Monday, July 30, 2012

Is Iran fucked? Op-ed: Mitt Romney’s Jerusalem Speech Panders to the Right-Wing (Beeman)

Thanks for this piece Bill. This latest action, combined with panetta's visit, shows that if either the mormon or the nigger win the 2012 presidential election, Iran and Iranians are fucked.
Peter Khan Zendran
On Mon, Jul 30, 2012, at 03:05 PM, William Beeman wrote:

http://newamericamedia.org/2012/07/mitt-romneys-jerusalem-speech-panders-to-the-right-wing.php#

Mitt Romney’s Jerusalem Speech Panders to the Right-Wing

Story tools
Comments

New America Media, Op-ed, William O. Beeman, Posted: Jul 30, 2012

Mitt Romney’s foreign policy speech to the Jerusalem Foundation in Israel on Sunday qualified him to be President—of Israel. His observations were as remarkable for what he didn’t say as for what he did. They could have been written by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, for they parallel his thinking almost exactly, and they were sharply at odds with current U.S. policy toward the region.

Mr. Romney didn’t mention the Palestinians (although he later made an invidious comparison of Palestinians to Israelis that was deemed racist by Palestinian officials), nor did he offer any remarks on the settlements in the West Bank—arguably Israel’s most pressing problem. Indeed, he explicitly called for Americans not to engage in any criticism of Israel at all, since Israelis seemed to be capable of self-critique.

What Mr. Romney did do in his talk was primarily to lambaste Iran.

He trotted out a laundry list of accusations against Iran, virtually all of which have been discredited fabrications or shown to be wildly exaggerated caricatures of Iranian thought and behavior. Among these was the hoary old accusation that Iranians had threatened to “wipe Israel off the map”—a fabrication so well known that it has its own Wikipedia page. He also repeated the old saw that Iran is the “chief State supporter of terrorism,” an unsupported assertion left over from the Bush administration. He also cited the discredited claims that the Iranian government supplied weapons used to attack Americans in Iraq—something the U.S. military tried desperately to prove with absolutely no success.

He said, “When Iran’s leaders deny the Holocaust . . .” branding them as Holocaust deniers. Iran’s leaders, in fact, have never denied the Holocaust. To be sure, they have questioned its causes and results in ways that are inaccurate, but they never denied that it happened. There was even a widely applauded popular film in Iran dealing with the Holocaust and an Iranian historical figure who saved Jews from being killed.

Of course, no one denies Iran’s dismal domestic human rights record—something that should be of concern to the whole world—but Mr. Romney barely touched on this one legitimate accusation of wrongdoing on the part of the Iranian government.

These broad swipes at Iran would be just garden-variety neoconservative palaver if it weren’t for the additional steps Mr. Romney took in advancing a case for armed conflict against the Islamic Republic—steps that were both reckless and ignorant. The case is based on the favorite neoconservative hobby-horse: Iran’s nuclear program.

Mr. Romney hinted broadly that the United States would support a military strike against Iran. This would not be to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon as is current U.S. policy, but rather to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capacity. This is code for shutting down or destroying Iran’s entire nuclear development program.

Mr. Romney seems unaware of the complexities of the Iranian case. Iran is signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) along with all other states with nuclear development, except for Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea. The treaty grants all signatories the inalienable right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Iran is engaged in uranium enrichment to provide fuel for nuclear generation of electricity. However, Iran is not alone in doing this. Nineteen other world states who are signatories to the NPT do so as well, and at least two, Japan and Brazil, have stated openly that they are prepared to manufacture nuclear weapons if the need arises. Even if there were any proof that Iran had a nuclear weapons program, they are far from producing even nuclear reactor fuel. Mr. Romney said, cagily, they are “five years closer” to producing a nuclear weapon—but those attacking Iran have been saying this every year since 1990, and Iran is no closer.

The history of nuclear development in Iran also involves the United States directly. The U.S. government urged the Iranians to start their program in 1970 as a move toward modernization. The nuclear facilities they are now developing are a direct outgrowth of those mutually approved plans.

The complexity of this issue is apparent to the Obama administration, which is why diplomacy has been urged by every foreign policy adviser as a means of creating confidence and settling misunderstandings and differences between Iran, the United States and its allies. Brute force designed to damage Iran’s nuclear facilities has been decried as dangerous and useless by American and Israeli military and intelligence officials.

