat to the United States.
"Here is the reality." Fareed reminds us. "Iran has an economy the size of Finland's and an annual defense budget of around $4.8 billion. It has not invaded a country since the late 18th century. The United States has a GDP that is 68 times larger and defense expenditures that are 110 times larger. Israel and every Arab country, (except Syria and Iraq) are quietly or actively allied against Iran. And yet we are to believe that Tehran is about to overturn the international system and replace it with an Islamo-fascist order? What planet are we on?"
(And, "How Bush Wrecked Conservatism" )
Uncle Bob
In Memorium
4 months ago
2 comments:
It (Iran)has not invaded a country since the late 18th century.
"Point of Order" Somebody is breaking the rules of engagement here. According to Time magazine
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1665579,00.html
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad invited 50 select American academics and journalists to the Intercontinental Hotel in New York City, for dinner, during his recent visit. He is attributed this quote below.
"He (Ahmadinejad) notes that Americans don't understand Iranian history, saying that the movie 300 — with which he seems intimately familiar — was a "complete distortion of Iranian history." Iran, he says, has never invaded anyone in its history."
Question, who are we to believe? The President of Iran or some reporter from Newsweek magazine?
Actually we all can quickly see the humor in that statement, I hope, but also maybe, the humor in Zakaria's comments as well. The greatest military machine in history to date, in 1941, was of German origin. It did not have the capability of attacking the American homeland, try as it might. Was it a threat to us?
All the rest of Zakaria's facts are trivial and a meaningless and simplistic view of our world today. Just consider that WWI was started by the assassination of Archduke what's-his-face in Sarajevo, where-ever-the-hell-that-is, but mobilized 65 million troops into the most destructive conflict in history to that point. The implications were global, shifting economic and cultural influences away from Europe's international leadership. It also destroyed the Ottoman Empire which had lasted for over 600 years.
My question then is, where is today's Neville Chamberlain (of the Balfour Declaration and Munich Agreement fame)? Just go talk to the man. Give him his concessions for nuclear energy, admit that Israel is a SNAFU gone bad but live with it, shake hands and call it the Tehran Agreement then we can all sleep better at night. Problem solved.
Now besides that, the World Factbook says that Iran's GDP is $599 billion and odd change. It's defense budget is 2.5% of same or about $15 billion as of 2006.
Grand Wazoo of Bad Hat Johnboy, You know it's me, so I'll sign my name if you don't mind a little disagreement from the peanut gallery.
Jon
It (Iran)has not invaded a country since the late 18th century.
"Point of Order" Somebody is breaking the rules of engagement here. According to Time magazine
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1665579,00.html
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad invited 50 select American academics and journalists to the Intercontinental Hotel in New York City, for dinner, during his recent visit. He is attributed this quote below.
"He (Ahmadinejad) notes that Americans don't understand Iranian history, saying that the movie 300 — with which he seems intimately familiar — was a "complete distortion of Iranian history." Iran, he says, has never invaded anyone in its history."
He is correct to say that the movie is Hollywood runnning amok again with history, a complete distortion of the Persian invasion of Greece, but he is certainly incorrect to say that such invasions never happened. Leap forward from 480 BC to 1738 when Persia invaded India and brought back the legendary Peacock Throne and the Koh-i-noor diamond. Looks like Ahmadinejad does not know his own nation's history. What he should have said, as did Fareed Zakaria, is that Iran has not invaded another nation "since the late 18th century." ("Late?")
Question, who are we to believe? The President of Iran or some reporter from Newsweek magazine?
Indeed.
Actually we all can quickly see the humor in that statement, I hope, but also maybe, the humor in Zakaria's comments as well. The greatest military machine in history to date, in 1941, was of German origin. It did not have the capability of attacking the American homeland, try as it might. Was it a threat to us?
I don't get the connection. What has Germany to do with this topic?
All the rest of Zakaria's facts are trivial and a meaningless and simplistic view of our world today. Just consider that WWI was started by the assassination of Archduke what's-his-face in Sarajevo, where-ever-the-hell-that-is, but mobilized 65 million troops into the most destructive conflict in history to that point. The implications were global, shifting economic and cultural influences away from Europe's international leadership. It also destroyed the Ottoman Empire which had lasted for over 600 years.
Just to set the record straight, World War I was not "started" by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, which was just a handy pretext, and the Ottoman Empire had been in decline for at least a century before World War I started, gradually losing all of its possessions on the European mainland, including Greece, Romania, and other principalities. World War I was merely the crowning blow.
My question then is, where is today's Neville Chamberlain (of the Balfour Declaration and Munich Agreement fame)?
What has Neville Chamberlain to do with World War I?
Just go talk to the man. Give him his concessions for nuclear energy, admit that Israel is a SNAFU gone bad but live with it, shake hands and call it the Tehran Agreement then we can all sleep better at night. Problem solved.
Sorry, I do not understand this paragraph. "Talk to the man?"
Now besides that, the World Factbook says that Iran's GDP is $599 billion and odd change. It's defense budget is 2.5% of same or about $15 billion as of 2006.
My money is on Zakaria versus the World Factbook. I have been reading his stuff for years, and his research has always been meticulous, even when he makes my teeth itch.
He is ordinarily so "middle of the road" that when I read his carefully researched stuff, I groan a little, and say to myself, we'll never get anywhere on ending this frightful, dismal war in Iraq unless we get pundits like Zakaria to speak out. I am amazed and gratified that finally he, too, has had enough of the bull shit to say, "Hey folks, the war in Iraq is a bloody mess and our Emperor really is naked!"
Zap here for the entire column by Zakaria. It's a keeper. http://www.newsweek.com/id/57346
Uncle Bob
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