I'm sorry, but you haven't been able to turn on the TV without seeing Barry running his mouth. Now that there is something to run his mouth about, he's playing golf, buying ice cream and hiding under his desk. Take the moral high ground Barry, or are you afraid the mullahs will be angry?

exactly. How dare he not do what we disagree with him doing !!
that bastard !!

JoeBagadonutz: I'm sorry, but you haven't been able to turn on the TV without seeing Barry running his mouth. Now that there is something to run his mouth about, he's playing golf, buying ice cream and hiding under his desk. Take the moral high ground Barry, or are you afraid the mullahs will be angry?

Ugh. You're really that stupid?

/ignore

Didn't Billy O' say that he didn't disagree with the President on Iran last week. I know Billy O' wouldn't say he actually agreed with Obama, would he?

Yes because meddling in middle east affairs always works so well for the US.

That's the best any of the Obamaknobgobblers has. If you don't agree with the President, if you criticize him in any way, you must be "stupid".

Obama is a more personable, mildly retarded Carter. He wasn't qualified for the office of Senator, much less President, and is starting to make Bush look like a seasoned statesman in comparison.

Capitalist1: Obama is a more personable, mildly retarded Carter. He wasn't qualified for the office of Senator, much less President, and is starting to make Bush look like a seasoned statesman in comparison.

If you weren't such an obvious troll, I'd have to wonder if you perhaps lapsed into a coma from the years of 2002-2008.

JoeBagadonutz: I'm sorry, but you haven't been able to turn on the TV without seeing Barry running his mouth. Now that there is something to run his mouth about, he's playing golf, buying ice cream and hiding under his desk. Take the moral high ground Barry, or are you afraid the mullahs will be angry?

Capitalist1: He wasn't qualified for the office of Senator, much less President


When was the last time you had a President who was "qualified"?

What are the qualifications anyway?

wyltoknow: Capitalist1: Obama is a more personable, mildly retarded Carter. He wasn't qualified for the office of Senator, much less President, and is starting to make Bush look like a seasoned statesman in comparison.

If you weren't such an obvious troll, I'd have to wonder if you perhaps lapsed into a coma from the years of 2002-2008.

I'm actually embarrassed that I fell for his routine. At least now he drops a deuce and doesn't even come back to pretend he was serious.

Glasgowsfinest: What are the qualifications anyway?

Born down in a dead man's town / The first kick I took was when I hit the ground / You end up like a dog that's been beat too much / 'Til you spend half your life just covering up

/ Glad to help.

Obama has the support of Richard Lugar and Henry Kissinger, probably the only two Republicans who opinions matter when it comes to international relations at this point.

ecmoRandomNumbers: JoeBagadonutz: I'm sorry, but you haven't been able to turn on the TV without seeing Barry running his mouth. Now that there is something to run his mouth about, he's playing golf, buying ice cream and hiding under his desk. Take the moral high ground Barry, or are you afraid the mullahs will be angry?

Ugh. You're really that stupid?

/ignore

Ignore this, butthole. Your president, who likes to be compared to Lincoln, is afraid to stand up and say that the American people who fought a revolution to have government for the people, of the people and by the people are in solidarity with the people in Iran who want the same thing. Obama is a coward and a disgrace for not standing up and declaring that he and all freedom loving Americans hope that Iran's government will be transferred to the people instead of religious dictators. He doesn't have to do anything but read the Teleprompter.

JoeBagadonutz: ecmoRandomNumbers: JoeBagadonutz: I'm sorry, but you haven't been able to turn on the TV without seeing Barry running his mouth. Now that there is something to run his mouth about, he's playing golf, buying ice cream and hiding under his desk. Take the moral high ground Barry, or are you afraid the mullahs will be angry?

Ugh. You're really that stupid?

/ignore

Ignore this, butthole. Your president, who likes to be compared to Lincoln, is afraid to stand up and say that the American people who fought a revolution to have government for the people, of the people and by the people are in solidarity with the people in Iran who want the same thing. Obama is a coward and a disgrace for not standing up and declaring that he and all freedom loving Americans hope that Iran's government will be transferred to the people instead of religious dictators. He doesn't have to do anything but read the Teleprompter.

First, tell me.

Do you honestly think doing that would help the Reformists? Or do you think it should be done so America looks like the good guy?

JoeBagadonutz

Read up a little on foreign policy. Coming out and supporting the protesters would do a number of things and most of them aren't exactly good. For starters, it would give the Iranian government an excuse to really start cracking down and provide evidence to claims that this is all a front for US interests. Our hands in the region aren't exactly clean to begin with, I suggest looking up Operation Ajax as a starting point. Furthermore, we saw the same sort of thing happen with the Soviet Union back under HW Bush. He stayed out of it for much the same reason and history has looked pretty favorably on that.

Second of all, this is the Iranians' fight. If we're perceived as meddling, their movement is tainted. This has to be their victory.