The most ironic part of Mr. Romney’s speech came toward the end when he stated: “If you want to hear some very sharp criticisms of Israel and its policies, you don’t have to cross any borders. All you have to do is walk down the street and into a café, where you’ll hear people reasoning, arguing, and speaking their mind. Or pick up an Israeli newspaper – you’ll find some of the toughest criticism of Israel you’ll read anywhere. Your nation, like ours, is stronger for this energetic exchange of ideas and opinions.”

If Mr. Romney had taken this observation to heart and showed even a modicum of nuance in his remarks, he might have appeared statesmanlike. As it was, his speech was little more than a screed of right-wing slogans designed to please his Israeli host, and the Americans who support the most extreme right-wing policies of the Israeli government. His need to pander may go even further. Part of his live audience in Jerusalem was Israeli-supporter, billionaire Sheldon Adelson, who is bankrolling Mr. Romney’s campaign with unlimited amounts of money.

William O. Beeman is Professor and Chair of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Minnesota. He has lived and worked in the Middle East for over 40 years. He visited Iran last November, and Israel in June of this year. He is the author of The “Great Satan” vs. the “Mad Mullahs”: How the United States and Iran Demonize Each Other. (University of Chicago Press, 2008).

--
William O. Beeman
Professor and Chair
Department of Anthropology
University of Minnesota
395 HHH Center
301 19th Avenue S.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 625-3400

Monday, July 23, 2012

Possibility of Iranian-zionist conflict during olympics

Having met with British military personnel recently I can say that while they are unable and unwilling to go to war with Iran, the collateral damage from an Iranian-zionist conflict is something the British are worried about.

 London braces for Israeli strike on Iran during 2012 Games Olympic planning committee fears a military showdown during the largest sporting event in the world By Aaron Kalman July 18, 2012, 11:57 am
Taking into account the possibility of an Israeli attack on Iran during the 2012 Summer Games, the Olympic committee in charge of the London event has formed a special team to prepare for the contingency. According to the Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronoth on Wednesday., the team — consisting of politicians, diplomats, security officials and organizing committee personnel — wrote in a report that such a strike was entirely possible. Yedioth reported that the team was also preparing for the possibility of an earthquake or volcanic eruption. England is thought to be within the range of Iranian missiles and UK officials believe that a military confrontation between Jerusalem and Tehran could involve the country against its will. The special team listed a number of steps that would need to be taken in the event of such a conflict, among them: opening a special command center, providing secret safe houses for foreign leaders wishing to meet for diplomatic purposes, and preparing for emergency evacuations of dignitaries. The team said England would have to guarantee the safety of the athletes and the continuation of the Games, as well as make sure Israeli and Iranian athletes are kept away from each other. Yedioth reported that the recommendations were passed on to the police, who practiced dealing with the mass protests that could erupt if war broke out.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Russia stands against those behind Syrian uprising

It is good to see Russia, Lavrov particularly, finally has had the courage to stand against foreign powers meddling in Syrian affairs. After all, those doing the uprising against Assad are all western educated and connected.


