Hawks in Obama's Cabinet

Watch this spot for more on this theme. Iranians and their friends have to remain vigilant even under an Obama presidency. The Republicans say we think he's the Messiah. But we know better. He's a politician. A damn sight better than his opponent, but someone we still need to keep our eyes on.

Here is an open letter from ZNet, a leftist journal generally associated with Noam Chomsky and friends. 

Here's an article by Jim Lobe on the presence in Obama's shadow cabinet of people who want to start a war with Iran. The comments also bear reading. Is this just political posturing--an attempt to win points while wooing the important Jewish Floridian demographic? Or does it go deeper? Only time will tell...

New York Street Scene

Tell them (and show them) that anyone can help get their candidate elected. Bunny and Wallie (or at least one of 'em) have been with me every time we've visited our local Barack Obama headquarters. I usually stop in to pick up stickers or buttons and I always let them choose one. Wallie was enamored with an "Iranians for Obama" button last week and who was I to stop her? We're all citizens of a world that is getting smaller so I have no problem with her wearing it.

Source: CityMama

That One in '08!

OBAMA IN A LANDSLIDE!

The Candidates And the Arab-Israeli Conflict

No, this blog does not intend to settle the status of Jerusalem or the plight of the refugees or the problem of preserving the Jewish character of the State of Israel. 

But the world has an interest in making sure that this volatile region not explode, an certain Iranians have a particularly strong interest, given the role of pro-Israeli groups pressing for a more confrontational line with the Islamic Republic.

Here is an interesting bit of analysis from an Iranian friend working in Israel. 

Iranians for McCain

As I mentioned in a previous post, our rightist friends have tried to use our blog, which proudly proclaims its support for a free and democratic Iran, to somehow show that Obama is in league with the Islamic Republic, which is increasingly neither free nor democratic. I guess any Iranian will do. Now another blog has joined the fray. Look, let me explain this once more. If an anti-Ahmadinejad Iranian blog supports Obama, it does not mean that Ahmadinejad supports Obama. 

But what do they make of the large number of Iranian Republicans, i.e., supporters of the GOP? Here is a good article about Iranian-Americans and the Republican Party in the 2004 elections.

But now, many good Iranian-American Republicans have become disenchanted with their old party. Not because they've suddenly become Islamic fundamentalists, but because they do not want their country getting the Iraq treatment, according to another article. 

In the meantime, I'd love to know what these people make of Amir Omar, a Republican Party candidate in Texas who is half Iranian and half (gasp!) Palestinian...

Palinology

We reluctantly explore Palinology (not to be confused with Paleontology!).

Here is a post from Politico summarizing a piece of Democratic opposition research before she hit the national scene.

Since I've started this line of writing, Palin has basically imploded. 

First, there's the Troopergate Scandal. Now, the guy Palin tried to get fired probably should have been fired; by all measure, he was a creep and should not have been at his post. But firing his supervisor for not firing him was, according to the Republican-dominated body which was investigating the matter, concluded that she was motivated in this by political considerations. Here are some more examples.

Then there is the small matter of Palin's friends.

Her witch doctor. Here's my favorite quote from him:

The second area whereby God wants us, wants to penetrate in our society is in the economic area. The Bible says that the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous. It's high time that we have top Christian businessmen, businesswomen, bankers, you know, who are men and women of integrity running the economics of our nations. That's what we are waiting for. That's part and parcel of transformation. If you look at the -- you know -- if you look at the Israelites, that's how they work. And that's how they are, even today.

No, that's not Ahmadinejad blaming everything on Zionist financiers. It's Palin's favorite minister!

Then there is the matter of traitors and terrorists. Like the Alaska Independence Party, with which she is closely tied. This is an organization which, in turn, is closely tied to other extremist and secessionist groups. What do you think this means for Iran policy? Funding and supporting similar groups in Iran? Mahmud Chehregani, dust off your resume... And al-Ahwaz, the Neocons' favorite Arab nationalist movement, start arming your bombs! Jundollah, PJAK, the whole stable of American-approved terrorists, you'll have a kindred spirit in the Vice President's office once again.

