Thanks Crazyheart. My puter and the WC don't jive!
I watched bits and pieces about this last night on CNN. Then I found this link. It speaks about reformists in Iran perhaps implying they will lean towards Obama's thinking. I'm not sure I've heard this term before. Are we talking about young modern more secular people in Iran I wonder? Or is this a political party of some sort? I saw bits of the video. I'll google for it maybe later.
It doesn't sound like the old guard has intentions of warming up to Obama. What do you think? The link does say it was a holiday and many people in Iran don't watch TV on holidays. Also it may not be accessible.
Do you think Obama will make any major changes in foreign policy towards Iran? My feeling is that he won't be allowed to run his own show in this regard. He'll be considered too inexperienced.
P.S. Yikes! The quote and the link aren't getting posting. I'll try again on the next post. I wonder why not....this is silly!
Quote:
Iran Brushes Aside New Obama Video Message
Friday March 20, 2009
TEHRAN, Iran - The Iranian government brushed aside a Persian New Year's message Friday from President Barack Obama offering to resolve years of hostility, saying it wants concrete change from Washington before it's ready to enter a dialogue.
Obama released the video to coincide with the major Iranian festival of Nowruz, a 12-day holiday that marks the arrival of spring and the beginning of the new year on the Persian calendar. In the video, which has Farsi subtitles, Obama said the U.S. is prepared to end the strained relations if Tehran tones down its combative rhetoric.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has criticized Obama, saying he would continue the policies of former President George W. Bush.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also has said Iran would welcome talks with the U.S. - but only if there was mutual respect. Iranian officials say that means Washington must stop accusing Iran of seeking to build nuclear weapons and supporting terrorism, charges Tehran denies.
On Friday, an Ahmadinejad adviser played down Obama's video, saying "minor changes will not end the differences" between Tehran and Washington.
"Obama has talked of change but has taken no practical measures to address America's past mistakes in Iran. If Mr. Obama takes concrete actions and makes fundamental changes in U.S. foreign policy toward other nations including Iran, the Iranian government and people will not turn their back on him," press adviser Ali Akbar Javanfekr told the state-run English-language Press TV satellite station.
Obama's overture comes ahead of national elections in June. Ahmadinejad faces a tough campaign against reformists, who favor better ties with the West and the United States.
TEHRAN, Iran - The Iranian government brushed aside a Persian New Year's message Friday from President Barack Obama offering to resolve years of hostility, saying it wants concrete change from Washington before it's ready to enter a dialogue.
Obama released the video to coincide with the major Iranian festival of Nowruz, a 12-day holiday that marks the arrival of spring and the beginning of the new year on the Persian calendar. In the video, which has Farsi subtitles, Obama said the U.S. is prepared to end the strained relations if Tehran tones down its combative rhetoric.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has criticized Obama, saying he would continue the policies of former President George W. Bush.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also has said Iran would welcome talks with the U.S. - but only if there was mutual respect. Iranian officials say that means Washington must stop accusing Iran of seeking to build nuclear weapons and supporting terrorism, charges Tehran denies.
On Friday, an Ahmadinejad adviser played down Obama's video, saying "minor changes will not end the differences" between Tehran and Washington.
"Obama has talked of change but has taken no practical measures to address America's past mistakes in Iran. If Mr. Obama takes concrete actions and makes fundamental changes in U.S. foreign policy toward other nations including Iran, the Iranian government and people will not turn their back on him," press adviser Ali Akbar Javanfekr told the state-run English-language Press TV satellite station.
Obama's overture comes ahead of national elections in June. Ahmadinejad faces a tough campaign against reformists, who favor better ties with the West and the United States.
Edited. It didn't post at all and then it posted twice.
graeme
Posted on: 03/23/2009 22:19
well, as nearly as I can tell from all that, I suspect stardust is right. Obama has bought into the war of terra -rism. And he seems to have bought into the Iranian nuclear threat - which is pretty bizarre. Indeed, if he did not buy into both of those, his chances of survival would be slim.
for its side, Iranian fears of the US and the west in general are scarcely groundless. It was the west that imposed the shah, and the west that egged on Saddam in his assault on Iran that killed over a million people. (I remember vividly a conversation with a student who had been drafted into the army in that terrible war, and whose last memory of Iran was lying on the ground behind his best friend and hearing the bullet thud into his friend's body.)
Based on performance so far, I don't think Obama will be able to counter the strength of the Israel lobby (even if he wants to.)
graeme
stardust
Posted on: 03/25/2009 17:17
graeme: your quote:
Based on performance so far, I don't think Obama will be able to counter the strength of the Israel lobby (even if he wants to.)
Thanks for your reply. I was optimistic about Obama for a fraction of a second. Now I think when Israel says "jump" he'll ask "how high?"
sitka
Posted on: 04/26/2009 18:46
Your question, Stardust: "Can Obama make peace with Iran?"
My answer : "Yes, of course!"
My question: " Does Obama want peace with Iran?"
Kinst
Posted on: 04/26/2009 18:55
I have hope. Hope for world peace. Don't ruin my dream
Anyways, there's no way Obama will get reelected if he starts a war.
Pickle
Posted on: 04/26/2009 19:52
Kinst wrote:
I have hope. Hope for world peace. Don't ruin my dream
Anyways, there's no way Obama will get reelected if he starts a war.
I disagree. American voters have no problem with wars, as long as they can easily win ;)
Comments
crazyheart
Posted on: 03/23/2009 16:01
bump
stardust
Posted on: 03/23/2009 16:34
Thanks Crazyheart. My puter and the WC don't jive!
