Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: unclewest who wrote (192706)	1/12/2007 11:19:00 PM
From: Sdgla	Respond to of 793895

Friday, January 12, 2007 The "Liberal" Iranians Posted by Hugh Hewitt \| 7:17 PM Iranian ex-pat blogger Hosssein Derakhshan was my guest on the first hour of the program today. The transcript is here. He is embarassed by Ahmadinejad, dismissive of the idea that the equally fanatical Ayatollah Yazdi will become the Supreme Religious Leader, and supportive of Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons. When I pressed him on the Iranians supplying bombs to kill Americans in Iraq, this "liberal" Iranian gave answers that unsettled a lot of listeners: HH: If the United States struck across the Iranian border at the Quds forces who are preparing the IED’s that are being used to kill Americans in Iraq, what would the reaction in Iran be? HD: The problem between Iran and the U.S. goes back to a long time ago, and I think the whole reason that Iran is making all this trouble is a way of defending itself against the United States that has never acknowledged the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic, and this revolution, whose main slogan was independence, freedom, and this mix of religious government which is very, actually close in terms of concept, the Israeli government wants to maintain a balance between democracy and religion. The U.S. have never acknowledged this regime, and this is very, very expected and normal reaction of the Iranians to try to defend itself, to try to maintain the independence and sovereignty, and they would of course do anything to prevent, or to decrease the likeliness of the U.S. attack, even if limited or invasion. And everything that Iran is doing in the region, in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Palestine with Hamas, and in Lebanon with Hezbollah, is just a reaction to prevent some sort of preemptive thing that the U.S. would probably do on Iran the same way it did to Iraq. No Iranian wants to see what happened to Iraq in Iran, and I’m one of them, and I’ve actually written that… HH: Hossein… HD: …that if the U.S. attacked Iran, I would go back to Iran, and I would defend the Islamic Republic against the Americans. HH: Is it legitimate for Iran to be sending weapons that kill Americans into Iraq right now, and possibly personnel as well, is that right for the regime to do? HD: If you want to discuss human rights, killing any human being would not be legitimate anyway. But if you’re talking about the realities in the world now, it’s a war, and people get killed from both sides. Iran is fighting against the U.S. in Iraq, and this is a reality, and any other country would do the same thing. HH: So you recognize that Iran is in fact sending weapons and fighters into Iraq to kill Americans? HD: I didn’t recognize that, because I don’t have any strong evidence that suggests that Iran is actually doing that. But even if Iran was doing that, it would be totally, totally accepted on my side. HH: And so, and you would rebuke the United States if the United States struck back in self defense against that intermeddling by Iranians in Iraq? HD: Absolutely. It’s a war between Iran and the U.S. that’s happening actually in Iraq before it comes to Iran. HH: So you believe that the United States and Iran are already at war? HD: I think they are, and actually, this is not only in Iraq. They’re already at war in many other fronts. HH: What other fronts? HD: Including the Lebanon, which was basically between Israel and Hezbollah, but in reality, it was between Iran and the U.S. It was a proxy war. Clarity is a wonderful thing. Read the whole thing. hughhewitt.townhall.com