Drill, baby, drill?

Watch this spot for further discussion.

Experts weigh in on the economic effectiveness of drilling.

Here's a good repost to the mindless economics of the Economist:

Not counting opportunity costs, externalities and social costs - a rough estimate of the benefits of clearing the rain-forest for feed production is over $5 trillion. And? Ha - we estimate that 99.9% of all Brazilians would sell the rainforest for $500 per head. Let's do it, baby!

Obviously anybody against drilling is against: freedom, independence, prefers animals over humans and dislikes economic growth. Those who claim that our children need a healthy environment have a point but we believe that what they need even more is economic growth!!! Look - here - we have found an analysis that somehow "mentions" the environment and shows a break-even nevertheless. Let's drill baby - for our babies!

That is why we can all write page after page about oil, energy and drilling without even trying to estimate the environmental costs - the real ones - not the the costs of BRIBES. Estimating a bribe is not the same as estimating the real cost. What on earth is THIS?:

"Rather than estimate these costs and conduct a benefit-cost analysis, we calculate the costs that would generate a breakeven result. We find that the average breakeven willingness to accept compensation to allow drilling in ANWR ranges from $582 to $1,782 per person"

What on earth is this: "At today's price of oil, a rough estimate of the benefit -- not counting environmental costs -- is over $600 billion."

Not counting opportunity costs, externalities and social costs - a rough estimate of the benefits of invading Saudi is over $3 trillion.

A view from Florida. (Can't say we agree with it all, but it makes sobering reading.)

A succinct statement of the argument about why drilling does not make economic sense from a blog with a disturbing title. 

Here's a call to action.

A modest proposal from the Yes Men, anti-corporate pranksters.

As for "responsible" drilling along the coast, Grampy McSame is claiming that of-shore drilling is now disaster-proof. This has been debunked repeatedly. 

As if this were not enough, Hurricane Ike came along as if the Lord were telling the Republicans "Vengeance is mine!" Here are a few posts on the matter. 

Here's hoping that Obama is listening too...

John McCain and Iran-Contra

John McCain's recollection of the Iran-Contra Affair seem pretty sketchy who was there at the time. 

In fairness, McCain at the time was not gung-ho for the dubious mission of stomping the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. As peace talks with Nicaragua's neighbors progressed, McCain developed doubts about the military threat posed by tiny Nicaragua to the colossus to its north. However, he backed the Contras as they continued their deadly provocations against Nicaragua, in the teeth of these peace talks. Here is an interesting article on the subject, including McCain's role.

We have no record of McCain objecting to the pardon of the Iran-Contra criminals which sank any possibility of getting to the heart of the matter. He has surrounded himself with members of the cabal involved therein. No one's asking and he's not telling.

Speaking of pardons, will McCain pardon the convicted felon Republican operative Scooter Libby? He's not saying but do you have any doubts? Check this out.

Anti-Iranian Racist Reads Mawlana

Mawlana somewhere wrote that in his mystic vision, Pharoah and Moses are one.

Maybe it's in that spirit that the racist Right believes that every time an Iranian stands up for reason and good sense in America, i.e., supports Barack Obama, it means that Ahamadinejad and his regime are supporting Obama. Here's a brilliant example. The blogger writes, "I've been meaning to put together a list like this for a while, so people could have something tangible when it comes to understanding how extreme, and how fringe the hijacked Democrat party has become." Under "Iranians for Obama", he links to one Omid Habibinia, who has fled the Islamic Republic and has fought for human rights in his own country.

Yes, our Rightist blogger has studied his Mawlana well. Pharoah and Moses are one.

Or maybe he's just a complete idiot. What do you think?

Since our last post, we have found more of the same. These racists identify all Iranians with Ahmadinejad. They just can't help themselves, poor dears...

"The Silent Plurality"

Most Iranians are for Obama, according to a leading Iranian dissident, Omid Memarian, who has been tortured and imprisoned by the Islamic Republic's agents for his pro-democracy activities. 