 Russia accuses West of inciting Syrian rebels UN postpones vote on a Western-backed resolution that threatens Syrian authorities with sanctions after suicide bombing. Last Modified: 18 Jul 2012 18:15 Lavrov says Western powers are unwilling to compromise on a solution to the Syrian conflict [EPA] The United Nations Security Council has postponed until Thursday a vote on a Western-backed resolution that threatens Syrian authorities with sanctions in a bid to end the 16-month conflict, Russia's UN envoy said. "A possible vote has been postponed until tomorrow morning," Vitaly Churkin, the Russian ambassador, told reporters after a meeting of the envoys of the council's five permanent members, adding that further talks on the measure would be held on Wednesday. International envoy Kofi Annan had requested the delay amid differences between Moscow and the resolutions's Western sponsors over whether Damascus should be threatened with sanctions. Russia has vowed to veto the resolution drawn up by Britain, with the backing of France, United States, Germany and Portugal. The resolution proposes non-military sanctions under Chapter VII of the UN Charter if President Bashar al-Assad does not halt the use of heavy weapons within 10 days of a resolution being passed. Russia accused the West of inciting the Syrian opposition after the defence minister and Assad's brother-in-law were killed in a bomb attack, arguing that a proposed UN resolution amounted to support for the rebels and would lead to more bloodshed. In-depth coverage of escalating violence across Syria "Instead of calming the opposition down, some of our partners are inciting it to go on," Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, was quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency on Wednesday. Supporting the Syrian opposition "is a dead-end policy, because Assad is not leaving voluntarily," he said. Despite the probable delay in the vote there was no sign that Russia has withdrawn its veto threat. "We cannot accept Chapter VII and the section about sanctions," Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, said in Moscow on Wednesday. 'Need to act' Foreign ministers from the five permanent Security Council members - Russia, United States, France, Britain and China - were negotiating the future of the resolution, diplomats said. UN ambassadors from the five countries held talks at the Council on when the vote would go ahead. The mandate of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) ends on Friday and without a resolution the UN may have to hurriedly withdraw the nearly 300 unarmed observers now in Damascus. The Western countries will "seriously consider" Annan's request, said Peter Wittig, UN envoy for Germany which is currently a non-permanent member of the council. "We want to give diplomacy a chance but there has to be meaningful engagement on the side of Russia and China with our resolution," Wittig told reporters. Russia, Assad's main ally, and China have vetoed two council resolutions which just hinted at sanctions. "We just don't want business as usual. We want a strong signal with that resolution and the events in Damascus today of course dramatically highlight the need for the council to act at long last," Wittig added. Rare insights into life in Homs under daily shelling "We have a responsibility. Syria is sliding into chaos," the Germany envoy said. More than 17,000 people have been killed since a popular uprising against Assad began 16 months ago, activists say. "Decisions should be taken by people in Syria, the Syrian people," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during the press conference in Moscow with Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday afternoon. "This process being prolonged is resulting in more and more massacres being committed by Assad, just like his father." Following the Russia-Turkey press conference, Al Jazeera's Jennifer Glasse noted that both Russia and Turkey had said that they were backing the option preferred by the Syrian people. "Russia believes what the people want is no intervention," she said, while Turkey says the majority of the Syrian people are calling for international intervention. "Russia is very clear that it wants its resolution passed, and that it will not back any resolution that will impose sanctions." 'Terrorist action' Ali Akbar Salehi, the Iranian foreign minister, condemned a suicide bombing which killed three Syrian security chiefs on Wednesday, in a telephone call with his counterpart in Damascus. "Salehi condemned the terrorist action committed today in Damascus during a telephone conversation with Walid Muallem," the official IRNA news agency reported. Tehran is the main regional ally of Assad's regime, advocating dialogue between the government and opposition. According to IRNA, Salehi called for "an immediate end ... to foreign interference and arms shipments ... to Syria and the support of some regional and international parties for terrorist action". "The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns all violence and destructive action and believes that dialogue is the only solution to end the Syrian crisis," the minister said. Meanwhile, the White House said Wednesday that President Bashar al-Assad was losing control of Syria, after a deadly attack on his inner circle, and that the United States was working urgently with international partners to push for a political transition there. "There is real momentum against Assad, with increasing defections, and a strengthened and more united opposition that is operating across the country," Tommy Vietor, the spokesperson for the White House, said after Wednesday's suicide bombing in Damascus. "With the Assad regime losing control, it's time for the Syrian people and the international community to focus on what comes next," he said. "We are working urgently with our international partners to push for a political transition in Syria. The international community, including the opposition, has met several times to begin this process and it must continue."

Anti-Iranian missile radar to be installed in qatar

Once again, qatar shows what an imperialist pawn it has become by allowing america to put this piece of shit on its territory. The real aggressor and backer of aggression in Khalj Fars since the 1970's has been america, and Iran even today is acting only defensively.



 US 'building missile defence radar' in Qatar Pentagon says it is seeking to 'build greater cooperation' and address security interests in region. Last Modified: 18 Jul 2012 05:26 The Pentagon is building a missile defence radar station at a covert location in Qatar, The Wall Street Journal has reported. The site will be part of a system intended to defend the interests of the United States and its allies against Iranian rockets, unnamed officials told the US newspaper on Tuesday. "We have a number of allies and partners in the region with whom we seek to build greater cooperation, and our goal is to address a wide range of US security interests there," the Pentagon said in reply to Al Jazeera’s question on purported radar site. A similar radar has existed on Mount Keren in the Negev Desert since 2008 and another is installed in Turkey as part of NATO's missile defence shield. Officials told the newspaper that the US Central Command, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East and South Asia, wants to deploy the first Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system in the area in the coming months, possibly in the United Arab Emirates. The newspaper also reported that the US was preparing for its biggest-ever minesweeping exercises in the Gulf in September, calling them the "first such multilateral drills in the region".