I watched bits and pieces about this last night on CNN. Then I found this link. It speaks about reformists in Iran perhaps implying they will lean towards Obama's thinking. I'm not sure I've heard this term before. Are we talking about young modern more secular people in Iran I wonder? Or is this a political party of some sort? I saw bits of the video. I'll google for it maybe later.
It doesn't sound like the old guard has intentions of warming up to Obama. What do you think? The link does say it was a holiday and many people in Iran don't watch TV on holidays. Also it may not be accessible.
Do you think Obama will make any major changes in foreign policy towards Iran? My feeling is that he won't be allowed to run his own show in this regard. He'll be considered too inexperienced.
P.S. Yikes! The quote and the link aren't getting posting. I'll try again on the next post. I wonder why not....this is silly!
Quote:
Iran Brushes Aside New Obama Video Message
Friday March 20, 2009
TEHRAN, Iran - The Iranian government brushed aside a Persian New Year's message Friday from President Barack Obama offering to resolve years of hostility, saying it wants concrete change from Washington before it's ready to enter a dialogue.
Obama released the video to coincide with the major Iranian festival of Nowruz, a 12-day holiday that marks the arrival of spring and the beginning of the new year on the Persian calendar. In the video, which has Farsi subtitles, Obama said the U.S. is prepared to end the strained relations if Tehran tones down its combative rhetoric.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has criticized Obama, saying he would continue the policies of former President George W. Bush.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also has said Iran would welcome talks with the U.S. - but only if there was mutual respect. Iranian officials say that means Washington must stop accusing Iran of seeking to build nuclear weapons and supporting terrorism, charges Tehran denies.
On Friday, an Ahmadinejad adviser played down Obama's video, saying "minor changes will not end the differences" between Tehran and Washington.
"Obama has talked of change but has taken no practical measures to address America's past mistakes in Iran. If Mr. Obama takes concrete actions and makes fundamental changes in U.S. foreign policy toward other nations including Iran, the Iranian government and people will not turn their back on him," press adviser Ali Akbar Javanfekr told the state-run English-language Press TV satellite station.
Obama's overture comes ahead of national elections in June. Ahmadinejad faces a tough campaign against reformists, who favor better ties with the West and the United States.
http://blog.beliefnet.com//news/2009/03/iran-brushes-aside-new-obama-v.php
stardust
Posted on: 03/23/2009 17:04
Having problems posting; sorry.
Iran Brushes Aside New Obama Video Message
Friday March 20, 2009
TEHRAN, Iran - The Iranian government brushed aside a Persian New Year's message Friday from President Barack Obama offering to resolve years of hostility, saying it wants concrete change from Washington before it's ready to enter a dialogue.
Obama released the video to coincide with the major Iranian festival of Nowruz, a 12-day holiday that marks the arrival of spring and the beginning of the new year on the Persian calendar. In the video, which has Farsi subtitles, Obama said the U.S. is prepared to end the strained relations if Tehran tones down its combative rhetoric.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has criticized Obama, saying he would continue the policies of former President George W. Bush.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also has said Iran would welcome talks with the U.S. - but only if there was mutual respect. Iranian officials say that means Washington must stop accusing Iran of seeking to build nuclear weapons and supporting terrorism, charges Tehran denies.
On Friday, an Ahmadinejad adviser played down Obama's video, saying "minor changes will not end the differences" between Tehran and Washington.
"Obama has talked of change but has taken no practical measures to address America's past mistakes in Iran. If Mr. Obama takes concrete actions and makes fundamental changes in U.S. foreign policy toward other nations including Iran, the Iranian government and people will not turn their back on him," press adviser Ali Akbar Javanfekr told the state-run English-language Press TV satellite station.
Obama's overture comes ahead of national elections in June. Ahmadinejad faces a tough campaign against reformists, who favor better ties with the West and the United States.
http://blog.beliefnet.com//news/2009/03/iran-brushes-aside-new-obama-v.php
stardust
Posted on: 03/23/2009 17:11
Edited. It didn't post at all and then it posted twice.
graeme
Posted on: 03/23/2009 22:19
well, as nearly as I can tell from all that, I suspect stardust is right. Obama has bought into the war of terra -rism. And he seems to have bought into the Iranian nuclear threat - which is pretty bizarre. Indeed, if he did not buy into both of those, his chances of survival would be slim.
for its side, Iranian fears of the US and the west in general are scarcely groundless. It was the west that imposed the shah, and the west that egged on Saddam in his assault on Iran that killed over a million people. (I remember vividly a conversation with a student who had been drafted into the army in that terrible war, and whose last memory of Iran was lying on the ground behind his best friend and hearing the bullet thud into his friend's body.)
Based on performance so far, I don't think Obama will be able to counter the strength of the Israel lobby (even if he wants to.)
graeme
stardust
Posted on: 03/25/2009 17:17
graeme: your quote:
Based on performance so far, I don't think Obama will be able to counter the strength of the Israel lobby (even if he wants to.)
Thanks for your reply. I was optimistic about Obama for a fraction of a second. Now I think when Israel says "jump" he'll ask "how high?"
sitka
Posted on: 04/26/2009 18:46
Your question, Stardust: "Can Obama make peace with Iran?"
My answer : "Yes, of course!"
My question: " Does Obama want peace with Iran?"
Kinst
Posted on: 04/26/2009 18:55
I have hope. Hope for world peace. Don't ruin my dream
Anyways, there's no way Obama will get reelected if he starts a war.
Pickle
Posted on: 04/26/2009 19:52
I have hope. Hope for world peace. Don't ruin my dream
Anyways, there's no way Obama will get reelected if he starts a war.
I disagree. American voters have no problem with wars, as long as they can easily win ;)