But isn't the Iranian Revolutionary Guard the tool that the Ayatolla uses to enforce his authority? :hmm:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35402650/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/
QuoteClinton: Iran becoming 'military dictatorship'
Revolutionary Guard is supplanting Tehran's government, she says
DOHA, Qatar - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday that Iran is becoming a military dictatorship, a new U.S. accusation in the midst of rising tensions with Iran over its nuclear ambitions and crack down on anti-government protesters.
Speaking to Arab students at Carnegie Mellon's Doha campus, Clinton said Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps appears to have gained so much power that it effectively is supplanting the government.
"Iran is moving toward a military dictatorship," she said. "That is our view."
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Last week the U.S. Treasury Department announced that it was freezing the assets in U.S. jurisdictions of a Revolutionary Guard general and four subsidiaries of a previously penalized construction firm he runs because of their alleged involvement in producing and spreading weapons of mass destruction.
The Revolutionary Guard has long been a pillar of Iran's regime as a force separate from the ordinary armed forces. The Guard now has a hand in every critical area including missile development, oil resources, dam building, road construction, telecommunications and nuclear technology.
It also has absorbed the paramilitary Basij as a full-fledged part of its command structure — giving the militia greater funding and a stronger presence in Iran's internal politics.
'Serious negotiations'
In her Doha appearance, Clinton also said she foresees a possible breakthrough soon in stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
"I'm hopeful that this year will see the commencement of serious negotiations that will cover every issue that is outstanding," she said, adding that "everyone is anticipating" progress after more than a year of impasse between the negotiating parties.
The peace talks broke down in late 2008 with Israel's incursion into Gaza, which had launched rocket attacks on Israeli targets.
Clinton spoke in an interview with the Al-Jazeera TV network before a live audience of mostly Arab students at Carnegie Mellon's Doha campus.
In remarks in the Qatari capital on Sunday, Clinton said she and the president are disappointed that the administration's efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks had failed thus far.
A Carnegie Mellon audience member who identified himself as an Iranian expatriate asked Clinton if the U.S. would be present in Iraq if Iraq had no oil resources. She said the U.S. wants a normal relationship with the Iraqi government, regardless of its natural resources.
"When we leave Iraq, as has been agreed to, with our military — and we're on schedule to do that — we will hopefully have a relationship with Iraq as we have with any other country," she said. On Sunday she said the number of U.S. troops in Iraq had fallen this month below 100,000 and that the United States is on track to have all combat troops out of the country by the end of summer.
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Reflecting the extent of concern in the Persian Gulf region about a U.S. confrontation with Iran, another member of the audience asked Clinton about the outlook for improving relations with Tehran. Clinton reiterated the Obama's administration view that Iran has violated its international obligation to use nuclear technology only for peaceful purposes. And she regretted that Iran has not accepted U.S. offers of nuclear negotiations.
"Unfortunately, there has not been the kind of response that we had hope for from the Iranian leadership," she said.
Clinton makes a point of raising the topic of women and girls' rights whenever she travels abroad. In a speech Sunday to a forum on U.S.-Muslim relations, she stressed it in the context of U.S. support for nations seeking to build democratic institutions.
"As nations strive to build and strengthen governments that reflect the will of their people, grounded in their own traditions, they can count on the United States to be their partner," she said. "But the will of the people means the will of all the people, men and women. Women's rights are an issue of singular importance to me personally and as secretary of state."
She also cited the issue of violence against women, without mentioning any specific country.
"Even today, in 2010, women are still targets of violence," she said Sunday. "And all too often, religion might be used to justify it. But there is never a justification for violence against women. It is not cultural. It is criminal. And it is up to religious leaders to take a stand for women, to call for an end to honor killings, child marriages, domestic and gender-based violence."
Later Monday, Clinton was flying to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a meeting with King Abdullah and a session with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press
Given that the civilian regime in Iran is completely insane a military regime doesn't sound very frightening.
Quote from: The Brain on February 15, 2010, 12:24:04 PM
Given that the civilian regime in Iran is completely insane a military regime doesn't sound very frightening.
That's assuming the Iranian military, particularly the Revolutionary Guard, isn't as insane as the Civilian leadership. This seems to me a poor bet.
meh, Iran needs a solid dose of Kemalism.
Quote from: Viking on February 15, 2010, 07:26:15 PM
meh, Iran needs a solid dose of Kemalism.
It needs a good dose of Rads.
In previous classes and readings, Iran has been described as a kind of "biarchy", like Russia between 1905 and the Bolshevik coup, with the National Government and the Religious Authoritarianism both playing their respective roles. I think Clinton is arguing that the one-the Religious-has allied with this rising paramilitary force (itself allied with the President and certain other members of the Executive) to utterly subdue the non-Executive parts of the National Government.
That said, I don't think "military dictatorship" is totally satisfactory. I don't think "coup" really worked for 2009 either, as the Mullahs always had power- they just suddenly weren't going to let the illusory power of the National Government grow too much in people's minds. Probably most accurate to say that it is going from Mixed Authoritarianism to Burma with a sheen of clericalism.
Quote from: Ed Anger on February 15, 2010, 07:28:59 PM
It needs a good dose of Rads.
I'm starting to think that Hillary would have had the balls to do it where Obama doesn't. And Oh wouldn't it have been sweet to see a women stick it to these medieval gothearders?!
G.
Quote from: Viking on February 15, 2010, 07:26:15 PM
meh, Iran needs a solid dose of Kemalism.
Slaughtering Clerics just pushes the issue back a few generations; inevitably it'll come back up, with awkward results. Open it up, and we'll be seeing nude beaches on the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf within a decade.