WhoIsWillo: In order for the revolution to have a long term hold, it must come from the people. It's not about the revolution taking power, that has already happened. It is about the long term prospects of the manageable free Iran that comes from the inside. If we put our support behind it before it becomes a living, functioning government, it will forever be tainted by the far right in those countries as Western Intervention and we will eventually see it collapse by the enemies with in.

If we allow the Iranians to revolt and take control of their country on their own, then it shows a true mandate of the people and gives the country the possibility of long term stability. This revolution was held back for seven years by the Supreme Council and it's pawns being able to point to George W. Bush and America as imperialist figureheads. The "great satan" that is out to control their lives. With Obama and his public hands off approach, that is no longer the case.

I understand the desire to help out those protesting for the very ideals our country was founded on. However, we must understand that, at this stage, outside influence on the revolution would be counter productive. Iran is a complex country that has a history of manipulation from western forces.

Most Iranians know, at this point, not to trust what is coming out of state television. The fact that they are saying that we are manipulating this situation is proof that they are desperate and the revolution is taking hold.

The best thing we can do now is not act. I know that seems counterproductive, but it is by far the best option for both the revolution and America.

I posted this in another thread in response to the question "why is inaction the past plan when the state media is still claiming we are intervening?"

OK, bedwetters: threatening to bomb, bomb, bomb Eyeran isn't going to help.

Great Metal Jesus: JoeBagadonutz

Read up a little on foreign policy. Coming out and supporting the protesters would do a number of things and most of them aren't exactly good. For starters, it would give the Iranian government an excuse to really start cracking down and provide evidence to claims that this is all a front for US interests. Our hands in the region aren't exactly clean to begin with, I suggest looking up Operation Ajax as a starting point. Furthermore, we saw the same sort of thing happen with the Soviet Union back under HW Bush. He stayed out of it for much the same reason and history has looked pretty favorably on that.

Second of all, this is the Iranians' fight. If we're perceived as meddling, their movement is tainted. This has to be their victory.

I can see your point. I still think that the president got the 3am phone call and put it on hold. All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

damageddude: Yes because meddling in middle east affairs always works so well for the US.

Cue Osama bin Laden...

I wasn't at all upset when we took US Govt equipment from the Iraqi troops who surrendered in Gulf War I.

/not at all

JoeBagadonutz: Great Metal Jesus: JoeBagadonutz

Read up a little on foreign policy. Coming out and supporting the protesters would do a number of things and most of them aren't exactly good. For starters, it would give the Iranian government an excuse to really start cracking down and provide evidence to claims that this is all a front for US interests. Our hands in the region aren't exactly clean to begin with, I suggest looking up Operation Ajax as a starting point. Furthermore, we saw the same sort of thing happen with the Soviet Union back under HW Bush. He stayed out of it for much the same reason and history has looked pretty favorably on that.

Second of all, this is the Iranians' fight. If we're perceived as meddling, their movement is tainted. This has to be their victory.

I can see your point. I still think that the president got the 3am phone call and put it on hold. All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

But do you, or do you not, think that anything we do will actually help the reformists?

JoeBagadonutz: I can see your point. I still think that the president got the 3am phone call and put it on hold. All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

Good men are doing something. It's just not us this time. Stop being an attention whore.

Our inaction is the right action, as odd as it seems.

Iran has a history of outside forces trying to determine it's course of action. Maybe it's time for the people of the country to decide their own fate.

JoeBagadonutz: All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. idiots to rush in when they have no clue what they're doing.

Relax. The adults are in charge now.

JoeBagadonutz: All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

Ah, yes, platitudes are especially helpful in these situations.

The implication of your statement is that we need to do something. What is that "something"? You do realize that Ahmadinejad and Khameni pray every day that we will get involved in this, right? Any strong criticism of the current regime would probably only prove marginally beneficial the protesters, but would be a powerful propaganda tool for the current regime to say "Look, this is just another machination of the evil west!"

I get that you want to do "something", I feel the same way when I see the pictures of the protesters, watch movies of people being shot, and read everything that is coming out of there on Twitter and other social networks. Unfortunately, there just isn't really anything good that we can do. It sucks, but that is how it is.

Glasgowsfinest: Capitalist1: He wasn't qualified for the office of Senator, much less President


When was the last time you had a President who was "qualified"?

What are the qualifications anyway?

Pretend to be a Christian?

clearly, obama is not taking the situation seriously. maybe he should try singing a beach boys song.

she's a middle east coup
a hard line coup d'etatfarking idiots.

HallsOfMandos: Pretend to be a Christian?

True. They've all been doing that for the last 30 years.

Yes, because what we want is a President who grandstands and makes the Iranian situation about himself and the US.

THAT'S diplomacy...farking idiots...

I point to George Will. Nicholas Burns. Pat Buchanan. Colin Powell.

Interesting that the only folks who are looking to grandstand, are likewise going to be running for office, and want to look tough, and let someone else take the heat for the decision...

Or Krauthammer, who is just a damn shill to generate the illusion of consent...

hubiestubert: Interesting that the only folks who are looking to grandstand, are likewise going to be running for office, and want to look tough, and let someone else take the heat for the decision...

