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Member |
RE: http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,150572,00.html
This is obvious, Iran strives for being the local (super)power, and they will do that by any means. Remove Iran and the region will have peace. |
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Member |
The question is how do we do this? Your own country is backing further and further away from it's support of freedom to one of appeasement to countries that are or involved in state supported terrorism. It is not my intention to insult you, that's just the way it is. |
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Member |
I'm sorry about that. And I'm mad about how things run in my country.
My country has changed a lot after we've inherited Eastern Germany. Besides that we've inherited a bankrupt country, we got also a lot of politicians with still the brainfart that socialism works. How to remove Iran? Frankly, I don't know. I knew it as soon, as I made my post, that I will not be able to answer this question. Nuke them ? Easier said, than done. We could solve everything, but we would need committed politicians. But have a look at us, what kind of them we have got 
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Member |
It's the same here buddy.On a separate subject, there was a watch company that made better watches than Rolex that resurected itself in East Germany after the fall. Do you know what I am talking about? If so how are they doing?  |
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Member |
If you mention "Glashuette", a former Eastern Germany company, they do very well, building watches for a few 100.000 Euros or so. That company is the most famous one, I can remember. If that's not the right one, I can check for you.
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Member |
But socialism does work, the government ask the citizens to give up their freedoms,
First the Government ask the people to turn in their firearms, after all you dont need them, the goverment will protect you. Freedom of speech is now enforced by law, you can say whatever you want but we will tell yoiu what to say. The G-men and T-men than raise the taxes, so they can provide you with a poor excuse for medical care. The list goes on but I am sure you get the idea, socialism does work, for the Government who wants complete control, turning the citizens into obediant subjects. [/QUOTE] |
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Member |
Once the -isms start showing up discussion wanes. Too many still haven't learned to differentiate between "socialism" as an overarching political philosophy and "social programs" democratically deemed useful and/or necessary for a thriving nation. May I remind our esteemed German colleague of the term "Gemeinschaftsgefül?"
To me, Iran is as much a bully of our making as Ahmadinejad or the Ayetollahs. IMHO, he serves a barking dog function for Iran, patrolling the fence and making a lot of noise. Be careful, he will bite. But on the international political stage he only serves as a foil character for what is perceived to be the global ambitions of the so-called neoconservative movement. This author is one of the mouthpieces for that movement, it seems. It is in his interest to promote Ahmadinejad from "punk" to "bully" to mobilize the fear or rage needed to continue the agenda of militarism in the ME. For what it's worth, NikeAjax, I have genuine admiration for the reunified Germany, and to the people who made it happen. Huge ambition met with even greater talent. Not without problems, to be sure. |
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That sounds about right. The owner and a few others dismantled the company piece by piece before the Russians could get it. Have to admire a group that could do that. I am glad they are suceeding, I just wish I could afford one... Like everyone else, broke mostly. |
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Member |
bfw27, seems I really lack this kind of "Gemeinschaftsgefuehl", also called "Solidaritaet" here. I lack it, because it was obtruded to our people in the same way cheating them. I could tell more about, but I feel, this would move to far away from the original topic. Btw. Solidaritaet is also a part of Solidaritaetsabgabe, a tax we got from reunion and we still have it today.
Without wanting to diminish the woes of the East German people: without collapse of former Soviet Union and bankruptcy of East German government, no reunion would have happened. You can bet on this one. I do very well differentiate between social and socialism, socialism proved not working, but it's tried again and again from new. "Social" is only working till the point it is misused and nourishes the wrong people on cost of the others. Happening also here. Concerning this Iranian nuthead, I believe a rational fear is well justified. I wonder why it's often tried to soften his words, he's president of this country, what he says publicly has to be taken serious. Remember old Adolf, the same voices were heard, they said: he does not mean it the way he said it. This opinion was nourished from the hope that it should not be, what can not be. You know the outcome...
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Member |
I seriously hope that this op-ed is meant to be satirical, otherwise it is a huge load of crap. To accuse Iran of "meddling" in Iraq, Lebanon and Afganistan is the height of hypocricy and hubris, let's take a look at the record. Has Iran invaded Lebanon? No, but we have. Has Iran invaded Afganistan? No but we have. Has Iran invaded Iraq? No be we have, twice now. How many carrier groups does Iran have off our shores? None, but we keep two to four off theirs. Hegemony? Please.
When Iran occupies Mexico and Canada, we might have something on the moral equivalency scale to argue about. |
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10 day suspension for CiC bashing. 30 Jan 08 dmuhler |
Confiscated weapons should be returned immediately to Iran using it's intended method of delivery when employed.
