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briguy

Another $75 million down the drain

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Doesn't making them watch American Idol violate the Geneva convention or something? :|:P




ugh....agreed. i'm pretty sure they already have an arabic version of that show.

but seriously, do you think spending $75 million broadcasting pro-Us messages into Iran will do any good?

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Since it has been working so wonderfully in changing Cuba's government, the US will start broadcasting tv and radio into Iran.

Cost to US taxpayers: $75 million >:(


http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/15/iran.usa.reut/index.html



What does the messages say?

Throw out your government and be free from:

Illeagel eavesdropping

Being held without charge

freedom of religion and the freedom to practice that religion without suspicion

etc, etc,etc

"This isn't an iron lung, people. You can actually disconnect and not die." -Dave

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Well this is what I would broadcast:

Dear President Mahmud Ahmadinejad,

The Vice President of the United States cordially invites you to a weekend of Quail hunting in the great state of Texas. We know that at this moment the relations between our two nations is severally strained. Hopefully, after a weekend of hunting with the VP in a 50,000 acre ranch we can start to form a lasting and mutually beneficial friendship.


Hey it just might work.

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...the US will start broadcasting tv and radio into Iran.



You would prefer that their only source of information be what their whacko extremist leaders tell them?

That's why all these mindless riots are happening over a simple cartoon.

That's a great plan you have!

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You would prefer that their only source of information be what their whacko extremist leaders tell them?


So getting information from another set of whacko extremists is going to help them how exactly?



Can't be avoided either way. If they let CNN, BBC, FOX, etc in place, it's still wacko extremists.

I'd rather not spend the money. We can use it better elsewhere. Like give it back to those that paid it.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

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You would prefer that their only source of information be what their whacko extremist leaders tell them?



So getting information from another set of whacko extremists is going to help them how exactly?



The Iranian leader is building nuclear bombs, and is threatening to annihilate Israel.

If you put America in that same category, then you are an extremist yourself.

Oh, and it sounds like you're in favor of allowing a country to censor what information it's citizens receive. I guess you must just love the leadership of China.

It's ironic how people who think like you manage to call everyone else an extremist.

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On Iran building nukes that is a topic that we and the rest of the world have to address.


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Oh, and it sounds like you're in favor of allowing a country to censor what information it's citizens receive. I guess you must just love the leadership of China.



As to what a sovereign nation does with it's citizen I could care less. If Iran wants to ban everything, go right ahead. It is not our right to shove our values onto others. If the Iranian people don't like it then they can do something about it. We did it back in the late 1700s, hell even the French got pissed and a few heads rolled, look at what the Russians did too. If people want change and freedom they have to fight for it.

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As to what a sovereign nation does with it's citizen I could care less. If Iran wants to ban everything, go right ahead. It is not our right to shove our values onto others. If the Iranian people don't like it then they can do something about it. We did it back in the late 1700s, hell even the French got pissed and a few heads rolled, look at what the Russians did too. If people want change and freedom they have to fight for it.



I think we should care. The question is, how far to go to help them. Broadcasting radio waves into their country isn't "shoving our values" onto them - they are free to tune in, or tune out. The freedom of choice is theirs, and that's a choice that their leadership doesn't want them to have. I agree that the best solution would be to have a revolution that would throw-out the theocratic extremist leadership, and join the 21st century. Broadcasting radio waves is the least we can do to help them, to bring the truth to them, without being too invasive.

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Err... Iranians can already get BBC, Sky News....

I guess that what Condie wants to do is set up a Middle-Eastern version of Radio Liberty / Radio Free Europe.

The effectiveness of RL/RFE in The Cold War is open to debate, but why not.

What IS worrying is that "some" of the $$ will be used to fund "Dissident Groups". This sounds disturbingly like history repeating itself and the backlash against the US was bad enough last time.

Question: Is the US determined to ensure a continuous civil war in the Middle-East? Everything they're doing seems to suggest that they are.

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

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You would prefer that their only source of information be what their whacko extremist leaders tell them?



So getting information from another set of whacko extremists is going to help them how exactly?



The Iranian leader is building nuclear bombs, and is threatening to annihilate Israel.

If you put America in that same category, then you are an extremist yourself.

Oh, and it sounds like you're in favor of allowing a country to censor what information it's citizens receive. I guess you must just love the leadership of China.

