Comments on: When Pressure Works

By: Michael van der Galien

Michael van der Galien — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:00:01 +0000

Mikkel: that’s a nice interpretation and it’s partially even correct. The problem: he doesn’t attribute those sanctions for instance, measure, etc. to those who are actually responsible for them: hawks.

Also the militaristic talk is a factor or so it seems: people are afraid that the U.S. will attack.

With this, however, I agree:

Of course, the larger aims of Iran (vis a vis nuclear weapons and regional influence) are hardly confined to Ahmedinejad so I think focusing on him is misguided.

By: mikkel

mikkel — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:55:28 +0000

I’m confused what “hawk” means in your response Michael. The way I interpreted the op-ed was that aggressive political and economic measures were helpful while bellicose militaristic ones aren’t. I fully agree with this. Maybe I misinterpreted what was written because I felt like it agreed, but I think that the status quo is enough to bring down Ahmedinejad down because he got power on economic populism and that is failing. That and he’s crazy. Basically the only way to keep support is through messianic rhetoric, but this directly threatens the Ayatollahs so I don’t see them putting up with it if that goes much further.

Of course, the larger aims of Iran (vis a vis nuclear weapons and regional influence) are hardly confined to Ahmedinejad so I think focusing on him is misguided.

By: Rudi

Rudi — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:16:17 +0000

He very soon forgot the real help he had received in ensuring his election, basking in the belief that God and the people had put him in power.
Is the author writing about W or Wackjob? The op-ed is no worse than the Taheri or Kazimi drivel the hawks trumpets. Patches and flowers from Saddam!!!

By: The Right Nation

The Right Nation — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:01:17 +0000

Guardian (of the Islamic Revolution)…

Secondo Ali Ansari, sul Guardian, la “luna di miele” tra il popolo iraniano e Ahmadinejad sarebbe ormai agli sgoccioli. Ma l’insistenza dei falchi americani potrebbe aiutare Mad Mahmoud a restare in sella nonostante tutto. Una tesi bizzarra, di cui …