Monday, July 16, 2012

Khalj Fars provocation against Iran

Notice that the Enterprise is scheduled to retire, and the eisenhower and lincoln have aging hulls and equipment, and two carrier groups in the region is provocative enough witht the recent drone deployment. Notice they also do not report what type of Iranian PT boat came close to the lincoln. This is provocation, as americ ahas no business in Khalj Fars and america's political leadership even now is playing a backstabbing game with Iran. Peter Khan Zendran US aircraft carrier has close encounter with Iranian patrol boat An Iranian patrol boat approached a U.S. aircraft carrier, backing down within two miles from the USS Abraham Lincoln. NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports from the USS Abraham Lincoln. By NBC News and msnbc.com news services ABOARD THE USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN – A U.S. aircraft carrier sailing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz had a close encounter with an Iranian vessel Tuesday. The Iranian navy patrol boat came within two miles of the USS Abraham Lincoln, part of the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, as it sailed through the strait with the destroyer Cape St. George and a guided missile cruiser. The Iranian military came out for a look at the ships, first sending a reconnaissance flight and then sending the Iranian patrol boat. The commander of the USS Abraham Lincoln, Capt. John Alexander, said such close encounters “could eventually lead to a fatal miscalculation.” “They have the ability to take a shot at me at some point, and I worry about it,” Alexander told NBC News. Because of strong U.S. sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program, Iran has threatened to shut down the strait and attack U.S. warships. Oil tankers carry a fifth of the world's oil supply through the strait, only about 30 miles across at its narrowest point. Iran has also amassed Revolutionary Guard fast boats, submarines and, along the shoreline, anti-ship cruise missiles. Vice Admiral Mark Fox, commander of the 5th Fleet, said, “We’re ready today. This is the world we live in.” Fox said Sunday that Iran had built up its naval forces in the Gulf and prepared boats that could be used in suicide attacks, but the U.S. Navy could prevent it from blocking the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet always has at least one supercarrier at sea accompanied by scores of jets and a fleet of frigates and destroyers. Panetta Accelerates Stennis Carrier Strike Group Deployment Story Number: NNS120716-20 7/16/2012 image: Top News Story By Jim Garamone Jim Garamone Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy will deploy the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis and its strike group four months early and shift its destination to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, DOD officials said at the Pentagon July 16. The deployment late this summer is in response to Central Command's requirement for an extended carrier presence, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said. The move affects 5,500 sailors aboard the Stennis and the Aegis cruiser USS Mobile Bay. Last week, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta approved a request from Central Command commander Marine Corps General James N. Mattis to accelerate Stennis' deployment. "The decision will help support existing naval force requirements in the Middle East and reduce the gap caused by the upcoming departure of the USS Enterprise Strike Group," Little said. "It is in keeping with our long-standing commitments to the region." Aircraft carrier strike groups provide commanders with ample and flexible air assets to enhance interoperability with partner nations and maintain strong military-to-military relations as well as respond to a wide variety of contingencies, Little said. The Bremerton, Wash.-based Stennis strike group was due to deploy at the end of the year to U.S. Pacific Command. The group returned from duty in the Middle East in March. The accelerated deployment to the Central Command area of responsibility is not aimed at any specific threat. "In keeping with Centcom's requirements, this is a very important region for our defense strategy," Little said. "We've had a presence in the region for decades and we have a range of interests that this extension of our capabilities will support." Nor, he said, is the deployment a direct response to tensions with Iran. The U.S. military is "always mindful of the challenges posed by Iran, but ... this is not a decision based solely on the challenges posed by Iran," Little said. Currently the USS Enterprise and USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike groups are deployed to U.S. Central Command. The USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group is due to relieve the Lincoln group shortly. The Stennis group will relieve Enterprise. The Navy continues to operate at a high operational tempo in order to meet U.S. security needs around the world,. "Our deployment strain is as great as or greater today than it has been at any time in the past 10 years," a Navy official said. Sailors and their families have been informed of the change, Little said. Navy officials looked at a wide range of options to ensure Navy commitments and combatant commander mission requirements are met and to lessen the impact of schedule changes. The carrier strike group will be ready to deploy even given the accelerated timeline, Little said. "The U.S. Navy is well-equipped to ensure our sailors are trained and ready for this deployment," he said. Navy leaders understand the operational and personnel impacts this accelerated deployment will have. These include training cycle adjustments, crew and family uncertainty and reductions to quality of life port visits. As more information becomes available, the Navy will release it, officials said, noting defense leaders are "committed to keeping sailors and their families informed about current and future deployments to the best of our ability." For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy. Enterprise Conducts Mass Casualty Drill Story Number: NNS120714-02 7/14/2012 By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brian G. Reynolds, Enterprise Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea (NNS) -- The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) conducted a mass casualty drill July 13 as part of a continued commitment to mission readiness. A mass casualty is any instance in which the level of casualties is greater than the Medical department alone can support. "This could be anywhere from 10 to 100 people," said Lt. Darcy Guerricagoitia, Enterprise's nurse. "It depends on the injuries, resources and personnel available. It enables us to exercise and evaluate the ship's response during a mass casualty scenario." During a mass casualty, there are four levels of casualties used by Medical personnel to categorize the injured who are then taken to one of four corresponding triage stations. "For example, a red casualty requires immediate medical attention and will not survive if not seen relatively soon," said Guerricagoitia. "Any compromise to the casualty's airway, hemorrhage control or untreated shock could be fatal." Another aspect of a mass casualty event is the activation of the walking blood bank. The walking blood bank is comprised of a minimum of 300 people - or, at least 10 percent of the ship's company - who are enrolled and eligible to donate blood in the event of a mass casualty. "Right now, we have 333 people enrolled," said Guerricagoitia. "Ideally, everyone would be a member of the walking blood bank. It can save your life and the life of your shipmate." A mass casualty event doesn't just affect the Medical department, as the cause of such massive damage and injury is generally a ship-wide catastrophe. In addition to Medical, the drill involved the Air Department Training Team and Security. The Medical department hopes to incorporate more departments in the future. During the drill, several scenarios were played out to test the readiness of the crew. One of these scenarios included an aircraft fire in the hangar bay. After the fire was distinguished, but reflashed injuring 13 people. "We, the Medical Training Team, are not only evaluating the Medical department's response to the casualties, we are also evaluating the ship's response," said Guerricagoitia. The main focus of a drill like this is mission readiness and the overall ability of Enterprise to carry out its operational missions in the event of a mass casualty. "Yes, it is a training requirement to do mass casualty drills," said Guerricagoitia. "It is also important to assess our preparedness as a ship to deal with a mass casualty." Needless to say, real-life situations like the one played out during the drill are not unheard of. Guerricagoitia believes that it is imperative that the ship's crew be able to act - and act swiftly - in the event that a worst-case scenario occurs. "This is important," said Guerricagoitia. "There is certainly the potential for it to happen. Communication, participation, knowledge and safety are all important in the drill, and during a real event." For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy. For more news from USS Enterprise (CVN 65), visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn65/.