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Grandjester...He doesn't need carrier battle groups off-shore. He already has his proxies all around us. After all, he has two great mouthpieces in Venezuela's Chavez & Nicaragua's Ortega. Of course, I wonder what they will say & think if & when Iran's ayatollahs demands that they convert or die?? |
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Member |
The life blood of Iran is maritime commerce. If Iran's ability to ship oil out of the Persian Gulf is curtailed by even the mere threat of Naval action, pressure from Japan, China and other consumers will force better compliance (behavior) from the Iranian leadership. |
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Basic Training |
Iran The Bully? No problem...We just Surge a Few More Extra Brigades to the Middle East and Put Mr. "I'm A Dinner Jacket" in his Place. This whole discussion about Iran is getting CRAZY! Nuke Em? Blockade Em? Sanction Em? I thought we fired Rummy and his Band of Merry Men?
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NikeAjax:
Vielen Dank for a thoughtful reply. Looked up "Solidaritätsabgabe" to make sure I had the right issue in mind. It is significantly relevant to the US adventure in the ME and regarding the real costs of "nation building" especially when you consider for Germany it is more restoration rather than "starting from scratch." A good drift from topic. As to Ahmadinejad, I agree he must be attended to and taken with some seriousness. He is a leader but not the ruler of Iran. |
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Member |
bfw27, gern geschehen.
I'd say it was more starting from scratch, as many still working companies were sold for a symbolic price, dismantled from the new owner, as they seemed "unprofitable". We needed of course that in East and in West workers get about the same money, so now in the end we have lots of people without work, paid by the government, and in the end again by the people. Lots of money was put from our eastern brothers in prestige projects or flushed down the drain for nonsense. Was last year in Erzgebirge, every second town had roadworks and was not to pass. Neonazis and old SED followers are coming up again. I really hate, what's happening here. If you look for an example for nations building, don't take Germany in its current state as standard. For the Iranian president: Of course there are Mullahs behind him and they have a weight in all decisions, but it is my belief that what he says he says also in their behalf, otherwise the Mullahs would be so smart to tell him to stop. If ones kids insult some other person, and one sees and grants it, one is a) not better than these insulting kids, and b) probably shares their opinion.
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Basic Training |
The real problem was created (lamentably) by our president. Prior to going into Afganistan, the Iranians were providing us with a good deal of intelligence and aid because they were hoping to bury the hatchet with the United States. They were stunned when the president included them in his now infamous "axis of evil" speech. As any rational country would do when put on notice that they were in the cross-hairs, they started to both build alliances with our potential (and oil hungry) adversaries, and our friends to prevent either the UN or the US to take real action without suffering serious consequences (while building up thier military as best they can). And they then have had a solid strategy to outfox our government (run by those of questionable competence) at every turn. For example - Ahmed Chalabai (sp?) and a few other notable "sources of information" used to help justify the war in Iraq were later discovered to be paid agents of the Iranians (yet curiously enough - this did nothing to change the strategy). So this administration was perhaps suckered into going to war (this might be a valid excuse, but since the real reasons have started surfacing is no longer valid) to make Iran THE power to be reckoned with in the Middle East, thereby seriously destabilizing an already delicate situation (while blackening the name of the US of A and enhancing the recruiting prospects of Al Queda at the same time). That said, Iran's president has no real power. Even when they had Rafsanjani (sp?) as president, a real moderate, the overall policies in Iran never changed. This is because the country is run by the mullahs. Mr. Brooks knows all this, but since it doesn't serve his (or the Brookings Institute's) purpose of providing lousy advice to our sitting president (which makes me wonder who's side they are on), he isn't likely to present that part of the picture. |
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Basic Training |
I don't know how many people like myself are out there. Unfortunately the right of center has lapsed into an apathy generated by the fact that quiet dignity doesn't appeal to the pot and American Idol generations.
I do remember of a time when survival of the nation was more important than assine movie stars and athelets. As for myself, well, youth is time when passions run high. I don't believe we should take marching orders from *******s that see the world through the rose colored glasses of fame, richs and body guards. The world worked fine when we did force rules on it that are completely fake. In a perfect world, socialism would work. Unfortunately, without God, Jehovah, Allah or whatever god you believe in steps in, this WILL NOT BE A PERFECT WORLD. We don't have a perfect system of governement, but its better than any other alternative. I notice we won wars when we had men who refused to accept defeat. What happened to all of them? |
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Member |
If you deny the Iranian president to have real power, then maybe you try to judge Iran by it's actions ?
-supposedly (and likely) providing support and sophisticated IEDs to insurgents -cooking over years to create an Iranian nuke -acquiring sophisticated weapons, rockets, torpedoes -taking Britain hostages not so long ago What is the goal, where are all these actions pointing to ? The goal is to become the strongest local power, with very destabilizing effects for the region. And where do all the words of the Iranian president point to ? Exactly, they point in the very same direction. So what's the reason to doubt his words ? Even, if you would be right, if the president would have no power, he still is then a speaker for the Mullahs. And this then changes the situation how ?
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