Tag: iran

Iran’s Relations with Latin America Less Than Meets the Eye

Its economy hurting from sanctions imposed by the United States and Europe, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been making a show of bolstering its ties to Latin America, with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad this past week making his sixth official visit to the region since taking office in 2005. Contrary to assertions made by the … Continue reading “Iran’s Relations with Latin America Less Than Meets the Eye”

Iran: The Neocons Are At It Again

The same neocons who persuaded George W. Bush and crew to, in Ron Paul’s inimitable words, "lie their way into invading Iraq" in 2003, are beating the drums of war more loudly these days to attack Iran. It is remarkable how many of these warmongers are former draft dodgers who wanted other Americans to fight … Continue reading “Iran: The Neocons Are At It Again”

Clinton Revives Dubious Charge of ‘Covert’ Iranian Nuclear Site

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s charge Tuesday that Iran had intended to keep the Fordow site secret until it was revealed by Western intelligence revived a claim the Barack Obama administration made in September 2009.Clinton said Iran “only declared the Qom facility to the IAEA after it was discovered by the international community … Continue reading “Clinton Revives Dubious Charge of ‘Covert’ Iranian Nuclear Site”

Who’s Afraid of the Ayatollahs?

Politicians and pundits are curiously schizophrenic when discussing Iran. On one hand, they are prepared to declare, as Mitt Romney did, that the “greatest threat that Israel faces, and frankly the greatest threat the world faces, is a nuclear Iran.” To deal with this threat, he says as president he will “restore the regular presence … Continue reading “Who’s Afraid of the Ayatollahs?”

Keystone Cops Logic

In the latest war of words between Iran and the United States, Tehran has drawn a line in the sand (actually, the Persian Gulf). According to Maj. Gen. Ataollah Salehi, the commander in chief of the Iranian army, “We recommend to the American warship that passed through the Strait of Hormuz and went to the … Continue reading “Keystone Cops Logic”

Obama Seeks to Distance US From Israeli Attack

President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are engaged in intense maneuvering over Netanyahu’s aim of entangling the United States in an Israeli war against Iran. Netanyahu is exploiting the extraordinary influence his right-wing Likud Party exercises over the Republican Party and the U.S. Congress on matters related to Israel in order to … Continue reading “Obama Seeks to Distance US From Israeli Attack”

Crackpot Anti-Islam Activists, ‘Serial Fabricators,’ and the Tale of Iran and 9/11

Behind a mysterious Dec. 22 Associated Press story about “finding of fact” by a district judge in Manhattan Friday that Iran assisted al-Qaeda in the planning of the 9/11 attacks is a tapestry of recycled fabrications and distortions of fact from a bizarre cast of characters. The AP story offers no indication of the nature … Continue reading “Crackpot Anti-Islam Activists, ‘Serial Fabricators,’ and the Tale of Iran and 9/11”

Make Congress Vote on War on Iran

Returning from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta dropped some jolting news. Asked by CBS’s Scott Pelley if Iran could have a nuclear weapon in 2012, Panetta replied: “It would probably be about a year before they could do it. Perhaps a little less. But one proviso, Scott, is that if they have … Continue reading “Make Congress Vote on War on Iran”

How Maliki and Iran Outsmarted the US on Troop Withdrawal

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s suggestion that the end of the U.S. troop presence in Iraq is part of a U.S. military success story ignores the fact that the George W. Bush administration and the U.S. military had planned to maintain a semi-permanent military presence in Iraq. The real story behind the U.S. withdrawal is how … Continue reading “How Maliki and Iran Outsmarted the US on Troop Withdrawal”

Iran Hedges Its Bets on Syria

Iran is courting the opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, seeking to maintain a crucial alliance in the event that Assad falls. So far, Iranian officials have met at least twice with members of the National Coordinating Committee (NCC). The Damascus-based group opposes foreign intervention in Syria and advocates reform to resolve the nine-month-old crisis.  … Continue reading “Iran Hedges Its Bets on Syria”