Sunday, July 01, 2012

New shit u president-Zendran connection

Notice the past history of shit u's choice to replace nigress simmons.  The wilson school at princeton and the watson institute are closely connected, so this shows that shit u will not end it's beef with me with simmons out of the top spot.
Peter Z


March 2, 2012

A Princeton Dean Is Named to Lead Brown

Christina Hull Paxson, the dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton, will become president of Brown University on July 1. She succeeds Ruth J. Simmons, who said in September that she would step down.
Dr. Paxson, 52, is an economist who began teaching at Princeton in 1986. In 2000, she founded the Wilson School’s Center for Health and Wellbeing, serving as its director until 2009, when she became dean. Her work in recent years has focused on the relationship of economic factors to children’s health and welfare.
Dr. Paxson has served as chairwoman of Princeton’s economics department. She is also a senior editor of The Future of Children and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. She is probably best known in the popular media for her research, with Anne Case, on the relationship of children’s height to status, intelligence and earnings.
Chancellor Thomas J. Tisch, who led a search committee, said Dr. Paxson’s record at Princeton and her success at the Woodrow Wilson School showed that she was the right candidate. Dr. Paxson, he said, had “taken the school and made it a happy place. If she can make Brown any happier, I think we’d burst the thermometer.”
Coincidentally, he said, Chung-I Tan, who led a campus advisory group that helped in the search, had taught Dr. Paxson’s older brother, a 1975 Brown graduate, and had written his recommendation for architecture school.
Dr. Paxson said it was her brother who provided her first impression of Brown. “My big brother, this clean-cut, studious kid, went off to Brown and came back at Thanksgiving vacation to Pittsburgh,” she said. “He had long hair, he was listening to new music and he argued with my mother about the ethics of eating meat.”
An alumna of Swarthmore College who earned her graduate degrees at Columbia, Dr. Paxson is married to Ari Gabinet, executive vice president and general counsel of Oppenheimer Funds. They have two sons, ages 14 and 22.