Quote from: Grallon on February 15, 2010, 07:32:13 PM
I'm starting to think that Hillary would have had the balls to do it where Obama doesn't. And Oh wouldn't it have been sweet to see a women stick it to these medieval gothearders?!
G.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F4gifs.com%2Fgallery%2Fd%2F145335-1%2FCloser_tiger.jpg&hash=e8e6bb4e2eb23794a4a69f564ad2267d93b831bf)
Cat fetish? :hmm:
G.
Genocide fetish?
Quote from: Queequeg on February 15, 2010, 07:53:06 PM
Genocide fetish?
Might as well speak of genocide when one gets a gangrened limb amputated.
G.
Quote from: Queequeg on February 15, 2010, 07:32:28 PM
Quote from: Viking on February 15, 2010, 07:26:15 PM
meh, Iran needs a solid dose of Kemalism.
Slaughtering Clerics just pushes the issue back a few generations; inevitably it'll come back up, with awkward results. Open it up, and we'll be seeing nude beaches on the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf within a decade.
Yeah right. You're the guy who believed in 'Hope and Change'. Your judgement is compromised by your love for any culture that you feel is particularily exotic.
Quote from: Grallon on February 15, 2010, 08:03:34 PM
Quote from: Queequeg on February 15, 2010, 07:53:06 PM
Genocide fetish?
Might as well speak of genocide when one gets a gangrened limb amputated.
G.
Do you try to emulate Hitler's style or does it come natural? I find it hard to believe you're not doing it on purpose.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on February 15, 2010, 08:31:22 PM
Do you try to emulate Hitler's style or does it come natural? I find it hard to believe you're not doing it on purpose.
Hitler was stupid - targeting a segment of society that was well integrated, productive and profitable. Of course they were a minority, an elite minority... It was thus all the more easier to point them out as profiteers and conspirators.
Muslims on the other hand are generally a nuisance wherever you find them; they resist integration, insist on all sorts of special treatments and get offended very easily when refused such. And when offended they have a tendency, Scriptures sanctioned, to dive into their death cult and start blowing shit up.
But let us wait the first muslim sponsored nuclear city burning event - and see how those like you react then.
G.
Quote from: Viking on February 15, 2010, 07:26:15 PM
meh, Iran needs a solid dose of Kemalism.
They did have Reza Shah.
As is requisite:
Hillary :wub:
I'm feeling regretful already:
QuoteIran says the world 'will regret' sanctions
Mr Ahmadinejad was addressing a televised press conference
Anyone placing sanctions on Iran would be "regretful", President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday.
Earlier Russia had indicated it considered sanctions against Iran were still an option if Iran did not co-operate with the UN's nuclear watchdog.
But Mr Ahmadinejad said talks were still under way and possibility for agreement "was not closed".
He also attacked the US Secretary of State for suggesting Iran is becoming a military dictatorship.
"If anyone does anything against Iran, then our response won't be the same as in the past. No, we will definitely react and make them regretful," the president told a televised press conference.
Earlier the Saudi Foreign Minister indicated his country would prefer a "more immediate solution" to the situation rather than slow-acting sanctions, but did not elaborate.
Clinton says Iran in 'turmoil'
In an interview with the BBC's Kim Ghattas, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appealed indirectly to the Iranian people not to let their country become a military dictatorship.
"You can be adversarial towards the US but still not want to see your country with its history and culture heading in that direction," she said.
Mrs Clinton's words appear to suggest that the Obama administration is seeking to exploit divisions inside Iran, says our correspondent.
Swap deal
The five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, known as the P5+1, have said Iran must agree to swap their nuclear material for enriched uranium in a controlled process if they want to continue with their nuclear programme.
Iran has said it will agree to swap their material for French nuclear isotopes, instead of enriching their own, but they insist the swap is done in Iran's territory.
The US and its allies fear Iran is attempting to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful.
Last week the Iranian Presidency announced it had begun enriching uranium to 20%, more than they have done so before.
On Tuesday Mr Ahmadinejad said this material was not part of "the nuclear programme".
Iran says it needs the 20% enriched uranium for hospital use.
Earlier, Russia said Iran should improve its co-operation with the UN nuclear body the International Atomic Energy Agency and allay fears that its nuclear programme is for military use.
"The international community must be sure that Iran's nuclear programme is peaceful. But if these obligations are not fulfilled then nobody can rule out the use of sanctions," said Kremlin spokeswoman Natalya Timakova.
Turkey is currently holding discussions with Iran on the possibility of getting an agreement where Iran's nuclear material could be stored in Turkey.
On Monday Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister said imposing more sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme would not be a quick enough solution.
He spoke in Riyadh alongside US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who earlier said Iran was "becoming a military dictatorship".
On Tuesday, Turkey's foreign minister is due in Iran aiming to mediate.
Turkey is a Nato member, and Ahmet Davutoglu is expected to try to promote a deal on Tehran's nuclear programme between Turkey's western allies and Iran's Islamic government.
Wars
On Monday Mrs Clinton said the government of Tehran was being "supplanted" by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, and was in danger of becoming a "military dictatorship".
"We see that the government of Iran, the supreme leader, the president, the parliament, is being supplanted and that Iran is moving toward a military dictatorship. That is our view," Mrs Clinton said on her maiden visit to the kingdom.
Mr Ahmadinejad said her comments were "not wise".
He said the US spent much more on the military than Iran did, and was involved in three wars around the world.
I've been reliably informed that Iran is a functioning democracy, and that they only need wait out the rapidly collapsing American state.
Allahu Ackbar.
Hmm..Grallon reminds me of those fools who tried to get the Mutant registration act signed!
He reminds me of that girl who killed Murat.