It's ironic how people who think like you manage to call everyone else an extremist.



Let's see:

US engineers the overthrow of legitimate Iranian regime in 1953, and puts the (hated) Shah in place.

US opposes anti (hated) Shah revolution led by Khomenei, leading to Iranian hatred of all things US in late 1970s.

US arms Iraq following Iraqi invasion of Iran, 1980s.

US invades neighboring nations of Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003).

I wonder why the Iranians want nukes. Could it possibly be that totally incompetent US foreign policy over the last 50 years has led them to believe its the only way they can be safe from US meddling?
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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It's ironic how people who think like you manage to call everyone else an extremist.



Let's see:

US engineers the overthrow of legitimate Iranian regime in 1953, and puts the (hated) Shah in place.

US opposes anti (hated) Shah revolution led by Khomenei, leading to Iranian hatred of all things US in late 1970s.

US arms Iraq following Iraqi invasion of Iran, 1980s.

US invades neighboring nations of Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003).



Yep... We've gotta stop them building nukes so we can invade & bring democracy to them there Iranian... American... Iranian... Yeah... Iranian, definitely Iranian... extremists!:P

I bet them Americans... Iranians even lock people away for years without trial in prison camps :o regardless of international pressure!

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

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Let's see:

US engineers the overthrow of legitimate Iranian regime in 1953, and puts the (hated) Shah in place.

US opposes anti (hated) Shah revolution led by Khomenei, leading to Iranian hatred of all things US in late 1970s.

US arms Iraq following Iraqi invasion of Iran, 1980s.

US invades neighboring nations of Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003).

I wonder why the Iranians want nukes. Could it possibly be that totally incompetent US foreign policy over the last 50 years has led them to believe its the only way they can be safe from US meddling?



You've also taken the events out of historical context.

Toss in the beginning of the cold war, the oil embargo, the sept 11 attacks and saddam's blatant disregard for the 1991 treaty entry gulf war I to even things out.

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Let's see:

US engineers the overthrow of legitimate Iranian regime in 1953, and puts the (hated) Shah in place.

US opposes anti (hated) Shah revolution led by Khomenei, leading to Iranian hatred of all things US in late 1970s.

US arms Iraq following Iraqi invasion of Iran, 1980s.

US invades neighboring nations of Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003).

I wonder why the Iranians want nukes. Could it possibly be that totally incompetent US foreign policy over the last 50 years has led them to believe its the only way they can be safe from US meddling?



You've also taken the events out of historical context.

Toss in the beginning of the cold war, the oil embargo, the sept 11 attacks and saddam's blatant disregard for the 1991 treaty entry gulf war I to even things out.



And that affects the Iranian mindset in exactly what way?

We overthrew their legitimate government. Why would they not be pissed?
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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We overthrew their legitimate government. Why would they not be pissed?



becuase it was 50 years ago........



Yep, it WAS 50 (53) years ago. The US then supported the imposition of an unpopular, undemocratic, autocratic & repressive regime on them for the following 26 years!

Once that regime was deposed (Khomeni's theocracy maybe wasn't viewed as good, but it was viewed as BETTER) then The US supported Irans enemy in a war lasting almost a decade.

Then followed 10 years ofUS "Non-Emnity" towards Iran (which interestingly co-incided with a thaw in Iran's regime & relations with the west).

Then, 5 years during which The US has invaded Irans neighbours and now almost surrounds Iran. Combine that with US Sabre-Rattling (like Condoleeza Rice's recent statement to Congress about Iran being the centre of world terrorism - just like Iraq was 5 years ago).

Yeah... Iran is paranoid & Anti-American. America has systematically fucked with Iran FOR 50 YEARS & have stated their intention to continue doing so! RIght now their reasonable concern is whether they're being sufficiently paranoid and the best & proven solution to this threat to THEIR national security & democratically elected government is to join the "Nuclear-Club".

Personally, I think that the sooner they build & (test) detonate a nuke thus proving their membership of the Nuke-Club, the sooner America will cease their idiotic "Baseball-Bat-Diplomacy" and the Mid-East will calm down.

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

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We overthrew their legitimate government. Why would they not be pissed?



becuase it was 50 years ago........



50 years is nothing to a culture that has existed for 5000 years.

I can't believe you made such a ridiculous comment.

The Iranians, with complete justification, view the US as a threat.
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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