What about Mike Pence now?

OK, I'll bow the the power, logic, and knowledge of Fark. I feel powerless to help and support people who are fighting and being killed for what they believe in. I will shut my piehole now and silently hope that not too many of them will die.

There is far too much farking stupid in this thread for it ever to see the light of day.

JoeBagadonutz: OK, I'll bow the the power, logic, and knowledge of Fark. I feel powerless to help and support people who are fighting and being killed for what they believe in. I will shut my piehole now and silently hope that not too many of them will die.

I think that's how most of us feel. It sucks not being able to help as a country, but all we can do is keep them in our thoughts and do minor things to help them on the technical side as independent citizens, like setting up proxy servers.

Raiden333: JoeBagadonutz: OK, I'll bow the the power, logic, and knowledge of Fark. I feel powerless to help and support people who are fighting and being killed for what they believe in. I will shut my piehole now and silently hope that not too many of them will die.

I think that's how most of us feel. It sucks not being able to help as a country, but all we can do is keep them in our thoughts and do minor things to help them on the technical side as independent citizens, like setting up proxy servers.

I still want to know how our words are going to stop people from dying without troops to back it up.

I know the human decency card is a nice one to play.

But seriously. Do we have an obligation to save lives RIGHT NOW or not ?

OK, I'll bow the the power, logic, and knowledge of Fark. I feel powerless to help and support people who are fighting and being killed for what they believe in. I will shut my piehole now and silently hope that not too many of them will die.

You clearly now understand the wisdom of the Great Fark Braintrust^TM

Doing nothing IS doing something!

/Oh, btw, the Mullahs ARE saying we're meddling, regardless of what we do. I guess not to many of the 'head in the sand' crowd paid much attention to Khamenei's speech at Friday prayers.

More talk with no answers.

Sen. Grassley tells America that we have no choice, if we don't play the role that most helps Khamenei et al remain in control then the rest of the world will view America as having lost its own belief in democracy. Isn't that the choice Grassley says we must make, and not a moment too soon?

I wonder how many people will die in the protests before a "compassionate conservative" answers my f*cking question about how we should save lives TODAY.

Raiden333: JoeBagadonutz: OK, I'll bow the the power, logic, and knowledge of Fark. I feel powerless to help and support people who are fighting and being killed for what they believe in. I will shut my piehole now and silently hope that not too many of them will die.

I think that's how most of us feel. It sucks not being able to help as a country, but all we can do is keep them in our thoughts and do minor things to help them on the technical side as independent citizens, like setting up proxy servers.

Actually, it's the people who are the most likely to make a difference here.

I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it.
--Dwight D. Eisenhower

But, you know, he was one of those pansy peace-niks, right?

What's funny, is that the folks who most scream about how ineffective the government is, how terrible it is at doing anything constructive, are the first to scream that our government do something when the people are proving effective on their own...

ecmoRandomNumbers: JoeBagadonutz: I'm sorry, but you haven't been able to turn on the TV without seeing Barry running his mouth. Now that there is something to run his mouth about, he's playing golf, buying ice cream and hiding under his desk. Take the moral high ground Barry, or are you afraid the mullahs will be angry?

Ugh. You're really that stupid?

/ignore

More of a troll, I think.

We've already overthrown the Iran government once. How well did that work out for us?

I know that we want to help... but for us to actually offer support, aside from just people claiming we are... then we would give them a credibility that they do not deserve. The people know what is going on in their country, and they'd know if we were there.

Khamenei is afraid. That's why he's saying what he's saying. Blame America is the last card he has to play. Let's not give him a chance to play it.

They are still dying and I am still waiting.

fark inaction. We need something like the Berlin airlift but with communication equipment. We should be supplying Iranians with what they need to build a radio system - on a secure band.

RobertBruce: fark inaction. We need something like the Berlin airlift but with communication equipment. We should be supplying Iranians with what they need to build a radio system - on a secure band.

This is the first semi-good idea for action I've heard.

RobertBruce: fark inaction. We need something like the Berlin airlift but with communication equipment. We should be supplying Iranians with what they need to build a radio system - on a secure band.

Of course, the Iranian Air Force is performing exercises right now. Wonder why?

RobertBruce: fark inaction. We need something like the Berlin airlift but with communication equipment. We should be supplying Iranians with what they need to build a radio system - on a secure band.

It needs some fiddling with the details but that notion's got merit.

WhoIsWillo: RobertBruce: fark inaction. We need something like the Berlin airlift but with communication equipment. We should be supplying Iranians with what they need to build a radio system - on a secure band.

This is the first semi-good idea for action I've heard.

Does sound good, how do we ensure that they get what they need and can keep it if they are in such dire straits already ? The bad guys won't seize any materials we send over to help ? Remember, we can't put troops in there to enforce our aid.

Maybe we could keep our aid a secret.

But then we'd still have the conservatives cursing the lack of action they perceive because they aren't really open minded enough to believe there may be things going on that they don't know about.

How do we get what they need into Iran is the question.