Paolo, I think your right. Ahmadi-Nejad, thanks for the correct spelling, is a thug and a horses ass but he doesn’t come close to Bush. I’m a veteran and I find it really disturbing that a draft dodger like Bush would send better people then he will ever be to die for no good reason. We Americans committed this same type of crime in Viet Nam. We lost 58 thousand killed, thousands wounded and maimed, we killed tens of thousands of Vietnamese and we learned nothing. As long as our leaders don’t have to risk their lives and as long as the sons and daughters of our economic aristocracy don’t have to fight America will continue to have these unnecessary and immoral adventures.

Joe, brevity means brief or short. What are you really asking about the good old US of A?

tomack, while I understand your concern, it’s not as if he was needed for Bush to trump up evidence for another military strike against a sovereign nation. We live in a depressing time, but remain objective and keep the faith! We can overcome!

So Ahmadi-Nejad (this is a better transliteration of his name) is an “up and coming school-yard brawler”?

Wow.

I’m no great fan of the Iranian theocracy, although I suspect it is far more civilized than the Neocon dead-head propaganda makes it out to be. Having said that, Ahmadi-Nejad is right, on many levels.

He said Iran would defend its sovereignty. Is that unreasonable?

He said Iran would continue to pursue peaceful use of atomic energy. Is this unreasonable? (especially considering that oil is, with current technology, a finite energy source).

He said Iran would negotiate with the IAEA under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), of which Iran is a signatory. Is this unreasonable?

On the other hand, the USA has invaded, conquered, and occupied Iran’s neighbor, Iraq, on completely false pretenses. Is this “reasonable?”

Just who is the “up-and-coming schoolyard bully?” I would argue it is the USA, which has illegally invaded and occupied two sovereign states.

Iran has not invaded another country in over two hundred years.

Maybe Ahmadi-Nejad is a hotheadead, bullying leader. But in comparison with America’s current leadership, he looks like a paragon of reason. This is not so much a compliment to Ahmadi-Nejad, as it is a condemnation of America’s criminal administration.

Click http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/richard_silverstei n/2008/04/israels_tehran_connection.html

First Iran does not import oil----it has plenty.  What it lacks are refineries so it does import gasoline.

Second, Ahmandinejab does count because what he says reflects the Ayatollah’s position.  Just like in US football, a QB that has won a Superbowl has status and is golden. In the international arena, a country that possesses nuclear weapons rates with the big boys!  And notice I said “weapons"----one or two is not enough at least a dozen is needed for a credible threat!  So Iran has a ways to go before they become a real nuclear power.

Iran has the gross nsational of Sweeden.They have to import oil.By almost any measure they are a third world country.If Americans would stop hiding under their beds everytime the Pres says boo they would realize that Iran is not any sort of a problem to us at all.Iran is Shia and al qaida is Sunni.The chance of Iran helping Al Qaida out is less likely than Ralph Nader getting elected President.The Iranian army fought a draw with Saddam for eight years.How long did it take us to defeat his army?If they drop a missle on Israel they know that Tehran will be a parking lot in 45 minutes.The real problem is using this bullshit and alienating Russia a true nuclear adversary.Remember this you cannot justify a huge military budget{where the real stealing is going on}unless you have enemies.Unfortunately Americans are not able to discern between real and imagined enemies.When did this brave country become such wimps?Boo.Go back under the bed.

The other idiots gave it to them.

I respectfully submit that it does matter what this idiot says. Because what this idiot says may feed into what our idiot does. After all, in the past there have been instances when we have done more harm with less provocation.

I wish it were otherwise.

Can we please stop talking about this idiot? The Ayatollah still makes all the real national decisions. This guy is a figurehead. What he says does not matter.