Thank you, Scott McLeod of Time. Referred to in the blog The Silent Plurality.

California Iranians for Obama. 

Thank you for linking to us.

The honor roll:

The World Wants Obama

برق و گامپوتر ۶۹

Travelicio.us/middle-east/iran

Hamid and Company

Neghneghoo

balatarin

donbaleh

ebham

iunknown

McCain as POW

Here is an interesting video with comments on McCain's POW experience and what it means should he achieve his political ambitions. 

If you just want the video, here it is:

Thanks, Iranian.com

We thank Iranian.com for posting our button on their website.

We have always followed this website and admire its openness to all sectors of the Iranian community.

If anyone else wants to post this logo and our URL on their blog, we'd be delighted. Please pass the word to us so we can put you on our honor role.

Sarah Palin on Iran

What about Sarah Palin, a heartbeat away from the presidency. Here's what she's said on Iran. Well, not a lot. Well, she did use Iran to push for her favorite theme, more drilling in Alaska, in her address at the Republican National Convention. Here is a comment on her demagoguery.  Here is an essay on where she might take us.

McCain: Iraq, Iraq, Afghanistan, Whatever...

A catalogue of McCain Iran gaffes.

Here's one. Here is a comment on it. 

In the course of correcting this gaffe, here comes another.

Iranians, McCain wants you DEAD. Don't believe me? Hear him out here! Here is a comment from Talking Points Memo, with video. Here's another from Crooks and Liars. Here is a response from the right-wing blogosphere. That McCain is such a cut-up. For his next act, he'll make that joke about how many Jews can be put in a Volkswagen...

A collection of McCain gaffes on Iran from Media Matters. First time, shame on me, second time...

Commentary, home of the Neocons, carries this about how McCain is losing the debate on Iran.

Oh, and McCain believes that Eye-Rainians are not Christian, so we can't trust 'em! So he says here! Kiss-off, camel jockeys!

McCain thinks we've been negotiating with the Iranians all these years. Not so much... 

McCain and Iran-Contra. Thank you, Firedog Lake.

McCain geography: The Iraq-Pakistan border. Ummm... I think it's called IRAN!

Interesting comments on McCain's Ahmadinejad fixation from Jewcy, a liberal Jewish blog.

Iranians for McCain

Every now and then, we will descend into the Twilight Zone of our esteemed rivals.

Thank you, Snarky Penguin and Mimus Pauly.

Cyberspace Picks on the Republican Convention

The Daily Show on Republican doublespeak on sexism.

Police state tactics against journalists reporting on the Republican convention. And here. And here. And here.

As always, thank you Amy Goodman and the Democracy Now team.

Consortium News has carried some excellent articles on the Republican Convention.

For comic relief, Red State Update.

John McCain: Bomb Iran

McCain Sings Bomb Iran

John McCain laughs away his sick joke:

"Please, I was talking to some of my old veterans friends," he told reporters. "My response is, Lighten up and get a life."

When reporters asked if the joke was insensitive, McCain said: "Insensitive to what? The Iranians?"

Council on Foreign Relations

Tracking the candidates' stands on the issues.
One of the issues tracked Iran.

Obama vs. McCain on Iran ...

... and related issues.

Go to this link.

Thanks a visitor to this blog.

An Iranian Patriot Looks at Sen. Biden's Iraq Policy

There is much concern about Senator Joseph Biden's policy of a "soft partition" of Iraq. Here is a thoughtful response by Goudarz Eghtedari.

Obama Family Iranian?!

Another reactionary conspiracy theory!

Get Your Hate On

The Right Wing is showing its true character. Consider this:

I don't really know where to begin with this.

First, it uses "Iranians" as an insult. Iranians are identified as Communists, terrorists, what have you.

Second, it uses the emblem of the Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerillas. I haven't fact-checked whether which, if any, of the dozen factions this group has splintered into has endorsed this "bourgeois politician," but I'll wager it's exactly zero.

Third, the designers of this preposterous fraud are anonymous. Why do these racists prefer to do their dirty work in the dark? Guess they're not real proud of themselves.