Iran, the US/China/Russia

pretty much the same thing every year for the past decade+...

the sanctions would cripple most nations, yet Iran has endured sanctions imposed by the US since 1979 (though they are getting increasingly to the point where Iran will respond - ever wondered why they might want nukes?)

in short fuck off USA... your stupid middle eastern meddling has killed millions of innocents and a few badies

you the man... uncle sam... you warmongering retarded fucks

as usual you point out my very obvious bias but do not refute my points

put ya eyes back in ya uncle sam is aok loving head

agree 100% dalai....trapper was the b est at puitting the anti-American zealots in their place

The sooner USA and Israel admit that Iranian do not pose an existentia threat but their designs are to promote itself as a dominant force within Islam and redress a historic imbalance, the easier it will be for them to come to better understanding with Iran. A nuclear capability is a status symbol in our sad world politics. Iran's ambition is an internal Islamic issue. It does not pose a direct threat to Israel or USA.

But from a Pentagon's perspective, it may be all about the balance of power. The Sunni Kingdoms are almost satellite states of USA. A powerful independent minded Iran will upset that balance. Neither China, India nor Russia are bothered by this shifting ebb within Islam. Maybe the USA has to learn the art of trading without controlling regions and people. It could learn a lot from China. We could then be spared a few wars.

a perspective I aggree with:



http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/jasdev-singh-rai/so-who-is-uran-threatenin_b_1221802.html

When we peel away the 'global world's rhetoric, it becomes clear that Iranian ambition is connected to internal Islamic history and politics. There has been more than a millennia of tension between the Arabs and the Persians which increased when Islam spread to both regions. Both Arabs and Persians think themselves as superior people compared to the other. This low tension competition changed after the Safavid rule in 1501 which empowered Shia Islam with a State. Iranians converted to Shia en mass. The contest between Sunni Islam and Shia Islam for the hearts and minds of the Muslim world continues to date.

Sometimes it becomes violent. Al Qaeda went as far as calling Shia a bigger enemy than America. There are sectarian killings in Iraq, Syria and Pakistan among others between Sunni and Shia fanatics.

In Sunni dominated countries such as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and in fact much of the Arab world, the Shia are kept out of real levers of power. In Shia Iran, the Sunnis can join Government departments but not become senior most heads or political leaders.

Under the Shah's secularisation process, Shia Islam lost the one powerful country it had. The Ayatollahs restored that. Iran's current strategic game is to be a Shia power in the wider Islamic world. Its enemies are the Gulf Monarchs. Its ambition for nuclear technology is posturing in the Islamic world. Iran has also invested heavily in science and medical research.

Islamic politics and inter sectarian rivalry is played obliquely and sensitively. No Iranian leader will declare a State ambition to assert Shia supremacy. Instead the rhetoric is wretched up against Israel. Israel is an easy target for distraction and bravado politics in Middle East. Israel does not help itself by having failed to make friends with ordinary Muslims.

And the other rhetorical target is the United States. Calling it Satan and blaming it for almost all anti Islamic trends in the world, Iran's clerical leadership distracts attention against its own inadequacies. USA is a convenient bogey.

The problem is that both ordinary Americans and Israelis swallow the western take on Iranian rhetoric. But ask ordinary people in Iran, no one thinks that Iran has any ambition to attack Israel or USA. As long as Israel continues to have 'problem' relationship with its mostly Sunni neighbours, it works in Iran's favour. The inability of Sunni countries to do anything about perceived Israeli bullying makes them look inadequate in the Muslim world. If Israel was suddenly to reach peace with all its Sunni neighbours, Shia Iran's tension with the Sunni Arab countries will become exposed.

Personally I don't know why anyone wouldn't be prone to more than a bit of anit-US sentiment given the amount of violence they have unjustly inflicted on various foreigners in overseas locations, but then Hitler did some good things too so clearly the debate can get quite nuanced

why do you dislike Iran?

Iran has done nothing what so ever to NZ, except engage in trade (which is a good thing I thought)

whereas the US has intentionally sought to hurt NZ both internally and externally post our anti nuclear stance

I have no issue with Iran... I have serious reservations about how the US conducts itself internationally and internally and I don't like how it influences our law makers, our trading potential, our security and our culture

NO ONE IS SAYING DEATH TO AMERCIA on biggie

Did you really just compare the US to Hitler?
Really?

If it's a poor analogy it's only 'cause the US is way worse

perhaps I am being hypocritical... but please don't for a second suggest my concerns over the US is fashionable or some other put down like that, I find this very insulting and very unflattering to the person suggesting so - disagree with my view but do not question that my beliefs & opinions are 100% my own (and flawed as I am as a person)

Did you really just compare the US to Hitler?



Really?

People have this overwhelming desire to lump world politics into groups of "good" and "evil". To choose one side over the other. The truth is never that simple and I find it ridiculous when people narrow it down so.

People have this overwhelming desire to lump world politics into groups of "good" and "evil". To choose one side over the other. The truth is never that simple and I find it ridiculous when people narrow it down so.

sorry but it is spurious and I did say 'caused by US' - merely liberating Iraq did not cause the deaths, however many there have been and the million plus you often quote is disputed

and you sir - seem to stand for absolutely nothing excpet cheap giggles

I wasn't, I was saying NO BLOOD FOR OIL

and am still saying it

and you sir - seem to stand for absolutely nothing excpet cheap giggles

You forgot the "worst fucken innuendo's ever" part.

nah I'd be the dumb cunt

NR - the oil theory has yet to be proven and possibly will never be...